Ezra 1:5

Then the heads of fathers' households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

I read this last night. It impacted me greatly. Why, because I am stirred up right now. I am stirred to correct that which has gone on for too long uncorrected. My heart burns with a fire to protect the sheep from men who have long since lost their heart for what is right and honorable. My heart hurts because I see something dreadful and I feel inadequate to address it.

I feel like Jeremiah…

Jeremiah 1:4-8

Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." Then I said, "Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am a youth, because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD.

But I am afraid. I am afraid to speak up and yet my heart burdens me to be bold. The Lord is very well acquainted with my circumstance and yet He hasn’t removed me from it either. Why has he made me this way?

Then I read Ezra last night and God speaks to me through His Word…

“…everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD…”

God speaks to men’s hearts. He stirs them. He keeps some men stirred about kingdom affairs at all times. Some men God grabs by the heart and sets them aside for specific kingdom duties. To some teachers, pastors, evangelist, prophets, apostles…to some builders, destroyers, soldiers, etc…

What is God stirring within you?

God is stirring me to rejuvenate pastors back into a holy reverence with God. I am done hearing from pastors, “that is how we’ve always done ministry”…because here is the thing…it’s failing. It’s quite possible that we don’t need another book telling us how to grow a church until we start to write the ones that tell pastors how to grow in God. Pastors today are struggling with the basics; prayer, integrity, honesty, morality, ethics, and devotion. It’s quite possible that the church is the way it is because of the way pastors are. Isn’t the old saying, “As the pastor goes, so goes the church”?

God is stirring in me to preach from the mountain tops to today’s pastors and tell them to “RETURN”! Return to your first love. See the folly of your pride and return to God. Remember the days of your youth. Remember the fire by which you were baptized to preach. Remember once again that ministry is a privilege. It’s a privilege to serve God and His people. Remember that they are His people.

Most of all…Remember that God is the God of second chances…and that this is your second chance to do it right. Pick yourself up “man of God” and be forgiven…healed…holy…and sanctified for service once again. Shine your light and blaze a new trail…be stirred in your heart once again.

This next weekend marks my 1 year anniversary serving as a pastor at First A/G Marble Falls. What a ride! It’s been a great time with great people. We’ve had our share of ups and downs, but God has been faithful and good to us here. If I had to sum up this year in one word, it would be “transition”.

The transition from living over a decade in one place to moving over four hours away was difficult. My daughters had to adapt from having all of our family living with a mile or so, to not seeing them except on holidays. We transitioned from home schooling our children to sending them to public school (which has been great). We transitioned from living in a 2000 square foot home to a 1200 square foot home, which caused us to get rid of a lot of stuff and simplify our life.

In ministry we transitioned from working with youth to working with adults. It’s been great! We helped in establishing small groups and on the worship team. For seven months it seemed that we were right on track to establish the dream and plan that was set out before us. Then God spoke and just like that our senior pastor had to move on. So we transitioned into being whatever God needed us to be here.

Can I be honest? It’s been hard. There are a lot of things I have seen good and bad that have come about during this time of transition.

I watched the church as they missed their senior pastor. They were still hurting from the last senior pastors departure. It was a difficult time. However, the Lord guided us through by keeping us focused on what’s important…the mission. Pastor or no pastor, we must maintain the mission. God is going to hold us accountable regardless of whether we have pastors or not. So I watched as this church pressed in and unified itself to purchase 380 shoes to give away to children all across the community. I watched as the finances poured in. It was a marvelous thing. God answered by sending the largest attending crowd ever to our church and the largest altar call ever as well!

Now it’s time for another transition. Next weekend our new senior pastor will preach our celebration service. We are celebrating God answering our prayers of sending us a new pastor and for sending us a harvest. We are celebrating the future or our church. We are celebrating new direction. We are celebrating new life. We are celebrating new leadership. There is hope in the air again and our church is showing signs of it.

So if you live around Marble Falls, Texas…come by and see us…God is doing something new here.

Matthew 2:1-3

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

Let me just set up this whole scenario so we can get a better picture of it…

The birth of Christ has happened. We’ve talked about that. We’ve heard the story over and over. We even know this part of the story. The “three kings” part of the story, as it is often called. However, a little truth be told that none of these men are kings. I don’t know where that comes from. But these men aren’t kings. Actually if you do a study over the word “magi” you will find that it is more closely related to the word “magician” and is actually where we get our word “magic” today. Here is a little more truth for you now…the word “magi” meant almost the same thing back then. Magi, from the Greek word pronounced “magoi”, originated as a religious class from Babylon or Persia. They were wealthy, highly educated in the knowledge of their time, and well regarded. Magi were men of astrology and other forms of divination. They mapped the stars and were known for interpreting dreams and such. Now if you remember your Bible history then you know that Israel was taken captive by the Persian Empire. So it’s no surprise to me that we see Magi having some knowledge about the Jewish Savior.

But here is the thing that struck a chord with me…Verse 4 thru 6…this is what the Lord spoke to me…

Matthew 2:4-6

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: " 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’ "

How come the chief priest and teachers of the law didn’t see or have an understanding that Christ was entering into the world? How do you miss that? If you are a priest, teacher, pastor, or preacher how do you miss the fact that the “Messiah” has come into the world? This is the One you preach about. This is the One you teach about. This is the One that you model your life after. This is the One that you have spent the greater part of your life memorizing every detail of His Word. Listen…they knew where he was going to be born…but they didn’t realize that the hour had come.

So this is what the Lord spoke to me this week…

“Where are my watchmen today?”

The chief priest and teachers in the day of Herod were the foremost experts on God. They knew where the child was to be born. They knew all of the details and prophecies that must happen to bring this event into reality…yet they never saw it coming and completely missed its arrival. This breaks my heart, because in all of our intellectualism and fancy technology we are no closer to God than 2000 years ago.

This is my heart. This is the reason I entered into ministry so late…because God gave me a vision that His watchmen are sleeping…and listen…they are doing a lot more than sleeping…but we won’t go into that…

Who will warn God’s people? Where are God’s men and women? Where are this generations David Wilkerson’s? Where are this generations Blanche Brittan who in the 1950’s, she planted over 40 churches? Where are God’s watchmen? Where are the men and women of God that are more concerned with God than their own life?

Ezekiel 3:17 & 33:7

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me."

Where are the warnings today? How come we don’t hear them? Where are the voices of the Lord? Are we so entertained that we are missing out on what God wants for our lives? It’s quite possible. Where is our passion, where is our fire?

Isaiah 21:8

And the lookout shouted, "Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post."

Who will be found standing when the Lord returns? Who will notice? I guess what my overall fear is when I read the scriptures found in Matthew is…I don’t want to be guilty of memorizing knowledge without the wisdom to allow it to manifest in my life. I don’t want to be able to give you an answer on where Christ is to be born without also recognizing the fact that the single greatest moment in history is about to take place. God’s watchmen must stand watch. They must see not only the approaching of the enemy but also of the Lord. “Every night I stay at my post”, it says…

Every night I am watching. Every night I am listening intently. Every night I am keeping guard. We are to be waiting upon the Lord…

And here is God’s warning to those who are watchmen…

Ezekiel 33:6

But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.'

This is a stern approach for the man or woman of God to be at their best. This is not a game. God is coming back in all His glory and who will even notice His arrival? Where are the hearts that burn for God’s arrival? Where are the hearts that burn for revival?

Look back with me to Matthew…

Matthew 2:7-8

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

Herod, bitter and fearing that others might rise up and revolt, sought to kill the child Jesus. He even acts as if he wants to see the child and acknowledge his kingship. However, the Magi are also called the “wise men” and aren’t fooled by such childish trickery…

Can I point out the obvious?

Maybe the reason the chief priest and teachers missed the sign of Christ birth is because they were in the pockets of evil men? This isn’t the first time… In 1 Kings Chapter 22 we see the story of a lone prophet of the Lord that stands up to 400 prophets of the Lord.

I know this isn’t pretty…but this is ministry. If you’re surprised…so am I…and yet today we are still dealing with priest and prophets that are teaching and prophesying according to what pay’s the best. It’s ugly and it’s true.

Allow me to leave you with this quote from the late Leonard Ravenhill, “The salt of the earth that is saving America at this hour is the Church. Believers, this is your hour. Believers, arise. Believers, begin now to watch, to weep, to work, and to war."

I did a study a while back on the DNA of Jesus in which we studied the genealogy of Christ. I found it fascinating and intriguing. It’s easy to find…simply open up the gospels of Matthew and Luke.

In Matthew’s gospel Jesus is the adopted son of Joseph who comes from the line of David. In Luke’s gospel Jesus is the birthright son of Mary who also comes from the line of David. But here is something of great importance that can only be seen when we combine both gospels. Jesus was the physical son of Mary and He was the adopted son of Joseph…thus He is the King over those who are called by birthright and those that are adopted. He is the king of both those who are by birthright the children of promise and He is king of those who have been grafted in. His very genealogy testifies that He came to save both Jew and Gentile and reconcile the entire world to himself.

This past Sunday was our "300 pair of shoes for 300 kids" outreach event. In a nutshell it was great. In fact it was better than great...it was awesome!

I finally recieved my copy of Primal by Mark Batterson! Been reading for the past few days and will post a review tonight.

Got a few other things ready to post as well...

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