The Russian Connection

 

"THE LORD PERFORMS RIGHTEOUS DEEDS AND JUDGEMENTS FOR ALL WHO ARE OPPRESSED."

PSALM 103:6

 We all know, that life isn't always fair.

 We've heard it our whole lives.

 Things happen that we cannot control, and things don't always go the way we plan for them to, that's just the way it is.

 But although life may not treat us fairly or people in certain situations, God is always fair to us. He never does us wrong. It is against His nature.

Romans 2:11 says  
"For there is no respect of persons with God."

  He does not favor one person more than the other, or over anyone else.

When we come to Him, He doesn't see us through our own "works" or goodness, but solely through Jesus, our mediator according to the new Testament.

Although it may be hard to imagine, God loves you just like He loves everyone else. He even loves the unbelievers, it's just the sin He doesn't like, but we have all been created to have a relationship with Him.

  TODAY: 

When you put God's Word in to practice,
it will work for you just like it will any one does!

TRANSFORMED PASTORS, THE KEY TO RUSSIA.

 The call & heart of a pastor,
all come out of the vision of God for His...

                              ....discipleship of a person
                                    ....development of a church
                              ....determination of reaching a city
                              ....deliverance of a nation 
                              ....divine love for the world which He gave His son

There is a transformational move of God in the churches of Russia. It wasn't long ago when Russia was a communist country, ran and dictated by those who wanted nothing less, than to see the annihilation of Christianity.

This past week I ministered at the National Russian Pastor's Conference & Mission's Celebration. Two mighty men of God, Pastor Larry Stockstill, of Bethany Church in Baton Rouge LA, & Pastor Gary Brothers of Cape First in Cape Girardeau MO, poured hours of training and teaching into the lives and ministries of hundreds of pastors and leaders.

As Larry Stockstill ministered on "The Father Wound", the emotions were intense & powerful in the pastors & leaders because they live in a nation of families torn by an 80% divorce rate, the highest in the world.

Gary Brothers spoke on "The Hidden Power of Relationships" ....a Foundation of Quality & Quantity of What God is Doing by His Miraculous Power. I watched as God brought healing to men and women's lives that stand on the frontlines of darkness every day. 

I shared with them on, "Extravagant Love"...Returning to your First Love and Not Allowing Yourself to Become Lukewarm or Complacent.  

Pastors and leaders flooded the atmosphere, lifting their hands in an exhilarating praise to their First Love!

Thank you for your confidence, investment and love.

 

Mikel 

Have You Ever Lost Your Keys?

Keys are usually not something we really think too much about. They are just there. We grab them on the way out, we go and we're on our way. 

But if you've ever lost a key..... to your office, your car, or esp, if you've ever been locked out of your house, you know the importantance of having them!

They have to power to both lock up and loose.

MATTHHEW 16:19

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

That is a pretty big thing!

Here Jesus just said that He gave us the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, to bind and to loose!

• What are you doing with the opportunities that God has given you through His Word today?

Are you affecting change to the atmosphere around you, living in authority, or are you letting the winds of life blow you around?

TODAY:

YOU have been given the keys of the Kingdom!  

Take Heart

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

In a society of constant struggle,
it is the greatest feeling ever to know that Jesus has overcome the world and all the things we all can feel overwhelmed with!

He is the source of our strength & our victory.

That peace that He has given to us is enough to sustain us even through the toughest pressures.

There can be pressure & storms all around you, but when you have the peace of God on the inside, it’s a reminder that you have the presence of God with you at all times.

So take heart, don’t lose hope!

For Jesus has given us everything we need, and told us what we need to know in order to not be helpless or hopeless in the days of adversity.

TODAY:

It’s not denying things in your world, it’s just knowing that Jesus has overcome, and there will never be a temptation too great for us that we do not have the power to get through!

Did You Know?
Philippians 4:19

“My God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every (spiritual, physical, financial, emotional relational) need according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.”

Our circumstances are God’s opportunities.

When we give Him our needs,
He gives us His answers.

God already knew that there were things that we would have to deal with that we wouldn’t know how to handle on our own.

That’s why there are hundreds of different stories, parables & illustrations in the Bible.

• They are examples of other people’s lives that dealt with many of the same things that we still deal with today.

• We can ask the Holy Spirit for His wisdom & insight when read. He can show you the meaning of things you might not understand.

TODAY:

Just like Jesus provided daily for the children of Israel with Manna & food in the Old Testament when they were in the wilderness, how much more won’t he take care of us now every day with an even better covenant?

 I Want To Prove You Wrong

I have found that most people I meet believe that God loves them, but if I were to ask them if they think God actually likes them…….the answer is always a lot different.

Why is that?

Well many people think that God almost loves them out of some sort of obligation or some Heavenly duty…. But when it comes to actually “likeing” something….. He would rather not have anything to do with us because He is so much better, and We are such a huge disappointment.

Woooooooooooowwwwww……

How we couldn’t possibly be any more wrong…

The sad thing is, it’s easy to feel like that, knowing what an amazing God He is...
But the truth is, He doesn't. God actually chose us! We didn’t first choose Him.

Everything that we do towards Him is a response to Him first loving us!

     JESUS pursued YOU. (Rom 12:8)          
     HE laid down His life to KNOW YOU. (John 3:16)
     HE sees you more valuable than you could ever imagine. (Luke 12:7)
     HE designed you exactly the way you are. (Psalms 139:14)
     HE created YOU for friendship with HIM (John 15:13)

See….? The Father doesn't just love you, He 'LIKES' you too!

  REMEMBER:  

There is ‘like’ in God’s love for you today!

"Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary storm. No matter how raging the billows are today, remind yourself:  This too shall pass!"  -T. D. Jakes

Seasons don’t last forever.

They are temporary, as life is always in constant change.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”
-ECCLESIASTES 3:1

Even if you are facing something right now that feels like the end of the world, know that there might be sorrow in the night, but joy comes in the morning.

                                    What ever it is, God is bigger.

                                                               He is greater,

                                                              He is stronger.

And you will come through as long as you trust in Jesus and let Him be your strength.

Decisions made out of the emotion of a moment can hinder you from seeing clearly. Don’t ever let pressure make you do something you wouldn’t normally do.

•  When the winter months of your life come, dig your roots deep down in Jesus.

Even if you don't feel like you are bearing any fruit, or your leaves aren't green, He has promised to sustain you. Spring will come, and life will bloom again.

TODAY:

Take hope and refuse to make the wrong decision by the pressures of life!

5 Months On A Plane

Wow, what a day of traveling it has been.... Over 24 hours of flights and layover at several different airports in the quest of finally reaching the city of Perm, Russia.

This is my 84^th trip to Russia. It’s hard to believe time has gone so fast.

While speaking at ORU the other day, the head of the Missions Department shared with me that I have probably spent five months of my life on planes from Tulsa to Moscow.

To which I replied, it has been worth every minute of it.

In the 20 years of traveling back and forth, I have never been so excited to go, as I have been these last couple days preparing for the trip.

-This week is the upcoming National Pastor School.

We are training pastors from all over the nation of Russia in the things of God and things of the Spirit.

While we still have a lot going on throughout the remainder of this year, we are already busy planning for next year!

               Some of Our Vision Goals in Russia for "2012"

                                    •   2 National Youth Conferences

                                    •   A National Women's Conference

                                    •   2 National Pastor's Conferences

                                    •   Church Planting

                                    •   Helping in the "One Year for Jesus" project 

If there were only an adequate enough way for us to say thank you to all those who have prayed for & supported us throughout the years!

Hoping you have a wonderful rest of your week,

-Mikel

 

Need More STRENGTH?

PSALM 43:5

“Why are you cast down, oh my soul? And why are you uneasy with me? Hope in God, for I will continue to praise Him who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”

Do you remember the story
of Abraham and how God promised him and Sarah a child?

While in the midst of his circumstances looking impossible, because they were both well past the age of child baring, it would have been easy for them to grow weary while waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled.

• But Romans 4:20 says that Abraham was strengthened in faith as he gave praise and glory to God!

• Praise will keep your eyes on the Author and Finisher of your faith (Heb 12:2)

Also, standing on God’s World and praising Him for your victory before you see your answer is the only real solution for weakness and anxiety.

There is just something about focusing on the positive and praising God that turns the power of God loose on the inside of you and encourages you.

 TODAY: 

**Doubt, unbelief, depression & fear melt in the presence of God when you remind yourself of His faithfulness!

It Doesn't Matter Where You Are

"Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16

If you’ve been born again, you are a new creature in Christ. And if your accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, the Bible promises that God will make His home in you.

“…..we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23)

When we are born again, our bodies become the temple of God, so we don’t have to go to a building or sanctuary before we can worship God.

Yes, we are to assemble together in the house of the Lord because the Bible exhorts us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. (Heb 10:25)

• But we do not have to wait until we get into a church building before we can praise God!
  

• We are God’s temple; we can praise and worship God anywhere we are!

We are to bless the Lord at all times!

TODAY:

Don't ever let your location stop you from praising God.

He is with you at all times!