This is War

The end of the day is here.  I am very unsettled at the moment.  There is a lot going on in the conference that causes me reason to pause.  There are unseen powers battling behind the scenes to derail worthy goals and initiatives.  In my quiet moment of introspection I wonder what lies ahead.  I have never for a moment thought the task would be easy, nor would it depend on my personal capital or ability.  It has always been a God thing.  I have evidence of divine intervention in matters that I have deliberately placed in prayer before God.  It is amazing to see Him at work.

The puzzling thing is that people who find themselves on the opposite end of the same initiatives lay claim to the same divine power to move in a different direction.  I am sure glad I am not God!  I am left with my limited perspective and narrow frame of reference to move forward believing in a God who is able to make the best even our of our worst efforts.  I would gladly become a proverbial donkey for God if it meant I was doing His bidding.  I venture to think that I may have already accomplished the first task quite adeptly. 

It’s that time of year when personnel decisions are taking place across the conference school system.  There are several transitions taking place due to teachers going back to complete a doctoral program or finish some needed classes to attain overdue certification.  Those are understandable and laudable causes.  Others however are precipitated by school closings and possible downsizing.  This is what I believe to be unconscionable, particularly in a state that offers the opportunity to fund our entire system with money that simply needs to be diverted from the state to the school with a simple step at the moment of finishing a tax return.  There are so many ways to give to the Arizona Tax Credit program that are painless and at times requires no actual money coming out of your pocket.  I have one month to create a wave of Tax Credit Funds with little chance of meeting my goal without some help from people in every church taking it upon themselves to find people to sign up.  If we cannot manage to find them prior to the April 15 deadline, then we must find them after the deadline, but find them we must!

I cannot do it alone!  I cannot do it without a total commitment to the cause.  I cannot do it without all conference pastors jumping on board en masse!  I cannot do it without divine intervention.  This is a battle—it is war!  Our children are at risk if we fail to consider it as such.  I know that the enemy will stop at nothing to discourage, detract, detour, derail, demoralize, degrade, and any other negative “D” word that applies to my spiritual core.  I ask for your prayers.  Tomorrow waits!  We cannot afford to any longer.   (230.4)