Tag: Abba Father

The Absent Father

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The Absent Father

Growing up I was without a father, or so I thought. I was left growing up without a daddy, a teacher, a discipliner. There was no man to teach me how to be a man. I craved approval, and I craved acceptance. I, for most of my life needed the approval of men in authority. On the flip side from that, I have struggled to make and keep men as friends. In my time I’ve found one of two things have been true. A: my friends have been good Godly Men, which has only been within the last couple years. B: the men have been older than me. 

Today, being Fathers Day, a lesson has been laid upon my heart. Living without a father has created deep wounds for me. This life is not a sprint but a marathon. I have run so long thinking a certain way, and today I have been shown a truth, one I cannot deny. Life is the race Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:77 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” I have struggled along my marathon. Growing up in a world where I was beat up, teased, and tortured. I was given swirley’s, my stuff was stolen from me, and I was laughed at on a regular basis. I didn’t have a father to help me cope. I didn’t have someone to teach me how to punch, how to change a tire, or throw a ball. I ask you today, who is your father? Do you turn to Christ? Do you follow Satan as a father figure? There are two thrones, one over Heaven, one over Earth. Revelation 2:13“I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”

Satan wants to be the ‘step’ father that gives you all the freedoms, free from rules, and carefree life. When we judge a good, good father, we must understand that ‘good’ father will give you rules, not just keep you down, but rather lift you up and protecting you, even from yourself. Jesus wants to protect us, and his rules are just to keep up on a righteous path. 

We worship one of two, the Kingdom of God, or the Kingdom of Satan. Do we find fatherly love in Satan and the world, or in Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven. God, our Abba Father is not a God, a Father of rules. He is a Father of real love, real mercy, real grace. Satan is incapable of love, but he will give you what you may desire, but never because it’s good for you, but to win your love by bribing you for your affections. 

Are you a father figure shaped in Christ or Satan? Sadly, some people grow up fatherless, and some people loose their fathers. Today is hard on a lot of people who have longed for a father, or miss their father. Today comfort can be found in knowing that there is a father out there that you can count on, Abba Father. Not everyone who has a father has a good father, and not everyone who grows up without a father is doomed to struggle. Growing up I was lucky enough that the right men came into my life at the right time, and were most certainly blessings from God the father. Today, I find my struggles fill my mind today. I can’t help but long for that relationship, and I know that through Christ I have a Father looking out for me daily. I have never been alone. 

To those without a father, please know today you are loved and will always be loved. Jesus Christ is always with you, and you will never travel along alone. God is always looking out for you and you shall choose which father you want to be, will you be a follower of God our father in Heaven, or Satan the ruler over the earth? As for me and my love, we will follow the Lord over Heaven. 

For me growing up I had a man in my life that personified a man, and that was a character on TV and the big screen portrayed by Patrick Steward, his character (No not Charles Xavier) but Captain Jean-Luc Picard. I was taught through TV to have Honor, Dignity, Respect, and Strength for all. I learned how to behave as a man because of a TV character, but God can work through anyone, at any time to shape us. While I was taught different aspects of being a man, I gravitated to respect characters who also grew up without a father. Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man, Flash, Dick Grayson, Oliver Queen, and the list goes on. I have gravitated to the struggle of those who although are fictional have shown that anyone can grow to make a difference. We must focus on what God gives us, and know that we always have the power to succeed, if we believe we have the will to do so. 

The Voice of a Child

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The Voice of a Child

The storm raged on, and the wind howled like a banshee crying an angry song. As the storm passes the clouds part, the skies clear, and the stars begin to shine, brightly as the buzz of electricity is gone. The sounds of the insects, and animals outside can be heard clear as day without the blowing air of the air conditioner, the song of the television, or even just the hum of the house.

I remember when I was in Kuwait, and I was in the desert for training, the view from horizon to horizon was unobstructed, and with no light as far as the eye could see, it truly was black, except for the millions upon millions of stars that twinkled in the dark night sky. Never before, and not since, have I seen a sky like that. Even with the cities power out after tropical storm Michael, there’s still more light, and not nearly the quantity of stars. Even though there’s still the occasional sound of car way off in the distance it leaves you with a nice quiet, peaceful, and almost tranquil opportunity to turn to God, and talk to Abba.

As a child I can remember crying to God to take me home. I believed so completely that God has made a mistake and I should never have been born. I loathed myself, and I despised the reflection in the mirror. I was a cosmic blunder, and I prayed that one day God would see that mistake and take me home. I didn’t understand as a child why so many things were happening to me. I didn’t understand the nature of sin, and free will. I didn’t understand the cruelty of the human spirit, and it wouldn’t be for many years till I saw the other side. See, that scared child didn’t understand what it was going to take for him to be prepared for the battles ahead. That little boy didn’t know how to make steel, and didn’t know how to forge a sword ready for a war. The little boy could only see the injustice, the pain, the cruelty that seemed like the dark lord Sauron was pouring into the one ring.

We need to look to our children as the future for tomorrow. We must stick by them, and train in up in the fear and love of the Lord. We must teach them to be courageous in the inevitable dangers that will come. We must teach our children the voice of truth, and show them to flea from the draw of the devil. We must teach them the nature of sin, the nature of the world, but never take away their joy, their creativity, and their imagination. Embrace the faith of a child, and show them what love should be, and what is. Children can be so irreparably damaged by the adults that are supposed to be there to love them and show them the way.

Having this quite night with God, I have asked for a great many things, and not for myself, but for those I care for. I have watched the news footage of the aftermath left behind by one of the most destructive hurricanes to ever hit the United States, and as I thought back to my own childhood, what would a child ask for. Peace for those broken hearted as they start to return to what was once their homes. It may not provide any comfort, but I would remind them that this isn’t home. This life we live isn’t where we are meant to be, and as hard as it may be to grasp that, I can promise you, that if you know your savior and Lord Jesus Christ, you will know that home is with our Abba father. This isn’t where you belong for eternity. This is just part of the journey, and when you feel lost in the raging sea, be assured that you are loved by the creator of the universe, and one day He will call you home. We can rebuild homes, businesses, towns, and cities, but the true nature of being human is the love and compassion we can show our neighbors who are in so much pain. Jesus knew the pain we would feel, and He’s given each of us a gift, and a voice to be heard. Never think your voice doesn’t matter, because when you speak with the Holy Spirit, even as the voice of a child, you have been given authority to spread the gospel, to spread the truth, and to spread the light of Christ over this darkened world.

As adults we get wrapped up in the world, the stress, the conflict, the conversation, but we forget how simple the message is. We forget the wondrous mystery that is our God, and we get enveloped by the world, and often don’t realize it. Remember how simple life was when you were a kid? How simple is it to know that God created the heavens and the Earth, Jesus Christ was Abba’s son, and He came to pay the ransom for our lives. That’s it, no more, that’s all you ever need to know. Jesus Christ loved us enough to lay down his life for his ‘friends’ and God loved us enough to give us His only son. The simple message of the Gospel, but we get caught up with what the world says is truth. We get caught up in theories, hypothesis, the controversies, and we loose sight of what’s important. Christ died for us to be free of an eternal death, and in the end, what else matters? To be an adult with the simplicity of a child.

As a child though I didn’t understand the more complicated issues. I looked at life a certain way, and didn’t understand the truth of the nature. Sadly some of those notions from childhood were carried along into adulthood. It’s not easy wondering in life why someone doesn’t care for you. It’s not easy growing up thinking people don’t want you around. That notion remained and it’s something I still am trying to drop as dead weight. I realize I don’t need it, I realize it’s not true, but convincing the brain of that is difficult. But as the stars at night are infinite, so are the possibilities with God on your side. We must trust in God and know that God doesn’t make mistakes. One should not question God’s motives, and as He, who created the universe also created you, you are here in this life for a reason. You’re special and made just the way you need to be. Things will happen to you and things may wound you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow and learn from it. Trust in the Lord, always.

Child Of My God

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Child Of My God:

My Works are nothing at the cross. My works are dirty rags thrown out into the trash that is tossed aside not worthy of a second glance. Do not misunderstand; my works do not determine my worth. My whole life I dreamt of leaving a mark on this world. I wanted to be remembered for doing something amazing and wonderful and positive. My whole life I sought my place, my purpose in this life. My whole life I’ve wanted to feel like I belong, like I fit in. At every turn I’ve been knocked down, knocked out, left behind, tossed aside, and forgotten. I have measured my own self-worth by those of others. I have watched as one person after another has thrown me away like a piece of trash. As far as people I have had in my life I’ve had a few that are in my life I can count on, the rest of turned their backs on me in my darkest hours. Ultimately though people should never be my concern. The one and only approval I need is that of my Abba. I never knew my biological father, but as I’ve grown, it’s my heavenly father that got me through. When I walked across the stage graduating high school my Abba was with me. He watched as I turned my life around from a 2.6 GPA to a 3.2 GPA upon graduating after I changed schools. He was with me when I swore to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. He was with me when I completed the 25K ruck march on the last day of basic training. Abba was with me the day I received my deployment orders for Iraq. Abba watched over me and kept me safe in the midst of insurmountable odds during combat. Abba rejoiced with me when I got married, and cried with me when I got divorced. Abba guided me through my failures and was the reason I succeeded. My Lord rejoiced when I married a second time. Once again cried with my broken heart from the second affair and subsequent months where I tried to save my marriage. My father held my hand the day I stood in front of a judge for the second time in my life and heard the words “Judgment of Divorce.”

My Lord never left my side even when I fell and crashed, getting bloody and bruised. God lifted me up with tender love and care. My lord has given me people in my life to help me and guide me in my darkest hour. Even when I’m down and when I feel the emptiness from no longer having a companion, my God is by my side hands on my shoulder as my heart breaks again and again. In the longest, darkest of nights the Lord, the king of all creation lights the way forcing the demons to flee before me. I fall and I get down but I’m never alone. I may often feel alone but that’s never true. I may miss certain people from being in my life, but I trust in my Lord’s plan. In my failings my father watches over me. He rewards me for my faithfulness, disciplines me when I’m bad and in all times never ever leaves me, and always loves me.

Jesus is my Lord, and my Savior and I know strength is one of my spiritual gifts. I have been attacked by the devil my whole life, nearly nonstop. As I now know my godly path, I prepare for the continued attacks and I expect those attacks to grow in intensity and frequency. I trust in Abba to guide me, to prepare me and to equip me for my upcoming spiritual battles. We are gifted with spiritual weapons to use in the war. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11“4 There are [a]diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works [b]all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by [c]the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” Our spiritual gifts are tools for us to be used in combat against the Devil. We are called to be prepared for the war. We are called to don the Armor of God. Ephesians 6:11-2411 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [b]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” We are soldiers in this world fighting the good fight as the Apostils had before us. We are armed with the armor and our weapons. These weapons are used during our evangelism as called for in the Great Commission. Matthew 28:18-20“18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go [a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [b]Amen.” Be bold and use the events in your life to preach and teach the gospel. Don’t let the events of your life be for nothing. Use them to show what God is doing for you in your life, and how God has helped you through tough times as He’s helped me. You are an Ambassador for Christ and as we are just moving through this land, on our journey we are given the chance to preach and teach the word of the Lord. Don’t waist opportunities to turn something horrible, into something wonderful. Remember we are but servants of the Lord, we serve and are not here for God to serve us. Everything we do is to bring Glory to the one who gives us everything God, and as God has given, so can the Lord take it away.

 

 

 

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