Drifting or Drawing??

Drifting or Drawing The storm was sudden. My grandfather and I had been shrimping on the lake we called Big Lake in Southern Louisiana. But consult any map and it will say “Calcasieu” lake. We started early in the morning and the sky was sunny and blue. However, along about lunch time storm clouds began brewing and we found ourselves out in the middle of the lake. We turned toward shore but my grandfather said, “we’re not going to make it before the storm hits”. Sure enough, here it came. High gale winds, white cap waves and torrential rain. I thought we would just drift and ride out the storm. But, no. My grandfather said we will turn the boat INTO the wind and motor into the wind just strong enough to keep us from DRIFTING. I said, “WHY?” He said if we were just going to drift we don’t know which direction the wind will take us. He said, the wind would send us crashing into the rocky shore and we would lose the boat and maybe even our lives. So, we turned the boat into the storm and used the motor to hold steady INTO THE STORM and ride it out. Within a hour the storm had passed over and the seas were calm again. Plus, we were safe. As I recalled this event, my mind began to think about out national situation. We are a nation, a church and a community that’s facing many storms and heavy situations around us. It seems that there is great anger, great violence, great division and in many cases uncontrolled emotions. Many have no anchor have no rock on which to hold on to. So, as a culture we seem to just be drifting. We are allowing the winds of the culture to send us drifting into who knows what – probably destruction. If this continues we surely will crash against the rocks. We will reach rock bottom because we have made no effort to turn INTO the storm and fight for our Christian values and Biblical principles. Nehemiah 4:14, “Be not afraid of them; remember the Lord, which is great and mighty, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.” Drifting are drawing. Drifting, “carried slowing by a current of air or water”. Slowly allowing the wind or current of culture to carry us to a disastrous conclusion. Drawing, “selection or time of selection”. Carried or purposefully selecting the course needed to avoid the storm. The same situation occurred in Israel during the days of the high priest Eli. His priestly sons (Hophni and Phinehas) were sinning by committing adultery. I Samuel 3:22 says, “they lay with the women who served at the door of the tent of meeting”. They were also stealing from the offerings that were given by the people to the LORD. In the midst of these sins, the Philistines raided and stole the ark of the covenant. Why is that significant – well, if you remember, the very presence of the Lord resided between the wings of the angelic like figures on top of the ark. In the battle that ensued to re-capture the ark, both sons of Eli were killed. Phinehas’s wife went into labor and as she was dying, gave birth to a son who she called ‘Ichabod’ – the glory has departed Israel (I Sam. 4:21). The prophet during this time was Samuel. He was witnessing much what we are witnessing today. A nation that had lost her moral conscience and Biblical foundation. A nation drifting farther and farther away from God. A nation drifting, carried by the current of deception, thievery, and immorality. Samuel watched and witness this drift for 20 years (I Sam.7:2) while the ark (the glory of the Lord – the Shekinah of God) was held capture by the Philistines. The whole house of Israel lamented (CRIED OUT) to the Lord. So, the prophet Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel about how to resolve this drifting. His words were good for Israel and those same words are admonition for us to resolving this issue of drifting. It seems to me that the glory of the Lord has departed from our country, our community and our churches. Here’s Samuel’s words in I Sam. 7:3, “if you return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtareh from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you…” DO YOU SEE THE ANSWER TO DRIFTING? Turn to the Lord. Seek the Lord. Draw near to HIM. The storms of our culture are real and that storm will continue to get stronger and stronger until it will overpower us, unless we follow Samuel’s instruction. Remove, return, repent and respond. Remove the things that interfere in us seeking God’s will and teaching. Return to God and His principles with all our heart. Repent of our selfish and sinful ways. Respond by serving God and serving God alone. Good news. Israel did exactly what Samuel said. They removed the idols and committed to serving God alone. They returned to HIM with their whole heart. The result. GOD BLESSED and gave them victory over their enemy. They recaptured the ark of the covenant and won the battle over The Philistines. To commemorate the victory, the prophet, Samuel placed a stone at Mizpah and named it “Ebenezer” – thus far the LORD has helped us. Victory and help from the LORD - because of their obedience. DRAWING NEAR TO GOD rather than drifting. So a question I ask of myself and of you. ARE WE DRIFTING OR DRAWING???? “SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND, CALL YOU UPON HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR”. ISAIAH 55:6 I am praying for you and your families, Leonard Navarre Lubbock, Texas

PRAY FOR AMERICA!

Pray for America This weekend is Rosh Hashanah, beginning at sundown, Friday, September 18th and ending at sundown, Monday, September 21st. It means, ‘head of the year’. To Judaism it is a time of reflection and repentance. Traditional rites are lighting candles, the blowing of the shofar (ram’s horn) and casting bread on a body of water (signifying repentance of sins and casting those sins into the water). Next weekend, beginning at sundown Sunday September 27 and ending at sundown on Monday, September 28th. It is the holiest of days for Judaism. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with 25 hours of fasting and intense praying. As I looked at the calendar I noticed that Yom Kippur is 40 days before our U.S. national election. Forty days has always had significance in the Bible. I believe it holds true today. These 40 days leading up to Election Day 2020 is significant. As does 2020 which adds up: 20 plus 20 to 40. This is a very significant year. Regardless of your political persuasion, Diana and I would like to invite you to join us as we engage in significant intensive prayer and fasting for our country. As we all know America has truly been overwhelmingly blessed by our Heavenly Father. But division, anxiety and even hatred has filled our land. So, we will be observing these 40 days with intense prayer for revival, repentance and a new re-fleshing in our land leading up to Election Day. We appreciate each of you and are thankful we can call upon you during these stressful days to join us in calling out to God on behalf of our country. Soli Deo Gloria Leonard and Diana

Drifting or Far Away?

Your Bible Boost Pastor Leonard Navarre DRIFTING????? Not too long ago I read of a man, at the ocean beach, who fell asleep on his inflatable raft. About an hour later he awoke to find himself 5 miles out to sea. WOW! That was a rude awakening to find himself that far out to sea. We know that boats, just like this inflatable raft, without an anchor or rudder can be tossed to a fro by the wind and the waves. In the same way our spiritual lives can drift. In our present world of ups and downs and mighty winds, sometimes, we can find ourselves far away from God. Many times in the Old Testament, the nation of Israel drifted from God. Sometimes the nation found themselves far from God, either by not paying attention, drifting or at other times by purposefully seeking other gods and worshipping idols. I Samuel 4-7 is a prime example of their spiritual drift. Maybe, as each of us evaluate our spiritual condition today, we find ourselves “out to sea”, drifting or far away from God. Maybe it’s by neglect, a sinful habit or a purposeful move away from God. Before we know it we find that we have drifted far away from God. I’ve got good news. The prophet Samuel in I Samuel 7:3 tells the nation of Israel how they can find their way back to God. We can learn a lesson here. The question is, would Israel do what prophet Samuel told them to do? Here is Samuel’s four steps and if we find ourselves “out to sea” these 4 steps will help us get back on track. 1 – Return to the Lord – That means – course correction. If we find ourselves off course, then we must DECIDE TO RETURN to the proper course and direction. 2 – Remove – The prophet Samuel told the children of Israel to eliminate the foreign gods in their midst. The same advice is given to us if we find ourselves far from God. Usually something or someone has come between us and our heavenly Father that causes us to be far away from Him. Maybe, we need to eliminate an ungodly friend, maybe the internet, maybe a habit. Whatever it is, if there is a wedge between that “thing” and God, we will not be able to get closer to God unless it is eliminated. 3 – Repent – Samuel told the Israelites to “prepare their hearts FOR the Lord”. That is, make an “a bow face”, a true reversal. They (we) must turn from the direction they were going and RETURN to the Lord God. Change of direction and repent of their disobedience. 4 – Response – Serve the Lord God ALONE. They had allowed Baal and the Ashtoreh to turn their affections and behavior away from the Lord God of Israel. So, Samuel tells them to serve the Lord God and Him ALONE. That must apply to us today, also. Choose whose side we are on. If God be God (and HE IS) then let us desire to serve HIM and Him alone. Good news! Israel did exactly what the Prophet Samuel said and they went against the Philistines and defeated them. In fact, Samuel named the place, “Ebenezer” – ‘the Lord has helped us’. Wow! It was a true course correction. Question? Are you finding yourself off course, drifting or far away from God? Listen to the Prophet Samuel’s solution in I Samuel 7:3: Return, Remove, Repent and Response. May we seek to grow closer of our heavenly Father.

STUNNED!

Growing! I know many of you may be SURPRISED to hear from me. Especially since I have not written in a very LONG time. Well, one of my New Years Resolution was to do more writing and communicating what God was and is laying on my heart. Well, as you can note by the date, I have procrastinated for one month. But, lo, and behold, the first blog of the new year. First, I cherish our friendship and do want you to know that I pray regularly for each one of you. I pray that God will richly bless and touch your lives for Him. Life is journey. Many of us go through tough times but also have super mountain top blessings from God. This is the heart of this little email. The story is taken from Luke 8:22-25. It is where Jesus tells His disciples to get in the boat and travel to the other side of the lake. You are probably familiar with this story. As they are sailing Jesus falls asleep. I know that feeling. I love falling asleep in a slow moving and slow rocking boat. Jesus is asleep in this text. While asleep a "fierce gale of wind descended upon the lake". The story tells us that the wind was so strong that the water began to swamp their boat. Where's Jesus? Even with the fierce wind and mightly waves, He is ASLEEP. So His disciples descend on Jesus and woke Him saying, "Master, Master we are perishing!" Jesus woke up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves. Waves and winds stopped and it became calm. Jesus' question to His disciples, "where is your faith?". As it is presented to each of us. If we are not going through storms at the present, I promise storms will come. So, here's a couple principles that we can learn from this story of Jesus calming the winds and the waves. First, Jesus promised to be with us "til the end of the age", Matthew 28:20. Storms come and storms go, but Jesus is with us during those storms and even when we are going through calm periods in our lives with very few storm. Jesus was with his disciples before they got in boat. He was with them in the boat before the storms arrived. He was with them in the midst of the storms and He was with them after the winds and the waves were stilled. Wherever we find ourselves Jesus promised to be with us. No storm - Jesus is with us. Storms - He is with us. Calm seas - He is with us! The question by Jesus in Luke 8:25, "where is your faith" could really be a question of TRUST. Where's our trust? Can we trust the one who made the universe, named the stars, counts the very hairs of our heads to give us the strength and endurance to ride out the storms. Can we trust Him to know what He is doing to help us grow in our spirit walk? Growing is always difficult! Secondly, we always learn best and grow stronger through adversity. Listen to the disciples, "who is this that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?" What did the disciples learn through this adverse situation. TRUST. Yes, they were fearful but they were also AMAZED. They were amazed that Jesus could and did rescue them from this storm (not here in this text but several others throughout the gospels). Isn't that also true with us? When we go through our storms and look back we are amazed at how the Master guided us, direct us, and sustained us. His very presence comforted and strengthened us as we were growing through the adversity. As we look back we too are amazed at what He was able to accomplish through the storm. All because of our TRUST. Our FAITH! Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Him who strengths me". I am praying for you and your families, Leonard check it out: navarreministries.com the second banner takes you to "Your Bible Boost" programs on youtube. also you can sign up for my "Your Bible Boost" newsletter on the front page.

India Mission Trip Great Success!

First, I thank my Lord Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father for the opportunity to travel half way around the world to witness for our precious Savior.

Second, thank you to all who contributed to this mission trip. Because of YOU many, many lives were affected and changed. Because of YOU the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ touched thousands and only heaven knows the results of our labors. Because of YOU many who were hungry, thirsty and unclothed have felt the love of Jesus through the rice, wheat, clothing and shelter. Because of YOU, I praise God for our partnership in taking the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to other countries as well as here in the U.S.A. via the radio program, "Your Bible Boost" on mykkim.com.

Here's the stats as to where the funds were used on India Mission 2012:
* Funded meals for over 500 orphans and staff at the Tribal Childrens Home for 1 year.
* Provided rice, wheat, blankets and sari's (clothes) for over 100 widows in a village near Damoh. These widows were to receive $5.00 per month (YES, per month) but by the time the local officials had skimmed the top, the widows only received @ $2.00.
* Provided funds to buy 55 children out of slavery. Each child bought AND their family are placed under the care of a local congregation so that the slavery will not be repeated. Also, the congregation and evangelist are able to witness and disciple these families for our Lord Jesus Christ.
* Provided rice, wheat, candy, cookies, pencils and vitamins to over 200 children of the Children's Food Project.
* Provided funding for food, lodging and expenses for over 300 evangelist who attended the two day Leadership Conference.
Those are just the "hard" facts. But, there are many stories that go along with these facts. I hope to be writing about these stories on the blog, www.yourbibleboost.blogspot.com. So from time to time check it out for those personal stories that show the full extent of YOUR partnership with us.

Again, thank you so much for partnering with us to reach others for our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am praying for you and your families!

Overcoming "stinkin' thinkin'"!!

OVERCOMING "STINKIN' THINKIN'



Do these names "ring a bell"? Sethur? Palti? How about Guel? Or maybe Nahbi? Don't remember them? Well, most folks don't. They are part of a group of 10 men who had an attitude that infected the children of Israel as they approached the Promised Land. These 10 men, uniting with the majority brought a curse upon these Israelites and halted their progress, "dead in their tracks". These 10 men along with 2 others were sent to spy out the land of Promise. Now, you probably remember the 2 others. Joshua and Caleb. But the ten? We don't remember them because they brought back the negative report as some would say the attitude of "stinkin' thinkin'". They brought back the disease of a "negative" report.

These 10 along with Joshua and Caleb were sent to spy out the land and to bring a report back to Moses, Aaron and the entire congregation. After returning these 10 men said, "NO WAY". There is no way that we can move in and conquer the land. Numbers 13 and 14 records the events. In Numbers 13:31 these 10 reported, "we are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we." Virtually, every adult concurred with the majority of the spies...EXCEPT, 2 men...Joshua and Caleb. These 2 said, by God's strength WE CAN DO IT...they implore the people (Nu 14:9) "only do not rebel against the Lord..." Only Joshua and Caleb of these 12 dared to trust and believe God. This disease of "negative thinking" or as the Bible calls it, "murmurring", or "grumbling" (Numbers 14:2), was the very reason this generation of Israelites perished in the wilderness instead of inheriting the land that flowed with milk and honey. (Numbers 14:26-38)

Usually great achievements by both nations and individuals are results of both perserverance and faith. It is a little known fact that there was a colony from the Old World that came to America and failed BEFORE the Pilgrims sailed and succeeded.

Long ago there were those who insisted that it was impossible for a man to break the 4 minute mile in track. We once laughed and scoffed those who spoke of putting men in space and to even send them to the moon.

Progress and success is always attributed to those who look beyond the frustration and failure and move forward regardless. It is said that Edison experimented over 2000 times before he came up with the incandescent light bulb.

Negative thinking devours the seed in winter before the warmth of spring can give it root in fertile soil. Negative thinking chains us to the past and denies us the success of future challenges. Negative thinking becomes a habit that destroys our dreams and holds us hostage to our freedoms of success which are just over the horizon.

My friends, the same is true in our "spiritual journey". The devil is a master at originating devious tricks and strategies that discourage and disappoint us. The evil one has come to divide and destroy. He dosen't want you to find success in your spiritual walk. He doesn't want you to be victorious in your spiritual journey. Obstacles, barriers, and pot holes are placed in front of us to discourage so that we will throw up our hands and quit. The Bible calls them "trials". (James 1)

The apostle Paul experienced more than his fair share of trials, frustrations, disappointments and disasters. Listen to I Corinthians 11 beginning at verse 24..."five times I received from the Jews 40 lashes minus one, 3 times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, 3 times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea" and Paul adds much more.

So, if there was a person who should have developed a negative complex, a "grumbling" vitamin it was Paul. Probably if I had been beaten, maligned, misunderstood, had my life threatened, a price put on my head, I would have opted for retirement. Not Paul. Not Joshua and Caleb. Listen to the Apostle Paul, who gives each one of us this encouragement as we journey on in our spiritual life..."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Hear that? Where you listening? Was I paying attention?

The Apostle Paul gives us the answer to what Zig Zigler calls "stinkin' thinkin'" in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through HIM who strengthens me" (Emphasis mine). Overcoming negative thinking, gripping, complaining, murmurring and grumbling comes with putting our trust in the King of kings and Lord of lords and receiving our strength to move forward, to carry on, from HIM.

"Don't give up. Don't give in. AND NO COMPROMISE.

I am praying for you and your families,

Leonard

Life Interrupted!

Not a day goes by when our plans aren't changed by circumstances beyond our control. Natural disasters, house or car problems, unexpected illness, traffic jams, someone running a red light and ramming us, a friend or neighbor with an emergency need, unforseen time demands at work...and the list goes on and on. The question is, "can we trust that God is in those unforseen delays, diversions and distractions?"

A rarely-read single verse is in Exodus 13:17, "then it came to pass, when Pharoah had let the people go, that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, 'lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt."

This verse tells us how God led the newly-freed Hebrew nation into the Sinai Desert instead of around the southeast "corner" of the Mediterranean Sea into the Promise Land. WHY? Well, so the Hebrews wouldn't encounter the Philistines who inhabited the region, be attacked, go to war face death and opposition AND then decide to head back to the safety of Egypt. The Hebrews, you remember, did what they were known to do quite often. They, murmurred...the grumbled and complained about the Sinai sand, the heat and the desert obstacle. Yet, they were alive. If they had met the Philistines, there, probably, would have been war and many of them slaughtered.

So, my friend, the next time your path or directioon is changed unexpectedly, TRUST GOD. Put your faith and belief in the one who not only sees tomorrow but is already there. Trust that God is in it and that the change will always work for your good. (Romans 8:28) God said it would "work for our good", He didn't say that it would be painless.

TRUST!

adapted from David Jeremiah - "Turning Points"



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Leonard

Leonard NavarreValley View Christian Church