Headwaters Ministries

WHATS WRONG WITH YOU....IS PROBABLY WHATS WRONG WITH ME

Randall Worley — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:43:00 EST

After years of being involved in organized religion, I am daily awakening to the reality of God's presence being the priority over all our principles and practices. I have discovered in discussions with others that are coming to this same realization there is the propensity to have an aversion for what we now believe to be the sterile and monotonous practices of "religion." The one caveat is that we can become what we have contempt for. I am reminded that the quickest way to become a pharisee is to become adept in identifying them.

Rising to new levels of revelation and encounter in God can foster in us a condescending attitude towards those that don't have an appreciation for the "deeper" things. We should never forget that if it were not for the grace of God we too would still be going through all those tired religious motions that we now consider to be "form without power."

Jesus said ... "judge not lest you be judged." When we assess someones level of spirituality we really are not judging them but ourselves. The prayer of a pharisee started by saying "I thank God that I am a pharisee and not as other men." The need to point out the shallowness and inferiority of others by parading our perceived superiority is the sin of presumption. Paul said that "knowledge puffs up." Conversely knowing Him genders humility. God did not choose us because we were special. We are special because He choze us.

Pride causes us to assume that those we perceive to be spiritually inferior to us need to learn from us. Humility on the other hand positions us to listen rather needing to be heard. We may prove someone wrong in a theological argument and be guilty of something worse than their error. The need to right. For the most part Christians are notorious for becoming defensive when their beliefs are challenged. It was a sobering thought for me a few years ago to realize that I had studied the scriptures to prove what I already believed. I had been reading "into" rather than "out of" the Bible. I think it is true that there is no such thing as unbiased thought. There is a visceral fear in so many that exploring beyond their doctrinal parameters with an open mind could result in their brains falling out. Over time it seems that God has imparted to me a greater faith to receive revelation than a fear of being deceived. I realized that when I heard something new that initally offended me that I often bacame defensive. I now know that the defensiveness was revealing that I might not be sure about many of my beliefs. This is illustrated when Peter attempting to defend Jesus in the garden from the relgious posse severed the ear of Malchus. My knee jerk reaction to anything that threatened my beliefs had resulted in cutting off the ears of many. Would be hearers were bludgeoned by my belligerent weilding of the "sword of truth."

Saul who was tranformed into Paul had a blinding encounter with the Lord. He was described as a religious maniac breathing out threatenings. He thought he knew God and then had a head on collision with God. I have often wondered why he was left physically blind after the encounter. I have concluded that he had been blind all along. His intolerant and self righteous attitude had blinded him to who God really was. It has been said that we become like the God we believe in.

I will conclude with this. The litmus test for any truth is if it does not make me more aware of His love for me and consequently move me to love others it probably is error. It really is that simple. Jesus said on these hang all the law and the prophets.

The Hinge

Randall Worley — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:52:00 EST

The doors we walk through everyday in our homes, offices, or places of business all swing on hinges. We never really think about this small and unnoticed mechanism that grants us access. The door of our destiny too can hinge on small acts of obedience. The significance we seek for may be in what seems insignificant. We can be looking so intently for what we should do that we look right through the obvious.

I personally have a propensity to complicate things way too much. As a result I am susceptible to "mental logjams". A logjam is a jumble of logs trapped in a river. This primitive method of transporting logs to a saw mill where they are fashioned into building materials is blocked by a single log. One log wedged against hundreds of others can obstruct the flow.

One simple act of obedience could release you toward the fulfillment of your destiny. Obedience does not always require us to do monumental things but to respond to what may seem to be minuscule impulses. I have been learning that random and anonymous acts of kindness can be the doorway into what my spirit is longing for.

2010 Travel

Randall Worley — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:37:00 EST

It has been some time since I have posted anything on our site and I have been feeling it is important that I inform those who follow our ministry of our travel for this year. I am writing this as I await a flight to Guyana South America. Over the years I have traveled throughtout the U.S. and overseas seeking to speak a proceeding word. This year our international travel has ramped up considerably. At this point I am booked to speak in Guyana South America, Melbourne Australia, Brazil, England, and Norway. Some of these meetings require us to defray the entire cost of travel or at least a portion given the missionary nature of the meetings. Seldom do I ever make mention of this, but I have felt it important that I give those of you that believe in what we are doing to sow financially into our efforts overseas. You can give by either going to the website and contributing by paypal or sending your support to our address, 7417 Sun Dance Drive Fort Mill, S.C. 29707. Thank you in advance for your investment in our international efforts.

Reaching the Nations,

Dr. Randall Worley

The Pathology of Truth

Randall Worley — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST

It is difficult to know why we do what we do. Our motives are often very mercurial. We all know what it is like to have the subliminal audio incessantly playing with gnawing questions of "why did I do that", "why did I say that" pulling us into a vortex of self doubt. Am I selfish or selfless? Am I prideful or clothed in humility? Do I need to be noticed or am I content to be anonymous in my acts of kindness. Trying to sort it out in our psyche alone compounds our confusion.

Psalm 51:6 drips with the pathos of David coming to the realization that only God can reveal to us true motives. "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt me me to know wisdom." David was describing in graphic language the means by which God reveals what our motives really are. Being a part of a culture that practiced animal sacrifice he had witnessed the procedure and the attention given to detail. The priest of the Old Testament functioned with surgical percision when offering an animal sacrifice in worship. Using a knife as sharp as a scapel the animals jugular was severed allowing the blood to drain till in minutes it lay lifeless on the ground. Next the priest would meticulously insert the knife at the base of the animal skull running down its spine until it had been fileted. Stooping over the carcass with the steam of its life force evaporating the priest began the examination of every organ. Reaching into the body cavity the heart, lungs, kidneys, and bowels were examined to see if there was any sign of disease. The sacrifice was unsuitable if there was any abnormality found.

What connection did David see in this gruesome practice with his visceral questions of motive? The animal being offered could appear to be healthy externally but be carrying something internally that was only exposed when opened up. Hebrew 4:12 says that the word of God is "sharper than any two edged sword dividing assunder the soul from the spirit, penetrating to joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." It is difficult to ascertain what is coming from our soul and what coming from our spirit. Allowing the word of the Lord to penetrate past the veneer of our personality to the internal source of our actions puts us in touch with "truth in the inward parts." This is His desire. My bowels can be contaminated with bitterness rather than filled with compassion. My heart might be enlarged with pride rather than humiltiy. My kidneys could be toxic with unforgiveness rather functioning in unconditional love. May His desire become ours. Truth in the inward parts.

Intensity and Intentions

Randall Worley — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:03:00 EST

I have not posted anything in several months on our site due to being tested by intense situations. My dispearance from the site was critical to the timing of reapearing. Elijah was out of circulation for 31/2 years after delivering the word to Ahab. Paul was out of circulation for 14 years before emerging again. Sometimes we need to be covert rather than overt. The title of this writing was forged out of what I have experienced in the last several months. I have come to understand that we can endure the intensity of any situation if we have unmitigated trust in His intentions.

This is a time in which anyone with a revelation of the coming of His kingdom will endure much tribulation. Jesus said "through much tribulation we enter the kingdom." I am in no way glorfying pain and struggle but it is a part of the curriculum. Paul said that his "thorn in the flesh" was a messenger from satan sent to buffet him because of the revelation he had received. Third heaven revelation or transcendent insight does not come through a painless download.

Psalm 105:17 says concerning Joseph "He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt in with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of tried him.

Joseph had received unparalleled revelation of things to come that immediately thrust him into years of unconscionable misunderstanding and mistreatment. His perspective on what he endured reveals his trust in God's intentions. The years of wearing prison manacles on his ankles had not crippled him. The manacles composed of iron by osmosis gave him a transfusion of strength to endure. Joseph was the Old Testament equivalent of a apostle and prophet. He was given a dream as a seer or prophet of the destiny of his people and was sent before them as an apostle. The word of the Lord will try those that are sent as fore runners to prepare the way for those that will follow.

In the last few months I have talked with some of the premier prophetic voices in the country that have gone through protracted seasons of feeling deaf and blind. Again the tone of these words are not intended to sound as if pity is being solicited The real issue is not drowning in pity but seeking perspective.

In Luke 9:62 Jesus said "No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom." The image of a farmer and the back-breaking work of plowing illustrates the focus required to accomplish kingdom purpose. The rough leathery hands of a farmer calloused by hours of tightly gripping the crude wooden handles of a plow remind us to hold on when we want to let go. His concentration on an immovable object at the end of the row, such a tree or a rock keeps the furrows straight. No matter how fallow the ground maybe he will not relent until the soil is soft and receptive to seed. The hard places we go through are to sharpen our focus on the immovable promises he has placed before us. And to strengthen our grip on what He uniquely put in our hands.

Breakthrough is a word that has been loosely used through the years. Many times it has been used by those that are desiring a quick fix. It requires more faith to be delivered "in" a situation than to be delivered "out of" it. Breakthrough does not always come in the form we expect. Brokeness may occur before you receive your breakthrough. A desparate woman laying prostrate at His feet breaks open a priceless alabaster box pouring out her life savings and experiences a breakthrough of intimacy with Him that is legendary to this day. A weak and anemic woman ostracized for her incurable hemorrhaging breaks through the rejection and receives healing.He breaks through in us penetrating our shell of pride and self reliance so that he can manifest breakthrough through us.

Love Beyond Comprehension

Randall Worley — Wed, 20 May 2009 08:54:00 EST

For centuries man has explored the vast expanse of space as well as the depths of the ocean. What is the source of their insatiable curiosity to measure the immeasurable? To know the unknown and the unquantifiable is the depth of the human spirit reaching for God. Paul says it this way.

"May you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how high, and how deep His love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fulness of life and power that comes from God." (Eph.3:18-19 New Living Translation)

The deepest point in the ocean or on the earth for that matter is the Mariana Trench, located in the western Pacific. It is 1,554 miles long, 44 miles wide, and plunges to 35,797 feet. That is almost 7 miles deep. The development of sonar was a technology that enabled scientist to accurately measure the depths of the ocean. Long before this a more primitive method was used. Explorers carrried with them as much rope as possible to various locations and cast them over board to plumb the ocean floor. When the rope ran out and the bottom was still unknown an entry was made in their log-book that read "and deeper still."

The splendor of creation resonates with something deep within all of us that no matter what we may have experienced in our past there must be something more. This must be what the psalmist meant when he said "Deep calls unto deep." One of the most important principles of interpreting the scriptures is found in Romans 1:20 "The invisible things him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead." This passage simply stated means that all of creation, the mountains, the seas, the clouds, and so on reflect His nature.

The inescapable consciousness of our depravity and our shallow understanding of God's love has created limits where they do not exist. When you think He has had enough and is disgusted with you, remember His love is "deeper still."

Jesus said that if we "Have faith in God...We could say to a mountain. Be removed and cast into the sea." (paraphrase Mark 11:23) The Mariana Trench is the deepest place on earth and Mt. Everest is the highest place on earth. Mt. Everest is 29,029 feet. So if the tallest mountain on earth was cast into the Mariana Trench it would be swallowed up and still be submerged thousands of feet deep. A mountain is often used as a metaphor to describe something that overshadows you to the point you feel you could never get over it. Mountains of grief, guilt, and shame cover the landscape of our lives reminding us of how insurmountable they seem to be. But if our faith is in God and in His limitless love the shadows that are cast by these ominous feelings are drowned in the depths of the sea. Peter, a disciple that was painfully aware his failures understood this when he penned "Love covers a multitude of sins." (IPeter 4:8)

AFFECTED OR INFECTED

Randall Worley — Mon, 11 May 2009 11:26:00 EST

The way we handle relationships is the real measure of whether we are growing. Conflict is an ongoing course in the curriculum of life that we never really graduate from. We all can look back over the landscape of our lives and see the aftermath of destroyed relationships and wonder what happened. The vicious cyle continues when we seek for emotional equilibrium by obsessing over the question of who was right and who was wrong. The objectivity of a mediator may even conclude that the person you are at odds with is 99% wrong in the dispute. However, it is possible to have such an adamant need to be prove that you are right that you are wrong in your need to be right. I know that sounds paradoxical but it is true.

Forgiveness which is a supreme virtue illudes us due to misunderstanding its very nature. Forgiveness is not an emotion, its an unremitting decision that we never receive an exemption from. No matter how unjust our situation may seem. We can contend, defend, or even pretend not to be affected. But the cylce will continue until we embrace the real issue which is seeking to understand, rather than demanding to be understood. This must be why Jesus said "Take heed how you hear" not just what you hear. What is said to you and what you hear are not always the same. A lot of unnecessary grief can be avoided by realizing that people in our lives seldom say or do things to us because of who we are, but because of who they are. This brings me to the title of this article.

Let me explain what I mean by being affected and not infected. To many forgiveness is learning to suppress their feelings and developing higher levels of hypocrisy. As human beings we will never get to the point that we are not affected by hurtful things that peole do. But we don't have to allow it to infect us with the venom of unforgiveness. It has been said that no one ever died from a snake bite. Its the venom if allowed to circulate from the point of the strike to the rest of the body that kills.

Several years ago I was preparing for my first trip to Africa and was required to be immunized before leaving the states. The reason being was that the particular country I was traveling to had many highly contagious diseases that I could be vulnerable to. When I went to be vaccinated I was unprepared for the side effects that would follow. The next day I began to experience flu like symptoms such as fever and chills. I realized that the injection I had received was a low dose of all the diseases that I would be exposed to. My immune system was being strengthened to resist possible infection by actually being injected with the diseases.

We never know when the serpent of unforgiveness is going to strike. The question is not if it will happen, but when it happens will we allow it to infect us. If we make the decision to forgive when bitten our immune system is made stronger. One of the signs that follow believers according to Mark 16 is that they will take up serpents and be unharmed. Could it be that one of the meanings of that statement is that when we reach out to someone in trust and are bitten we can choose to release the antibody of forgiveness?

Judas is probably one of the most infamous characters in all of history and is synonymous with betrayal. Jesus had so trusted him that he made him treasurer of all his finances. He lead a posse of religious leaders to arrest Jesus and identified him by kissing him repeatedly. The irony of this well known incident is that Judas did not in any way think he was betraying Jesus. He actually thought that what he was doing would pressure Jesus to do what he had been reluctant to do. To mobilize the people of Israel and lead an overthrow of the Roman government. That same night the scripture says that satan aka the serpent had entered Judas. The original language indicates that his betrayal was not a single kiss but that he repeatedly kissed Jesus. All the time saying it seems "everything is alright Jesus"..... "I am doing whats best for you"....."This is your opportunity to display your messianic powers." Again and again the serpent struck Jesus. Jesus had been injected with rejection his entire ministry. So at this moment he was immuned to what appeared to be the fatal bites of a friend turned serpent.

There are many opinions about what was Jesus greatest display of power ranging from walking on the water to raising the dead. I think the most salient moment came on the cross when he exonerated his enemies by saying "Forgive them for they know not what they do." In essence he is saying that what they were doing to him was insanity. Insane people have no idea that what they are doing to others is egregious in nature. The affect of the physical injuries that Jesus sustained on the cross were unimagineable. But the betrayal of his friends when he needed them the most was in my opinion even more traumatic.

How do we get through the pain of relational injury? The answer is not simply being told "get over it." The redemptive response to rejection, offense, insult, etc. is always "forgive them for they know not what they do." This is the mind of Christ. Our minds will always seek vindication and will never be satisfied. But his thoughts working in ours brings a peace that passes understanding.

A Sound from Heaven

Randall Worley — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:06:00 EST

The desparate times that we are living in require that we hear God more clearly than ever before. I read a story a few years ago about a man living druing the great depression that was able to hear something that others ignored which changed his life. The depression of the twenties brought with it unprecendented unemployment. On ocassion an announcement would be made that a factory was hiring and people would line up before dawn to get a job. On this paricular morning the man who is the subject of this story rose early to get in line outside of the factory only to discover that when he arrived that the line was already very long. At first he was distraught thinking that he had missed his opportunity. He reluctantly took his place in line with little hope. While waiting on the door of the factory to open he heard a rhythmic tapping that seemed to go unnoticed by everyone else. As he listened intently he recognized that it was morse code. Being trained in this form of communication he realized that someone on the other side of the factory door was sending a message. After hearing it repeated several times he startled and even angered those in front of him by breaking out of line and rushing to the front. He began to tap on the door responding to the code that was coming from inside. The door opened and the employer said to him "You understand morse code don't you?" With excitement the man responded "Yes I do!" The employer asked him "What was I saying in the code?" He responded, "You were saying if you can hear and understand this sound step out of the line and come to the door the job is yours."

There is a sound from heaven in these times that is a message of hope and opportunity if only we can hear it. One of the most frustrating things we can experience during a time of feeling deaf to God's voice is to hear others regularly saying "The Lord spoke to me." The scripture says that there are "many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them without signification."(I Cor. 14:10) We live in a world of incessant clamour. The myriad of sounds that reverberate around us makes it difficult to tune in to what is significant.

Human beings have a limited frequency of hearing. Some sounds vibrate above and some below our threshhold of perception. For example, your dog can hear things that you can't. Research has shown that people that are blind have a keener sense of hearing than those with sight. The brain compensates for the loss of sight by intensifying what they hear. Maybe thats why we sometimes go through seasons where we feel we are without any vision and groping to find our way. It could be that we are learning to hear even when we can't see. II Cor. 5:7 says "We walk by faith and not by sight." And Romans 10:17 says "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."

I have three sons that are relatively good musicians and none of them can read music. They play by ear. Their love of music motivated them to develop the ability to hear the notes and interpret what they hear through their instruments. I have watched them many times tuning their guitars adjusting the tuning pegs back and forth until they hear each string producing the sound it was designed to produce. They know that it is in tune when the guitar resonates in harmony with what they hear in their head. Jesus said "That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 18:19) The word "agree" means symphony or to harmonize. Like the strings of a guitar that are put in tension sometimes our lives are put in tension so that we are in tune with the sound that is coming from heaven.

The dischord and dissonance of the world around us keeps us from hearing what God desires to say to us. In the wake of a famine Elijah had to learn to hear God in a new way. Jezebel was threatening to assassanate him. Here is man that had heard God so clearly in the past and now he is in fear for his life. Hiding in a cave with a bounty on his head he is blown by hurricane force winds, then shaken by an eathquake and finally the fire. The Lord was not in any of this. After all of these cataclysmic events he hears God in a still small voice.

THIS ARTICLE WILL BE FEATURED IN ONE OF THE UPCOMING MORNINGSTAR JOURNALS

New Series

Randall Worley — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:43:00 EST

My wife and I were on a flight from Charlotte to New York one day before the US Air flight that crashed into the Hudson River. This successful landing with no fatalities was unprecendented in aviation history. I believe this was more than a coincidence but a sign. This CD probes the parallels to recent events.

The Transfer of Power

Randall Worley — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:45:00 EST

We are now in the wake of one of the most epoch moments in all of American history. The inauguration of the first African American to the office of President. I beleive that it is critical that we realize the real issues are not whether we are "black or white" or "left or right" in our idealogy. It has been said that the election was not so much about the candidates as much as it was an election between "hope" and "fear".

Many Christians that have been polarized by partisanship will interpret my views as compromising on the lightening rod issues of abortion, terrorism, and the economy. There is certainly no room for negotiation on the sanctity of human life. How we confront terrorism will continue to evoke a myriad of opinions about how we should respond ranging from policing the world to a more diplomatic approach. And as far as the economy goes whether we go into a depression or gain deliverance the real issue remains will we trust in God or in government. It is not my intention to address these topics in this article but to consider what I believe to be a subject that has been overlooked.

The "transfer of power" was a consistent statement used in the media leading up to the inauguration. It is ironic that the White House which was built in 1792 was built primarily by slave labor and now is occupied by an African American. Regardless what spin is put on this fact it is still a fact. I certainly have had my sensibilities checked in the last few months each time racial innuendos have been volleyed by narrow minded extremist on both sides. Maybe we are missing the point.

First of all if we believe in the sovereignity of God we know that God alone rules over all of the affairs of men. "Promotion cometh not from the east , nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another."( Psalms 75:6-7) The mantra of the media has been "the transfer of power." But God has been and always be the possessor of all power in heaven and in earth. Every election year in November we wait for the election results to see who will be the next president. But God knew who the first one was and he knows who the last one will be.

Okay brace yourself for this next statement. Including myself, Christians can be masters at missing the point. Idealism and intolerance sometimes creates in us a predisposition that we are oblivious to. Idealism labors to legislate our on brand of righteousness and intolerance makes us aggenda driven rather than led by unconditional love.

This is an opportunity and not an obstacle to God's supreme aggenda. Reconcilation is God's priority. "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.....and we have been given the ministry of reconciliation." (II Cor. 5:18-19) I heard repeatedly that no one would have believed that an African American would become president in our life time. Could it be that this is a sign to us that God is giving to this generation the awesome opportunity to experience unity in a measure that is unprecendented? After all the essence of unity as God sees it is in diversity. I am sure that you have heard it said that God is color blind. God is not blind! We are threatened by our differences. God on the other hand created and celebrates our differences. He desires to transfer this power to us. The power to accept one another. The power to reconcile to one another as he has reconciled us to himself.

The religious spirit is responsible for more death and division than you can imagine. It is rooted in pride and feeds on fear. I have found that we usually fear what we don't understand. I started out talking about the election of hope or fear. As believers we will experience the transcendent transfer of power when we realize that the only choice is hope.

Every four years America annoints its new president in historic ceremony and celebration. We await his inaugural address that will chart the course for the next term. Two thousand years ago our commander and chief Jesus Christ gave his inaugural address. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and the recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19) These words resonate with hope not fear. We tend to think preaching the "gospel to the poor" relates only to the destitute. But the poverty Jesus is speaking of is not relegated only to the "have nots". Some of the the most bankrupt people in the world are those living in the illusion that financial success is synonymous with excess. The brokenhearted, the captives, the blind, and the bruised describes more than physical disabilities. These are symptoms of deeper issues. The church has heard the gospel of salvation and the gospel of prosperity for two thousand years. Now it is time for the gospel of the kingdom to be heard. The good news is that while the kingdoms of men are reeling His kingdom is unshakbale. It has been said the man can live 40 days without food, about 3 days without water, about 8 minutes without air, but only for 1 second without hope.

Series Sale

Randall Worley — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:19:00 EST

Headwaters is planning on launching a sale on selected series as we will be introducing a few more in the months to come. We will be sending out an announcement email to all of those who wish to be inofrmed of the sale. Email Us with the subject line "Subscribe" if you wish to receive notification of the sale and upcoming announcements and your name will be added to our database.

We have great things in store for 2009. Stay Tuned.

Perfect Storm

Randall Worley — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:33:00 EST

THE MELTDOWN OF FINANCIAL MARKETS AND POLITICAL UPHEAVAL IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS ARE THE MAKINGS OF A PERFECT STORM. THE UNPRECEDENTED LOSSES IN THE MARKET IS CAUSING MEN TO LOSE THEIR MINDS. FEAR LIKE A HIGHLY INFECTIOUS DISEASE IS AIRBORNE........................... HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND?

The phrase perfect storm" describes the simultaneous occurrence of weather events that create a potentially devasting storm. It happens when three different systems converge at the same time. Warm air from a low pressure system coming from one direction, a flow of cool and dry air generated by a high pressure from another direction, and tropical moisture from another. The convergence of all at the same time are not rare but unusual.

In the last few weeks we have without question been witnessing the convergence of several systems that have created an unprecendented storm. The melt down of the financial markets, contention in the presidential race, and the ongoing threat of terrorism are thundering this truth. Though written thousands of years ago the words of Psalms 107:23-27 could not be more relevant than they are now.

"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are their wits' end."

The sea in scripture is a type of the restless masses of humanity and wicked nations."The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." (Isa. 57:20) Revelation 17:15 "And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations and tongues." The "great waters and business" speak of the world economy. The instability and unpredictablity of water reflects the nature of man and the business of man. For years we have been intoxicated by prosperity and now we are waking up with a hangover that has brought us to our wits end. The brightest financial minds are troubled and groping for answers. A friend of mine made a statement years ago that seemed to me at the time to be a paradox. He said that "God had been judging America with prosperity." How could prosperity be a judgment? I think I understand now what he meant given the present state of our ecomomy. The insecurity felt by many in these tumultous times has revealed to us what we have really been secure in. Ironically the investments or what we call securities are best tenous. Psalms 62:10 "Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them." Psalms 118:8-9 "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. " Our confidence in fund managers and politicians reflects our trust in the illusion of solvency created by man rather than in the sovereignty of God. We must continue to remind ourselves as we are reeling "to and fro" that God is sovereign. That is that He rules over all, in all, and through all.

Do we need a "bail out" or a breakthrough? Often in scripture you find God delivering His people "in" the situation rather than delivering them "out" of their dilemma. The Lord is more interested in what we get out of going through crisis than always getting us out of it. I have talked to several people in the last few weeks that are in a crisis of their own making as well as many that are struggling eventhough they have made prudent financial decisons. In the days ahead no one will be immune from financial challenges. How do we navigate through the deep and treacherous waters ahead?

On more than one occasion Jesus deliberately took His disciples into situations that he knew would become stormy to test their faith and trust. Mark 4:35-40 describes such a storm. "And the same day, when even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? I will not attempt to give an exhaustive treatment of this passage but to deal with the parallels to where we are today. Jesus had just completed teaching an extensive parable on the sower and the seed. The seed which is the word of God is sown into different types of soil or mens hearts that vary in condition. The power of the seed is never in question. Jesus insistence on "passing over" to the other side of the Sea of Galilee was not just a whim. He only said what He heard the Father say and He only did what He saw the Father do. This was a transitional moment.

Every major transition in scripture seems to involve passing through water. Moses led the children of Israel through the Red Sea. Joshua led Israel through the Jordan River. Elisha had to cross over the Jordan to receive the mantle of Elijah. And here the disciples are crossing the Sea of Galilee with a storm looming that would test their faith. Peter, James, and John who were seasoned sailors had never witnessed a storm of this magnitude or intensity. This body of water was infamous for storms that would come out of nowhere, and they had survived many of them in the past. This one however would bring them to their wits end. The violent upheavel of the waves was casting them up to a crest and then down into a trough. Much like the extreme swings going on in our markets. Not only was the structural integrity of the ship disintegrating but to make matters worse it was brimming with water. Surely it is not difficult to see that we too are in storm in which the waves of financial fear are casting us about and threatening our demise. Acts 14:22 says "that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." The kingdoms of this world are violently shaking giving way to a kingdom that cannot be shaken Hebrews 12:26-28. The most extraordinary thing about this crisis was that Jesus was sleeping through it. While the disciples were seized with fear the Lord was sleeping. The howling wind and convulsing waves had so captured their psyche that they had forgotten that He was with them. How could the Lord sleep through such choas? The answer is simply that His internal reality superceded His external circumstances. The implication of the verse is that to wake Him up the disciples violently shook Him and said Master which means teacher "Carest thou not that we perish!!" How often do we misinterpret the Lords attitude toward our trials? When He seems unresponsive to us we assume He is indifferent. Only when we trust His ultimate intentions we can endure the intensity of circumstances.

His response to their panic was to manifest peace. Peace is not the absence of problems. Our perception determines whether we panic or remain in peace. It has been said "when we change the way we see things, the things we see will begin to change." I believe that the financial storm that we are in right now as a country will cause believers to awaken the Lord of the storms that is within us. The disciples had forgotten the last words that Jesus had spoken to them before going to sleep; "Let us pass over unto the other side." Panic is not an option for us. Staying focused on passing over or transtioning into greater levels of trust in Him is our only option. The illusion of security the world gives is just that, an illusion. A peace that passes understanding is our inheritance. In John 14 Jesus told the diciples that He was leaving them a peace that was unlike any illusion of peace that the world could give.

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A Prospective on Priorities Part Two

Randall Worley — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 06:26:00 EST

In the first installment of "A Prospective on Priorities" we discussed the power of focus. We now turn our attention to the primacy of prayer. For most the subject of prayer evokes feelings of condemnation and ineptness. Your awareness of its importance and your lack of initiative perpetuates spiritual inertia. When you read that you should "pray without ceasing" you feel that to be an unrealistic requirement considering the relentless demands of your daily schedule. It is not my intention to accentuate that feeling by condemning you, but correcting your perspective on prayer. Over the years I have observed the devoted and consistent prayer life of people that I admire and have found myself discouraged rather than encouraged. I heard it said once that sometimes "there is nothing worse than a good example." I know that sounds strange. But, the simple truth is you cannot make the mistake of starting where someone else is. You have to start where you are. I am sure you have heard the maxim that "the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step." Stop what you are doing right now and ask the Lord to impart to you a fresh desire to seek Him. The word "desire" is a compound word that clarifies the impetus you need to get started. "De" and "sire". The prefix "de" meaning "from" and "sire" meaning "father" or from the father. Discipline is a important component to mantaining the priorty of prayer, but discipline alone will dissipate in time. The discipline of the Pharisees in prayer was legendary but the Lord said that their heart was far from Him. Allow me to be vulnerable with you about my own struggle in the last few months. For sometime I continued going through the motions of ministry having a degree of perceived sucess with a prayer life that was almost nonexistent. My focus had been ministry "for" Him rather than "to" Him. I have learned that it is possible to know about Him and still not know Him. The Lord told me thirty years ago that I would either seek him by choice or by crisis. Unfortunately crisis was the catalyst that helped me to regain the priority of prayer. I have learned to embrace the Lord's judgment rather than question it. Judgment is not a negative thing but really the Lord's severe mercy turning us back to the ulitmate priorty of knowing Him. The Lord is jealous for us and will not allow anything or anyone to take precedence over our relationship with Him.I had allowed providing for my family, financial fears, and fear of the future to take precedence over my need to seek Him. Matthew 6:8 says "your Father knows what you need before you ask." This verse begs the question "if He knows what we need before we pray, why ask?" Prayer is the only way to differentiate between real needs and felt needs. The purpose of prayer is not to inform God about our problems but to inquire of Him that we might see what He sees. God does not come into our illusion to deliver us; He invites us through prayer to enter His reality. He alone is our source and our solution. Ironically, the problems that persistently plague us indicates to us, who or what we have allowed to become our source. Our desire to seek Him can be fickle vacillating between intensity one day to indifference the next. I am learning anew the inestimable value of beginning every day by asking the Father to infuse me with desire. A desire that is throughout the day only one degree away from boiling over into passionate intimacy with Him.

A Prospective on Priorities

Randall Worley — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:24:00 EST

All of us struggle with keeping our priorities in order. Life has a way of shuffling the deck so that the things that should be first become last. Many years ago I read a book by Charles Hummel entitled the "Tyranny of the Urgent" that decribes this daily challenge. He describes the difference in the things that are really important and those things that are urgent. I believe that there are priniciples that if practiced will deliver you from the dilemma of experiencing the daily pandemonium that is common to so many. In this article we will explore a few insights that will assist you in "keeping the main thing, the main thing." The typical day for most us begins with us waking up with a torrent of thoughts that rush toward perceived urgency. Urgent matters may not be that important but they demand immediate attention and insist on action. We tend to compound the problem by immersing ourselves in all kinds of sensory distractions. Beginning our day with the TV blaring for fear that something may have happened over night that we must know before heading out the door. Reaching for our phone to engage in what is often meaningless chatter compared to what should be our focus. These are just a few of the distractions that vie for our attention and ultimately shape our intentions. I think the psalmist understood the supreme priority when he said "Be still and know that I am God."(Ps. 46:10) Becoming still and achieving a state of emotional and mental quietness is easier said than done. It is attainable if we give ourselves to knowing Him before needing to know anything else. A young violinist that was considered a virtuoso among his peers was asked how he had mastered his instrument. His response was, planned neglect. He went on to explain that every day he deliberately plans to neglect anything that might destract him from practice. As I write this article there are mounds of correspondence on my desk that remind me of urgent matters. It would be easy for me to lose focus and become paralyzed by what is at this moment periphery. Many battles have been lost by using the strategy of dividing and conquering. The ability to focus is indespensable to magnifying what is important and minimalizing the urgent. A magnifying glass that will fit in the palm of your hand if focused on the sun eventhough 90 million miles away will capture its power and set ablaze the object of its focus. We can choose turn the lense of our attention toward the "Son" and magnify His influence or turn toward things of lesser significance.

(This is the first installment of A Prospective on Priorities)

The Uncommon Advantage Part II

Randall Worley — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 12:26:00 EST

In the last newsletter we began to explore the subject of Gods favor in our lives. Favor as God intended was never meant to be experienced by a select few. It has been said, "Favor is Gods influence working through you that attracts people and possibilities to you so you accomplish your unique assignment". As long as you believe the lie that others have advantages that you don't have you will not experience the favor of God. You will fixate on your sense of being uneducated, unattractive, or unworthy and forfeit the favor that is rightly yours in Christ.

The most addictive substance on the planet is not sold by drug dealers but is something that all of us become addicted too early in life. Approval. If a person does not have a consciousness of Gods favor or approval, their life will be controlled by the approval and disapproval of others. They feel accepted when they perform well, and rejected when they don't. The assumption is that the way they "feel" is a confirmation of God's view of them. So they go through life begging for "undeserved favor". We believe God loves us, but has no value for us unless we do everything right. This logic says that doing everything right is the source of His approval. Our undeveloped capabilities become a source of frustration causing us to be condemned by what we should be able to do. If we reason this way it makes it impossible to access God limitless favor. We become trapped by our own personal efforts.

The truth is that He did not wait until our performance was good enough. Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He loves you for who you are, not what you will become. You are the first you that ever was. You are the most qualified person on earth to do what you were chosen to do. Begin to accept the way God made you. When we begin to understand this is Gods attitude toward us it will change our attitude toward those around us.

The scripture says that we are to "find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man". (Proverbs 3:4) God’s intention is for favor to flow to you and then through you. Many Christians develop a persecution complex in the marketplace feeling that their job hinders their destiny without realizing that their job is Gods gift to them. Don't let your occupation hinder your destiny; instead allow the favor of God to shape your occupation by turning it into your ministry. From Joseph we learn that having favor does not guarantee that things will always go favorable for us. His brothers sold him into slavery; he was falsely accused by Potiphars wife, and was forgotten by those in prison that he helped to be released. The favor of God working through him made those he served outrageously successful even when they were not fair with him.

Don't allow conflict and criticism to conquer you. You can learn more about yourself from the criticism and mistreatment of your enemies that you will ever learn from the compliments of your friends. Like Joseph you have been placed where you are in the marketplace to bring transformation. If you work in an ungodly corporation where the spiritual climate is hostile, don't allow that to keep you from moving forward. I seriously doubt that your boss or fellow employees could be worse than the people Joseph worked for. From working as a shepherd, to being a slave, to being in prison he never stop learning. His attitude was never how can I get out of this job, but what can I get out of this. It may sound trite, but it’s not about what you are earning but what you learning at whatever level you are right now. No obstacle will ever leave you the way it found you. The occupation of a shepherd was considered to be the most demeaning and lowest form of employment by the Egyptians. Yet this is where Joseph started and favor promoted him to being the becoming the second most powerful man in all of the Egyptian empire. There is no one that gives you more trouble than you. Only you can hold yourself back. You don't need a change of scenery but a change of self. The things that you consider to be disadvantages or disabilities are only illusions that you have maintained of yourself. You can empower an illusion of yourself to the degree that it will control your entire life.

The scripture teaches that whatever you focus on will grow in your mind. When you focus on what you're not instead of what God says you are it becomes more real to you than the truth of Gods word. The psalmist said "Oh magnify the Lord with me" (Psalm 34:3). You can't make God bigger but you can experience more of His favor when you magnify who He is in you rather than magnifying your inadequacies. You have lying dormant within you an uncommon advantage that will enable you to accomplish what you have believed in the past to be impossible. Just change your focus and favor will flow through you.

The World is Flat

Randall Worley — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:41:00 EST

The contemporaries of Christopher Columbus believed that the world was flat and therefore feared to set sail beyond what they perceived to be the horizon thinking they would fall of the edge of the world. Columbus was the only man that believed that the world was a sphere and beyond the horizon a new world was waiting to be discovered. It took him nineteen years to obtain sponsorship for his voyage. For nineteen years he suffered the agony of public humiliation for his
convictions. Sixty-four days into his voyage, with only ten days of food and water left his own officers wanted to turn back. Columbus believed that truth was never dependent on the consensus of opinion. Believers today are in desperate need of leaders that possess this same indomitable spirit to explore new horizons that will take us into greater dimensions of the Spirit. It has become popular for many in the church world to become self appointed apostles to elevate and validate themselves without understanding the true spirit of an apostle. The word apostle in the scripture was a nautical word that was secular in origin. It was used to describe the flag ship in a fleet of ships. Usually a fleet of ships commissioned by a king to explore uncharted territory for the purpose of expanding his kingdom. This word picture captures the true essence of the apostolic spirit. Being an apostle has little to do with possessing a title as much as being a passionate pursuer of truth. If men study the scripture to prove what they already know they are not unlike those who thought that the world was flat. We can never discover truth if there are possibilities that we are not open to because the mind cannot reveal what we refuse to see. We require God to explain infinite realities in a way our "flat" finite minds can comprehend. Flat thinkers want everyone to believe what they believe whether it helps people or not to move beyond what they have always known. The need to vehemently defend our beliefs is a sign that those beliefs have limited our horizon for fear that we would go off the deep end. Often we make the mistake of thinking that sincerity is proof that what we believe is truth. When our confidence is in our doctrine we have a sense of safety as long as we can protect our doctrine. There is no such thing as unbiased thought. We are all guided by preconceived ideas. Most of us have decided how we will see God before we ever read the Bible. As a result we simply notice the parts that reinforce our already inaccurate beliefs. For centuries guardians of particular doctrines have excluded those who disagree and even passed laws making it illegal to believe anything that differs from their interpretation of scripture. Jesus confronted the religious leaders of his day when he said, "If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a ditch" (Matthew 15:14). They were blinded by their limited belief system. To break free would be risking the loss of religious approval. If blind believers are following blind leadership they may be moving but that does not mean they are going anywhere. In my own life as a leader I came to a painful awareness that I had been blind to my own insecurities. I had l led out a need to be needed as is true with so many men that wield so called apostolic authority. Submission to spiritual authority is a biblical principle that can easily be perverted and become control. I have witnessed many extremes where insecure men justify control in the name of apostolic authority and if you challenge them you are ostracized and labeled as a rebel. The purpose for authority is to confirm but never to control. It has been said that the person that has the greatest influence in your life is not the person you believe in but the person that believes in you. An example of this is something I read about T.L. Osborn an apostle to third world nations. At the end of one of his crusades he was being escorted back to his return flight to the states and the host began to share with him their appreciation for his ministry. They told him that the distinct difference between him and others who came from the states was that after their visits they knew how great these men were. But following Osborn's meetings they knew how great they were. The litmus test of any doctrine is in two simple criteria. Does it make me love God and people. Jesus said that "on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Position does not give you authority. Truth gives authority. Leaders should not concern themselves with whether people will submit to them, but will they submit to the Lordship of Jesus. Apostles simply walk where they others to go. It is their choice to follow. The average person that comes into the Kingdom is unable to trust anybody including God. Our ultimate goal is to be like Him. And John said that when we see Him we would be like him for we will see Him as He is (I John 3:2). We become like the God we believe in. If we see a controlling, manipulating, angry, God then we become all of those things and lead others into a warped belief system. Our message to the world has been is that if you are unsaved, God hates you. If you are saved and you live right God loves you. Church members are made to feel that they are nothing. Even the term laity comes from the Latin word common one. They are made to feel they know nothing and therefore need us to teach them. Commitment cannot be legislated it must be developed. Paul manifested the pure heart of an apostle by urging the Corinthian believers to follow him as he followed Christ (I Cor. 11:1). He was not motivated to have them follow him to satisfy his ego but to lead them to the fullness of their personal destiny in Christ. He did not seek the honor of men but in humility he admitted with all of the revelation he had received that he had not yet attained (Phil. 3:12). Apostolic leaders today must possess a humility that acknowledges we don't have all the answers. It will require the courage to invite others to set sail with us toward horizons that will take us to dimensions in God that we never knew existed.