Rescued and Restored

We have discovered Red Box ... but that is for another time ... last night I headed to Wally Mart to return a movie that we had rented ... while I was there I was able to help a few people figure out how to rent from Red Box ... they were gracious and thanked me over and over ...

So I returned my movie and browsed to see if the one I REALLY wanted was available ... NOPE ... I walked out of the store to head to my vehicle ... I had this overwhelming feeling that I needed to walk inside the store ... but I didn't "need" anything ... so I continued toward the vehicle ... but I "need" to go inside ... but for what ? To spend money on something that I really don't need ? But I "need" to go back inside ... I fought the urge and then finally gave in ... so I turn around to head back inside ...

I walked through the sliding automatic doors and ( pretty confused about what I "thought" I "needed" from Wally Mart at 10:30 pm ) ... as I walked toward the inside store entrance where the shoplifter alarms are located I noticed to my left an older man sitting on the bench with a Wal Mart employee ... I thought they must know one another and kept walking ... slowly ... still confused as to why I had to come back inside ... I hear a small commotion behind me ... as I glanced back over my shoulder I noticed 2-3 policemen entering ... oh no ... they were headed to the man and the employee sitting on the bench ... my first thought was what any good, upstanding and "judgemental" person would think ... THAT MAN WAS CAUGHT SHOPLIFTING ... I am ashamed ... I know ... stone me ...

Policeman ( P ) - You are not sure how you got here ? Did you drive ?
Daniel ( D) - I am not sure ... I have these keys ...
P - Do you know where you live ?
D - I think I do ...
P - Do you know where you are at now ?
D - Wal Mart ........ in Texas ..... City ..... Wal Mart in Texas City
P - What is your name
Employee - His name is Daniel ... here is his address book

By this time ... I know why I had to go back inside ... for Daniel ... but what should I do ? Ok Lord here I am ... there he is ... what ?

So I sat on the other bench ( directly across from Daniel ) ... all the while thinking and praying ...

P - Can we take you home ?
D - I didn't do anything ... leave me alone ... ( standing up as if to get away from the questions ) I didn't do anything ... I didn't do anything wrong ... I just don't know where I am ...
P - Hey I know you didn't do anything ... let's just sit back down and talk ... I can help you ...

WOW ... by this time Daniel is visibly upset ... red face ... wide eyes ... tears in his eyes ... wringing his hands ... just plain SCARED

All I know to do is start praying ... by this time I am crying ... I have Wally Mart employees asking me if I was OK ... but I kept my head down and ball cap over my eyes ... all the while asking the Lord what all of this has to do with me ? What should I do ? Should I do anything ... ?

This is what He said ... " Daniel needs to be RESCUED ... rescued from himself ... his mind has failed him ... his experiences have failed him ... he needs to be RESCUED ... ( so that is what I prayed for Daniel --- GOD PLEASE RESCUE DANIEL ) ... Daniel needs to be RESTORED ... his mind and body needs to be RESTORED ... brought back to life ... Daniel's mind needs to be RESTORED ... ( I prayed that Daniel would get FULL restoration ... over and over I prayed these two things ... I pleaded with God to RESCUE and RESTORE this man's mind, heart, and body )

The policemen persuade him to leave with them ... they head outside ... I am still sitting and praying ... he gets into the policecar and they drive away ... I get to my vehicle and I start the engine ... I am certain that we ( God and I ) are not done ... so I just cut through the chase ... "Father what else ? What else are you wanting me to see / hear ? " This is it ...

Your area is full of Daniels ... I will let you decide what YOUR AREA is ... they are confused ... their experiences have failed them ... what they once knew has left them ... they know they have a car out there somewhere but can't tell you where it is or even what color it is ... they have the keys in their hand ( interpretation - the field is white unto harvest - I have prepared them - you just come along side Me and help them find the car - I am waiting for them ) ... They need to be RESCUED ... then I can RESTORE them ... too many people have been defeated ... I want to RESTORE them to where they need to be ... I want them to live an abundant life ... bu they are scared ... consumed with confusion and fear ... when you approach them if you are not walking with Me and My spirit is not in you they will react like Daniel ... they will assume that you think they have done something wrong ... they will be defensive ... take the time to talk to them before you require something from them ... RESCUE ... RESTORE ... then they will RESPOND

God wants us to be His tool ... a tool is only as effective as the the person that holds it ...

Father, please use me ... your tool

DWC

Chasing Daylight

Also published earlier as SEIZING YOUR DEVINE MOMENT.

I have read this book 5 times and it gets better each time. Based largely on Jonathan and his armorbearer ( 1 Sam 14 ). Jonathan was engaging while his father and others were merely resting and were really scared to move.

Some great quotes from this book :

• Don't sleep through your dreams
• We all should know that to play it safe is to lose the game
• The greatest danger that success brings, aside from arrogance, is the fear of losing what have been gained
• In Christianity the goal of the spiritual journey is the transformation of our desires
• You can talk all day about what God has promised to do through His people, but you will never live in those promises until you act on them.
• It is a priviledge to be called to go first even when it means you are the first to suffer and the only one at risk
• Sometimes prayer is nothing more than our religious veil

Check it out ...

To throw a stone ...

We label people … fat, skinny, old, young, sincere, fake, adulterer, liar, thief, cheater, and so on ( you get the idea )


Why ? Not really sure ...

Fact : You never get a 2nd chance to make a first impression

Fact : Once a person has been labeled ... it is very difficult to shake / overcome that label ... you know I am right ... think about that drug addict ... to you he is ALWAYS a drug addict ... no matter how well is is doing now ... always a drug addict ... this is especially true in the church of today ... right ? Prove me wrong ... think about it ... we divide / isolate people ... EXAMPLE ... singles ministry ... divorce recovery ... young adults ... senior adults ... labels labels labels ... why not just go ahead and have our label on our chest ... like our SCARLET LETTER ?

Fact : Some mistakes follow us the rest of our life because others won’t let them go

Fact : Some mistakes follow us the rest of our life because we won’t let them go

I wonder how people label me ? ( be nice )

Why is it ...

Why is it that we can pray and pray and pray for something(s) only to fight / argue with the Father when He answers our prayer ?

How do I know You will do that, God ? Are You sure you want to do that ... I'm too old ... I don't have enough education ... maybe I can't do it ... what if they laugh ... blah blah blah ...

God says I have heard your prayer and I will do it ... and we are quick to turn Him down ... so why did we pray for XXXXXXX in the first place ?

I am confused ... we are such "wishywashy" people ...

Perfect example ...
Luke 1 : 5 - 25 ( the foretelling of the birth of John the Baptist to Zachariah)

DWC