In the Midst of the Wilderness

I wrote this poem a while ago when I was "walking through the wilderness." Some of you may be experiencing this very thing right now, but find hope in Jesus and never give up the journey, even when it is hard! Pursue a passion and desire for truth, and seek God until He blesses you (Gen. 32:26). I was rescued from the wilderness recently, and God gave me a taste of Himself. If He allows me to go back into the wilderness again, I know that He will use it for good and will give me rest in Him. So, stay strong and fight to know the very God that created you to know Him!

Oh Lord, I am in the midst of the wilderness,
Heartache, yes, sorrow, depression, no rest.

I have felt you so near, many times,
Now it's hard to see, and you I can't find.

I get stuck in the swamp, and I can't get free,
Why, Lord, do I sit and think only of me?

I want you, I need you, it's easy sometimes,
But now, more than ever, please come to my mind.

Prayer and conversation, I think not of you,
I am so caught up in me, what do I do?

Help me escape from depending on myself,
Oh God, I am ready, can I cry out for help?

Lord, where I am, will you hear my call?
Or depending on myself, will you let me fall?

Teach me, rebuke me, please use discipline,
Then I will love you, instead of the praise of men.

One thing, Lord, I ask you now - please help,
I always will fall when I depend on myself.

You sent me your servants, they teach me so well,
I must humble myself, then I will be able to tell,

How to make it through the wilderness,
Show me your glory, save me from hell.

Truth and reality, I must seek your face,
Show me, Lord, in the midst of this fog, your grace.

The light in the darkness, shall not disappear,
If you grant me a new heart, eyes to see, and ears to hear.

I want it, I need it, how can I survive?
Breathe in my body, you're the One who keeps me alive.

Truth, more Truth, I need more of Christ,
I want to know more of his sacrifice.

So, in this body, I may also be,
Like your precious servant, the One who died for me.

He walked in the wilderness 40 days,
Let me not forget temptation he had in so many ways.

He endured it with the Word and stood against Satan,
He glorified God, the Maker of Earth and Heaven.

Grow in faith and love, you have to go through this,
Keep going and trust me, to the end of the wilderness.

With my strength, you shall stand,
Don't grow weary, hold my hand.

I will walk with you, let me lead you,
With Christ, there's nothing you can't do.

Yes, the wilderness may come and go,
But everything has a season to grow.

You, my child, are a seed that I shall nourish,
Soil you, protect you, water you, then you shall flourish.

Be patient, as I am with you, my daughter,
You had a bad dad, now I'm your new Father.

I must teach you and love you, and some discipline,
Then go to the sea, become fishers of men.

You'll grow in knowledge, a new heart within,
Loving the Truth, and hating sin.

Set your eyes on things above,
And your mind on my Love.

The hope that awaits if you finish the race,
Seeing my glory, yes, even my face.

Run to win, persevere, and fight,
Run from the darkness, seek only the Light.

You are being trained in righteousness,
So stand firm, dear child, in the midst of the wilderness.

Crucifying the American Dream

I was going to write up something formal and technical for this topic, but instead I’m just going to explode on this page, because a passion for the violent crucifixion of the American Dream has been burning in me all day long. The American Dream is a phenomenon that causes lethal problems for both unbelievers and believers alike. For unbelievers, it stands in the way – like a mighty fortress – of them ever coming to know and treasure their Creator. For believers, it looms overhead, threatening to choke out their seeds until they spiritually die (Matt. 13:22; Luke 8:14). Sometimes it may have more subtle effects in the life of a genuine Christian. Small slivers of the American Dream can creep in unnoticed and slowly weaken our love, passion, and joy in our glorious Savior. The American Dream causes distractions in our lives that can divide a true Christian’s sole passion for God Himself to other “good” things like career advancement, enjoyable family time, and other vain happenings that do not count for eternity. Now this may sound a little harsh, but we need to make sure that we do not let so-called “good” things keep us from the best things. Enjoyable family time may be nice, but it is a burger and fries compared to the filet mignon of suffering, striving and giving everything you have for the Kingdom of God. For those of us who have tasted of the Heavenly gifts, who have experienced the profound, supernatural joy and pleasure that only comes from God and true fellowship with Him, we must declare all-out nuclear holocaust against the American Dream and its many manifestations. At all costs, do not let America suck you away from your infinitely glorious Creator so that you waste time you will never get back on fleeting pleasures instead of feasting on the glory and majesty of God Almighty!

Crucifying the American Dream in our lives could play out in a number of different ways. It could mean getting rid of your house that is filled with “stuff” and various distractions and moving into a cheap apartment that requires much less time and attention to maintain. It could mean quitting your soul-shrinking, secular job and volunteering to become a missionary for your church or some missionary-sending organization. It could also mean identifying some alternative, godless enjoyment that has taken root in your life, such as watching sports or some sitcom, and cutting it off so that you have more time to spend building up your treasures in Heaven by serving God and doing things that matter for eternity. If you’ve ever drank from the Fountain of Living Water, you know that you didn’t do it by watching Everybody Loves Raymond, or some other “clean” television show. You drank deeply from the Fountain of Living Water when you and your small group went out in 10-degree weather to give food and clothing to the homeless, and Christ’s love was poured out and displayed mightily through your actions. You drank deeply from the Fountain of Living Water when you joyfully dug into the Scriptures and God revealed a new and glorious truth to you through His Word. Do not allow yourself to settle for small, worldly enjoyments that leave your soul feeling empty. Embrace the Glory of Christ, cast off each and every hindrance you have, and run your race in such a way that Jesus is magnified to the world as such a great Treasure that someone would sell everything they own in order to have the magnificently glorious Son of Man instead! (Heb. 12:1; Matt. 13:44-45)

Treasuring Him

We just went to the Don't Waste Your Life tour last night in Lima, Ohio, and they began by playing this amazing video!