His Grace is Sufficient: JESUS: "YOUR GREAT NAME"

"And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to MYSELF." John 12:32

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

The LORD has slowed me down today, after blessing me with great strength to go door to door in many places this week. I praise HIM for the supernatural strength HE has given both of us to do what we can't, and for all the help HE has raised up to provide our needs in this campaign. Every day is different, and you never know what's around the bend...

Yesterday, my husband had planned to go door to door in the afternoon, after doing a radio show in the morning. He received a phone call after the show that a truck was going down the main road through our city, taking down his signs, along with our opponents and the other folks running for office. My husband had been warned as the others, that if the signs were on the right of way, they would do away with them. Johnny made sure that his weren't on the state right of way, getting permission from the landowners and positioning them properly and they still were taken away with the others. He and his opponent actually worked together all afternoon, trying to recover their signs and get their posts back, and making sure that this doesn't happen again. GOD has shown me in so many ways the strength and integrity he has given my husband throughout this race, and i admire him so much. Yesterday, when my husband went to get his own signs that were crumpled up, he rescued one of his opponents, and my brother in law returned it to him at the jail. Those are just one of the ways, i have seen my husbands integrity throughout this campaign. You know when you're running for office, name recognition is the "name of the game," and both Johnny and his opponent are battling to get their name out there and the signs are a big part of getting your name recognized.

Speaking of signs, as i was campaigning yesterday i was riding my bicycle going door to door, when i started seeing our opponents signs in almost every yard as i went around the bend of a curve in a neighborhood. I thought what's up with this, and a few houses down, a man told me that our opponents folks lived in that neighborhood. That explained why almost every house had a sign for our opponent in their yard. As i went on through the neighborhood, i saw a lady outside, and rode my bicycle up her driveway. I told her who i was and gave her one of our fliers and asked her to vote for my husband. She was very kind, and she told me about her husband dying suddenly of a heart attack last year, but even more difficult than that was her daughter getting killed in a car wreck 6 years ago when she was 43. The lady i was talking to didn't know that I loved JESUS, but she began talking to me about JESUS, and using the name JESUS. She didn't say GOD, but the name of JESUS. I thought that is so refreshing and powerful to hear the name of JESUS spoken from her lips. As we talked on, i realized what a strong faith she had in JESUS, and she talked about how much she was looking forward to going to heaven. Somewhere along the course of the conversation, i asked her if she would like one of our yard signs and she said she would...i thought that would be great to have our sign in the midst of all these signs of our opponents. I had left my signs in our car, and since i was on my bicycle i told her i would have to bring one back to her when i finished the neighborhood. By the time she and I finished talking about JESUS, heaven, and other things, I started having second thoughts about her having our sign in her yard. It's like the LORD started whispering to me, that wasn't the CHRISTian thing to do to have her put up our sign, with the likihood it would cause hard feelings with her neighbors. When i returned with the sign, i told her i didn't feel right about asking her to put up our sign, and she said it was fine with her, she didn't think her neighbors would be upset with her but if i didn't feel good about it then i shouldn't do it. After wrestling with it a few minutes, and asking her and myself "What Would Jesus Do," i decided not to put up the sign in her yard. The campaign will come and go, but this woman's relationship with her neighbor's was for more important to me, than us having one sign in the middle of a sea of our opponents. I am glad the LORD gave me self control, and the the desire to look out for my "neighbor's" interest, to not put up the sign in her yard.

If you've ever been involved in a political race, or voted...you know that name recognition is the name of the game and getting your name out there, is what all these crazy signs and everything else we're doing is all about... it's tempting to sin and put my own selfish motives above other's good, when i'm trying to get my husband's name out there for other's to remember. I was tempted, and i am thankful the LORD helped me to do the right thing. My husband has reminded me over and over that we're not trusting in how many signs are up, but in JESUS. I thought it was interesting when JESUS brought this verse to mind to me this morning that my husband has reminded me of over and over during this campaign:

"Some trust in horses, some trust in chariots but we trust in the name of the LORD our GOD."Psalm 20:7

I had never thought about the part the name before of that verse...trust in the name of the LORD JESUS, not me, i will disappoint you, not money, not another person, signs, or whatever, but in the name of the LORD our GOD.

This morning as i sat on my little couch in our "Joy Room," with the heater running cozy at my feet, i read a devotion from Oswald Chamber's that once again reminded me, that JESUS is the MOST important name that is in this race and HE wants us to do all that we can to get HIS NAME out so that 'the lost may be found and the condemned will feel no shame and our fears would have no place, and the enemy would have to leave at the sound of "YOUR GREAT NAME."

The Delight of Sacrifice

Feb

2012

I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls . . . —2 Corinthians 12:15

Once “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,” we deliberately begin to identify ourselves with Jesus Christ’s interests and purposes in others’ lives (Romans 5:5). And Jesus has an interest in every individual person. We have no right in Christian service to be guided by our own interests and desires. In fact, this is one of the greatest tests of our relationship with Jesus Christ. The delight of sacrifice is that I lay down my life for my Friend, Jesus (see John 15:13). I don’t throw my life away, but I willingly and deliberately lay it down for Him and His interests in other people. And I do this for no cause or purpose of my own. Paul spent his life for only one purpose— that he might win people to Jesus Christ. Paul always attracted people to his Lord, but never to himself. He said, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).

When someone thinks that to develop a holy life he must always be alone with God, he is no longer of any use to others. This is like putting himself on a pedestal and isolating himself from the rest of society. Paul was a holy person, but wherever he went Jesus Christ was always allowed to help Himself to his life. Many of us are interested only in our own goals, and Jesus cannot help Himself to our lives. But if we are totally surrendered to Him, we have no goals of our own to serve. Paul said that he knew how to be a “doormat” without resenting it, because the motivation of his life was devotion to Jesus. We tend to be devoted, not to Jesus Christ, but to the things which allow us more spiritual freedom than total surrender to Him would allow. Freedom was not Paul’s motive at all. In fact, he stated, “I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren . . .” (Romans 9:3). Had Paul lost his ability to reason? Not at all! For someone who is in love, this is not an overstatement. And Paul was in love with Jesus Christ.

All those yard signs with our opponents name and all with our name... and all those big signs that cost an arm and leg...our names on those signs are only important as our lives reflect the character and point others to the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. What profit is it to us, to win a campaign if we do all we can to lift up our name and yet don't conduct ourselves in a way that reflects the name of JESUS in our day to day lives, moment by moment?

As i read the devotion this morning from Oswald Chambers i felt guilty for promoting our name all over the place. I was feeling condemned, and wondering again, why isn't Johnny still preaching the name of CHRIST from the pulpit instead of getting involved in politics. I was talking to a dear godly older friend, and confiding to her about my misgivings with Johnny running for office, when the highest calling was being a preacher. She graciously disagreed with me, and told me when she was a teacher, there were student's and parent's lives she could reach in the classroom that a preacher couldn't...once again the LORD gently reminded me that HE has called us into this race...maybe not to win the office, but to accomplish HIS plans and purposes. She reminded me that wherever GOD puts us is the most important place HE has for us to serve HIM and bring glory to HIM.

My dear friend Wanda, who has been campaigning hard for us, going door to door, passing out fliers, etc, shared a poem with me yesterday written by Beth Moore that really spoke to me about life looking different than the way i had planned it...it's called, "The Life I Planned."

"Has someone seen the life I planned?

It seems it's been misplaced

I've looked in every corner

It's lost without a trace.

I've found one I don't recognize

Things missing that were dear

Promises I'd hope to keep

And dreams I'd dreamed aren't here.

Faces I had planned to see

Hands I planned to hold

Now absent in the pictures

Not the way I told.

Has someone seen the life I planned?

Did it get thrown away?

GOD took my hand from searching

Then I heard HIM say,

"Child your ears have never heard

Your eyes have never seen

Eternal plans I have for you

Are more than you could dream.

"You long to walk by sight

But I'm teaching eyes to see.

I know what I am doing

"Til then, you must believe."

He's done so much, I felt ashamed

To know He heard my moans

To think I'd trade all HE's done

For plans made on my own.

I wept over HIS faithfulness

And how HE'd proved HIMself

How HE'd gone beyond my dreams

And said to HIM myself,

"No, my ears have never heard

My eyes have never seen

Eternal plans you have for me

Are more than I could dream.

"Yes, I long to walk by sight

But You're teaching eyes to see

You know what You are doing

'Til then, I must believe."

I felt HIS great compassion

Mercy unrestrained

He let me mourn my losses

And showed to me my gains.

I offered HIM my future

And released to HIM my past

I traded in my dreams

For a plan He said would last.

I get no glimpse ahead

No certainties at all

Except the presence of the One

WHO will not let me fall.

Are you also searching

For a life you planned yourself?

Have you looked in every corner?

Have you checked on every shelf?

Child, your ears have never heard

Your eyes have never seen

Eternal plans HE has for you

Are more than you could dream.

Perhaps you long to walk by faith

But He's teaching eyes to see

He knows what HE is doing

CHILD, step out and believe."

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what GOD has prepared for those who love HIM." I Cor. 2:9

Alright, once again the LORD had to reassure me that this is HIS place for us "for such a time as this." This is the place HE has called us to walk/run at least for 2 1/2 more weeks, and this is the place HE has called us to lift up HIS GREAT NAME.

Please pray for us that in all the events, and forums, and things that lie ahead the next two and a half weeks of this campaign, that GOD would use our family to proclaim HIS GREAT NAME in all the ways HE leads us. Coming down the stretch there are lots of events going on, and things going on that we need you to lift us up before our DADDY in heaven....please pray for us as the LORD brings us to your mind...for wisdom, strength, HIS favor would rest upon us, and anything the LORD brings to mind, and that most of all, our lives would be above reproach, and draw others to "YOUR GREAT NAME."

Our choir sang the great song of worship, "YOUR GREAT NAME" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6vHHbUOCQA, this past Sunday. When it was over, many in the congregation were standing lifting their hands in worship to our LORD JESUS CHRIST. It was a special time for us all as the name of JESUS was proclaimed, and HE moved mightily among HIS people. I hope you will take the time to listen and watch this powerful video...and worship JESUS, HE is so worthy of our praises.

If you haven't ever surrendered your life to our LORD JESUS who died on a cross, and shed HIS blood to pay for your sins and mine, i invite you to do that right now where you are reading this email. HE loves you so much HE died for you and me...and HE has a wonderful plan for our lives. HE wants to use our lives, to draw others to HIS GREAT NAME, wherever HE has us serving HIM, to show HIS great love to them.

"But GOD, WHO is rich in mercy, because of HIS great love with which HE loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with CHRIST (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in CHRIST JESUS, that in the ages to come HE might show the exceeding riches of HIS grace in HIS kindness toward us in CHRIST JESUS. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of GOD, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are HIS workmanship, created in CHRIST JESUS for good works, which GOD prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:4-10

Running in a political race may not have been what i had planned for our lives, but it was GOD's...and HE knows how important that name recognition and what that name stands for is to winning the race. JESUS's GREAT NAME is the key to our winning the race of life...HE is everything we need HIM to be and more, "Redeemer, My HEALER, ALMIGHTY, My SAVIOR, DEFENDER, YOU are My KING." Is HE your KING? Your Redeemer? Your Healer, Your SAVIOR? If HE is...then our lives should be like a sign pointing to the ONE who loves us so much HE gave HIS life for you and me. I should be a whole lot more consumed about being a "sign" for JESUS, than i am others seeing our name on the side of the road. But since that is part of this journey...pray for us that GOD would put HIS favor in the hearts of those voting and recognize our name:).
Thank you for sharing this time with me...please remember our family in your prayers daily...every day is a "new adventure," and a new opportunity to lift up HIS GREAT NAME. We love you and we appreciate you so much.

With all HIS love,

mitzi