Tag: faith

It Takes Guts

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It Takes Guts

Have you ever had an argument with God? Have you ever won an argument with God? Very few in history have ever actually been able to stand up to God Almighty but there was one man who not only argued with God but was able to barter with Him.

Genesis 18:22-33(NKJV)

22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

26 So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”

27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: 28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”

So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”

29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?”

So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”

30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”

So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”

So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”

32 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”

And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” 33 So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

Do we ever think we’re going to win over the perfection of God? While Abraham was indeed right, there was a righteous family left in Sodom, it came at great personal risk. Scripture is clear, Deuteronomy 6:16 (NKJV)16 “You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah.” As it was written in the ancient world, the law was written do not tempt the Lord, do not try to bribe or barter with God. 7 Matthew 4:7“Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not [a]tempt the Lord your God.’” 

Are we so foolish to think we can bribe the Lord to bend to our will? I have often tried to make deals with God. Patience has never been a strong suit of mine, and especially when it comes to matters of the heart. God has a sense of humor. As I have been praying to God to bring me someone special into my life I guess I wasn’t specific enough. God thought it would be funny to have someone special come into my life who lives 8,683 miles away. While I’m sure God’s plan is perfect, His sense of humor is always a joy to see. Knowing how much I desired a companion in my life he saw it fit to make things complicated, and if I know that God’s plan is perfect, then so I know that there’s a reason sending the right lady into my life, no matter how far away she lives. I am grateful and thankful the Lord answered my prayers, and if I’ve learned anything it’s not to barter with God, and not to test God’s sense of humor. While I was lucky enough that God thought His answer was funny, I am thankful I did not tempt the Lord to wrath. God certainly thinks things are funny, and when I don’t think things will ever turn around for me, God always tells me “I’ve got this.” I’m not worthy of His grace and mercy, but I receive it in abundance every day. I have no idea where to go from where I am, but I trust in God’s plan. Now, I must learn to take my hands off the wheel and trust that God knows where I’m going. God’s got a plan, and it’s bigger then I could ever know or understand. God can lift up, or destroy. God can save, or doom. God can bless or curse, and I know which side of the fence I am on. I know where I’m meant to be, and I will continue to praise Jesus for everything I have seen and unseen. I will thank Christ for the amazing woman He’s placed in my path, and I will take each day as it comes.

Learn to Love Again

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Learn to Love Again

Battered and broken, the heart splits and tears, shattered into a thousand pieces on the floor. You can see them looking down, what’s more, you don’t know what to feel. The hearts broken glass, sharp and jaded, and you don’t think there’s any glue strong enough to put the pieces back together again.

 

I was thinking of the heart as Humpty Dumpty and when broken can it be mended, put back together? The truth is, sometimes it may not feel like it but the heart does heal. It’s a wonderful feeling when the veil of darkness begins to lift and the brightness of life begins to shine through, and providing warmth for the heart. The scars are there, and some pain remains, but God heals, and gives us what we need. Psalm 147:3 (NKJV)3 “He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.”  God protects over us, watches us, and guards our hearts. Much like Jesus was guarded as scripture foretold, God will guard the brokenhearted.Psalm 34:18-20 (NKJV)18 “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. 20 He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.”

 

Recently I met someone, and to say it’s complicated may be an understatement. As we look towards what tomorrow may bring, I remind myself to maintain what love is. 1 Corinthians 13:4-13(NKJV)4 “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

 

Love can be found when God is involved anywhere, no matter the distance, and no matter how two people meet. While there are challenges, and hurdles to jump through, when two people live for God, and trust in God, anything is possible. Since the greatest of all things is Love, it’s love that truly mends a broken heart. The Love of Christ shows us the way, heals and binds the pieces. When we trust in Jesus the impossible becomes possible. While tomorrow is never known, and the outcome is always uncertain to us, God knows our hearts, God knows our path, and if tomorrow is meant to be together, God will show how, and will remove major barriers. Having faith is so important to set the fears aside, and face the tough challenges, but knowing that nothing in this life worth having that is easy to get.

 

While my heart still worries about tomorrow, I know that there is concern on both sides, and it could be a high stakes round and there’s a lot to loose. On the flip side however, there is so much to gain, so much love, so much joy to be found and if it’s God’s plan it will work. Putting God first is always the only way to live, and it’s through God, and in Jesus Christ joy is found. Tomorrow will come without my help, and I have faith that the world will turn and keep on turning, and all I have to do is live Christ like, and listen to my Abba for my path, and He will show me the way. Argie you are a beautiful, and a smart woman, you are kind and compassionate, and don’t loose hope, don’t loose faith, and always put the Lord first. Continue to be open about your concerns, your hope, your joys, and your dreams, and pray above all to God. Learning to love again, and learning to trust is only possible, truly possible, when God is first always.

God’s Way

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God’s Way

It’s amazing how God works things out. It’s amazing how beautiful the plan, and where blessings can come from the most unusual of places. There are things in my life I never would have guessed that would have come up, but now that they are in my life, I couldn’t imagine how it could be improved. God’s way truly is perfect, and when we live in Christ’s light we are sure to be blessed for our faithfulness, our strengths and our weaknesses. Trusting in God is an option, but the alternative is terrifying. God can do anything He wants and as he dwells outside the realm and laws of science and physics. The idea of miracles is a far off concept, and we look at them as religious mumbo jumbo, but there are historical accounts of these miracles. Is it so far to think that maybe, just maybe there’s truth to the accounts of these miracles? I think not, and the more you dive into the evidence the more it points to truth.

I was thinking about the story in Acts 19:14-16 and I thought of the scene in Casper when Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) runs out of the mansion and says to call somebody else. Acts 19:14-16 (NKJV)14 “Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”It’s interesting to think about an evil spirit being real, and not some made up story, but when you do the research you will find that the acts of Jesus and Paul are not just something found in the Bible but also in both the historical accounts of Josephus and the Qu’ran. Josephus was a Jewish historian who had no interest in proving who Christ was, but the evidence to the miracles that occurred can be seen far and wide.

There are things that happen all around us that we don’t usually see. Life is full of extraordinary things, but we don’t open our eyes to see the mystery of the Lord. Demons are very real, and we battle every day against the forces of darkness. Though we do not battle against flesh and blood, Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”It’s hard to wrap your head around, but when you truly take time to look around, to quiet the world around you, is it so hard or far fetched to believe?

We must know and understand that everything big and small is affected by God’s Holy presence. We are strengthened and in all things in the glory of God are possible. We must go forth in our life with pure hearts for the Lord. We must diminish and allow the Holy Spirit to thrive within us. After seeing the miracles of Paul a small group of charlatans attempted to perform an exorcism but for their own glory, not for God. Acts 19:15. The outcome did not go well for them, and it’s a lesson we must take away in our own lives. When we do things for our own glory and not for God we too will see the rotten fruit spring forth. I have seen miracles in my own life, and just that fact I am still breathing is one of them. I should not have survived on more than one occasion, but God saw fit to keep me around. I know that in my walk through this thicket, the thistles, the thorns, the quicksand, and many other traps the Devil lays for me, it’s God that sees me through. I do not rise each day for my own glory, my own purposes, but that of my Father on high.

In my past I think I have been guilty thinking God couldn’t pull through for me, and as Luke Skywalker said to Kylo Ren “Everything you just said is wrong.” I think God has shown me wrong every single time, even when I hadn’t acted on my own accord. God is capable of doing anything, and it’s not for us to put God on a shelf thinking He isn’t big enough to handle our hopes, our dreams, or our problems. We must hold fast to faith, and allow it to grow and fill our cup. Christ is the gift of life, and we cannot downplay the importance of our faithfulness, and hope in Jesus. The truth will set you free when you put your trust in Jesus, knowing that in all things God is working things for good, and hope is eternal with Christ. Don’t underestimate your blessings from God, and don’t be surprised with what you are given, especially if it’s something you’ve wanted a long time. Love can come from anyplace if we only believe.

The Veteran

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The Veteran

No matter the politics, or which side of the fence you sit on, the veteran serves this country. The constitution that all of you Americans enjoy the freedoms given, was paid for and continues to be paid for by the veteran. No matter what you’re faith, your heritage, respect for out veterans that gives us the protection we so appreciate. It is by the blood we have the greatest gift we could ever hope for. Beyond our beloved country we have the kingdom of Heaven we fight for. I am a United States veteran of foreign wars but beyond that and more importantly I’m a veteran of this spiritual war we fight daily. I am a soldier for CHRIST AND I’M THANKFUL TO CALL MYSELF A VETERAN FOR GOD.

Just as veterans shed blood for our freedoms, Christ’s blood was shed for our sins, Hebrews 9-13-14“For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the [b]purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without [c]spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” While there is no more blood needed to be sacrificed, the continuing war rages on and we are on the front line of an invisible war, that we cannot see, but we feel the effect every day. Satan and his demons interfere in our human affairs, but no matter the day, Christ still sits at the right hand of the father on high, and we are always on the winning side. Freedom always takes blood, and blood with no spots was shed for you and me, and all those before, and all those to come after. How wonderful it is to know the army of saints in which I fight for. God, Jesus Christ is the greatest general of all time. Jesus Christ’s war plan is perfect, and we soldiers of Christ shall fear not for we know the way the story ends. We shall not fret over the lost, and do not cry for saint’s who’ve fallen in the name of the Lord who were beautiful soldiers who live for the Lord, instead rejoice and be glad in their new home seated in front of the father in Heaven. Be grateful for the saints who’ve been slain in the fight against darkness, for they are at peace now. I shall not fear the evil for I know who art with me who protects me. Psalm 27:1-2“The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came against me. To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.”

I fought a war of men, and now I fight a war, waged in the spiritual. We sacrifice by picking up our cross and letting go of this world. Much like picking up a weapon giving up a life at home with families, soldiers prepare for battle, rush into danger and fight the war. The sacrifice is never in vein and we shall be blessed for more than we could ever hope for. Stay focused on our General and trust with every breath we take until the last. We will be rewarded for fighting the good fight, and finishing the race.

You Test Me!?

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You Test Me!?

Satan tested me recently by tempting me away from my faith for the carnal and deny Gods truth. What is truth you ask? Is truth something we all have, a subjective viewpoint in which anyone’s perspective has merit and truth is in the eye of the beholder? The Devil wants you to believe that anything goes so long as you believe it’s ‘right’ in your heart. Scripture is clear about truth, and if we do not believe that scripture is the divinely inspired word of God, and encompasses truth, and we can easily fall to ruin when we believe our way is right and God’s way is ‘optional’. Proverbs 21:2 NKJV 2 “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.” We cannot underestimate how important it is that we trust in our Heavenly fathers plan. We cannot view our salvation is some cosmic counter and enough good will win the day. It’s a sad truth, but truth never the less that those who do not know and love Christ shall not make it to eternal paradise with the Father. It all comes down to knowing truth, Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV) 12“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” We must understand that the truth we needed to understand was given to us as divinely inspired, a set of non bending rules that lead to one, and only one truth, Jesus Christ was the Son of God, was born of the virgin Mary, grew to be a man, ministered truth, love, and compassion, was tried and convicted and sentenced to death by way of the crucifixion, died, buried, and on the third day rose from the dead in fulfillment of the scripture. This is truth; the only truth that matters is Jesus Christ. We can never fulfill all of the law, all of the time, but as Christ said, there is only one way to the father, through Christ alone. John 14:6 (NKJV) “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus doesn’t say, ‘so there’s my way, and there’s this other way, and depending where you live, you can try this way, all these different paths lead to the same place, so pick whatever one works best for you.” Jesus says “I am THE way.” And then, follows it up with a very important message, if you want to get to Heaven, if you want to live in paradise you must follow Christ.

 

With the Devil seemingly nipping at my heels it’s now more important then ever that I hold fast to my beliefs because I believe in the sovereign word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” If we are to believe in Christ, and believe that God is good, and perfect, then God’s word is perfect, just as the cross was perfect, and so the word of God is also perfect, and we cannot put faith in ourselves that we know what’s best. God is our Abba father, and has given us rules for us to follow that are pleasing to the Lord.

 

We know that God loves us because he gave his only begotten son to take upon the sins of the world, so that we might live. John 3:16“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” We have to have faith in this truth, and know that the world wants you to take the word truth, bend it, twist it, turn it into your own meaning, and that is exactly what Satan does. Satan uses parts of truth, to twist perceptions to believe that, that truth is the same as God’s truth. Man’s truth is never the same as God’s truth, and we must defend against the wolves that try to attack it in the night. It’s not the word that we must defend, but be able to eloquently rebuke attacks against us about our faith. Jesus doesn’t need to be defended, God doesn’t need us to argue his side of things. We are told to love others as Christ has loved us, and to share the Gospel. Whether someone listens to it or not, that’s on them. We cannot change hearts and minds, only God can do that. Who are we to think we know better then God? The last ‘person’ to do that was Satan, and look where that God ‘him’. Satan will test you, he will bully you, he will lie to you, and try to make you believe in false paths. We cannot fall for these deceptions, and we cannot allow ourselves to fall victims to his schemes. The biggest battlefield is for our hearts and minds, and we must protect that, and read and know the truth, and that’s the words found in scripture. Read your Bible, learn God’s unyielding truth, and seek God’s wisdom.

 

 

 

A Month To Remind Us To Be Thankful

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A Month To Remind Us To Be Thankful

As we enter November we need to remember to count our blessings but not just in November but everyday, all year, and we must be willing to give thanks to God for all we have. We often have more blessings then we could ever count, and we are short sighted as to what that truly means. We have a small idea of what constitutes blessings, and we have such little faith in God it shows brightly in each of our lives.

 

We must be thankful for life, and not to grieve over death. Hope in Jesus in tomorrow and be thankful for the trials to make us more like Christ and to be thankful for shortcomings. Look at life and trust in God that you are blessed with if nothing else, the breath of life. Be thankful to be able to praise and worship a God who loves us dearly.

 

Look to God and find thanksgiving in the peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Psalm 100

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

2 Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

3 Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

5 For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

 

Look at verse 4 and 5, thanksgiving and in his court be thankful, meaning we must be thankful for a fair and just judge. God does not see the color of my skin, the ethnicity from where I come from, or the social class I ‘belong’ too. God sees the only thing that matters and that’s the heart. God sees my actions which are mine and mine alone, and God does not care about excuses. When I look at the fall when the serpent convinced Eve the fruit of the tree of knowledge would be okay to eat, God did not care the excuses Adam gave, and judgment was cast to all involved. We should expect the same treatment in our lives. We can be persuaded by a drug dealer to take drugs but that’s our choice to follow through. We can be convinced sex with someone other then our spouse is okay so long as no one knows, but trust that God see’s, and God knows, and judgment will come to all involved. I am thankful for the discipline I receive because I know that I have an Abba Father who loves me so much he takes time to care for me. Abba keeps me on the right track. I often forget what I have and I know I should be ashamed of myself living life in the dumps. I am not talking about the clinical, biological depression, but the pessimistic viewpoint of life I have lived in the past. It’s not often I fall into that place, but when it happens I should be ashamed at my weakness of faith.

 

I have more blessings in this life then many others, and when I find myself slipping into a defeated state of mind, I need to remind myself that there is more in this life that I have to be thankful for, even if it’s just the gift of life.

 

Going into November, what are you thankful for? Could you make a list of all your blessings? God sees us through all our storms, even when the storm rages on around us, and inside us. God only disciplines us when we need it, and we should be grateful that we have a God that cares so much for us to want only what’s best for us. Count your blessings big and small, and be sure to truly look at what you have.

God Won’t Leave

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God Won’t Leave

I wrote to you and you said stuff too. I fell for your lies and you left me feeling like a fool. How could I have not seen it earlier, instead I had to feel. You said you cared but then you were gone. How can someone care then disappear? I believed you and gave you my attention my ear as you  lifted me up and told me a beautiful lie. I listened to you and fell for the line that wasn’t true at all. You said to me, you’d never leave, but what was your word but wisps in the wind.

I have the word of God almighty, assurance and a promise to have and to hold. My God won’t ever leave, no matter my faults, my God will stay right next to me, always and today. I look ahead till tomorrow and know, people will leave, but God says it isn’t so. I shall never leave you says the Lord, and have faith always. How wonderful to know that in my deepest pain a promise I can hold.

I try so hard for people to care, I try so hard for people to see. I don’t know why, and maybe I never will, but people just leave. The struggle is real, an so are the consequences. I’m thankful though for God on high, who watches over me protecting me from harm. Deuteronomy 31:8 (NKJV)8 “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

Sometimes in life we get busy and it’s understandable. Sometimes we need some time away, and a chance to review our life. Sometimes life gets in the way and all we can do is our best. I’ve been putting a lot of thought in my life and have found myself grateful that no matter how stressful life gets, how many people choose to leave, how little people care, God’s son Jesus Christ is with me always. The nature of God is an interesting one, and by that I mean, how does something you cannot see, and often feel make you feel better? While I can’t explain the feeling, I can say, knowing that God loves me so much that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, for my personal salvation, I know that my hope is not of this world, but of the next. I know that because God has never given up on me in all my shortcomings, my failures, God’s son Jesus Christ is beyond patient, beyond empathetic, that Jesus Christ is pure love, in a way we can sparsely understand. The pain I’ve felt over the last…. 30 some years as people I’ve cared about have left, I have found myself in the last couple years feeling jaded. I have found myself feeling angry, and bitter towards peoples selfishness, peoples lack of empathy towards others feelings from their own actions. I have been on bended knee seeking answers, trying to understand the purpose, looking for my own path, and while some things have been revealed to me, others have yet to flourish. The stress mounts as school has taken a slight turn in the wrong direction, relationships have failed at an alarming rate, and I have failed to find and manage my own stress release. Many may have noticed I have not posted in a few days, and that was not intentional, and sadly, even as life has gotten in the way I feel awful for missing so many days. Life has a way of sneaking up on you, and before you know it the day is gone. Thankfully Jesus knows our hearts, knows our pain, and no matter how the day slips by us, Jesus knows, and is there for us always.

Fallen Brothers

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Fallen Brothers

Recently I was watching on of my favorite shows Seal Team and when I saw a particular episode where a seal was killed. It got me thinking about the fallen brothers and sisters in Christ. My time in Iraq I lost friends and even after I left my brothers were still being killed. As I have watched the news from time to time and I’ve seen terrorist organizations murder innocent Christians. The persecuted church worldwide is an ever growing death toll passing genocidal proportions. Knowing what was coming doesn’t make the reality any easier. We watch from the TV and the newspapers, and as we understand the world is a dangerous place we must remain faithful in Christ and understand our hope is above not here in this life, but an eternal life with our creator.

Romans 13:4 (NKJV)4 “For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to executewrath on him who practices evil.”

The Lord watches over and will repay with swift justice when the time comes. The sword of righteousness will fall on the enemies and vengeance will be the Lords.

We cannot allow the losses we see to stop us from continuing the mission. We have to take our brothers and sisters sacrifice and never allow that be in vein. In Revelation you see the martyrs who’ve died proclaiming the word of God. You see their sacrifice was not in vein, and we must continue to fight the fight and never grow weary. Rev 9“When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained;” Rev 20“Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

Faith isn’t easy when the world around you crumbles to ruin. As it says in 1 Corinthians 12:26 (NASB)26 “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” In some circles it is believed that 255 Christians are killed every month, and more are raped, abducted, or detailed without a trial. Just recently we saw a Pastor released after a long imprisonment. As terrible as it is to watch from afar, it’s worse when you have to see it in person. Loosing fellow soldiers in the line of duty was heartbreaking. The world it seemed was unfair as the lives of good men were extinguished far, far too early. The brothers and sisters that have died in the name of Christ have gone onto a better life. Those who die are far better off as they go to a far better place. 2 Timothy 2:3 (NASB)3 “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” The hardships we face are in this life. “Living is not for the weak.”(Arrow) and those of us still living will be the ones to continue facing the fight. We should not pity the dead, but pity the living.

 

 

 

Brother’s Keeper

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Brother’s Keeper

Growing up without stability I struggled to understand God’s plan. I wondered if I had been cursed early on in my life. I wondered if God hated me, and if I was being punished for being a mistake. I felt like I was the one loosing, but in reality, I was gaining more then I could have ever imagined. I wasn’t loosing anything, but gaining strength, understanding, empathy, and a heart for those suffering. I was being shown a life style so I might be able to one day help others in need.

 

Life moves faster now but it’s the truth I’ve needed. I have needed a brother to tell me the truth, to be there for me to show me something real in this life. What I experienced led me to wonder the meaning of this life as at the time I had only experienced pain and suffering. I wanted to run away from everything, and bury my feelings, and hope to forget all the pain. God however doesn’t work like that. I’m reminded of the movie Star Trek: The Final Frontier, “Damit Bones you’re a doctor, you know pain and guilt can’t be taken away with the wave of a magic wand. There the things we carry with us, the things that make us who we are, if we loose them we loose ourselves. I don’t want my pain taken away, I need my pain!” I understand now that I have needed my pain.

 

I have so much in the way of anger, sadness, frustrations, and fear built up that I buried and now, like an undead zombie it rises and comes back with a vengeance. The pain was real but time wouldn’t erase it because I never wanted to look at it. Thankfully though, Jesus Christ held my had all those years. I tried to tell myself it was in the past and it wasn’t important, but I was wrong. The past is important because it teaches us valuable lessons. As Kirk mentioned, I need my pain, and it’s only been recently I truly understood that.

 

The God of all creation never leaves us no matter where we are and what season we’re in. We need to remember to have faith in the storm, but also in the peaceful streams. We need to remember that God gives us the tools we need to handle the job every time. God doesn’t send us into the pit without a plan. God doesn’t leave us to fend for ourselves and certainly isn’t an angry God with a magnifying glass if we are just mere ants. God loves us, and wants us to do great things for Him, and because we are each special, given unique gifts, and each of our experiences can be used God gives us the path, it’s up to us to find it. As for me, I have been given special gifts to help me along my way, and I didn’t always see them for what they were till they were too late.

 

In my childhood I didn’t have any siblings, but God knew my heart, and He knew my struggles, and because of that He gave me brothers not of flesh, but of the blood of the Holy Spirit. Daniel was a brother to me for many years. We have remained friends all these many years later even though we live very different lives now. Matt, was my closest friend from 1994 for almost two decades later. While Matt and myself have drifted apart as life usually happens, we do keep in touch, and I know if anything were to happen, he’d be right there to help me. When I had moved to a new high school I met a boy named John, and he became my best friend. We were very close till he died unexpectedly when he was 18. I went many years without a brother in my life, but by the grace of God a few years back I met a man named Glen, who would be a brother not only in friendship but also in Christ. Glen would be there to show me the path, he would keep me on track, give me encouragement, hope, and love in Christ. He has truly become a brother I could never have imagined. I know God doesn’t do anything by accident and Glen and my meeting was certainly not an accident. A brother in Christ who teaches, guides, encourages, and helps see and discover the mystery of the word of God is an amazing feeling. All that pain I felt for so many years, now seems necessary for the path I am currently on, and having someone like Glen in my life (Speedy) gives me clarity to why, and now so many years later, I realize the refining process that I was going through, gives me peace in the understanding.

 

Genesis 4:9“Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” The Hebrew word for keeper is shamar meaning to protect, to keep track of to observe, and thus the question, are we my brothers keeper? Yes, we are brothers in Christ, and I know that my job as my Glen’s brother is to protect him, to keep him safe, to observe, and to take care of him when in need. I am my brothers keeper, and vise versa. Yes we are responsible for our own lives, but we are family, and family takes care of family.

 

I have often had friends come to me when they only needed something, and cared little for the state of my life, but the relationship with my brother is very different. In the darkest of my days, I know he’s right there for me always. Living in Christ is not an easy thing to do, but when we living with Christ shining through us, we become a light in the dark. Jesus Christ is our brother, our savior, our King, and we can only hope to be like Him. I thank God every day for the brothers he’s given me throughout my life. I am grateful for the time I have had, and look forward to many more years with my brother Glen.

 

Brother: Needtobreathe

 

Ramblers in the wilderness we can’t find what we need
We get a little restless from the searching
Get a little worn down in between
Like a bull chasing the matador is the man left to his own schemes
Everybody needs someone beside em’ shining like a lighthouse from the sea

Brother let me be your shelter
Never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re low
Brother let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home

Face down in the desert now there’s a cage locked around my heart
I found a way to drop the keys where my failures were
Now my hands can’t reach that far
I ain’t made for a rivalry, I could never take the world alone
I know that in my weakness I am stronger
It’s your love that brings me home

Brother let me be your shelter
I’ll never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re low
Brother let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home

Brother let me be your shelter
Never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re low
Brother let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home

Brother let me be your shelter
Never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re feeling low
Brother let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home

Brother let me be your shelter
Never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re low
Brother let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home

 

 

 

 

In Need

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In Need

My God, my God, I cannot do this alone. I try to swim but I get caught among the waves. We don’t always know how much, but we are always in need of your grace and mercy. I don’t often think about being in need of God in regards to all things in my life. We go through life and we hop in the car, we drive to work, or the store, or even to church, but we don’t often think how important our relationship with God is in even the smallest details of our lives. We take our lives and many aspects of that for granted. How badly we need God in our lives, and rarely take the time to thank God for all of the small things, yet when we need something we turn to God in a second.

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” The text says God will supply all your need, not some, not just what’s convenient, but God gives us everything we need because we are loved as His children. If we are to be given everything we need from God’s riches, then we are getting the best of the best based on what we require. Which means, if we require a swift kick in the butt, it’s going to be a darn good kick. If we require a particular lesson, that lesson will be tailored to fit God’s plan.

I have often chosen my path and because of my own choices I have missed out on opportunities in which God has laid before me. When we consider that God waists nothing, and that has led me to wonder if my actions now had lined up with God’s plan. I often think that God gives us what we need, and that we have a choice what we want to do with the gift. We have in mind our own path, our own plans, and we obviously attempt to make the best decisions we can but we are human, and we don’t always the best choices.

Two years ago, I made a choice and that choice may have had a lasting impact on my life. I had someone come into my life, and I choose to walk away for my own reasons, but now two years later I have not been given a gift like that again. Did I slap away God’s gift, and tell God I could do what I wanted on my own? How many times does God give us a gift for our hearts, and we pass it by? What good is a gift if we never open it, or just leave it on the shelf? I have often felt in the last two years that I may have passed by my chance to happiness. I have often wondered if God would be gracious and give me another shot to get it right. We make so many choices everyday, and it’s impossible to know if we are always making the right choices but we have to be in constant prayer. When we look to the gifts God places in front of us, are we acknowledging them as gifts, or just random occurrences? Are we making life about what we want, or are we making our walk about God?

Every single day we breathe we must look at the changes in our life and ask ourselves what we can do to ensure we follow God. To do that we must be in constant prayer, we must vet where the gifts come form in our life, and realize there are gifts from God, and gifts from Satan disguised as gifts from God. Don’t be so quick to turn away from God in prayer. Don’t forget to look to God for all things big and small. We don’t always get gifts in life when we think we should, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t God’s perfect timing. Prayer in all things will help us along the right path. As for me, I know I need God because I don’t want to miss out on God’s blessings in my life. I want to be paying attention for the gifts when they come and not let them go because they don’t align with my own plans.