Area: Houston, Texas

Weather: High 90’s with high humidity…or in other words…curly hair weather

Thump Thump

No, it is not one of my walking shoes going flat… In realty, I am referring to the annual watermelon festival held in Luling, TX each year when their big juicy melons come off the vine. The local community gathering akin to a county fair of sorts comes complete with watermelon eating and seed spitting contests. You can find vendor booths, watermelon smoothies, seed necklaces, melon-mentioning bumper snickers, and even the local water tower painted up like a watermelon…   Luling's Watermelon Thump Festival reminds me of my farm town community days as a kid. On another note…  

Luling may be the origin point for Texas crude surfacing in the USA wearing its badge proudly in the form of backyard oil wells bobbing up and down 24/7.  The smell of oil is ever-in-the-air…kinda homey if you know what I mean…

PLEASE READ / CLARIFYING NOTE: Please understand that my chosen subject matter and tone often communicates what will help developing spiritual warriors and serious Christians grow in their ability to discover, apply, and cooperate with their God-given design. I try to write about light-hearted subjects too, but must remain focused on my core reason for walking a continent for Christ a second time to stir, equip, and mobilize God’s people. I did pour my life into this endeavor alone simply to entertain… I have work to complete… Thanks for understanding and covering me in prayer… 

Angel of Light

It is not unusual for me to discover unexpected indications of those forces dwelling in the areas I pass through. A few days back while topping a rise and dropping into the next draw on the frontage road paralleling the interstate, I spotted an entrenched concrete company sign that read “Lucifer Lighting Company” declaring what I was about to intersect with after seeing the sign. Meanwhile, my memory banks raced back to 2^nd Corinthians 11:14 that says, “…satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” After seeing the sign…I immediately passed strip clubs, bars, and other off-color establishments tying themselves back to the city’s prior century, when legalized prostitution paid brothel taxes to the town’s founding fathers. Satan is the ultimate con artist who arrogantly disguises himself in a manner which covers his destructive plan unfolding behind posted signs and landmarks. My travels have taken me through hundreds of cities around the US over the past 15 years, thereby giving me ample opportunity to encounter, identify, and uncover patterns of demonic deception. Though many readers may roll their eyes back and view what I uncover as a bit “edgy,” I can assure you that it is very real, biblical, and destructive in the lives of those it targets. Sadly, many remain oblivious to that which surrounds them. 

Ordered Steps

My pathway from the California coast across Arizona, New Mexico, and now nearly all of Texas…has been everything from strenuous-to-liberating in nature. My first 1,500 miles or so offered very few areas of refuge as I traversed regional uncertainty, extreme violence, tangible oppression, and people’s retreat from social involvement …both inside and outside what calls itself the church.  Kerrville, TX offered a much-needed respite from trauma just prior to descent back into the valley in my quest to connect with people striving to overcome resident strongholds of one type or another. Some people find themselves bombarded by mediocrity, complacency, and compromise; while others do battle with more overt forms of oppression.  Though I have traveled through many such areas in my lifetime…it grows increasingly more difficult to identify and confirm one’s daily alignment with God’s strategic plan amid the increase of wickedness foretold in Scripture prior to Christ’s return.   Yet, God carefully supplies me with unmistakable verifiers along my way… 

Most recently, I walked into a local church meeting Pastor Marcus…we connected, clicked, prayed, and parted. As he talked to God later that night before bed about having me speak at his church, he asked for confirmation. Early the next morning, Marcus awoke to a blurred image of Abraham Lincoln that quickly vanished, thereby causing him to tell the Lord that he would have me speak if I showed up at the church again. A few hours later that morning, I arrived to his church where we re-engaged in conversation again. As we dialogued about relevant issues and America’s struggle, I mentioned that Abraham Lincoln was the only president to call America to repentance. At that very moment, Pastor Marcus knew my arrival was on time amid God’s purpose.   I was honored to speak to his people a day or so later…

It always brings me relief when God lets me know I am in step as He restores peace that passes understanding. Walking by the Spirit can be hard and lonely work as one does their utmost to stay fit heaven’s grid… Fortunately, God loves us enough to help us understand that our steps are ordered by Him…not by random human decision.   The next morning, another pastor from a city behind assured me I was hearing God too as I prayed for him gain victory on something he was preparing to go do that day. Please understand dear friend…I am not saying this to self-validate. More accurately, I am trying to encourage those of you who feel disoriented, off-track, and discouraged that there is hope and that you can know you are in God’s perfect will if you do not grow weary in well doing…

House Divided

As spiritual intensity grows upon the earth…everyday people created with to fulfill God-sized destinies find themselves caught in the crossfire between heaven and hell. God draws them to Himself in His loving effort to reveal His plan designed to unleash His heart through them. Yet, the enemy of our souls bombards these same emerging warriors with an onslaught of confusion, distraction, emotionalism, perversion, addiction, and more to waylay their rise to victory in Jesus’ name. Distorted communication, misunderstanding, offense, and impasse remain hell’s greatest weapons of division. If he can inflict a wound adequate to bring offense, he has effectively deceived us into opening our heart’s door making us vulnerable to even deeper deception. Once offended, division widens the gulf to destroy unity. Once unity is compromised…that warrior’s discernment, objectivity, and ability to agree in prayer are lost leaving them open to probable defeat if left unchecked… Therefore, it is crucial that we walk in the light filled with a Spirit of love, forgiveness, peace, and unity if we are to stand our ground in the day of evil… Remember, a house divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:25). So, be sure to guard your heart…it is the well-spring of life! 

God’s Glory

Most Christians have read accounts in the bible’s prophetic books like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, Zachariah, and others where God’s cloud of glory (presence) filled the holy of holies within the temple. Anyone who has ever truly sought God most likely longed to see or experience that cloud of God’s glory personally. As a result, many weaving themselves into recent spiritual culture have become “glory seekers” rather than God seekers. And yet, John 17:4 and beyond shows that God’s glory is a by-product of completing the work God gave us to do among those He entrusted to our care.   Experiencing God’s glory in this fashion calls for one to pray for, protect, and purify self to lead those God called us to lead into reproductive life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ.   Encountering God’s glory is the result of discovering and fulfilling His destiny for your life…not simply an event to conjure up. Who did God design you to impact? Do you know…are you doing it? Or, are you still lost in the muddle… 

Forging Ahead

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14 NIV).  My prayer is that you ask God right questions, gain right answers, and do likewise to change the world around you in Jesus’ name! It's time to choose between thumping the watermelons of life and spitting seeds for Jesus!  More later… 

Greg

BattleCry Ministries

mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it