IT MAY BE DARK: BUT I STILL SEE JESUS!

Praise the Lord everybody! I pray you all are enjoying God's blessing. I must admit that I and my wife are going through what some might call a dark time. Not so much in our marriage as it is in our everyday lives. The trials and the hindrances we face now are approaching biblical proportions, any day I expect Moses to come knocking on my door crying "let my people go!" The light is flickering at the end of the tunnel. It may be dark  but I can still see Jesus and that's enough for me.

It is my faith that keeps me putting one foot in front of the other. Faith gets me out of bed and into the shower and starts me on my way, to make matters worst my wife and I have to endure this trial apart from each other having to combine our faith by long distance. Right now it's just me and God holding things down here at home. Sometimes I think of what Paul wrote in 1st Peter 4: 12+13
¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
¹³ But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

I Start to meditate on this and I stand up a little taller, then I think about Psalm 30:4,5,6
⁴ Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
⁵ For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
⁶ And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.

As I meditate on these verses I begin to smile "In his favour is Life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning and In my prosperity I said I shall not be moved"Praise God! you might say "what favour? what prosperity? your in the middle of a fiery trial." But I am reminded of whose I am and who I serve, I have favour because I am covered in the blood of Jesus and that makes me a son of God from that comes my prosperity, I am a joint heir with Christ and in that I will not be moved! I then begin to think of Gods grace, the grace He gives us so that we can stand during these times of tribulation. Romans 5: 1-4 states

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

² By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
³ And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
⁴ And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

This is just another experience, something I can look back on and use as a testimony to the power of God. It's part of that amazing grace we have through faith in God. My trial by this time is now whittled down from a mountain to a mole hill and I can now see over it into the valley. I see times of refreshing and a peace begins to overtake me, Jesus said in John 16:33
³³ These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Praise the Lord! by now my mood has changed, I have encouraged myself through God's word. and I'm ready to stand firm one more day as I wait on Him to deliver me out of this trial.
Remember there is no place so dark no light can be found, you just have to look.

                     God bless you, Brother Darrell, A Watchman

will somebody please pray! part 2: "prayer changes things"

Praise the Lord everybody! I pray you are all enjoying God's blessing. My wife and I are blessed of God and because of that blessing we are constantly being attacked by the enemy. If not for our faith and our prayer life we might have been overwhelmed. I thank God for our relationship with Him. There is a reason why we pray and that reason is, things happen! People are healed, delivered and set free. People find jobs, receive finances and miracles are performed. When Jesus died on the Cross for our sins the veil between us and God was torn in half allowing us to personally go before the Lord in prayer. Hebrews 4:15+ 16 states ¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We don't have to slay the lamb anymore, Jesus has taken the place of the lamb. We can now go before God in prayer ourselves. We can have a personal relationship with The Lord. Another reason why we pray is; our spirits desire to commune with God who is spirit and even more amazing is that God wants to commune with us. His creation. Galatians 4:6+7 states 
⁶ And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
⁷ Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
When we get saved Christ's spirit abides in us and cries out "Daddy" signaling that we are now son's of God, joint heirs with Christ who can ask our father for anything we need and He will hear us. and answer us. How great is that! I speak with Him all the time and He speaks back. sometimes in a still small voice and other times through His word. The "trick" to hearing God is first believing that exist and talks to His people. Some do not believe. My Mother often asks me "How do you know it's God talking? it could be the Devil." Jesus states in John 10: 4 + 5     
⁴ And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
⁵ And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
We are His sheep and we know His voice. Or should I say we should know his voice. It is very hard to be tricked by  the enemy when you know your masters voice. Make no mistake about it there is a war going on in the spirit world and we need to know that there is power in prayer! Prayer carries weight with God. James 5: 15-17  states 
¹⁵ And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
¹⁶ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
¹⁷ Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.


Let the world march around in protest, hand out flyer's and occupy Wall Street to bring about change. We Believers know an awesome God and we know that the power of prayer changes things.

                                           Brother Darrell, A Watchman

WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE PRAY!

Praise the Lord! I pray everyone is enjoying the Lord's blessing. I am enjoying a current movement of God in my life. I recently started participating on a national prayer line and God has really blessed me through the other participants, especially Pastor Vivian Thomas who is the founder of the line. It is a blessing being around praying people, for me prayer is everything. Prayer is the foundation of the church. The Church was founded at a prayer meeting. Acts 1:13+14 states  
¹³ And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
¹⁴ These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
It was at this prayer meeting that they were baptised with the Holy Ghost and received power to start the Church. After this Peter went out and spoke boldly about the Gospel of Christ and many were added to the church. 
The Church didn't start until it received power, and that did not happen until they were all with one accord. Luke 24: 49
⁴⁹ And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
There are a lot of church's in the body of Christ with no power, Why? because they do not emphasize prayer and the importance of it in ministry. Another thing is they are not acting "with one accord" Everybody has his own vision for the ministry and they refuse to humble themselves and submit to God's vision for the ministry which He has given to the Pastor. Acts 1:13 says "and when they had come in, they went to an upper room,..." First you have to  "come in" bring your self and your mind in from the world and consecrate yourself unto God. Then you can go "into an upper room." A higher level in Christ and once you have tarried a while on that level you will be able to receive power. Praise God I should be preaching this.
We need to come down off our high horses and humble ourselves and pray and remember whose we are and whom we serve. 2nd Chronicles 7:14 states  
¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Prayer changes things! If you want your ministry to have the power to bring about change, through Christ, in your neighborhood and deliverance to it's people, make prayer a priority!

                Short and sweet, God bless you all, Brother Darrell, A Watchman

"YOU CAN RUN..."

Praise the Lord everybody! I pray everyone is enjoying the blessings of God. I myself feel blessed just to be alive and able to carryout the mission that God has given me. I admit that recently I have not been able to hear from the Lord. Some might call it "writers block" but in my spirit I knew it was more than that.
Joe Louis once said before his big rematch in 1946 with Billy Conn "You can run but you can't hide." Have you ever found yourself running from God and seeking Him at the same time? I have. I have been seeking God for a "word" so I can pass it on to the people and I keep saying to myself "where are you God?" At the same time I hear that still, quiet voice saying "slow down Darrell and seek me while I can still be found." Did I listen? Did I heed? No, I turned the TV from channel to channel trying to find something that satisfies, Something that entertains me. I want to hear from God yet I ran from His timetable, I didn't want to take time out from my "busy schedule" and spend some quality time with the Lord. but David said in Psalms 139:7-10
⁷ Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
¹⁰ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

After a few days of futility I realized the only way for me to have peace of mind was to stop procrastinating and and turn off "Law and Order", "NCIS" and even "Mary Mary" and "TBN" and spend some quality time before the Lord in prayer, praise and worship. All three go together, their is power in praise and worship because God inhabits the praises of His people. I knew what I needed but still I did not seek it. Matthew 26: 40+41 states
⁴⁰ And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
⁴¹
It seems my spirit is running in one direction and my flesh in another at times. When things are not going well I know who to go to to get better but then I hinder myself from getting there. Paul said in Galatians 5:17
¹⁷ For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
When I am obedient to the spirit the joy I feel and the blessing I receive is wonderful but still I find myself having to be dragged at times into God's presence by the Spirit. My flesh has to much power! I have to exercise my spirit more, It has to be the strong man of this house. Paul writes in Romans 8:12-14
¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
¹³ For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
I must mortify my flesh and it's deeds daily by spending more time in Gods presence so His spirit will be the dominant force in my life. Some times we have to get out of our own way to let God have His way. I am tired of being my own worst enemy and if you are too ask God to give you "ears to  hear" and once you hear be obedient.
                          God bless you all, Brother Darrell, A Watchman

SOMETIMES GOD WILL PUT YOU ON HOLD

Praise the Lord! I pray everyone is enjoying God's blessing. I have been truly blessed this past week. I fell a week ago and by God's grace I was not seriously injured just bruised and a little embarrassed. Since the fall God has been using various people to encourage me and let me know that He is still with me. He truly cares for me as He does all His children.

Last night I was asked to give my testimony on a prayer line by a Pastor Thomas who read my blog and contacted me on my Face book page. It was a blessing, I really enjoyed the fellowship and the opportunity to be used by God to bless others, also it was good to know someone was blessed by this blog. I often ask people to leave comments but they never do except once out of forty post. II must say that my pastor has often sent me encouraging e-mails after reading my blog. These last few days I've been feeling kind of lethargic and I have not heard anything from God. I keep praying for God to give me something to write, "speak Lord" I implore but I don't feel that fire, that passion that envelopes me when I'm receiving from His spirit into my spirit. Sometimes God will put you on hold. Throughout the bible we see where the men and women of God at times had to wait humbly on the Lord for answers.

As I sit here waiting for  the fire to fall on me, the enemy is trying to overcome me with the sleepiness, so while I wait on the Lord I am going to have a cup of coffee and re post some thing from October 23rd 2011 that explains how I got here in the first place, called :

             A WATCHMAN ON THE WALL

Praise the Lord! I pray everyone is having a blessed day. I realized the other day that by starting this blog and for the first time declaring publicly what God declared to me years ago through my pastor and through His word, I might have caused some confusion and skepticism among those who know me because I had never shared it before. By the way, for those that were wondering I did not make it to Deacon Broxtons Home going service. I still feel like I need a little more time to prepare physically for an outing like that. Please keep me in prayer.

I remember the first time I heard it. My pastor came to me about seventeen years ago and told me "God has made you a watchman on the wall." He put me in a chair up front near the pulpit up against the wall where I could see the whole church. At first I didn't get it. I felt like a security guard. I had only been saved about three years at that point and was just getting bearings in my walk with Christ. I knew back in biblical times a watchman was person who stood on the wall surrounding the city at night and kept watch over the city like a soldier on guard duty. For years that's what I did until I left that church a few years later. I didn't think much of it for years until God started to deal with me about it twelve years ago.

First God gave me the scripture Ezekiel 33: 7+8

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood." I began to really appreciate the position of Watchman. Still I did not understand what God wanted me to do. Then one day He confirmed to me who I was and what he wanted me to do for Him.

One day while reading Psalms I came across this scripture, Psalm 32:8

^8"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye."

That scripture bothered me for weeks maybe months, what did God mean he would guide me with His eye. I tried to picture God looking down from heaven with a beam of light coming from his eyes that would guide my way through life. It didn't make sense to me until one day it opened up to me, God was going to let me see things through his eyes. He was going to give me the ability to see things in this world the way he does. Once I understood what kind of "watchman" He wanted me to be my way of looking at things began to change, I was grieved by much of what I was seeing and I felt even more compassion for lost souls. Yet still I did not know how to use this gift so it could be edifying to the body of Christ. So God began to stir up another gift in me that I had not used in years and that was the ability to write. I discovered the ability to put pen to paper in the the fifth grade when I wrote a short story of fiction about my fifth grade teacher and an imagined affair she was having with another teacher at our school, I would have gotten an "A" too if I had just had sense enough to change the names.
For awhile I was a man with a calling with no way to minister, and then one day God put it on my brothers heart to bless me with a computer and there came my outlet, the Internet. I discovered that I could reach people all over the world. After a few false starts that I chalked up to learning experiences here I am writing under the unction of the Holy Spirit what God is observing concerning the Church especially in America. I plan on being obedient to my calling and going wherever it takes me. The Church is split into many pieces and heading on to dangerous ground. The word says judgement will start with the church FIRST. God has sent me and others like me as lonely voices in the wilderness saying "turn back! before it's to late!" We have abandoned the teachings of living holy and avoiding sin.
Yes I am a flawed vessel but that's what God uses, more important I'm a willing vessel. He takes broken vessels and makes them whole.
I am being constantly upgraded and renovated by God as he seeks to make me the best I can be.
May God bless you all.
Brother Darrell, A Watchman