Category: Book Excerpt

(Below is an excerpt from Pastor’s book, “How to Find Life in Dead Situations”)

All around us are dead situations; situations that, except for God’s grace and a miracle, nothing can be done.  As a minister, I face these kinds of situations quite often.  Maybe it is a marriage in which one or both partners have given up.  Some are frustrated, because it seems hard to find the right job.  Some need healing in their body.  But I am telling you, Jesus is greater than any circumstance you face.

I am convinced that some of the greatest healing that needs to happen in the Body of Christ is the healing of emotions.  Some people are so wounded that they have never been restored.  Some people have had a divorce and its 24/7 instant replay.  You say one wrong word and it raises all of the hostilities of the past.  I was on an airplane once around New Year’s and the flight attendant was very cheerful and had on a party hat.

“Well, everybody’s happy,” I said to the man who was sitting beside me.  He replied, “Yeah, she’s just like my ex-wife, she got happy occasionally, but she always got over it.”  There are situations all around us that need resurrection.  Some churches are dead.  Some people’s attitudes are dead.  Have you ever seen the expression on someone’s face when it looks like they have died?  There is no life.  It is like life is so boring and they are just going through the motions.  There are a lot of dead situations, or potentially dead situations that surround all of our lives, but the Bible tells us that God has the answer to dead situations.

Jesus said in John 11:14, “. . . Lazarus is dead.”  But the first report is not the last report.  And I am telling you the last report is not the last report when your faith is in God.  Dare to face a dead family situation.  Dare to face a dead relationship with a child.  With God many times there is the reuniting of relationships that were dead, or that were strained.  Dare to face a dead situation God’s way.

“Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)  Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.  When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.  Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.  When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.”  (John 11:1-6).  It was very interesting that Jesus took His time and said it was for their benefit that they might believe. “Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already” (John 11:17).

Lazarus has already been in the grave four days.  Then Martha said in verse 21, “. . . Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.  But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.  Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.  Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die…  (John 11:21-26).  Continue reading with verse 37, “And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?”

The Bible tells us that Jesus said, “And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Many Jews believe because of the things He did Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.” (John 11:43-45).

This is a powerful story and the more I read it the more I realize it can show us how to find life in dead situations. Now, when I say a dead situation, I mean something that is impossible.  The first step that I would share for victory is; dare to face a dead situation.  Dare to face it – do not run from it; do not hide from it; do not let it ruin your day or your week, but dare to face a dead situation.

(Below is an excerpt from Pastor’s book, “How To Triumph in Troubled Times”)

There is one more that I can give you about triumphing in troubled times.  Keep the fires of revival burning in your heart.  The news media does not inspire the fires of revival.  We must never forget an event like 9/11, but on the other hand, we cannot let that kind of event ruin the rest of our lives.  We must remember that our world needs revival now more than ever before.  If I serve the right God and I believe in the right Bible and I have the right fruit in my life I will come out on the high side of victory.

I am talking to you out of a pastor’s heart.  I am talking to you out of over forty years of experience of being a pastor.  We must have spiritual revival.  I will take the true spirit of revival anytime.  I want something that will keep me stirred.  I want something that will change my life and keep me changed.  I want something that will hold me when the storms of life come.  We need a spiritual revival that is founded on the Word, not just emotions.  Have a strong faith in God now, and your faith in God will bring you through anything.

(Below is an excerpt from Pastor’s book, “How to Find Life in Dead Situations”)

When you face a dead situation be sure to get a Word from God.  As believers, some people reach out to try to find some different way of looking at their problem. There is nothing wrong with a positive outlook in tough times.  However, there is nothing stronger than receiving a Word from God that everything is going to be all right and God is going to see you through.

When my church began in 1964, God gave me Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

I know one thing; a Word from God in your spirit is stronger than any circumstance you face.  We have had glorious years and challenging years, but the thing that sustained me was that I have known in my spirit that God’s promises are sure.  It is not the word of man but the Word of the living God.  Our opinion is not changed by the news, because we have a sure Word from God.

In order to find life in a dead situation you must refuse to see anything as dead that God wants to bring back to life.  Now there are some things you need to let stay good and dead!  I mean, there are relationships that do not need to be part of your life.  Just leave them alone.  If God has broken you out of a bad association, just leave it in the hands of God.  Forgive them and go on down the road.  Do not try to revive what God has dissolved.

You face a dead situation by getting a sure Word from God.  Remember Paul was on board the ship in Acts 27:23, “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve . . .”  Paul said I have heard from God, and I believe God, and Paul spoke what was about to happen.  It did happen, because it was a sure Word from God.  Paul spoke to his dead situation just like Jesus had spoken to Lazarus.  He received the same kind of resurrection results.  What looked like a dead situation was turned to good by a sure Word from God.

(The following is an excerpt from Bob Nichol’s book, “How To Chart Your Course Of New Beginnings.”)

As we study the life of Abraham, we realize we all need new beginnings.  We all desire them, but how do you navigate the unknown?  Charting your course is a 100% faith deal that is based on the Word of God.  This is not hype, positive thinking, or mind over matter.  It is simply getting a promise of God and remembering that the Bible said, “Therefore it is of faith . . .” (Romans 4:16).  I have been a pastor many years, and have experienced many things.  I have been in the trenches with people that were hurting.  I have been with precious people that felt that their world was being challenged.  People face a lot of challenges, but I believe with every fiber of my being that God has a new beginning for them.

In Acts 27 Paul faced shipwreck and possible death. In the midst of the storm God sent an angel with a message for Paul that he would survive the trip.  Eventually the ship would run aground and he would be forced to swim to an island to survive.   I believe even as it was with Paul, if your ship goes down, you are still going over.  You have to lock into that kind of faith mentality.  Not all ships make it.  I wish I could tell you that everybody’s ship makes it, but I cannot.  I will tell you this, even after the ship went down, Paul was able to safely make it to the shore.  As a result, Paul had an island-wide salvation, healing, and Holy Ghost revival.  He did not need the ship to do it.   You see, the storm destroyed the ship but it did not take Paul’s faith.  He refused to let the storm steal his faith in God’s Word.  He refused to let the shipwreck ruin the rest of his life.  Even when he was washed ashore, the challenge to his faith was not over.  In an attempt to keep warm the survivors started a fire.  When Paul laid the sticks he had gathered on the fire, a poisonous viper came out and attached itself to his hand.  Immediately he shook off the snake into the fire without suffering any harm.  No matter how greatly blessed we are, our faith will continually be challenged.  But the bottom line is, if we do not quit, we win.

(The following is an excerpt from Bob Nichol’s book, “The Secret Power of a Cause.”)

What exactly is a vision?  A vision is a compass providing steady guidance along the path that God is leading you.  It is a divine point of reference that steadies you, keeps your eyes off of present circumstances, and allows you to see the prize ahead of you.  When difficulties arise, the vision reminds you of your future success.  The Bible has many things to say about the importance of a vision.  Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”  Without a vision, there is no sense of direction.  The vision is vitally important to the believer but does not guarantee success.  The problem with a vision is that it can be put on the shelf.  It is optional.  If the glamorous vision becomes too difficult to achieve, it can easily be put aside.  A vision is needed, but there is something more.

In Acts chapter 26, Paul is testifying before King Agrippa about his encounter with Jesus.  He tells the king about how Jesus changed his life and how he knew he had to accomplish what God wanted him to do.  A vision was birthed in his heart on the road to Damascus.  In verse 19 of chapter 26, Paul tells the king that he had “not been disobedient to the heavenly vision.”  Paul kept the vision before him.  He knew his duty was to spread the good news and his vision kept him on track.  His vision provided a reference point that encouraged him to continue “pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14).  Paul was given a vision on the road to Damascus, but somewhere along the way, there was a shift that took place.  He knew his vision would not come to pass unless he went to work.  God’s vision to Paul on the road to Damascus became a passionate cause.  His vision became a cause.

(The following is an excerpt from Bob Nichol’s book, “How to Change Your Destiny.”)

The hand of God in a person’s life could be seen as the anointing.  When the anointing is on a person it produces results.  “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” Acts 10:38. When Jabez prayed “…that thine hand might be with me…” he was asking for God’s anointing to face a difficult task.  Some commentators believe that the occasion of Jabez’s prayer was the expulsion of the Canaanites from his territory. The only thing that was going to get him through that situation was the anointed direction of God.

We all face situations where we need to hear from God.  Many times God will speak to us during a church service where the Word of God is being preached.  I have heard of this happening to business people in my congregation more times that I can recall.  They were just sitting in a service and the Spirit of God would give them direction for their business.  He would show them what adjustments to make to get out of financial crisis.  The message preached that day would not even be about finances, but the anointing on the Word brought them direction.  That adjustment would not have been thought of without the anointing touching their life.  I love God and want to please Him. I want the hand of God on my life!  The anointing on my life will help me be a good husband and father.  Let the hand of God be upon me!  Anointing, fall on me – live big within me!  Touch me!  Anointing of God take this piece of clay and do something with it.

(Below is an Excerpt from Pastor’s Book, “How To Triumph in Troubled Times”)

You never go wrong when you walk the love walk.  You never go wrong when you respond with God’s love to a world of hatred.  Love never fails.  If you respond negatively to what someone else does in traffic, it may lead to a major incident.  Confrontations like this have been known to become lethal.  A harsh response, even with just a few words, may push people over the edge.  You see, just a few words start wars.  Words of strife break relationships but words of love can bring healing to relationships.

In a world filled with hatred, I can choose to walk in the love of God.  No matter how many people come against you, you can walk in love.  The reason we can walk in love is because we have the love of Jesus in our hearts.  The Bible clearly says, “. . . love one another . . .” (John 13:34).  It does not say destroy one another, but “. . . love one another…”  It does not say hate one another, but love one another.  I can walk in love in a world filled with hatred.

When something goes wrong when I am traveling I have found that if you just hold steady and treat people decently God will somehow turn things around and bring you out in victory.  It will work in an office where everyone is filled with gossip; in an office when it is dog-eat-dog, in the corporate world where everyone is trying to do unto others before they do unto them.

You say, “If I walk the love walk they will eat me alive,” but I am challenging you today; walk in love in every area of your daily life.  It is a choice that every one of us has to make.  We can respond in our natural strength that is very limited or we can walk in God’s love and all of heaven’s resources will be with us.  I am not saying that if someone is threatening your life that you do not respond appropriately, but you can choose to walk in love in a world that is seething with hate.  You can triumph in the most troubled times by walking in love.

(Excerpt from Pastor’s book, ‘How to Get a Grip on God’s Promises”)

We can see that the Shunammite woman was watching her words.  She only spoke words of faith and peace.  The words she spoke laid the groundwork for the miraculous resurrection of her son.  In verse 26 when Elisha saw this woman coming he told his servant to go meet her and ask, “…Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child?   Her answer remained the same, “it is well.”

Do you know what the prophet of God was really asking?  The margin of my Bible said he was asking, “is peace thine?”  Now you might be saying, why is that so important?  The prophet was testing her grip on the promise.  There is no room for doubt in this situation.  If this woman was going to see the full manifestation of her miracle she needed to stand strong on the Word of God. In the Strong’s Concordance the word shalom has several meanings.  In addition to “peace” it could also mean “safety, health, and prosperity.”  Remember she answered the prophet of God, “. . . It is well.” She did not blurt out, “Well prophet of God, my son is dead.”  Her faith response was essentially, “peace is mine.”

Do you know what she was saying?  Prophet of God, I do not want to talk about my situation right now, but let me just tell you what I have inside of me.  I have peace, safety, and health.  Listen to this woman speaking her faith with a dead son at home.  You think you have problems?  This woman is saying, prophet of God, I have a grip on the promise of God and I am not letting go!

(Below is an excerpt from Pastor’s book, “How To Triumph in Troubled Times”)

I will never forget one situation many years ago when I was a young associate in my father-in-law’s church.  An evangelist, a novice, came in and stole the hearts of the people.  For the first time, I heard my father-in-law, the pastor, who was a very, very strong man, say, “Son, the pressure is just on me.  I am going to take two weeks off and you are in charge.” I thought “Oh, Jesus, what am I going to do?”  Here was a man of great experience whom I had never seen lose a battle, but something about this situation had really pressed him hard.  I picked up my Bible and a legal pad and I went to the church and spent the night in prayer. When the sun came up the next morning there was something in my spirit that said everything is going to be all right.  There were a few folks that were affected by it, but God spared the church because a rookie preacher got on his face before God and prayed with his prayer language.  I am here to tell you when everything comes against you, get on your face before God.  Remember to bring a pen and a notebook because when you talk to God, eventually God is going to talk to you.

Sometimes prayer is just flushing out all negativism and unbelief that keeps pressing you down.  That is why sometimes you need to spend some extra time in prayer.  This world will fill you up to the brim with its negative ways, but as you pray, it flushes that unbelief out.  It flushes that frustration and hopelessness out.  When we are emptied, then thank God, He can fill us up.  God fills us with hope, faith and love.  God fills us with that blessed assurance that everything is going to be all right.  There is a way when you pray.

The biggest challenge to most church people is to stop telling their problems to everybody else and get on their face and talk to God.  Stay on your face until God empties you of your problem and fills you with the answer.  You have heard what everyone else has to say; now you need to hear what God has to say.  Some of you have a notebook full of prophecies, but not one of those things is going to work until you let God empty you of your problems and fill you with the answer.