This past Saturday at Southeastern University, FCA held its 1^st and for sure not the last Jr High dodge-ball

 tournament. FCA groups from Albany, Frost, and Springfield Middle School attended the event. Students not only competed against each other but we through a few college athletes in the mix as well. Each team had one of our FCA leaders assigned to play with them adding to the fun and excitement of the tournament. After lunch all our 

It made a whole lot of sense not to go to Ghana. For whatever reasons, I didn’t have a visa to get into Ghana and every web site dealing with travel to Ghana said

that westerners would not be permitted to enter the country without one. Another reason, on Saturday afternoon I only had 29.00 in my account to travel in country.

It would be easier to tell the team I’m not coming and no one would question my rational. After all, isn’t there more than enough to do here? These are the thoughts and battles that went through my mind Saturday less than 24 hours before I was scheduled to fly out.

Yet God’s word says “to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” What were the instructions of the Lord? He said go and I had said okay I’ll go. Obedience was the only option for me. Would I trust the report of man or the report of the Lord? Okay Lord I’ll go but I need some money and I need your favor to get past Ghana Immigration. Late Saturday without any prompting from me people began to stop by with money and by 7:00 am Sunday morning I had all the funds to cover my expenses I was expecting and to travel in country. It was the first of several miracles that would take place in order for me to accomplish his call. Ellen reminded me that my true passport is that of a heavenly Kingdom and it’s not limited to earthly governments. With her encouragement I would plow ahead. With money in hand and bags packed I was set to go.  I received a phone call from Dennis Hayford, our trip coordinator. He had been speaking with Vincent our FCA contact man in Ghana. Vincent had spoken with the immigration authorities and he said there was no way I was going to get into the country and it would be better to not go. Satan has one tactic and that is to lie to us which causes intimidation and confusion. At that moment, it was working on me. Dennis said it was up to me and he would respect my decision whatever it would be. I needed to spend with the Lord. Once again, Ellen and I cried out to the Lord for His direction.  When Dennis called back the only words that would come out of my mouth and I must confess it was with tears were  “How will I know if I don’t go”. If I stay home I will never know what mighty work God has in store, and if I’m sent back oh well it’s on Father, not me. My responsibility was to go until I could go no further.

     The other picture that became very vivid to me at that moment was the 100s and 100s of students I stand before every semester, what would I say to them? You can trust God until it gets tuff and then you have to choose plans based on what seems best for you. To not go would be to say yes God is great but there are limitations to how much I would trust him. I was going and if I got stopped I would share Christ with whomever I can in the Ghana airport and I will turn around and come home.

But God had other plans in mind.

Miracle number one. Dennis, Del, and Dan were all asked at their points of departure to show there visa stickers before ever getting on the first flight. I was never asked that question not one time. That alone would have derailed the trip before it ever got off the ground.

Upon arrival in the Ghana airport there was a Ghana immigration official after listening to my case said he needed to talk to my host, Vincent. At 10:30 pm Dennis called Vincent who lived five hours away from airport. The conversation that ensued seemed to go on for an eternity but it was more like 10 minutes. After he hung up, he simply said it would be 150.00 dollars and I would have to fill out some forms. And just like that I was admitted into Ghana with my heavenly visa and kingdom passport.

Later the next day I asked Vincent what he and the man had talked about. He said he told the man that several years ago they use to let people get visas upon arrival what changed. The immigration official said that was true but the law had changed several years ago and they don’t do it anymore, to which Vincent replied,  “no one ever told me and I’ve invited this man to come and we can’t send him away.” With no human logic of sense but with the hand of Almighty God I was granted the appropriate documents to enter and travel around the country legally.

The ministry to 55+ coaches and the basketball camp with 50 kids was a great blessing and was what I believe is the beginning of a movement that will sweep the nation in the months and years to come.

Thank you for all your prayers and support.

 
Blessings in the Lord,

 

                                                                                

"Grace is made visible and is most clearly seen through the generosity of Believers"

"Grace is made visible and is most clearly seen through the generosity of Believers"

Jonathan Edwards

Hebrews 4: 16

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

I can not give away what I do not posses.

Generosity of Believers: is the freedom that comes from the human heart that has been set free by the grace of God,  It overflows and pours out freely all that Father has deposited in you.

Isaiah 58: 1-9

58 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?

Grace is not made visible through religious activity thats outside relationship with the Father.

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord.

The Grace of God is most visible and clearly seen when i humble myself before the Lord

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I “If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

Generosity does not flow out of frenzied activity.

Generosity comes out of rest. Rest is when I can come to that place of agreement with who God says that I am in Him. The Sabbath is more than cessation from life events it's also a state of mind its a place of the heart. It's that place where I find myself at complete peace in Him.

13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

"Grace is made visible and is most clearly seen through the generosity of Believers"

Year end thank you to all our supporters

The Power of Prayer

It's a great privilege to work along side the Louisiana High School Athletic Association.

     This past weekend I along with several of my FCA colleagues were invited to pray before each of the state championship football games in the Super Dome. I consider it a big deal to be able to through prayer proclaim to 20 to 30 thousand people that there is but one true God and pray in His Son Jesus name.
      "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" 
1 Timothy 1:17

Your Identity in Christ

FCA Leadership Training Day