I have a picture of a beautiful bridge that is called Crossing Over it is a painting by James Nesbit. I bought the picture about two years ago… it appealed to me as I had been told once I would be a bridge to the ones that left and the ones that stayed. At the time I was given this word I was part of a congregation that was having problems and a group of people left who were near and dear to me (and still are) but as time went on I realized there was deeper truth in the word but to be honest until today it has been sitting on the shelf. Let me explain for a moment the privilege I have of being in prayer partnership with people that are part of my home congregation and outside of it also. I have the blessed privilege to be friends with & partner with others in our area that are contending for awakening and revival in our area. It never occurs to me to be the least bit worried that my partnership with these may cause awakening to happen in their congregations before it happens in my home congregation… in fact I pray for it to happen at their place as much as I pray for it to happen in mine. There is something in me that knows this is not divided loyalty but a true heart loyalty to the only “church” that really matters… HIS church, HIS body, HIS people, not the building or group in which they reside!!!! ! I don’t care where revival breaks out in this region… JUST LET IT START SOMEWHERE! Which brings me back to the Bridge.


I got a call this morning from a dear sister in Christ and close friend who is contending for the soul and life of a man who is in the grips of drugs and hopelessness… the hold over his life has caused him such distress he is threatening suicide (as of this writing I have not heard of the out come of the situation so I ask you to continue to pray). Although he loves GOD he is unable to overcome the addiction and fears that have control of his life. He has given up… but there are those who so desire to see him succeed in being who God created him to be, they are bridging the gap for him and standing (or laying down in prayer) on his behalf. This man's struggle is simply a symptoms of the bigger issue in our area. The enemy has us so divided we are not effective in truly helping those around us… we are no more effective helping those we are acquainted with than those we are not. This mans story has so gripped my heart… I don’t know him… never met him, but he is a brother a fellow traveler on this road of life. How many have we lost because we failed to recognize we are to be bridges? We talk a good game about sharing the love of Christ but love is not a feeling love is an action. Love says when no one else will I will. When all have given up I haven’t. Love is being willing to give up your comfortable morning of coffee and facebook to contend in prayer for a complete stranger. Love is not a religious moment of… “Dear Lord you know the need…. if it Your will save this man. Amen let me get back to my life now.” It is laying it down and saying GOD grant him mercy no matter how many times he has failed in the past… Your word says your mercy is new EVERY DAY so grants him mercy today! To quote something I read last night… Pray until! Now hear me… you do not have to be a “called intercessor” to pray these kind of prayers… I had a revelation this morning when someone said yes they would pray with me about this… it was “reasonable service”!!!!! LET ME TELL YOU THIS IS WHAT GOD IS LOOKING FOR… for us to simply do our reasonable service! He did not heal us and make us whole so we could sit around and pat each other on the back and sing the world’s version of kum by ya! He made us whole so we could in turn stand and fight for those still hurting… whether that fight is to break off the strongholds off a region, city or people! We to often stand as watchdogs instead of watchmen… we are so concerned about our family, home and congregations that while we will go thru the religious motions for one such as this our heart is not really invested for fear that God may ask more of us then a simple 5 or 10 minutes of prayer.


We must stop our vain and religious behaviors and contend for the broken people, the broken cities and the broken region we live in… whether your part is to pray for people, places or things…. Regardless of what congregation you are part of… realize that we are only a part of a bigger whole… it is time we stepped up to the plate and gave our reasonable service! There are those who are desperate to Cross Over into the Kingdom…. But can’t find a bridge to use to get there. Are you willing to lay down in the service of the KING OF KING’S for them to use you to do so…. will you lay down your wants needs and desire to be a bridge? Your healing and wholeness is not a prize to sit on the shelf and brag about what GOD has done for you, it is a mighty weapon in the hand of GOD if you will simply be willing! Awakening Revival and Reformation will not come to our region and our country until we get off our blessed assurances and be willing to do whatever it takes to see it happen! GOD is waiting on HIS people to be hungrier for HIM than comfort and compromise!


As a side note… I looked up the words to the song Kumbyya…. I think we totally missed the true meaning to the song! I am now a lover of this song that used to make me cringe… thank YOU FATHER for the daily lessons you teach me! I am humbled by YOUR willingness to love me as I am!


"Kum ba yah" (Come By Here) - is an African-American spiritual song from the 1930s. It enjoyed newfound popularity during the folk revival of the 1960s and became a standard campfire song in Scouting and other nature-oriented organizations.


The song was originally associated with human and spiritual unity, closeness and compassion, and it still is in many places around the world.




Kum by ya my Lord, kum by ya

(Come By Here My Lord come by here)

Kum by ya my Lord, kum by ya

Kum by ya my Lord, kum by ya

Oh, Lord kum by ya.


Someone's laughing, Lord, kum bay ya;

(Someone’s Laughing Lord, come by here)

Someone's laughing, Lord, kum bay ya;

Someone's laughing, Lord, kum bay ya,

O Lord, kum bay ya.


Someone's crying, Lord, kum bay ya;

(Someone’s crying Lord, come by here)

Someone's crying, Lord, kum bay ya;

Someone's crying, Lord, kum bay ya,
O Lord, kum bay ya.


Someone's praying, Lord, kum bay ya;

(Someone’s praying Lord, come by here)

Someone's praying, Lord, kum bay ya;
Someone's praying, Lord, kum bay ya,

O Lord, kum bay ya.


Someone's singing, Lord, kum bay ya;

(Someone’s singing Lord, come by here)

Someone's singing, Lord, kum bay ya;

Someone's singing, Lord, kum bay ya,

O Lord, kum bay ya.


OH LORD HOW FAR WE HAVE GOTTEN OFF TRACK…

COME BY HERE MY LORD COME BY HERE!