Sunday, March 31, 2013

And the Wind Blows



Jesus replied, “ I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” …So don’t be surprised when I say ‘you must be born again’. The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”  John 3:3, 7-8

I received a phone call this week from a new friend in Athens--home of the University of Georgia. In preliminary small talk I joked that her Georgia Bulldogs were pretty rough on my Nebraska Cornhuskers in college football this season! She had initially emailed me through our website. She was traveling and a friend showed her a copy of our first book Come Rest. During her brief stay she read the first one-third of the book and was so deeply moved she wanted to order several copies for people in her church and city. The Lord had touched her so deeply she began quoting passages from the book to me! Wow! She then told me she believed my book carries the Lord’s word for His people at this hour in history. I thanked her for being His further answer to our prayer that He will take our books all over the world like seeds on His winds. How encouraging is our Risen Lord through the Holy Spirit! Isn’t it great when He taps you on the shoulder and reminds you He is alive, in control, and with you! You never know just when and how He is going to move; but always moving He is indeed.

In John 3,Nicodemus, an elder Pharisee, came to Jesus by cover of night. He called Jesus, “Rabbi” showing he came sincerely to be taught. Jesus told him he must be born again by the Spirit, basically blowing Nicodemus’ mind with a truth that could only be realized after Jesus was falsely arrested, cruelly beaten, and unjustly condemned. Nicodemus even stood up and protested the rigged trial that fateful night. But nothing could stop the travesty of human sin and rebellion from playing out because it was all actually the Father’s will. For in that conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus there was no preliminary small talk. After He told Nicodemus the Holy Spirit brings rebirth like the wind, He then said, “For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” 

In our murderous, lustful world which so often mocks our holy God--there is not one of us without sin. But, thank you Father for sending Your Son to suffer and die for us all. Thank you Jesus for agreeing to sacrifice Yourself for the sins of the whole world—even me. Thank you for your Blood Covering which dispels all darkness. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to propel the bold preaching of Your Gospel; for inspiring people to pray for me, witness to me, love me toward the day You helped me receive You in my heart—the day you saved me as a youth from a destiny of hell. That day You began patiently and mercifully leading me until the day as a pastor at age 42 I realized my religious striving in the flesh and repented of the man-pleasing ways of the worldly church. That night, under cover of night and the radiant light of Your merciful patience I submitted myself like a child to Your Word; I came and rested at Your feet, and the Winds of Your Spirit have been blowing me away ever since.

Thank you Jesus! You are Risen and Returning soon. We hear You repeating Your last call to the earth before Your return, “ Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”  Lord help us keep speaking and living more fully your Great Invitation to all the earth, one person at a time. Lord, forgive the small talk of my sin nature and actions. Holy Spirit propel me like the wind to declare your big talk—your Gospel.. Help the corrupt to come to you and be grow in Your generous stature like Zacchaeus. Help the sexually immoral receive your forgiveness and freedom from sin's bondage like the woman caught in adultery. Help the religious leaders seek you like Nicodemus and see and serve you like Paul. Help me and everyone else more deeply and continually rest from sin and bear Your real fruit.

Come Holy Spirit. Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Come Rest in His Love,
Dick Speight

Friday, March 22, 2013

Arise and Eat



I awoke recently in the middle of the night and felt the Lord wanted me to sit down and read scripture. The adventures of Elijah came to my mind in 1 Kings 17 and following. I never cease to be amazed through Elijah. Yes, I love God’s mighty power and provision through Elijah with the ravens, the widow & son, and the wonderful defeat of the prophets of Baal However, I am most amazed by what happened after the great victory of God’s fire coming down from heaven. As soon as Queen Jezebel heard Elijah and His God had defeated her prophets she sent a message vowing to kill Elijah. Upon receiving the threat, Elijah was immediately afraid and runs for his life into the wilderness. Amazing! Immediately after God proving His power through Elijah—he is frightened by threat. How strangely comforting.

No matter how much we may walk with the Lord, He knows how weak Elijah, you, and me are and how easily we can frighten under threat. Elijah, down on himself, sits under a broom tree and asks the Lord to take his life because he was obviously no better than his fathers. However, though Elijah gave up on himself, the Lord did not.  As he sleeps an angel of the Lord brings him hot food and cool water, wakes him up, and says, “Arise and eat.” Elijah does so and goes back to sleep. A little later the angel awoke him again saying, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” The Lord knows life is often too much for us. Yet even in the midst of Elijah’s fright, despair, and exhaustion, the Lord invites Elijah to simple obedience. When he trusted and obeyed the Lord he gave the Lord opportunity to strengthen him for a journey to Mt. Horeb in a history changing encounter with the Lord’s still small voice. There the Lord gives him both new wisdom and new assignment that changed the world.

I don’t know what you are going through right now, but the Lord does. No matter how dark things may ever be, cry out to the Lord. Tell Him how you feel. Let sleep restore your body. Arise and eat. Regardless how you feel, trust the Lord is with you and so are His angels. The word “angel” means “messenger”. God sends you messengers who sometimes are supernatural and sometimes are human. Humble yourself. Tell the Lord you know the journey ahead will be too much for you without His help. Let Him and His people help you. Feed on Him through reading scripture with a trusting heart and fellowship with others who are stronger in faith than you are right now. Drink of the Spirit through praying with a trusting heart and worshiping with others who love the Lord. Eat moderate amounts of healthy food. Drink plenty of water. Stop doing what you know is wrong. Keep doing what you know to be right. Wait on the Lord to make things clear before you make big decisions. Choose to come out of a cave of isolation and listen for His whispering voice. You and I are no different than Elijah. One moment we are strong in faith in Him and witness His power. the next moment we are weak and can frighten and give up easily. Yet He knows better than you that you are His mighty man or woman in the making! Never give up, always give your Lord the opportunity to love you and lead you. Pass this word of amazing grace along to others who need it—Arise and Eat!

Come Rest in His Love,
Richard Speight