God is so overflowing with mercy, I am sure that in His grace and joy, He just surprises people by showing up in amazing ways and pouring out His love. God is always anxious to show kindness. Yet in most places another dynamic seems to be at work.

This dynamic amazes me. It is completely astounding! God is… responding.

The Sovereign Lord of the universe is responding to ordinary people like you and me, made from the dust of the earth. He is listening for their cries. He is scanning the whole earth looking for those whose hearts are wholly His. He is responding to people who are longing for Him and crying for His Kingdom to invade their sphere.

A.W. Tozer said it this way, “God waits to be wanted.”

God wants us to take initiative toward Him. He is looking for it, even waiting for it. Indeed the Scriptures are full of these invitations: 

• “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (Js 4:8).
• “If you seek Him, He will let you find Him” (2 Chr 15:2).
• “The eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chr 16:9).
• “You will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and soul” (Deut 4:29).
• “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6).
• “If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chr 7:14).

 We hear about revivals after they hit the newspapers. What we don’t see is what took place first. Throughout history all the major revivals were preceded by people who sought God for them. There were people who yearned for the presence of God and earnestly prayed for His Kingdom to come as it is in Heaven.

My question is Why not here? Why not now? Why don’t we become the people that God is waiting to respond to? Why don’t we become the people that God knows He can trust with an outpouring because we are longing for Him? Why don’t we set up the groundwork for a major Kingdom breakthrough here?

We are.

And we won’t stop until God breaks through.

That’s why we have set aside an entire week for continual prayer and worship, July 18-25. That is why we are gathering people from churches all over this region to seek His face. That day and night, an unbroken cry would go up from this place, “God, we want you here!”

And that is why you are invited—no, urged—to be a part. Revival is waiting. The world is wanting. God is watching.

The LORD longs to be gracious to you.

He waits on high to have compassion on you.

For the LORD is a God of justice.

How blessed are all those who long for Him!   (Isa 30:18)

To be a part of hastening revival right here, join the escalating cry that is going up to heaven for His Kingdom to come. As you know, it is not our intent that gets rewarded, it is action. A practical way you can be actively involved in bringing real breakthrough to this area is to register and participate in the approaching 24/7 Regional Prayer (http://www.urfellowship.com). We long for His kingdom to be released here!

As Isaiah 60 describes, nations are going to see the brightness of the Lord’s glory because it will be revealed through His people. It is the Lord’s intention to make known what He is like through us. The world needs who God is—they need His wisdom, His insight, His grace, and His favor. The Lord is going to use us in strategic places—at the right place, at the right time, with wisdom from heaven—to effect businesses, families, governments, media, education, arts and entertainment, both here locally and beyond. 

Isaiah 61 talks about the anointing that will be on God’s people to bring deliverance and freedom. As Jesus proclaimed, we will do the works that He did and even greater ones. Motivated by compassion, God is releasing a greater anointing for healing, miracles, and deliverance from all kinds of bondages in our cities. The world is desperate for those who can bring them Hope and Life. This will come through a people who have been set free themselves and are full of the Holy Spirit and abundant joy. 

What triggers the release of all these things, as Isaiah 62 expresses, is a people whose hearts relentlessly pursue the Lord and won’t let Him go until heaven touches earth and His glory is released upon the world. “All day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isa 62: 6,7). 

This is why a week has been set aside for continual prayer and worship. This why we carve out time and do whatever it takes to seek His face. We love His presence and long for His Kingdom to come here as it is in heaven. We are thrilled that He has chosen to reveal His glory by placing it upon us. We yearn for others to be touched by His kindness and for society to be changed by His goodness. So, oh Lord our God, let Your kingdom come, Your will be done, here as it is in heaven.

—Bruce Stryffeler 

Isaiah 60

    ¹“Arise, shine; for your light has come,
         And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
    ²“For behold, darkness will cover the earth
         And deep darkness the peoples;
         But the LORD will rise upon you
         And His glory will appear upon you.
    ³“Nations will come to your light,
         And kings to the brightness of your rising.” 

Isaiah 61

    ¹The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
         Because the LORD has anointed me
         To bring good news to the afflicted;
         He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
         To proclaim liberty to captives
         And freedom to prisoners;
    ²To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD
         And the day of vengeance of our God;
         To comfort all who mourn,
    ³To grant those who mourn in Zion,
         Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
         The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
         The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting
         So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
         The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. 

Isaiah 62

    ¹For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
         And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet,
         Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness,
         And her salvation like a torch that is burning.
    ²The nations will see your righteousness,
         And all kings your glory;
         And you will be called by a new name
         Which the mouth of the LORD will designate.
    ³You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,
         And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

It’s no wonder that Christians worship on Sunday. Muslims worship on Friday, Jews worship on Saturday, but Christians worship on Sunday because that is the day when Christ proved that he had conquered death. This is why we are Sunday Christians. We are not Friday Christians who serve a dead Savior, not Saturday Christians still waiting and wondering, but Sunday Christians who serve a living, breathing Savior. One who is alive and one who reigns. He died because he had to die. Our sin demanded blood and death. And yet he rose because he had to rise. He was the Son of God; how could death hold him? How could the Creator of all that exists be held down by death? It cannot happen and it did not happen. Christ is risen.

What an incredible thing to consider and experience – an intimate conversational relationship with the creator of the universe! To think that God is waiting for us to be alone with Him so we can know each other and so He can talk with us. WOW! This is my second time through the “Secrets of the Secret Place”. This time I am looking forward to going very slowly, one chapter per week, and doing it with others in The Fellowship – it’s like being on a journey together. These last two chapters reminded me of a daily morning prayer that Dale Fife, a guest speaker several years ago, shared with us. Often since that time, but not necessarily daily, I pray this; “Lord, here I am to walk with you today. Where are we going? What do you want to say to me today?” What would be the result of such a pr ayer? For Jesus – it was leaving Glory; walking on this earth into the lives of and touching all kinds of people from all walks of life that needed to experience the reality and power of His Kingdom; and only doing what His Father told Him – ultimately leading to the cross. For us, the consequence of such a prayer is that He reveals Himself to us; takes us out of the church and into all arenas of life and people to speak volumes of His love, acceptance, forgiveness, and hope to those who need to experience The King and His Kingdom – ultimately leading to our death-of-self only to find true life. How that looks for each of us will be different. I want to grow in my ability to hear and obeying. Where that takes me is a result of a daily decision of making myself available to hear His voice, a willingness to allow Him to lead me, and my desire to be obedient – no matter what.   – Greg

It seems to me that the struggle to have a quiet time –any time with the Lord, requires sacrifice and discipline. I must carve time out of my day to spend with the Father, which means that some other portion of the day has to be eliminated. So what gets cut? Well, I’ve found: nearly everything that’s not relational. I have to ration the amount of time I spend on TV and Internet. It’s too easy to lose hours here or there. But the benefits of conversing and listening to the Father outweigh any sacrifice on my part. His words are life itself and I’ve already seen the fruit budding. My encouragement to others: be ruthless in creating and protecting your quiet times. Allow Jesus to be your intimate confidante and not merely a sometime acquaintance. Then we will see our city changed, our region transformed, our State prosperous, and our Country redeemed. – Ralph

If you have not started reading the book, or feel as if you are to far behind. I would encourage you that you are not to late. The chapters are very small in this book and we are only a few weeks in.  If you are wondering where we are in the book, you can find the reading schedule by clicking here.

I think it’s a secret because, though it is there for all the world to partake of, few people do. Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life and few are those that find it” (Matthew 7:13,14). It’s not that the way to life is not available to anyone and everyone. It is. It’s just that few choose it.

We settle for a life that is less than abundant and fruitful because of our neglect of the secret place. Believers who have known the Lord for decades live well below what Jesus purchased and died for. We accept a substandard existence as normal. We have seen so few examples of anything different that we think those people who are the exceptions must be special. We come to worship services, read books, and listen to teachings looking to get what only abiding in Him can supply. Yet we long for more and wonder why we aren’t experiencing a fuller life.

The secret is in connecting with the author of life, abiding in Him. As you do, you too will discover the secret.

“In Him was life and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4).

The Secret of the Shut Door, does that catch your attention?
In Mt. 6:6 it says: “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Matthew 6:6 contains a powerful secret about the where of prayer. There is a guaranteed way to get into God’s presence. There is a sure-fire 100% guaranteed way to have instant intimacy with the Father, and Jesus Himself gave us the key. Jesus gave us this secret in the above verse when He said, “Your Father who is in the secret place.” Jesus is saying, “Your Father is already in the secret place. He has gone ahead of you; He is waiting for you. The moment you get to the secret place, you are in the immediate presence of your Father.

Jesus affirmed this truth twice in the same chapter. He says it the second time in Mt. 6:18, “So that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who see in secret will reward you openly.” Jesus says it twice for emphasis, so we know this word is absolutely certain. Our Father is in the secret place!

Jesus gives us the key to finding this secret place. If your wondering what you must do to place yourself in the secret place, Jesus made it clear. To get there, all you have to do is shut your door.

So what is THE SECRET? Your heavenly Father desires and delights to meet with you in your secret place. You pick the place and He will meet you there.

Hey: Don’t forget the secret: shut your door!

This is a quote from the first of fifty two devotionals in the book.

“I am absolutely convinced the power of heaven is unlocked on earth when we devote ourselves to the secret place of the Most High.”

“One of the best kept secrets of the faith is the blessedness and joy of cultivating a secret life with God. Imagine the sheer delight of it even now. You’re tucked away in a quiet nook; the door is shut; you’re curled up in a comfortable position; the living word of God is laid open before you; Jesus Himself stands at your side; the Holy Spirit is gently washing your heart; your love is awakened as you meditated upon the gracious words of His mouth; your spirit is ignited and your mind is renewed; you talk to Him, and He talks to you in the language of intimate friendship.”

Does it get any better than this?
So check out Secrets and enjoy with new delight the truth that moves you toward greater intimacy with the Lord Jesus!

Many people look at those in leadership as if they are made out of different stuff than everyone else. Somehow they have what it takes. They are wired differently. They have connections, even with God, that no one else is privy to.

The truth is God only uses ordinary people. He takes broken and dysfunctional lives and makes them into something astounding. That’s His specialty! My life is certainly testimony to that. (Well, at least the broken, dysfunctional part… on the way to astounding!) I am about as ordinary as they come. In fact, I am so ordinary you could say I’m extra-ordinary—Meaning, more ordinary than most. Not particularly gifted. No charismatic personality. No blazing talents. Pretty plain really.

The cool thing is God likes the way He made me. (I used to loathe who I was and long to be somebody—anybody—different. That’s the enemy’s lie, the script he wants you to read from.) God isn’t looking for great people. He’s looking for people He can make great. He particularly likes to take people who don’t have a whole lot going for them, like me, and do something fantastic.

It’s a journey, for sure. It centers on pursuing God for who He is—He loves to be pursued! And amazingly, He transforms us “into His likeness with ever-increasing glory” (2 Cor. 3:18). In Him, you are—and will become—more than you ever dreamed of.

So when you see those who have Godly characteristics you admire, glean from them, bless them, honor them, and know that they are ordinary people who are living testimonies of God’s grace and goodness. And also know that in this hour God is raising up a generation of ordinary people who will change the world. And know that He wants you to be in that company of people He is raising up. People who will be influencers in society and culture. People who will positively affect businesses. People who will generate powerful ideas. People who are changing neighborhoods, shaping regions, and transforming nations. If you are ordinary, you qualify. With God, all things are possible.

“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Cor. 1:26-29)

The Bibles admonishes us to: …walk carefully not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time… Eph. 5:15-16

How can you make the best use of your time? One of the simplest ways is to plan. That sounds so simple, yet it is amazing how many people do not have a plan for their lives. Do you know where you want to be in your finances, relationships, career, schooling and important areas of your life? Do you just get in your car and start driving with no idea where you will end up? Of course we don’t do that. When you take a trip you have a map to assure that you will arrive at your destination in a safe and timely manner. Why would you not have a map for where you want your life to be in each of these areas?

My suggestion is simple, prepare for this New Year by writing out your thoughts of where you want to be in the various areas of your life. Put your thoughts, dreams and goals down on paper. Do you realize that eighty percent of people who write their goals down achieve their goals? This is a very important step but there is another step that goes with your goals and that is the strategy or steps of how you will achieve your goals. What do you have to do daily, weekly and monthly to achieve your goals? What do you have to change to achieve your goals?

Dreaming this way allows you to tap into the wonderful plans that the Lord Jesus has for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

One important key to achieving your goals is to show them to a friend and ask them to pray for you and hold you accountable to the goals and dreams you are seeking to fulfill.

Dream big my friend, dream big!

O My Saviour, help me.
I am so slow to learn, so prone to forget,
so weak to climb;I am in the foothills when I should be in the heights;
I am pained by my graceless heart,
my prayerless days,
my poverty of love,
my sloth in the heavenly race,
my sullied conscience,
my wasted hours,
my unspent opportunities.
I am blind while light shines around me:
take the scales from my eyes,
grind to dust the evil heart of unbelief.
Make it my chiefest joy to study thee,
meditate on thee,
gaze on thee,
sit like Mary at thy feet,
lean like John on thy breast,
appeal like Peter to thy love,
count like Paul all things dung.
Give me increase and progress in grace so that there may be;
more decision in my character,
more vigor in my purposes,
more elevation in my life,
more fervor in my devotion,
more constancy in my zeal.
As I have a position in the world,
keep me from making the world my position;
May I never seek in the creature what can be found only in the creator;
Let not faith cease from seeking thee until it vanishes into sight.
Ride forth in me, thou King of kings and Lord of lords,
that I may live victoriously, and in victory attain my end.

Summer is racing toward fall. Isn’t it amazing how fast summer goes? I pray that your summer is fruitful. I will be leaving Aug.2 for a trip to Kenya and Rwanda, Africa. I am excited with anticipation and yet a bit apprehensive. I never feel ready and certainly don’t feel worthy to minister to God’s son’s and daughter’s in various places around the world.
How about you? Are you willing to let the Heavenly Father use you in his vineyard? Do you desire to see the Kingdom of God expand in your area of influence? All we need for that to happen is to follow the pattern of Isaiah in cp. 6. We need a vision of who God is: I saw the Lord…vs. 1 and when that happens it prepares our hearts for the action of vs. 8b “Here am I send me.”
Consider this truth from Jere. 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.

Blessings on your journey, Chuck

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Grab life by the mane. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshipping what’s right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don’t try to be who you’re not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

“Would you like to be rid of this spiritual depression? The first thing you have to do is to say farewell now once and forever to your past. . . . Never look back at your sins again. Say, ‘It is finished, it is covered by the Blood of Christ.’ That is your first step. Take that and finish with yourself and all this talk about goodness, and look to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only then that true happiness and joy are possible for you. What you need is not to make resolutions and to live a better life, to start fasting and sweating and praying. No! You just begin to say, ‘I rest my faith on Him alone, who died for my transgressions to atone.’”

There is a couple of powerful verses in Job 22:27-28.

You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.

What you decide (Declare NKJV) on will be done and light will shine on your ways. NIV

When we speak to our Heavenly Father and He answers us, it is light to our soul and spirit. In that place of confidence we resolve to be obedient. Out of our obedience we realize that the Lord has given us authority to make powerful declarations of God’s Word in our lives and situations. When we take that stand of verbal faith our Father is kind to let the light of His presence shine on us through the power of His son Jesus Christ. He even chooses to open the door to unsearchable relational riches in order to encourage His sons and daughters. (Jere. 33:3)

How awesome is our God?

Blessings, Chuck