His Hands Are Outstretched Still

I began to put together a message when we were going through the most difficult time of our lives, when I was accused of abuse as the Director of a Group Home for 6 teenage boys in  Southern CA. I was told by the State Child Care Department I was not abusive just following the rules, but the agency I was working for could do anything they wanted to do and I was terminated and they wanted my wife, Ginny to stay on, which she did for two days and could not continue, because she was working with the person that was the cause for me getting laid off. We both went through a very difficult time and I thank the Lord for the Church we were going to, for they asked me to be the assistant to the pastor the same week I was terminated.

I began to pray and fast shortly after this for forty days with no solids just liquids. The Lord impressed upon me the thought, “His Hands are Out Stretched Still”.

Today as I look at the Church and see what ministers are going through and even our pastor, I am so thankful the hand of the Lord is outstretched still. God always cares, but many times we do not see this for we are doing our thing, and blind to what is really going on. We get caught up in the selfish mold and can only see, I. I am weak and only as I understand this, is the Lord able to use me for His purpose, which is doing what He commands. His will not my will be done!

As I look at the world in which I live in, Yakima; and the surround area, involved with the jails.  I see miracle after miracle, for no one can do what God has done and is doing still today in the lives of men and women as they are bought to their senses and accept they need help. The consequences of sin is still the same, as in the beginning of time.

We need to understand Genesis, to begin to understand the power of the Lord God Almighty. Gen 1:1-2 (KJV)  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ² And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Man is trying his best, to prove that this world is thousands of years old, and we evolved into being with no designer, it just happen. That is like believing we see what is happening without any real experiences. All we see, just happened, man did not cause, just allows what happens. No responsibility, no accountability, I’m made to act this way, to do what I am doing, don’t tell me we have any order? We are witnessing this kind of thinking every day, as I go into the jails. Did God create this earth we call the world? Or did it just happen because of some kind of chance? 

Here is a little more insight of what took place at the Springfield, Missouri Chaplains conference we attended July 28-30. Here are my note on the message of George Wood and Thomas Trask our Superintendent of the Assemblies of God.

George Woods Secretary of the Assemblies of God spoke Sunday morning, taking his text from 1 Chronicles 16 to 26 where David is showing the reason for his favor with the Lord. It’s a song of thanksgiving even through he was not allowed to build the house for worship, he learned to be content. David sinned by numbering the people when he was told not to, and God smote Israel. He then gathers supplies for the temple for his son Solomon to build. He divides by lot officers and singers. It’s the singers that David would like to see, for they built up the people.
He recalled how the Lord swallowed up Korah, but saved her Children. In Numbers the 26 Chapter.  Jude 11 we see Core mention again. Then we see David in Psalms 26 speaking out in three areas. He Desired-1-4; We see him in the Desert 5-7; and then we seeing him Delighting in the Lord 8-12. He longed to be in the presence of the Lord. That is the reason for wanting to build the temple of God. He desired the Lords will for his life, just as many today regardless of ministry want to draw near to the Lord. Ministry is secondary the presence of the Lord primary. When ever ministry becomes the focus of ones life, we are going to suffer disappointment and burn out. We need to focus on our need for more of the Lord. Do we desire more of the Lord? Or a bigger platform?
Do we have an appetite for God? We need to reach out and touch the hand of the Lord letting Him lead us. Paul said, I want to know Christ and His suffering. It’s a tough journey and if you have not experienced the wilderness you will.