A Clear and Present Battle

Fact: There is currently a high level of spiritual battle and restlessness present within many that I am close to and those close to those I am close to.

I have heard many statements like these lately, "I feel like I am under attack", "I need you to pray for me" and other general thoughts about knowing truths about God, but believing lies about myself or God's plan for me. I could get more specific, but for the sake of the public nature of this forum, we will leave it there. The point is that we all are in desperate need of God to minister peace, love and perspective to our souls.

When I say minister, I mean he is pouring into us from and unending fountain the things that we lack. Like a pitcher pouring into an empty glass, we are in need of God to minister to our souls. I use the word soul to convey a depth way below the surface; so deep that it impacts our view of every situation in our lives.

I am praying this for many. I am praying it for specific people and I am praying it for general people. By that I mean people who have needs that I am not aware of. If this is you, please email me here rik@northchurchstl.com. God is pressing in on my spirit with an absolute need to do spiritual battle, please email me. God is leading me to pray for you.

God has ministered his peace to me through his word lately with these scriptures, perhaps they may be of some help to you now.

Psalms 37
Matthew 11:28-30
Psalms 130
Romans 11:33-36
Philippians 4:4-9
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
James 1:12
Psalm 20:6-7
Philippians 1:6

I leave you with a little something I wrote during an especially great time with God:
Hope is found in you, so I endure.
Peace is given by you, so I rest.
Grace is found in you, so I am free.
Mercy is given by you, so I breathe.

You have created meekness in me, so I look at your dealings with me and declare to to be good.
You have created steadfastness in me, so I see your suffering son and that image upholds my spirit.

Thanks for reading and may your soul find rest today in the Steadfast Love of God.

Jesus Inoculation

I was listening to Matt Chandler (Pastor of The Village Church in Dallas) the other day and he said this, "People have enough of Jesus to be inoculated to the whole of him."

To be inoculated is to have a disease introduced into your system for the purpose of creating a resistance to that disease.

What he is getting at is that we have little doses of Jesus and the result is that we never get the whole of Jesus. To have a little Jesus and not the whole of him is to not have him at all. Jesus calls us to take up our cross (daily make a decision to die to self and self born desires) and follow him.

Lessons from the season

We have been talking a lot in recent days about our meeting location for North Church. In Elders meetings, in community groups, in text messages from one member to another and other venues there has been much conversation about where we will be.

I have included images of the different buildings that we have been in from the start of NC to the right. Think about God's provision as you read the rest of this post.

Two things that really stand out to me that make this a season of nearness to God. First, we are learning what the church is and what it is not. The church is people not a particular building or a group of people that gather in a particular place at a particular time. The church is God's people living on mission together.

The church is much more than just that one simple statement, in fact entire books have been written about the church and it is not something that can be encapsulated with that one simple statement (God's people living on mission together). But that is one very key element to what the church is. It is a key element that we are seeing come to life in this season of our church.

The second thing that stands out is a truth that God taught me years ago and is reinforcing and reminding me now in this season. It is that God brings circumstances into our lives that make us want to seek Him for the answer. Questions like, should I take this job, should I get married, should I buy this car are circumstances that make us seek God. Events like the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, losing a job or difficulties in a marriage also drive us to get closer to God.

In this season in our church, I have had countless conversations with NC people and others who care about NC that have been praying and talking and seeking God for guidance on our next step and laying down stress and anxiety.

In our minds, our circumstances or situations are what we are consumed with, but deeper more surrendered relationship is the product of our seeking God for our circumstances.

So continue to pray and live on mission together.

Thanks for reading!

Rik

"He cares for you"

If you are or have been the parent of a toddler, you know how frustrating and long the bedtime routine can be. The child does everything to stall and comes up with every excuse as to why it's not time for bed ("daddy I have to go potty," "daddy we forgot to brush my teeth," "daddy we have to read a book," "daddy I didn't kiss mommy," "daddy I need a drink," "daddy I need to tuck my baby in" and on and on...).  All the while, the things you have to do once you get that child to bed is a list too long to write.  It's crazy the reality that a child TRULY doesn't have a care in the world. 

Tonight as I watched Mikail play and play and play, enjoying every last moment until she fell asleep, it hit me that she really has NO CLUE how much I absolutely love her.  She has NO CLUE how much I want her to learn obedience and follow Jesus with her life.  She has NO CLUE how hard I pray for her, how much I sacrifice for her, how much money I spend on her, how much I stress myself out over her, how much I worry about her growing up in this difficult world, how much I think about and pray for her husband (Lord willing), how much I desire her to be successful, how much I long for her to have good friendships and how much it breaks my heart when she disobeys and makes poor decisions.  I care for her SO SO SO much and while she might have a glimpse of that reality and know it to a small degree, she really has NO CLUE in comparison to the depth of my true care for her. 

1 Peter 5:7 says, "cast all your anxieties on him, because HE CARES FOR YOU!"

Much like my daughter, we are CLUELESS as to the infinite depth of our Savior's loving care for us.  While we "play around" in life, our cares and burdens don't even come close to comparing with the Lord's cares and burdens for us.  May we be reminded of this today and run to him as often as we can knowing his loving arms are so much bigger and stronger than we even know or imagine.

Why???  Because...HE CARES FOR YOU!

Thanks for reading,
Dave

Are you losing a battle you don't realize you're fighting?

We are under attack!  Whether you realize it or not, the enemy is working overtime to destroy your faith and efforts to live out the gospel (John 10:10).  Some of you have recently begun walking with the Lord in a depth of obedience that hasn't happened in a long time, and the enemy is ticked about it.  

A friend of mine shared the following thought with me recently:

"The greatest like in America is that Satan doesn't exist.  We are losing a game we don't even realize we're playing."

As to whether or not you are presently losing, I cannot answer.  But one thing I do know, if you are a child of God, you have the victory.  While you might presently be living in defeat, under the attack of the enemy, there will come a day when the devil's authority will cease and he will suffer under the wrath of God forever (Matt. 25:41).

Eph. 6:10-20 is an amazing passage that reminds us of the battle we fight everyday and the strength and means by which we can walk in victory.  We as Christians take this battle way to lightly, more accurately, we fail to realize we are even in a battle...going about our day as if it's just another day, while in the spiritual realms all hell is breaking loose for your soul. 


"We cannot know what prayer is for until we know that life is war." - John Piper

This is what the apostle Paul is screaming at us in Eph. 6:18
"praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."

Quit going through life as if it's just another day.  Quit buying into the lie that Satan doesn't exist.  You might think you don't really believe that lie, but look at how you live.  Are you putting on your armor each day?  Are you "keeping alert"?  Are you living in an urgency of prayer as if your life really depends on it?  Most of us don't, and we need to repent and start fighting in the Name of Jesus against the schemes of the enemy on our life, family and church. 


1 Tim. 6:12
"Fight the good fight of faith.  Take hold of eternal life to which you were called."

Fighting with you and for you,
Dave