Ride Tough Rodeo Ministries

This is an image sent back from the Artemis II. That little sliver on the right is the Earth in half day/night from 77,000 miles away.

Now, I want to ask you something. How many miles are on your vehicle? There's a good chance if you go to your window you'll look out to see that old pickup or car with more than 77,000 miles.

As we eagerly await Jesus to return for us. Let's recall his final command in Acts before he ascended to Heaven.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth”.

77,000 miles is a little more than 3x times around the earth.

Jesus' final command wasnt to drive 77,000 miles to a church parking lot (even though not forsaking the gathering together is commanded of us in Hebrews)...we're commanded to GO!

Folks, we're already GOING someplace! Is the Holy Spirit going with us?

The tools we have are sitting in pur drives. Whether that takes us five miles to town, or 500 miles to a rodeo. That old vehicle in your drive that drives us crazy with expensive oil changes - it's our mission tool.

We don't need NASA or a billion dollar rocket - nor do we need to be spiritual rocket scientists to complete our mission.

We're told His Word will not return void. If we're His - we just need to put our hands on the wheel, and our foot on the gas. Because IF we're His the Holy Spirit isn't riding shotgun! He lives within us.

Grab a few bibles...commandeer them from a motel room if you need to. And GO! Put that old vehicle in park someplace and get out....
....and go LOVE on someone!

STOP BUCKING, AND GO HOME!

It never fails. Every rodeo I’ve ever been to, there’s always one bull that doesn’t get it—after 8 seconds, it’s over. Time to head back through the gate and rest in the back pen.

Bullfighters wave. Pickup men throw ropes. Doesn’t matter. He just won’t give it up.
Somebody up on the catwalk finally yells… “Go home!”

And if we’re being honest—that’s us. Saved or not. We’ve got plans that run long when God said 8 seconds would do. For the saved, it’s vanity. We drift. A great 8 seconds turns into time spent outside His will. And we need to get back to Him.

For the lost—it’s more dangerous. Because when the lights go out, there’s no gate waiting. Right now, the pen still holds both. That’s grace.

But eternity doesn’t work that way.

So where are you today? Still out in the arena when you shouldn’t be?
Let this be the bullfighter waving you home—

Stop bucking. Go home. Be fed by the Spirit.

Boldy speaking the Truth about Jesus comes with a price. But we must love Him unto death. Even if the cost means OUR death. Because even that grim price of martyrdom is a homecoming for our Savior. Even in death He proclaims victory!

Charlie Kirk went to dangerous places in our midst. And he spoke the Truth of Christ and the faith to those made in God's image...but swept up in the demonic nature of lies. I pray for the salvation of all those who are lost and without Christ. We have to keep spreading the Word. We're promised in scripture that it will not return void.

Tough week. But go love on someone today, tomorrow, and this week. Even if that love is hard. Love. It's one thing Satan can't do in the truest form - to speak the Truth in Love.

Last night I had a dream. I'd gone out to visit a bullrider friend of mine who I hadn't seen in quite awhile. When I got there - there were all kinds of people around. A lot of guys I knew, and some women and children milling around outside. I didn't see my old bullrider friend, but I knew a lot of his buddies hanging around. So we spent time catching up like we had many times at rodeos.

Pretty soon I see my old bullrider friend coming walking toward us. And before he can get there a young boy walks up to him and stops him and says,

"Hey, pastor, I wanted to talk to you about something." And my old friend threw his arm around this kid, and they walked away to chat together.

I just stood there grinning. And then I woke up.

Heck of a dream on my 48th birthday. I'll take it as my birthday gift from the Lord.