Praying the Word

By K.R. Craig
I tried to read through Psalm 143 this morning, but I found my mind wandering.

To counteract the wandering, I switched to praying the word, instead of simply reading the word.

I read each verse out loud — sometimes just a phrase or two, sometimes a whole verse — and then paused and added other words of prayer.

It went something like this:

^8a Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust:

Lord, I love that this verse asks You to make me, force me, or cause me to hear Your loving-kindness. I admit there are some mornings when I wouldn’t hear it on my own. Please do this for me: when I can’t feel Your mercy, please make me to feel it. I trust in You.

^8b cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Lord, part of me says that I should always know how to live right, act right and do right, but my actions don’t always bear that out. There’s a world of difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge! Lord, please make me to know Your way; make all of me to know it.

And also, Lord, show me the direction You have for me. Am I to remain where I am, or do you have another assignment?

⁹ Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.

I wish I were strong enough to deliver myself, but I’m grateful that Your word shows me I need a deliverer. I need You to deliver me from these things that try to destroy me, from problems, from debt, from lethargy. Please help me, Lord.

^10a Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good;

Lord, I just prayed, “cause me to know”; now I’m praying “teach me to do.” Help my actions to match my knowledge.

^10b lead me into the land of uprightness.

Lord, help me stay on the right path. Lead me, O Lord, every day, every hour, all the way.

^11a Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake:

Quicken me; bring me back to life, O Lord. At times when I feel spiritually dead, light a spark within me. When I feel physically dead, rebuke the sickness and restore me to vitality. Don’t do it because I’m something great, but do it for the sake of Your name.

^11b for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

Lord, please deliver me from trouble — both the trouble I make for myself, and the trouble that others send my way. Do it for the sake of your own righteousness.

A Call for First Works

By K.R. Craig

The Spirit, like a breeze, swept across the place,
and the fire burned out of control.
It was kindled by His love and amazing grace,
flaming up within my soul.
— Ronny Hinson, I Began to Feel the Fire

Anyone who’s been around Pentecost for a while has some awesome stories — healings, miracles, visions and manifestations, things they’ve experienced themselves and stories they’ve heard from older saints.

I’ve seen people come into church drunk and leave sober. I’ve seen deaf ears opened, cripples healed, and the dead brought back to life. I’ve been in the presence of both angels and demons. But most of my flat-out miraculous experiences are from days gone by. I’m afraid I’m becoming part of the crowd who talks so fondly of how things used to be.

I remember when I first got saved 25 years ago, that others would talk about the moves of God they had in the “old days” and how much things have changed.

I also remember reasons people would give for why things changed:

• People just aren’t as dedicated as they used to be.
• Nobody knows what it means to “tarry” any more.
• There’s too much world in the church.
• People are just too busy for God.

Maybe some of that is true — someone smarter than me may know for sure, but what I do know, without doubt, is that I have changed.

In my own “old days”, back when I was first saved:

• I’d have rather gone to prayer meeting than to a steak dinner.
• I’d have quit my job if it interfered with church.
• I always read my Bible with a pen in-hand so I could underline verses I liked.
• I anointed everything I owned and dedicated it to God.
• I expected the Spirit to move in every church service.
• I knew how to “have church” even if I wasn’t at church.

But today:

• Prayer meetings seem like a chore.
• A runny nose tempts to stay home from church.
• I don’t mark up my Bible very often.
• It’s been a long time since I anointed anything (at least before it broke down).
• When the Spirit moves in a church service, I’m often a spectator.

The message to the angel of the church of Ephesus speaks to me.

Jesus begins by acknowledging the past work that’s been done:

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. [Revelation 2:2-3]

To me, Jesus might say, “I know your works. You’ve pastored. You’ve taught Sunday School. You’ve sat on church boards. You’ve prayed. You’ve fasted. You’ve persevered through some incredibly tough challenges.”

But Jesus doesn’t end there. He continues:

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. [v. 4]

He states the very thing that I already know about myself: I’m not like I used to be — I’ve cooled off, lost some zeal, slacked off on prayer and study. I may sing songs in church that say, “I surrender all”, but my actions don’t match the lyrics.

Fortunately, Jesus has a solution:

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works... [v. 5a]

Rather than sit around lamenting the former days, I can reclaim them, re-experience them.

Jesus’ solution is simple: do the “first works”. Start doing things like I did when I first got saved:

• Show up for prayer meetings and pray earnestly while I’m there.
• Determine nothing will keep me away from the House of God.
• Start underlining Bible promises again.
• Anoint and dedicate my goods...before they break down.
• Pray and hope and expect that God will move in every church service.
• Show up early for church just to pray beforehand.
• Determine my own house will be a “house of prayer” and a “house of praise”.

Saints, I’m convinced if we all do some “first works”, we’ll see revival; we’ll have fresh, awesome experiences with God; and we’ll once again see the Spirit sweeping like a breeze while holy fire burns out of control.

Doesn't Anyone Miss The Fruit?

By Bishop Charles Scott
To see a new harvest of changed lives, we need Pentecostal passion.

The pear tree behind Grandma’s house in Jenny Lind, Ark., always produced fruit. Every summer the limbs of the aged tree were full of succulent pears that Grandma’s skillful hands would soon turn into delicious jam and jelly.

No effort had to be exerted to retrieve the abundant pears; they were everywhere. There was no climbing the tree to shake the limbs, no Internet research was needed about how to produce pears, no conferences on fruit-bearing were attended. We just enjoyed the copious crop.

Then one spring Grandma expressed concern about the pear tree. She said it didn’t look the same. But the faithful tree still produced. The next year the fruit was only on the higher limbs, and Grandma’s favorite grandson enjoyed climbing the sturdy limbs and shaking them profusely until the stubborn pears fell to the ground. The pears received a bruising since they fell with such force. Many had to be discarded, so the supply of jam and jelly began to diminish.

Around the dinner table there was talk about the dire situation affecting the pear tree. Because no one had the solution, all that could be done was to talk about the problem until another more interesting topic arose and the subject was changed. When no one knew how to move toward a better future, all they knew how to do was talk about the fruitful past.

The next year the tree had plenty of leaves, but no pears. As we stood under the tree, memories were shared on how much fun it was to pick up the pears and how enjoyable the tasty fruit was on Grandma’s homemade biscuits. Everyone stood silent for a few moments, then walked away, returning to menial tasks and forgetting about the fruit. Over the next few years, the pear tree spit out a few puny pears but never regained its former glory. It still stands in an empty yard and no one comes to enjoy its fruit. The tree stands as a silent reminder of what once was.

There was era when Pentecostalism seemingly produced fruit without great effort. While sacrifice has always been necessary for productivity in the kingdom of God, churches enjoyed a harvest of fruit without changing methods. Evangelistic centers thrived and services saw sinners at the altar, saints in the pew and glory in the house.

It seems in retrospect that fruit could be easily picked in a culture that embraced faith, one in which ministry was done with passion. Preachers wanted to preach. Pioneers wanted to plant churches.

Challenges then arose and a mentality of “build it and they will come” prevailed, so the church sowed its seeds in buildings and programs. Crises came and a once-spiritual culture embraced secularism, placing a greater emphasis on the “here and now” than the “sweet by and by.” Decline set in, fruit was harder to find and a new millennium arrived. Like the old pear tree, many churches sit today in the field bearing no fruit.

We talk about what once was, about how sweet the taste of the glory was and reminisce about the good old days. We can still taste the fruit, so perhaps as long as we can still remember the taste of what we once had, we can justify its absence.

Pastor Art Greco wrote in The American Church in Crisis: “When faithful Christianity is defined primarily as protecting the truth, insulating our children and surviving the onslaught of competing thoughts, the battle is lost. The church seems to be doing most of its work by competing for members and dollars, hiding behind the skirts of a few carefully selected Scripture verses about purity while burying her head in the sand for fear.”

Somehow the gospel of a bleeding Jesus has turned into the good news of becoming a better you. The negative tones of sin have changed into the positive tunes of developing stronger relationships. The expectation of the return of the King of kings has been replaced with teaching about how to embrace the place where you are. The power of the Holy Spirit has become passion for life.

Somehow, no one seems to miss the fruit. As long as we can still count the barren trees, no one misses the fruit.

Lessons from the Juniper Tree

By Daniel Darling
If Hollywood commissioned a biopic of the Old Testament hero, Elijah, they would probably end the movie with his epic holy war on Mt. Carmel. It would be a fitting ending for such a bold, courageous, insurgent leader.

But alas, this is not how Elijah’s story ends at all. If you turn the page one chapter, from 1 Kings 18 to 1 Kings 19, you see a completely different side of this seemingly bullet-proof warrior. You find a fragile shell of a man, in a fetal position, begging God to end his life.

Elijah doesn’t look much like a leader here. But as I’ve studied his life, I’ve gleaned more lessons in leadership from Elijah’s meltdown than from his mountain-top successes.

Here are the five leadership lessons I learned under Elijah’s juniper tree:

#1 - Even great people break down
Elijah is one of those mythical figures in the Bible, someone whose larger-than-life exploits make our everyday walks of faith seem pedestrian by comparison. And yet here he is: weak, feeble, and discouraged. The truth is that every great leader has had one or more seasons just like this. And so will you. This doesn’t make you weird or exceptional. It makes you human.

#2 - Take care of your body
What was God’s first response to Elijah? A counseling session? Another small group Bible study? More church? No. God simply brought Elijah a meal. In all of his working for God, Elijah forgot to take care of the basic needs of his body, as if ignoring his humanity would somehow earn him more points with God. The truth is that physical needs often cloud our judgment. God wired our bodies in such a way that they need regular rest, nutrition, and exercise. Often the first step back to spiritual health is a good night’s sleep, a hearty meal, and a few days off.

#3 - We measure success by the wrong metrics
You would think Elijah would be celebrating. All of Israel turned their back on the false worship of Baal and embraced Jehovah. And yet Elijah considered himself a failure because Jezebel and Ahab, the corrupt monarch, refused to change. So, in Elijah’s world, he was a failure. God reminded Elijah, through a series of natural phenomena, that He is sovereign—not only in the big stuff of life, but in the small stuff as well.

#4 - We’re not indispensable
Elijah copped a martyr mentality, common in Christian circles. (I’m the only one who cares. It’s all on me. And nobody else is as devoted as I am.) God destroyed this faulty thinking by reminding Elijah that there were 7,000 other capable believers in Israel. God wasn’t dependent on Elijah. He could easily have raised up someone else to do the job. And so it is with us. The entire sovereign plan of God isn’t dependent on our feeble, clever efforts. Thankfully.

#5 - It’s not about you—it’s about God’s glory
I think it’s telling that God’s next mission for Elijah, post depression, was to train his successor. What a humbling and invigorating experience for this do-it-yourself prophet! I think there is a subtle message in this: we don’t own our ministries; they are gifts from God for us to steward. And thus, the work that was here when we left, will be here when we are gone.

About the Author:
Daniel Darling is a father, pastor, blogger, columnist and author. His most recent release is iFaith, Connecting to God in the 21st Century, which looks at contemporary prayer and faith, calling us back to a place of rest and silence and peace with God. More of Daniel’s writings can be found at danieldarling.com.

Relocation Update: Contacting PCG Staff

Thank you for your patience as our general headquarters continues to migrate through our relocation transition. It has been a challenge for many of you and we apologize for any difficulties you have encountered as we endeavor to complete this massive process. Our staff continues to convey excellence in task management while this transition is ongoing.

We hope this information will assist you with daily operational and procedural questions affecting many of you. If there is some item you need assistance with, please email generalbishop@pcg.org, generalsecretary@pcg.org or call 417-624-7050 extension 301 or 302.

• Mail – All correspondence should now be sent to PO Box 211866, Bedford, TX 76095.
• Phone – You may use either 817-554-5900 or 417-624-7050 and the extensions you hear on the directory to reach someone who can promptly and efficiency serve you.
  Please note: if your call is directed to voice mail, please leave a message and your call will be returned promptly.
• Email – All email accounts are fully functional and operative.
• Ministry Resource Center – We have maintained the operations of MRC in Joplin in correlation with The Letter Shop. Since these two enterprises are directly related due to their functions, it is cost effective and operationally efficient to maintain proximity. Your orders and mailings will continue to generate from this location. Phone and email access remain the same.
• Departments – All offices will be fully functioning in Bedford by January 16, 2012. Youth Ministry Directors, Joe and Teena Skiles will continue to function from a home office in Missouri until the Summer.
• Messenger College – MC remains in Joplin until the conclusion of the current academic year and commencement in May of this year.

Thank you again for your patience with us during this Herculean process. We value your ministry and continue to seek to serve you with the highest standard of excellence.

Serving You for Him,

Charles G. Scott
General Bishop

PCG Mourns Loss of Bishop Norvell

On Saturday afternoon, August 20th, the covenant family of the Pentecostal Church of God was shocked and saddened by the passing of Assistant General John K. Norvell. Bishop Norvell was working at the Southwest Texas District office and grounds when he suffered a cardiac event.

No official word has been released at this time for the cause of his death.

Bishop Norvell was a beloved leader, having served as Assistant General Bishop, World Missions Director, and Southwest Texas District Bishop. He was a favorite speaker and teacher of our church family.

While our hearts are grieved personally we feel his loss most for his wife, Marilyn, his two sons, Jason and Justin and his daughter Amy. The entire Pentecostal Church of God extends their love, prayers and support at this time.

Bishop John Norvell's memorial is Wednesday, August 24 at 2pm at Coastal Bend Family Worship Center, 700 W. Greenwood, Aransas Pass, TX. Visitation will be on Tuesday (August 23) from 6pm to 9pm at Charles Marshall Funeral Home.. The nearest airport is Corpus Christi. The church has a mapquest for directions on their website www.cbfwc.com.

Relocation Update!

By Charles Scott
In the afternoon of August 11, the Bedford property closed, and the PCG now owns the Rosemont Building. The keys, documents, etc. are being sent to me this week.

The buyer of the Pentecostal Church of God and Messenger College properties in Joplin has made a public statement and disclosed their plans for the property.

The General Council met August 16 to begin the decision-making process concerning the remodel of the Rosemont Building in Bedford. Next week, I will meet with contractors and work with the General Council to establish the budget and begin Phase 1-A of the remodel.

Messenger College is continuing to operate on the Joplin Campus as projected until May, 2012.

The purchase and closing of the Joplin property is slated between October 1 and November 10. All proceeds from the sale will be paid to the Pentecostal Church of God at that time.

Our hope is that we will begin the first phase of transitioning the headquarters in mid-October. On November 9, we plan to have the General Board present during our November meeting in Dallas (information is coming soon, awaiting General Council approval of everything) and on November 9, we will have the dedication ceremony for the new building.

The second phase of transition will hopefully occur before Thanksgiving.

The final transition phase will begin in December. We hope to close the Joplin headquarters on December 21st as the last day in the building and load all final FFE (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) the 22nd to the 23rd. We have bids and offers from trucking companies willing to donate to us and help.

We will transport the week of December 26th and begin final test phases that week. It is aggressive but we hope to reopen by January 9, 2012 in the new PCG headquarters – debt free!!

Please help us convey that this transition is massive and in spite of all we are doing, we will probably miss some communication, emails, phone calls, orders, etc. We have project management in place. Team communicators and I have spent hours in documentation of the details but in spite of all these efforts, we are human and limited in many ways in personnel and resources. We will give 100% of our best effort but we humbly ask for patience.

Updated details will be expressed weekly. Each Friday I will post on www.pcg.org as well as send emails to the General Board in an effort to maintain constant communication. I have had to be silent on specific information up to this point but praise God, that is changing soon!

I appreciate the opportunity to connect and communicate.

I look forward to seeing many of you in November.

Serving You For Him,
Charles Scott
General Bishop