The Irrevocable Call of God

We are so proud of Jeremy Phelps, who graduated from Teen Challenge today. Jeremy is a long-time friend who we first became acquainted with while living in Georgia. His sister, Kristen was attending our youth ministry there and asked me to visit her brother who had been arrested. When I showed up the next morning, Jeremy had just prayed and asked God to send him a sign that He loved him and would answer his prayer. We prayed together, he rededicated his life to the Lord and began attending our youth group. 

From there, Jeremy went through our Master's Commission program in Atlanta, accompanied us to Romania on one of our mission trips there and really felt a calling to that country. Over time, he backslid and allowed drugs to get a stronghold on his life. Last year he called me about the Teen Challenge program here and God opened a door for him to go through the program. I am so proud of him. It's been awesome to watch God move in his life. This summer he will do a three month internship at our Master's Commission School in Romania! God's calling is truly irrevocable! 

Twenty-two Year Old Walking Man

Today, this guy turns twenty-two! Chase is working for a local paint contractor, living in the apartments the church owns that serves as our student housing for CLC and looking forward to his next adventure. Last year at this time he and one of his best friends were backpacking across the British Isles. Every once and a while I can see that far away look in his eyes and I imagine he is dreaming of his next journey. Chase's full name is Chase Walker Ables, after my grandfather - John Walker Russell. It seems the name Walker was a suitable selection! 

We've just wrapped up a series at Crossroads called Sound Systems. The premise of the series was that God wants us sound in every regard within our lives. He wants us spiritually sound, sound in our relationships and sound in our finances. He wants us living with sound minds and sound bodies. 

By sound, I mean whole, well, healthy and strong. 3 John 2 says, "Beloved I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers." If we believe that, then we should put systems in place that help ensure that soundness in our lives. 

Systems are practices and disciplines that contribute toward a healthy lifestyle. Things like prayer and Bible study help keep us strong spiritually. Communication and serving one another keep our relationships in tact. Budgeting and wise investments lead to financial soundness. Meditating on God's Word and living lives of humility ensure mental and emotional stability. Proper diet and exercise are essential to having healthy bodies.  

We believe only God can truly define what soundness consists of. With that in mind, our sound systems must be High Definition. For these systems to operate efficiently in our lives, we must remain faithful and consistent in these disciplines and practices. You might say what we need is High Fidelity sound systems. Did you see what I did right there? Hi Def? Hi Fi? Sound systems! 

Persistent Prayer

We have just completed 21 Days of Prayer at Crossroads Church. What now?

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.” Notice it doesn’t say pray 21 days without ceasing. God has expectations on day 22, 23 and so on. 

Jesus taught His disciples in Luke 18 that we ought always to pray and not give up. He went on to tell them a story of an unjust judge who is petitioned by a widow and dismisses her, convinced he doesn’t have time to intervene in her case. However, because she keeps coming to him again and again, he finally gives her justice because of her persistence. He then draws the parallel between us and this story, not to suggest that God is an unjust Judge, but to point out that ours should be a prayer life that is persistent. Here’s why:

Persistant prayer is…

1. Faith’s priority.

The first fruit of real faith is faithfulness. It’s Job’s declaration, “Though God slay me, still I will trust Him.” (Job 13:15) Real faith says, “I don’t have to receive the answer to my prayer to continue to pray.”

2. Faith’s praise.

In Philippians 4:6, the Holy Spirit inspires Paul to admonish believers to offer prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Real faith says, “I don’t have to see results to believe God has heard and will answer my prayer.” Persistent prayer comes to God again and again, not asking for the same thing over and over, but thanking God for what was requested the first time we prayed. 

3. Faith’s partner.

Some would have us believe that faith is all that is required to receive something from God. Hebrews 6:12 demonstrates that this assumption is incorrect. The writer declares that it is with faith and patience that we inherit the promises of God. Patience postures us persistently in prayer however long it takes to receive our answer. 

I believe we have secured God’s attention through this 21 days of prayer but I also believe God is interested in seeing what we will do with the additional 344 days! Let us PERSIST!