I grew up in Washington, DC, and started walking to school as a child in the 1960’s. When I visit DC now, I am always amazed at how far I walked to school. The teachers always told us we had it easy compared to previous generations, so I never gave it much thought.
Livin’ Large in the 1960’s
It was a world of concrete playgrounds, bullies, four channels on a black-and-white TV, and no air conditioning. I don’t care what those teachers said. Sometimes it was hard.
I am a Baby Boomer. In many instances we eliminated hardness from our children’s lives but in retrospect, it was overcoming hardness that enabled us to thrive.
I am learning -kind of late in the game- that sometimes you have to allow life to be hard for those you love. The Lord is often at work in these processes. (Philippians 1:6)
I read in the Bible that God did not drive out all of Israel’s enemies in the Promised Land because he wanted the generation that had not known war to gain battlefield experience. (Judges 3:1-2) Let that sink in for a moment.
Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman put war in perspective: “Even success, [in combat] the most brilliant is over dead and mangled bodies.”
God is love, but God prepares, enables, equips, qualifies, and propels His people forward through hardness.
GOT HARDNESS?? Be encouraged. Hardness does not last:
To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of them all. (Psalms 34:19)
Why are you in despair, my soul? And why are you restless within me? Wait for God, for I will again praise Him For the help of His presence, my God. (Psalms 42:11)
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)
Meesha was having a disastrous day. His Army faced destruction. He rallied 700 armed men to create an escape route, but his attempt failed. Desperate, he resorted to a pagan ritual in the tradition of ancient “holy” war.
King Meesha sacrificed his son -the heir to his throne- as a burnt offering to his god Chemosh in full view of the advancing Israelite Army. Trauma seized upon Israel after observing this despicable act. The powerful Israelite Army withdrew from the battle that day and returned home.
The Bible does not clearly explain why Israel withdrew. (2 Kings 3:27) http://cojs.org/why_king_mesha_of_moab_sacrificed_his_oldest_son-_baruch_margalit-_bar_12-06-_nov-dec_1986/
Revelation from God almost always increases in crisis times. GET READY!
He was a priest and a survivor of a prolonged siege that ended in a humiliating defeat for Israel. He and thousands of others were driven hundreds of miles into captivity by the Babylonian Army. There in a strange land, the heavens opened, and he began receiving visions from God. (Ezekiel 1:1-3)
In one striking vision, an angel appeared to him, took him by a lock of his hair, lifted him between heaven and earth, and proceeded to give him a vision of Jerusalem. Ezekiel saw wickedness throughout the city, and worse, 25 men worshipping the sun in the Temple of God. (Ezekiel 8:1-17)
As the vision concluded, Ezekiel saw God’s glory depart the Temple. Hence, the Babylonian Army returned and destroyed Jerusalem -in real life- and burned God’s Temple to the ground.
Our entertainment is saturated with supernatural themes and references.
I thought about the stories of King Meesha and Ezekiel as I was walking through the aisles at Walmart. I wondered how I could connect these two strange and mysterious stories? I figured readers would think I’d gone crazy.
Then I came to one of the bins at Walmart filled with all of these $5 movie DVDs. Many of the DVD covers had images that were far beyond strange and mysterious.
Then I was reminded of a recent email exchange with a former student. She thanked me for what she learned in my classes and said that I was still speaking into her life through this blog, etc.
She went on to say, “I have to admit that when I first met you, I thought you were crazy.” Her observation presents an excellent opportunity for the people who know me to say AMEN!
I taught Old Testament Survey courses between 2006 and 2020. I began these classes with the following statement: “This is the best class you will ever take at this College.”
I continued, “You may think the Old Testament (OT) is boring, but I am going to show you that the OT is raw, real, and relevant. The OT is electric and pregnant with meaning.”
In the first session, the students learned that in Genesis alone, they’d encounter:
Murder by Cain (4:8; 34:25-26); Sexual intercourse between angels and humans (6:4); God’s destruction of nearly every living thing (7:23); Noah’s drunken nakedness (9:20-21); Violent homosexuality on the part of the Sodomites (19:5-6); Rebekah and Jacob’s trickery, (27:5-3); Rachel’s use of aphrodisiacs (30:15,22).
The rape of Dinah (34:2); Reuben’s incest with Bilhah (35:21) Tamar’s prostitution (38:15); Envy between Rachel and Leah (30:1-13); Rachel’s lie about her menstrual cycle (31:34-35); Mass murder by Simeon and Levi (34:25-26); Onan spilling his semen on the ground and subsequent death (38:9-10); Slave trading involving Joseph (37:26-28).
I’d wrap things up and tell them that the primary theme of Genesis is not Creation but the beginnings of God’s plan of redemption through one man’s family: Abraham.
I always had motivated students after the first session. They realized that they’d begun a 15-week Biblical odyssey discovering truth they never knew before.
Let me ask you a question. Did you know about King Meesha’s sacrifice or Ezekiel’s vision of idolatry in Jerusalem before you read this article? Don’t allow the most fascinating and engaging stories ever written to collect dust in your home any longer.
Greatest therapy for the soul.
I wrote this article in hopes of inspiring you to read the Bible. If you already read the Bible, my prayer is that you will read it more. If you are a new reader, consider reading a Psalm or a Proverb every day and be consistent. Over time your appetite will increase.
I believe the Lord will take us on a journey and reveal precious truth to us, but we must have a Biblical foundation to apply this truth effectively. Faith without works is dead.
You may ask, “Brother Kevin, what about the New Testament (NT)?” Well, I also taught NT Survey. I’d begin every NT Survey class with…”NT Survey is the best class you will ever take at this College.” See why that student thought I was crazy??!! God Bless! Press On!! Kevin
For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.-2 Cor 4:18
I was watching a video biography of gospel singer BB Winans the other day. He said when he was 33 years old, he was three sizes too big, so he went to a gym, got on a treadmill, and was exhausted after two minutes.
BB Winans
Winans said it didn’t happen overnight, but he dropped the excess weight. BB is 59 now, and he works out daily. He said something profound: “If you really want therapy start exercising.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIKOkVXe_eI
Therapy: treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder.
I subscribe to BB’s philosophy on exercise, which is why I went to the pool the other day to relieve the disorder of heaviness and discouragement. I was in a fog, but I’ve learned when heaviness hits, get up and move! Don’t allow yourself to become a stationary target.
The last thing I wanted to do was jump into that cold water, but I did it, and that’s when it happened.
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Image
Like a flash, I realized that I had left one dimension and entered another. I had the sense that this transition was like leaving the natural world and entering the realm of the spirit.
It takes just under three minutes to transition from earth to outer space, but you can move between the natural and spiritual realms at the speed of thought. The only distance is your ability to perceive the spiritual world.
Let’s take a leap beyond my pool experience to the waters surrounding the globe. Scientists estimate that 91 percent of ocean species have yet to be classified and that more than eighty percent of our ocean is unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored.*
Let that sink in for a moment. No one doubts the existence of countless maritime species below sea level. If you are interested in exploring the expanse of space, check out a few minutes of a YouTube video by Louie Giglio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atUGBua2AzE
Now, let’s cut to the chase. The Bible speaks clearly to the existence of spiritual beings in a dimension beyond our five senses-the spirit world.
I don’t even know where to begin. God had conversations with satan in the presence of the sons of God. (Job 1 &2) All the host of heaven was present when the Lord allowed a lying spirit to mislead King Ahab. (1 Kings 22:19-23) The writer of Hebrews talked about the city of the living God where thousands upon thousands of angels dwell. (Hebrews 12:22)
The Apostle Paul reveals a hierarchy of spiritual wickedness led by satan in Ephesians 6:10-12. Much of what drives our need for therapy is a by-product of the activity of the “rulers of darkness of this world.”
The great war for the souls of men takes place in the spirit world, and I’ve got great news: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)
Triumph of the Cross (1 Cor 2:8)
The Lord Jesus has ALL authority in heaven and earth. He crushed satan and his minions, making an open show of them. (Colossians 2:15) The Lord and His heavenly hosts have achieved OVERMATCH against the powers of darkness, and Jesus loves you whether you are a Christian or not.**
Well, so what?
The so what is that believers have the opportunity -indeed the call- to access and exercise God’s power from the unseen realm to accomplish His purposes on earth. Find a great illustration of this point in this familiar verse:
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
May the Lord open the eyes of our understanding to see the greatness of His power to us who believe. Our world needs believers to bring God’s power to bear in this wicked and perverse generation. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin
“For through him (Jesus), God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16, NLT)
*oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ocean–species.html
**You can become a Christian. Check out the following link: https://dreamprayernetwork.com/gods-plan-of-salvation/
Philippe Petit lays on the high wire during his walk between the Notre Dame Cathedral towers in France
Philippe Petit is a French hire wire artist who gained fame for his unauthorized walks between the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 1971 and Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1973. He saved His most famous performance on 7 August 1974, when he walked between the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City.
This past Sunday, my pastor used an illustration of a high wire artist to illustrate a verse in the Bible: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)
I looked up synonyms for circumspect: alert, focused, attentive, careful, and informed. So our pastor encouraged us to walk in an alert, focused, attentive, careful, and informed way. No wonder he displayed that image of a tightrope!!
This morning a gentleman sent me an email that provided great clarity. He said, “A tightrope walker uses a stick to help his balance, but we as Christians walk holding the Word (the Bible) to keep our balance.” The simplicity of his analysis struck me.
It occurred to me that God hides His secrets in plain view. What?
I learned that God hides things in the open 40 years ago. I was crying out to God with great intensity: “Lord, reveal to me who my wife will be!” I returned from my first overseas tour in Korea, a changed man, in 1978. I was a young single, sold-out Christian with a job attending church services in Washington, DC.
Few young men went to church back then, but lots of young ladies did. Well spoke Solomon of old who said, “There is nothing new under the sun.”
I continued to cry out week after week. “Lord, reveal to me who my wife will be,” but nothing happened for over three years. I didn’t know that God had a secret. I did not realize that I was looking my future wife in the face every Sunday morning. She was a Sunday School student of mine, and we sang in choirs together!
The gentlemen who sent me that email about tightrope walking said that we can maintain our balance if we hold on to the word of God. I’d tell you that having a consistent prayer life will eventually unravel the most profound mysteries you will encounter. We’d both tell you that there are no short cuts and no such thing as a quick fix.
Getting fixed is not always the remedy.
I asked a medical doctor who swims in the same pool with me at the YMCA about ankle and knee replacements. He got visibly upset and struggled to put his words together. He said, “Kevin, I can’t tell you the number of people who have cursed me out after I’ve recommended lifestyle changes over other treatments. They say, “doc, just tell me how I can get fixed now!”
Last week I ran into a buddy in my neighborhood who was a financial advisor about 20 years ago. He said, “Kevin, I had to get out of the business. I could have followed company policy and made money off folks, but I couldn’t do it.
I tried to get folks to do things in their interest, but many refused. One church lady told me I was the devil because I advised her against putting all of her available savings in a church parking lot project.”
Allow me to explain why the “twin towers” of Bible reading and prayer enable us to become high wire artists.
Answer: Because God will honor your faithful obedience and begin to reveal His secrets to you. “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.” (Psalms 25:14)
Facing enormous debt? Entangled in relationship issues that are like trying to unscramble eggs? Got that report from the doctor and don’t know how to proceed?
Let me encourage you that God hides His secrets in plain view. The answers you are seeking are not off in the distance but right in front of you. If you seek God with all your heart, He’ll lift you out of a horrible pit and give you a brand new start. He will reveal His secrets to you. God never fails. He’ll come through for you.
Time for some high wire acts and exploits. I believe there is a little Philippe Petit in all of you. Not just you but some of Philippe in me too! God Bless! Press On!! Kevin
Understanding the Dimension That Eyes Have Not Seen
It was television viewing in the 1960s: one black and white television that my sister and I shared. She got to watch the shows she preferred on one night then it was my turn.
She liked Star Trek with William Shatner. I like that kooky Batman series with Adam West. Fortunately, one of my favorite shows was on one of my viewing nights: “The World Beyond.”
This series offered a menu of low-budget horror flicks. These movies depicted a dark and mystical side of a world beyond our own.
The fascination with the unseen, the unknown, and other-worldly creatures saturates every aspect of popular culture, but the ironies abound.
Chief among these ironies is our inability to acknowledge much less perceive the REAL world beyond our senses. For the Christian, the fundamental premise of prayer is that it impacts the known world by leveraging powers in a dimension beyond our senses.
Allow me to make an abrupt shift here. I see these biographical series where the interviewer asks the character of interest, “what would you say to the younger version of yourself?” I am going to give it a try. What would I say to myself, the kid intrigued by mysteries of the unknown?
I’d give him a glimpse of the world that would unfold before him and then appeal to the hero he dreamed of becoming one day.
I’d tell him that fascination with the World Beyond would accelerate especially as a host of creative geniuses began appearing on the scene. People like, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, Stan Lee, the Wachowskis, etc., who would captivate global audiences of all ages.
Hans Solo’s memorable jump to lightspeed in George Lucas’ Star Wars.
I’d tell him to enjoy some their work** for their entertainment value, but to be on guard, because there is a REAL invisible world where good and evil operate. The dark side of this dimension has one primary objective: to blind people from seeing the truth. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
I’d show the younger me where it is recorded in the Bible that in God and Christ: “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col 2:2b-3)
Then I would take him to the 10th chapter of Daniel and show him the war of supernatural beings in outer space over human events in Persia (modern-day Iraq and Iran.) I’d tell him about Elijah, who called down fire from heaven, and Elisha, who saw an invisible army in the heavens ready to annihilate a natural army coming to arrest him. (2 Kings 6:14-18)
I’d take the younger me to Ephesians 6:11-18, and expose the dark side of the World Beyond.
I’d tell him that the same God who revealed secrets to His people in the Bible would speak to him. The same God would help him choose a wife, name his children, guide him in career choices, provide for his family, and keep him healthy.
I’d tell him that God’s World Beyond has a name. It’s called the Kingdom of God.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor 4:18)
I’d tell him that Luke Skywalker, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, and Neo became heroes in a world of make-believe, but he could become a hero of faith in the Kingdom of God.
You must be born again if you are going to see and enter the Kingdom of God. That is what Jesus said, and that is what I’d tell the younger me. (John 3:3-8)
I’d wrap up the conversation by telling the younger me about, the older me. I’d say to the lad that I am now 60-plus years old and still have heroic ambitions. I’d encourage him to begin to dream of the unlimited possibilities of what God could accomplish through him.
Allow me to encourage you the reader to depart any fascination with the World Beyond apart from healthy entertainment because it can become a blinding influence and a distraction.
God needs people who have seen and entered the Kingdom of God to pray and seek His face for a release of His glory on earth.
Be the Neo-like (Matrix) hero in your own story.
Don’t spend your time dreaming about being the protagonist in a fake story, when you can be an Ambassador for Christ and a carrier of God’s glory.
Amen! Avail yourselves of the UNLIMITED resources in God’s Kingdom for: ”the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” (Daniel 11:32b)
God Bless! Press On!! Kevin Willis
PS: Have you seen and entered the Kingdom of God? Discover how at the following link: https://dreamprayernetwork.com/gods-plan-of-salvation/
**I do not endorse all of their works. Avoid artistic representations that promote demonic/occult activity, random violence and immorality.
Don’t Leave Today’s Problems As Your Legacy To Others
I felt like pinching myself. I could not believe it. I was assigned a member of the government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) to mentor me for a year. He’d travel up from Georgia to Hampton Roads, VA to do business, and he’d stop by to see me. Sometimes we’d talk on a video connection.
One thing always struck me about our engagements when they concluded. When I expressed my appreciation for my mentor’s insights, he’d say, “…well, I get a lot out of this too.” It took me a while, but I get it now. It is great to leave a positive legacy.
A couple of years ago, I began meeting with an emerging leader of great promise. We often met at Starbucks before the pandemic. In a recent conversation, he expressed his appreciation for the insights I provided him. I told him, “…well, I get a lot out of this too.” I don’t think he gets it yet. It’s great to leave a positive legacy.
During this recent conversation, he expressed his frustration about a problem in the team he is leading. I knew the history of the group he referenced. I told him that the problem preceded his arrival and previous leaders never resolved it.
I told him how happy I was that he was frustrated because frustrated people change things. I encouraged him to be the leader who fixed the problem.
I spoke at my church yesterday, Bethel Temple in Hampton, VA. I gave a cryptic version of my efforts to leave a job that felt like a prison experience. I encouraged the Bethel family that bold action is sometimes required if they want to see change.
The audience applauded when I told them that I took bold steps to get out of that job situation until I said that I ran into Goliath. Goliath, in the form of my major Department Executive. He pulled me into his office and went into a rage; he told me I was quitting on my team, pointed at his office door, and shouted, “Hit the Road!!”
Under 10 feet tall and possibly shorter than Shaq. Stop making him bigger than he was. (1 Sam 17:4)
As I left his office, I heard these words in my spirit: “he just kicked you out of his office and into your future.” I was DEVASTATED and encouraged. Before the day ended, the Lord challenged me to face Goliath, not just for myself but for my children’s sake. What??!!
I realized that if I did not conquer this bullying spirit, my children would have to wrestle with it. Perhaps this sounds strange to you, but I knew this to be true.
Likewise, if that emerging leader I am mentoring doesn’t deal with that problem in his team, his successors will have to.
We need to clean up our mess!
Be the type of leader, mentor, parent, or coach who resolves problems. Don’t Leave Today’s Problems As Your Legacy To Others.
I faced Goliath. I fought the uphill journey to get out of that job in his Department.
It took nearly a year of struggle, but I got out of that prison-like situation and landed my dream job. Then something strange happened.
That senior leader who kicked me out of his office came to respect me greatly. I still respected him. I knew it was just a test. “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)
My trouble proved to be God’s catalyst to propel me forward in His plan for my life.
I mentioned that I spoke at my church yesterday. At the end of the message, I challenged the audience to release their faith in three areas:
To resolve our church debt.
To expand our Livestream broadcast nationally and internationally.
To restore supernatural manifestations of God’s power in our services.
Let’s wrap this up with a discussion on the first point.
I’ve been a member of the Bethel Temple since 1994. Upon arrival, our leadership lamented being hamstrung by significant debt. They imagined great outreach opportunities if we could liquidate the debt, but over the years we’ve made little progress.
Without Faith It is Impossible to Please God – Coming Attractions 1705 Todd’s Lane.
That’s nearly thirty years of missed outreach opportunities.
How do you liquidate the debt in post-pandemic America? Well, God delights when His people believe Him to do the impossible. At some point, we must confront Goliath.
Our church is blessed to have a pastor committed to debt liquidation, and we are grateful for that. Nothing significant changes without engagement, commitment, and dogged determination.
We need to clean up our mess so we can leave our children a positive legacy.
Let’s resolve to do this in every aspect of our lives because it starts with us!
I enjoy mentoring others. I get to tell them stories like how I saw Goliath fall. When they tell me how they appreciate my insights, I tell them, “…well, I get a lot out of this too, ” but I don’t think they get it yet. It is good to leave a positive legacy. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. (Proverbs 13:22)
Your physical health, emotional wellness, safety, and financial stability, will become increasingly dependent on your ability to hear Him.
The Free Dictionary defines it as a power of perception seemingly independent of the five senses. A sixth sense sometimes carries a psychic association. This article has absolutely nothing to do with that.
I stood there in disbelief, trying to take it all in. It was so surreal that cold day in November 2008. I was back at Camp Casey, Korea, 30 years later. It’s a theater now, but back in 1978, it was the chapel and the place where it all began.
The Camp Hovey Chapel back in 1978 was a Theater when I visited in 2008.
I was in that chapel playing the piano when my strange new friend, Master Sergeant (MSG) White, walked in. White approached a man sitting and meditating in the chapel and started talking to him. MSG White began telling the man things about his life that he could not possibly have known. I’d never seen anything like it.
I asked MSG White what that was. He casually replied, “Sometimes the Lord will speak to your heart about another person.” Second Lieutenant Willis –me- was awe-struck, and it didn’t stop there.
It was as if MSG White had “cheat codes” -inside information- that caused people to open up about their spiritual condition. I will never forget that Saturday when MSG White opened his Bible and began reading to this one Soldier who was hanging on every word:
“O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory…But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)
I sat there as a bystander listening when the strangest thing happened. Like the snap of a finger, the fear of death left me. This event took place only weeks after our Brigade Commander stated that we would be at war with North Korea in a few months.
Well, that was many years ago. MSG White did not have a “sixth sense.” He was hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit. (John 16:13-15) Over the next eight months, I saw demons cast out of two individuals by the power of the Holy Spirit and a Korean women’s leg healed by that same power. (Acts 1:8)
Then just as I was about to leave Korea, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which I was resisting because I thought speaking in tongues sounded weird. (Acts 2:4)
I realize I gave you, the reader, a lot to unpack. Please allow me to narrow my focus and get to the point of this article.
It is imperative that you become familiar with the voice of the Holy Spirit. Your physical health, emotional wellness, safety, and financial stability, will become increasingly dependent on your ability to hear Him.
Notice what is missing on this chart. Jesus said I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10b)
The great news is that God desires to reveal Himself to you. The challenge is that MANY voices are competing for your attention.
These voices can be persuasive, manipulative, and deceiving. These voices can also be wise, prudent, and informed and still lead you off course.
The Holy Spirit speaks to your heart, not your mind. You can’t always explain why you sense or know certain things.
Human reasoning often rejects revelation from the Holy Spirit; therefore, it takes courage to follow Him. Following the Holy Spirit will prove you to be exceedingly wise, but you may appear to be a fool to some in the process.
To follow the Holy Spirit is to go against the grain, swim upstream, and invite the ridicule of others. But, to follow the Holy Spirit is the pathway to God’s blessings, favor, healing, and provision.
Jesus said the world cannot see, receive or know the Holy Spirit. (John 14:17) Paul put it this way:
“But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them, and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.” (1 Corinthians 2:14, NLT)
Don’t be lead astray in these days of trickery and deception. Ask God for wisdom and invite the Holy Spirit to speak into the decisions you make.
Cultivate sensitivity with the Holy Spirit by spending time with God and reading the Bible. Better days await you. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin Willis
PS: I have written five articles with the title How to Hear the Voice of God Parts 1-5. You can find these articles in the archives of this blog site.
Your active response to trouble will propel you forward.
I listened to the young man speak as he stood over his mother’s casket. He said that years ago, when he graduated from college, his proud father wrote many words expressing his belief that his son would accomplish great things in life.
The young man’s proud mother finished the note with a few words: “Son…life is hard, but enjoy the journey.” Her words were a comfort to him at this difficult time in his life.
I have four children, and I have the privilege to speak into the lives of many young people. At some point, those who look to you for guidance and inspiration need to hear some version of this mother’s words because life is hard. They also need to know that through it all, they can enjoy the journey.
Retirement has allowed me the opportunity to survey the landscape of sixty-plus years of living. Upon reflection, the hardness of life disciplined me, toughened me, focused me, took a lot of the quit out of me, and woke up the fighter in me.
God will fight for you if you are willing to get into the ring. Ask Moses.
My father used to tell me that nothing of value in life comes easy. Crisis, trouble, hardness -whatever you want to call it- is essential to our growth and development and maturing us in our walk with God.
We all have blind spots; hopefully, someone will care enough to point these areas out to us. But scholarly studies show that most of our deliberate efforts to change fail. There is a remedy called trouble.
Trouble like Moses backed up against the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army in pursuit. The crisis of Hezekiah, who was already sick and at the point of death, when the prophet Isaiah informed him that he would die. The dilemma of barren Hannah, heartbroken and ridiculed by her rival Peninnah. The plight of Peter chained between two guards and facing execution at daybreak after Herod put the apostle James to death. *
Trouble produced a passion, a resolve, commitment, and fire that moved them from stagnation to activation. You’ve got to do something! The troubled always play a key role in their deliverance.
God told Moses to stop talking to Him and do something! Moses stretched out his hands over the Red Sea, and the rest is history. Hezekiah stopped making burial arrangements and boldly told God why he deserved to live longer. God added 15 years to his life.
Hannah went to the house of God and prayed out of the bitterness of her soul; a year later, Samuel was born. James’ execution inspired Peter’s friends to pray so intensely that a supernatural jailbreak ensued, rescuing Peter from destruction.
Why do I bring all this up? Because I’ve got trouble, and you’ve got trouble. Want to get out of that trouble? Do something! The troubled always play a key role in their deliverance.
Trouble was the platform that propelled these Biblical characters forward in God’s purposes. I can relate.
I’ll never forget back in late 2014 when I thought I had the “trouble to end all troubles.” I heard the late Myles Munroe say that whenever God is about to bring change in your life, He always sends a crisis. I thought the situation would end my career, but it eventually propelled me into my dream job.
Got a problem? Take action, get moving, and turn up the intensity. As Andy Dufresne said in The Shawshank Redemption, “Get busy living or get busy dying.” Your active response to trouble will propel you forward.
How can you enjoy this journey full of trouble? God promised to be with you, to deliver you and to give you a long life: “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalms 91:16-17)
Reframe your trouble. See it for what it is: your “Catalyst for Greatness.” God is with you, and He promises to deliver you. Enjoy the journey, and we will see each other in the WINNER’s circle. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin Willis
*Moses’ triumph at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:5-31); Hezekiah’s extension (2 Kings 20:1-6); Hannah’s prayer (1 Samuel 1:7-20); Peter’s jailbreak (Acts 12:1-17)
God has provided a vaccine for the EMOTIONAL pandemic spreading across the earth.
Lock it down and guard it. Build a fence around it. Put no trespassing signs outside it. The thief is working overtime to rob it.
You are at risk without it. Employ it, and you can pass through fire and come out without the smell of smoke. What is it?
So much has happened in 2020. The ongoing wildfires in California, Oregon, and Washington –the worst on record- are just the most recent in a series of distressing events.
Dozens of people have died. The fires have burned more than 7,000 square miles, equivalent to the land area of New Jersey.
The number of homes destroyed by the fires in Oregon alone is 1616 according to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management, 16 September.
I empathize with the nearly quarter-of-a-million evacuees. Many of whom do not know the status of their homes. Amid seemingly endless domestic and global upheaval, I recall the words of the prophet Isaiah:
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2)
Last week I saw a photo of evacuees in Oregon stuck in gridlocked traffic. I imagined what they were thinking: Why me? Why us? Why now? What about my job, my finances, my future?
Evacuating southern Oregon to escape the worst fires in history of the state.
I imagine many in those cars also asked, “where is God?” Isaiah answered that question. He is with His people in times of hardship and distress.
God is with His people through the rivers and the fire. He is with you through pandemic, financial loss, social injustice, and through this divisive presidential race. He promised never to leave you. (Matthew 28:20)
If you have not surrendered your life to Christ, there is good news for you too. God cares for you and is patiently waiting for you. In these surreal times, He is reaching out to you:
The LORD is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) https://dreamprayernetwork.com/why-a-dream-prayer-network/
Christians and unbelievers go through the same challenges and difficulties, but God has provided believers the supernatural gift of JOY to sustain them through hardship. God-given joy provides emotional strength and stability that defies explanation because it is not of this world.
Hurricane Sally left 550,000 without power in Florida, Alabama and Louisiana yesterday.
I am telling you this because there is an emotional pandemic spreading across the globe like a cloud. This dark cloud is spewing out despair, discouragement, depression, and defeat.
God’s joy is His VACCINE against this emotional pandemic, but you must activate joy to receive its sustaining benefits. More on that later.
God is sovereign. He may deliver you from crisis or bring deliverance through crisis. In the latter case, you must put His joy to work to sustain yourself. Allow me to illustrate.
It was nighttime, and Peter was bound and sleeping between two soldiers. By all appearances, he was awaiting execution following his trial before Herod in the morning.
Then an angel visited him in prison and woke him up. Peter thought it was all a dream.
His chains fell to the ground. The angel led him out of the cell; none of the soldiers noticed a thing; the iron gate of the prison opened on its own. Peter walked away a free man. (Acts 12:5-11) God delivered Peter from the crisis.
Later, Paul is in chains for testifying in Jerusalem. That night the Lord came to Paul and told him that he would survive this ordeal and testify in Rome. The following morning, over 40 Jews took an oath to not eat or drink until they killed him. (Acts 23:11-12)
Soldiers safely escorted Paul by night from Jerusalem to Caesarea, where he remained in chains for over two years. Afterward, he embarked on a nightmarish sea journey to Rome. Paul made it. God’s joy sustained him through the crisis.
You and I are in a crisis of some form or other. We must put joy to work on our behalf. Allow me to offer some practical tips on how to do so.
First and foremost, you must decide to cast off discouragement and heaviness. Sadly, some people enjoy living under a cloud and the attention it brings. Stop harming yourself and demoralizing others!
Next, study, read, and meditate on scripture, and SING!
Thankfully, God provided us a supernatural songbook saturated with His power and presence.
David wrote 88 of the Psalms and six others contributed including Moses and King Solomon.
The Book of Psalms contain 150 Holy Spirit-inspired songs that fuel and release the power of joy. Reading, speaking, singing, and meditating on the Psalms dispels darkness and lifts the spirit of heaviness.
The Psalms capture life experience at the top, at the bottom, and everything in between. The Psalms always point to God and activate joy in the believer.
You may not realize it, but many Christian songs have lyrics directly lifted from the Psalms. The key is to sing and listen to songs based on scripture.
Finally, get up and move! Lift your head up. Lift your hands. Pump your fists. Jump, dance, run, twirl. scream, shout, etc. Energize your joy with activity. Play an instrument, on or off key it does not matter.
Abandon convention and let it rip!
Sincere praise and worship gets God’s attention. Abandon convention and if it feels awkward praise him in private. God sees you.
Let me issue you a challenge. Read through all 150 Psalms. If you are the competitive type, you can read five Psalms a day and finish in a month. If you are a plodder like me, then plod along at your own pace.
Combat the emotional pandemic. God’s joy energized in your life will keep dark clouds away from your dwelling place. Don’t let the thief steal your joy!
God Bless! Press On!! Kevin
Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. (Psalms 103:1-5)
John Belushi plays Jake in the musical comedy, “The Blues Brothers.”
It is time for us to give more serious thought to serious matters.
After being released from prison, Jake Blues visits the boarding school he attended as a youth along with his brother Ellwood.
They learn that the Archdiocese is about to sell the school unless the Education Authority receives $5000 in taxes. They feel God has called them to save the school.
Jake and Ellwood put together their old blues band and miraculously raise the money after evading police and delivering a stellar live concert performance.
They are 106 miles from Chicago, must continue to evade the police, and get to City Hall before it closes. As they sneak out of the concert venue via an underground tunnel, a woman confronts them and opens fire with an M-16 rifle.
Carrie Fisher portrays Jake’s smitten fiancee.
She turns out to be the woman Jake left standing at the altar years ago. Jake instinctively knows what to do. He rises, slowly approaches her, and then falls to his knees and proclaims: it wasn’t my fault!
Jake then fires off a list of unbelievable excuses as he pleads for his life, and it works. She has compassion on him; they embrace; then he drops her in the mud with no remorse, and begins the journey to Chicago with Ellwood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U9Yl5CXvcQ
Some people are skilled at the art of deception. I have fallen victim to them, but I am not as gullible as I used to be.
Casablanca ranks near the top of the list of greatest films in history. It is one of my top three films. There is a famous line in the movie that serves the purposes of this article.
Round up the usual suspects!
Claude Rains plays Captain Louis Renault, the corrupt French prefect of police who serves under Nazi supervision. Whenever criminal activity takes place in Casablanca, he directs the police to “round up the usual suspects.”
Last week, I read an article in which a prominent Christian minister said he predicted coronavirus ahead of its arrival. He said God told him that the virus was God’s judgment on America for allowing abortion and gay marriage.
I am pro-life from conception to the grave, and I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman; nevertheless, I would like to ask him a question.
Does he believe the rest of the world is suffering from COVID-19 because of abortion and gay marriage in America? I love America, but she is not the center of God’s universe.
To be clear, I do not believe this man nor most Christian ministers intend to deceive like Jake and Captain Renault, but there is a fundamental problem.
For decades, a small but influential group of Christian leaders have presented a short-list of root-causes for current and pending judgments on America.
Millions of American Christians, including myself, subscribed to their list and their logic. I should have thought more critically.
The Bible teaches us that there are many things we do not see clearly in this present age. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
One day Jesus passed by a man blind from birth. His disciples assumed his blindness was the result of his sins or the sins of his parents. (John 9:2) They based their assumptions on Jewish cultural and religious norms, among them the widely held belief that you always reap what you sow.
Jesus corrected the disciples and told them that neither the man nor his parents sinned. The man was born blind so that God’s mighty power could be seen in his life. (v. 3)
After the 9/11 attacks, I heard prominent and influential Christian leaders place part of the blame for the attacks on pagans, abortionists, feminists, gays and lesbians, the American Civil Liberties Union, People for the American Way, and so on.
Still makes my blood boil.
I don’t want to be disrespectful, but that explanation sounds more like something Jake would say than seasoned Christian leaders.
It became clear to me that, similar to the disciples, their short-list was shaped by cultural and political norms. That is simply the way they saw things. Unfortunately, they used their position and influence to persuade millions of others to see the world through the same lens.
It is time for us to give more serious thought to serious matters.
I have taught the Old & New Testaments to undergraduates since 2005. God is concerned for the needs of the poor, the foreigner, and the outcast, and he holds leaders accountable to address their needs.
The religious leaders I referred to never added neglect of the poor, foreigners, or outcasts to their short-list.
Having the usual suspects served to me for so many years has left me weary. I’ve made up my mind to think more critically.
On that regard, I believe the Holy Spirit has identified a clear and present danger to our nation that is neither from Democrats nor Republicans. The clear and present danger is from an apathetic and lukewarm church.
God is calling my home church, Bethel Temple, Hampton, VA –and perhaps other churches in America- to repent and turn back to Him. Consider what God spoke to the First Century church in Philadelphia:
But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. (Rev 2:4-5)
If we were to put this message to song lyrics, it might sound like MJ’s “Man in the Mirror:”
I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been any clearer. If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change.
The church in America is complicit with many of the problems in our nation through our infighting, apathy and indifference.
It is time for us to give more serious thought to serious matters.
Come let us return to the Lord and He will restore us to sure foundations. Time is of the essence because the storm winds are blowing. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin
Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-25)
