Tag: Bad Behavior

It’s All Part Of The Plan

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It’s All Part Of The Plan:

I want you to stop where you are and look around. Right where you stand, right where you sit, is this moment in time where you thought you’d be? I’ve been taking a moment to think about my life and reflecting the path I’ve taken to lead me to this moment. While I would like to say it’s been smooth, I’d be lying. I think we can all agree there is no such thing as a smooth life. While I myself do not prescribe to complete pre-destination, I believe that God will continue to move pieces around the chess bored to maneuver us to where He wants us. For the vast majority of my life I’ve run from a calling, and it wasn’t till recently I have felt as if God smacked me in the back of my head and said ‘Okay, it’s time.’ As I have spent years in the same career when that came to an abrupt end a few weeks ago, I had to accept that my time as a security officer had ended.

I watched my career implode when I ruptured a disc in my back. 9 months later I found myself back to work in what seemed to be a perfect type of position for me. 3 weeks later due to government oversight that posting was dissolved. Just like that the laid plans that took months to bare any fruit, where whisked away in a short but powerful hurricane. Left standing in the destruction I looked to the sky and asked, “Okay God, what next?” I never expected to get an answer so fast, but I can’t say I didn’t ask for it, and I can’t say I’m overly surprised. I think what shocks me most is my willingness to acquiesce to God’s plan over my own.

Who are we without Christ? We wake up at whatever time, we get ready for work, and we go to a job every day, or most days for most people, and we are either good at what we do, bad at what we do, or just don’t care to put forth the effort in what we do. For some people their careers are everything to them, and for others, it’s just an annoyance they put up with day in and day out to make money to pay the bills. While work is not everyone’s cup of tea, we all have something we enjoy doing. Whatever that is, and I’ll allow you to fill in the blank, we all, no matter how big or small, have at least that one thing that brings us great joy. For some people it’s a hobby, others it’s their pets, some it’s work, and others it’s being on fire for God in ministry and missions. While I don’t often get to talk to full time missionaries, I do get to talk to those who go on mission trips on a regular basis, i.e. once a year or so. The reports to the church on how the other half of the world lives are usually similar in nature, they have next to nothing, and yet they are happy. We have an abundance of wealth in our society and yet we are some of the most pitifully miserable people on the planet. Those who say money buys happiness obviously hasn’t taken a good hard look at the United States mental health reports. So when we look at the abundance of wealth we have, and the lavish lifestyle we live (even our poverty) lives better then many countries I’ve been too. We see disparity within our country when it comes to joy with most other countries around the world. We are truly missing one main ingredient, and that’s Jesus Christ.

When we are following Christ we find that we move from one thing to the next with more ease and less worry then those who are unbelievers. (Not a black and white statement) I am reminded of the statement by Paul, and I’ll paraphrase, In all situations I find myself, content. This is a man who if any had reason to complain, it was him. Few people go through so many hardships as Paul, except maybe Job, but he kept moving forward no matter how hard the road, no matter the obstacles in front of him, he moved forward with grace and dignity. Remind you, Paul was a sinner just like the rest of us. Paul would have faced the same draws from the sins of the flesh, the pull of a fallen world, and the human faults that plague each and every one of us, but he knew he was a sinner. Paul on more then one occasion responded to attacks by saying he was no one. He would tell people he is nothing without God, and Jesus Christ is truth and Jesus Christ alone is truth. Where Paul went he was met with hostility, anger, hatred, and even physical violence, but everywhere he went was ‘All Part Of The Plan’.

When we follow scripture and we allow ourselves to give in to it, we will be moved and used by God in ways we never thought possible. When we are seeking the Lord and we try to have that relationship with our Abba (father) we will be amazed how drastically different our life will be, how bright it is, when we finally open ourselves to God, and force our selfish need to be in control away. We will go through life trying to do things our way, but often in our feeble attempts to do things right, we usually find ourselves in dire situations often because of our own sinful decisions. When I was watching The Dark Knight a few years back I was amazed at how well written Heath Ledgers Joker was. Each scene he was in was a small masterpiece in the grand scheme of the movie. The Joker in the movie falls in the category of an Anarchist. What’s an anarchist, “a political theory holding all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary and undesirable and advocating a society based on voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups” The Joker tells Dent he isn’t a man with a plan. He tells him he’s a dog chasing a car, and he wouldn’t know what to do with it if he ever caught one. “Upset the established order and everything becomes chaos.”(Dark Knight Rises)The Devil means to upset order, and as seen in the Garden, he’s been doing it for some time now.

How do we ensure we continue to follow God’s plan? First and foremost you must have a relationship with God. You must study scripture to the point where you have it in your heart and in your head every day. You must understand the word of God to prepare for the day when you will be attacked on the battlefield. We must study scripture day and night. We must get to the point where our actions are instinct and we no longer have to put hours of study into what to do in different situations. We must have a relationship with God that gives us a level of intimacy with scripture, and not just a passing understanding of it. We must focus on that relationship with Jesus Christ, and while we are doing that, our path will be made clear as seen in scripture. Psalm 25:4-5 “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.” Start with learning scripture and God’s ways. Learn behavior which is acceptable and that which is not. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” We must allow ourselves to subside so we may submit in every way to the Lord. To do this requires us to trust in God for every last bit of our lives. Not only trusting in the Lord with the big stuff which most people turn to God for prayer, but also the smallest details in our life, and to be thankful and appreciative of our vast number of blessings which come from our Heavenly Father. Psalm 32:8“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” God will never put you on a path alone. God will never give you the keys to the car without first teaching you how to drive it. God will always give you what you need, when you need it. We are to be the hands and feet, and we are to work hard for everything we do, but God always rewards hard work and self sacrifice.

While the Joker is an agent of chaos and we often feel like our lives are chaos, I submit to you, that we are actually following the path laid in front of us by either our own sinful selves, or we’ve taken the bait and followed the path of the first agent of chaos, Lucifer. If we glance at the instruction manual and have an in passing familiarization of the design, when we get done building, will we have pieces left over? The instructions are there for a reason and just like my Lego sets I often build, if I miss even the smallest step on page 4, it could have vast problems by page 34. We must be careful to read every word, study and understand it so when the day comes for temptation to creep in on page 36, you will be ready for it. You’ll know that’s not apart of the plan, and you’ll know how to manage that day. “Yea you know, you really should have stolen the whole book because the warnings, the warnings come after the spells.”(Dr. Strange) The warnings about sin don’t just come at the end of the Bible, but throughout the whole thing. We have no excuse to expect Hell, when we live our lives according to our own plans and desires. Much like Kaecilius failed to realize the depth of what he was reading and getting into. “Eternal life as part of the one, you’re not going to like it.” (Dr. Strange) Instead of thinking of it as the one, God, instead think of it as eternal life with the one agent of chaos and destruction, the Devil. I believe so many people follow such a path that they feel works, or being good enough, or even whatever other faith they may follow, I hope in the end it’ll be worth it. I feel a bit like Dr. Strange, “you got what you wanted, but you’re not going to like it.”

We may not know what the plan is for us, but if we are patient and faithful to the Lord it will be made clear when all the pieces on the board are in the right place. We will always have a choice which way we want to go, we can be agents of chaos, or we can be agents of order. Jesus Christ is the only order you will ever need to be apart of. No matter what path God has you on based on the gifts He gave you, be patient, be trusting, and be willing to allow yourself to be the hands and feet of God. God will never ‘need’ you, but if he chooses to use you, believe me, it’s better to give in, then to fight. You can fight tooth and nail but if you want to find your happiness and contentment, go with God’s plan sooner rather then later. It’ll save you years of headaches. So get out there and make a difference.

 

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Accused and Apathy

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Accused and Apathy:

Recently I was accused of being a bad friend. I was accused of not being a good Christian man. If we’re honest about the good and bad in life I will say I am human and I will always fall short. Now, that being said I will always admit to my mistakes, but these recent accusations were completely and utterly unfounded. People often say things under the umbrella of emotions and when they do there’s really no telling what may come out.

Often when the truth is uttered those who hear and feel a conviction will lash out in anger. They are not slow to speak and they cause destruction left behind after the sound waves of their voice subsides. The wicked tongue is plentiful today. It’s all around us in the music we listen to on the radio, the movies and TV shows we watch, and even the voices heard in our very homes. Proverbs 21:23“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” No one seems to care anymore that communication is slowly dying. I’ve watched as excuse after excuse comes across my phone screen as to why a message was ignored for days, weeks, and sometimes longer. I’ve gotten every manner of excuses and while some are absolutely legitimate others are not. My biggest frustration is when I get the simple excuse I’ve just been busy. This verbiage, busy, doesn’t usually mean busy, it means ‘you weren’t a priority.’ Thus the excuse given really comes from a place of apathy. For those of you who don’t know what that means, I’ll give you the definition, Apathy: lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. There was no concern on how someone would feel being left hanging, dangling there for weeks before a response was finally given, and that response never actually held an apology. See, what most people fail to realize is just as dangerous as the tongue is, as it’s probably the most dangerous weapon on the planet, it has the power to build, or destroy. Matthew 15:11“It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

I have a good friend who has a few kids. He has often told me about his policy with the kids, the punishment for wrong doing will be equal to the crime, but the punishment for a lie on top of the crime, much more severe. This makes sense because we as Christians know we will make mistakes. We know that it’s not about if we screw up but when. The thing with those mistakes is using the tongue along with actions to try and make amends for that mistake. So many people are afraid to stand up and speak the truth, but more are perfectly content living in a world where they never have to face the consequences of their actions. So many now lash out, out of anger and never fully see the ramifications of those words because now everything is done over non-verbal, or vocal communications. People now are so quick to anger, so quick to shoot off a ill thought out text that things are said without thought, and likewise in that anger it’s so easy to hit a couple buttons and poof, that persons gone from your life. People in droves make rash, hurtful remarks and then run away before any defense can be made, thus destroying the very foundation of friendships, and relationships. Proverbs 12:18“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Proverbs 18:21“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” When we consider the power of the tongue and what we say, how it affects people in our life, we hold such power just a few inches from our brains. Many have little concern now about who they hurt, what they say, or why. On top of a lack of caring how our words affect people, the effect goes far beyond just what we say. A general apathy has sprung up in people all over the world. Since we have gotten to the point now where we don’t care what we say, how we say it, the other side of that coin is we don’t truly care about others. I’ve been in the online dating world for quite some time now, and I have noted on multiple occasions in the last 24 months that people just stopped caring about anyone but themselves. There’s no thought to the curtsey given to how we treat people. We ignore messages, we lie about the excuses to cause long delays in communications, and that’s if communication doesn’t stop abruptly without warning. I’ve always prided myself as being a very understanding person. I’ve watched people do horrible things that affected me and it wasn’t the mistake that hurt the most, it was lying to me about it. If someone doesn’t have the desire to have fluid communication often, a simple text to inform me of that would go a long way. James 3:10“From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” When will we finally realize how our words and actions affect other people?

Something I’ve often wondered is when we are quick to anger and that anger leads to a wicked tongue, how then can that very same person say to the accused “You’re not a Christian man?” I have pondered this very thing for a little while now, and as I’ve gone back over conversations for a long while involving many people, I have come to a sad realization; the term Christian is perhaps the worst Apathy of all. How many Christians or self proclaimed Christians are there all over the world? How many of them would say, “I’m Christian, but it’s not important.”? How many would say they are Christian on Christmas, Easter, and maybe one or two sprinkled in the rest of the year? We see less then 19% of Christians now are involved Christians meaning, fewer then 19% open and read there Bibles more then 3 times a week, most far less if ever. How can someone stand there and pass judgment about doing nothing but stating facts, with no emotional bias, even if those facts don’t show someone in an appealing light? The answer is convictions. When we are confronted with our own shortcomings and we become angry we say and do things that are within its very nature, Sinful. We live in a world where truth is something convenient we don’t like to face.

We’ve become so consumed with self that we have such a deep apathy for other people. We don’t care how we hurt someone, or why. We don’t care to lead someone along only to drop them from the side of the cliff. Apathy my friends is a disease that is plaguing our society. The invention of texts, and online dating have created a gap in the human condition that now allows people to do what they wish and never having to see the fallout from their actions. Being accused recently of being a bad Christian, and treating my friends badly, is obviously coming from someone who is hurting badly themselves. Truth however, no matter how painful is always the best way to go. The truth is, people can be cruel, and manipulative and hold nothing but apathy for you. All we can do is love, pray, and continue to lean on God’s word the best we can. We are people and we will make mistakes. People always need to be forgiven for their trespasses, and thus we must always ask for forgiveness of our trespasses. Never loose sight of the hope that springs in the horizon every day. We may be accused but our accusers who flee before a defense do not seek answers or retribution. Those who spit venom and run away are nothing shy of cowards. Those who hide behind technology afraid to face their own fallout are cowards. Do not worry yourself with these types of people, no, I say to you my brothers and sisters, forever pray that God opens their eyes to see, warms their hearts to feel, and blesses their souls with empathy and love. Are you the sword or just a poor reflection? Don’t loose hope for, while God is still sovereign over all, there will always be hope.

 

 

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Be Different

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Be Different:

When we live this life we are expected to prescribe to the way things are done without question. We are told all our lives that this is the way something has to be done, and often times the right or wrong way to do something isn’t scripturally sound to begin with. Recently I was going to dinner with my ex-wife. We spend a fair amount of time together, we talk regularly, and albeit unorthodox we have a good relationship. There are times I miss my wife, and there are times I miss the way things were, but as far as things going when they change, I can’t really complain about the outcome in this particular circumstance. Do I like that we got divorced, no of course not, but I will say as far as divorces goes, ours was as cordial in the end as it could be. There were of course dark days, but the end result is what’s important. Recently I had dinner plans with Krystal and I was telling a friend I was meeting someone for dinner. They automatically assumed it was a date, and while I myself would perhaps call it a date, it is a date with a non-romantic overture. I pointed this out, and yet, as I’ve explained the relationship before, questions were asked of the romantic nature behind the dinner. Frustrated I was pointed with my words that we are friends, perhaps good friends, and while there was a romantic involvement as obvious as it is, that is no longer a primary factor in our relationship. People seem to think that when something ends like marriage you have to be at each other’s throats. People assume you must hate one another, and be willing to gnaw out someone’s jugular the first chance you get. It’s truly sad that people cannot accept the maturity behind remaining friends. It’s sad that people cannot see passed the worldview that you must hate your ex at all cost. None of this is scriptural; none of this is as Jesus would teach, and yet people just don’t seem to grasp the nature of love.

I didn’t want the divorce, but as I didn’t have much of an option in the matter, what I did have control over was how I behaved during the whole process. I chose to treat Krystal with love and respect all throughout the process. I chose to be by her side regardless of what the legal papers said. I decided I was going to be a friend to her, and do anything I could to be a positive impact. We have a good friendship and it bothers me to no ends that people just can’t seem to wrap their heads around that. It’s simple, forgive others for the sins and follow the meaning of love. We forgive and we never keep score. We are kind and tenderhearted to one another. Ephesians 4:32“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Walking a different path isn’t a bad thing. Choosing to live differently then the world would expect is also not a bad thing. Why people choose to speak ill of something that obviously works well for someone else is beyond me. While I do realize most find this strange, I would submit to you that if you truly take a moment to step back and look at the beauty of it, why would anyone question it. Two people who had such a major falling out, where things were done, some that involved legal avenues, and yet through the fire, the storms, the hurricane of destruction, managed to come out the other side friends. This is not just beautiful; it embodies the love Jesus preaches. It embodies scripture as to how to treat others, to include those in which you have issue with. To see two people work out their differences, and manage to keep a beautiful friendship is nothing short of a miracle, and people need to stop being naysayers, and praise God for a beautiful blessing. I for one will choose to see the world through a different set of lenses, and I will trust in God. I will not fall victim to the world and it’s set way of thinking when it doesn’t line up with scripture at all. Maturity and love will always trump hate and childishness. Just because something doesn’t work for someone else, doesn’t mean it’s a blank slate everyone must follow. Grow up people, open your bibles and learn a thing or two about love and forgiveness.

 

 

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The Great Commission Here, There, Everywhere

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The Great Commission Here, There, Everywhere

A Savior comes to free us from the bondage of eternal damnation. Matthew 28:16-20“16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Recently I was told a story about a man who had a problem with sending money overseas to missions when there is people right here in the US that needs help. This obviously is something a lot of people feel in communities all over the world. In this post we will touch base on not my opinion, but what scripture says about both charity, and missions.

So we’ve discussed what the great commission is. We are called to go forth and make disciples not just in our local communities, but also across the world. We are called by each of our gifts to make a difference for the purpose and plan God has made us. Many may say they have no gifts, they have no special talents, but this is a lie from the Devil, and is fundamentally not possible, and not true. Everyone has gifts and as I’ve touched base on many times over the last year and a half. Not all gifts are those seen in the public eye, but some are the gifts of empathy, sympathy, kindness, giving, or physical labor. Gifts can be a vast number of things, and it’s in those gifts we see how we can make a difference. Not everyone is built the same and because of that we all have our purpose.

In the great commission we are called to go forth and we go where there is a need. We are called to follow God’s path wherever that path may lead you. While some may follow a path of missions far away from home, others may follow a path of local mission in your community large or small. For now, my path has been of reaching others through words. I have used my own gifts of writing to reach over a hundred different countries, and thousands of people all from my own home. While I do have other ministries I’m apart of, this is my primary way to get the word of God out to the people. I have a desire to join missions and as I am working on finding new missions to engage in, I am constantly in prayer about my path. I realize there are people in my community that do not know the Lord and that’s why when I am out in public I pray. I am kind to people I encounter. I give my business card for my Blog to people I meet. We all have the ability to make a difference in others lives. We all have the ability to affectively show others the truth and the light of Jesus Christ. We should never limit where we travel to share the Gospel. No people are any more or less deserving of salvation. No people should have to go through life without ever hearing the name of Jesus. Sadly all over this world in countries afar, and sadly even in our very nation there are countless souls that have never been graced by the words of hope and love found in our Bible. I would go so far to say that mission trips abroad may actually be slightly more needed because of how available church and the word of God is here in the United States. While the need is found all over the world, we must focus on ourselves to find the path God has laid for us. If in your heart you are led to make a difference in your own hometown, then that’s where you should focus. If you have a passion for mission trips overseas then that’s where you should follow the path God’s given you.

I want to make sure there is no mistake in my words. There is a HUGE difference in mission trips and charity. Deuteronomy 15:11“There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.” We see in both Deut. and Matthew 26:11“11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.” Listen to this part very carefully, Jesus Christ is saying that there will always be poor people, and although it’s always important to give to the needy, the poor, the widows, nothing supersedes the need to talk about and share the Gospel of the Lord. The Commandments, Love your God, Love Your Neighbor, and go forth to all the nations and make disciples of the Lord. When we talk about giving money to missions to fund those, verses giving money to charity, there is no question that we are to give where the Lord lays on our hearts, but we should always keep in mind, both are vitally important. When we talk about giving to charities to help those in financial need we are talking about an Earthly problem, but when we talk about missions, we are talking about the very souls of those we are trying to reach. It’s simple when you consider it that way, the Great Commission will always be the biggest need and the priority.

I know my church has a benevolence fund to help those in legitimate need. We see people in poverty all over the world. We see poverty in our back yards, but we must also consider, not always, but sometimes those in poverty are there of their own making. We must be careful how we spend God’s money. We must be cautious with where we put God’s funds because we are told in scripture to be good stewards of it. Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Money is the Lords and we must learn to handle that money in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. Money is not the root of all evil, money when handled by the Holy Scripture can be used to do a lot of good. If you are led to give to local charities as part of your monthly given, that’s completely fine. If you are led to give to charities for children, or veterans, or churches, or medical research, that’s all fine, just remember that all money is God’s money and so long as we are giving where we are led to give we are in good standing (regarding money) with God. 1 Timothy 6:17-19“17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

It’s not our place to tell someone else what ministry is best suited for them. We all have our paths, our own purpose, and a decision like that is between that person and God. Remember though as importance goes telling people about Jesus Christ and opening their world to God is far more important then helping with financial burdens. Both are important, and both need to happen, but we cannot sacrifice one for the other. It’s our jobs as Christians to be there for those in need both home and abroad. As Christians its our duty to be there to share the gospel to everyone we can. Giving money to charity should always be about helping God’s people. It should always be about helping those in need and making sure it’s a true need. There will always be people who try to take advantage and try to steal and lie to obtain money. It’s important that we do our due diligence to insure the money we give is going into good hands. Never stop giving to charity because it’s always needed. Never stop giving to missions because there are a lot of dark places all over the world that need light brought into their lives.

One final message I’d like to throw out there just fruit for thought. Since when have we become so self centered that we believe a particular people are more important then others? Since when do American lives matter more then anyone else? Yes it’s important to ensure your own household is provided for before trying to help others. Luke 3:11“And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Everyone will be called to give according to where the Holy Spirit has led. If we are a body of Christ actually gave as we are told to give and should be called to give, no charities or ministries would ever go unfunded. If we were to go out and give and teach and preach we would be able to get the Gospel to more places around the world in need. Always keep in mind that while there are people in our own communities that struggle to know the Lord, and struggle financially, they are no more or less important then anyone one else. When we look to the Lord and ask why He hasn’t done something I say this, look in the mirror. If you have the wonder, the question, the fire to see something changed, then it is you that God has created for that purpose.

Dream Small by Josh Wilson

 Dream small
Don’t bother like you’ve gotta do it all
Just let Jesus use you where you are
One day at a time
Live well
Loving God and others as yourself
Find little ways where only you can help
With His great love
A tiny rock can make a giant fall
Dream small

Not everyone’s purpose is to travel around spreading the Gospel, but that doesn’t mean the need isn’t right next door. There is suffering all over this world and God has created someone to tackle each calling. Follow your calling and use your gifts every day to glorify God and bring his word to those in need. The Great Commission will look a little different for everyone, but everyone has a place within that commission. Don’t stand by and wishing for change. Don’t stand by hoping for change. Ask God for the guidance and then be that change.

Do Something By:Matthew West

 I woke up this morning

Saw a world full of trouble now, thought

How’d we ever get so far down, and

How’s it ever gonna turn around

So I turned my eyes to Heaven

I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”

Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of

People living in poverty

Children sold into slavery

The thought disgusted me

So, I shook my fist at Heaven

Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”

He said, “I did, yeah, I created you” (now listen)

Stop sitting back and complaining about what needs to be done and get up and do something. We are God’s hands and feet and we need to stand up and do something. Don’t sit on the sidelines anymore. Don’t kick the can down the road expecting someone else to take care of it. God created each and every one of us for a purpose so find it, and live up to the potential that God gave you. Be the change, be the voice to get the word of God out there to those in need. Be the purse that helps ministries change lives. Be one, or be both, but don’t be neither. What we do will be what defines us.

 

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How Can We Love If We Don’t Know What Love Is?

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How Can We Love If We Don’t Know What Love Is?

Have you ever been in love? Have you ever been so in love you’d lay down your very life to protect theirs? Love is a wonderful and a dangerous thing all at the same time. Love can cause us to do things of great beauty and it can also cause people to do crazy dangerous things that would be considered sinful. I was recently listening to a song by Michael Bolton called When A Man Loves A Woman and it talks about how far a man would go.

When A Man Loves A Woman By: Michael Bolton

When a man loves a woman

Can’t keep his mind on nothin’ else

He’d trade the world

For a good thing he’s found

If she is bad, he can’t see it

She can do no wrong

Turn his back on his best friend

If he puts her down

When a man loves a woman

Spend his very last dime

Trying to hold on to what he needs

He’d give up all his comforts

And sleep out in the rain

If she said that’s the way

It ought to be

Scripture goes into great lengths about what love is. I have lived this life and have seen true horrors. I have had many run ins with death and it has given me a perspective and a personal position you don’t see very often with most people. As I have come close to death many times I have grasped onto those in my life and I’ve held on tightly. I treasure my friends and I would feel a deep loss when one would decide to move on. I have watched as many friends have walked away, and worse, women I have loved. I have held on tightly and when it’s ended, I have often felt as if I’d lost a piece of myself. I grew up searching for love. I grew up hoping to find someone to love and want me in their life. I have often been the one left behind for one reason or another, but I am the one picking up the pieces of a broken heart. I have always thought I held love in my heart to the T of what we are taught love to be. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.”

What does all this mean? When we love one another we must let go of our pride, our need to be the center of attention. We must learn it’s not a feeling. Love is an emotional charge at first, but as it grows, it must become more. Love must be more then a feeling because if we base our life on only feelings we’d be in trouble. We would be making decisions without reason. Love however is something we do. Loving someone is an action we must participate in every day. Love is how we treat people every single day. When we truly break down every sentence in 1 Corinthians we must truly let that sink in. We must truly allow ourselves to realize that love isn’t about self. John 15:13“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” As a soldier I would have given my life for any one of my brothers or sisters in arms. As a husband I was willing to give my life for my wife, not once but twice. I always thought about their safety before my own. I’m not a perfect man, but I always wanted their happiness to be a priority for me. I was willing to give up my own pride, my own dreams, my own desires to satisfy the needs of the woman I loved. I knew what love was for me, and I have always maintained my position on love. I’ve been devastated by those whom I’ve loved most dear in this life, but I remain hopeful for the future that one day I might fight someone to love me that much.

In this life people will come and go, but we must learn how precious life is, and make the very best of the time we have. We must learn how to give our hearts to those we have in our life, and trust that even if people never reciprocate our feelings that God always will. People are fickle creatures and some will use you as long as there’s something in it for them, and if someone better is perceived to come along, they may leave. I will say that’s a lie straight from the pit of Hell, and if people are that willing to sacrifice life, sacrifice you in such a way, that’s not love. Love is meant to be stronger then anything, but when in the hands of people who sin, people who are selfish, love can be corrupted by the Devil.

I want to point out one part of the marriage relationship knowing it’s only half of the equation. Ephesians 5:25“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” In the last couple years I’ve seen marriage after marriage fall, and while it comes back to a fundamental failure in loving one another, I will say that we are in sad shape as a human race. We cannot expect anyone to respect us if we don’t respect ourselves. The failure is a widespread epidemic and it needs to be dealt with. As a man I want to touch base on a man’s roll in the relationship. Men, we need to stop focusing on ourselves and realize that we are both the provider, and the leader of our household. We are to lead our home by a position of strength and by example. We must realize that our place is to protect the home at all cost up to ones own life, and that doesn’t mean just from physical threats. Our place is to protect the home from spiritual warfare also. We must show our children how to treat others. We must show our children how to be men, or how men should treat a lady. We should show them how to be friends, show them how to be responsible, and how to live in Christ.

Something I learned a little while back was how damaging the lack of a fathers love could be for a child. As a father we are responsible for loving our wives and children and we are responsible for what they see in their youth. In 2 Samuel we see David have an affair as King. We see him take Bathsheba into his bedchambers knowing she was married to one of his most trusted advisors. We see her get pregnant and instead of coming forward with his sin he plots to make the baby look like Uriah’s. When that plan fails, David then plots to have Uriah murdered. And if plotting wasn’t bad enough, Uriah was moved into a position in the war, on a mission where he would surely die, and he did. David did all this and although we don’t see it in the narrative, we see the actions of David’s oldest child later on down the road. Yesterday I discussed Amnon and how he lusted after his half sister. This was a forbidden relationship by many different laws of the time. When she would not give him what he wanted willingly, he took it by force. In doing this he not only destroyed her life, but threw her out of his chambers with the markings of trash. Who would he have learned that kind of behavior from then his very own dad, the King. The sins of the father are seen reborn in the children.

Love is certainly not an easy thing to do all the time, but we must. Love is hard and takes constant effort, but when we love the way we should, we can see the change in our lives with how others perceive us. Love is the greatest thing we have and it’s in that love we receive grace from God when we never deserve it. It’s in that love we see the sacrifice made by Jesus for us on Calvary’s Cross. We can never do enough to earn our own way into Heaven, but it’s by the Love of God and the grace and ransom paid by God’s only Son Jesus Christ, that we see the true meaning of love. How do we live our lives? How do we treat those in our circle of influence? Do we love them, or do we treat them with a casual indifference?

We only get one chance in this world to make positive connections with people. Sure we may not get along with everyone we meet, but we are still obligated to show love and respect to one another. We must learn and have a solid understanding of what true love really is. If we are to have respect for the word we need to understand how we ought to behave. Love is not a word we should toss around lightly. It’s something that demands respect of the word and those whom we tell we love, demand respect for them. Don’t confuse love for lust, and don’t be swayed by the world idea that you can fall out of love. If it was real love, and it was taken care of like love should be, there should be no way to fall out of love. Divorce should not be as rampant as it is. If we would love the right way from the start many marriages would never happen to begin with, and people would find their true compatibility with a higher rate of success. Love is not a children’s recess word, it’s something special, something sacred, and we need to stop downplaying its true meaning. Love truly does concur all.

 

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Sinking Together

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Sinking Together:

I might need someone to be there for me tonight. I might need someone to tell me it’s all right. I might need someone to take the first step and come rescue me. Tonight I find it so hard to breath. What’s left for me to say, but I feel like I’m in a sinking ship of emotional stress and I am reaching for anyone to rescue me. I don’t want to be alone tonight. I feel as if I’m on a sinking ship and I wish sometimes I wasn’t alone in this boat. The thing is though, if I brought someone else into my boat, they would sink right along with me.

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2 Samuel 13 A man by the name of Jonadab offered advice to Amnon one of King David’s sons. Amnon was infatuated with his half sister. She was a virgin and he lusted after her so intently that it made him sick. Jonadab was a smooth talker and instead of throwing a line to Amnon, he got in the sinking boat with him. The advice given was to lure Tamar into Amnon’s bedchamber and try to persuade her that she needed to lay with him to make him better. Of course this horrible sinful advice for so many reasons, I don’t think I need to actually go into detail as to why.

The truth about hurting people hurt others are undeniable. The same goes with the saying, ‘misery loves company.’ While I don’t want to bring anyone down with me, I struggle to go day in and day out without once in a while letting my voice out. Usually a post like this would talk about the dangers of following someone down a troubled path. For example, if you are friends with someone who really wants to rob a bank, and when they talk you into being their accomplice, that’s the kind of thing where you’re getting into a sinking ship and just poking more holes in the bottom. Stay away from temptations and trouble. Stay in the bible and when or if someone comes to you, stop giving him or her opinionated advice. Go to the one place that truly tells you right and wrong, scripture.

I find myself wishing for someone to come with me not to join me in a sinking ship, but to help plug the holes. I have found myself avoiding the Jonadab’s in my life. I have gotten advice to do some pretty deep sinful things because ‘it’ll make me feel better.’ The thing I see with the advice is the aftermath. If I take advice like that I will only cause my boat so sink faster. If someone is willing to give you bad advice like that, they aren’t your friends. If you’re willing to take advice like that, you need to reevaluate your life choices. Some people just enjoy chaos, and you will need to remind yourself the kind of Christian you want to be. Do not conform to this world, but find your path in Christ and renew that path every day by staying in the word of God. It isn’t always easy, and some days you’ll nearly tip your boat, but you can always right your ship and keep sailing along this thing called life.

 

 

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Are You Crazy?

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Are You Crazy?

Acts 14:19-20“19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.” Paul has been going from city to city proclaiming the word of Jesus Christ. He has been teaching and preaching in the synagogues but as usual the Pharisees didn’t take to kindly to being shown the error of their ways, so they decided to turn the crowd and attempt to commit murder. Can you imagine yourself in Paul’s shoes? Poor guy has been beaten, stoned, ship wrecked, tortured, imprisoned, and all the while probably had more aches and pains and illnesses then we could ever imagine. Even with all this he carried on, pushed through, and not only continued to preach the word of Jesus Christ, but returned to cities in which recently tried to kill him. The ability to stand up to your enemies in the face of tremendous dangers, and yet to have that kind of faith to overcome fear with glorious courage is the embodiment of a true hero.

Acts 14:22“strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” There is always a price to be paid and sometimes that price is higher then others. Look at all your favorite super heroes and see what they’ve had to give up to go out into the public and save lives, stop crime, and sometimes save the very world itself. It takes a special kind of person to run towards danger, and we see this in our emergency services personnel and in our military every day. How passionate are you about the Lord? How passionate are you about your eternal salvation? It’s so easy to say you know the Lord, and say you’re saved, and that you know you’re going to Heaven, but to not share the excitement is simply a travesty. A man bought and paid our salvation with His own blood and here we sit idly by as sin plagues our friends and families. We allow evil to rise up all around us and we do nothing.

When I was hearing the scripture here in Acts 14 I couldn’t help but imagine the image of Superman. The S on his chest meaning hope, and that Superman stands for Truth, Justice and The American Way. If Paul were to have a suit his would undoubtedly hold the cross. The cross is true light, the true symbol of hope. The cross that encompasses the trinity, the heart, and the blood spilt to earth so we might be free. What are you willing to do for your freedom? What would you be willing to give so you might embrace your destiny to walk with Christ in Heaven? Would you Risk your life for what you believed in? As a spiritual leader, persecution, revile, and hatred will come to you from every direction.

As a Christian it’s up to you to wear that cross proudly and visibly for the world to see. Do not hide behind the cross, and do not show offence to it. The cross is liberation, not enslavement. Do not hide behind fear. A hero will step into the light to shine brightly for all the people to see. I am reminded of an episode of the Flash (Spoilers Ahead)where Barry Allen goes to Oliver Queen the Arrow for advice on being a hero. To be a hero you’d have to be a little crazy to put yourself in harms way all the time for strangers. Knowing any minute you might not go home to your loved ones in the service of others. Knowing you can sacrifice everything you are in this world for a cause you believe for so deeply is a little nuts. I submit to you though, if you love Christ as much as I do, then you’d probably do some pretty crazy things too. I think we should all be crazy in love for Jesus. When we love Christ that much we take the command for the Great Commission seriously. Get out there and be a little crazy for Christ. If Paul would be willing to get stoned and in less then a year return to that very city to preach again, we should be willing to at the very least stand up and proclaim who our true hero is, Jesus Christ.

Barry Allen:“I’m just not sure I’m like you, Oliver. I don’t know if I can be some… vigilante.”

Oliver Queen:“You can be better, because you can inspire people in a way that I never could, watching over your city like a guardian angel… making a difference… saving people… in a flash. Take your own advice: Wear a mask.” (The Flash Pilot Episode)

See, Oliver Queen was doing what he felt his city needed to be saved. Sometimes Oliver’s methods were a little rough around the edges, and weren’t exactly the gold standard for being a hero, but the Flash, could be different. The Flash, much like Paul would stand out as more then the average hero. Even in the midst of tremendous adversity and danger, both would stand on the morals that guided them and would never relent. Both would stand tall and show the world a better way. When we look to our neighbors, our brothers and sisters, do we see anyone in our life that shows that level of integrity? We can’t even make our own right decisions, and yet we call ourselves Christians. We spit on the cross and we turn our backs on it regularly. We deny the cross when it’s convenient to save ourselves from standing apart in the crowd. We are no heroes, we are the villains. We are the mob that turned on Christ just days after greeting the savior with palms and cheers, and love and praises. We are the ones who love the free hand outs, and then when it’s time to listen we turn our backs. When it’s time to hear the truth we would prefer living in our world of free stuff, and never being held accountable for our actions.

Who are we going to be from this day going forward? Are we going to be the mob that caused the nails to go into our saviors hands, or are we going to be the man who took being stoned and beaten over and over again standing up for the name of Christ? We should stand up for Truth, Justice and Godly Light.

 

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Don’t Get Pulled In

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Don’t Get Pulled In: 

Galatians 6:1-5“6 Brothers,[a] if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.”

It’s a hard thing sometimes figuring out where the line is to help someone in need. I have always gone pretty far above average to help my friends in need. I’ve spent a good amount of time and effort giving to friends in need, and often at the expense of myself. I often let people come and go as they wanted and often take advantage because I felt perhaps one day my kindness would open a door of change. I wanted to be the helping hand, and I felt that as God’s hands and feet, it was my responsibility to give and let God sort out the rest, so long as I wasn’t putting myself in harms way. I felt that as long as I was a gentle soul, and kind, and true to the word of God, I was doing the right thing. One thing I always kept in mind was not to get pulled in to the temptations of those around me.

It’s important for us to be there to help bear one another’s burdens, and to do so not for our own glory or brownie points, but in all we do to glorify God. We don’t want to be a poser because God see’s the true nature of our hearts, and when we put on a mask and hide the truth, we do nothing but lie to ourselves, everyone around us, and we are trying to lie to God. We must always remain humble and understand that without God we are nothing. When we are giving advice to friends or family we must always remember to do so from a biblical point of view. We must never think it’s okay to take credit for doing anything on our own. Remain humble and keep in mind that the Lord gives, and takes away just as easily.

In this life it’s easy to fall into the temptations of this world. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the flow of the crowd and forget what’s important. Likewise it’s easy for people to become prideful and want to hide their hardships, hide their struggles, and never ask anyone for help. Pride like this is also just as much as sin. We are to carry our own cross and handle the things in life we must handle, but when the boulder is to heavy, we are supposed to ask for help. Many times people will ask for help for little stuff that’s well within their ability to handle on their own. We must learn to ask for help when we really need it, and make ourselves free for those around us when they need help. We are all in this crazy ride together, so we must learn to help and accept help freely. If we aren’t careful we may just get lassoed and pulled in.

1 Corinthians 3:13“13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.” In this life we only get one chance to get it right. When the day comes and we punch our card for the last time, everything we’ve done will be tallied and quantified. We cannot hide anything from God so the best thing we can be is true to ourselves, true to those around us, and be genuine. Many people will persecute you for your stance for Christ, and many people will try to lure you into drama, and other sinful actively while under the disguise of asking for help. Be wary of the wolves, and stay out of quicksand.

 

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Find your Peloton

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Find your Peloton

In life one of the hardest things we may ever do is find where we belong. My whole life has been one train wreck after another in my search for my place. As tough as it can be to admit, there are some personality types that are more difficult then others to find that place. Romans 14:8 “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

The journey starts with prayers and focusing on your relationship with God. When we turn our focus to God we will eventually find our path. When we find our path from God the rest will eventually find a way. I have spent a lifetime trying to figure out my place, and some days I still feeling like I’m trapped under water unable to breathe. I’ve spent so much time wishing to be loved by someone in return. I’ve spent years searching for friends that would accept me for who I am. I’ve wanted to feel like I’ve belonged, to find a peloton where I belonged. In cycling I have learned the term peloton means a group of cyclers. While I still haven’t found where I belong in this life, I do know where I belong is with God.

For years I begged to give up something for God to put me where I belonged. I may have found my path by listening to the guidance from God, but I still haven’t found the love I’ve been seeking my whole life. Giving up isn’t something I’m accustomed to, but I will admit, after all this time I find myself beaten down and discouraged. Loving someone with all my heart and being forced to watch them leave without any true reason why is crushing. I haven’t recovered and even after all this time, I still wonder what’s next. I have prayed for my time to come and wondered if I’d find what I seek before the end. I have wondered if I would ever leave something to be missed when I’m gone. I pray and have hope that one day I will find my place. I have prayed to God that I would go the distance no matter how far I’d have to go. I’ve prayed to God to shape me and give me the tests so I could pass.

I’ve have given my blood, sweat and tears trying to get where I belong. I have felt like I’ve been stuck in a dream world unable to wake up from my nightmare. I have wandered in the dark for many years, and despite trying to wake up from my sleep, I still feel trapped. The darkness covers my world in sadness and despair with only small glimmers of hope sprinkled around me. As I try to grab on to a sparkle it’s snuffed out like grabbing onto a snowflake. While with enough snow the sun glistens brightest the day after a fresh snowfall, it does however take a good amount of snow. Before I have seen the sunrise on many snow days, the dirt and grime floods the snow and melts to slush quickly.

It takes time to find our place in this world, and a lot of pieces have to be moved before it’s our time to shine. Much like a marathon it takes time to move, position, and wait for the right moments to move to the front. When life is a marathon we must be patient and precise as we move around the bored. The future is always a question, but in the darkness we can find the light. The days that come are always a gift from God. God will always take care of us, and no matter the darkness covering our lives, God’s light will always make the darkness flee. The Devil wants you to feel alone, and he wants you to feel like you don’t have anyone in your life. While we may not have someone to fill our heart, there will be people we can turn to. Don’t let the silence keep you from joining a peloton. Don’t let the ride scare you. You need to get up and get out there, and you may accidently find what you seek if you just take a chance.

 

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The Wake Left Behind

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The Wake Left Behind:

A ship, a boat, even a kayak will always leave a displaced wake behind. No matter our actions both good and bad, our decisions have impact on the world around us. The truth that’s as real as gravity itself, that no matter what we do we cannot escape. Galatians 6:7-8“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Not only will we have earthly consequences but spiritual as well. We are all connected on this planet, and our decisions, our actions will always come with repercussions. We cannot go through life doing whatever we want thinking no one else is affected. Our very presence affects change, just like as one person after another enters a pool, the water level changes. While I’m not suggesting that for every action there is a large impact, I am suggesting that we must be conscious of how we behave.

I knew someone once who was incredibly blessed. They had a good family, a good job, a good home, and yet something seemed to be lurking in the darkness. One day they lost their job, and everything changed. As if the whole world had changed overnight they decided they didn’t want to have any connections to anyone. Eventually they would give up their new job in a slew of bad decisions. They would give up their spouse, their home, and walk away from any responsibilities to anyone. They would live a new life being able to come and go as they pleased, answering to no one, and believing their decisions affected no one but themselves. Sadly, while like communism it looks good on paper, reality rarely matches the concept.

See, we live this life all connected. There will always be people who care about us, and despite what we may often believe a life of self-destruction does hurt those who care for us. The emotional pain as we watch from the sidelines unable to change a person’s heart is horrible. I have had to sit by and watch, and as I’ve felt powerless to change anything it’s truly heartbreaking. All we can do is pray for those in need. Pray for the lost and hope one day they find what they seek. It’s not easy when you’re wounded and you hide from the pain in worldly things. When the answer is in front of us all along, Jesus Christ. Job 22:23“If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,” We must realize how lost we are, and change our ways. It’s never to late to change the ways we affect those around us. We make a choice every day and we alone hold the power to our actions. We cannot change what happens to us, but we can change how we react to it. Everyone falls, and sometimes we turn away from God, but this is folly. We always have a choice and when we choose the Lord, we will find the peace we’ve been searching for. Life is cruel sometimes, but we can either live with peace in our hearts, or be lost at sea. Lamentations 3:40“Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD.”

 

 

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