A time for honesty...BE REAL !!

Brothers,
It has been a couple of weeks since I have been able to put my thoughts on our blog. There are 2 reasons for this. One- I was away for about a week to Atlanta with my wife on a company trip and not getting access to a computor. Great time away. The main reason and the honest REAL reason is that I dont want to be a fraud. Was it the enemy whispering in my ear and calling me an imposter or was it my natural mind telling me that I just dont measure up ? I do not want to be a phony !! I have had some intense struggles with my walk lately. I know that this revival conference is leading us to places we have never been. I want to go there. I want all that God has for me. I want to have righteous relationship with my heavenly father. I want to walk with God. I want to REALLY talk with God. I want God to be pleased with me. I want to know his presence. I want it all. But.... have I really counted the cost ? It became apparrent to me that there are things in my life life that I couldnt HONESTLY say to my Lord that I am willing to do without. There are areas that have been ignored that will be exposed before the judgement seat that would scream FRAUD. These must be dealt with NOW. Brothers have we really wanted God to show us the cost of this journey ? God will accept nothing less than our all. That is costly. A living sacrifice is what Paul calls us to in Romans 12. You and I are alive so we at least have that part licked. How about the sacrfice part. Dennis Ignatius ( Fire Begets Fire Ministries ) in his recent devotional said, " A sacrifice that costs us nothing is really no sacrifice at all, isn't it? And yet, how many times have we offered to the Lord that which costs us nothing? " Brothers , that is what I am talking about. I needed to count the cost and have come to the conclusion that I must make some crucial decisions first.
Here are some thoughts from my time with God today:
We don't need more of God... God needs more of me.
When you want to truely follow Jesus there will always be a life and death battle.
What is of more value? My earthly crowns or my heavenly crown?
What are my "idols" that get in the way of God, or take the place of my God?
How much room for God do I have in my life?
Malachi 1:10
Luke 11:13
Judges 6:13

The refiners fire has brought some more junk to the surface and it has taken some time to REALLY deal with it. It HAS been dealt with ! Am I prepared to be purged? YES YES YES. The cost is nothing compared to the JOY of being right before my Lord. Praise God for his mercy, his grace, his patience and unfailing , unconditional love for us. I am ready to march on.

Brothers, I want to be honest before God and my brothers. I want to be in the battle and not just watch from a distance or claim that I am I am a soldier because I sound like one or look like one. I must BE one. Our Lord, our Commander in Chief, is putting out the call for all true soldiers to stand up. Revival is coming ! We don't need more " chocolate soldiers " as C. T. Studd called them, but REAL men of God. Count the cost. ( It is your very life ). I am ready to move on. I am aware that the refiners fire will burn again in my life and I am willing to BE real when that happens. Brothers we need to be even more in prayer for each other. Even after satan had lost the battle with our Lord with the temptations for 40 days, he said he would watch and wait for an opportune time to return ( Luke 4:13 ). If he would return to try to tempt even our Lord, how much more eager is he to think that defeating us will be only a matter of waiting for the next weak moment or slip up we have. Put on the full armor of God . Stand firm. (1 Peter 4:7 ....so that you can pray)
This has been good for me to share with you but more than anything I ask you to continue to pray for me and my family. We have had our share of excitement over the last few weeks. 4 teenagers in the house says it all. Thank you for being on this journey with me. I look forward to sharing more as I move forward to where God is leading.

Your brother in the battle,
Bill