This weekend, I had the privilege to preach four times in three days at the Fall Retreat for the junior high students at Immanuel Bible Church www.ImmanuelBible.net They had initially booked me back in the Spring for their retreat but had to cancel because not enough had signed up. For over ten years, I prayed to grow as friends with this great church in Springfield, VA. Long before I was a Minister of Evangelism, senior pastor, VP of National Christian Youth Speakers Network (2001-2003), I was a youth pastor. For me, “once a youth pastor – always a youth pastor” and I have a HUGE heart for teens.

When they cancelled earlier this year, my heart dropped. For over a decade, I was praying for an open door and it looked like the bottom fell out. Just because we preach the fruit of the Spirit doesn’t mean we are always operating in it. In the flesh my heart dropped (maybe this door will never open I thought). How you act at your LOWEST point reveals who you are. All of us in ministry need to TAKE NOTE when things don’t go as planned. God told me to stay calm and TRUST HIM. The cancellation also meant not getting paid for that event (no, we are not in ministry for the money but with a wife, kids and mortgage we all have bills). I did my best to empathize with the church leaders and did my best to be tactful and spirit-filled even when that door slammed. IMPORTANT: Had I acted like a complete “Jesus Jerk” (yes, sadly we can be “jerks” while serving Jesus at times) I would have looked foolish, faith-less and worse, fruit-less and they may have perceived me as a FRUIT LOOP and dodged a bullet because of my lack of grace. WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? I gave it to God and had no earthly idea that a Fall retreat may be possible however, Heaven knew all along! God always has a BACK UP plan. Trust God even when your plans “cave in.”

Yes, at that moment I felt DOWN but not out! Looking for a way in, I asked their AMAZING student pastor, Chris at IBC to let me come preach a sermon during Sunday school back in August to finally get familiar with their AWESOME youth group. That Sunday, I preached my heart out and we know that by “believing we see” but for some seeing is believing.  God does ALL THINGS WELL. The first time only 10 students signed up for that initial Spring retreat that was cancelled but Lord made this weekend possible and 49 junior high students came and a dozen chaperones! This weekend, we had 18 professions of faith and on the last night 32 (of 49 students) came forward to rededicate their life to God. PRAISE THE LORD! Truly, we had a mountain top experience. I hoped for the Spring but God saw the Fall and He took me along for the ride. Sometimes, our greatest ministry is not in the pulpit but how we act in private.

The term “DOWN & OUT” could mean a variety of things to different people. For a quarterback, it means his star receiver is going deep and then sprinting towards the sidelines awaiting a heat sinking missle. For a boxing referee it  is obvious that the contender in the fight was knocked unconcious and down for the count. For a hopeful romantic it could signal that their love has moved on leaving them single, senseless and shattered. We tend to think the worse when one has hit rock bottom personally or professionally. Nine times out of ten when we hear the phrase “down and out” we immediately think of failure or fatal.

In a previous post, I noted: “You may be down, discouraged, defeated, depressed, endured divorce, have a disease, accumulated debt but if you are not dead than God is not done with you!” Last week, was one of the most exciting moments in television history. No, it wasn’t the Olympics or commercials during the Super Bowl or watching a LIVE concert via satellite. It was the patrotism, perseverance and prayers answered for those Chilean miners. These brothers were DOWN and by God’s grace got OUT! 

Those difficult, dark days made an entire country unite around the miners and the world began to lift them up in prayer (similar to that space capsule) that eventually helped bring them to safety.  Those band of brothers were mere strangers to each other before being trapped but today are closer than any soldier or sailor whom has served side by side in war.  Darkness has a way to bring to light our finer qualities and expose our flaws.  Some shared their inner most secrets, others asked for forgiveness fearing for their life and trusted Christ as Savior! The miners rallied around each other, rationed off food to nurture one another and forged relationships that rock or separation couldn’t crush. The miners were down (literally) but not out (psychologically or spiritually).   Many of the miners gave God praise as they reached the top. Some suggested that actually 34 were trapped (not 33). Why? Because they said JESUS was present the entire time! Just like Shadrach, Meschach and Agendego the Lord was present even in their hour of darkness.

I was touched that the Chilean President was present for the entire rescuing mission. He hugged, congratulated and spoke words of encouragement to each and every one as he officially “Welcomed them Home.” God enabled His Son, Jesus Christ to leave Heaven to come to a deep, dark earth. The Son inherited our sin and shame at the Cross. He who was fully Divinity was wrapped partially in our humanity and the One who was worshipped above was rejected below.  The Bible says: “He came to His own and they received Him not.” However, those that put their faith and trust in God’s great grace will also be greeted by Grace, Himself as the Lord welcomes us individually. The Word will whisper: “WELL DONE” and welcome Home as we are ushered into Heaven for all eternity.

Hearing the miners account thrills my soul to hear The Light of the world was present even in the depths of darkness. Those miners testified of God’s faithfullness not only in their storm but lowest valley. We find  a firm foundation when we build our lives on the Rock of Christ. Today, you may be dangling on the ropes of romance. Perhaps suspended between unemployment, crushed under the weight of criticism or worse, self-doubt but I have GOOD NEWS. The blessing is the Lord is a very real help and always present in our time of need. The Lord is faithful even when we are faith-less and God gets glory in our most vulnerable times. God uses the “foolish to confound the wise” and when we are weak – He is still strong! In the words of Tony Nolan: GO GOD!

Over the years, I have observed personally that God uses not only the “blessed” but the broken the most. When God elects to ERECT you out of what seems like a “bottom less” pit take refuge in the fact that He doesn’t forsake His own. You may be down and feel out but if God be for you – WHO can be against you. Your mess today will become your MESSage tomorrow. Your test now will be your TESTimony later and when you get double for the trouble you will sing, shout and share what He delivered you from. Never forget the dark days (and nights) of your life. The Bible notes: “We all want the POWER of His resurrection – but to know Him is the fellowship of His sufferings.”  We need balance in our Christian walk. Prosperity without the problems lead to false hope. The hymn says it best: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus Name. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” 

 Testify of your trying times and give God glory both in the valley and standing in your victory. Your adversity today is preparing you for God’s Varsity tomorrow. Like you, I have had some mountain top highs and some deep dark lows but God has been more than faithful through it all. In the wise words of my friend, David Edwards: “In your valleys remember that God is your friend NOT your enemy.” Don’t blame God for your pit because it could be just what the Doctor ordered “to be still” and know that He is God. Like Joseph in the Old Testament, God has a way to orchestrate you from the pit to the prison to the palace but the Prince of Peace is PRESENT all along. Don’t give up on God because He hasn’t quit on you!

Praise the Lord, the miners were DOWN and now OUT. I don’t know your circumstance but God does. It is true: “The darkest hour of the night is the hour before dawn.” You may be down today but out tomorrow. Give God Glory! 

More than ever, I am convinced that Gabriel, the Archangel is licking his lips and he is getting ready to blow his horn announcing the second coming of Christ. The Redeemer is going to rapture those whom have been dipped in God’s great grace. When the trumpet shouts, Satan will pout and we may be down now but soon will be over and OUT.

Immanuel Bible Church students