So like I said yesterday- I’m hanging out in the book of Joel. One of the things I love about Joel- he’s only mentioned one other time in the bible (Acts 2), his father is unknown and the date of his writing is difficult to figure out. He’s an ordinary person just like the rest of us. He listens really well though. God used him to speak to His people at a time when they were being invaded and had lost all hope. His prophetic words brought life to a people who were “living dead”.

I want God to use me like that. I want to be a good listener. If the people in our community need to be challenged or warned I pray that I am able to listen well enough to be used by God to share His message. I want to be a prophetic voice in a time of great confusion and lostness. I want to clearly articulate and demonstrate the deep love of God to the people that God places in my path each and every day. Where are you at in this?

My problem is that I have a fear of looking foolish. I believe that we’ve been given everything we need in order to see victory and triumph, but I don’t want to look foolish. I believe that it will be as we pursue holiness, prayer, cultivate lives that produce the fruit of the Spirit, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit that we will see community wide transformation.

I think that the destruction that was happening because of the locusts and drought stirred in Joel a desperation to do something about it. The enemy is invading and the more I see of the destruction in my community the more desperate I become, and the less fearful of looking foolish I am. I pray that God gives me (us) clear vision of what is really happening around us in these last days. I pray that it will stir in us such a desperation for God that nothing would prevent us from seeking after Him with all our hearts!

Digging my heels in,

Ryan