I was recently in the US for a time of ministry and vacation with the family.  Our last ministry stop was in Pigeon Forge, TN.  While pulling out of the pastor’s drive way I heard a scream coming from the backseat.  It was our youngest, Jerome.  I jumped up to see half of my son’s leg gone, meaning I couldn’t see it.  His older sister had folded the seat down on top of his leg and it was pinched between the two backseats.

Suffice to say that it looked a whole lot worse than it was.  After I flipped out I saw that we were talking ‘pinch’ not ‘amputation’.  After the seat was lifted off his leg he was fine.  As in almost every other incident involving our children I way over reacted.  I am in fact, in fear that something terrible is going to happen to one of my children.

I had fooled myself into thinking that my fear was normal because of where we live until a man in Pigeon Forge asked me why I was so over protective of our children?  When he innocently asked this question both Joske and I jumped forward to here what he had to say.  I was convicted! My irrational emotional exposition seeing son’s leg pinched in the seats only confirmed that fear.

Over the years I have had to fight huge anxiety concerning my children’s safety.  Every time the phone rings after hours and I am not with my children I automatically assume that it is bad news concerning one of them.  I am ashamed to tell you that it has almost become a phobia.  I believe it started when I lived in the jungles of eastern Honduras.  Every time I would get a radio call I would run across the village to the radio operators house almost in tears just knowing that it was my mom calling to tell me my father was dead.  My dad suffered for years before his death with numerous diseases.

When my father’s death did come it was almost a relief.  Now I have similar anxiety about my children.  It has gotten better but it is still a demonic stronghold in my life.  My fear has been compounded by living in the highest crime area in our city, having had two kidnapping attempts on my children and the fact that there are extremely poor medical facilities in Bolivia.  If anything were to happen care would be way below par.

All of these things are beside the point.  My confidence must come from God not from my neighborhood or a hospital.  I am writing this letter to you as an appeal for prayer. Not so much for the safety of my children but to lose the fear that something bad is going to happen to them.  I understand that fear draws the devil toward us to exploit our doubt and unbelief.

So I ask you to please pray against the fear I have in this area.  Would you confess that my children are supernaturally protected by the blood of Jesus and that they will never be involved in any kind accident or calamity according to Psalms 91 and that I, Rocky Malloy, would lose all fear concerning my children.

Thank you for your prayers and concern for my family.

Rocky J. Malloy

The greatest misconceptions seem to be over what is and what is not the Will of God. Historically there have been two points of view on the issue of God’s will, ‘election’ and ‘free will.’

There is so much ignorance about God because most people view Him through the lenses of  ‘election’ referred to as Calvinism or ‘free will’ referred to as Armenianism.  Churches tend to be in one camp or the other.  Churches aligned with denominations tend to be Calvinist in nature.  Independent churches tend to be Armenian in nature.

Calvinist believe that God ‘elects’ or predestines every minute detail of our life, good or bad, explaining everything that happens as preordained by God.  Each man’s destiny is in Gods hands.  Armenianism or ‘free will’ believes that man is in control of his own life and destiny.  God participates by providing a map through his word and direction though his Holy Spirit.

Without getting into a major exposition it will suffice to say that both camps need to move toward the middle, Calvinism more so than Armenianism, if we are to understand both the wisdom and grace of God toward his creation.

Election acknowledges the omni presence and power of God but goes too far by blaming God for man’s errors and rebellion, even going so far as to state that God planned sin to test man.

Free will, which acknowledges that man’s fall was a result of his rebellion, goes too far by limiting God’s participation in redemption.

People get trapped and ensnared by their opinions and doctrines of God.  They forget about the love of God.  Relationship is the path, not religion.  The only true perspective is to see the different doctrinal positions as complimenting each.  That is why I personally try to avoid being labeled and why I love Calvinist as much as I do Armenians.  I love people who love God no matter what their label.  I enjoy the freedom and liberty to work with anyone that confesses Jesus as Lord and Savior.

The Truth is more than just the facts; truth is Jesus.  The ‘Truth’ is constantly working on our behalf.  He wants the best for mankind.  Truth took on the form of a human so that is could suffer for all of man’s rebellion, making a way for man to restore his relationship to God.  When sin entered the world calamity became default.  Bad happens when man rejects God or rebels against his word.   Never distrust the goodness of God!

If in doubt, go to the beginning.  When Adam and Eve had the forbidden fruit in their hand God didn’t knock it out.  He gave them their own free will even though it had terrible consequences.  He limited himself in the affairs of man while at the same time taking an active role their restoration.

In an attempt to answer tough questions about the calamities of life we forget about relationship and fall into religion.  We say things that sound right but have no life.  When talking about God don’t blame him for bad things.  Man’s lack of relationship with God is our fault not His.  Remember love never fails and God is love.

Rocky J. Malloy