Well I'm here at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, TX. waiting to pick up my son and bring him home to his mama for a few weeks.  He's enjoying barbecue with the other R.A.'s while I'm here at the coffee shop with a cup of coffee.  You don't sense a bit of jealousy do you?

I thought I'd take this time to make a quick blog post so my words won't be polished but from the heart.

It's been two years now that I made the decision to discontinue our newly planted church in Pueblo West, CO. and move back to Texas. Basically we walked away from the dream we believed God had put in our hearts.  Since that time I've thought of a "thousand" reasons why we should have stayed and a "thousand" reasons why we were justified in leaving. You can imagine the emotional roller coaster for the past two years.  Especially when your wife was willing to sell her dream home and I resigned a great church to go and live this dream!  It can be difficult to make sense of things at times.

But wait a minute, maybe that's the reason for the emotional roller coaster. You know, trying to make sense of it all. Especially since God tells me in Proverbs chapter 3 that I'm not supposed to depend on my own understanding but TRUST HIM!

Let me go ahead and share Proverbs 3:5,6.  "Trust in The Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."

I love the definition of the word trust.  "The trait of believing in the honesty and reliability of others.  Complete confidence in a person or plan."

Friends you and I know that God cannot lie and He is faithful!  We can be confident in the plan God has for us.  But here's the big deal.  Can I trust Him with ALL my heart or am I holding back part of me because I don't want to be disappointed again?

The Bible tells us that "hope deferred makes the heart sick." Can I ask you a difficult question?  Is your heart "sick" today because there's been some type of devastating event in your life?  It's hard to trust God with all your heart if your heart is "sick."

Please allow me to encourage you today and tell you that your Heavenly Father loves you and wants to heal your wounded heart.  I find it interesting that after King David committed adultery part of his prayer of repentance included the following: "God create in me a clean heart."  David realized that God needed to heal his heart.

Maybe you and I need to pray that same prayer.  "God create in me a clean heart."  I can almost guarantee you that a person with a clean heart can trust God with ALL their heart.  You may not have sinned like David did but none the less your heart needs to be healed.

Okay I've just been tying away here at CFNI and still waiting on my son.  Let me challenge you!  Today is the day you can trust God with ALL your heart.  Don't try and make sense of all the disappointments.  It's time to move forward trusting and knowing that God still has a great plan for your life.

In fact it's time to DREAM.......AGAIN!

Encouraging the World,

Ken Woolf

Sometimes it's not easy,  "dreaming.......again."  You've laid it all on the table before and took that big leap of faith.  Oh,  and it was the same"leap of faith" you heard others talk about.  They took the step and incredible things happened!  Their church exploded in growth.  They started a new business and it grew and became very profitable.  Or they took a chance on a relationship and it turned out to be a "match made in heaven." 

But when it came time for you to take that "step of faith" you tripped over you're own two feet, and a few other "feet" that were put in your path.  It can be disheartening to say the least.  You've even tried to pick yourself up and it seems that every decision you make leads to discouragement and now you're just totally losing hope!  WHY EVEN DREAM.......AGAIN, I'm tired of being disappointed? 

Sometimes I wonder if that's how a man in the Bible named Peter felt.  He laid down his fishing nets to follow Christ and ended up watching the man he left everything for die on a cross.  Peter stepped out of a boat on stormy seas and started to walk to Jesus on the water but then started to sink and had to cry out  for help.  At one point Peter had a great revelation of who Jesus was and was recognized as having a revelation from God but in the same story was rebuked by Jesus.  After Peter tried to tell Jesus He wasn't going to die on the cross Jesus looked at him and said "get behind me Satan."  Think about it, one minute he's being applauded by Jesus and the next he's being rebuked.  Talk about a roller coaster ride.

Then Peter tried to tell Jesus that he would follow Him to the death but in response Jesus reveals to Peter that he's going to deny Him not once but three times.  Of course Peter argues about this and then ends up doing just what was predicted, denying  Christ.  It just didn't seem like Peter could get it right! 

So I can totally understand when Peter said in John 21 of the Bible, "I'm going fishing" and then asked a few friends to go with him.   I guess he figured he could get this right since he was an experienced fisherman.  But wouldn't you know it, they fished all night and caught nothing.  Now Peter couldn't even get this right. What was happening in his life?

I can tell you what was happening, God was setting him up for an encounter with Jesus Christ.  This is one my favorite chapters in the Bible.  Why is it my favorite?  Because Jesus showed up where they were at.  Jesus showed up on that sandy sea shore for Peter!  I know there are times we need to pursue God but I love it when He lets me know He's pursuing me!  

Don't you know it was reassuring for Peter to have Jesus show up and have a conversation with him.  A conversation that let Peter know that God still had a plan for him and that he just needed to continue following Jesus.

Some of us are really struggling with dreaming.......again because we're afraid of being disappointed....... again.  We no longer hope  because we've had our hopes crushed to many times.

Please allow me to encourage you!  Maybe it's time to listen for the voice of the Great Shepherd speaking to you.  He wants you to know He's pursuing you!   He wants to tell you that He still has a great plan for your life and you just need to continue following Him!

In other words, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!  With this in mind let me say without reservation, it's time to DREAM.......AGAIN!  Come on, you can do it because Jesus is closer to you then you might think.

Encouraging the World,

Ken Woolf



 

"Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem.  And after that he said, I must go on to Rome." (Acts 19:21)

I fully understand how Paul must have felt.  Likewise I am compelled to go!   I have been extended a special invitation to speak at the graduation ceremony for the Christ for the Nations Bible School in Romania.  This is a great honor and privilege to participate and to commission leaders who are serving within Romania as they are sent out to fulfill God's purposes in their lives.  Some will go as church planters, some will go as missionaries- but all will go as fully equipped disciples of Jesus Christ to fulfill the Great Commission.

The invitation for this special ministry trip was recent. I will arrive a few days before the graduation to teach in classes and equip the students for the destiny that's before them. The trip dates are May 21-Jun 01.

I need your help!   I need to raise $2000.00 as soon as possible.  If you would like the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these emerging leaders in the country of Romania would you prayerfully consider giving a financial gift to help make this trip possible.

Just today I opened and looked over a book I've already read by Bill Hybels called "Courageous Leadership."  I happened to open to chapter 6 which is titled "Developing Emerging Leaders."  Let me share a quote from Pastor Hybels.  "I think leaders are at their very best when they are raising up leaders around them.  Or put another way, leaders are at their best when they are creating a leadership culture."

The Bible tells us that "the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few."  If you would like to be involved in equipping laborers for the Kingdom of God you can send you tax deductible offering to World Connect- P.O. Box 4 - Port Neches, TX. 77651.  

No gift is too small.  After all $2000.00 is only 200 people giving $10.00 or 100 people giving $20.00 or 20 people giving $100.00.

Thank you so much for your prayers and consideration concerning this trip. If you'd like more information you can go to our web-site at www.myworldconnect.tv    Just go to the events tab and then click on "New Event."

Encouraging the World,


Ken Woolf

PS- IT'S TIME TO DREAM AGAIN!!

Sorry it's been several weeks since I posted on my blog but we're back in gear now.

This event has been etched in my mind now for around 35 years.  Not in a negative way but as a gentle reminder of a powerful truth we all need to remember.

Since I was a young boy I've always loved running.  The joy of running played out with me joining my schools track team in the eighth grade and then continuing to the ninth grade.  While in eighth grade I was an average long distance runner maybe placing third in one meet.  I know I never placed first.

During the summer between my eighth and ninth grade years I worked very hard to become a better runner.  I ran almost every day and loved it.  Due to my hard work my running skills improved which was evident in my ninth grade year of  track.

I placed second or third in every meet and then the week before the district meet I placed first in the mile run.  All my hard work had been paying off.  Then came the district meet, the one that counted and would reveal the district champions in each event and the team champion in our district.

I felt great and was still excited about my first place finish the previous week.   The energy of winning first place was carrying over to this next and final competition of the year.  I started the race and was in the front of the pack almost the whole time.  As we started the last lap I began to pull away and took a solid lead.  I came around the last turn and could hear the fans and other teammates cheering me on.  Yes I was going to be the district champ in the mile run!

Then just a few yards from the finish line I did something I'd never done, I slowed down and looked back.  I guess I thought I had the race won.  Well you can probably figure out the result of my great mistake.  I was passed by another runner and lost the race.  And to top it off it was a guy from a school that was and still is a huge rival with the school I attended.

Why did I slow down and look back?  I'd been trained to never do this.  We heard it week after week from our coaches.  After the race I could hear my coach yelling at me, "Woolf,  you slowed down and looked back!"

Well I learned a great lesson  that day which you and I can apply to our lives even now.  Look at the following Bible scripture with me.

1 Corinthians 9:24- "Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize?  So run to win!"

God has called each of us to run our race.  Throughout this "race" you're going to have successes and failures.  But my friends if you and I are going to "run to win" we cannot "slow down and look back."  This can be difficult  especially if your past holds some traumatic events.

I've spoke of our recent failure of planting a church in previous blogs.  I mean we stepped out in faith and did what we were certain God was asking us to do. We "fell flat on our face" and experienced devastation in many areas.  There were temptations to just quit and say the heck with it!  Just being honest!

But can I tell you that God is faithful and His grace is sufficient, even for your most difficult moments.  He will never leave you or forsake you!  Even when it appears things are falling apart around you.

But here's the deal.  As you remain connected to God He's going to let you know that you still have a race to run.  He's still calling you to fulfill His plan and purpose and you've got to "RUN TO WIN!"

What does that mean?  It means when God speaks to you and ask you to take a step of faith, YOU CAN'T SLOW DOWN AND LOOK BACK!"  You can't allow your past difficulties to cause fear in your heart and paralyze you and keep you from running forward with faith and courage.  

My friend it's time for you and me to DREAM AGAIN!  But if you're going to dream again there will be temptations to "slow down and look back."  Your biggest rival, Satan, does not want you to win your race.  He wants you to continually be looking back living in doubt and fear.

So we must determine today that we're going to "run to win."  As I write this I'm listening to a song I love.  You may have heard it before it goes like this.  "Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me."  I love it!  Because His love never runs out on us we can "RUN TO WIN AND DREAM AGAIN!"

Philippians 3:12-14- "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.  But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.  No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing:  Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."

This verse says it all!  Friends it's time to let go of the past, don't look back, and DREAM AGAIN!

Encouraging the world,

Ken Woolf

The following is something my daughter, Staci Lynn, recently wrote.  It really encouraged me!

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.” ----Eleanor Roosevelt

“Feel the fear and then do it anyway” Jillian Michaels-The Biggest Loser

I believe I had inadvertently started on a path of self-destruction. By no means was this on purpose. Is it ever on purpose? We start out with the best intentions. We start out knowing that this time we will be bold. This time we won’t cower in a corner. This time, we will walk the path toward our dreams with courage and boldness. 

And then, there it is. That twinge in your stomach that says: “What the heck am I doing?” “You can’t do this.” “It’s not possible.”

That “BOLD” “COURAGEOUS” attitude lasted for…. about a minute, if that. Once the initial thought of, “There’s no way I can do this” sets in, it’s only downhill from there. The seed was planted. Doubt has now invaded. Fear has crept in. Again.  You find yourself in the pit you said you would never go back to. This pit is full of self-deprecating thoughts, hopelessness, unbelief, bitterness and that’s just naming a few of the things that tend to latch on to you.  You’ll never set out on an adventure that would prove to be more than you could handle again. It only leads to disappointment. We start believing every little lie that’s whispered in our ears. We have now created a habit of believing the worst about ourselves. This is one of the slowest most painful deaths that can invade our lives.  You are slowly killing yourself when your thoughts are consumed by toxic lies that are intended to hinder and barricade you. You think you’re protecting yourself. You think you’re “playing it safe”.  My friend, you are deceived.

Really, it wasn’t more than you could handle…

It was just more than you could control and that freaked you out.

How do I stop feeling this fear? How will I be happy or successful if I am constantly finding myself paralyzed with fear? How do I overcome this?

I believe the thing that separates the successful from the unsuccessful isn’t that they learned how to stop feeling afraid. It’s that they felt the fear and then did it anyway. 

Ultimately, the Perfect Love of God casts out all fear. So don’t think that I am saying you have to feel fear of every little thing for the rest of your life. God CAN and WILL deliver you.

BUT I believe it is stepping out in faith when you FEEL afraid and move forward anyway. It says that “Contrary to how I feel right now, I know that GOD loves me and is faithful and holds my world in the palm of his hand”.  God doesn’t fail folks.   We have temporary setbacks but there’s that beautiful truth that we can’t forget: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Start living and stop letting fear control your every move and every decision. It is not God’s will for you to live like that. In fact, he sent Jesus so we could have ABUNDANT LIFE! So have it, dadgummit. (Staci Lynn Woolf)   Good job sister   Stay Tuned

 

I'll never forget Friday February 8, 2013! I was speaking to hundreds of pastors and church leaders in Muhurro, Uganda from 2 Kings 13:14-19.  In this story Elisha became angry with the King because he only struck the ground three times with an arrow which revealed his lack of passion and faith.  You'll have to go and read the story.  While teaching this I communicated to those pastors that it could be  the King only struck the ground three times because he may of only had three arrows and that this would represent living life by sight instead of living by faith.  And if you know the Bible it tells us that "faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen."  I told those pastors and church leaders that if not careful we'll make the same mistake in ministry and make decisions based only on what we can see with our natural eye and not faith.  The Bible tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please God." 

This is where it gets interesting.  While praying for the pastors at the conclusion of the session the Holy Spirit spoke the following words in my spirit.  "You quit the church plant in Colorado based on what you saw with the natural eye."  You heard that right, I QUIT!  It was a very humbling moment for me.  I began to weep and had to stop praying and confess before these hundreds of pastors and church leaders that I had QUIT!  The voice in my spirit was not a condemning voice but it was the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit telling me that the decision I made to discontinue the church was one made out of doubt and fear based on what I could only see happening with my own sight.  It certainly was not a decision made in faith.  I QUIT! 

Oddly enough even as I type those words (I quit) I sense the cleansing stream of God flowing through my inner man as I did that day in Uganda.  No more wondering what went wrong, how could God do this or I must have made to many mistakes.  The reason why the church plant didn't work is finally summed up with the words, I QUIT!

Our last launch team member was now leaving to return to Texas and our financial support had dropped 90% for the last two months of the church.  I looked at what was happening in the natural and made the decision to discontinue the church instead of pressing through this moment living life by faith.  I knew God had sent us to Colorado but had lost sight of that and just gave up!  Something I never thought I'd do. 

But here's how great our God is.  As I began to meditate on what the Holy Spirit had spoke to me I was reminded of the Apostle Peter and how he never thought he'd deny Jesus, but he did.  Not once but three times!  Now here's the cool part.  It's not just coincidence that Peter was chosen on the day of Pentecost to preach the Gospel message to thousands of people and thousands were born again.  I just wonder how many people in the crowd that day had heard Peter deny Jesus just before His crucifixion?  Now they're hearing Peter preach the Gospel with boldness.  Can you see it?  OH THE GRACE OF OUR GOD! 

Here's my point.  When it was revealed to me that I closed the door in Colorado and not God, God didn't just leave it there.  He began to comfort me with the truth that He still has a great plan for my life and ministry. Yes I made a mistake but friends God's grace is greater then our mistakes and He is a God of restoration.  Yes, God is not just the God of a second chance but He is the God of ANOTHER CHANCE! 

I don't know where you're at today?  Maybe you're getting ready to quit something because of the circumstances surrounding you.  First let me encourage you to get alone with God and get a FAITH perspective and base your decisions on faith.  Maybe you're in a place like me where you've already quit.  Please don't fret my friend, as I said earlier GOD IS A GOD OF RESTORATION AND HE'S MORE THAN WILLING TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER CHANCE!  Build yourself up in your faith and seek God with all your heart and get ready to hear His instructions.  With God there's always another chance! 

I love it!  When you and I realize the truth that God gives us another chance then we can begin to DREAM.......AGAIN! So don't let anything stop you and have faith in our God because the best is yet to come! 

Ken

Stay Tuned

PS I had to add this last paragraph.  Just as I finished proof reading this post getting ready to publish it I looked at the time and it was 3:33pm.  In case you don't know many times the number three represents resurrection.  With God your dreams won't stay dead long.  Seek Him and He'll resurrect those dreams! You may think it strange but I just laughed and gave God praise! 
 

These people are rebellious and evil.  Let's do everything we can to frustrate and discourage them.  We'll even write a letter of accusation against them and bribe some people to help us stop them!  What their doing is wrong and can't continue!

This sounds like some pretty awful people doesn't it?  Well it might surprise you to know these are things that were being said and done against the Children of Israel when they were released from captivity and sent back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God.  You can read about it in the Book of Ezra.

I mean these people were DREAMING.......AGAIN!  Let me share Psalm 126:1,2 again.  "When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream!  We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy...."  While writing this I can sense their excitement.  Maybe they were realizing their true identity.  They were now beginning to understand that they were not "children of captivity" but they were children of the Most High God!

Yet immediately they faced opposition.  They experienced negative words spoken against them trying to remind them of their past.  Words trying to identify them as someone other then who God created them to be.  I can only imagine some of the inner personal struggles they must have faced in overcoming their past but now they had to overcome the words of others!  

When you experience failure in any area of life such as a failed marriage, business or even a moral failure you not only have to overcome your own negative thoughts and emotions but sometimes you have to overcome the words and actions of others.  Even Christian brothers and sisters.  And sometimes  these negative words and actions come from others simply because we're not doing what they want.  It happens!  Friends there's nothing new under the sun.  It happened to the Children of Israel and it will happen to you and me.  ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO REBUILD AFTER A FAILURE!

For the Children of Israel it even got to the point they were so discouraged and fearful that they were forced to stop rebuilding the temple.  And this is were many people are that have set out to rebuild after a tragedy.  You've faced much opposition from the words and actions of others on top of your own personal struggles and now you're just surviving instead of living life with value and purpose.

BUT TODAY I HAVE GOOD NEWS!  I love Ezra 5 because it tells us that God sent His Prophets to encourage the Children of Israel so they started again to rebuild the temple of God!  CAN YOU SEE IT? PLEASE DON'T MISS THIS.  WHAT THEY NEEDED WAS SOME ENCOURAGEMENT  NOT DISCOURAGEMENT!

I know there are times in my life I need to encourage myself and that's very important but in a season of rebuilding it's also vitally important that you have people around you who will encourage you.  

As I'm writing this I just heard the following words in my spirit.  "It's not a sign of weakness to have people around you to encourage you.  In fact it's pride to think you can do it on your own."  Let me say it again, we need each other!  It's interesting!  We need each other but no-one can take the place of God in your life.  He's the ultimate encourager!  In fact He wants to encourage you through others.

That's why you need to IGNORE those who are trying to discourage you.  Jesus had a gift of ignoring those who were trying to accuse and discourage Him and we should do the same.  Circle your life with people who believe in you and will encourage you.

Just a little side note.  The Bible identifies Satan as "The Accuser of the Brethren."

In closing this blog post let me challenge you with a few things.  When necessary encourage yourself in the Lord.  Build an inner circle of people who are for you and will encourage you.  Distant yourself from those who discourage and accuse you and others.  AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO IS BE AN ENCOURAGER!

Here's what I've discovered.  When I know for certain that God is for me and not against me and I can encourage myself and others and have people around me that are encouraging me, these are the ingredients for DREAMING.......AGAIN!

Stay Tuned, more to come!