Hey everybody...God is good!

So here's the Word for today...YOU MUST GO ON THROUGH THIS DRY PLACE! YOU MUST BE DETERMINED & HAVE A STUBBORN FAITH...REFUSE TO LET GO OF YOUR PROMISES...AND KEEP FIGHTING!

There is a spiritual famine in the land. Its a 'DRY' place. You know...when you feel overwhelmed...frustrated...what's the use?!

Sometimes you cant read your bible..concentrate when you pray...your mind wonders off and its hard to focus.

You get grouchy...you feel depressed...No chill bumps in church....no dreams or visions...ITS JUST BARREN!

Those places for Christians are very real. They are also part of the process God 'allows' to bring you into deeper places with HIM!

All of His people endured these times of testing and frustration. Daniel...David...Abraham...Paul..Peter...

It seems they come just before you get promoted! I've always had a saying..

Proving comes before promotion!

As we mature in God...these times are like 'final exams'...Just before the new level. Over the last 29 years...I can see a pattern in our lives. Mary & I usually go through the 'fire' just before something really BIG happens!

(LB)1Peter 1: 6.  So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here.
 7.  These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it--and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return.

Sometimes its a few 'months' of it...But there have been more times... that were much longer.

What you do in those dark lonely times when you feel nothing and God gets very quiet..brings out things in you that..well....aren't so pretty! It is pressure! When you get 'squeezed'..there is nasty stuff comes out that you didn't know was even in there!

I have seen many people QUIT through these times and go back to the hog pen! I've seen them break their promises to God...

Just like Peter did..."Though all forsake you Lord...I'll DIE for you!"  He wrote the scripture above through experience.

We all know what he did...When the pressure was applied...He ran! The Word  says that he followed Jesus at a distance.(Matt 26:58)

I have found myself over the years..following at a distance. Grumbling & complaining....talking 'junk' and walking in 'Fear' instead of 'Faith!' The FIRE brings that out. Yes, its embarrassing...and disappointing. But it  does exactly what the scripture says..'These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure.'

We need to see where we are. We need to be able to throw ourselves at His feet and ask for help! He is always waiting. I am very honest with God when I pray...I don't beat around the bush..I just tell Him what I am being tempted with...repent ..and ask for help! He knows any way...why try and hide it?

He knows me..and He knows you! I mean ALL OF YOU! That nasty stuff that you don't want no one to see...The very hairs of your head are numbered! The thoughts and intents of your heart...HE KNOWS! He's just waiting on you 'come clean' and let Him forgive you & fix you!

What's so COOL about our relationship with our Father...He knew you when you were vile & ugly..and He loved you any way!

He loved you when you were taking His name in vain...when you were stealing & lying...when you were lost & without hope...He LOVED you when you were unlovable!

HOW MUCH MORE NOW!

Don't let the enemy ride that steam roller of guilt & condemnation over you! . Every day...Tell Him you love Him...& ask Him to clean you up..The devil is the ACCUSER...God is the FORGIVER!

 (LB)Hebrews 4:13.  He knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing can be hidden from him to whom we must explain all that we have done.
 14.  But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting him.
 15.  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, since he had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned.
 16.  So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.

I wrote a song a few years ago...the words say..

v.  Oh its been so dry, food was hard to find..

thirsty for water, questions in my mind..

But You rained down the manna, you sustained us every day..

when I couldn't feel your presence, your love still made a way..

 (Chorus)

Going into Canaan, the promise has come..

testing time is over, the victory is won..

every thing that's been stolen..is being returned..

oh the promise of a better life..now its our turn..going into Canaan..

v.  I can see the blessing, joys being filled..

there's vineyards we didn't plant..there's cities we didn't build..

Oh flow on milk & honey..let the trumpet sound..

Gods promise is waiting..all the giants stand down..

(Chorus)

 It is your turn! God told me to tell you..

HE LOVES YOU! HE AINT MAD AT YOU...AND HE HASN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU!

Don't forget about your quiet time with Him. He misses you..DON'T GET TO BUSY...SO BUSY YOU LEAVE HIM OUT!

ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT "YOUR WORK YOU DO FOR HIM"...IS NOT YOUR "RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!"

Do you understand?

Don't confuse the issue! Your work you do on your job..for your family & children...is not the same as taking them to a ball game..or fishing..ect.

The work you do to support them...and your quality time with them..  are DIFFERENT ALL TOGETHER.

SPEND YOUR QUALITY TIME WITH THE LORD...ON YOUR FACE...JUST LOVING HIM...APPRECIATING HIM...BEING INTIMATE WITH HIM! That is where you will get pregnant with the vision!

God bless!

Eddie 'Bigun' Day

SOGMC National Chaplain