The Unction -E.M. Bounds

Posted: Monday, September 27, 2010 by Allen King in
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"This unction comes to the preacher not in the study, but in the closet. It is heaven's distillation in answer to prayer. It is the sweetest exaltation of the Holy Spirit. It impregnates, suffuses, softens, percalates, cuts and soothes. It carries the Word like dynamite, like salt, like sugar; Makes the Word a soother, an arraigner, a revealer, a searcher; Makes the hearers a culprit or a saint, makes him weep like a child and live like a giant; Opens his heart and his purse as gently, yet as strongly as spring opens leaves. This Unction is not a gift of genius. It is not found in the halls of learning. No eloquence can woo it, no industry can win it. No prelactical hands can confer it. It is the gift of God—a signet set to His own messengers…It is given to those who have sought this anointed honor through many an hour of tearful, wrestling prayer."  --E.M. Bounds

Life Groups Launch

Posted: Monday, August 9, 2010 by Allen King in
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Pastor Allen King of River of Life Church in Valdese, North Carolina announces the church's new Life Groups initiative.


Sand Boxes and The Sacred

Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 by Allen King in
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Recently my family enjoyed a wonderful time of vacationing in Palm Coast, Florida. We were staying near St. Augustine, so we made a few visits during the week to our nation’s oldest city. I always enjoy walking around the “Ancient City” because of its rich historical significance.

Though I had been to St. Augustine a couple of times before, I had never taken the time to tour the Saint Photios Greek Orthodox Chapel. This is the Greek Orthodox National Shrine, located just a few steps from St. Augustine’s historic city gates at St. George Street.

The shrine, named in memory of a great missionary of the Orthodox Church, is dedicated to the first colony of Greek people who came to America in 1768, and is actually housed in one of the original buildings in which these immigrants gathered for religious services. Orthodox Christians from many lands and cultures came to America in search of freedom and opportunity. Like the first Apostles, they carried with them a precious heritage and gift. To the New World they brought the ancient faith of the Orthodox Church.

The building is well over 200 years old. The Shrine consists of exhibits depicting the life of early Greeks in America and the development of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, and the St. Photios Chapel. The chapel is just magnificent. It is filled with exquisite Byzantine style frescoes of many of the apostles and saints of the Christian church.

I have always had somewhat of a fascination with the Orthodox Church. It is a religious heritage filled with ancient faith and rich traditions. Believers hold a very unique, almost mystical vision of God and His Kingdom. There is a certain beauty to the Orthodox Church’s worship, purity of her Christian faith, and a strong continuity with the past. This church has a history reaching back to the time of the Apostles.

I dare say that most Christians in traditional American churches who walk into the chapel at St. Photios cannot really grasp the magnitude of this place. Anyone without at least some prior knowledge of Orthodox Christianity could not truly appreciate the significance of the experience.

As we walked into the chapel, I was taken by its beauty and the sense of reverence I felt. There was the faint sounds of the traditional Byzantine chant being played in the background. The icons (religious paintings) on the walls and ceiling expressed visually the theology of the Greek Orthodox Church. The inscriptions on the icons were in Greek. The verse over the entranceway says "Come, whoever is thirsty; accept the water of life as a gift, whoever wants it." (Revelations 22:17) Holding the scroll on which it is written are peacocks, used in Christian art as a symbol of The Resurrection.

Entering the chapel, there were ornate boxes of sand to the right and left, beside of which were containers of long, thin candles. When an Orthodox Christian enters his or her local church, an offering is made and a candle is lit, bringing to remembrance the words of Jesus Christ, "I am the Light of the World." There were a number of burning candles standing upright in the sand, which had been lit by visitors to the chapel that particular day when my family was touring the shrine and chapel.

I played the role of tour guide, as I tried to describe to my family what they were seeing. I shared with them that often Orthodox Christians were misunderstood and their faith even erroneously confused with Catholicism. I pointed out how the chapel itself was laid out in the shape of a cross, much like the tabernacle of Moses. As we exited the chapel, we toured the exhibit area. There were artifacts, relics from the past, portraits, writings, and more. One wall of the exhibit area contained the words of the Nicene Creed.

A while after completing our tour of the shrine, my wife and daughters were busy shopping. I noticed that our youngest daughter, Caitlyn, seemed distraught, almost in tears. My wife became concerned and inquired as to the cause of the distress.

It seems that a couple of years ago, while visiting St. Augustine during a trip with her oldest sister, Catey had toured the very shrine we had just left. She was seven at the time. Not aware of the significance of this place, she thought it would be neat to draw designs with her finger in the sand boxes containing the burning candles.

Now, after touring the chapel and getting a theologically laced history lesson from her dad, Catey understood that this was a sacred place and there was a strong spiritual overtone to the candles in the sand. She was distraught because she was feeling condemnation for somehow violating the holiness of the sandbox and the candles.

Regina and I tried to console our daughter and to use this as a teachable moment for her. We wanted her to know that God understands that she didn't know any better. However, we wanted her to know how to recognize conviction when it comes and how to properly respond to the Spirit's call to repentance. We prayed, right there in the store, for God to speak peace to our daughter and to forgive any transgression.

As I walked away from our impromptu prayer meeting, my heart was challenged by the Holy Spirit. I began to reflect on how wonderful it would be if Christian believers would sense the same respect toward the holy things of God that my daughter was experiencing that day.

I have often heard my father in law say that the problem with the modern day church is that we have lost sight of the holy. Nothing seems sacred to us anymore.

I am often challenged by the level of respect for the things of God expressed by the saints of old. How things have changed. We now have such low regard for that which was once revered, venerated, and esteemed.

Lord, may Your people return to reverence. May we regain our sight for that which is holy. May we, as my daughter did, experience conviction over our disregard for the sacred.

Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 by Allen King in
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Couch Cushions and Missing the Miraculous

Posted: Friday, June 18, 2010 by Allen King in
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Let me preface what I am about to share by saying that I do not believe that every dream is a message from God. I realize that most are simply a part of the human process that is life, and many times dreams can be a result of the bean burrito with hot sauce we enjoyed just before bedtime. However, I do believe that there are times when God speaks to us through dreams. This is borne out through the scriptures.

I awoke last Saturday morning from one such dream. It was so real and its impact lasted throughout the next day or so. When I woke up, I immediately sensed the presence of God and heard a Word that He spoke into my spirit concerning what I had just experienced. Therefore, I believe this dream was prophetic.

As the dream began, I was about to go onto the platform at the church. The building was filled to capacity. There were the regular folks, as well as many visitors. I noticed wheelchairs, people on crutches, the blind, the lame, the deaf, the bound, and the needy.

Somehow, in the dream, I was aware that I had been through a time of intense prayer and fasting. I felt very close to God, and sensitive to His voice.

I was about to move onto the stage, when I heard God speak to me. He told me to call those who had needs to the altar. He instructed me to lay hands on those who came forward. I heard the voice of God plainly tell me, “Tell the people that when you lay hands upon them, they will instantly receive whatever their heart desires. I am in the midst of my people and I am going to perform the miraculous.”

As I made my way to the pulpit, there was a wonderful excitement in the air. People were worshipping and praising God. It seemed that the Spirit of the Lord was moving mightily already in the service. I moved to the microphone and announced what God had spoken. I told the congregation, “God is here to do a tremendous work. Come forward and when I lay hands on you, you are going to instantly receive whatever your heart desires.”

When the altar call given, however, only three people responded. I laid hands on the first two and, just as God had promised, they were instantly and miraculously healed by the power of God. I noticed that most others in the crowd were leaving. People were being pushed out in the same wheelchairs in which they had entered. The blind were being led out on the arm of another. Those in bondage were leaving, still bearing their burdens and chains. My heart was breaking.

I looked back down at the altar, and noticed one of our church council members Brother Ed Prewitt standing in front of me holding what appeared to be a couch cushion. Ed had tears in his eyes and a look of confusion on his face. I asked him what the cushion was for and he replied that one of the people had given him it to him on their way out of the church. They asked if Ed could have the pastor anoint the cushion for them in behalf of their need, somewhat like the way we anoint prayer cloths. They had told Ed that they had to meet family and could not stay for prayer.

Reluctantly, we anointed the cushion. Ed then reached around and picked up a pillow, which another member of the congregation had given him. They too had other business to attend and could not tarry for prayer, sending the pillow instead. One had a lunch appointment. One had business to mind. Another was heading for some recreation. Another just didn’t have time to wait and didn’t feel like waiting in line. Again, we anointed the proxy pillow.

By now, those who had joined me for prayer in the altar had recognized what was taking place and we all began to weep. One after another, Ed would present another cushion or pillow and we would pray. Each pillow represented someone else’s excuse for not being able to wait on God to meet their need. Everyone had other things to do that were far more pressing than receive from the hand of the Father. Our hearts were breaking, because we knew what God had promised, but the people were not interested.

Though I and the people around me prayed fervently for the needs of the people, we knew in our hearts that God could not perform the miracles so desperately needed because His order was not being followed. Yet, we continued to anoint more pillows and more cushions.

I awoke from my sleep. My face and pillow were wet with tears. The dream seemed so real to me. It impacted me greatly, even after I had awakened. I felt that God had something to say to me through this experience. So, as I lay in my bed, I began to pray. I asked, “Lord, what are you wanting to say to me? What do I need to understand about what you have just shown me? What does all this mean?”

It was as if God was just waiting for me to ask, because He immediately answered. The voice of God was unmistakable as He said to me, “Let my people know that I will not anoint their comfort! I will not bless them that are at ease in my kingdom. I will not take time for those who have no time for me.”

God revealed to me that the cushions and pillows represented comfort, idleness, and ease. The actions of the people spoke of the attitudes of many concerning the move of God. We know that God loves us and longs to bless, heal, and deliver us. We are poor, blind, lame, sick, cripple, bound, and broken. However, we seek our relief in everybody and everything but God. We are not diligent in our pursuit of God.

It has been nearly a week since the dream. I am still troubled by it. I want to examine my own life to be sure that Christ is my only priority. Then, as a pastor, I pray that my people will be available when God visits.

Posted: Friday, April 23, 2010 by Anonymous in
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Critical Focus

How many times have we sat in church (or stood during worship) and allowed our minds to wander? Many thoughts can bombard our minds, such as "What am I going to fix to eat or where will I go for lunch after church? I need to get this or that done after church. I like that shirt John or Sally has on. I wonder where he or she bought it." Thoughts like that are not bad thoughts, but are meant by Satan to be distracting thoughts. He can also unexpectedly cause unchristian-like thoughts to sneak in the backdoor of our minds. He does not want our focus to be on God or on worshiping God at church, or anywhere. Our mind is where the front lines of the battle ground is. But God says in Ecclesiastes 5:1 to "Walk prudently..." (NKJ) or "Keep your foot [give your mind to what you are doing] when you go [as Jacob to sacred Bethel] to the House of God" (Amplified Bible). We have to bring our bodies under subjection of the Holy Spirit. Our minds are a part of our bodies. We are to utilize the armor of God to protect our minds and stay focused on God. Our mind is the "control center" of our actions in spiritual warfare, prayer, worship, ministry, etc. So, the enemy wants to shut down or distract our mind, our focus. He wants to distract us from our ministry or our place on the wall in the House of God or outside of the four walls of the church.

In order to come into the presence of God, whether at church, at home, or anywhere, we have to "take off or lay aside" any attached distractions, any attached idols that take our focus off of God, any action on our part that would take the place of God's provision or take the place of His hand upon an area of our life. Genesis 35:4 illustrates this well:

"1AND GOD said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. And make there an altar to God Who appeared to you [in a distinct manifestation] when you fled from the presence of Esau your brother. 2Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, Put away the [images of] strange gods that are among you, and purify yourselves and change [into fresh] garments; 3Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar to God Who answered me in the day of my distress and was with me wherever I went. 4So they [both young men and women] gave to Jacob all the strange gods they had and their earrings which were [worn as charms against evil] in their ears; and Jacob buried and hid them under the oak near Shechem."

When Jacob (Gen. 35:1-4) would go to Bethel, the House of God, purification was always necessary. In Biblical times earrings could be used as amulets and charms to ward off evil. I am not saying earrings are sinful, but I am showing the spiritual connection/parallel with this passage of scripture on how we are to lay aside any distractions, whatever that may be, whether it is something physically tangible or not physically tangible.

 Exodus 3:5 states, "God said, Do not come near; put your shoes off your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground." This scripture shows the respect by removal of the shoes when entering the presence of God. Orientals removed their shoes in the home and at all places of worship, just as we remove our hats. It is a symbol of laying aside all pollutions from walking in the way of sin (Dake's Bible, Exodus 3:5). We are to take off or lay aside any pollution in our lives that would cause us to be spiritually dirty. We remove our polluted shoes by true repentance and turning away from distractions and sin in our lives, allowing the blood of Jesus to cleanse and sanctify us, and cover us in His righteousness

"Keep your foot, take off, remove the shoes, lay aside", are all instruction words from God. He will not force us to obey. We have a choice to obey God's Word. What is your choice going to be? It all depends on whether you are determined to live in His presence and to not let anything distract you from focusing on God.

The Balm of Gilead

Posted: Saturday, April 17, 2010 by Allen King in
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There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin sicksoul.

In Jeremiah 8:22, the prophet asked the question, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people?”

What is this balm of Gilead?

Most often, we have interpreted Jeremiah’s words Christologically, assuming that Christ is the Balm of Gilead that can “heal the sin sicksoul.” That is definitely one way to interpret this.

However, I am not so sure whether that interpretation reflects the true intent of Jeremiah’s message to the people of Judah. What, then, is the true intent of what Jeremiah was trying to communicate to his audience?

Before a proper identification of the balm of Gilead and the physicians there can be made, it is necessary to identify the illness that caused the incurable wound mentioned by Jeremiah. In order to do this, it is necessary to look at the call of another prophet.

When God called Isaiah to the prophetic ministry, he gave Isaiah a near impossible mission. God told Isaiah, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed." (Isaiah 6:9-10).

God was telling Isaiah that his preaching would harden the hearts of the people and they would not listen. The people’s unbelief, their stubborn heart, and their resistance to the prophet’s words were caused by their rebellion against Jehovah.

God told Isaiah that if the people would hear the message the prophet was to proclaim, if they would turn or repent, then they would be healed (v. 10). Thus, it is God Himself compares the rebellion of the people with spiritual illness. The rebellion of the people was worse than physical illness and only the message preached by Isaiah could bring the people to repentance and to the healing of its wound.

So, the balm of Gilead is a metaphor used by Jeremiah to explain how the people could find a cure for their spiritual illness. And, though the balm could be interpreted as a type of Christ, the message here is not Christological.

Several times in the Old Testament, the prophets speak about Judah’s rebellion as an incurable wound. Hosea said: “When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound” (Hosea 5:13).

Isaiah said: “Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment.” (Isaiah 1:5-6).

In the book of Jeremiah, God spoke of Judah’s illness and its incurable wound. He said of Jerusalem,
“Her sickness and wounds are ever before me” (Jeremiah 6:7).
“For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt.” (Jeremiah 8:21).

Why was not the wound of God’s people healed? Because the preaching of the false prophets did not provide the healing the people needed. God Himself accused the prophets of not providing healing to the people--of preaching a watered-down message that made the people feel good about themselves while refusing to deal with their sin.

God spoke these words about the prophets:
“Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely. They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, 'Peace, peace!' When there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:13-14). The same words are repeated again in Jeremiah 8:10-11. God is saying that the prophets have healed the wound of the people only lightly because they were preaching the wrong message.

“Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery For the health of the daughter of my people?” (Jeremiah 8:22). Jeremiah is proclaiming that Judah is like a person who is sick or wounded. He is also proclaiming that the balm of Gilead is the word of God in the mouth of the prophets and that the prophets are the physicians sent by God to bring the medicine that could heal the people.

Thus, in Jeremiah 8:22, the prophet is saying that there were plenty of physicians in Gilead who could heal the spiritual sickness of the people of Judah, for the physicians were the prophets. There was plenty of balm in Gilead--the balm of Gilead in the mouth of Jeremiah is a metaphor for the word of God being preached by the prophets to a rebellious people. But there was no healing because the prophets were preaching a message that did not bring healing.

Jehovah God is the great healer of Israel: “I am the LORD, your healer” (Exodus 15:26). But healing would only come when the prophet faithfully proclaimed the word of God to the people.

The words of Jeremiah have a message for those who preach God’s words. We preach through the power of the Holy Spirit that people’s attitude may be altered, lives may change, and transformation may occur. Those who preach are heralds of God’s truth, proclaiming a message of hope to hungry souls and lonely hearts.

Everyone who preaches must remember the words of the prophet Micah: “But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin.” (Micah 3:8).

How does God get your attention?

Posted: Saturday, April 10, 2010 by Anonymous in
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Jeremiah 18:2
Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.

I wrote a two-part devotion on Jeremiah 18:2-4 a while back for the weekly devotion at www.praiseandvictoryministry.com. But upon coming across Jeremiah 18:2 again recently, God really stirred something else up within my spirit concerning it. The part "I will CAUSE you to hear My words" stood out strongly. God has a special way of getting our attention when He needs to. The way He does this is very unique for each of us. The way He gets my attention may be different than the way He may get your attention. There are "potter's house" times in our lives, and it is in those times that God will, one way or another, CAUSE us to listen to Him. During these times He is creating something good within our lives. So, we should not run away, but surrender completely and willingly allow Him to make and mold us into what He desires. Then, we will come out of the molding, fixing, and firing process as beautiful vessels ready to be used of God for His glory!

"Only believe!"

Posted: Monday, April 5, 2010 by michael ward in
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Some day, some simple soul will pick this word of God up and believe it. Then we'll all be ashamed. Leonard Ravenhill

This powerful quote of Ravenhill's is one of my favorite yet the most convicting. Keep in mind that it is not only a physical book per se, when we speak of the Bible, but the living word that springs forth life from its pages. Sitting on a bookshelf it may seem inconspicuous in the midst of other leather-bound books of note, but what power it holds!

Even as I write, conviction settles in when I realize the potential we have in God. We have a holy mandate to change the world for Jesus yet all too often the world ends up changing us. Putting faith to the test will set you at odds with this world. It will have you do some peculiar things at times,things that defy our fleshly logic. And rightly so, because we must never be so foolish as to think that what was begun in the Spirit can now be made manifest through the flesh. But just think how easily we let in the flood-waters of doubt and unbelief to come quench our fiery-faith. If we are to be true disciples of Christ, we must do away with second guessing and egotism. And even in some cases self-depreciation. Remember who you are in Christ, never forget the power you have been given to do mighty exploits. Yet, I must add a side note here: we need to recognize our potential and station in the Kingdom with humility. All the while knowing that the Kingdom can go on without us and our inflated egos. We have a privilege to put this faith in action.

I think the phrase "my faith" is such a blanket statement. We use it for describing everything from our belief in God to the world-altering dynamo that raises up dead men. But I find it hard to put that phrase in context concerning a relationship with Christ. Because a relationship has to be more than a belief. It needs to be personal, something tangible. Jesus gives such a great example of this when he encourages us to take upon ourselves His yoke for it is light and easy to bear. He has made it so easy to enter in to a relationship with Him. Our Spirit testifies of this and makes the relationship personal and tangible.

Tis yoke Jesus speaks of brings me to my point. As stated before, we can have the faith to believe in every tenet of salvation, and we can also have the faith for God to perform miracles through our obedience. But these are distinctly different, in my opinion. Because it is this latter example of faith that requires action. Remember, it is not the yoke that tills the ground, but the oxen. We,as Christians have this yoke Jesus spoke of but we must be the oxen who do the trodding.

We all believe that God could raise a person from the dead, yet that is light-years away from the man or woman who is declaring that God would raise from the dead the person lying before them.

I've personally had times when God would quicken my Spirit to become emboldened and speak healing into someone, and because of doubt I uttered a typically passive and weak prayer that could have been read from a Hallmark card, seemingly. And the heavens stayed shut. Other times I've put complete confidence in God and just simply spoke whatI felt, with out any second guessing, feeling secure that healing would come and it did come quickly. It is not about the incantation of a prayer, how loud or forceful we speak it. I've come to learn that we must lay all of SELF aside and let the God who spoke the universe into being, use our faith as instruments to break the bonds of wickedness, to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the broken-hearted, and to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners.


Will that simple soul be you?

The Cry of Moldable Clay

Posted: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 by Allen King in
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Some of the memories I hold dear from my childhood are the times when I would hear my parents pray. It seems that very often their prayer times would conclude by them breaking into singing. I can remember, on more than one occasion, my mom rising from prayer and singing, “Have Thine own way, Lord. Have Thine own way. Thou art the Potter. I am the clay. Mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.”

God told Jeremiah, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you... to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11). Those are some of the most powerful words in all of scripture, dealing with the relationship between God and His children.

Isn’t it wonderful to realize that God did not just fling us out into the nebulous of life and then forget about us? He has a plan for each of us. He has a will for each of our lives.

Unlike some would convey, He doesn’t play divine games of hide-and-seek. We are not simply pawns on some cosmic sacred chessboard.

I think that far too often, we think the will of God is an elusive idea. God wants to make His will known to us sometimes even more desperately than we claim to be seeking to know His will. Our problem is not finding the will of God, it is in doing the will of God.

A lot of what we call trying to find God’s will is actually trying to change God’s mind. He has a plan, but too often we have a mind-set--a preconceived notion of what we want to do and who we want to be. So, we pray and pray and maybe even fast a day or two. We try to change God’s mind, to convince Him our plan is better than His. 

When God took Jeremiah to the potter’s house, it was to speak to the prophet concerning Israel. They refused to yield. They resisted much like the clay Jeremiah was watching on the potter’s wheel. It hardened and would not yield to the ministrations of the potter. It fell apart in his hands.

God was trying to convey to Jeremiah—and then to Israel— that the power to become what God wanted them to be was within them. God is not an unwilling God. He stands ready to bless us. It is His delight to mold us into His purpose and will for our lives. Yet, we have somehow embraced the misconception that we have to force Him to move upon us.

We don’t have to pray to get God in a good mood. We don’t pray to purchase power with Him to buy our own way. Days of fasting don’t add purchase power to our prayers. We pray—and we fast—to enhance our relationship with Him.

When He places you on the wheel, He molds you into the best you can possibly be or become for Him. However, there must be a willingness on your part. We can pray for God’s will for our lives until our knees are calloused and our faces turn blue, but if we do not allow ourselves to be moldable, there is nothing more God can do in us or through us. The power to become a useful vessel is in the clay. If it is unwilling to be molded, the potter has no recourse but to either start the process all over again or toss it aside and get more clay.
Don’t miss this. The same sun that melts butter, also hardens clay. It is in the substance. It is not the sun. You must be melted before you can be molded.

There are those times when God sends us into a meltdown. Everything seems to be falling apart. Financial dilemmas, family stresses, work issues make us physically and emotionally exhausted.

We take the pieces and say. “Lord, please put me back together...” and unspoken but not unfelt is the specification, “but put me back together again just like I was.” 

God will always give you the best if you leave the choice to Him. What we must do is bring our human mind and its frailties into submission to the mind of Christ. The divine mind and the human mind bring the flesh—the clay—under control.

The prayer of a surrendered mind, heart, and will is “Not my will, but Thine be done.” That is the cry of moldable clay. That is the power cry of human surrender to divine intervention. 

“Have Thine own way, Lord
Have Thine own way.
Thou art the Potter. I am the clay.
Mold me and make me
After Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.”

In The Waiting

Posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 by Allen King in
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Do you ever find yourself trying to rush God? I am sure that I am not unlike most Christians who have struggled with the anxiety of waiting or who have despised the mundaneness while longing for the spectacular. 
I mean, God is the God of the spectacular. Right? I've read the Bible. He is always performing the extraordinary, making rivers in the desert, parting seas, causing deadness to be brought to life, and stuff.
However, I am learning more and more that the vital issues of life are not on the peripheral edges. Sometimes, it is necessary for God to take us back to the basics. That is what God has been speaking to me for the past few months.

Several months ago, my sister released a new solo project. I could never let her know, but it is still the favorite in my CD collection. There is one short phrase on one of the songs from that recording that is so powerful. The song, "Be Still" speaks of a familiar place called "in the waiting." I have thought about that phrase so many times since hearing it. We will do well to learn the lessons of our time "in the waiting."
Can you imagine what Jeremiah must have thought when he first heard the command to go to the potter's house? He knew everything there was to know about that place. Nothing could have been more boring, more commonplace for him. Heaven has Jeremiah's attention. He is awaiting a powerful Word from God. The Word comes forth, and what are the instructions? Go to the potter's house!

He must have thought, “What can I learn there I don’t already know? I’ve watched that old potter more times than I can count. Why, Lord, I can even tell You exactly how they operate. But you said to go, so go I will.”
It is easy to get disillusioned with the routine, the tedious sameness of it all. Instead we try to make something happen. Yet, the fact is, most of our walking with God is routine. It is not spectacular. It is not fireworks and awe-inspiring displays. It is the slow steady burn of a single flame.
It is that power of routine that saved Daniel. He was already used to praying every day. Daniel did not find himself praying more because he was in a time of crisis, nor praying less when he was at ease. His praying did not work to speed up or slow down the processes of God. He was just doing what he normally did. He prayed.
The prophet, Isaiah, has been quoted countless times when he said, “They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31). What wonderful inspiration we have taken from this passage as we were made aware that if we will wait, God will cause us to take wings like the eagles.

We are so prone toward the spectacular, especially those of us in the pentecostal or charismatic tradition. If we are not careful, in our longing for thunderings, lightning strikes, and earthquakes, we will miss the still, quiet voice that comes to us in our cave experiences and says to us, "Just be faithful." 

It is easy to rejoice when God is showing His adventurous side. However, notice that the true message is in the progression in Isaiah 40:31. He said, we will “mount up with wings as eagles”; then “run, and not be weary”; then “walk, and not faint.” We automatically want to start walking, then accelerate to a run, then take wing and fly. But, God says.” No, that’s not My way. You may start off flying, then you’ll come down to running, but most of the time you will just be walking.
Here is the essence of successful Christian living. It is consecrated plodding. It is about the ability to put one foot in from of the other. That is not to say there will not be those high-flying, ecstatic experiences. They simply are the exception, not the rule. Where you finally end up is in the very basic skill of walking with God. 

It was as much the will of God for the children of Israel to march quietly around Jericho as it was for the walls to fall. Some days, walls fall. Other days, we just walk. Either way, God is faithful.

New Blog Site

Posted: Monday, March 22, 2010 by River of Life Church in
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We are excited about launching this brand new blog site for River of Life Church. We look forward to sharing thoughts and insights.