One More Round

Wednesdays are special for me because I get together with a great friend for breakfast where we can share about our lives and what God is doing for us. It usually varies which restaurant we go to due to time constraints, but it's a great time in the Lord and I thank Him for bringing men like Randy Nichols into my life. We all need to be encouraged, lifted up and surrounded by those who can do just that. I appreciate Randy's friendship, openness and willingness to meet for breakfast when I'm sure he'd much rather be home sleeping. I know how tough it can be to get up and leave the house on those cold, wintry mornings when the truck is cold and the heater takes 15 minutes to warm up. But it's people like him that really improve my day after I've had time to meet with a brother in Christ.

On the way home from IHOP today, I tuned into Dr. James Dobson and his radio program Focus on the Family. Today, they were featuring an incredibly dynamic African American preacher named Herb Lusk who spoke to a predominantly white audience in Colorado Springs. Now anyone who knows about African American chruches know that the audiences "converse" with the pastor as he's teaching. As Dr. Dobson said, the congregation is there to respond and encourage their pastor as he's going along. However, this Focus on the Family audience he was speaking to were mostly caucasian and probably not quite as used to "responding" as Pastor Lusk may have been used to.

But by the end of today's message, there was no recognition of skin color. No denomination. No specific style of worship.

No. What you'll hear is that the Spirit of God was moving and HAD moved during that service! To use a phrase I discussed last week...

"they HAD church!"

Absolutely incredible message. I highly encourage you to download the link at Dr. Dobson's website and listen to Pastor Lusk's message. (www.family.org) The link to hear this message is there on the front page.

I promise you...you will be encouraged!! In fact, I'm placing an order for 2-3 copies of this CD message to share with others.

One of the things he mentioned today was that a child of God must not only have the zeal of a zealot but the spirit of a soldier...the guts of a gladiator. By this, we need not be complacent or meek as a Christian. The Devil has enough strongholds set up in our nations, our homes and even in our churches. It's time for us to become aggressive against the Devil and his schemes. We can do this without any worry and without the fear of failure. For as Christ said "upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18 KJV)

What a great word! When we go into battle following God, nothing...not even the "gates of hell" will be able to stop us! Even as we get down and think there'll never be any hope for us again, God is there with us. He has a plan spoken about in Jeremiah 29:11. This plan is for our welfare, not our disaster. It's a plan that gives us a future...it gives us hope!

Rev. Lusk told the story of an up & coming boxer who went up against a powerful champion by the name of John L. Sullivan many many years ago (by my research, the fighter's name was James J. Corbett and the fight was in New Orleans, 1892 although Rev. Lusk never names the man). The story continues that no one had given this challenger any kind of chance or hope to survive this guranteed bludgeoning but he went in to do his best.

As expected, in the first round, Sullivan rocked the young man's head with a smashing blow that the man later said he felt from the top of his head to his feet. Yet, he thought to himself "if I can make it just one more round".

The next round, Sullivan greeted the man with a shot to the body that knocked the man flat on his back. Again, he summoned his strength and thought "if I can make it just one more round".

Third round. Another crushing blow and another visit to the canvas. And again, the man thought "if I can just make it one more round".

The fight progressed with more punishing blows to the man's head, face and body. His body badly bruised, bloody and beaten. Yet he kept telling himself "just one more round".

The fight went until the 17th round. It was a fight many had wanted to see for a long time. Then 18. Then 19. 20. Finally the 21st round.

As the bell rang, the man literally staggered from his corner to meet Sullivan once again for another assured beating. And once again, he told himself "just one more round".

This time, though, it was different. The man, who by all odds and expectations should have either been knocked out 20 rounds earlier or should've been well into the land of unconsciousness, pressed forward. This time it was HE who went on the offensive and with one punch, knocked out the champion, John L. Sullivan.

He did it because he made himself get back up for "one more round". That's what we need to do today in the midst of our own fear and desperation. As we feel like we're going down for the count and there's nothing left we can give, look to your side and see the loving eyes of Jesus there with His arms underneath your's, supporting you and helping you up, all the while whispering in your ear "come on...let's do this. Let's go one more round."

You see, the battles already been fought, the victory's already been won and Jesus Christ reigns supremely as Lord!!! The Devil knows he's lost. He knows he's bound for eternity in hell and he's trying to take as many souls as he can with him.

So if discouragement is filling your life today, all it's "stuff" has got you down and you feel like Satan is moving in for the knockout blow, pray for guidance and help from our God Almighty today. Put your faith in HIM alone. Surrender your life to HIM. Christ's already knocked Satan out and took his teeth out too. For as it says in the scripture:

"Your adversary, the Devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour." (I peter 5:8 HCSB)

He roars and tries to bow up, intimidate you. But if you're under the blood of the Lamb, Satan can do absolutely NO harm to you!! He may roar loudly and stomp his feet on the ground but God protects you. You don't need to fear the Devil at all, even though he can try to make your life a living hell. Yes, life can get rough and it isn't always going to be easy. This is true for everyone...saved or not.

But why fight a battle that you're unsure of who wins or not? You don't have to. Put your faith & life in the hands of the One who created the heavens and the earth. God will protect and sustain you today. Even in the midst of all fear and doubt, even at the lowest of times in your life, our Heavenly Father is there to care for you. Don't go through life with nothing to look forward to.

Keep your eyes on the prize. Keep your eyes on Him. Remember what He did for you and me over 2000 years ago. He's still as relevant today as He was back then. No other person, no other name has been discussed, debated or created as much furor as the name of Jesus. Why?

Because there's power in His name. As a song we recently sang continues

"There's power in the name of Jesus,
there is HOPE, there is STRENGTH
and VICTORY to claim,
there's healing in His holy presence,
there is power in His name!"

Jesus Christ came to die for our sins. He did this to show His love for EVERYONE. He allowed Himself to be beaten and scourged for our sins (Isaiah 53:4-5) and He took our sins to the cross, dying a ghastly death for me and you.

All of Hell rejoiced that day as Jesus died. Satan and his demons thought they had finally won. But Christ came back and with the most powerful roundhouse right imaginable, He arose from the dead, broke the chains of sin and hell, defeated the enemy soundly and permanently then walked out of the tomb.

So what do you say? You need someone to go along with you...one more round?