Going To The Next Level

 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."  John 16:12-13  NKJV

Two weeks ago, as we were settling into our new home in Huntington, Indiana these words were spoken to me by the Holy Spirit. "I brought you here to set you up for the increased ministry you will be entering.  There are many more things I want to show you, but you are not yet ready to receive them."  We have known for several years that we would eventually be living back here in our hometown.  This is where Diana was born and grew up.  This is where my family moved when I was entering the fifth grade of elementary school, where I grew up, where we were married, and where I graduated from College.  When we finally decided it was time to make the transition we listed our Lake Cottage FOR SALE.  And we began our search for a new home in Huntington. There were several requirements we were looking for in our new base-camp-home.  There had to be room enough for our Home Congregation Gatherings and for entertaining our family for birthdays, Thanksgiving, and other special occasions.  This meant the house needed to have a family room and a dinning room that would accommodate up to fifteen people.  It also needed to have a spare bedroom for accommodating overnight guests, a private office area for ministry, an office for Diana, and last of all a fenced backyard for Ranger and Sammy. And to top it all off, it had to be a home that was within our limited budget.  We are both on retirement income plus a love gift from the ministry. Well, God exceed all our expectations!  We were able to find a home that met and exceeded our long list of requirements.  Our Lake Cottage sold within 30 days!  And the sale price was more than the purchase price of our new home!  How AMAZING is that?

In my spirit I knew that the Holy Spirit was transitioning us to set us up for greater Kingdom Ministry.  I knew that there was no retirement for me in God's Plans for my life.  All the way back in 2002, after eating a meal of Junk Food, He said, "Eat healthy and stay fit, you are going to need your strength for the days ahead."  Over the past twenty years, (with occasional lapses), we both have tried to obey and follow the course for diet and exercise that He for us.  Now, He was telling me there are a lot more things to do, in addition to just diet and exercise, to get ready for the days ahead!   The Lord has put His finger on several areas of personal growth required to have the capacity of receiving what He wants to show me.

RE-LEARN GREEK:  I had two semesters of Greek in College.  The first semester was a basic introduction to the language and vocabulary.  The second semester was translating the Book of Romans.  Over the past fifty-three years of ministry I occasionally studied a New Testament word from the original Greek.  But for the most part I did not keep up with the use of the the Greek language.  Greek language skill is not like riding a bicycle.  If you don't use it....you lose it.  I have begun a self-paced online Basic Biblical Greek Class.  I know there are treasures that are waiting to be discovered, hidden in the original words of Christ that are recorded in our inspired New Testament. 

LEAR TO PLAY GUITAR:  When I was a small boy our mother paid for all three of us boys to have piano lessons.  At one point we all played accordions! When I was in college the highest grade I achieved was in  "Music Appreciation" class, which was a study of the Great Composer of Classical Music. Last year I asked my oldest brother, Jerry, to give me guitar lessons.  He said he would. Of us three boys, Jerry was the only one who stayed with music into his adult life.  He and his family, (The Wagner Family)  traveled for many years doing worship music for Revival Services throughout the U.S. and other countries.  They even recorded twelve albums together as a family, and had the opportunity of being the opening music for the Danny Gaither Trio.  Unfortunately, Jerry went home to be with Jesus this past October, and I dropped the idea of taking lessons.  Now, in obedience to the Lord, I have begun an online Beginner Guitar Class and am now into my third lesson.  Over the years the Holy Spirit has given me the lyrics to several songs.  I know he wants to give me the music to go with those words.

There are five other areas of personal growth and development that He showed me, that I am gradually working into my routine schedule.  But this Blog Post is already getting too long.  Let me wrap it up with a passage of scripture that was embossed in gold on the front cover of my Genuine Leather King James Version Thompson Chain Reference Bible when I enter the ministry in 1972.

"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you."   Philippians 3:10-15  KJV

On my next birthday I'll be seventy-five years old, but I'm still pressing on!  I'm getting ready for the "many more things."  I AM GOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL!  Do you know what He wants you to do to get ready for the days ahead?  I encourage you to seek the Lord.  Ask Him. Write down what He says, and then share it with others who will pray for you and encourage you as you follow Him where He leads you.