ADs December 2014 Devotional

It’s December 2014 and the world is ablaze. A spark of rage from Ferguson MO lights a nation-wide fire of perceived injustice. ISIS uses the pent-up anger of naïve and disenfranchised youth to recruit them to their horrific cause. What a perfect time for us as believers to show His peace to a world that has none.  
    Paul, facing extremely unjust circumstances, said, “I have learned the secret of being content.” (Phil 4:11).   His secret? “I can be content in any and every situation through the Anointed One who is my power and strength” Phil. 4:13 (Voice). This type of contentment is not natural; it is learned!
    My prayer for you this Christmas season is that you are learning to walk with Jesus, depending on Him whatever your challenges. If we are to speak prophetically to our angry and discontent generation, we must learn this secret of contentment. Let’s let His peace radiate through us as we speak prophetically to our world desperate to know Him.

ADs Devotional November 2014

Nearly 40 years ago, I held my marriage proposal in my hand anxious to know how Patti would respond. In a rare moment of poetic inspiration, I had scripted the events of our relationship past, present, and future as a dream we remembered. This is a small portion of the proposal:

“I remember the sparkle in your soft brown eyes when first we met. You were standing alone. I was standing lonely. I remember a life of ministry together, first God, then each other, then the world. I remember life together. But how can I remember the joys of the future yet to be lived… is it a dream?

Dreams are the unfulfilled wishes of the future, yet to be realized until faith declares the present to be now. Patti, declare with me, the dream of the future to be now. Say you remember, say you’ll marry me.

   Thirty-nine years of life and ministry together testify to the power of that dream. With maturity comes a greater capacity to understand the power of a vision and dreams. Joel 2:28 (The Voice) declares  “Your elders will dream dreams; your young warriors will see visions.” Whether you’re an elder or a young warrior, allow the power of your visions and dreams to declare your present to be now, a God-shaped reality that trumps whatever obstacle you may be facing. Dream with me the vibrant and rich dreams God has yet to fulfill in your lives and ministry. There is power in those dreams.