Day #6 - "Emotional With God" (Brentwood, Tn)

Wednesday April 7th

Today was an emotional day! Not that I planned for that – I mean you can’t. And I never want to fake emotions. But the other book that I am reading while on this trip, along with the “one Month To Live” book from Kerry & Chris Shook I am reading, is “Breakthrough Prayer” by Jim Cymbala.

I was reading last night before going to bed how “breakthrough prayers” can’t simply be prayed for. Not that you fake emotions but when you really want something or when you are really desperate for something, somehow you will be moved to emotions and “cry out” in prayer for those things. So many times in Scripture is the reality of crying out to God through prayers.

So I go to bed. I get up this morning and spent a good amount of time reviewing a bunch of Scriptures on obedience. Then I come across the story in Daniel 3 about those 3 guys who demonstrated crazy obedience, even if it would cost them their lives. But what really got to me, and I got all choked up, was their incredible focused conviction. I mean they say to the King, “we believe that God can save us from this fiery furnace, but even if He doesn’t” … I mean even if He doesn’t, they still would believe in Him and not deny Him.

I got choked up and tears welled up because I was contextualizing that story right at that moment in my own life. I mean God has called me to this crazy obedience. I believe God has put me on this trip. It is crazy. But I am following Him and need to trust Him – even if He doesn’t provide the $16M – even if He doesn’t provide even $1M. God called me to this crazy step of obedience for some reason. I do believe it is for the stated purpose of this Luke 11 One-Month Road Trip. But even if He doesn’t – I will be ok with that! Somehow His sovereignty will prevail.

As I close for today, songs like “Empty Me” or “This Is My Desire” by Jeremy Camp or even “From The Inside Out” ie new version from Philip, Craig & Dean, are on my mind right now. Check out their lyrics and make them your prayers. God is pruning me on this trip. God is “breaking” me for some reason. He is about to do something. He has my full and undivided attention. We’ll see what happens one day at a time.

BTW: the picture in this Daily Blog is me obviously – where I spent a lot of time yesterday making phone calls and emails setting-up meetings for the week. I was at Brentwood Baptist Church in their Connection Café. It is a really cool place – better than even Starbucks! I mean this would be so huge for a church to have something like this in Ottawa. Maybe one day it will be our turn.

BTW#2: in case you are following the “Daily Signs”, I would say what happened this morning in my devotions was unexpected. That will be my sign for the day. God is with me! And it’s good to have all this “alone time with Him”!