Burkina Report

I am just back from 2 weeks in Burkina Faso, West Africa where I stood in for Br. Bob Dunphy. To say we had a successful trip would be to understate the results to the place of being insulting. Let it suffice to say, God began a change in Burkina this month that will last for generations, if the people continue to run the way they have started.

I arrived in Burkina with the tentative itinerary in had to minister to pastors, preach in churches, and minister to the widows only to find that this had been totally scrapped, and we were now doing (4) six hour seminars on "Women in the Church." Br. Hagin's admonition rings in me even now as I think about it, "Prepare the messenger, not the message." This is missions, things change, maximize flexibility, and let God be God. Fortunately, for me, this is a subject that is near and dear to me, and it stews in me on a regular basis. With just a little time to jot a few notes, I outlined the Seminar and prepared myself in prayer.

Day One found us at Pastor Timothee's church for a prayer meeting that would set the tone for our time together. We arrived to find them already praying with passion and diligence. Oh the sound of voices raised in intercession. We prayed, we worshiped, we prayed, we worshiped, and we prayed some more. It wasn't like we had anywhere else to be or something else to do. Praise God, faith works around the world.

Sunday found us at Pastor Abraham's church, but he had not yet returned from his own ministry trip to Togo. The service was very good and 6 responded to receive a genuine, personal, interactive relationship with the Father. They had prayed the "Sinner's Prayer" but did not enjoy the kind of dynamic relationship God intends. 3 times as many responded for healing and gave testimony to the manifestation of it, one after another. One woman came to us afterward and testified, "I do not go to this church, but I was drawn here today. Today God has spoken to me and called me into ministry, and I must obey Him."

I need you to understand that the things I shared were just teachings on Scriptures you take for granted: Joel 2:28, Acts 2:14-17, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, and especially Daniel 11:32 which says, "... but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do great things." For some, this was the first time they had heard such things, and they just don't know enough to NOT do them.

The Seminar, "Women in the Church," involved four teaching sessions and two question and answer sessions. About 160 women attended over the course of our trip. The sessions included:

● Women in the Word

● What can Women do in Church?

● What can Women do in the Home?

● How to be a Woman who Changes History

Back at Pastor Timothee's church, picking up right where we left off, we entered into praise and worship I saw the heavens opened and the Father was dancing back and forth in front of the throne, a typical African dance.

Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)

17 The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will dance over you with singing."

Does God dance over you? Does He see your worship as something that thrills His heart? What a joy to be able to share with these precious people how God was celebrating over them with exceeding, great joy.

Closing out this seminar I came under attack and spent the next two days in bed, a real challenge when you have been teaching faith. But, God is faithful! I am healed, He said so, and all we need do to appropriate it is to take Him at His Word. I was laying there praying "in Jesus's Name," and I began to hear the words coming out of my mouth. "You cannot make me sick; I already defeated you. I hold the keys of death and hell. You are defeated, and I will not abide your lies." When we pray "in Jesus' Name" it is the same as if Jesus Himself is speaking. How can sickness and disease resist the power and authority of the Word?

Sunday came, and we were to go and preach at pastor Pengwende's church, but it was raining. Rain back home is not much of a problem, but this is Africa, and the rules are different. Rivers ran in the dirt streets of the capital. With no indication of where the hazards were, our Director said we would have to cancel, but this was not what the Father had in mind. After some discussion and a call to the pastor, we set out. Fording the flooded streets, navigating around various hazards, we finally got out of the city and the roads got better. Then our Director's fear was realized, a hole across the road with no way around. In he drove, the water rolling up over the hood, and then it quit. I knew we were done, Constantin knew we were done, but that was what we could see, and faith does not go by what it sees. As he reached for the key, I could see his hesitation, and the car started right up. Off we went and even got to the church on time - two miracles in the same morning.

The church had asked that I do a summary of the Seminar for the morning service, and I had every intention of complying, but the Holy Ghost had other ideas.

Daniel 11:32 (NKJV)

32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and do great things.

I began to share with the church and the Father kept steering me toward the stories that came from the great Indonesian revival. There they saw great miracles signs and wonders. They walked on water, they raised the dead, they healed the sick, they cast out devils, and they changed their nation. They saw creative miracles, spectacular things, and could only explain it like this, "We didn't know enough not to believe the Word we had heard." If God will do it in Indonesia, he will do it in Burkina Faso; He will do it anywhere He finds people who are just willing to take Him at His word and do it.

Two weeks isn't very long to accomplish much. Here is what the pastors reported the day I left:

❏ 4,700 people were ministered to either in church or door-to-door

❏ 1,692 people saved

❏ 448 people healed

God did great things and people like you made it possible. For those who supported us financially, thank you. I know God will multiply it back to you. For those who prayed for us, I cannot begin to express my gratitude. Your prayers changed the course of history and made our efforts successful. May the Father grant you the desire of your heart for your faithfulness in covering us in prayer.

Potholes and Alignment

Life and ministry is filled with road hazards. Potholes, landslides, detours, and road blocks can hamper and even derail our pursuits. We need to get things right to see all God has for us.

Acts 15:36-41 (NKJV)
36 Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” 37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from [abandoned] them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

You know the back story:
▸ Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9)
▸ Barnabas’ recruiting Paul (Acts 11)
▸ 14 years of side-by-side service in Antioch (Galatians 2)
▸ The fateful prayer meeting and the Holy Ghost summons, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
▸ The phenomenal success of the first missionary journey. (Acts 13 and 14)
▸ The stoning of Paul at Lystra (Acts 14:19)

As ministers, we have all taught from these passages, but how many times have we been willing to look honestly at Acts 15? In Acts 15 the wheels come off the wagon.

How many of you had a tough winter this past winter? I haven’t plowed that much snow in a long time. I noticed this Spring that my truck was pulling to one side. I knew what that meant ... one pothole too many had knocked the truck out of alignment. Running out of alignment caused my tires to wear at an accelerated rate. Obviously, I scheduled a front end alignment. A few days before the alignment, I found out that my spring hanger was almost rusted through. It had caused the rear tires to be out of alignment and I was actually steering to correct the problem. Who knew that one pothole could cause such trouble.

The dynamic duo, Barnabas and Paul, are planning a missions trip to retrace their steps to evaluate their effectiveness and strengthen the churches. BUT, they hit a pothole.

A while back my pastor and I sat down and had a long talk about our roles in the Body of Christ. I shared with him that there was one thing I had learned about my calling, I make a great “#2,” (Number One for you trekkies) but I am just a mediocre #1. I can implement vision strategy, analyze and improve any process, and build a successful team, but I can’t cast vision with an Ugly Stick. My problem is that I expect everyone else to share my passion, share my commitment, and be at my level of revelation. I get blind-sided all the time when I lead. But, when I am in proper alignment with a visionary leader, we see things happen. I am a Barnabas.

Barnabas could see the potential in Mark and was committed to seeing him reach his full potential. Nothing, not even Paul, was going to make him give up on Mark.

Paul, on the other hand, was an apostle. He was interested in results and didn’t have time to waste on a quitter. The pothole of Mark’s abandonment had left a misalignment that wasn’t exposed until now.

Back to my truck ... I could have gotten the front end aligned, but I’d still have been driving down the road sideways. I would get to where I was going, but I would not have fixed the root problem. Sooner or later, I would have to deal with the problem or it was going to deal with me. Paul and Barnabas hadn’t dealt with the misalignment of Mark. They had been driving down the road sideways but didn’t know it.

You may be driving sideways. You may have hit a pothole long ago. A fractured relationship , a twisted doctrine, or maybe a simple disagreement over process has left you out of alignment. Maybe you need a front end alignment - the part that is home to the power and direction for your life and ministry. Or maybe you need the drive train realigned - the part that takes all that power and converts it to work. Your whole team may need some adjustment.

We see this God ordained team going through divorce, Barnabas unable to reconcile and Paul unwilling to yield. Paul's pothole turns into Barnabas' sinkhole. Even though they were called together, had been an awesome team, and had their destinies linked, they were now being broken apart by the jarring impact of a pothole which had not been dealt with in the past. Barnabas goes off in the bondage of his offense, and Paul puts a new rear end in his truck, Silas, they get a fresh lube job from the church, and they once again set the world on its ear.

Barnabas ... disappears into relative obscurity.

Folks, we can’t afford to go through life driving sideways. We need to be in proper alignment to see all that God has for us.

How do we check our alignment?

I was watching a NASCAR race the other day and saw one of the speedsters lose traction and slam into the wall in turn four. He immediately made his way to the pits where they pulled out a long, thin, metal piece that would tell them if his wheels were running true. This template was their reference to identify the need to make adjustments that would keep the car running straight and give them a shot at winning the race. You and I must measure ourselves against our template, the standard. Anything that does not measure up has to be readjusted to bring it back in line. Our template is the Word as modeled by Jesus.

James 1:22-27 (NKJV)
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

If you are out of alignment and things are not working like they should be, repent and realign yourself to the fundamentals of the Word.

If you need a tune-up, get into the presence of the Father and let Him get things back in proper working order, He is the expert.

If your misalignment is with someone else, patch the pothole, reconcile, don't let the circumstance or the enemy steal the treasure God has put in your life.

We are the children of God, nothing is impossible to us, if we will just get in line with what God requires and directs.

And Be Thankful

A while back I had an experience that was at the same time both distressing and profound. Let me tell you the story.

First thing in the morning I launched out for a day fishing in the Back Bay. Excitement and anticipation were in my heart and soul, and I could hardly wait to wet a line and see what I could catch. About half way to "my spot" something happened and I lost propulsion. The outboard was still running, but I wasn't going anywhere. It was broken. I did not get discouraged, because I had my electric trolling motor to fall back on.

I lowered the ever dependable Minn-Kota into the water and turned it on. Once again I was on my way and ready to get to the business at hand. I got maybe another hundred yards and the trolling motor stopped; the battery was dead. Now, let me tell you, I was moved to prayer, and I don't mean rejoicing and praising. God was about to deal with my heart and paint a picture that is still giving me revelation today.

I got to a spot where I could pull my outboard and see what the trouble might be. I broke out my tools, did some troubleshooting, and found that the shear pin for the propeller was broken. What was a sailor to do? I decided to fish a while and then go home. As you might have figured out, nary a bite was to be had.

Now, I was not without propulsion. Being an experienced sailor, I had oars to get me home. I got them out, put them into the locks, and started making my way back, and the wind began to rise. Yes, I had to row into the wind.

All the way back I heard bubbling up out of my inner man, "In all things give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thes. 5:18) With each stroke of the oars I said it. Over and over again I spoke it out as I rowed against the wind. For more than 30 minutes I rowed and spoke, rowed and gave thanks, rowed and saw God as faithful in the midst of my situation. Instead of getting angry, frustrated and discouraged, I just let the reality of the Word rise up within my spirit and spill out of my mouth.

As I reached the open water, where the wind would be an even greater trial, the wind quieted. It died down until I turned into the canal we were living on where I was sheltered and protected. I rowed back to the house, pulled the equipment and battery, and called my resident expert for counsel and guidance. Before the day was out I had the outboard back together and running.

God has really used this to teach me a great deal about dealing with trials. The lessons learned included:

• Your success in facing trials will be a function of how well you have prepared for your journey.
• You cannot let your circumstance dictate your course.
• If you really believe that God is with you, you have no reason to get discouraged.
• If you cannot give thanks in the midst of your trial, you really are not trusting God.
• When you face challenges, there is no shame in asking for help.
• Only ask help from people who have something to offer.
• In everything give thanks! Thanksgiving is your key to victory.

I could fill pages with the details of this story and how it has impacted my walk, but let it suffice to say, I am going to be thankful in every situation, in the midst of every trial, and with the certain knowledge that God is on my side, pulling for me, and more interested on my victory and success than I am.

^15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. ^16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ^17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:15-17)

Stand Up - Stand Out!

By Lynn Murphy

When I was a Junior in High School, I signed up for an elective that was cleverly named "Facing and Escaping Reality." Nowhere in the description of this course did it mention the student taking the course would be required to speak by themselves in front of the class and be critiqued by both the teacher and the students. I dropped the class within the first week, and chose another less challenging elective.

I tell you this because I had an epiphany a few weeks ago on my way to work. Most of my school years I tried hard to blend in to the crowd. I did not wish to be different or unique. Going to school in the sixties through 1974 (do the math, I was 53 in April) meant jeans, miniskirts, pantsuits, going to school dances and petitioning the school board to allow a smoking lounge. My mother made it her life goal (in my warped teen-aged mindset) to see to it that I stuck out like a sore thumb to my classmates. I did not smoke, which was my own choice, but my Mom’s rules were no miniskirts, dances, jeans that zipped in the front like a boy, and only pantsuits that fully covered my posterior. Sticking out like a sore thumb was not my choice or desire, but my Mom’s goal was met: that I would “stand out” as different! Mom loves the Lord, but the choice had to be mine to stand out for God. The thought that just changing what people were looking at on the exterior would make a difference in other’s lives is erroneous.

That day on my way to work, the Lord dropped down in my heart the revelation of the simple truth that we are to stand out in a crowd, we should be noticed by the world for the light within us. We are to be affecting the world around us with the Gospel of peace, love , health and prosperity! Now I “knew” this before, but it was hammered home that there is not time nor place for wallflower Christianity. What I perceived as shy and my personality, was a hindrance to what God wanted through my life. You see, in Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus tells us what He expects from His people.

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost it’s taste (it’s strength, it’s quality), how can it’s saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.” (Amplified)

We know Jesus came to men to show them the Father. This is also our job description, which is a labor of love. Not always easy mind you, as we saw when Jesus had to deal with the moneychangers in the temple.
Here’s the thing: I recognized that most of my life-even after I placed the Word of God first place in my life, even after my husband and I became Pastors- I was still in defensive mode. Think about it: how many goals do you reach in life or athletics by always being in defense mode? No, that offense is needed, that expectation to dream big because the Greater One lives in us and works through us!

Our Father God had a picture of us, a destiny for us as His body, His children. He has plans for us...” For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” (Jeremiah 29:11) For myself, and I know a lot of the body feels the same, I want God’s vision, His picture of us that He had in His heart when He sent His Son to die for us, I want my life to be that! Not some inferior version of that where I don’t know who I am in Christ so I am not bold. Allowing those in the world around me to stay sick, poor and without a hope because I can’t open my mouth to tell them of Jesus and what He has done for us and of His matchless love for mankind. Does a child of God, a believer really have an option in this? I Corinthians 7:23 says: “You were bought with a price (purchased with a preciousness and paid for by Christ); then do not yield yourselves up to become (in your own estimation) slaves to men (but consider yourselves slaves to Christ.)”

I may have dropped that class many years ago out of fear of public speaking, having people with their focus on me, but the good news is God did not leave me there. I fell for a man with ministry in his heart, that prodded me (gently most of the time) to step out, and before I knew it I was teaching two year olds in Church. Then I was approached to teach at a Women’s meeting, and asked to at least pray about it. In my eyes at the time, that was a huge step, but I did it with God’s help.

Pat and I moved back to Pa. and felt God wanted us to start a church. Guess who was tagged to lead worship? That would be me, again a huge step. There was awhile (a couple years) that I would be in the bathroom before every service, because my eyes were not focused on God and what He wanted to accomplish in that service, but getting through it without making a blooper. Understand, the planning part of the worship I paid close attention to the Spirit of God so we got it right. I even made the right decision in the bathroom, to not allow my flesh to rule me and I came out and led worship every time. As soon as I started, I was fine and the dry mouth went away, but it was not till I knew who I was in Christ, and saw the bigger picture, that fear went away and I could walk in what God called me to do. As a matter of fact, probably ten years went by before God was able to change my mindset from, I am a temporary solution till we get a real worship leader, to I am called to this! At that point I could lead with confidence.

He took me from there to teaching classes in our Bible School, teaching for special services in other churches, and He is not done yet. The point is-we are here on this earth for a reason, and it is NOT without a directive from God. We have a destiny to fulfill, people to minister to in our workplaces, and communities, and families. I exhort you: Stand up and be counted! Yield yourself to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and expect God to use you. When my kids were very little, I stayed close to home and ministered mostly to my family (We have five children). But, one day on my way to grocery shop with one child in the car, I prayed earnestly to be used of God that day and surrendered my plans for His. Do you know I ended up ministering to a lady from the church we were attending that had just tried to commit suicide? God is looking for yielded, obedient vessels that know their Lord and are not ashamed or afraid to speak of Him! Let’s be the people in God’s heart dream!

The Lines Are Open ... Or Are They?

As I travel and hear the heart of pastors across teh countryside, I am always sensitive to the things that weigh heavy on their hearts. I have learned, both by my own experience and by interaction with others, that the situation is rarely as it is perceived. I have found this especially true in our era of electronic communication.

Most of us, when we find that there is tension developing, if we are honest, will realize that we hear through a filter of bias. The bias in audio recording is critical to getting the outcome we desire from a recording. As a sound technician you learn that your bias is effected by everything in the environment you are hearing. Birds, temperature, humidity, the amount of direct sunlight, background noise, and everything else you can or can't imagine affects your input. By constantly monitoring and adjusting your bias you can get the optimum results. It is a great picture of our relationships with one another.

Think about those with whom you have a relationship. When you hear something about them, immediately your bias filter kicks in and you decide whether or not you believe everything you are hearing. If you are kindly affectioned toward them, you bias filter will add grace and favor to the things you hear. If you have issues with them your bias filter will tend to amplify the things that reinforce your opinion and diminish the things that don't agree with your feelings about them. The problem with the bias in either case is that we do not hear with accuracy what is being said.

How often did we hear Jesus say, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." It seems like a silly statement, doesn't it. Everyone there had ears. They could all hear what He was saying. There must have been more to the statement. Jesus was addressing the fact that our biases often ruin our ability to effectively communicate with one another and with God. He was implying, if not saying outright, "Turn off the bias filter and let the message get through in its purest form, then you will understand what it is I am saying." It applies wiht Him, how much more wiht the people we interact with on a daily basis.

Sometimes our bias so skews things that it is as if we are speaking two different languages. Turn off the bias and see what comes out. 1 Cor. 13:4-8, you know, the love passage, gives a couple of key elements to overcoming our biases. "Love thinks no evil, ... Love isn't keeping score to see if it wins, ...love always believes the best, ... Love is full of hope and always expects the best in every situation, ... love never quits, never runs out, and is never the victim." Love will cancel out the bias, if we will cooperate, and we will be able to see relationships grow, even in the midst of adversity.

Let's turn off the bias, see the Kingdom advance, and make the Father proud of His kids.

Pastor Appreciation

The Scriptures say, "How lovely on the mountains are the feet of them that bring good news."  Have you ever looked at feet, ugly.  Having been to nations where feet are subjected to rougher treatment than we have here, this statement takes on even greater irony.  But I know how very precious those who preach the Gospel are.

Saturday night was our annual Pastor Appreciation Banquet where we had the chance to honor those who have stepped up to lead the church to the destiny God has for it.  It can be a pretty thankless job, and I am always blessed to see people honor their pastor.

Pastors are people just like those they serve.  They have the same challenges, fight the same battles, and are expected to get it exactly right every time.  They don't, any more than you do.  We, as the people they serve, need to get in behind them and make them a success.

Who Is Your Support

For those of us in ministry it can be a lonely walk. Sometimes we feel like we are all alone, we are the modern day Elijah on the mountainside. We feel alone, isolated, and in fear of our future. But! ... like Elijah, we often have no clue about those who are faithfully walking out the call of God on their lives and bringing the plan of God to fruition. We need friends of like precious faith, people who understand where we are coming from, those who share our passion and conviction. But where are they?

The Bible is clear, "He who would have friends must show himself friendly." (Prov. 18:24a) Who are your friends? Who do you have that you can trust to talk to you frankly and openly? Who can you turn to when things aren't going the way you think they should? You need friends.

We are counseled not to get too close to those we serve, think about that for a minute. We may be part of a ministerial fellowship, but how often do we actually spend time with those "friends," how close are we to them, really? We need someone we can get together with over coffee, share breakfast with at the drop of a hat, or go for a walk with to just get things off our chest.

Pastors are notorious for running off with their secretaries, but why are we surprised? We isolate them in ivory towers, put pressure on their families and hold them to unrealistic expectations. They turn to someone they feel they can talk to, a secretary, choir director, or other staff member who has shown they care and listen to their hurting heart. Before they realize, they are in a boat that is being tossed, turned and going down. The thing that was supposed to be their "salvation" becomes their destruction. The pain of isolation turns into the pain of destruction. And it all could have been avoided if they just had a real friend.

My best friend in ministry is a wonderful man of God named Jerry Rogers. He is a real friend. He can listen to my whining and tell me what a baby I am. He cries with me in my suffering, laughs with me in my joy, and celebrates my victories. I know he is praying for me in my trials. And you can be sure, I'm not going to run off to the Bahamas with him! He is my friend, and that is worth more than anything I own or dream of possessing. His support has saved my life; that is a bit extreme, but it is because of Jerry that I am still in ministry.

Who do you have? Who can God speak through to change your life?

At the church I pastored last I broke the rules; I let the men of our church into my life. I let myself be open and honest with them. I chose to let them see that I have problems and how I dealt with them. In turn, I had a church like nothing I have ever experienced before. Our men became the spiritual leaders of their homes, the leaders and teachers in our church, and a strong influence for the Kingdom of God in our community. They have been my friends, my lifeline, my help in time of trouble. We are family, some have found the ties here have become stronger than the blood ties that brought them to earth.

Who do you have; who's your friend?

The Barnabas Project exists to be friends to those in ministry. We reach out to you to champion your success in life, your success in ministry, and your success in fulfilling the plan of God for your life. But we can only do so much. Reach out to someone close by, be a friend, and get someone involved in your life that will help you be what God called you to be. Chose carefully, follow the leading of the Holy Ghost, and maintain your integrity. Success is yours!