CAMPFIRE MESSAGES from Pastors & Ministers of ICCAN

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Comment by Joanie Tucker on June 25, 2013 at 7:27am

Good Morning!

I have a 50 gallon trough for a couple of my horses and what is funny is that the other horses (who have their own troughs) will l-e-a-n over the fence so they can drink from Jaynie’s.  What is it about the water in her container that is soooo good?  It’s not about HER when Sunny or Jesse come over to drink (because most of the time she is over at the round bale eating.)  It’s the same water, the same hose, and the same “momma” that fills their water up… So what is up?

As I drag the 50 foot hose around to water, inevitably, Maverick or Rebel will stand on the hose and stop the flow. Or I might pull the hose just the right way that a kink blocks the water.  I am, of course, 40 feet away from the obstruction so I shake the hose or cluck to the horse to move.  The hindrance is still there until I walk back and politely put pressure on the horse’s shoulder or unhitch the bend in the line.  Then life is good again and I can continue to fill basins, especially Jaynie’s.

This morning, I thought how truly blessed I am that I don’t have to dip a pale in a well!  I have a direct line to the water source, HOORAY!  And we do too!  God’s blessings flow just like the hose delivering water, Living Water, to us each and every day!

But some days there are kinks or someone just steps on our “miracles” creating blessing blockers.  What kind of things do that? Things like unforgiveness, anger, resentment, or fear.  Those are blessing blockers.  We need to open communication and forgive those who have hurt us.  We need to realize anger and hate are wasted emotions that cancel out the love in our lives.  We need to release any resentment that others have more than we do… a better house, car, job, money.  And we need to CHOOSE FAITH over fear when challenges come our way. 

When we pray and ask God to remove those blessing blockers, the hose becomes un-kinked, the others step aside and we can have the flow - drenching our lives again.

Here’s what else I realized…we need to share our blessings.  We don’t need to be there when others drink from our troughs.  We don’t need to exclaim to the world, “Look here, I LET others share MY water!”  No, our blessings are God-sent for all and when we contribute to others blessings, our blessings become greater!  After all, because everyone likes to drink from Jaynie’s trough, she has the freshest water!

So today, I encourage you to see if you have any blessing blockers and then invite others to share in your blessings… God will replenish your trough to overflowing….

Peace and love,

JP

Comment by Pastor Lynn Kirkland on June 25, 2013 at 7:22am

The Children of Bango

Comment by Pastor Lynn Kirkland on June 24, 2013 at 7:36am

Sharing "Creation to Christ" with the church at Bango, Zimbabwe.

Comment by Pastor Lynn Kirkland on June 23, 2013 at 1:02pm

This building was built by the congregation of Bango Church among the un-reached people groups in Zimbabwe (Sub-Saharan Africa) with their own hands. They even made the bricks!

Comment by Joanie Tucker on June 23, 2013 at 12:23pm

Good Morning, Sisters & Bros!

We certainly had excitement Saturday night with the moon shining brightly BEHIND dark clouds. I was all ready to hit the hay, (LOL) and had my p.j.'s on. I went out to see what the unusual sounds were all about in the pastures. A fence line went down and one stallion got in with the other stallion. The boys are actually friends EXCEPT when girls are on the other side of the corral panels. Then, it is all showmanship and nipping. In the wild, stallions kill each other over the situation so I know when over 1 thousand pounds of horse flesh is "wrestling" with another thousand pounds, I AM NOT GONNA GET IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT!

I brought my truck headlights around so I could see, grabbed a halter and lead rope and stood about 50 feet away from them. I began heartfelt prayers that God's hand would be on this situation... I didn't want anyone hurt, including me. What happened next was truly God's blessings upon us!

God told me to just stand there with the halter - open. I used my open cell phone to shed light on it when suddenly, Crys (Chris) looked at me. Very quietly, he walked over and put his head in the halter, allowing me to snap it on. I was able to get him back into his pasture and fix the fence without any mishap. PRAISE GOD!

WE ARE SO MUCH LIKE THAT STALLION AT TIMES!

As humans, we tend to see what somebody else has and want it too! Everybody deserves the same... Afterall, that's fair, right? Siblings always think the other kids get the better deal from parents. And as a parent, we love our kids sooooo much. So one child may get to go with friends on a trip while another gets a new guitar, while another gets to play baseball. Parents want their children to have their hearts desires. God, our Father, wants that for us. too!

Reality is our heart's desires are NOT the same. So our blessings from God will be different for each one of us. Does that make sense? Yes. Because we are, each of us, God's favorite! God LOVES each one of us, individually. We have to do only one thing and that is to put our heads in HIS halter.

Just like Crys submitted, surrendered and KNEW I would lead him to safety (even though he is the more powerful one, LOL) we need to submit, surrender and TRUST God to lead us to our home and safety. He doesn't use a halter, of course, but offers His hand. All we need to do is grab hold!

"Fasten yourself to Jesus," one of our friends has shared. In horseman's terms, give Jesus the lead (rope) and enjoy the RIDE!

Blessings and Peace to you!

JP

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 22, 2013 at 8:03am

JUST FOR TODAY:  Praise the Lord for another day of LIFE!!  This is going to be a great day today; full of Love, Grace, and Mercy from the Lord Jesus.  Open your Spiritual eyes and ears this morning and KNOW that YOU are Gods beloved child.  He chose you before the foundation of time to walk closely with Him in a Relationship of Love; not one of condemnation and punishment!!  You don't know the plans God has for you today but HE does; stay close to the Lord for His plans will prosper you and not harm you in any way; He will give you Hope and a glorious future.  God Loves YOU....Love Him back!!!  Let your plan of action today be to NOT worry or fear but to Love God and let HIM determine your footsteps!!  When you "hook up" with Jesus, He will meet your needs and accomplish His purposes for your life.  HE IS AWESOME!!!  (Ephesians 1:4, Proverbs 16:9, Jeremiah 29:11)

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 21, 2013 at 6:41pm

JUST FOR TODAY:First comes Grace, then comes Faith, and THEN comes a change in behavior.  Your behavior will not get you saved, but being saved by God's Grace and Faith in His Son WILL change your behavior.  You don't have to clean up your act BEFORE you join the Jesus Club!!  "Good Works" are very good and they will eventually come full circle, but Grace and Faith must come FIRST!!!  Chill out and let Jesus Love on you a little bit.  Jesus really does Love you just like you are.  See Ephesians 2:8 and pay close attention to the divine order of things: Grace, Faith, then works. No exceptions, that's just how God's plan works. ~Pastor Lynn

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 21, 2013 at 5:28pm

Hope to see many of you at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH this Sunday.  Dr. Dale Linebaugh will be preaching the 9:00 a.m. service and I will be preaching the 10:30 a.m. service.  Dr. Dale and Opal will be leaving next Monday for Iowa for about five months to visit and work with their son, and also to beat this Oklahoma heat for awhile.  I will be preaching both services until November (different sermons f...or both services)  We will be having a going away fellowship after the second service this Sunday and hope you will join us for cake, pie, and ice cream.  I would like to request that you pray for Dale and Opal to have a safe trip to and from Iowa/Illinois and great time of visiting their family while there.  Please keep me in your prayers as well; spiritually wise, Dr. Dale will leave a big pair of Boots to fill here at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH while he is gone. I Love all of you and thank you so much for your prayers and support.  ~Pastor Lynn

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 21, 2013 at 5:27pm

The Devil would love for us to believe that sin is not completely defeated, that somehow our particular sin slipped through the cross, and even Jesus could not kill it off.  So, now we are stuck with it.  It owns us.  It defines us.  It's our own pet sin, our inner demon, our personal vice.  THE DEVIL IS A LIAR!!!  Sin IS defeated!!!  God is for us, Jesus is with us, and His Grace IS sufficient!!!  ~Judah Smith

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 21, 2013 at 5:27pm

JUST FOR TODAY: Faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, is the ONLY thing that can bring the true meaning of life into your mind and harmony into your life.  Only in Him is Love, Grace, Mercy, and Peace revealed by His marvelous light!!  He has chosen YOU to join Him in spreading the JOY of this light.  Will you be more like Jesus today??  Will you join Him in the work of spreading His light and truth??  "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." --1 Peter 2:9  Do not let the light of Jesus in you be hidden!!  ~Pastor Lynn

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 21, 2013 at 5:26pm

JUST FOR TODAY:  "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God."  I Love Peace!!  I never had much of it until I finally, completely surrendered my life to God.  I didn't even really know what real Peace was.  God Loves Peace, too!  And He is willing to make Peace with His enemies through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Who are His enemies??  All of us were God's enemies when we were in our rebellious state of sin!!  Being reconciled to God through the blood of Jesus allows us to now be "Peacemakers" for Him.  How do "Peacemakers" do their job??  The same way that God did when we were still sinners; He led us to himself by treating us with Grace and Mercy.  How long has it been since you treated someone who didn't know Jesus with Grace and Mercy??  (Matthew 5:9)  ~Pastor Lynn

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 19, 2013 at 3:27pm

JUST FOR TODAY: Grace focuses on the abundant life Jesus gives us.  What we have to give up doesn't matter because what we gain is so awesome.  It is hard to describe the goodness of God if you haven't experienced it, but it is a long, long way from a list of do's and don'ts (rules).  If I had to choose between McDonald's (rules) and Cattleman's (Grace), I'd choose Cattleman's every time.  No questions asked.  And I assure you that as I bite into a bite of medium-rare rib eye, the last thing on my mind would be that one pickle cheeseburger that I had to give up.  That's how far apart God's goodness and Satan's sin is.  Once you've tasted the goodness (Grace) of Jesus, well, sin just doesn't hold much appeal any longer.  ~Pastor Lynn  (paraphrased to fit the local from JESUS IS_______, BY Judah Smith)

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 18, 2013 at 6:58pm

The Lord Jesus has ascended triumphantly to the highest part of Heaven; He is at the right hand of God!!  He has led captivity captive; the "Accuser" may no longer accuse you of your long list of sins because Jesus took that list of your sins and nailed them to the Cross of Calvary.  And He received from God gifts for mankind; yes, even for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among us.  Blessed be the Lord, who daily LOADETH us with BENEFITS, beginning with Salvation.  Please don't take the Lord Jesus and His gifts to you for granted.  (Psalm 68: 18-19)

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 18, 2013 at 6:58pm

Please visit us at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH

JUST FOR TODAY:The world in which we live applauds personal accomplishment, lauds a self-made person, and expects personal ambition to be the driving force toward success.  But the real truth is God blesses people who are driven to Christ because of their Spiritual emptiness, comforts those who grieve over their sinfulness, and raises to greatness people who humbly kneel before Him.  Don't be a worldly person who errantly pursues happiness through self-exaltation, self-expression, and selfish pleasures.  Be a kingdom minded Christian who exalts Christ, expresses HIS character, and then experiences joy and blessing as a result.  ~Devotional Prayer Book II, Living the Life  (Matthew 5:3-5)

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 18, 2013 at 6:57pm

We are constantly straining to devise new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the Church and secure enlargement and efficiency for the Gospel.  This trend of the day has a tendency to lose sight of the man or sink him in the plan or organization.  God's plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than anything else.  Men are God's method.  The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.  ~E. M. Bounds

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 18, 2013 at 6:56pm

The Word of God (the Bible) is always effective in accomplishing its purpose and never returns voided or useless.  Should we defend it???  It doesn't need defense. It needs USE.  It will defend itself.  It will conquer.  It will subdue.  It is the Word of God!!!  Just use it--God honors that.  You don't defend a lion.  He defends himself.  The Word of God is from the Lion of the tribe of Judah.  The one who has a sharp sword coming from His mouth;  His words cut to the heart; they are sharp , piercing, and conquering.  There is no standing up to Him; every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess Him to be LORD; No Exceptions!! ~CLARION CALL to life and Service for Jesus Christ.

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 18, 2013 at 6:55pm

JUST FOR TODAY: Pay attention and be very careful of the way you talk.  Don't let any foul or dirty language come out of your mouth.  It's time we made a clean break from all cutting, backbiting, profane talk.  Let's be gentle and sensitive to one another; forgive one another quickly and fully as God in Christ forgives us. How much better would your world be if you only spoke those things which lifted up and helped others??  Let each word of your speech be received by others as a gift and a blessing!!  (Taken from Ephesians chapter 4) ~Pastor Lynn 

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 18, 2013 at 6:55pm

JUST FOR TODAY: God is Pure and Holy.  He cannot look upon wickedness.  Are you thankful this morning hour that Jesus has purified you with His blood so you can look upon God Almighty, have a loving relationship with Him, Go boldly to His throne in Prayer, and even someday HE will look upon you face to face??  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." ~Matthew 5:6-8.  If YOU want to be a blessing today, that will involve you becoming more and more like the source of ALL blessings.....Jesus Christ!!  I pray that you all have a wonderful day and that the Lord will richly bless you; I Love all of you, ~Pastor Lynn

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on June 18, 2013 at 6:54pm

JUST FOR TODAY: It's time for your old way of life to completely disappear if you are a true believer and follower of Christ!!  Take on an entirely new way of life-- a God fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces HIS character in YOU!!  Don't grieve God or break His heart with your old ways and habits; listen carefully to the Holy Spirit that is moving and breathing in you.  Your relationship with the Holy Spirit should be the most intimate part of your life and this precious gift from God will make you fit for Himself.  Never take such a gift for granted.  (Ephesians, chapter 4)  ~Pastor Lynn

Comment by Joanie Tucker on June 14, 2013 at 2:53pm

Hey Brothers and Sisters!

As this week has come to a close, I have been reflecting on the blessings God has provided each and every one of us, each and every day! God has created each of us to be all we can dream and all HE desires. And if we put God in a box, many of us would wonder HOW DOES HE DO IT? How can God create dreams and desires specific to each individual and not make any two the same?

Do you remember in school, you probably had an art class, right? When I was in 5th grade, our art teacher asked us to color a piece of construction paper with crayons. Any colors, any design, as thick as we could and to cover every portion of the paper. Then we "painted" over it with india ink to blacken the entire page. Finally, we were asked to create a drawing of our choice, (I did one of horses in a field, of course, LOL) by scratching off the ink to reveal the vibrant colors!. The final pictures were as unique as each one of us, the students.

God's blessings are like those colors, hidden behind the ink. We choose where we will expose the blessings by creating a picture for TODAY. Even if we try to copy the same design over the next day, it can't happen! We don't need to worry about what the picture looked like yesterday or tomorrow. Because today's picture is Perfect when we allow God to lead.

God is abundant in His blessings to us because HE CAN! Simply, He is El-Shaddia- the God of MORE than enough!

So for His children to be as individual as the stars in the sky is an easy task for Him. Imagine all the blessed colors God gives us: Singing, dancing, intercessory prayer, ministering, comforting those who are ill, helping those who are in need, teaching of Jesus' love and so much more...we have just the right gifts from our Father God to bless others. A friend shared with me today that "some of us plant the seed, others water, and still others are blessed by harvesting." So when we pray, praise, worship, share, and teach, we work together with other Christians to spread God's Word. It is God, through the Holy Spirit, that awakens the sleeping spirit in each of us, to reach our full, UNIQUE potential He has designed for each of us!

What the message here is, even as Perfect, Unique, Blessed Individuals...we don't work alone... Pretty awesome!

As you reveal God's many blessings for you and your family today, remember YOU are unique in HIM!

Peace,

JP (aka Joanie Ponie - What my Dad called me, LOL)

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