Taking The Initiative
TAKING the INITIATIVE
…the people who know their God will display strength and take action.
Daniel 11:32b
When October 13th arrives 120 of you will gather with Linda and me at
The Venue in Fairhope, AL. www.thevenuefairhope.com We will give thanks to God for His faithfulness during the 25-year history of Discovery Family Ministries!
It will be a night of rejoicing, reflection and rededication!
We are excited about seeing you there! From the beginning many of you have shared our mission Empowering Lives to Change for Good Through Proven Principles that Lead to Peace and Productivity and have prayed for God to use this ministry to impart hope to the discouraged and direction to those who have lost their way. We are glad to report, He has!
However, the days before us require renewed vigilance, new strategies and innovative ideas born of the Spirit. More on that topic in a moment…
We hope you will reserve your place at the table ASAP for this landmark occasion! The cost is $35 per person. RSVP by 10/06/16.
A delicious meal catered by Chery’s Café will begin promptly at 6:30 PM. Come early for fellowship.
Our dear friend, Alicia Williamson Garcia, will provide music ministry and you will be uplifted by stirring testimonies of God’s power to transform lives!
I will recount how God launched DFM in 1991 as He delivered me from alcoholism. It has been a fulfilling journey that has now touched thousands and the story continues… Our partners in ministry from The Shoulder, the Wings of Life, the Home of Grace for Women and local churches will be recognized and honored.
During the evening Linda and I will be asking for special prayers through the “laying on of hands” for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit.
A Perfect Opportunity
These unsettled times in America provide the perfect opportunity for distinctively Christian programs to step up to offer Biblical answers.
According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, $31.1 billion of our tax dollars will be directly spent on the drug problem in 2017. Of this, 46% will go toward treatment and only 5% toward prevention.
These statistics reflect at least three truths: We are playing catch up, the work is NOT finished and the government has no answers! Death by addiction continues to increase.
From the beginning of DFM, we knew that the people of God offer the only viable alternative that works permanently to defeat the enemy.
We knew alcohol and drug addiction was symptomatic of a spiritual battle. We knew winning would require “extreme ownership.”
We knew that DFM was not our ministry for Jesus; it was Jesus’ ministry through us and that the USA was our mission field.
So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God. Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me… Romans 15:17-18a NLT
We knew that when individuals recognize and accept God’s calling upon their lives and practice vital Biblical principles, they could continue to walk in permanent freedom. Thus, our aim was more than “sobriety;” it was “God consciousness” through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit!
We knew we were NOT a self-help approach, but a God-help-me approach! We do have our part in the equation, but God is the Prime Mover!
We knew that being passive tends toward defeat; serving toward victory!
Thus, we believe now is the time for Taking the Initiative!
Speaking of government, we especially pray for our judges and law enforcement officials. They are tasked with the weighty responsibility of protecting society from the ravages of sin. More and more as our Republic drifts away from the Judeo-Christian ethic and the “moral law” of God to a consensus-based culture of pluralism, the job of law enforcement becomes more difficult.
When judges and officers see their roles as a calling from God rather than a career opportunity, they find themselves in a difficult place. We need to pray for them constantly. I have talked with them over lunch and heard their frustration. They need our help.
Changing hearts is more important than changing laws and enforcing harsher sentences. If the family and the church would take the initiative in these matters, it would reduce the case-loads waiting to go to trial and the moral atmosphere in our communities would change. This is one of our greatest burdens going forward. It speaks to prevention rather than treatment.
Go with Me Inside One of our Venues…
Last week at the Wings of Life as I was speaking to about 70 people, I asked if they would join me in paying for our judges. It was quite a moment!
I said, “Judges are not our enemies; they are God’s servants, whether they know it or not! The law is designed for sinners, not for the righteous! (Read 1 Timothy 1:8-10) If you are made righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ, you have nothing to fear! Even if the entire judicial system drifts away from God; He remains faithful and He will protect the righteous for His own name’s sake!
Besides, if you think the judges are your enemy and you are a disciple of Jesus, He said for us to pray for our enemies! So one way or the other we ought to pray for judges!” Then the place erupted in applause. Imagine that, former inmates eagerly praying for the judges before whom they have or will appear!
Thank you for taking the initiative with DFM and our partners even as God has extended Himself to us through Jesus Christ! Looking forward to seeing you October 13th! Let us hear from you soon.