Tag: cross

A Light in the Darkness

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A Light in the Darkness

The darkness has covered the whole of the Earth. The fear, and hate, anger all flows around us like the wind through the trees. In this world the negativity and fear have flooded our streets, our schools, our homes, and we face tough situations every day in this life. With the world telling us one thing, and the scripture telling us another, we are left in the darkness of our own minds, our own beds to consider what’s going on. “Live in this world, but do not be conformed to it.” What does it mean to be a Christian today? If a Christian gets angry and says some bad things, they are condemned and ridiculed for it. The hardships Christians face today in a world that’s forever growing more bitter and ‘progressive’, Christians are not the ones antiquated, out of date. See, Christians have been facing persecution since it’s founding after Christ rose from the dead. Today it seems the church is once again under attack in many ways. This growing persecution although it’s not new, it does seem like a failing environment which is allowing an epic proportion of sexual immorality, divorce, abuse, criminal activities, all on an biblical scale. People no longer prescribe to the law of the Holy Book.  We show similar behaviors of Sodom and Gomorrah, so it begs the question will we one-day face judgment as they did. While this is something heard quite often that if we (the USA) doesn’t change our ways if God doesn’t intervene soon, God would owe Sodom an apology. This isn’t the only city in the Bible that was full of debauchery, alcohol abuse, and all manner sinful behavior, you have probably heard of it, Corinth, as in 1stand 2ndCorinthians. An interesting point to mention is the city of Corinth was rebuilt by Julius Cesar and within the city a new temple to the Roman goddess of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Corinth was a large commercial center and with as much traffic that it had ritualistic prostitution as a regular part of life. Corinth needed to see the light, and I suggest that we the USA also need to see the light.

I often wonder how my own life will affect those around me in this life. I fully admit that there are times my struggle with depression is evident and public. I am not a perfect man, but I try hard to be more then a debby downer, or a pessimist. I believe God has plans for me. I trust that I am where God wants me, the leading question is why? I recently watched God’s Not Dead (3) A Light in Darkness. In that movie I was flooded with feelings of faith that there is a solution to many of our negative outlooks. Love and grace is always the way we as Christians need to behave. So many people are pushed away from the faith because of someone’s actions, or someone’s words. There’s a reason the Apostle Paul remained in Corinth for so long, the darkest of places often require the most work. When we consider hope, we should be looking at Christ as our example. Christ was an amazing man of liberties. Christ not only healed the sick, raised a man from the dead, fed the masses with bread, fish and wine by using Divine power to multiply the food. Not only did he do all that he also spoke out for woman’s rights, and the rights for children. He spoke out for the poor, and the despair of people. If he can bring so much hope to the world, why can’t we live our lives being slow to anger, slow to wrath, and slow to negative actions? We must learn to be better in control of our actions. Yes we’re all human, and we all fall short to the glory of God, but we all need to be a little more like Christ, and a lot less like the world.

I can’t say I’ve always been the best at being the conduit for Christ’s love. When the world beats you down, especially for those in the military, police, emergency services it’s not always easy to stay bright for others. We have to remember that when we are down in our low places someone is there for us. Christ loves us so we are given what we need, when we need it. Christ has a plan for us, and those plans are to prosper not to live in despair. We need God’s grace and we must show why others need God’s grace. Ephesians 2:8-12  (NKJV)8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Grace is everything; because it’s through grace we are given the gift of eternal life with Jesus. Light up the dark, and remember always, God’s NOT Dead.

We are but Servants of the King

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We are but Servants of the King

When on the cross the ignorant cruelty of man was obvious on Skull Mountain. Many scoffed at the messiah hanging on that cross. Jesus, bloody, flesh torn, blood soaked eyes, and yet we see not a man afraid to die, not a man angry, but a loving, forgiving savior. Luke 23:39-43“39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,[a] saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus showed love and compassion. The nature of God is love for his children. God is a jealous God and wants our love, but what parent doesn’t. If you were a parent or are a parent could you ever choose which child had to die? God sacrificed a part of himself to save us. We were the ones who screwed up, but despite the reason, God loved us to take on the punishment, the cost of separating from paradise.

Jesus gave his last breath as a man giving up his life, his soul freely given to the Lord above. Jesus forgave us absolving us the punishment of eternal damnation. Though we don’t actually live our live free of repercussions of our sinful actions, we are forgiven if we seek repentance.

Jesus speaks of the fulfillment of prophesy, Luke 24:45-49“Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for[a] the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Why do we struggle so much in our lives to give up our earthly desires? We have been given so much, yet we don’t act or behave in a grateful manner. Christ lived his life as a servant. He taught us to live a life of love, of grace, of mercy, but always to be humble. We should always ask ourselves, if what we do brings glory to God.

Even in the darkest of our days we can always find a way to use that in our walk with Christ. We must humble ourselves to the Lord. In all things our God is with us. One day the frost fades and the first bud of new life blossoms. The gray skies split as God announces its time to live again. Hope springs anew and God bestows blessings upon me. Of course God knows the plan and we are to small to understand. My God, my God you are big and I am not and I raise my hands to you. My God thank you for my gift and I have you to praise. You’re perfect timing my Lord, and forgive me for my doubts, forgive me for my weakness. Thank you my God, for without you I am nothing.

When we submit ourselves to the Lord and we pray we must understand not all prayers are answered. We must keep the faith and remain humble. Psalm 37:5-7“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” Rejoice in the prosperity of others, while some will obtain it by God, others by the Devil, the righteous will be blessed, while the wicked will one day find punishment. Trust that true prosperity comes from our Heavenly Father. Trust he will never push us down the wrong road. Hebrews 12:1-2“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

 1 Samuel 2:3“Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.” We must not be to proud of our actions for if not for God we would have nothing. Proverbs 21:4“Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lampof the wicked, are sin.” Do not be distracted from who we are in the Lord. We are nothing without God because this life means nothing except to offer the opportunity of eternal paradise. Because we are promised eternity we must remain loving followers of Christ. Do not fear tomorrow. Be glad for it and humble yourself in our service to the Lord. Never allow the Devil to harden your heart or break your spirits. We may be servants but we to are royalty, we are royal heirs to Heaven. We are allowed in the kingdom and we will forever rejoice, singing praises to our King.

 

His Cross

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His Cross

My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me? Have you ever felt abandoned by God? Have you ever felt as if you were all alone in this world trying to fight the fight every day but all the while loosing ground, loosing the battle? You aren’t alone in that feeling. You and I have fought hard to be where we are. We have lost loved ones, we’ve been knocked to the ground probably more then once. We’ve lost our jobs, our friends, maybe even a spouse, (or two in my case.) The thing is though, you’ve never been without God’s presence, and you’ve never been without God’s unyielding love. Let us start down this adventure together and I’ll show you how I know this to be true.

Psalm 22 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?” This Psalm was written by King David and it clearly shows He’s having a hard time. He says all who come to him mock him, and that he is a worm and not a man, scorned, and mocked. All the while he is crying out to God to be near him, and expresses the deepest pains in his heart. He uses the word forsaken, which means a personal abandonment. God had not actually left David, he merely felt that He had. Later in scripture, we see these words used again. This however is only a small part of what this psalm really meant. This is what’s called a Messianic Psalm, describing the events of the crucifixion.

Matthew 27:46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In that moment the God above had separated from the man. This needed to happen to allow the blood on the cross to be spilt as an innocent life was freely sacrificed to be the ransom of all mankind’s sins. Matthew 20:28  “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus was explaining his purpose, the reason for him giving himself up as sacrifice. Jesus became the sacrificial lamb, to take on the sins of man from the past, the present and the future. He was the ransom paid for the sins that separated God from man. In MacArther it’s explained as this, ‘Abandonment of God separating the father and son as the outpouring of divine wrath on Christ as the Sin barer.’ We don’t truly understand what this means and how deep that sacrifice truly is. We don’t understand what exactly was at stake for mankind if a sacrifice wasn’t made for us. We sparsely understand the true meaning of Hell. We don’t understand that Hell is a place for eternal damnation and torment. Matthew 25:46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” It’s also described in Revelation 21:8 “but the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters, and all liars-they will be cosigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Hell, is a place of pain, and a complete absence of God’s blessings. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from glory of his might.” This is a complete lack of grace, and hope and yet this is a place the Lord Christ traveled to after his death on the cross. 1 Peter 3:18-19 “For Christ also suffered[a] once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,19 in which[b] he went and proclaimed[c] to the spirits in prison,” Jesus became the victor over death. Jesus bore the sins of man, and concurred the Devil’s temptations, and lies, and just to show the power of Christ over death did a victory lap in Hell, preaching to the souls that remained there.

Christ was a substitute for the wrath of God’s hatred of sin. We see this in 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 “20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus was without sin, but was treated as all the sin in the entire world. We often complain about our lives and how bad our situation is, but objectively we have to truly question if our lives are as bad as they seem. Even on the worst of days we are still promised to one day be rid of our tears, and because of Christ we have the hope of eternal peace when we finally go home. Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” We wouldn’t have this had it not been for Christ.

While Christ died for us on His cross, we are told to pick up our own and follow. Luke 9:23 “23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” We will have our own trials, our own struggles. In our troubles, our struggles, our heartbreaks, and hardships, we are told to turn to the Lord. We are trained from birth to trust, and somewhere along the way we stop. We should always remember to turn to the Lord in our good times and our bad. When we feel like we can’t take another step, when we can’t take another breath, remember to turn to the Lord and ask for strength. Psalm 23:1-4 “23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” In all things we will have our own burdens, but in those we are never alone. We are never forgotten, nor are we forsaken. God’s love is never ending, and unyielding. We can’t let the lies of the Devil pull us from the truth. The Devil wants us to blame God for our troubles. The Devil wants us to forget about the grace of God. The Devil tried to drive a wedge and plays on our sins, our desires, our flaws, in order to break the bond with our heavenly Father.

We owe Jesus everything for saving us. Without the blood of Christ we would be stuck in bondage. We would be doomed to die an empty death, and live a life with no hope at all. Life would be worthless and bare if there was no hope for what comes after death. Because the path was paved in blood for us, we no longer walk in darkness. Today, if we are in darkness, it’s darkness of our own doing. If we are to walk this life we should be walking with a purpose. We have so much to live for, so much to be thankful for, and with that thanks we have a reason to celebrate the Love of the Lord. We should be sharing the good news of our Savior who gave all for us. When we truly understand the sacrifice made, and the stakes that were on the table, we would look at life differently. We must be grateful, and in that we must study and know God. We must understand the meaning and the truth of the light and the glory that is God above. We have everything to look forward to, and hope for. Even in our darkest of hours, we can only loose our lives. We never loose our salvation, and that’s worth more then all the money and gold in the world, or other worldly possessions.

 

 

 

 

 

Rediscover

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Rediscover

The song plays in the distance, Moon River by Melissa Benoist. I have a dream to cross over the rainbow to find my Oz. A journey of discovery to find who I’m meant to be, I walk a path that seems black and white and without color we aren’t truly alive. Over the rainbow lies a land of magic, of color, of wonders beyond our wildest imagination. How do I get there I wonder, how do I take the step, then the leap to see if I can fly? I find myself scared to do what is necessary. I struggle to think about what if I’m making a huge mistake? The butterfly’s in my stomach doing summersaults, and as I watch a part of my life close, I wonder how did all this happens, I’m left with no answers. Life was good, moving forward, and I liked where I was. It’s so difficult closing a book when it’s over. A book that caught you, that grabbed every bit of your essence, and knowing that it’s done, it’s hard to grasp the finality of what’s come to pass. It’s clear now, that where I’m meant to is not where I thought I’d be. My life changed in an instant and in a year I found myself fighting a duality. I feel as if I’ve been split into two people and I barely recognize either of them. The man I see in the mirror I don’t recognize. The family that never would be, the career that ended before it flew, the awards that now gather dust in a box, all for nothing.

I know I never followed the typical path, but now I question why. What is it about me that so much bad have happened in a single lifetime? I look down at the cross I wear on my finger. The words of the armor are the reminder to remain strong and to fight the urge to crumble. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, and the urge to cry comes. I don’t know what’s waitin’ round the bend for me, and I don’t know if I have a friend waiting for me. I feel like I’m falling apart. My resolve seems to be shaken, and now I question everything. Of course when the going gets tough the answers are found in only two places. 1. Scripture, 2. Godly counsel.

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

 My Lord, you must think I’m strong because I feel like the weight of the world is crushing me. Where is the light at the end of these hard times? Where’s the grace when the world isn’t fair? Where’s the faith I need to stand strong in the raging storm?

Rediscover 3Looking back at the person I once was I liked who I was back then. I look back and see the strength to take on the world, to overcome anything that came, and I was. I was a happier person, I was full of joy, and life. Today I feel so removed from then. I feel like the scars have built up and now I don’t see who I was any longer. I survived a war and through that I felt more me then I do now. The suffering from combat left me looking at the person in the mirror and I saw someone new. Now I look into the mirror and I see so little of my old self-looking back. It looks like me, but broken, fogged over through the steam that covers the glass. I wipe away the dew on the glass and I see the mask looking back at me.

God, I am broken today. I feel lost and I feel broken. My God I ask for healing today, and could healing happen today? My Lord on high you’ve watched me fall, you’ve seen me cry, you’ve seen me bleed, so I ask you on this day, to stand here with me broken together. Help pick me up and guide me along the right path. I don’t know which way’s up, or which ways down, I’m lost at sea with no stars to guide me. My fairy tale has broken down and like Humpdy Dumpdy I thought maybe I couldn’t be put back together again. Today I fall to my knees and I pray and pray, and I know that there’s only one hope for me, God’s love and God’s healing grace. I know that in this trial I’ve been tested. As many have before I me, I lean upon the words of prophesy.

Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” God you’ve never left my side even in the storm, even as I faced death, you carried me back on wings of grace. You saved me for a purpose and even when I don’t know what that is, you do. You have given me a second chance to praise you in the storm, and no matter the waves that pound against me I won’t back down, I won’t stop fighting. My God my God, you have seen me through the war, you have seen me loose it all, you’ve seen me stumble, you’ve seen me fall, but today as I cry and feel like I can’t go on, I feel the strength come from above. As I sit and write I cry and the moment I start my dog lays her head in my lap. You use her to remind me you’re still there.

I am reminded that I need you Lord because the worlds to big. I stop and I listen, I quite my mind, and I reach down deep to hear your voice again. It’s with me always but sometimes I forget. Lord you cover me with the grace of your Angels, you protect me from harm, and you lift my soul. You rescue me from the Devil’s snare and one day you will call me home. While today is not that day, and nor was it yesterday or the times before, you have watched over me.

While I sit and seek tomorrow I pray the rainbow is bright. I see my wonderland and through the keyhole I ask if I seek, someday will I find, someone to watch over me. The future is a question we can’t be afraid of. We must grab life by the horns and must learn to leap so we may fly. While I’m not sure where I’m going, or what I’m doing, I know that I must take the leap of faith, and I know this journey will be one for me to rediscover who I am. Often when a chapter ends, or even the book the next phase is to relearn, rediscover who you are, or who you’re meant to be.

Rediscover 2

I Can Go The Distance

I have often dreamed of a far off place
Where a hero’s welcome would be waiting for me
Where the crowds would cheer, when they see my face
And a voice keeps saying this is where I’m meant to be

I’ll be there someday, I can go the distance
I will find my way if I can be strong
I know every mile would be worth my while
When I go the distance, I’ll be right where I belong

As I keep going in this life, I know I will one day find that welcome. I remain on the path, and one day I will finish the song.

I will search the world, I will face its harms
‘Till I find my hero’s welcome waiting in your arms

 

 

 

 

Carry Your Burdens to Find Light at the End of the Tunnel

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Carry Your Burdens to Find Light at the End of the Tunnel

Matthew 16:24-26 “24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

 Luke 9:23 “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

 Mark 8:34 “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

 What does it mean to pick up your cross and follow Christ? The walk with Jesus as our Lord and Savior is never an easy one. We are called to sacrifice our earthly desires, called to love Christ and let go of our sinful desires. Do we deny God; do we deny our Lord and Savior when pushed, when threatened with reprisals, or persecution? Do we have the fortitude to bare the burden of what it means to be a follower of Christ? Remember as the 11 Apostils followed Christ were brutally tortured and killed for it. Amongst strong opposition they never waivered in their faith, they saw Christ for what he was, they saw Him in the flesh. It was once said, “You have seen with your own eyes and yet you doubt, imagine those who will never see.” Colossians 1:11-12 “11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” The cross is not a race; it’s a long marathon. The travel takes time. The travel takes fortitude.

When we are weak, we must look to God to help us. As Christians we must help our brother and sisters when they are in need. We all stumble on our journey. Even Christ fell on his trek to meet His destiny. Thus teaching us another lesion about humility, about pride. Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” If Christ was willing to bare the sacrifice for all mankind’s Sins what are we willing to bare for Christ? Are we willing to take public ridicule, or even worse loosing people we care about? What is eternal salvation worth? The life we spend here on Earth is merely a short while, but the end result is perfection in Heaven. Our burdens will be great, John 15:18-21 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.” It was foretold that the world would turn on Christians. It was foretold that the life of a Christian would be difficult and full of anger and hatred.

Entering Easter remember what it truly means to give it all, to give up life, and sacrifice ones self for something bigger then yourself. Are you truly giving up something to follow Christ? Are you truly in your heart following? What does following Christ mean to you? As Christians we face more opposition today then we ever have. Do we sit silent and watch as the world tries to snuff out any last resemblance of our right to choose what we believe in? There’s too much empirical evidence to prove Jesus Christ the man lived. Denying the truth is simply the same as denying the oceans are full of water. 11 men could not have held together some conspiracy. The fulfillment of scripture prior to the New Testament, the fulfillment of the crucifixion, that not one of Christ’s bones were broken, yet he underwent excruciating amounts of pain. Do not doubt, do not forget what’s at stake. Christ bore the burden of sin for us, what can we do to possibly measure up, nothing. All we are asked is to love one another, love Christ, love God, and obey the commandments. Do this and eternity may very well be yours.