Tag: faith

THE SILENCE GROWS

thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

The silence grows

I write to you, even pour out feelings, but met with silence. I took the time, I write and write. Day after day, I take my time to beak the silence as I reach out to you. So many out, and nothing in return. Years of building relationships. Years of extensive, extending a hand in friendship. Picking up the phone from every call and message. I extended my wallet, my ear, my trust, my heart, and now it’s silence. A fool I’ve been, I couldn’t see, because I didn’t want too perhaps, my kindness used and abused. In my own time of need you were no where to be found. How could I have been so blind. The years of darkness I felt, suddenly creeps back in. The seeds fall and grow choking the life and happiness from my life. Abandoned yet again, the flash in my mind, as history repeats itself. Broken on the floor the tears just won’t flow. I do not know why, or how I got here. The color fades to black and white, the hurt a crushing feeling that buries in shame. The darkness settles in like an old friend. Must I say goodbye? Must I feel such loss yet again? Is this natures pruning? Did I mean so little to so many? Was I a convenience at the time, and without warning or word, expendable? History it seems repeated again. What have I learned? How to break, how to hurt. I’ve learned so much and yet again, here I am. The lessons seem to fade to mist. What can I do, when I reach for you, I reach and reach, into the darkness. I reach and lunge but like casting the fishing line, it comes up empty, every time. I see you there, you’re always around, but my hand you don’t take, a reach into the folly.

You’re not my enemy, I pray for you, I drop

to my knees and wish happiness upon you. I ask nothing of you except friendship. I have heard your tears. I’ve listened to your screams. You even once, heard mine. So close, but now ships passing on a fog filled night. Should I let go? Should I call out louder? Will my cries be heard? If you wanted to talk wouldn’t you reach out? What should I do? A broken heart makes poor choices. But, it isn’t just broken, but angry. Years and years of open roads. The pouring out of memories, feelings, thoughts, and now the road ends, the road I’d taken for years, can no longer be traveled. An absence, and yet a carrot dangled in front of me, teasing me, a sign, or is it?

I place so much in all the wrong places. I crave acceptance. I crave being wanted, and needed by others. I crave feeling important. I place that up high, an endless race I could never win. How many must I loose before I see the truth? How many must walk away before I find my value elsewhere? I walk miles upon miles seeking what I could never have. A hollow hole, unable to be filled. Jesus set me free from this cycle I find myself in. Jesus set me free from this pain. These shackles bind me and break me. Jesus be my chain breaker and show me a better way. Heal these wounds of the ages, and heal my broken heart. Jesus heal me and light my way home. Jesus my heart hurts, broken from saying goodbye. Jesus you pieced me together atom by atom, cell by cell. You’ve watched me grow, suffer, laugh and cry. Jesus you know my heart is breaking to pieces. Jesus lift me up and dry my tears. Take me out of this place and show me my value in you. Jesus show me that there’s more then this. Jesus my light on the hill, my shepard come find me, a lost sheep in the wilderness. I cannot do this on my own. I am fragile but strong. My heart breaks but I am not broken. I hurt, but I do not crumble to the ground. Jesus my rock, the rock, my foundation, my anchor in the storm, you save me when my sails are torn, and the keel creaks in the rough waters of this storm. Jesus my Lord, Jesus my light, dry my tears and guide me back, guide me to safety, my Lord. I cannot do this without you. I cannot stay in the darkness. I cannot stay in the silence. I long for Harold of the angels. I crave the sound of the choir of Heaven. I seek your face my Lord, I seek you in the darkness, lift me up, save me, save me from myself, this world, this hurt. Show me the blessings, so many abound around me. Teach me to number my days, so I may grow a heart of wisdom. Teach me to manage when I’m at the still waters, the green meadows, or the shadow of death. In you I trust my Lord. You hear my cries, deliver me from this toil.Free me. To you I pray.

The Truth

thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

The Truth

Being a Christian doesn’t mean I have it together all the time. It doesn’t mean someone is ok all the time. It doesn’t mean you’re never depressed. It doesn’t mean you can’t have other mental illnesses like bipolar or anxiety disorder. It means we realize we cannot possibly make it through this journey alone. We rely on our Lord and Savior to help us through and that we are nothing without Jesus Christ with us.

I am woefully insecure. My mind seeks human approval and acceptance. My mind is wrought with loneliness and self doubt. My insecurities make me question much about myself. I’ll give some examples.

“Hey how are you?”(message seen) two days later still no reply…

(Brain: what did I do? Are they upset with me? They don’t like talking to me. Am I not important to them?)

If I go too long without hearing from someone I question if I matter to that person. Do I cross their mind? Why don’t they say hello. Why don’t they ever check on me? Ultimately years of abandonment have culminated into a fear of such things, along with a deep seated question of self value and a desire for friendships that won’t scatter when the light reveals my imperfections.

As years pass by it seems I have become more and more isolated, not by choice, but by world events. My recent bout with Covid, left me seeking and searching both inside myself and outside for answers. While some people came to my aid, others whom I expected to be there weren’t. It produces a mix of feelings associated with my personal value. Of course the caveat to all of this is both simple and immensely complex. I am a child of God, a follower of Jesus Christ, and God don’t make trash. I have value because I am loved by God. On the flip side, feeling as I do are feelings of the world. The feeling and desire of wanting human contact is powerful. My soul and mind are at odds with one another and with a history of depression, a fierce battle.

The desires that comes and goes to reach out to people, is one that often seems to get me into trouble. It seems the thought of checking on loved ones and friends regularly, even if it’s just to show I care, is often met with feelings of anxiety, and messages left unanswered. Of course, in this age of digital communication, it’s too easy to ignore, and simply vanish in an event now called ghosting, is far too common in my life. Ghosting happens regularly in my life. And on top of that, those whom I had been friends with for years, have up and vanished, leaving me to hold on tight to those relationships I value most. Sometimes creating a catch 22. The desire to keep people close often has the adverse effect of pushing them away. Finding balance has not been my forte’.

Living with this kind of fear of loss is not easy, but there is hope out there to find. When I’m at my lowest, I remember my eternal Father. I remember that Jesus died for me, and that’s something I can’t ever let go of. In order to manage lows, anyone, anytime has to be proactive. In order for me to manage my way through the dark times, I have to create a mix of time with God but also time with people. It’s hard going sometimes, but knowing there’s light at the end of the tunnel is vastly important. Making my way through Covid, and the isolation it created has been a challenge. Many days of long periods of silence, left me in time of study in Gods word. I think back to Paul and the times of solitude in prison. How much less of a man am I, that I should not suffer also? If Paul can do it, I shall also. Paul suffered yet endured. He had a couple people he could always count on, as do I.

Managing these things doesn’t have to be completely debilitating, even though it proves a challenge, life moves on. Finding ways to manage the loneliness, and dealing with the depression that comes with, the lack of motivation, is a cyclical problem to deal with, but one that is nothing beyond what God can manage, and get me though. Time keeps moving forward and so shall I. God gets all the glory, and provides me everything I need. Never keep from moving forward, and never stop fighting the good fight.

Plenty of Blame

thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Plenty of Blame

I recently saw a report where New York Gov. Cuomo attempted to place blame of Covid-19 deaths on former President Trump. It occurred to me that this is nothing new, but rampant right now. IF we spent less time pointing fingers, and instead acknowledge that first we all share blame, down to the individual household, and also less time pointing fingers, and more time sitting at the table to work on the problem, we would be able to find reasonable solutions. Problems such as these are often much bigger, far larger, than one person. Every single human is currently responsible for the outcome we face. From not wearing masks, to not staying home, to hosting parties, to unnecessary travel, etc. We all place blame, but largely, if you want to be more specific, how much can we really do to fight a pandemic? While this isn’t the first time, it is the first time that a virus could travel so easily around the world, so quickly. I would say, preparedness is largely problematic. Were we ready? No, of course not. This problem goes back a long way. Pointing out all the failures could easily be an entire blog on its own, but right now I don’t feel that’s what we need. Suffice to say, we are ALL responsible for the current conditions we find ourselves in. 

God has allowed this virus to take hold of the earth. We may not know if this was caused, or allowed to happy, but either way, God is still in control of all things. God’s love is sufficient, and in these troubled times, we need to remember where we can go with our broken and lost hearts. 

Hebrews 4:16 ESV “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

WE must remember that no matter what we are facing we are accepted into the arms of the Abba Father. We must take this time and turn to the Lord. We must trust in the Lord that He is sovereign over all, and we must trust in His will. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

WE have all lost something in this pandemic. We voted and a new President took office. We may not like, we may love it, but regardless, for the next four years, we are here. We are one nation under God, and unless we want to see this great nation face judgment, we must turn from our ways and find it in our hearts to repent. God has been more than gracious with giving us time to do so, but now’s the time to stand firm on our beliefs. Are we to allow our country to go down a dark path? Perhaps, we will. We must all face ourselves and check our hearts. We must start with the man/woman, in the mirror. We must turn to the Father and ask for the forgiveness, and the courage to stand where we must. We cannot continue to pass blame and point fingers. 

Start Right Here By: Casting Crowns

We want our coffee in the lobby

We watch our worship on a screen

We got a Rockstar preacher

Who won’t wake us from our dreams

We want out blessings in our pocket

We keep our missions overseas

But for the hurting in our cities

Would we even cross the street?

Huh but we wanna see the heart set free and the tyrants kneel

The walls fall down and our land be healed

But church if we want to see a change in the world out there

It’s got to start right here

We cannot continue to expect the light to shine if we ourselves are hypocrites. Do we stand against abortion? Sure, if you’re a Christian you should, but at the same time, are you supporting low income families? Are you helping that single mother hurting? Are you supporting foster parents, and adoptions? It’s not an easy ask, but if Christians would truly support those ventures and not just in prayer, but in time, money, and support, those supporting abortions wouldn’t have a solid argument. Make no mistake, abortion is a sin, but no more of a sin than the over consumption of alcohol, the adultery, the lying, the gossiping going on all around us. IF we want a change we have to start right here, right now, in each of our hearts. 

Christians, I call to you, I implore you to seek a Biblical worldview, instead of following along the secular one. I beg you to see the light of Christ. WE must come together, and we must stop the infighting, stop the complaining, stop the hate. We must not judge others by their skin, their clothes, their social status, or the country they hail from. We must find balance. We must find love in our hearts, and find a way to uphold the law of the land, uphold the law of scripture, and love our neighbors. Are we really taking care of the church as we were asked to do so? Are we managing the talents we were given, or burring it in the sand letting it go to waist? Church, let us do better. Let us live in love. Let us shine the light of Christ in the tumultuous times. Go in peace, go in prayer, and go in love. 

Continuity

thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Continuity 

2020’s been a year has it not? We’ve seen all manner of strange, hurtful, heartbreaking, loss, a little laugh, a crazy election, murder hornets, killer viruses, and so much more. One thing that’s been hard is continuity. Well first, I suppose one must define continuity, Websters defines it as, “The unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time.” I think it’s safe to say this year has not been one with anything consistent. I think it’s this consistency I want to talk about. Life is by definition a broken thing. We know that from the fall, all things are in a never-ending cycle. Genesis 3:17-19 “And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken;

for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” We see the fall of man, where perfection became stained with the blackness of sin. A mark on creation that would require a New heaven, and a New Earth. The continuity was broken, and a cycle of death was born. Scripture is always telling us where we must turn in our struggles. Scripture tells us where we must receive our hope, and it’s not here in the world. 

I have fallen short every day of my life. I have let someone down, hurt someone’s feelings, made mistakes, the wrong choices, or followed the wrong path. I think the worst thing I have done; is I have not had continuity in my relationship with Abba. I think my failings to have a steady and solid relationship with God is my biggest fault. See, the thing is, I have always struggled with male figures in my life. There’s been substantial trust issues, and it keeps me guarded to make male friends, and as much as I’ve attempted to gain an earthly father figure, I’ve been abandoned or ignored most of my life. On the rare occasion someone rose to the occasion I became scared and I was the one to run away. I have constantly felt the desire to surround myself with friends. I have always had the need to feel accepted and wanted by people. Largely because I did not feel wanted as a child. I’ve been putting a lot of thought into my life today though. I have been trying to find my place, and sadly, coming to the realization where I believe I must go in the middle of a pandemic is beyond problematic. For someone who desires continuity in their life, a pandemic certainly pushes one to their limits. I have not seen many plans come to fruition. So, where do I stand? I honestly couldn’t tell you. As I recently told a friend, I feel as if I’m stuck in the mud chest deep, sunk in, and unable to move. I think in many ways we all feel that way this year. I would like to also say this; many people think being a Christian means you don’t have doubts, or struggles, hardships, or even depression. Being Christian doesn’t mean any of that. The difference between Christians and non-Christians, is where we place our hope. We feel the same, we bleed the same, we hurt the same, but we keep pushing forward with Hope. We keep joy in our hearts, and even beaten to the ground, we keep that joy burning. An ember can turn into a mighty flame, and we can survive in that hope. In fact, that hope is what keeps us alive, not in this worldly sense, but our eternal souls. 

So it is that survivability I want to talk about. We must not grow weary of doing good, and we must continue to pray without ceasing. We must continue to push ourselves, even when life feels like everything’s crumbled around us. One thing we know, is the one thing in life we can place our hope in, is the single most continuous thing in the universe. God’s love, and grace, and mercy, simply put, who God is, has never change, and will never change. So, here’s where I throw down the gauntlet. Are you reflecting that same mercy, and kindness, and grace towards others? Are you a friend that shows continuity? Are you there for your friends? Are you available for them when they need you? Are you the father you should be? Are you there for your kids, kind, and compassionate, not sometimes but all the time? Are you a reliable employee? Are you a son or daughter who’s there for your aging parents? Anywhere in our life, we can take this lens and we can peer deep down, and evaluate where we are, and how we’re doing across the board. We truly do have so much to be thankful for, so much to be grateful for, but at the end of the day, those who depend on us, have we been there for them? I think it’s something we all need to have a gut check about. Who have we pushed away this year? Who have we ignored messages or calls from? Who have we failed to keep in touch with? Who have we failed to be that dependable person too? If God is always with us, Emanuel, then why is it so easy for us to push others to the side or the back burner. We have truly forgotten the good will towards men. We claim being busy, or distracted, or even joke about being a ‘bad friend’, but we truly need to take a look inward, and see those who depend on us. Are we doing everything we can to be someone they can truly depend on? This year has been exceedingly difficult for millions, and as such, this Christmas more than most, we really should ensure we are dependable for those who need us. Show love, let the light shine off you and be more Christlike daily. We have so much more potential to love, to give, to show mercy, and grace, so we must be doing that, fulfilling the law of Christ. Love, covers a multitude of sins, and that means we must be more patient, more giving, more graceful, humbler, more truthful, not being rude, and certainly does not think evil. We should grab onto a little Christmas spirit, but not just for the season, but year-round. We need to bring back the loving your neighbor part, and be a friend a friend would love to have. Be a reliable friend, a reliable employee, husband, wife, brother, sister, spouse. Be a reliable parent, and so much more. Our God has not changed, and is always the same, there for us, day or night. Our father hears our prayers in our good times and in our bad, on the mountain, or in the valley. We should remember that with how we choose to treat others. Continuity is not just important for stability of life, but our relationships as well. Don’t forget, and Merry Christmas to all! 

In The Year 2020

thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

In The Year 2020 

I think we can all agree, the year 2020 will forever be remembered as a weird, and in many aspects, a horrible year. Early in the year with the exception of the Corona Virus wreaking havoc in Asia, it seemed like a normal year. By February however I came to realize China was loosing the battle of containment, the government in the US did not take the virus serious enough, and failed to implement containment protocols. The country since then has been burning down. There have been cities erupting into anarchy in riots and protests. There have been Murder Hornets, and country wide fires in Australia. There have been volcano eruptions, earthquakes, and even as recent as August, there has been a Hurricane, and an Earthquake in North Carolina in the same week. North Carolina doesn’t often have earthquakes so it’s odd. There was a massive explosion in Lebanon which nearly leveled the city. There was a major plane crash in Pakistan. Locusts in Africa. Explosions in Lagos, and sadly more. 

With such a polarized year, politicly, economically, naturally, and even the micro problems inside the homes of billions of people worldwide, the problems of finances, food shortages, rising food costs, lowering of gas prices, depression and other mental health problems, there have been a slew of challenges to overcome. Not to mention the polarizing problems over school, masks, and other hot button topics. 

There is no shortage of troubles, in fact, the year 2020 is being used as a measurement of how bad things can get. While there are many who are afraid of what’s going on right now in the world, Christ overcomes fear through us. What is fear? Fear is an emotion response to something we perceive as dangerous or harmful. Fear of falling is actually a fear of dying, because it’s not the fall that kills you, it’s the ground. Fear of the water, essentially is not water itself, but rather what’s in it, what you cannot see, or something such as a flood. Fear of fire, again, is the fear of the destruction it brings, or the life it ends. Fear of failure is not living up to expectations, of not amounting to anything, not being good enough. When you really break it down, 2020 has hit most people’s fear in some way shape or form. Fear of losing jobs, losing loved ones, losing homes, stability, or even your health. We are a combined equivalent to the life of Job. When you read the book of Job you see a man who had everything his heart could want, a man truly content with his life. God gave Satan permission to stricken Job with numerous disasters, to test humans resolve of faith towards God. Job loses everything. It is not much different then today. While it was one person who was stricken with all kinds of problems, every one of us has experienced at least one disaster that befell Job. The thing about Job was, he knew the Lord, and he trusted the Lord. While he did not understand his torment, he remained faithful, even despite his friends turning their backs on him. Under extreme circumstances Job maintained his witness to the Lord. Can we say the same? Job was stricken with so much heartache, ruin, destruction, and yet remained faithful and loyal to the Lord. We experience one tragedy and how quickly are we to turn to the Lord and shake our fist, “Look what you let happen!” We yell to the Lord, or perhaps worse things are said. 

I have come to a point in my life where I have realized the importance of seeing when a door closes to move on to the next. Much like the storm troopers looking for the droids in “A NEW HOPE’. Once the door being checked is locked, move on to the next. We too are searching, are we not? We are looking for the route to take, but I question each and every one of us, are we taking the path which is the easiest, or the right one? As Dumbledore is quoted, “We must all face the choice between what is right, and what is easy.” Of course, we creatures who desire comfort and ease above most other things, don’t want a life of turmoil and hardships. That being said, we do forget that this life is only temporary, and it is eternal glory that awaits any person who accepts Christ as both Lord and Savior. This gift of glory is not for the faint of heart, yet, as scripture said, a narrow road. Many will try, few will succeed. While we are not given a percentage, or even a number of those allowed into the gates of heaven, as some suggest, we know that Christ said ‘and on that day many will call out my name stating Lord Lord, look at what I have done in your name.’ He replies, “Depart from me for I never knew you’ Matthew 7:22. Are we to be one of those people who work so hard to enter the gates of Heaven, yet fail to grasp the point in our hearts? I’m not sure which is worse, those who never knew Christs, or those who did and turned their backs on Him.

It is easy to place blame when something goes wrong. It’s easy to start dropping names as to why things flew off the rails. Someone said this, this person did that, etc. I myself have been guilty of proclaiming ‘God, why are you doing this to me?’ In reality, when most bad things happen as we perceive them as bad, God is in fact not to blame, instead we could blame Satan, Sin, or the harder finger to point, towards ourselves. Bad things happen in this world, simply because it’s a fallen world. While Satan and his demons do play a large roll in falling to the temptations, hearing the voices of doubt, the voices of fear, the voices of mistrust, and lust, and gluttony, and debauchery, we are the ones who must take responsibility not for the bad things that tempted us, but rather for giving in to those temptations. The world under Satan’s rule is designed to tempt you, to pull you away from the Cross. On the day of reconning, we will have to answer for everything we’ve ever done, every choice we’ve made, everything thing we’ve said, all of it. We will not be able to pass blame like the six year old siblings arguing with each other. Simply, here in the year 2020, there’s been a lot of hardships, a lot of heart break, and more. Despite everything, we must still face the fact we are fully responsible for our actions in this life. We as Christians are responsible for the name Christ we claim to hold. We have taken on the responsibility for being set apart of this world, to act and look different. That doesn’t mean just talking differently or attending church seasonally, but rather being that reflective light on the hill. We are ambassadors in this land, and we must act as such, to include our general state of mood. While I’m not saying you can’t have bad days, hard days, or even seasons of depression, but rather, while battling these storms in your life, remember to share the joy that you should always keep guarded from outside attacks. Attacks come every day, from every direction, and this year, we humans have certainly seen our fair share of hardships. I have heard many claim this is the beginning of the end times. While I don’t know, because scripture says we won’t know the time of the Lord’s return, what I do know is we must always be ready for that day.

We mustn’t worry about tomorrow, as “it will worry for itself”. Matthew 6:34. We cannot control the events of the day, yet called to be in our present, so let us instead focus our time on the truth. Focus our time on the things that truly matter. While it is important that jobs matter, and making an income matters, we mustn’t let that steal away our focus to our children, our spouses, our loved ones, or our friends. Relationships are the most important thing. If it isn’t, why then would Christ tell us the most important thing is to “Love our neighbor”. He didn’t say make sure you go to work 90 hours a week to put food on the table. We reap what we sew, but that fellowship, that relationship with the Lord, and our relationships with people are in fact the most important thing. We seem to have forgotten that this year. While we have been called to social distance, instead of personal distance, we have perhaps forgotten that while we are away from work, school, and other social gatherings, that it is in fact, the will of our Father that we remain social beings. It is stated in scripture that our fellowship is important, and we shouldn’t forget it. We must remember to remain safe, but through technology we have been given a wonderful gift of communication. It is the sword of the Holy Spirit we must hold on to, and through the forging of our minds, and our spirits, we must venture through this year, and into the next, ready to battle against more divide, battle against more racism, more sexism, more discrimination, and at the heart of it, more hate. Every passing day where we do not keep out such things, we fall prey to the roaring lion seeking to devour us. As said in scripture, it is not against flesh and blood we battle, but against principles, against the power, against the rulers of darkness. Ephesians 6:12. We must pick up the sword which is the word, and hold it high so our enemies may see the glint of the light emanating from it. We must rise above the lies, and the deceits told by Satan and his demons. The sword is more powerful than any weapon ever forged by man, and it is the living truth, the Holy Book, written as God’s love letter to us, instruction in which we must follow, guidance for when we are hurting, a compass for when we are lost, correction for when we are wrong, and the punishment for those who fail to accept Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior.

Yes 2020 has been a hard year, but it has been so much more than just difficult. For many this year, they have had to learn to reinvent themselves. For many their faith was put to the test. For many, they walked away from church and haven’t returned, and won’t. This year has strained relationships, strained wallets, fractured families, and even a nation. It has become evident that the foundation in which this country was founded has cracked and changed. We have seen disruption come in every aspect of life, and God has used this horrible virus to get our attention. Will we turn our backs on Him? Will we bend a knee and bow a head? Some, sadly have simply put, given God the middle finger, and have chosen to double down on their lost, sinful behavior. We must remember what scripture teaches us. If we are to correct, first we must remove the plank from our own eye. Then we are to do so with kindness and compassion. More precisely we are to do everything in love and with love, and through love. We cannot simply say, ‘I’m doing this because I love you.’ If we are not kind, and gentle, yet firm and patient, we have not truly understood what it is to love. Even though Job went through horrible things, he knew God still loved him. Even though God allowed horrible things to happen to his child Job, God felt deeply for what Job was going through. Just because bad things happen to you, doesn’t mean the Father doesn’t also hurt for you. When you take your child to get braces, or a shot, those pains are temporary, but necessary. You as a parent also hurt when your child hurts, and sometimes in their life they are going to hurt. We cannot always stop our children’s hurt, and we can’t always be there for them every step of the way. Let me put that another way. It is not always in a parents best interest for the child, to stop the hurt from coming. Pain is what allows us to grow. Pain in making our own choices. Pain in growing. Pain in other people’s choices, but no matter where the pain comes from, as a parent you know you will stand with your child. Even the best of parents in this life will never measure up to the parent God is. The perfect Abba father. The one who knows all, sees all, and understands all we go through. Scripture tells us this pain on earth is only but a while, but compared to the joy in eternity it is nothing, just a whisp of smoke. We must be patient in this life and expect more difficult years, and yet, even in the difficult years, we must take the time to appreciate the majesty that is this world the Lord has given us. What am I trying to say? Stop focusing on all the negative in your life and stop and appreciate some art, stop to appreciate a song, stop to appreciate your favorite show, your family, your friends, your life, and the time the Lord has given to you. Every breath is in fact a gift, and we must learn to be more grateful, than doubtful. We must learn to be more gracious, and have gratitude for every good gift that comes from our loving father in heaven. Keep on pushing on, and as always, God Bless you this holiday season.

Making the Leap of Faith

thearrowpreacher1 Comment

Making the Leap of Faith

Often times in life we are met at a cross roads, one that will leave us to ask, which way do I go? When we get to these kinds of situations it’s important to do two things. First, we must pray, and pray fervently. Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing. So, why are we supposed to pray? God gave us a love letter. God gave us not only the rule book, but the play book, a book of important historically accurate events which show us the path from the fall of man, to the redemption that Christ paid for in blood. In that book reveals that we pray because God wants us to pick up the phone and call Him. We pray because GOD wants us to tell him our heart, our desires, give thanks for what we have. Many people take the Lord prayer literally, and while of course it’s a wonderful prayer, a perfect prayer, it does more than that. It shows us how to pray. So, before we get into the second point on why we pray, lets break down the Lords prayer. ]

Matthew 6:9-13

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Luke 11:2-4

2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins,

For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.”

When we look at these parallel verses, we can break it down. First, who are you praying too? Second is a title, who is God? Next is giving God his due, that he is over all Heaven and Earth, and that we must trust and have faith that God will is perfect and thus give it the ability to be done in our lives. We ask for something in our lives, to be nourished, to be nurtured. Then before we go further, we ask for our sins to be forgiven, that we repent of our wrongs. In a sense we are removing the plank from our eye, we are getting right, before we can do right. Then we forgive those who have sinned against us. We are then asking for protection from the Devil, guarding our hearts from the temptation of the world, and delivering us from that evil. 

While we are given these two mirroring examples, this is more of a template than an order to pray exactly this prayer. When you look at what Jesus says in Matthew, he says “In this manner” meaning when you pray, pray something like this. Prayer is not just ‘God, I need this (Fill in the blank) could you do this for me?’ or worse making these kinds of prayers, ‘Lord if you get me out of this, I’ll never do (blank) again.’ We must pray with more honesty, and not just turn to God when we need something. He is NOT a cosmic genie granting us wishes at our desire. 

How do you feel when that friend only talks to you when they need something? We don’t like it, so why then would we do that with our Heavenly Father? But I think I’ve made my point, so let us carry on. 

The next thing after prayer is to be walking with the Lord day and night. If we are on a voyage, don’t you take time to check your compass? When we walk with the Lord we need to be stopping often and making sure we are on the right track. Sometimes even when you walk with the Lord you may not be sure which way to go. In these instances, we arrive at the second part to the second part, we seek Godly counsel. While we don’t want too many counselors, we should have a few trusted advisers who are also walking with the Lord. It’s important that these people are true friends, and true men of God. Some friends will not tell you what you need to know, rather what you want to hear. This is not Godly counsel. I give you a prime example; Nathan in 2 Samuel 12 comes to David and gives a parable to the King. The King rightfully stands furious at the injustice displayed in the parable, and when asked who, Nathan in front of the entire Kings chamber, throws David under the bus. He called out the Kings sin in front of everyone. He did not tell the King what he wanted to hear, he told the King what he needed to hear, so the king could choose a better path. 

We must choose our friends wisely. We must be listening to the Holy Spirit, and allow it to guide us. We will often come to cross roads in our life, and the right path may not be lit up with bright neon signs. That doesn’t mean the Spirit isn’t working to tell us where to go. Furthermore, sometimes, when two paths are difficult ones, sometimes you need to take a leap of faith. Sometimes you need to make a choice that’s best for you, even if you don’t have all the details. Sometimes Gods in the details and we need to let God work out the path, and we just need to walk it. We won’t always have all the answers before we take our steps. 

Frodo Baggins did not know the full details of his path to Rivendale. Frodo left the Shire with only the goal, but not the map. Frodo once at Rivendale was met with another choice. His journey had already become perilous, but when met with another cross roads decision, decided to make an even greater leap of faith. He chose to bear the burden of the one ring and take the journey to Mordor to destroy the ring. He trusted his team, he trusted his advisors, and walked the path not knowing what to expect. He took a leap of faith, and so we must do also. The path we walk will not always be easy, but when we walk with the Lord that path is never easy. Walking with Christ takes courage, and patience. Walking with the Lord makes us a target for the enemy. We must face the danger on the road, and have discernment when it’s time to take the path to Moria, verses Minas Tirith. Not every path is free from danger, but some paths will have less danger than others. We must trust the Father, and be prepared always for the battles and choices to come. Danger comes in many shapes and forms. We must take time to know when it’s time to pull the sword and stand ground, when it’s time to hide and wait for the danger to pass, or when it’s time to run. Trust the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Walk with faith, and with confidence in Christ our King.

Don’t Get Stuck in the Weeds

thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Don’t Get Stuck in the weeds

We get lost in the details sometimes. We spend so much time arguing over Calvinism or Arminianism. We argue over who wrote Hebrews. We argue over what color the church carpet should be, what kind of music to play at worship, or even what color shirt the pastor should wear. We argue over so much, but the truth is, why? Why are we allowing Satan to divide us? Why are we allowing the world to have control and to dictate terms within the church? The truth is when it comes to our Salvation, does it truly matter who wrote Hebrews? Does it matter what color shirt the pastor wears, or if the pastor wears tennis-shoes? I tend to side with no, it doesn’t, but of course, some people firmly believe, yes, it does matter. The sad part is, when we start to take the focus on those things we can get lost in the weeds. 

Scripturally tragic 

When I think about all the times people break bonds because of disagreements it’s sad. I can say, I’m guilty of it myself. While I have never left a relationship easily, I have done so with the feeling it was best for the entirety of my health. Sometimes, the differences and the way in which they are presented are not healthy, and sometimes we need to brush the dust and keep it moving. That being said, differences is never an excuse to be ugly with one another. Differences of ethnicity, creed, nationality, wealth, sexual preferences, etc. is never a reason to be ugly to one another. Christ didn’t die for anyone of a particular color, or creed, or background. Christ died for all. He died so we could one shot, one opportunity to seize eternity. Christ didn’t die for us to have our physical means met here in this life. Truly, Christ died so there could be mercy upon us. Christ died so we may live. Christ died to pay the ransom due, the blood debt that we ourselves stained crimson with our very sins. Every breath is an act of mercy by a loving God, that would be every bit righteous to Thanos snap us out of existence. God allows believers and non-believers to remain in coexistence so we may have that opportunity to choose Christ. We are given that mercy so we may seek God and his righteousness. What’s sad is when we truly look to John 6:66, the sad reality is those people who left him, were also some who had just days or even hours prior, had been calling to make him King. Those who left weren’t just those hanging out for the fish, the bread, and the free healthcare, but those who truly had known Christ. There’s no way around it, those who turned and followed him no more, actively turned their back on the sovereign of the universe, and likely knew it. Imagine if you will, that in your days, weeks, and months, you follow a man, walking hundreds of miles, and hearing him speak every day. Imagine you lived with Christ. Imagine you laid eyes on his eyes, heard his very voice, and yet, when he says the truth, cuts to the heart of the matter, you turn and walk away. 

The Difficult Path

I heard someone say once that they thought once they followed Christ everything would get easier. I, at the time didn’t know how to articulate on that sentiment, but now I do. The truth is, when you look at scripture, and then historical records, many who followed Christ met horrific ends. Many of the Apostils died martyrs, and many still today die for the faith within the persecuted church. The thing is, there’s a big difference between knowing about God, and knowing God. It’s easy to have a head knowledge. Many, face the challenge of accepting in their hearts. That’s what happened in John 6:66. Those people knew Christ, they saw him, they saw the works, the miracles, heard the truth, and yet walked away. They knew in their heads who Christ was, but refused to allow him into their hearts. The sad fact is, and scripture is clear, they followed him no more. This doesn’t mean they walked away for a while and had time to think about it. No, this means they never accepted him, and if we are going to be real about it for a moment, that’s a lot of people who chose the condemnation of Hell and the absence of God. 

         What I have considered is that, those people actually saw Christ, and yet still walked away. What about those of us today, who have not seen Christ in carnet. Sure, some people experience miracles and have a life changing and mind-altering experience, but the majority of people are blind to the very miracle of life we have daily. There are many who choose to live a negative life, and that life leads to a chronic negativity, and negativity is infectious. Look for a moment at the evening news. How often does the news tell us about the good things happening in the community? Sure, there are some perhaps, but the vast majority is negative news. We tune in to see, and hear what horrible things are happening all around us. Some people might walk away from the news, but then there are others who gossip, who never see a silver lining, and are always Debby downers. How do I know this? I fight every day so I am not this. My natural go to, my default setting is one of a negative setting. It’s easy to tell someone everything wrong, but the hard part will be to tell someone everything right. When we get down to the meat and potatoes of it, the Sinner is negativity, and it is the default setting for all of us. We are fickle creatures that ride a wave, and our mood goes up and down with the ebb and flow of the worlds stimulus. Consider this, John 20:29 (NKJV) “Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Thomas doubted because he couldn’t see it, and touch it. When he saw it with his own eyes, he believed. The rest of us, we have to believe on faith. Some of us believe on things we have seen and rationalized to be Gods intervention in our life. Others, believe with little to no physical evidence, but I challenge and say the evidence is there for anyone who truly wants to see it. When you read the works of J. Werner Wallace, it’s hard to deny the facts. The problem is, when we have to make the choice between Christ the savior, and Christ the Lord. As I have spoke of recently we like the idea of the fire insurance, but we don’t like the idea of being told what to do. Following Christ is anything but easy, it takes sacrifice, it takes faith, it takes a constant renewing of your spirit, and prayer to connect you to the almighty. 

Who Are You?

In scripture we see that Jesus knew who his Apostles were. He also knew who would betray him, who would deny him, who would be with him in the end, and who would hide for their lives. John 6:70-71 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve. Jesus is a year and a half into his ministry and knowing who would turn him in, who would betray him with a kiss, and yet, not a day went by Jesus was ugly to Judas. Who are we, who are you? Are you the betrayer, the denier, the one to draw a sword? Are we one that becomes infected with the negativity of the crowd and turns from what we know is wrong? We all think we know who we are, but until we are truly faced with it, we don’t know what we would do. 

When someone asks how or why I believe in God, believe in Jesus Christ, this is a simple answer, the Apostles. They knew the truth, they lived it every day, and they died for it. They would not knowingly die for a lie. What matters, most, is that we are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. We must see Christ, and allow Christ into our hearts. It isn’t just walking an isle or saying a prayer. It isn’t even having a head knowledge. You can memorize all the scripture you want, but if you don’t have it in your heart, it’s nothing. Satan himself stood before the almighty Father, in full glory, knows scripture, and yet refuses to accept. 

Don’t get stuck in the weeds arguing about the little details that don’t matter. Don’t get drawn into frivolous arguments. Stay away from gossip, and keep straight on God. It’s easy to get pulled off course, but when we stand firm on the rock, the foundation in which we ought to build our lives, we can withstand the temptations and the whiles, and lies of the Devil. We too are tempted into sin by Satan. We too are pushed and pulled into situations we should never be in. The important thing is we’re never too far gone to find forgiveness in the eyes of the Lord. We are never too far gone to repent and turn away from our sinful nature. So long as we don’t do what the followers of Christ did in John 6:66, and that was to make a conscious choice, to choose deliberately to turn their backs on the Son of God. 

         There’s a lot of arguments that can come up, but when it really comes down to it, the only argument that matters is, Jesus is the son of God. He is the God Man, one third of the trinity, the father, son, and holy spirit. The only way to get to the father is through Jesus. We are saved by grace, through faith, and by Gods mercy. We should not get caught up in new age ideas, new twists on Satan’s old lies. Plant firm and trust the truth of the word in scripture. The worst thing we can do is get to a point where we forsake the name of Christ, turn our backs and forever walk away. Choosing a life where our eternal lives is a complete and total separation from God. There is nothing worse than that separation. Don’t turn your back on the creator, don’t forsake the gift we’ve been given. And don’t get lost in the weeds, distracted by that which matters most, Gods sacrifice for us. 

The Light On The Hill

thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

The Light On The Hill

Surviving is something I don’t think we put enough emphasis on. We joke about stuff like, ‘I survived black Friday.’ And while this is true, technically and in some cases, legitimate, it most often, is an exaggeration of a set of circumstances. Once in a while though, someone will go something truly difficult and, in those difficulties, we often look inward, ‘am I a bad person?’ I have talked to survivors of rape and for many it took a long time for them to take the blame off of themselves and place it with the attacker. Survivors guilt is similar, ‘it should have been me.’ It seems, and this is of course from a layman’s perspective, that we tend to carry burdens that we should not. 

I’m very guilty of this and sadly not just once, but over and over in my life. Starting off from childhood, I blamed myself for the bad things that happened in my life, even to the ridiculous, where I would have had no way to stop the event from happening. In time I would be called on a habit, and that was living in a victim mentality. Not to detract from the events themselves, but a change in the frame of mind was needed. Technically it was true, I was a victim of a lot of very awful things. But when someone beats cancer we don’t call them a victim of cancer, no, we call them a survivor. We as a society have started shifting the mindset of surviving rape, instead of being a rape victim. We must truly start to look at our lives as what we have survived, thus looking at each event from a positive perspective, rather than a negative one. Now, please don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that just because you call yourself a survivor means it will heal every wound, it won’t. Healing takes time, and one thing that has been proven is by changing the mindset about an event, may help speed up the healing time, or, it may allow the wound to heal more thoroughly. 

Recently, I was given some advice. A few years back I made a choice, and that choice had dyer consequences. My choice, nearly cost me my own life, but it cost the relationship of nearly a dozen people in my life. I have shied away from talking about this even very often in general company. It’s both, not something I enjoy talking about, but also something that may bring a mix of emotions and judgments. This fear of rejection, and judgment has given me pause to discuss it. The thing is, the advice given was to use what happened, instead of hiding from it. Advise I analyze here. 

For so many, people are self-defined by their traumas. We often define ourselves by something, For years I defined myself as a veteran, or before that a soldier. I defined myself as married, divorced, married, divorced, broken, a Christian. Are you an athlete, an artist, a doctor, a teacher, etc. When we define ourself we risk writing in our brain of who we are, in a way the job we have, or some status is truly a defining feature of who we are. Our actions define who we are. What we do, not what we are underneath that defines us. Scripture tells us, Matthew 7:16“Ye shall know them by their fruits.” This is referring to the many people who would come, being false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing. Scripture goes on to say to keep an eye on the type of fruit being born of those kinds of works. I will say, while something may look good right away, give it time, allow the true nature to shine. People have gotten good at packaging an evil or corrupted message, to make it sound good, but over time the vinier fades, the rust shows up, and the light shines on the darkness revealing the secrets. 

We all have a chance, an opportunity to allow the awful things that happen to us, to be used for the glory of the Father. We all have the opportunity to use the pains we feel, and turn that pain into strength. So many people allow that pain to fester, to become an infectious agent inside their soul. When I think back to characters such as Jeremiah. Here you have a guy, he’s been faithful for a long time telling the people of Jerusalem the fate that will befall them after years of them failing to listen. Now the time of reconning comes, and the final warning Jeremiah gives is to the people is to surrender and live. Of course, this doesn’t go so well with the army and the officers tell the King, let’s kill this guy! The King of course did not want Jeremiah to die but also didn’t want to have the army officers turn on him, so the officers took Jeremiah and threw him in a well with no water, only mud, and he sank. This guy, trying to do the right thing, trying to proclaim the word of God, and what does he get for his trouble? He’s tossed into a well to starve to death. Eventually Jerusalem is captured and he survives the siege. 

Let us look at another character. Lets take a look at Paul. Paul is a man who was filled with anger, and hate, and with all that malice, he was given permission to hunt down and imprison, or kill, Christians in the city of Damascus. Paul, or as he’s called before Damascus, Saul, is blinded by the Lord and confronted by Jesus Christ. In the years following his conversion, Paul is faced with one horrific event after another. He would not only face emotional traumas, but physical as well. He would be beaten (multiple times), stoned, imprisoned (multiple times), ship wrecked, bitten by a viper, and eventually beheaded. Here’s a man who left wealth, prestige, power, and comfort, for what he knew to be the truth. He moved from comfortable to miserable, but in misery, he grew strong in faith. He never stopped sharing the love of Christ. He never stopped sharing the truth that is Jesus Christ. He was willing to die for that truth, and he knew through revelation he would die for the name of Christ, a fate he never feared. He chose to stand on his faith, no matter what the world would do to him. Christians are called to be Ambassadors, meaning we live here, but are not of here (Earth). Yes we are humans, but our place is in Heaven for eternity. Do we allow our light to shine despite the world? 

It isn’t easy to smile in the face of steep opposition. It isn’t easy to be positive when a hurricane takes your home. It isn’t easy when the coworker lies and gets you fired. It isn’t easy when your ex-wife is so angry she makes decisions that truly have the potential to destroy everything you’ve ever worked for. It isn’t easy when the husband has an affair and rips a family apart. It isn’t easy when cancer take the life of a loved one. The list of course is endless, to the potential life changing, devastating events that happen to people around the globe every single day. No matter what the event is, at the end of the day, regardless of the pain you feel, if you wake up at the next sunrise, you have survived. I am in no means down playing the hurt, the physical feeling that the emotional can leave behind. I have been in several of those examples I gave, plus others I did not list. I know full well, and good, how hard it is. But, what I do know is the Devil has not taken one thing from me, my salvation. The Devil will lie to you, and tell you all kinds of things about how you’re not good enough, or no one can ever love you now, or you’ll never make it to heaven with the past you have, etc. The Devil cannot steal your joy, and thus, cannot snuff out your light. Does the light go out on some Christians? Sure, it does, but here’s why. Spiritual warfare is an every day battle. If you don’t wear your armor every day, and if you are not in the word of God, allowing Him to renew your spirit, yes, the world can be heavy. If you do not buckle in for the long road, you can be beaten down, stepped on, crushed under the weight of the world. The Devil cannot steal your joy if you guard your heart. Your joy should shine the light of Christ, and it should do so as a survivor. We saved, are promised eternal salvation, a fate we did not earn, one we don’t deserve, but through grace we are saved from the fate we do deserve, death. See, we are survivors, we survive the grave, we survive the eternal death, the damnation promised for those who deny Christ. If we are truly survivors, and have survived the worst outcome of all, why then do we choose to remain labeled as a victim. Never once did Paul call himself a victim of such events. 

2 Corinthians 11:22-31 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my [d]infirmity. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

Never once does Paul complain about his suffering in the name of Jesus, because he knew, as I am trying to tell you, Gods got better plans for you after this life. You can look out your window and see a world on fire, I think we’ve all seen what’s been going on in this world right now. We see a world torn, on fire, divided, famine, storms, but through it all, this broken fallen world, is not the end for us. We must be the beacon on the hill. We must be the light that snuff out the darkness, not the production of the light, but we are the moon to Christ’s sun. If Christ is the light, we must be the reflection of that light in the darkness. We must be the hope people in darkness sees. We must look different and every chance we get tell people why. We must remain lit, not hiding under the bed, not under the basket, but held high. We must not allow our joy to be extinguished. Stay firm in the Armor of God, and get ready for darker days ahead. We are survivors, not victims. We must tell the world, tell everyone, and be a billboard the Truth, Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Jesus saved a wretch like me, deserving nothing, deserving death, but instead through the blood, I am given new life. Those who accept Jesus, repent and put away the old selves, shall have eternal life with God. Survivors. We all have hardships, and yes those hardships leave scars, and like a cast for a broken bone, sometimes we need to get help for the emotional scars also. Remember though, Christ is the ultimate healer, the great physician. 

Do not spend time pitying yourself, stand up, dust off, and rise up with Christ beside you. No matter where you are, shine brightly with the Lord with you, shining, always be the reflection of the Son, who died and rose for you.