Author: thearrowpreacher

I'm a man following Christ to the best of my human sinful ability. I am an Army Veteran and a supporter of Project 22, 22Kill, and 22 is too many. I served in Iraq and I had a pretty close call last year of my own life. Spreading the word of Christ is important to me. I have a love of photography, and I love using my pictures to get the attention for the blog itself. I live alone with just my two dogs, and I plan on traveling to spread my ministry, and teach about the Gospel.

When the World Is Just Weird

August 1, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

When the World Is Just Weird

I was talking to someone very important in my life today. They stood up for me in a big way, and said some very nice things. I don’t generally get a lot of positive reinforcement in my life, and over the last two years of so many rejections I’ve lost count, I have come to appreciate the positive stuff when it does come my way. Sometimes our blessings can come from the strangest of places. Once in a while a hidden gem shines through and the brilliant light that glimmers is a reminder that God is always working even when times seem the most bleak. It’s not always easy to see the silver lining in the storm. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the bad things, the continual crashing of the waves as we are just bobbing in the water trying to stay afloat. When all we can taste is the salt, and the roar of the waves drowns out our own screams for help, we have to remember that somewhere out there is a rescue swimmer ready to pull us out. I heard a saying one time that God is doing one of three things. 1. He’s walking along side you. 2. He’s pushing you along. 3. He’s dragging you out of the battle zone. See, we aren’t ever alone, and even when we feel like we are, we don’t know who’s about to come into our lives, or what’s going on in someone’s life to give you a little encouragement.

We know that this life isn’t easy, and that sometimes it’s just downright unfair. The thing about life though is we are told from the beginning that it’s not fair, and we should expect it. 1 Peter 4:12-13 “12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” Partaking in Christ’s sufferings… That’s a powerful statement, and one I would say we miss more often then not. When we think of the crucifixion we think of the beating Christ took. Most of us has seen The Passion of the Christ, and how brutal the Romans were. The fact is, Christ did endure the worst kind of torture any of us could imagine, and then was forced to carry his own cross for miles to the place where he would be nailed and tied to it before being lifted up where his full weight would be pulling down causing extreme agony, and a struggle to breathe. All of this however isn’t the true suffering. While this was an attack on his physical body, the attack of the soul was far more upsetting. Christ was both son of, and God at the same time. These are 3 distinct parts of the trinity when added to the Holy Spirit. Each of the parts separate, but together as one. We have a hard time understanding this concept, but in reality, if mortals could understand it, then God wouldn’t be God. Jesus grew up his whole life as part of that Holy Trinity. While we don’t know much about his early life, we do know he was teaching at the Temples early in his life. He spoke with the authority of a high priest, yet only a boy with such knowledge and understanding of the Holy Scriptures. We don’t know if he showed divine powers as a child or if they manifested when he was ready. We do know that before Christ started his ministry he attended a wedding in which the wine ran out, and his mother Mary, asked him to perform a miracle and turn that water into wine. She knew he had the power to do so, or she wouldn’t have asked. So here’s a man roughly 34 years old who’s been God on earth feeling, and growing as a mortal man, but hanging on that cross something had to happen in order for our sins to be paid for by the ransom in blood. Christ must be made apart so the full divine wrath could be poured out onto him in payment for the sins of all mankind. Going from divine to mortal in the blink of an eye, and then feeling the full wrath of God attacking your very soul. How much emotional suffering that must have been for Christ? Another avenue to consider is how difficult it must have been for Christ to stay on that cross? Christ being God he could have turned every last Roman into morning doves, or even a single celled ameba’s. He had to make a choice to endure the pain, the suffering the ridicule. A choice he knew the consequences to. Love concurred over hate that day on Skull Mountain. From the fall from grace mankind has watched as hate covered the land in darkness. Greed, perversion, anger, hatred, selfishness, all the deepest darkest recesses of our brains and our hearts laid out in the most horrific acts imaginable. Today we see child rape, murders, wars, thievery, forced slavery, selfish dictatorships, and a plethora of other horrible displays of man’s wickedness. Christ knew and saw our future, and there were times when he told the Apostles about our future and yet he made the choice, the most unselfish choice anyone would ever make, “to lady down their life for a friend.” Christ not only voluntarily endured the worst pain and torture by man imaginable, he chose to endure the wrath of the Father completely for the sins of man. We as people can barely give up a few dollars to help the beggar on the street corner let alone forgive all of mankind for the worst traits imaginable.

We think it’s strange sometimes the little things we do for one another, and here’s our Lord and Savior that has done the unthinkable, and we are so small we can’t understand the magnitude of what this truly meant for us. It certainly shows how ungrateful we are. We have so many opportunities to share the Love of Christ with others and how often do we let it slip down the drain? We watch as a fallen world is plagued with death, and rape, and mass killings, and bombings, and weapons of mass destruction, and yet when we get the opportunity to give a little peace, to show a little love, to lift someone up, are we taking those chances? Sometimes the least likely people or person lifts us up in our lives. Last year around Christmas time I was in the Wal*Mart parking lot and a truck pulled up, the man driving asked me to come to the passenger door, and when I did he handed me an object. The object was a $100 dollar bill. I couldn’t believe it, but there it was in my hand, the generosity of a stranger, in the Wal*Mart parking lot. While I can go on and on about the wonderful things a few people have done. We are so surprised when random acts of kindness pop up in our lives, but if we were to truly think about it, why is that? Why do these acts of kindness happen so infrequently? In a world where Jesus told us to go forth baptizing all the people of the world, to spread the word the hope and love of Jesus Christ, and to love our neighbors as ourselves, can we honestly say we are doing that? When was the last time any of us did a random act of kindness for a stranger? I’m blessed to have some great friends who do nice things for me pretty often. I try within my means to do nice things for them in return just as often. I try to be nice, and kind, and respectful to everyone I meet. But when we look at acts of kindness as weird or bizarre, I would say that we as Christians have failed in the mission we’ve been given by Christ. Acts of kindness should be commonplace not a rarity. Showing love to those around us shouldn’t be reserved for those people we know, but for everyone we meet. When we look at the sacrifice made for us, and yet we can’t even do the one small thing Christ asked us to do, shame on us. We need to do better. Now don’t get me wrong, we are told to be good stewards of our gifts from God so please use a little common sense and verify your kindness isn’t going to be taken advantage of.

It’s not a hard thing to do to be nice to others. Today when I was told such wonderful things from one of the most unlikely of places, it reminded me that there is love in this world even if we don’t see it often. Today I saw many acts of kindness come my way, and as I’ve been actively trying to fight the onset of depression, those random acts of kindness went a long way. There are so many things we can do for others, hold the door, give the right away while driving, saying please and thank you, asking someone how their day went, and so many more. We never know how just the smallest act of kindness can change someone’s entire day. Do something unexpected, do something wonderful, and remember if Christ was willing to take on everything He endured, the least we can do is put a little love back into this world.

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House Divided

July 31, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

House Divided

Matthew 12:25-30“25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” Jesus is showing the Pharisees how ridiculous they are in questioning the miracle they had just witnessed. His response which was much longer then just the few verses above was aimed to show them, rather to call them out for the deliberate lie they had tried to spread. The Pharisees knew the power Jesus used came from God.

It’s important to know that as a home how important it is to have a united front. It’s important to stay united because divided a house falls. During the Illinois Republican State Convention, Springfield, Illinois June 16, 1858 Abraham Lincoln spoke on the rising tensions between the North and the South. It was believed separation was possible and eventually the divided nation did happen. The nation nearly fell apart because it couldn’t agree on policies. Homes, countries, states can be torn apart when anything moves in and begins to tear down the walls of communication. I’ve seen loving homes broken because of differences of opinions or beliefs. I’ve watched families torn and divided because ultimately the united front putting God first wasn’t there anymore. It’s important that in a household that the focus is the same, and as commanded in scripture, the priority is always God first.

Our country was founded as a Christian nation. The founders believed in God first and all these years later it’s my opinion we’ve lost sight of that, and we’ve begun to fight and war with each other and it’s caused a divide within this nation. Even with the idea that everyone has the right to celebrate his or her own faith without persecution. We’ve become a nation of judgments, of sensitivity, and hatred. We do not respect one another, and we’ve gotten to the point now where we don’t show love for one another.

It’s important that we understand that it’s Jesus that changes hearts. It’s the blood of Christ that gives us hope in this dark world. It’s faith that keeps us strong, and when we remember that this life is but a fleeting moment in the big picture, and eternity is what awaits us, we can focus and manage each problem with a clear head, and an open heart. While we may be divided right now we haven’t fallen apart yet. Jesus Christ is the truth, and the way, and if we can turn our focus to God we may realize that it’s Christ that can change our path. We are but a leaky vessel and if we are to remain afloat, it’s Christ that protects us from the waters. Remember to put your faith in Christ and keep your house together. Divided we fall, we cannot combine our forces to fight the spiritual warfare that comes if we are facing each other. The Devil wants to pit us against one another, to turn on one another. Just like the Joker in The Dark Knight. “Don’t talk like you’re one of them! You’re not, even if you’d like to be. To them you’re just a freak, like me. They need you right now, but when they don’t, they’ll cast you out—like a leper. See, their morals, their “code”…it’s a bad joke, dropped at the first sign of trouble. They’re only as good as the world allows them to be. I’ll show you, when the chips are down, these—ah—”civilised people”? They’ll eat each other. See, I’m not a monster. I’m just ahead of the curve.” The Joker was trying to divide Batman from the people he swore to protect. The Devil seeps in to homes and spreads lies, creates insecurities, mistrust, whispers of a better life with someone else, and slowly the thoughts change, and the cracks in the foundation begin. Before long left untreated the crack divides the house and what’s left is destruction. In Christ the fracture can mend, the bonds broken can heal, but it takes two parts to mend back together. You have to be willing to extend an olive branch and talk to each other. Come back together putting Christ first, and heals the bonds that were broken.

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What Gets You Excited?

July 30, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

What Gets You Excited?

Do you have anything that attacks your senses and just gets you 8 years old excited? For me there’s few things in life that get me excited. I am not usually excited by much as I’ve gotten older. As more tragedies have occurred in my life more and more joys have been snuffed out. I no longer look forward to holidays as I used to, and slowly even television shows I once loved would soon just be watched out of habit, not out of excitement. I still get excited when I hear the new theme from the 2009 Star Trek. I find that excitement in my stomach happens at the theme, and it reminds me of a time period in my life when it provided comfort, and hope. In your life, what gives you comfort and hope? What about the hope that Jesus Christ offers you? Does the blood that gives us everlasting life comfort you?

How do we know what true hope is? Do we find our hope in people? Do we place our happiness and sense of belonging or self worth in the hands of sinful people? Human Beings are all sinful no matter how upright, or righteous anyone is. While years may pass before anything happens, so one can go their entire life without making a mistake. Sinful behavior happens within all of us, and thus at some point we will undoubtedly hurt those around us. In my own life I have often placed my self worth in what others thought of me. In the last few weeks I’ve had several big upsets in my social (if you can call what I have social) circle. Most of my relationships are digital ones and sadly most digital relationships, or so-called friendships are barely friendships. While this is not a blanket black and white statement I do believe it’s generally accurate. I believe most people aren’t looking for anything real, that they just want filler in their lives. I believe most people only want positive and uplifting conversation. At the first sign of any conflict people will leave without a word. At the first disagreement over anything they leave. I’ve been ghosted or abandoned enough times that in my life I can honestly say I have seen this first hand. As I have struggled with keeping friends in my life, I have often asked myself why people don’t like me, or don’t want me around. I have watched this in my life over and over and as I’ve struggled to change the outcomes but in each situation I’ve failed to change the end result. The impact on my self-esteem has been drastic. The change in my mood has been so drastic in the last few weeks it’s caused a mild depression to set in. The fact that I have allowed my feelings to be impacted so heavily by people I’ve never met is foolish at best. The desire to make friends has led me to different phone apps, different websites, different Facebook pages, and I have yet to have many positive experiences in the last two years. I’m not saying depression can always be avoided, but for me, if I were to stop placing my value in the hands of others, I would probably be much happier. What does scripture say about having hope?

Romans 15:13“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” During the old testament scripture is filled with God’s disappointment with the way in which Israel conducted itself. Within the messianic prophesies the Jewish people were looking forward to the savior that would come and save them from the hands of their enemies. What they would fail to realize was the hope they would have would not be to save them from their enemies, the Romans, or any other aggressor, it would be to save them from eternal death. In our time we look back to the Cross for our hope, and we know and understand that it was the blood shed on the cross that gave us hope. What’s hard for us in this life is dealing with the hurt, the pain, the suffering brought on by a sinful, fallen world. Heaven is more then our minds can comprehend and we see life as fair or unfair based on our particular point of view. Growing up I often felt that life was unfair. I watched others with more money wear nicer clothes, had bigger Christmas’s, and were more involved in school. I watched as popular kids had parties, and had plenty of friends. I suffered from a semi rare birth defect that left me self conscious and different. I struggled as over the years I would be forced to take time off from school to undergo a surgery. Having to explain my absence to other students became difficult at best. Not having a standard childhood I struggled with simple concepts of emotions. I spent time in church and during that time as scattered as my teaching was, I held hope that God had a plan for me. As more and more trauma’s and struggles happened to me I felt I had done something wrong and I was being punished by God as Israel had once been.

Growing up I sometimes had the gift to see events before they happened. I would see things in dreams, or sometimes just strong feelings before an event. When I was in Iraq I knew there was an IED near an area. I sensed it, and even though my feelings were dismissed I would find out not 15 minutes later I was right. In that attack four soldiers; four friends lost their lives. That was the last time I ever had a premonition of the future. I thought for the longest time I was doomed to suffer this whole life. I struggled for years thinking God was angry with me, and I would eventually give up on feeling better. It would be years before I felt God had finally given me a gift. I cherished the love he had given me, and I made my way back to church and back into God’s word. I learned in time that it isn’t God that brings us pain, it’s people, it’s sin, it’s personal choice, but in all things God gives us hope. Romans 12:12“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” We are along on this ride, this roller coaster and we never know what surprises we might find. We cannot see the future and we must just accept that in this life it’s a blessing to wake up every day. It’s only by grace that we have life, and we must above all else be thankful that while we are ambassadors of this life that means this isn’t home. We have a brighter tomorrow once this life has ended. Isaiah 40:31“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” It’s not easy, but we must find our joy within Christ. We must find our peace within the knowledge that this life isn’t everything. While it may be difficult at times, we must allow ourselves to keep pushing forward. Do not fear tomorrow, do not dread it, for we have a promise from God. Deuteronomy 31:6“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

While I cannot say I have mastered the art of not worrying about tomorrow, I can say the hope and love of Christ is what keeps me waking up in the morning. I can say that even on my darkest of days when I feel like everyone has forsaken me, I know that I still have Jesus Christ. While I do hurt from a lack of companionship, I know that the future can hold anything. God’s blessings are endless and I cannot loose sight of that hope. If we could understand and comprehend God, the entity we know as God wouldn’t truly be God. We cannot comprehend the perfection of Heaven. We cannot understand the complete nature of grace, and we can never understand the true level of Love shared by God. That being said, it’s in that love we must find excitement, find joy, and find the strength to carry on no matter how dark the path may seem.

Sunday verse of the day

July 29, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

John 15:13 New King James Version (NKJV)

13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

It’s not just enough to say you care for someone, or even you love someone. Loving is doing, it’s showing people you care through actions. So instead of telling someone you love them today, do something kind and generous to show them you care.

What Would You Have Me Do?

July 28, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

What Would You Have Me Do?

We as Christians are often hated because of our strong opinions on particular controversial matters, but in that, it comes back to doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. There comes a time when anyone must decide the path they will take and the person they want to be. The time will come when you must choose to do what is easy, or what is right. I am reminded of the scene in The Dark Knight (Spoilers Ahead) Bruce is struggling with his roll as Batman because the Joker seems intent on causing destruction and death so indiscriminately that Bruce decides to turn himself in as the Batman. He asks Alfred for his advice yet initially ignores it.

BRUCE WAYNE: “People are dying, Alfred. What would you have me do?”

ALFRED PENNYWORTH: “Endure, Master Wayne. Take it. They’ll hate you for it, but that’s the point of Batman. He can be the outcast. He can make the choice that no one else can make, the right choice.”

We as Christians often sit back and watch the world and we shake our heads in shame, but we do nothing. We ourselves often don’t endure the hardships without turning our backs or anger towards God. We have become so fickle, so quick to anger, so quick to forget the blessings and wonderful things we have received simply from God’s grace, not because we’ve earned it or deserve anything. We are worthy of nothing, yet we are given everything. We are hypocrites yet we are Loved endlessly. We are filthy yet we are cleansed in the blood and made clean.

I can recall times in my life when I was hurting both emotionally and physically and I have cried to God that I would do anything if He’d just make the pain go away. Sadly I have never experienced a time when my suffering was miraculously taken away, but I have experienced other miracles. I’ve experienced miracles so powerful it would be difficult for me to believe anything else as truth. Jesus Christ is the true son of God, the one the prophesy foretold, and the one who came to deliver us from the bondage of Sin. Jesus paid the price for our sins but we still have to walk the journey. In the book of Acts you see a man named Saul undergo a transformation. Saul was a Roman Jew who had made it his life’s work to seek out and destroy the Christian church. Anyone who supported or followed those who followed Christ would be subject to his wrath. He caused a great deal of pain and sorrow, and in his own eyes believed he was doing the work of God. While traveling to Damascus Saul was stricken before a blinding white light. He fell to his knees with the voice of the I Am in his head. Jesus spoke to him, and Saul’s response Acts 9:6 “6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” He asked the Lord what must he do? When was the last time we asked the Lord what we must do, but not in exchange for anything, just so that we may bring glory to the Father. Saul who was renamed Paul went on to serve the Lord faithfully, and even though he was warned he would suffer long in the name of Christ he continued to serve. Paul would be beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, attacked by snakes, be stoned, and a number of other things all in the name of Jesus Christ. Perhaps it was his penance for the suffering he had caused the Church, but through the constant beatings, torture, and everything else he maintained his faith. He would leave behind perhaps one of the greatest testimonials in this history of mankind.

My Lord I look to you, and I ask what would you have me do? I believe I’m told to endure, to take pain because I can. I believe that it’s not just my faith in Christ, but Christ’s faith in me that tells me I can make it through anything. Sure there will be troubles ahead but that’s what it means to be a hero. Christ tells us all we will face hardships and persecution in his name. When those times come we have a choice how we’re going to handle it. I believe the best thing we can do is ask God one question, ‘what would you have me do?’ I’ve not been very good at asking this question. I’ve more often then not been the guy to ask ‘why me?’ I’ve not always been a good Christian, meaning to say I’ve not always been as faithful as I should, or even behaved, as I should. If Paul is the example of how to hold one’s self in times of crisis, then I have failed miserably. I know that I have failed, but by the grace of God, my failures are forgiven, and I keep getting up and keep putting my feet to the ground. When we live our lives according to God’s word, the peace that comes isn’t a fix to the worlds problems, but it does make those problems easier to face. The future is never certain for those of us who aren’t fortune tellers, so all we can do is trust in the Lord and know that in all things, good, bad, beautiful, and horrible, we’re never alone, and God is working out all the details, big and small. 1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

Take some time and turn to God. Take some time and find what you can do for God’s glory. No matter what happens the will of God will happen, so we can live our lives worrying ourselves to death, or we can take a breath, say a prayer, and trust in God. We must stand apart because we are apart. We are told we live in this world, but we are not of this world. The world will hate us for what we are, but that’s the nature of being a Christian. Never have we been told in good conscience that we would be given everything we ever wanted. We are given what we need, and we give far less in return. We do not stand in fight for the helpless or the hopeless. We do not stand against bullies and tyranny. We do not stand the test of time without questions or doubt. The path that is easy is to walk of this world. The path that is difficult is the one led by the cross. We must carry our cross and do so proudly. We are sinners in this world, but through the power of Christ we are different, not just in faith, but in our actions. So be different. Be a hero tonight.

Emotionally Compromised

July 27, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Emotionally Compromised

“There will always be storms, and emergencies, and chores to take care of in your day to day life. No matter how well we plan, or how careful we are there will always be just one more thing to take care of. We must always take time to rest and recharge. We must use that time to give thanks for our blessings, the grace we’ve been given, but also appreciate the hardships that come our way. The day to rest is commanded upon us, and we must allow ourselves time to reflect as God once did before all of creation. Our God shows us how to rest and leads by an example of its importance. Shall we not celebrate the day the Lord has marked as Holy and shall we not sing joyful songs and fellowship and truly find rest if not for one day a week? Rest today, for tomorrow’s burdens will be there tomorrow. Do not worry about them today.” AP

“I know you have pain because I feel it too, that doesn’t mean that Gods untrue.” AP We can’t and won’t always see the reason or reasons something goes wrong in our life. We can’t expect life to never hit a brick wall, or to fall on our faces. When my ex-wife left me and had an affair I found myself looking at my worst nightmare, and I fell down angry. I screamed, and cried to God angry, and I was so furious I literally saw red in my vision. What is it that causes us to turn our backs on God? Most people who turn Agnostic, or Atheist do so after suffering some kind of major catastrophe in their lives. I’d love to say this is simply just my opinion, but it isn’t. There are generally two kinds of people in this world. Those who after tragedy turn and grow closer to higher power, or those who curse and turn away from a higher power, so what are you? When bad things happened to you, were you the type to blame God, or turn to God?

In the last few weeks I have found myself facing hard questions. I have found myself having to listen and pray and shoulder the responsibility of being an ear. My first instinct is always to be try and fixing a problem. I have spent a large amount of my time in thought trying to create solutions to life’s problems. For me, and perhaps one of the hardest things I will ever have to learn in my path to ministry is how to shoulder that responsibility and never show the stress it crates on me. Not long ago I realized I had been impacted by something I had gone through and I found myself unable to be objective. Of course just like Starfleet Regulations 619 “Any command officer who’s emotionally compromised by the mission at hand, must resign said command.” I felt I had emotionally compromised and decided it was best for me to remove myself from the situation until such time I could regain composure, and be more effective. When you hit your emotional limit, where do you turn? Do you turn to hatred and build bitterness in your heart, or do you turn to God and understand the nature of sin?

CS Lewis once said “My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity) We must understand the nature of our emotions. We often desire answers to the cruelty and malice of others. Someone once told me after a school shooting that there was no God because if there was how could He let innocent children be slaughtered? While painful, it’s hard to explain the nature of Sin to someone who’s already angry and bitter over the sins of the world. I know from my own experiences when I was emotionally upset, the last thing I wanted to hear was scripture. I wanted to be comforted, and more then anything I just wanted to yell and be heard.

When catastrophe strikes often times people need shoulders, not answers in the moment. There’s a time and place for answers, but before any counseling is done, we must evaluate the situation by ascertaining what mindset someone’s in. There is a time and place for scripture, and though that may be where we want to go, it may not always be the best time. As the Apostil Paul wrote in Romans 12:15 ^“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Sometimes showing love, and compassion, and just being an ear for someone going through a hard time is all the ministering they need. It’s easy to loose sight of that sometimes, and when you’re in ministry long enough it’s easy to become a little callous to the hardships of others. There’s another quote by C.S. Lewis “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.” (C.S. Lewis) When scripture tells us God is with us always, we must always remember that when we laugh, God laughs. When we cry God cries. When we are happy God is happy, when we are sad God’s sad. When we suffer we must go to the Lord and share our sufferings with Him. But at the same time we must go to our friends and share our suffering with them. It’s in our times of need it gives those around us a chance to be there for someone, a chance to make a difference and show love and compassion. Many people who follow Christ feel that need, that desire, and not to share our feelings is simply depriving them a chance to share the gospel with a friend or loved one in need. When the time is right of course.

Romans 8:28“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” It takes a great deal of faith to look at tragedy and see the good in it. Sometimes we may not know or understand how any good could come from any issue. I have seen so much hurt, and death, and tragedies in my life I cannot begin to understand all of it. What I do understand is we have free will, and those around us have free will. God did not force neither of my ex wives to have affairs, but he also did not stop it. If he were to stop someone from making a choice that wouldn’t exactly be free will anymore. As long as there is sin in the world there will always be pain. As long as people are people there will always be conflict because no matter how upright or righteous we are we will never be perfect. We must trust that those who walk with the Lord will reap the benefits of it, and those who don’t will suffer the inevitable consequences. I don’t know what the purpose has been for me to go through everything I’ve gone through except to say I now have first hand knowledge of some pretty intense hardships. Having all those hardships behind me I will be able to relate and connect with those whom I encounter during my time as a crisis counselor. It’s this path I feel the embodiment of loving your neighbor comes into my life. I feel there are many different ways we can be there for others in their time of need, and this particular path is mine. I often found in my times of crisis I didn’t always have someone to turn too. I hope one day to change that. I hope one day I can be to someone what I wish I had.

If we truly want to understand the world we must understand the love of God. We must truly understand the sacrifice made for us because of one simple little world, that there’s nothing simple about, Love. Love is the only thing that can change this world. Love is the only thing that can heal a broken heart. Love is the only thing that provides comfort to the sick. Love is the only thing that’s truly worth living for. We are loved by Jesus Christ so we can walk through this world as ambassadors and through the teachings of Christ we could bring change to those we come into contact with by simply loving them. The greatest of all the commandments is to love. Without love this world would be a dark place. If you are the one going through troubles be sure to reach out for someone you can count on to be there for you and who will offer Christian love. If you are the one someone’s reaching for, be sure to love them with patience, and compassion. It’s not always easy, but love isn’t easy. In fact the verse says ‘Love suffers long.’This verse is how 1 Corinthians: 13:4 starts. No matter how hard our day has been, how horrific our situation, we must always remember that love endures all things. Of course we will fail someone and we’ll get angry, or frustrated, or short-tempered that’s apart of life. We aren’t perfect and we won’t always see eye to eye, but loving someone regardless is a command not a suggestion by Christ. Failure to do so is a sin, and as all sin is equal at the foot of the cross, consider that the next time you turn a blinds eye, or choose to ‘hate’ someone. To know God is to know love, and if we are truly going to call ourselves Christians, we must understand that loving someone is not based on the things we like about them, the things we have in common, or anything else for that matter. If we are going to fix this world it’s going to be through love, it’s going to be through apologetics, not by taking up arms, or turning our backs on people. Jesus never turned his back on anyone even when he knew they were wrong. He loved everyone, and died for everyone not just the marginally good people. If you’re feeling emotionally compromised remove yourself from a situation so you can come back fresh and ready to love. We only get one chance for a good impression and as a Christian we should strive for every first impression to be a Christ Like impression. So go out there and love your socks out. Be kind and loving to all whom you encounter. Spread joy and love and change the world one person at a time.

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Prayer Requests

July 26, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Prayer Requests

While I had intended a completely different topic, over the last few days so much trouble and sickness, and hurt has come to my attention. Sometimes we need to stop what we’re doing and realize that there’s so much more going on around us that we rarely see. I was sitting around yesterday with my cup around 1/3 filled when one by one the emotional flood started to come in and before I knew it, my cup was flowing over the sides. With no power to change a single situation, and with no possible advice to give, the only thing I could do was pray. So today, this post will be short and sweet, and straight to the point. We are taught to pray each and every day, all day about all things. We are told to pray for every one of our needs, our wants, our desires, and more importantly then ourselves, pray for others.

Today’s post is just to remind you to take a moment in silent reflection, and pray for everything going on around you. Follow these verses and remember to always way.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray without ceasing.

Philippians 4:6 – Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Romans 8:26 – Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

James 5:16 – Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

No matter how dark things look, or how great things are, never stop praying. Never stop turning to God for everything we have. Never stop praying and turning to one another because the power of prayer is powerful.

Plant Seeds Through Your Love Of Christ

July 25, 2018 thearrowpreacher2 Comments

Plant Seeds Through Your Love Of Christ

I’ve been in college for some time and I have an upcoming paper for my terrorism class. I had been putting a lot of thought in what I wanted to write and anywhere I turned the same thought came to mind, ‘hearts and minds.’ When I was in Iraq the mission slogan was ‘winning the hearts and minds.’ At the time I thought it was silly and a pointless venture. I now compare myself to Thor from the first movie and Thor from Infinity War. The immature kid who’s willing to plunge a whole world into war from the motives of a few, verses a man who tries to save his people and becomes a leader, a king. While I was not blood thirsty I accepted the war and accepted that we as a more powerful nation had an obligation to stand up against injustice and as a Christian Nation we had the duty to fight tyrants who would break the law as seen by the world counsel. During my time in Iraq we often led humanitarian mission to provide needed aid to poor neighborhoods. Nearly every time we would come under attack by the insurgency. I always struggled with why anyone would attack us when we were trying to give aid to their own people. I felt we were planting seeds of Gods grace and love and they were coming in behind us and destroying our efforts. The truth wasn’t far off but the motives were different. Radical Islamists follow a slightly different code, and in that code they are called to either convert liberal Muslims who don’t follow their code, or kill them. In Iraq many would fall silent concerning the violence that happened all around them out of fear for their own lives. We the United States would offer money in exchange for information, but the insurgency was offering death to anyone who gave the US information. Money or death, the choice was easy. So if those are the types of problems that plague the fight against a growing Radical Islam, how then do we combat that and actually win?

Hearts and minds is the only way to win a war. Violence begets violence and it doesn’t actually accomplish much when your enemy follows an ideology. All we can do is love and share the Gospel. 2 Timothy 2:16 “But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.”As Christians we must always show mercy and show grace. We must show love and plant the seeds of Jesus Christ. Just as Christ healed the ear of the servant of the high priest, we must attempt to heal the hearts of those who wish to do this lifestyle harm. Luke 22:50-51 “50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.” We must not just be different on the inside, our actions must show ourselves as different.

Inside prison Paul was being held for because he upset the wrong rich people. He was put in prison without due process and as a Roman citizen he had rights Jew’s did not. Paul had every right to be angry, and to be bitter about the beatings he received, but when the time came his character was glowing. Acts 16:26-28 “26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Paul not only decided to do what was right by not leaving himself, he managed to talk the prisoners into staying in the prison showing mercy on the warden who would have taken his own life in disgrace. Note: Had prisoners escaped the penalty to the warden was a very uncomfortable form of public execution.

As Christians we must remember that every day is an opportunity to sew great things. We have the opportunity every day to show love and grace to any who would see us. Galatians 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Every moment of our day we have a chance to leave this world a slightly better place. We have the chance to plant seeds of love and hope they will take hold. We also have a choice to plant seeds of thorns and thistles which like weeds would choke the life out of healthy plants. We don’t want to be that kind of seed. We don’t want people to look to us and saying ‘if that’s what it means to be a Christian I don’t want any part of that.’ I’ve heard far to often about people who go to church for the first time and are met with judgment and cold shoulders. Sometimes, most of the time we only get one chance to make a good impression and how often do we waist that chance? If we plant thorns we will certainly get pricked and bleed. We must always live well and sow the Holy Spirit. We must learn to take care and nurture our seeds, and never grow weary in doing good, Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”.

When we evangelize to the world, and we go out and we spread the seeds of Jesus Christ to all the world, our one hope for peace in our time is love. We must not grow weary in this world wide fight. Terrorism is a household world now, but if we are to win it, it will not be by the number of bombs we drop, but by the number of hearts we can change. While there is a time for war, and a time for attack, we must remember that while there is a time for violence, we must always maintain our Christian walk. It’s not up to us to plant the seed, tend the garden, raise the plants, harvest, and reap what we sow in its entirety. We may only be a link in the long chain, but that link is just as important as any others. If the link breaks the whole line is broken. Evangelism is a Christian team effort and we must remember that in a war we must not grow bitter and full of anger. There to we must plant the seeds of the Lord and only take in what nourishes us, not what will smother the good seeds. Be patient and one day a harvest of bounty may spring forth. Love your enemy always, and one day perhaps those who follow Islam will turn to those who are considered extremist Jihadists and say no more. Love will bring peace, not hate. This blood feud has gone one for far too long, and it’s time to answer hate with grace, and mercy.

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God’s Will, My Will, Who’s Will

July 24, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

God’s Will, My Will, Who’s Will

Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.” I have been questioning my purpose in life, and it has been years that I’ve been floundering in my career. As time pushed on I never quite found my flow, found my comfort. I spent years unwilling to leave my career because it was part of my comfort zone. Eventually God would force me to leave my career and follow a new path. I can remember growing up being in love with the church. As I grew I had felt some urges to work in the church but the older I got the further I wanted to be from working. I never stopped longing to go to church just didn’t think ministry was right for me. I ran from the idea for years and years.

When I think of everything I’ve gone through I can’t help but think of the song ‘Where My Heart Will Take Me’. I have walked a long journey, and as I’ve walked through the fire and the rain, I have always kept the faith that one day I would find where I belonged. I knew my strength came from my God and that God loved me no matter what everyone else said, or even those who doubted me. I can remember when I first decided to join the Army there were many who laughed at me. I was just some skinny kid, and many thought I’d fail. I was a weird kid and the vegetarian and most thought I’d fail in the first week. I not only made it my first week but after nearly dying from MRSA I bounced back and completed my 20K ruck march. I watched as I overcame all odds and managed to do something so many doubted. I was the smallest guy in my unit and even the Drill Sergeants didn’t think I would make it. Above the doubts I wanted to prove to myself I could do it. For the next 3 ½ years I would find myself achieving things I never dreamed I would. From combat to marriage, to moving out on my own I would come to find I was more independent I ever dreamed of being.

As tragedy would strike my life I would struggle to pick myself up. Instead of turning to God and giving my struggles and my trials to the Lord who could fix my heart, I hid it away and never faced them again. I thought I was doing just find handling my life well enough. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe and know Christ, I had failed in my prayer life and failed to understand the true nature of being a follower of Christ. My whole life I had questioned why I was being made to go through so much pain. I have struggled often wondering why I wasn’t good enough to be happy. I struggled with wondering why no one wanted me, and why I would loose so many people I cared for. The thing was I was always asking why me, and my suffering was about me. I never once thought to rejoice at my struggles. I never once thought to ask how my struggles could be used to glorify God. I never once thought to praise God even in my darkest hours. Instead I was always asking God why me, and what I had done wrong to deserve it. I always made it about me, and no matter how low I got I couldn’t see past me. I wasn’t narcissistic, nor was I entirely responsible for my own sufferings, but I can see now how those things while at the time were horrible and traumatic, but today they have given me a point of authority to preach on the subject.

I can’t say I fully understand everything, but I can say one day I hope to understand more then I do now. In my journey I now realize how much of a foolish young man I was. I was bitter and angry for so long I look back over my life and while I was never the cruel type, or cold or distant, for the most part I was always as loving as I could be. That was until something bad happened and then I shut down. See, for me the problem was facing the hurt, and instead of facing it I buried it deep down hid it away and never let it come out. I was dealing with it in my own will, and not God’s will. I need a swift kick in my stubborn butt, but instead I trudged along in my own way unwilling to see the bigger picture. See my whole life was missing out on an opportunity to minister God’s word in all the situations and countries I would find myself. Instead God took a back seat in my life and only when I needed something did I turn to God to get me out of the mess I was in.

Today’s picture of me is much different. Today the first place I turn when something happens is God. Today the first thing is tell God how perfect and gracious the Lord is. I thank God for an opportunity to learn from whatever lesson I’m being plagued with. I have learned to let my will fall to the side, and follow God’s will. I have allowed myself to be in charge for too long and I’ve found that I can either accept the lesson to be learned and not stress as much, or try to do it my way and hate life. So when dealing with any situation in life it’s important to praise God good or bad, and have trust and faith that He’s in control. For ever tear we cry, every laugh from our belly’s, every step we take Jesus is by our side and we must have faith that we aren’t alone during any of it. God so loved us that he gave his only so anyone that followed him shall not die, but would have eternal life. John 3:16 (paraphrase)We don’t know why so much bad happens other then we live in a fallen sinful world, where greed, selfishness, and hate are a plague upon humanity. We must choose the path of righteousness, the path of love that we are taught through Jesus Christ. This path isn’t one I ever thought I would be on, but as a surprise to me, those closest to me found little shock in it, as they saw my path to ministry as no longer plausible, but likely. All those years I spent telling God was I wasn’t going to do, what I should have been saying to God was what do you want me to do and then ‘Yes Sir’. Even though I walked my own path and I avoided God’s calling for me like the plague, the truth is, I wouldn’t be prepared for this path had it not been for where I was. My path was full of pain and turmoil, but even with the trials I shall face on this new road, I can rejoice in them because I now know and understand how to give the glory to God. Something I once said with my ex wife, ‘I don’t like you right now, but I love you.’ I believe this sentiment is true with God also. We don’t always like God’s plan, but we still have to follow it. We may not always like God at the moment, but when you think about it, that sentiment could be true of God with us. Imagine how patient God is, a Parent watching over His children who are stupid, arrogant, selfish, kind, soft, loving people all at once. We walk our paths, we turn our backs, and yet even when we are disciplined we are still loved greater then our wildest imaginations. Stay the course and make sure God’s path is your path.

Side Note:

During the writing of this post I was hit, blind sided with a message from someone I had befriended for a few weeks now, and while I wouldn’t have assumed anything was wrong out of the blue I get a message saying they were sorry but couldn’t talk to me anymore. That was it. I may not know what the purpose was, but I know it hurts. Regardless of how it made me feel the first thing I did was prayed. I took a step back and though my feelings were hurt, I cannot change anything, and I have no control over the situation, so all I can do is pray to the one with the power Jesus Christ, and offer myself to take this and figure out how to use this to glorify God, even if that means just taking my pain to the big guy up stairs.

Long Nights

July 23, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Long Nights

It’s 1AM and I wake from sleep. I grunt and I roll over and close my eyes to sleep again. 315AM my eyes open again, this time it feels hot on my face. The mask that keeps me healthy is hot and sticks as I move. I adjust and drift back to sleep. 530AM and this time I wake up unable to fall back to sleep. The weight of the night heavy on my mind and it lingers like a dense fog. The dawn breaks the horizon forcing light beyond the gray clouds that blankets the sky. There’s rustling in the house as the internal clock of each animal hits 6AM. The animals are oblivious of the struggles of the night, and yet, to them the day moves forward as any other. Perhaps they are right, and no matter the night, or the week, or even the year, the day moves forward and no matter how much we want, the days come and go, and all of yesterday is gone.

We spend so much time worrying about the day, tomorrow, yesterday, and in that worry we cause anxiety, depression, regrets, and we fail to live in the moment. The struggle is real for millions perhaps billions of people every day. While we are taught in scripture not to worry, that God’s in control and it’s our faith in God that sees us through, theory is much easier then practice. Matthew 6:25-34“25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one [a]cubit to his [b]stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not [c]arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

I have spent years trying to reprogram my thinking to accept the things I cannot control. I have sat in my own desperation and I have struggled to sleep because of it. I have been desperate for change, for answers, for anything to ease the storm inside. While many would say it’s a lack of faith that causes such problems I disagree. I think our faith is what allows us to get through tough times in a way that keeps our witness of Christ. I believe it’s our understanding of Jesus Christ that allows us to wake up every day and continue moving forward. I am certainly not the first person to struggle with depression, and low self-esteem. While I realize I am made exactly how God wanted me, I can’t help but consider the judgments of this world. Often we hear ‘don’t listen to what other people think.’ While this is true, when you hear the same thing over and over from many sources it’s hard not to hear it. The brain much like our body is affected by what it takes in. If a child is raised in an abusive household full of anger, bitterness, and verbal abuse, that child will undoubtedly suffer from depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and that’s best case scenario. Worst case is they adopt those behaviors and later in life become the same.

King David who wrote many, or most of the psalms is often seen suffering from depression, heartache, and yet always turns to God for truth, guidance, hope, and love. If David was known as the man after God’s own heart, then we come to realize even the strongest will face struggles. It’s not about the struggle it’s about how we manage. Do we let the darkness take hold and push us down a destructive path? Or, do we rise up, rise above, and praise Jesus in the midst of the storm? Deuteronomy 31:8“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Maintain your path, and when you feel the weight pushing you down, don’t try to hold up the world. Instead let the weight push you down, down to your knees and pray to God. When facing an opponent that’s bigger use their weight against them. When the world pushes you, just move out of the way, and let life fall down. The one with the power to control the very storm, we pray. Psalm 34:17“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.” We all have troubles, and some will let those troubles crush them, others will rise above, and not get stuck in the muck and mire. Psalm 40:1-3“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORDand put their trust in him.”

In the absence of light in the dead of the darkness, I shall not fear because the God of Angel Army’s is always on my side. I trust in my Lord and I just speak the words and cast the darkness out in the name of Christ. When looking to tomorrow just remember God’s already there. When looking back at yesterday remember God was there too. And when looking to the moment God’s right by your side. Do not fear the darkness because no darkness can remain with even a tiny bit of light. John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” No peace can be taken from you so long as you maintain your foundation with Christ. No enemy can stand against you and take your salvation away from you. Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” So stand tall, stand firm, and if you wake in the middle of the night, praise God that you are awake and breathing, and be full of joy for the blessing of life.

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