Here are a couple of oft quoted and beloved scripture passages:

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it."

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24;

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Romans 12:1-2

Both of these passages instruct us in the life of Jesus. It isn't so much that things things are magical or are requirements of salvation; instead, they are what Jesus did and now that we have His mind and have declared ourselves to be followers of Jesus these are things that should naturally follow through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Out of the love He has placed in our hearts for Him rejoicing, praying, and being thankful in all things should be the natural way of our life. Out of our love for Him we should desire to worship Him always, and that worship involves offering ourselves every moment as living sacrifices, set apart and pleasing to Him. We shouldn't conform to the world; in fact, as Christ's followers we cannot! If we are conforming to the world then we aren't really living as we proclaim to be.

Now, here are some questions that God has asked me about these verse as His Spirit has worked His comfort and conviction in my heart: Do I really seek Him daily? For example, when I was practicing law was I offering myself daily as a living sacrifice asking Him if He wanted me to continue practicing law or if He had a new course set for me? When was the last time you asked God whether you should continue to preach at your church, work at your job, be a member of whatever club, etc.? Have you even considered that He may have a different course for you and desire that you offer that up on the altar of your life?

Should we not pray daily that God will show us where He is leading us? I'm not trying to paralyze us with indecision or a lack of commitment; however, what are we really committed to? Following God or following the path we are currently on? And, how difficult is it to ask Him daily to fill us with His Spirit, to confirm the path that we are on, to enable our lifesong to be completely dedicated to Him?

With those thoughts, I ask you, my friends and fellow workers in the faith, to pray for the Rileys as we consider where God is leading us next. Where are we to GO in 2007? We feel compelled to do some further training in preparation for more missions work, but we don't know where and when that should begin. Thank you for your prayers, your faith, and your encouragement. And, if you have any ideas, words or visions from the Lord, don't hesitate to share them with me at bwriley4[at]yahoo[dot]com or by commenting here.

Furthermore, if you feel that the Rileys might have something worthwhile to share at your church to a Sunday School class or otherwise, let us know. We'd love to meet you if we haven't and definitely are burning to tell the story of what He has been doing in our lives. We are willing servants.

Oh Father, give us more who would stand and show us what it means to truly live like Jesus, walking every step by faith in your promises and commands. We need modern day examples of the Christ life desperately.

God called me to Him when I was 9. I felt alone. I was hurting. From my childlike perspective, I had lost more than I could bear. My family had moved twice in a little over a year, each time to help care for one of my parents' dads. My mom's dad, Grandpa Sharp, became my best friend, and then died of prostate cancer and then we moved 1000 miles away to a tiny duplex with nothing because of financial problems. My mom went to work for the first time. My dad worked all the time. At the age of 8 I was in a new place and was given a key to our home because when I was finished with school no one else would be home. It frankly shaped much of the rest of my life, but, praise be to God, it also was part of what helped me see that I needed Him desperately.

For whatever reason, the churches I ended up at were Southern Baptist. My parents didn't take me or make me go to church, but once God called me to Him, I desired to go. So, to this day, I have been a member of a Southern Baptist Church. I'm glad for the denomination. It teaches sound doctrine and tries to teach people how to study God's word. But I really have no particular affinity for it.

I really am just a Christian, better yet a Jesus follower. Am I showing disrespect to the SBC because I say this? No, not at all. I just don't think any creation of man exceeds the creation of God. God didn't create the SBC; God created the church. And, God has a purpose for the church and our hearts should be united with Him in seeing the church's purpose fulfilled. I desire greatly for healing and power in the SBC, and most imporantly, in all the Body of Christ.

God built his church on the rock of Christ and the church is called to submit to Christ. Christ calls us to surrender completely. We must die to ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him with all our hearts, soul and strength.

I am praying for the SBC. I am praying for the gathering of SBC pastors in Dallas tomorrow, December 5, 2006. I wish I could attend, but I am still here serving at the University of the Nations. I pray you will pray for them, too, whether you are a member of, or ever have been a member of, an SBC church or not. You see, we are called to pray for one another. And, we are urged, in view of God's mercy, to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. It is our spiritual act of worship. (So, even if we have been wounded by someone who was southern baptist, or have particular concerns about some SBCers attitudes, we must pray for them and lay down those selfish concerns because it is not consistent with God's love or plan that we should hold any grudge against anyone in the Body of Christ.) We must not conform any longer to the patter nof this world, but must be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will. Moreover, we are not to think more highly of ourselves that we ought, but rather we must think of ourselves with sober judgment, in accordance wi th the measure of faith God has given us. AND HERE'S THE KICKER: Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:1-5.

Did you catch that? We belong to one another. We are commanded to submit to one another in love. We are to be like Jesus. Why aren't we????? What spirit is winning the war against the Body of Christ to keep its members warring against one another rather than taking the battle against Satan and the powers of this world to see the message of Jesus and His love proclaimed from every rooftop?

I believe that most of those gathering in Dallas tomorrow are fully desirous of unity among their Christian brothers and sisters. How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1. And they also desire that the gospel of Jesus be proclaimed to all the earth. So, here is my prayer for them, for all who send them, and for all in the Body of Christ:

Lord, forgive me of my infatuation with myself. Rather than submitting to others in love, I all too often seek my own way. Rather than living the life of love, I boast, I am unkind, I am hopeless, I am angry, I am self-seeking, I am unloving. Lord, fill me with Your spirit. Give me a faith immeasurable. Let every word I speak be straight from your Spirit and consistent with your heart and perfect will.

I pray that the SBC pastors meeting tomorrow will be there living a life worthy of the calling they have received; that they will be completely humble and gentle, patient, bearing with one another in love. I pray they will make every effort to kep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. I pray that they will be filled with the Spirit and that there spiritual gifts will guide them, to prepare them for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up and that they may be leaders who will help the body reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, becoming mature and attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

I pray they will be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, and all who cannot attend, just as in Christ God forgave each of us. May they be imitators of You, living a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. If there are any who are struggling with immorality, impurity, greed, obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking, I pray that you will either prevent that one from attending or, even more graciously, enable them to repent of it publicly while gathered with those there, that they may lovingly pray for that one and help restore them to a true walk of faith, filled with the Spirit and overflowing with His gifts. Let nothing be present that will quench Your Holy Spirit from filling each of them and the place in which they gather. Shake them to their cores with Your purpose, call, and love.

Oh God, please fulfill Christ's holy prayer that we would be unified together in You. Let the world have no choice but to see Your love in us, Your power in us, Your truth in us. Let gatherings like the one that is taking place tomorrow be just the start, the spark, of repentance and revival that will flood throughout America and the world, by your Holy Spirit, so that many will come to know You in Christ. Give us a heart to reach people all over the world with the message of Christ. Give us lives that make it impossible not to share with others the joy and power found in Christ. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for saving us. May we hold back nothing from You. May we, and they, be changed through your amazing grace. In the name of Jesus, the One who Saves, I pray, AMEN!

My last post was about God working me over as I struggled with sleep. Well, that was just the beginning. I have spent the last four days with fevers as high as 103, which, for an adult, or at least for this adult, means loss of all strength and will to live. Even with medication my fever would only get down to about 100. It finally broke today. I'm exhausted, achy, and generally having a hard time recuperating. I am so tired of trying to find an elusive comfortable position in bed, but that was about the best goal I could have during these last few days.

I don't really have anything profound to say about it, nor did I have some vision while full of fever. For the most part I spent four days on my back, occasionally reading books. I will say that I realized that the only thing I really could do while in such a weakened state besides read was pray. And, with that thought I realized that that is the attitude God always calls us to. All too often I "believe" I can handle something so I just do it without praying and without depending upon God for direction and strength. So, one thing I prayed during that time of utmost weakness was that God would help me to remember that no matter how "strong" I seem I always need to pray and depend upon him.

I hope to publish some pictures of my kids and from around the island soon. My computer has had some issues of late, too, so I hope that I will be able to do so.

You just never know when God's going to speak to you or what little thing He may use to help you hear His voice. Last night I was reading a book my wife had just finished and she wanted me to read it. It wasn't a book I would have ever picked up and read through without her encouragement as it is somewhat of a "Christian chick" novel with a female author and female main character.

In the story, the main character is experiencing terrible upheaval in her life as her husband becomes consumed by work (in part because she wasn't listening to his needs) and at the same time she is reading a journal of an ancestor of hers that she found in her mother's attic. In what I was reading last night the second storyline was set on a rural corn farm, and the young journal writer was about 14 years old. Her heart had just been trampled upon by a young man who had become her first crush, and she wrote that "my mama said that idols always have feet of clay."

Well, God was working me over last night. That is why it is only 5 a.m. here and I am finally at the computer writing this. I haven't slept much at all. Many would say it was just physical because one of the "idols" God reminded me of last night was my belly. Like the Cretans. Here we have for the most part been able to let go of good ol' fashioned food worship in some ways, simply because we cannot afford to eat out much and the food that is served is more often sufficient as opposed to decadent or succulent. But, at the same time, what that can facilitate is a certain desire driven "need" to go get some "real food."

Now, you will laugh at this paragraph because of the place where I ended up with my family getting such food. Whereas I used to be somewhat of a regular diner at places like the Palm steakhouse, great italian eateries, a number of great restaurants in Philly, DC, and other metropolitan areas, last night my whole family was literally abuzz with energy because we ended up in a Denny's. The kids were literally bouncing on the booths and excitedly reading their menus to find all the perfect pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, etc. I ordered a fabulous scrambler that had ham and jalapeno in it, but of course it comes with a huge helping of hash browns, and three gigantic pancakes. Heavy sigh.

Meanwhile, yesterday, we all went over to some friends' house here in Kona to watch our college alma mater play football. Yes, we are Arkansas Razorbacks fans. Woooooo Pig Soooie.... only, well, we lost. And, of course, while God was working me over about my food he also was reminding me of how much that game affected my mood...how my kids would never sit for 3-4 hours to watch a football game and, as they ran around and made noise, how quickly I was snapping at them to quiet down (all so I could watch a silly football game), which only got worse as our quarterback made one bad pass after another.

I literally felt like I was going to throw up last night. My belly was very upset with me for over filling it with greasy spoon (but very yummy) food, and God's still small voice was reminding me how quickly I could delight more in something sensual rather than spiritual. And, as He also tied that into my attitude around the football game, I heard that little 14 year old girl recording what her mother said, which was developed from God's word, that "idols always have feet of clay." Another heavy sigh..

For me, when I struggle through these types of conversations with God and my heart, I keep wanting to say, but, Lord, surely it is okay to watch football or enjoy a good meal. I mean, how weird do I have to become? Do I just end up holed up some where and only read the bible and pray all the time or what? Praise God He is so patient with us. He's heard that cry so many times from me. He reminds me that I am free in Christ, but that He alone is worthy of worship. If I let things of this world get between my worship and Him, I have erected yet another idol in my heart and am headed down that path of doublemindedness. Whether it is the god of sex, the god of food, the god of pride, the god of work, the god of family, the god of recreation, the god of laziness, all gods will fail me, be unfaithful, and have feet of clay. He alone is worthy of worship and He alone will do all things in accordance with His nature and character, which is defined by love. The heaviest sigh yet.

Lord, please help me keep my eyes on You so that I won't sink into the waves. Please help me seek first Your kingdom and allow you to be my delight. Tear down the high places in my heart and mind and give me the grace to offer myself as a living sacrifice to You every moment of my life.

"And whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17

I know this may be true in many places in the more southern parts of the United States, but being here in the southernmost place of the United States, in the middle of the Pacific, focusing on missions (which means thinking more globally than I ever have before), holidays have a way of sneaking up on you. It is strange not to have seen any leaves changing colors or falling to the ground, to keep having 85 degree days, and to be in a place far away from family and realize that Thanksgiving and Christmas are knocking on the door. We have not heard one single Christmas song, seen one Christmas display, seen one Christmas season TV commercial, or felt Jack Frost nipping at our noses.

I don't think there necessarily is a connection here, but, what is amazing is that, in spite of all of that, our family this year is more thankful and prepared for Thanksgiving than we have ever been before. We are thankful that our family is together, much more now than ever before. We are thankful that we are seeking Him daily in His word, learning more about it, and hearing His voice more clearly than we used to hear it. We are thankful that His grace covers all our sins and that we can serve Him in spite of our battles with the flesh. We are thankful for tears, laughter, heart to heart communication, learning how to accept our hearts, seeing our children learn bible verses with joy, watching our kids learn new responsibilities and play well together, really beginning to believe that God truly loves us.

Thank you for all of your prayers and encouragement. And, with that, I pray:

Father, please bless each reader of these simple words. May each individual truly begin to understand what it means to be content in You and You alone. May each person trust in You and learn how that trust enables and empowers them to rejoice evermore, to pray without ceasing, to give thanks in everything, and to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord, for the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, which provides the way for me to approach your throne of grace and present these requests. Amen.

A CALL TO PRAYER

Yesterday, during our staff meeting here in Kona we prayed for the Body of Christ (universal), our campus, New Life Church, and for the Haggard family. It was a great time of prayer. I felt like God gave me two words from that time. First, we should all, as Christians, pray for our churches and fellowships that the things that are done and said "privately" that are not consistent with the nature and character of God would be made public so that any who lack integrity will be brought to repentance. Second, we need to pray desperately for reconciliation, repentance and revival in the Body of Christ. PRAY!!!

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.

Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:1-10.

Meet Marie Noelle Kok, a beautiful and godly woman from Cameroon, who is expecting her first baby in October. We met Marie Noelle and Paul, her husband from Canada, when we were first at the University of the Nations in July. Tara attended her baby shower the other evening.

She had this sad revelation at the shower. Never before, at any baby shower she has attended, have the women prayed together for the expectant mother and baby. NOT EVEN ONCE! Please understand that Tara has had three children of her own, each of which occasioned multiple showers. Then, she has attended dozens of others. Moreover, it is likely that almost, if not all, of those showers were thrown for "Christian" moms by "Christian" women.

Has this been your experience? I doubt that it is unique to the places we have lived in Arkansas. Why would this be true? Why wouldn't the focus of a baby shower be asking God's blessing upon the new life and the parents of that child? Why do we let the trappings of our culture, of gifts and cake and "fellowship," distract us from our relationship with Christ? Besides the fact we are commanded to pray without ceasing, what other occasions would this be true of? What would make a "Christian" gathering at a baby shower any different than any other party thrown for someone?

For the men reading this post, ask your wives and others who do attend such matters. Let me know what you find out. Ladies, do you think that Tara's experience is unusual? And, for everyone reading this, let's do all we can to change this. Don't let another opportunity like a Christmas party or a baby shower go by without bringing the focus of the gathering to the place it should be... a focus upon God and His blessing.