Awakening 21 Day Fast – Day 3

On Monday I happened to run into a Lifecoaster and she asked me a question about her fast. She said, “Pastor Jeff, my husband asked me if I wanted a milk shake. I reminded him that I was fasting.” He responded by saying, “Well you are fasting from food. This is a drink. Can’t you have a drink?” She then looked at me with a very puzzled look on her face and said, “I told him No thank you – Did I do the right thing? Or was it o.k. for me to have the milk shake?” I simply said this, “Your fast is a personal thing between you and The Holy Spirit. What did the Holy Spirit tell you about the milk shake?” She smiled and told me that she didn’t feel right in her spirit about drinking a milk shake. I told her, “Then you did the right thing.”

God immediately nudged my spirit as if to say,     “Remember this – It’s important!” So perhaps we need to look at this fast in a way that we never have before. It’s not just about the sacrifice we are willing to make. It’s not just about the three or four more times a day we might set aside to communicate with God in prayer. It’s not just about giving our mind and our body a break from whatever it is we are fasting from. Maybe, just maybe, it’s more about learning to seek God in our decision making. We begin with the foods we eat only because those are some of the most frequent decisions we make each day. Maybe God has instructed us to fast on a regular basis to bring us back to the basic function of listening to The Holy Spirit regularly, for every decision. Food is just a good training ground. A training ground of tuning our Spiritual ears into the voice of the Savior. A training ground for listening to what He has to say each time we need to make a decision. A training ground for learning to recognize His voice moment by moment. Then, and only then, can we fulfill what we are commanded to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Pray continually.

1 John 1:7 … if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

P.S.  pay no attention to that picture of the milk shake.  =)

God is Listening

Sorry for the long lay-off.  I’ve tried to search myself and ask why haven’t I been writing.  The best understanding I have come to is that I saw what was coming and couldn’t bring myself to authenticate it by writing about it.  But let me share that the truth is still the truth whether we choose to admit openly or keep hidden in our secret thoughts.

Some of you have seen the posts on facebook from Adam, Stacy and me.  And the unhidden reality is that Adam has relapsed and Stacy and I have had to redo some of the steps we knew all too well.  We saw the errors we made and knew we could not make them again.  If Adam was going to embrace recovery again soon we would have to bring the bottom to him and not wait for him to stumble his way to it.  Step by step we drew our lines and did not waiver.  Oh we cried and prayed – but we dared not blink.

It’s so hard to respond to hopeful people when they have invested time, money and prayer into Adam’s recovery, and they ask, “how is Adam doing?”  And I have to say, “not good.”  It’s so hard not to wear that embarrassment and shame even though It’s not my shame to bear.  I can’t help but wonder what actions and attitudes of mine have contributed to Adam’s road.

Stacy and I finally came to what we believe is a God given truth.  When we shared this truth with Adam, within 24 hours he was ready to embrace recovery again.  We told Adam that because of his choices and actions that he was no longer welcome at our home.  He could not come home.  If he came again he would be asked to leave.  We gave him only one reason that would be acceptable to contact us.  if he needed a ride to a rehab facility.

As I said, within 24 hours of telling him this – he called us and told us that he had contacted Penfield and asked his former counselor if he could return.

So as I return to the blogesphere I humbly ask you all to pray (again) for my son.  He has some hoops to jump through (paperwork).  That this could go quickly and we can get him back to Penfield.

I stand on the truth of Jonah 3:1

And the Word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.

Our God is the God of second chances!

And God is Listening – Don’t stop praying for those in your life who need Him.

Who Do We Believe?

If you attended Lifecoast Church this past Sunday this will probably be mostly redundant information.  But for me this was a quite a week of study in 1 John 5.  I never expected to have an age old arguement jump out of the text and into my brain like it did this past week.  Let me elaborate for those of you who may not be aware of what I am refering to. 

1 John 5:7 & 8 has been, for many years, a portion of scripture that boils the blood of those who would consider the King James Bible to be the “authorized” translation for all english speaking Christians.  I have had many conversations with many brothers and sisters whom I love dearly.  I am not saying that the King James Bible is NOT the Word of God – IT IS.  What I am saying is that it is a translation which used the manuscripts that were available at the time (1611).  Since that time many manuscripts which date closer to the orginal autographs have been discovered and have been used in some of the more current translations.

1 John 5:7  KJV (1611)  

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

1 John 5:7 & 8 NIV (1983)

For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 

As I studied this past week I kept coming back to this portion of scripture.  I have had several good spirited debates on these verses in the past and have always stood by the manuscript evidence that the King James Version had younger manuscripts and used no manuscript which dated later than the 16th century.  Which brings us to my point of struggle.  Event though I would always lean toward the NIV translation on this portion of scripture, both the KJV as well as the NIV seemed to be a random sentence amid a pointed writing by the Apostle John.

John, up to that point is discussing obedience and how to overcome the worlds way of thinking through that obedience.  Those who are true followers of Jesus will obey and overcome.

1 John 5:1-5   Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. ² This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, ⁴ for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

 Verse 6 is a pivotal verse in that it really bares little diffence, no matter which translation you read.  I’ll use the NKJ translation to prove that point.

1 John 5:6 (NKJ)   This is He who came by water and blood — Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

Here is where I saw something that I had never seen before.  Jesus coming by water and blood.  What does that mean?  Most scholars agree that this portion of scripture is a reference to Jesus Baptism and to Jesus Crucifixion.  I was easily tracking this same train of thought.   The 1st event was at the start of His ministry and 2nd was when His ministry was finished.  (Even Jesus said, “it is finished”).  Not difficult to read and gain this understanding.  But even though I could see the symbolism, this still seems to be something random within what John is trying to convey.  Or does it?  Jesus was Baptized by John who was performing Baptisms of repentence.  Did Jesus need to repent?  No!  No Sin, No Repentence needed.  So why did Jesus get baptized?   Matthew 3:15 “…to fulful all righteousness”  What does righteousness mean?  Adhering to moral principles or being obedient.  Jesus was showing his obedience to God by being baptized.  The same can be said of Jesus at the end of His human life.  Though He prayed to the Father to “remove this cup from me”  that is the crucifixion to come, He finished that prayer with these words, “not my will but your will be done.”  Jesus culminated his life and ministry with another act of obedience.  And the Spirit was present and mentioned at both events.  At the Baptism (The Spirit descended on him as a dove)  at His crucifixion Jesus said, (“Into your hands I commit my spirit). 

Conclusion:  The translation of the three being in agreement The Spirit, the water and the blood seems to be the only one that truly is connected to the context of obedience.  What does that mean for us?  Are those three areas in agreement for us?  The 3 in agreement The Spirit = Our Spirit;  The Water = Our Baptims or Our Obedience;  The Blood = Our Life. (Lev. 17:11 – The creatures life is in the blood).  Our spirit, our obedience and our lives.  Are we at turmoil in our spirit, struggling to walk a Christ-like path in our life?  Or does our spirit easily do what the Bible says is the Godly thing?  Have we done the most basic of obedient acts in our life when it comes to our relationship with God (Be Baptized)?  And continue to obey God’s Word?  And most importantly does our life speak to those who watch us that WE BELONG TO JESUS or does our life look like everyone elses? 

I know this has been long – but The Spirit has solidified this portion of scripture in my heart and in my mind.  I will never fall back on manuscript evidence (though compelling), The Word speaks for itself – if we take the time to let the Spirit unfold it for us.  Jesus was our example of obedience to God.  Why should I believe any other testimony?

Why should You?  Oh – and that’s exactly what the next verse says…

1 John 5:9   We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 

Hmmmmm,

Pj

And It Came to Pass…

As I listened to Dr. David Jeremiah this morning he said something in jest but it was also very profound.  “one of the most encouraging verses in the Bible are the words,  ‘And it came to pass…’ ”  

These words appear literally hundreds of times in the King James Bible.  The focus was that no matter what our earthly circumstances are, they are not our eternal reality.  This too will pass.  We have hope because this flesh is not our final stop.  These bodies are not the best we’ll get.  Our thinking is not at its peak.  Our mood will get infinitely better.  Our joy is not complete.  

So if perhaps you are like me today – feeling down after some great spiritual highs – assign your thinking to face the fact that this low will not be permanent.  I’m not going to live here.  My spirit will soar again.  Because these lows will only be permanent if we let them take up residence in our lives, in our thoughts, on our faces, in our hearts.  

These lows are inevitable.  When we join in the kingdom fight the enemy loves to mess with our heads.  Speak lies into our spirit.  Use even the people we love to side track our spiritual communication.  That is why God has given us His Word – so that we can separate truth from lies.  (2 cor. 10:5) 

Everyone will visit low times in their lives.  As Dr Jeremiah said, “We are going to visit them, just don’t move in.” 

I leave you with the same words we started with;  When it comes to feeling low… 

AND IT CAME TO PASS 

Job 8:21     He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.  

The Day Looks Better Already, 

Pj

Loving Being Where God is Working

Hi All

I haven’t blogged in a while.  Sorry for the drought.  The last three days have been amazing.  God has been all over His people and I have just been enjoying being in His presence.  Sunday morning we had an awesome Celebration service.  The Holy Spirit was working the hearts from the first note of the Worship Team.  Steve then prayed with power and praised our Lord and invited the Spirit to move us.  What a great celebration as people came for prayer for Salvation, repentence and accountability.  Oh but it didn’t end their Sunday night a new Growth Group opened up at the Life Center. Seventeen Lifecoasters came out to dig a little deeper into the Word of God.  Steve and Kathy had a great group that worshipped and dug into The Bible.  Monday night mens group still going strong as Thirty-one men listened to Wayne Lamp share about goodness and God.  Oh but it doesn’t end there.  On Tuesday morning I met with our leadership interns for Pneumatology and we got into a great discussion of how the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin.  Then a time with our Youth Pastor Andrew Smith – we just had a great time sharing what God is doing in the lives of students and student leaders.  God is moving!   Then I just had a great time meeting with a great staff.  These are Godly people pursuing Godly answers for direction and blessing.

I LOVE MY JOB!!!!!!

Pj

Hebrews 10:25

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another– and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

Peace and Fulfillment

I haven’t blogged in a while and I’ve been trying to figure out why.  It would seem that words flow easily when I am under stress but my thesaurus closes up tighter than a bank vault when all is calm and peaceful.  Well I will attempt to open the vault for a brief blog entry this evening.

The Barksdale family is doing well.  We are enjoying a great season of God’s blessings within our own household as well as within the household of God called Lifecoast Church.  We have had many people come to know Jesus as Savior over the past month and then last Sunday we Baptized 39 brothers and sisters at Flagler Beach. 

What has really been charging me up though is the people who are pouring into the Word of God through Growth Groups, One on One studies and our new Leadership program that PMike and I have just started over the past few weeks.  The five young men in this group are called to lead and God has brought them to Lifecoast and it is an amazing honor to be training them in the Word and in reproducing themselves as leaders.

Matthew 28:19-20Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Ephesians 4:11-12It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹² to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 

These two verses teach us that the job is not done just because someone prays a prayer to recieve Jesus as Savior.  Though the prayer is the foundation for the process, the Word of God tells us many times that this is not a completed job.  We are called to “make disciples” to “prepare” and to “build up”.  I am as filled with joy and fulfilled in purpose as I have ever been in my life.   My advise to those who might be reading this…    Discover you spiritual gift, find a way to plug into the local body of Christ, equip, prapare and build up those whom God has brought.

You will find peace & fullfilment,

Pj

Though He Stumble – He Will Not Fall

Well it has been a while since my last blog entry.  We have had a great season of peace and I have been walking closely with my Savior.  Many of you have been praying for Adam and we are so appreciative. Here is an update.

He has been struggling at Fresh Start in Orlando.  We have been praying and asking God to tell us how to proceed.  Well for good or for bad – Adam had a minor relapse.  He was open and honest about it, very remorseful and feeling terrible but the rules are very clear at Fresh Start – any slips and your out.  So Adam is at home.  Stacy and I prayed very hard as to how we should approach this.  Well this is what God has told us.  We have set up the Barksdale Accountable living Home (It’s just our house).  Adam is living here – but he might as well be at a halfway house.  He has curfews, mandatory meetings, limited cash, and an entire page of “Rules for Clean Living.”

So far, so good.  I think he is glad to be out of Fresh Start as it was, in his opinion,  very impersonal and mechanical.  He didn’t feel any connection with the staff and volunteers like he did at Penfield.  I could go into all the reasons why I think it didn’t work for him.  But that’s not really important.

We are where we are.  So we pick our selves up, dust ourselves off and move forward.  Adam already has a job with a Christian business owner her in town.  I know that he really enjoys working hard and accomplishing something.  Oh and getting paid a decent wage helps too.

Psalm 37:23-24

If the Lord delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

I know that in Adam’s heart he still wants to please the Lord and be in a place where his life makes a difference for the kingdom.  Thank you for all your prayers.  We are still at peace and being held up by the Lord’s hand.

I Love God’s People,

Pj

Consider it Pure Joy

Our family is experiencing a season of peace and joy.  Adam has begun the next phase of his journey.  On Monday we brought him to Fresh Start Ministries in Orlando.  He is required to work to pay his own way – so finding a job was his responsibility from day 1.  Well, on day 2 he called to tell us that he didn’t just find 1 job – but 2 jobs were offered to him.  He only took one of them – as they were the same hours. 

He started today and I am waiting to hear from him to see how it went.  His desire is to get the long term tools he needs at Fresh Start and then to go on to Bible College to study for Youth Ministries.  WOW! 

Well, I just heard from Adam – he had a good first day and the boss gave him opportunity to earn more money over and above his salary.  How Big Is Our God!

If you want to write to him here is the address.

 Adam Barksdale

Fresh Start Ministries
4436 Edgewater Dr.
Orlando, FL 32804

As I said we are in a season of peace.  I am sitting by the pool watching the kids swim.  I just finished preparing my message for Sunday.  Stacy is making supper and there is a cool breeze blowing gently past me.  Talk about a season of Peace.

Thank You Lord Jesus for the peace in my heart – and even though our journey has been full of lows as well as highs, I thank you just as much for the lows.  For it is only from our lowest points that we get a true perspective of just how BIG you are.  If you cleared our path of obstacles how would we ever gain the perseverance we need. 

James 1:2-4Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

In Pure Joy,

Pj

My Son Was Lost – But Now is Found

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWWx-nLor-0 

Our prodigal son has returned – Adam came home this weekend for a short visit before he moves onto his next step.  He shared briefly about his journey this morning with the Lifecoast family.  And the place erupted into standing applause.  You see the body of Christ has been praying for Adam for many years.  As Stacy and I have shared our pain and struggles, the family of God has lifted us before the thrown and we have felt the encouragement and presence of The Holy Spirit.  Adam has also recieved the blessing from all of you who have been praying for him.

The video clip above is on YouTube.  It was film with permission – each man there told me personally that I could post this video.  Not because THEY wanted be displayed on YouTube but because they wanted the Power of Holy Spirit to be on display for the whole world to see.

These men have had their lives transformed by God.  They were lost in addiction and have seen that the path to health and purpose can only be found in Jesus.  For those of you who may not know what my son looks like, he is the one leading the song.  He has a mohawk haircut and dark blue “Lifecoast” church t-shirt on.

As we watch the commencement ceremony at Penfield we saw men come up and talk about our son.  So many of them were touched by Adam’s presence at this amazing rehab center.  Adam, apparently, taught them scripture, encouraged them when they were down, told them the plain truth about their personal “crap” (as they put it), listened to them when they needed to share, led them when they needed a leader and just cared about them when they felt alone.  Now that is the Adam that I knew was in there all along.

Adam moves on to his next and longest step.  He has committed to 1 year of living at a halfway house to learn accountable living.  His ultimate goal is ministry of some sort.  Maybe with youth, maybe with addicts.  Adam is letting God open and shut doors for him.  As he put it, “It wasn’t workin out so good when I did it my way – so I’m just gonna listen to God and do things His way.”  Pray for him as he is a homebody at heart.  He will be only an hour and a half away and as he earns trust he will be allowed to take furloughs. 

If you have time watch the video from the link – I promise you will smile and be blessed.

Your Prayers have made all the difference,

Proverb 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it.

God’s principles are living and active,

Pj

God Still Changes Hearts

Lifecoast has been experiencing an amazing movment of the Spirit over the past 6 weeks.  God has been changing hearts and lives.  At least 30 people have come to know Jesus as Savior and dozens of others have come to recommit their lives to the Savior.  Some have come to lay down their burdens, their anger, their addictions, their marriage issues and just about any other issue you could think of.  It has been incredible!  We are just seeking God, watching for the Spirit, and riding the wave of His movement.  Prayerfully trying not to get ahead of the wave or falling behind the wave.

Even our own son Adam is feeling the direction of the Holy Spirit.  This is his last week of intense rehab at Pennfield.  He is the “Mayor” of the facility.  The Mayor is a senior resident who has displayed leadership and is given the responsibility of doing the morning wake up, assigning the jobs and posting the daily scripture.  Adam graduates on Friday May 14th.   He will then move onto an accountability house.  He is trying to get into Fresh Start in Orlando.  Adam could stay on at Pennfield as a Resident Volunteer but he told us tonight that he is getting too comfortable there and God wants to keep him uncomfortable.  “If I don’t go – I won’t grow”  is what he told me. 

We are praising God and enjoying His amazing grace.  Sorry for the long time since my last entry.  We have been on vacation and have had a great rest.  It was a much needed break. 

Waiting for God’s Next Wave,

Pj