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Memorial Day 2019

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Memorial Day 2019

I fought the fight, I ran the race, but today is not my day to die. I saw the wave and felt the heat. I’ve felt the blast, explosions to my core. I survived by many did not. Today, this day I take a moment to remember the fallen. Men and women who’ve given their lives for the protection of freedoms we share and love with one another. 1 Corinthians 15:22“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” The ones who’ve fallen and given the all, it is in our Christ who gave all so a sacrifice would not be in vein. It is in Christ that we truly have hope. Death is not the end, no, it’s just the change of venue. In Christ we have a choice to give up this worldly self, and being blessed by the Holy Spirit, that we shall not die, but our chains are broken and life is ours for the taking. 

Do we honor the sacrifice of our veterans? Do we honor our saviors sacrifice for our sins? Freedom is not and always has been pain in blood. Do we die in this life alone, or do we live to die for Jesus?  Today is the day of the year we set aside to honor those who’ve given the sacrifice during the course of their duties to bring us protection and freedoms. While over the last 10 plus years I have looked at memorial day for the loss of life protecting this countries freedoms and protecting others in need of protection, I look at memorial day through a different set of eyes today. I consider the wounds of war, and those who never manage to heal from them. I consider the 22 veterans a day that commit suicide around this country and the true meaning of sacrifice. Jesus Christ is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and it is in him we are redeemed, renewed, and have hope. But for those veterans who didn’t die in the war, those who saw war, and experienced traumas, that’s when a part of them died. For those who experienced such horrors and never regained their life, that fall victim to PTSD, PTSD in itself is sometimes death. We must remember to honor those who’ve not only given their lives, but those who’ve taken their lives. 

The fallen shall be honored for their sacrifice. A country built on the belief of scripture, and the Holy Word of God, soldiers sacrifice for this country, their friends, their families, in love, as Christ sacrificed for all of us. 

We should take a moment to remember the fallen, remember the lives lost, but also the families, friends, and loved ones affected by that loss. Today is a day to honor those losses, to honor Christ and his sacrifice and trust that loss will never be in vein. Look to the flag and remember that Red is the color of the blood that’s been shed. Blue the color to show we are true of vigilance. White the color of virtue to show that we are right. While the USA is not a perfect place, we fight for truth, and justice. We are able to make a difference and we should. We stand above and when we stand on scripture we hopefully stand as a light to the world. 

Ashes Ashes, They All Fall Down

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Ashes Ashes, They All Fall Down

The tongue is a powerful tool. So many people will come and go out of your life, but I think we’ve lost the ability to truly care for people. How I’ve seen friendships grow, and grow, and yet in the blink of an eye crumble like a house made of cards. The spark that lit the match and the whole of the friendship burnt down to ash all around. The tongue has the ability to lift up and do and say great things, but at the same time it can destroy, and tear down all manner of friendships. Scripture is very clear about the power of the tongue, and love. Both of which go hand in hand, but how often is the words in the Holiest of Holy books ignored. What does scripture say about the tongue and what we say? 

Proverbs 21:23 (NKJV)

23 “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue

Keeps his soul from troubles.”

Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)

29 “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary [a]edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

Proverbs 12:18 New King James Version (NKJV)

18 “There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,

But the tongue of the wise promotes health.”

When people are wounded they often justify the hurting of others. They say and do anything to make sure they don’t get hurt, and if that means they shut themselves off from the world and caring for others, the sad fact is, it happens all the time. 

In the last…. Well most of my life, I’ve watched my friendships, and relationships build up, and then in the blink of an eye topple over and burn to the ground in ash. In fact, it hasn’t just been friendships I’ve watched burn to the ground but nearly all relationships that I’ve held most dear. Not a day goes by when I don’t look to the future and wonder what my days will hold. Every day I walk is a day I have to put forth effort. Every day I watch my steps, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t wonder what relationship was going to burn to the ground on any given day. Some may call it cynical, but from my perspective, it’s more of a manner of time then anything else. Wounds made by the tongue are hard to get over sometimes. Wounds that are from the collapse of a relationship (friendship, marriage, etc.) are even harder to manage. It took me years to realize the hurtful nature of people, and even longer to realize the love and mercy of my Abba Father. Despite so many losses, through it all I know that my God is still by my side daily. It’s taken me years of hurt, and heartache to get to a point where I am no longer crushed under the waves of the sea. 

When we care for someone, or care for people, how must we act? We are told time and again how important our tongue is, and how damaging it can be. I myself am not free from sin in the matter. In my past I’ve often let things from my lips that I knew where hurtful, specifically because I was hurt, and in my vanity and in my pride, I wanted to send my pain right back at the other person. Love is the only way to fight evil. Love is the only way to return pain that can be inflicted. The old Axum is true “hurting people hurt others.” Love however, is not just love of a spouse but the love we must all share for one another. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NKJV)

“4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not [a]puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, [b Keeps no accounts of evil] Thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

If love suffers long, that means being first in line that suffering long is the most important aspect of love. It also keeps no record of wrong doing. If we are to love in this manner, that means we are to speak no ill words towards those we love. Sadly this is perhaps the most difficult thing people will face in their lives. This world hurts us deeply and that anger, and resentment quickly hardens the heart. Fear of being hurt can often turn outwards and instead of words being used to lift up, to show love, to show kindness, that fear sabotages friendships, or relationships and sinks ships. 

When words are thrown around, or even when actions against someone is taken, behind it all at the root of it all is self. Even if the root is self-preservation, the base is self, and self often leads to sin. Sin destroys everything it touches. Sin is cancer, it’s a disease, it’s the cause of evil in the world. Sin is what causes our lips to spew venom. The lips and the forked tongue behind them are the most powerful weapon on the planet, and sadly the amount of broken hearts, the amount of tears, the amount of pain that’s it caused far surpass the number of dead throughout all eternity. The tongue is such a small little thing, yet driven by the sinful heart, produces terrible amounts of pain. 

In my life I’ve been blamed for my own suffering. I’ve been told I was worthless. I have been told I should kill myself. I’ve bene told I was ugly. I’ve been told I would never find happiness. I’ve been told I deserved to be cheated on. I’ve been told I was so awful that anyone around me would want to kill themselves just to get away from me. The list could go on for miles, but I think the point has been made. Eminem once said “they can be great Or they can degrade, or even worse they can teach hate” (Sing for the moment, Eminem). How true, words have such power. In a life lived where there’s been so many words pointed in my direction, how have I managed to push forward? In some instances I’m still working on it. I’ve slowly come to realize just because someone says something doesn’t make it true. Even though the words hurt, there is power in love and forgiveness. Despite the failings, and the destruction of so many different relationships through the years, I try to maintain optimism that each and every new friendship will be different. This isn’t always the case, and I sometimes find myself being hurt, abandoned, or ‘ghosted’ in today’s society. It isn’t easy watching people leave, or have such a disregard for someone’s feelings, but we must remember that to put our faith in people is foolish. Placing your faith in God is the only absolute. People and their sin nature will let you down, they will hurt you, they will fail you, and you will be powerless to stop it. It’s not easy, or fair, but it’s the sad reality of living in a fallen world. I’ve watched helplessly as friendships fell to ruin, and I always blamed myself. I felt I was at fault, and it was me. Perhaps to some extent it was me, but what’s more likely is my taste in friends. If I choose friends who will speak ill, abandon me in a time of need, only come around when they need something, then apropos they are not the Christian friends I need or needed in my life. 

Hold onto the friendships you can, and those you can’t, let them go. Hold onto the relationships you can but the ones that will leave you, let them leave, and remember Jesus Christ will never leave, nor will he ever forsake you. Hope misplaced can be devastating, so we must hope in the Lord, and hope for the best in people, but prepare for the worst from them. The Lord’s love is never in question, nor is his presence in your life. There is only one cure for sin and that’s Jesus Christ, but so long as we live in this world, even those who know Christ are still subject to sin, and thus still subject to letting down those they care for. Don’t let a forked tongue burn down your relationships. Don’t let hateful speech flow from your lips. Don’t let words that do not build up break the sound waves. Don’t let your friendships turn to ash. Don’t let your relationship be damaged by words of hate or anger. Hold your tongue, hold your voice. Just because something is the truth doesn’t mean it has to be said. Just because you have a thought doesn’t mean it needs to be spoken. Remember that people have feelings and hurting someone is like hurting Jesus. We are one body in Christ and to hurt one is to hurt Christ. 

Hold yourself to a higher standard and really dive into scripture about how we are to talk to one another, behave towards one another, and how we expect God to behave towards us. We expect a different behavior from God, when we treat others badly. Don’t allow Satan to harden your heart with anger and hatred, and fear. God gives us a spirit of courage, not of fear. Don’t allow the song “ring around the rosy” to represent your friendships or relationships. As for me, I watch friendships dissolve to ash, and one by one they fall down. 

My Heart Breaks

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My Heart Breaks

The sadness overwhelms me as the Nation is yet again divided in a major question over life. As the abortion question is brought up yet again in our country, the time I guess has come to draw a line in the sand and hold fast. I find it hard to understand how once a heartbeat is detected someone could not view that as a life. I find it hard to understand how a person who kills a pregnant women can be charged with a double homicide, but a choice of a women is not homicide. I find it hard to understand how a life can be terminated in the 7th, 8th, or 9thmonth, but a woman cannot ‘throw her baby into a river’ (recent news) is a crime but not the prior. I don’t understand how we scientifically judge life yet once life is detected we can choose out of convenience to terminate that life, that living thing to prevent it from ever growing into a person. How are we to consider ourselves evolved and leaders of the free world if we don’t accept what is or is not life? As I found myself scrolling through Facebook, I ran across one post after another chastising states that have chosen to ban abortions. 

Scripture is very clear what is life, and I have failed to understand how we justify the concept of murder in this country. The concept that whatever happens within a body is not something I understand. Recently in the news a mother who had given birth not long ago threw her baby into a river. The baby was saved, and the mother is facing court and medical mental health exams. How can a baby outside of the womb be a person, but a person, a baby that can be viable in the womb at six months isn’t. How can a mother kill a baby because she doesn’t want it, but a person can kill a pregnant women and be charged with a double homicide? How can we judge life by a heartbeat, but we can end one without provocation. 

If a mother has birth and places her newborn in a dumpster and leaves it for dead, they are charged with murder, but in the 9thmonth when a child is just as viable a choice is a choice and yet, I believe we are overlooking the most important aspect of all, being responsible to begin with to avoid pregnancy. 

Americans pay millions if not more to help subsidize Planned Parenthood to help women get contraceptives. While of course scripture says not to have sex before marriage, understanding that may not always happen, being safe and responsible is something we aren’t talking about. Condoms, all manner of birth control pills, inserts, etc. More often then not, abortion isn’t a matter of rape or incest. I have heard that it’s better to abort a pregnancy then to allow an unwanted child to wade through the murky waters of foster care. Or about the kids who live in extreme poverty, that some believe it’s better to prevent that kind of life from happening. 

I don’t understand how anyone can say this is a church and state issue, or a man telling a women what to do with her body. We are talking about a human life and we are saying that life isn’t worth anything. How can we charge anyone with a double homicide, but a women is praised for making a hard choice. Psalm 127:3“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.”Scripture refers to murder in the 10 commandments. Murder of someone innocent in cold blood. An unborn baby who is alive as a heartbeat beats, we judge life by the beating of that heart. We judge death by the heart that stops beating. Have we become so progressive we feel nothing for the life of babies? We care more about the rights of animals then the life of unborn children. 

It truly breaks my heart to see how loose we’ve gotten in on our moral path. I am thankful for all those who’ve chosen to adopt children, and that even parents who can’t take care of a child trying to give that child the best chance at life. I am blessed to have had many family members who were adopted. I’m blessed that the women in my life, a dear sweet lady was also adopted. Psalm 139:13-14 (NKJV) 13 “For You formed my inward parts; You [a]covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for [b]I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”

It truly breaks my heart to think about all the babies that haven’t been born. On the flip side, it also breaks my heart all those kids who’ve gone without a loving home. There are so many families in need, it’s important we as the church find ways to support families in need. I am proud of my church for the missions they do to help mothers in need, mothers to be, families in need, and widows in need. I am proud of the giving nature and responsible Christians I call my family. It isn’t our place to try and predict the future. It’s not our place to say it’s better to not live then to be raised in poverty, or in a loveless home. We see people living like Dave Pelzer who grew up and broke through the life he was given. We aren’t god’s and many people raised in poverty grow up to be great, and to do great things. We are to cherish life, not destroy it, and not snuff it out before it has the chance to do great things. 

Strange Tomorrow’s

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Strange Tomorrow’s 

The world’s a difficult and mysterious place to be. Sometimes the decisions of life past and the world we know or thought we knew is flipped on it’s head. How do we look at life when we haven’t a clue what tomorrow brings? How do we place our faith in the world we cannot possibly fathom or even prepare for? I suppose somedays, or maybe even every day, living in this world requires a daily renewal of faith. How do we renew our faith? Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)31 “But those who wait on 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.” Our prayers to God, our trust in God, and trusting in His word is vital to our daily renewal of faith by getting into the word. 

Taking my new place in this world as a serious charge, I bare many burdens. I hold onto the secrets, confessions, and struggles of those I encounter on the job. What about in my own life, how do I face tomorrow and know that I am doing the right things today? Jesus is the way, and we find strength his blood daily. 

Taking a leap of faith isn’t easy but it’s something we have to do. WE….. I need to learn to trust in the Lord and have faith that He is leading me down the right path. There will always be questions in life, and there will always be uncertainties. The path of tomorrow may not be an easy one, and even when the path seems so right and so clear, that doesn’t ever mean it’ll be easy. The world requires so much effort, and fortitude sometimes it seems, though bigger than anyone can face. How I move forward will show my worth. The change in the weather as a new season comes forward, feelings arise like lava out of a volcano. There is fear in this world, in this life, and a wonder, a curiosity, an inkling of question if I am worthy of yet another chance. Have I suffered long to be rewarded? Has my life led me to this point to be granted some peace in this world? Soldiers trained for battle, trained for war are never quite the same after. Those who have fought the fight are forever soldiers at heart. How does a soldier find peace? 

This world last but just a little while, and as it’s said we are to count our days, cherish our time, and learn and grow into a heart of wisdom through our time. All I can do today, is pray, and make a choice and stick with the choice. Tomorrow is never certain, and especially when we consider how we get from here to there. What is it Christ said? “Worry not for tomorrow will worry for itself.” I wouldn’t mind getting a clear signal from God. I wouldn’t mind knowing that tomorrow will come without major hurdles. The days are tough enough as it is, I just wish I knew I could see the answers for tomorrow. Since I can’t see what lays ahead, all I can do is pray the unique circumstances in which I find myself isn’t just my own fear talking, but truly the way God tells me to go. 

Time comes, and the message comes, even when we aren’t sure what it says right away. The world is a strange place and when weird opportunities come up, roll with it, and embrace the strange. 

Plant Yourself Like A Tree

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Plant yourself like a tree: 

How do you manage to stay on the path, in a time when no one wants to see Christianity remain. Compromise where you can, but where you can’t, don’t. Even if everyone is telling that something wrong is something right, even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say ‘no, you move’. (partially borrowed from Captain American Civil War) How do we as Christians stand our ground in a time when the whole world seems against us? How do we maintain our principles when the world is filled with at your fingertips sin? The world is a deeply fallen place and in the midst of so much hate, and suffering, there is still love. The love of Christ is not something the world can snuff out. As a Christian we are called to stand firm where the army of the world stands against you. 2 Chronicles 20:15(NKJV) 15“And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” The Lord has not given you a spirit of fear, but of courage. Your strength is not of your own, but given to you by God Almighty. 

There is nothing this world can do to you to take away your salvation. Jesus Christ died for us so we may live. When the walls fall we should not fear, but remember that all things must come to an end. If we are to face our end, we do so knowing where we go. We know that Jesus Christ’s blood was shed for us to break our bondage of sin, and we rejoice knowing that one day, the reward for a life live in Christ is the golden city, Heaven. Romans 8:31“If God is for us, who can be against us?” We cannot allow the world to bring us down, and we cannot allow the world to sway us away from the truth. In this life we must be a seed planted in Christ that grows to the fullness of a tree. We must be able to weather the storm, and remain planted firm and strong. Our shield is the Lord and we hold it firm and tight so that we protect ourselves from the arrows of the Devil. We are soldiers on the front lines. We are the hands and feet of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:27(NKJV) 27 “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” If you are going to fight a war, and go into battle you need a good shield. Like Captain America a shield such as scripture is both a shield and a weapon against the forces of darkness. The world is full of darkness, and in this fight we need to keep our armor strapped down tight. Keep the word close to our heart and when the world seems dark, allow the light of Christ to brighten the path for you to follow. 

Like Captain America we do not go into battle without the protection of our shield. We allow that shield to block attacks that come from the enemy. 2 Samuel 22:31(NKJV) 31 “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” There is nothing greater than the world is His word.

In my life I’ve been knocked down and I later realized I didn’t keep my armor or my shield up. I remember a time when I was knocked down hard. I wasn’t sure I’d be getting back up, but the Lord saw me through. No matter how hard your hit be sure to get back up. As Captain America used to say “I can do this all day.” We see this sentiment in scripture also. Proverbs 24:16(NKJV) 16 “For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.”In Ephesians 6:13-17“13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;” 

Stand firm and don’t let this world shake you. The world will push you, punch you, and do everything it can to get you to yield and bend to it’s will. The minions of the Devil are all around, and just like Hydra, hide in plane sight. There are many wolves in the world that will try to tell you Gods word, and will often make the message sound great, but in reality they are twisting scripture to fit their own agendas. Be careful of the world that will sell you lies that sound like truth. Stand for real truth, stand for real justice, stand for the Lord and the Word of the Lord. 

Don The Mask Again

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Don The Mask Again

There are all kinds of reasons people wear masks. They don’t want the world to see them as they are. They want to hide a part of themselves. They want to blend in. More often than not a mask is used to hide very real pain deep down. Are we ashamed of ourselves or at the very least a part of ourselves? Do we feel we are insignificant? Do we hide the struggle within because we are afraid how the world will react?

It’s the last one I’d like to focus on today. Are we a Christian society that lifts up or do we tear down? Do we show people love and compassion, or do we sew hate and disgust? The truth is, when asked how we are doing, the number one answer is an ambiguous ‘I’m fine’. So many people use sarcasm or misdirection to hide the true nature of their feelings, myself included.

Growing up, I loved Halloween because it gave me the chance one night a year to be anyone else. I was able to dress up and hide my identity and be anything else, albeit for one night only. The truth is, not much has changed in all those years. I still enjoy dressing up and being someone else for a night or two, or maybe as an adult I’ve found a few more nights a year to dress up, but the mask I wear as an adult isn’t to hide my identity, it’s to hide my feelings. Recently, I’ve been dealing with a few…. differences of opinions. I am not one to post a lot to social media, and I don’t usually ruffle feathers by making too many comments on others profiles, even if I disagree with whatever’s posted. Lately though, I’ve had a few disagree with the content of my posts, regarding Easter, or Abortion, but really the subject matter isn’t important. The part that’s really hit me in the feelers is how those coming to me attack my faith, those who fight for equality, but who are also supposed to be my friend. People I’ve known for more than half my life, people I trusted as a friend, have seemingly decided their offense of the cross was stronger than our friendship. In recent years I found I no longer get messages asking me how I’m doing, or checking up on me, but I’m kept around anyway. Why would someone go out of their way to openly attack a friend?

As Christians are we doing this to others? When people want to open up about the troubles they face, (MAKE NO MISTAKE WE ALL HAVE TROUBLES) are we listening according to scripture? Are we there for our brothers and sisters in their times of need, or are we turning our backs on them, forcing them to deal with their burdens alone. It makes me sick when I hear about a suicide. I wonder who they had in their life to talk too. I wonder who was there for them to lean on, who was that friend to help carry the load when it’s too strong. Are we a friend for someone to lean on? (Yes believe it or not that’s a song) When so many people shut the door and treat us as distant once in a while friends, it’s easy to understand why so many people feel the need to wear the mask. We hide our feelings because we are vulnerable in this day in age to be rejected for feeling anything but happy. What was it that Jesus Said Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV) 28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am [a]gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Christ tells us to come to Him when we are feeling weak and low. And we are called to be like Christ, yet we shun those who struggle. 

No, the truth is, I’m not all right. In the last couple weeks I’ve been dealing with a constant financial struggle with school. I’ve buried my aunt/God Mother. I’ve dealt with attacks from those who were supposed to be friends. I’ve had financial struggle pop up largely because I was stupid. I’ve been dealing with a slight bout of depression. I’ve felt very alone as of late. Dealing with the choice to date someone almost 9000 miles away. While I wouldn’t change that decision for the world, it does come with it’s own set of hardships which are very real. I’ve been feeling trapped and unable to change my current situation. While I understand none of these things is all that bad in the grand scheme of things, they all create stress, and stress in the moment is still very real to the one perceiving the situation. No, it could be much worse, as I could be in Sri Lanka dealing with the losses, which are horrific in the recent round of bombings. Or in the city of Durham where a building blew up from a gas leak, where someone lost their life and dozens wounded. In comparison yes, my problems shadow, but a persons problems are no more or less real in the moment of someone’s life. How are we treating those ‘friends’ of ours when they are in need? Are we forcing our friends to wear a mask and hide their pain, or their struggles?

Masks don’t just hide pain, masks hide addictions of all shapes and sizes, substance abuse, alcohol, pornography, gambling, video game, spending, eating, and the list goes on. Are we forcing people to wear masks to hide these afflictions because they are too afraid to say anything based on something we’ve done? Do we as Christians have a aura of being better, or holier than though? Sin is sin, and no sin is greater or worse than another (except for blaspheming against the Lord). We tend to say well I’m a good person, I’ve never killed anyone, or I’ve never stolen anything, etc. but we grade on a far different curve then God. God looks into our heart, and sees the strain, He sees the struggle within. God wants us to turn to Him when we are in need of help. God wants us to pray and ask for His love and His mercy, and His guidance. If we are to be little Christ, are we truly availing our hearts to those around us who are in need? Christ died for our Sins, and vowed to be with us always till the end of the age meaning forever because Heaven is eternal.

To be honest I’m tired of pretending like everything’s okay. I’m tired of struggling daily to keep hidden my pain. I’m tired of telling everyone I’m fine, and in reality I feel miserable and alone. I pray to the Father every day for strength to get through my day, and not feel overwhelmed with everything I have to do in a day. There are a vast number of problems in need of solving that I cannot solve in a day. There are so many people out there who struggle daily, and we constantly let them down. Wearing the mask will never hide the eyes. The eyes often show more than we wish, but we as a society no longer pay attention to the world around us. We are taught in this world to look out for number one, ourselves. Scripture itself tells us to Proverbs 4:23“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” Which doesn’t means to not show or share emotions, but to protect it from attacks, or miss teachings. 

We may choose to hide ourselves from people, but we can never hide ourselves away from God. God sees all, and wants only a relationship with us. God wants us to be willing to accept His love, and grace. In order to receive it though we have to open our hearts to the Lord. Nothing can be hidden in the light of the Lord, so we shouldn’t even try. As for people, I struggle to remove my mask for them to see, and sadly there’s good reason, my friends (some of them, not all) have not been very good friends. So the mask stays on for the majority, and I shall continue to hide away, pretend all is well, and only reveal the secret to those whom I can truly trust.

Fallout

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Fallout 

Once in a while, a mistake we make in a rash, heat of the moment comes back to haunt us. I’ve spent years trying to make amends, make the wrongs right again, but in one phone call the past, which I’ve spent so long trying to move beyond came back and kicked me in the face. Since that phone call, I’ve felt emotionally withdrawn, distant from everything. I’ve had a lack humor, a lack of interest, a feeling of being tired, and a desire to sleep as long as possible. I’m reminded of David and his life after Bathsheba, his life would never be the same after. He would for the rest of his life face the ramifications, the punishment for his actions. I wonder how long I would live with the constant reminder of a bad day. The shame washes over me and I struggle dealing with the emotional fallout.

How do we deal with a mistake from our past? It’s true one mistake can haunt us the rest of our lives, but in reality what are we really talking about? While it’s not a black and white statement, but I’d say, in my opinion that most mistakes that haunt us our whole lives are made because we’ve stepped off the path God intends for us, and we decide to do things our own way. We decide to drink and drive, or party, or have pre-marital sex, or have affairs, or get involved in illegal activity. What happens when we sin knowingly, and force ourselves beyond the brush and thorns God has placed to block our path? It’s simple really, we get cut, and scrapped, and we end up hurt and bleeding on this new path. God’s planned path for us, while never easy, will bring you more peace, than if you try to bulldoze your way into a different path. For every action there is a consequence, and when we blatantly walk against Gods will we cannot say, “well, I’ll be forgiven so it’s aright.” NO IT’S NOT ALRIGHT! There’s a difference when you sin because you’re human and imbued with sin, it’s entirely different when you go out of your way to sin.

Ezekiel 18:20 ESV“The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”

Galatians 6:7 ESV“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”

We do not have a green light to sin, just because we are forgiven upon true repentance. There is fallout from our sin. Our sin is like a stone throw into the water. The ripples from the epicenter permeate the water and spread out and continue to flow outwards. We never know the full ramifications of our sinful behaviors, but ignorance of result is not an excuse. There will always be a punishment for sin, and the day God chooses to bring forth correction, are you ready for the fallout to come? We have to understand some mistakes we make might not affect us directly, but the mistakes made might have lasting affects on others. One example is choosing to have a child on ones own. Choosing to raise a child outside of marriage might seem like a ‘good’ idea. You don’t have to worry about another person, arguing, or any other excuse, but the reality is, God created the family dynamic for a reason. Mothers and fathers have different rolls to play in a child’s life. The cause of most adolescent misbehavior is only one parent more often then not. The reason young girls engage in risky behavior in their early life, and get involved in poor relationships with men is often found because she did not have a father figure. Most girls who get involved in risky sex practices to include prostitution is again, lack of a father figure. A son, without a father often never learns how to treat a lady. He often grows up disrespectful of his mother, or fails to learn valuable lessons on being a responsible man.

I’ve seen so many decisions turn into very sad situations due to a choice that was outside the will of God. We as people need to let go of our selfish desires, and realize it’s not all about us, or what we want. It’s about what’s best for us, and clearly we aren’t very good at figuring that out for ourselves. The bushes are in place, and God is giving us warning to stay out, but sadly, we are stubborn, and we don’t listen. I hope you take a lot of Band-Aids with you because to get to where you think you want to be, you’re going to have to clean up some cuts and expect some of them while pushing your way through are going to be pretty deep. But, who am I to tell you what to do with your life? I’m just some random guy on the internet. You’ll figure it out, I just pray you do before you get on the wrong side with God. 

Scripture Prevails

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Scripture Prevails

I’m not emotionless, and I’m not cold hearted. I believe in facts, and I believe in truth. I’ve spent my whole life helping those in need. I’ve spent my whole life being a shoulder for those in need to cry on. I’ve been a punching bag. I’ve been a sounding board. I’ve been counsel. I’ve been the voice of reason. I’ve also been on the side where I needed all those things. I’ve been on the side where I felt little compassion and I know how hard life can be. Make no mistake, I will not sidestep the word of God to spare someone their feelings.

The world will turn on you, and in an instant friends, family, and strangers will attack you all for your beliefs. People will attack you for the word of God, and you will be the punching bag of many. In lieu of recent events, I felt it was my responsibility to check myself and see if what was said against me might have had any weight. When I look back at the post and what I wrote I see a clear cut message, free of emotion, without a scripture verse, but in response to recent issues regarding abortion. In the following hours after the post messages from people who don’t talk to me on a regular basis or even within a year, started to message me, and tell me how insensitive, and how wrong I was for stating abortion was wrong and that it was murder. Regardless of how things were said, I stood there and allowed stones to be thrown at me. What is it that really hit the red button I wonder? Not only did I feel the stones thrown at me, but I could also tell there was an issue with the Christian faith. There was anger, and there was bitterness, and there was insult.

At no time did I speak of my own opinion, or attack in return, but instead, responded with more scripture. This seemed to only add fuel to the fire. What did Paul feel as he was run out of Synagogue after Synagogue, Temple after Temple? I cannot imagine his level of frustration as he knew the truth, and going from a man of influence and stature, and respect, to a man run out of every town he preached in. How did Paul react with his change of status? The answer, while not easy, is simple, our Lord and Savior endured slander, false accusations, and even death for a crime he did not commit. Who am I to feel this way, to feel angry, to feel belittled over something that is clearly stated in scripture. It’s true, anger comes from feeling insulted, disrespected, or when our own insecurities are brought forth. We can only stand on the word of God. Many people will attack you for what you believe, but you need to ask yourself, as I have, whom do you stand with? As it is so wonderfully put in God’s Not Dead 2 “I would rather stand with God and be judged by man, then to stand with man and be judged by God.” How very true, and as I do feel badly for the tough decisions people might be in every day, for every tough decision God if we give him the faith, give him the glory, will show us a way. We must have faith in God, and trust in His perfect plan. Life is hard, and there are always consequences for our action, and those are things we must consider before we make choices that could change our lives forever. Yes, one simple act can forever alter the status quo of your life, and it’s something that needs to be thought about.

As for me, I will find a way to manage the feelings inside. I will praise God that perhaps the messages shared recently might find their way to who might need it. I will do the best I can and continue to fight the good fight, and never compromise God’s word for the feelings of others, even if I do empathize, and sympathize with them.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for [a: Training and Discipline] instruction in righteousness,” 

We believe that scripture is given to us by God to show us how to live. We believe scripture shows us the power of God, the mercy of God, the love of God, and the sovereignty of God. We cannot pick and choose parts we like and ignore parts we don’t. But, all sins upon repentance are forgiven by God. We must remember that while we confront the sin, we must always do so in a loving and respectful matter.

I have one example of what not to do. If you own a bakery, and a homosexual couple comes in requesting a wedding cake, it’s probably not the best idea to turn them away. If you want to show yourself as a loving Christian, you are respectful, and making someone feel an inch tall by embarrassing them, or insulting them, is not the Christian way. Invite them to church, ask to pray for them, or even remind them that Jesus loves them. I use this example from the many times it’s happened in the last few years. Every time it’s happened and it’s made the news, it’s because the Christian turned away the customer. I would argue that’s not the Christ[like] way. It’s not our place to pass judgment, but again, we are to call out the sin when we need too, and love on everyone regardless of that sin. We cannot sugar coat scripture, and we cannot ignore it.

I am a sinner just like everyone else, and I struggle with different sins. The Lord knows which sins I struggle with, and that’s between us. We all have sins, and we all have our different areas we need to work on. Scripture is the one and only truth. In this world as truth is becoming a fluid idea, and it can be anything for anyone, that thought process begins the decent into anarchy. We must accept Jesus as the one true way to the Father, and accept that Scripture is divined by God to teach us the way. 

What Is The Law

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What Is The Law

I was accused recently of not preaching on a larger variety of sin, so this is my response to that. When looking at sin, first you need to define sin. What is it, what qualifies as sin? James 4:17“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” We all have a basic understanding of right and wrong, but to know truth, one must find that truth in scripture. We are all sinners 1 John 1:8-10“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”Paul describes a list, but not limited to the list are sins in Galatians 5:19-21“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Sins themselves are cosmic treason against God. Many people look to the Old Testament and see a list of laws, but those laws were not sinful per say, except that it is a sin to go against the law of the land when that law is a just law. Sin is an act in which real consequence exists. Let us examine some of those consequences, but first the list of sins. 

Exodus 20: 1-17

And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands[b] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.[c (The Hebrew word also covers causing human death through carelessness or negligence) i.e. Cold blooded murder, or negligent manslaughter.

         (This does not cover a person breaking into your home, or stopping a crime in progress with lethal force, or in war of enemy combatants.)

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

This list is a list that has lasting implications of real consequence. Each of theses is either being deceitful, or truly harming your neighbor, which Christ said as the number 2 commandment, love your neighbor (which is everyone) as yourself. Number 1 is love the Lord God before anything else. One can argue that anything that gets in the way of your relationship with God is a sin, because you are placing whatever, or whoever it may be above God and that turns that object or person into an idol. Of course, when you don’t believe in God that places the world itself as an idol, and as the world is ruled by Satan until Christ returns, the world becomes the object of worship, or yourself.

Many may sight the OT law as sinful such as eating of pork, or mixing cheese and meet, or the combination of fabrics, but all of these things were to keep people safe, much like speeding, or not tying your alligator to a fire hydrant. The laws once they were no longer valid such as ceremonial cleaning, now we have the ability to wash our hands, and take showers on a regular basis is no longer relevant. This is exactly what Paul talks about when he said Galatians 5:3 “And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is [a: Obligated] a debtor to keep the whole law.” Paul himself would have been circumcised, however he is saying that the laws of the Jews and the practices of old within Jewish Law, not the commandments because they are separate, just as our laws are extra, added onto our bill of rights. Laws change, the original commandments do not, with the exception of the two Christ added and moved to the top of the list, which I noted earlier.

Now, if we are to understand the difference of sin, we must realize that we are all sinners, but accepting Christ is to become new, to be washed of our sins, and changed through the Holy Spirit. 1 John 3:6-10“No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”  Sin must be reconciled with God by repentance and change within ones own heart. We could never hope to keep all the law and we are not saved by the law. We are told not to sin and as those laws have passed away and are no longer needed, the sins that are laid out before us, are the true enemy. How do we treat those around us? How do we treat the sanctity of life? God shows us what is right, and what is just, and while many may not agree with scripture, and for those who view religion as antiquated, that I’m afraid is an entirely different conversation. As far as Christianity goes, there is a difference between ancient law, and what is a Sin. We must look at ourselves in the mirror and before casting a stone in judgment look to ourselves and see if we are blameless. It’s not our job to pass judgment on sin, but it is important to make the sin known. More importantly to show that Jesus loves you no matter what sin you’ve committed and there is hope in the blood of Christ that has washed us clean. We only need to ask, to seek forgiveness and allow Christ into our hearts, and we will be forgiven. 

Abortion

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Abortion 

Until I moved in with my grandpa at 16 I wore goodwill clothes, got free lunch, had little to no Christmas gifts, couldn’t join sports because mom couldn’t afford it. I had no money to go on trips with friends, nothing. Most nights for dinner I had cereal because that’s all mom could afford most of the time. Growing up in poverty gave me a respect for money, a hard working work ethic, and a drive to better my life. We cannot hope to change anyone’s mind, and we cannot hope to raise any kind of awareness without the love of Jesus Christ. Jesus shows us what the two greatest commandments are, and it’s our job to live them daily. Matthew 22:36-40 (NKJV)36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” There is a distinct difference between Old Testament law, and a commandment. A law had a practical purpose for life at the time, while a commandment was a law against God. When you look at the commandments there is usually a substantial punishment that goes along with it, while the law at the time was about personal safety. (Yes we can talk about this if you want). 

I was recently in a conversation in which I was told I pick and choose topics to discuss and I do not discuss topics I don’t wish too. While this isn’t true, and over 700 posts have shown I’ve talked a little about a lot, I would like to make it known here and now, I do not pick and choose what to talk about and what not too, I talk about what I see as needed when I see it as needed, and whatever that may be. So, let me first start off by saying I am a sinner, I am no better then anyone else. I have my own struggles with my own sins, and I confess them to those I need to, but most importantly I confess my sins to God. Second, I am not judging anyone for their actions, I am simply calling out a world sin phenomenon and giving scripture as to why it’s a sin. Okay, now that that’s covered there’s a few things I would like to talk about, first is abortion, obviously this is the title of the post, but next is pre-marital sex.

There’s a reason pre-marital sex is considered a sin, and that’s because at its nature, sex is not for pleasure but for procreation. Pre-marital sex is a sin against God because its very act is to create life, which all life is a gift by God. To have sex out of wedlock means to potentially create life outside of the family dynamic. This is a sin because the family was designed by God to work as mother, father, and Heavenly Father. While there may not be an immediate repercussion, having sex out of wedlock is like playing Russian Roulette. Eventually a condom will fail, birth control won’t work, sex with multiple partners extends the risk of STD’s etc. Now, that being said, there are areas in which unplanned or unwanted pregnancies do happen, and those may be rape or incest. This is a different category of care needed due to the trauma experienced.

This however does not mitigate or detract from the main idea, and that begs the question, what is life? That answer can be seen below.

“It is clear that from the time of cell fusion, the embryo consists of elements (from both maternal and paternal origin) which function interdependently in a coordinated manner to carry on the function of the development of the human organism.  From this definition, the single-celled embryo is not just a cell, but an organism, a living being, a human being.

The American College of Pediatricians concurs with the body of scientific evidence that corroborates that a unique human life starts when the sperm and egg bind to each other in a process of fusion of their respective membranes and a single hybrid cell called a zygote, or one-cell embryo, is created.

As physicians dedicated both to scientific truth and to the Hippocratic tradition, the College values all human lives equally from the moment of conception (fertilization) until natural death. Consistent with its mission to “enable all children to reach their optimal physical and emotional health and well-being,” the College, therefore, opposes active measures23 that would prematurely end the life of any child at any stage of development from conception to natural death” (ACPEDS, 2017). 

Now, it was also brought to my attention that I need to consider miscarriages, however, that seems to be irrelevant due to the fact, one is a natural occurrence, and the other is a man-made decision. Humans have free will, and while anyone in a situation of feeling the need to have an abortion I would like to say there is hope out there. There are options. There are ways to mitigate abortions by safe sex practices if you decide to have sex outside of marriage. There are adoption clinics where parents are waiting for a child. There are foster parents. (Yes I realize the system is not the greatest) however it is not our place to play God and determine what’s best for a child when we are opting murder is the best option. We determine life by a heartbeat and when that heartbeat stops we determine death. When a baby has a heartbeat is well beyond the point of a living entity. If a person commits murder of a pregnant women, that person is charged with a double homicide, however, if a mother chooses to end her own child’s life it’s considered to be her ‘choice’, however once the baby is born that same option to murder her child is no longer considered choice but murder. Even to the point where a child may be viable outside of the womb and now well into the 9thmonth, abortion is considered legal in states and is spreading. I was told recently that for a child with a deformity or debilitating issue, that is the main purpose to late term abortion, however, again are we playing God and determining what impact that child might have on others? 

Ephesians 2:10“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a gift from the Lord.” God is the author and creator of life. All life is an act of God. 

We are not to pick and choose which part of the Bible we want to obey and which we want to pass to the wayside. We also must not make erroneous claims. Old Testament law is largely to keep people safe from illness, from death, to keep people clean, etc. As our laws change so do the laws of old. However, while laws change, Sins do not. We are all sinners, and while we do sin, there is hope in our chains. Jesus Christ bled for us, so our sins would not condemn us to hell, but give us a chance of everlasting life. The key however, is that we must come before God humble, and in acknowledgment of our sins, repenting of them, and asking God for His mercy and forgiveness. As Christ said to the women at the well, ‘Go forth and sin no more.’

We never know the joy a child may bring no matter what they may be born with. In the days of Sparta any baby born with a deformity was killed. This was to keep the Spartan line strong. In countries like Japan, babies who are women were aborted if a family had met its quota of babies of allowed of a certain sex. In parts of Africa women are circumcised to prevent them wanting to have pre-marital sex. We find it so repulsive to think about the holocaust and the murdering of thousands, but just because a baby had not been born yet we as a society somehow have justified that as acceptable. We find what Harod did when he murdered all the first born boys from infant to 2 years old in the search for Jesus an awful thing, but we do it every day.

Now, let me be clear, I am by no means justifying other sins, nor am I saying one sin before God is worse then another, however, I am saying it is our job as Christians not to judge, but to call out sin. We are to point it out, and attempt to stop the sin from happening by sharing the Word of God. There are plenty of other posts I’ve written that talk about other sins.

Dave Pelzer was born into a world where he would grow without a name, kept in a basement, abused, tortured, and was treated less then human. He grew up to be an amazing motivational speaker that talks about growing beyond your upbringing, to love, to forgive, and to find purpose in yourself.

My cousin was born with severe Cerebral Palsy and requires near 24-hour care. From the moment she was born there was a problem, and knowing she would be different who whole life. She is one of the happiest, smartest, most loving people on the planet, even with her disability. Just because she was born with a major disability does not make her life any more or less important. She is a child of God, a gift from God, and a joy to all who know her.

We never know the impact someone may have growing up, and trying to prevent someone from living in poverty, or free from a home where they are unwanted, there are millions of people living in poverty who are happy. There are options for those families who cannot take care of their children. There are organizations that help underprivileged homes. There are adoptions, and places that will help raise kids. Conception is a gift from God and that child is innocent. We shall not take an innocent life, lest we be judged for it. We have a responsibility as the church to help those who are in trouble with pregnancy. We as a church have a responsibility to help children in need, to help parents in need, and to be a greater bacon hope, not to pass judgment, but to help the needy. We all sin, but this is one sin we need to stand up for, and be a voice for the millions of babies murdered every year. We have an obligation to stand up and say something because scripture tells us those who watch sin and do nothing are just as guilty as sin. James 4:17 (NKJV)17 “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” 

We as a church must continue to support those in need, and support the sanctity of life.

Reference

When Human Life Begins. (2017, April 17). Retrieved April 9, 2019, from https://www.acpeds.org/the-college-speaks/position-statements/life-issues/when-human-life-begins