Tag: faith

Tipping Point

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Tipping Point

How long will you travel down the road you’re on before you make a change in your life? Will you wait until you don’t have any other option? Sadly most people will refuse to change until the choice is no longer theirs to make. It seems the path towards self-destruction is a path that must run its course. Sadly I have watched people I’ve cared about hop on that train, and no matter what anyone did they had to ride along till it hit the brick wall, or as most people call it, hitting rock bottom.

What is it about that course that so many fall prey too? The human mind is a tricky thing, and when we truly take some time to think about it, why would anyone stay on such a self-destructive path? I think the answer is simple, and yet complicated at the same time. The simple answer is of coursesin, but the difficult answer is the complexity of the human brain. I think there’s something that happens inside the human brain that gets confused. Take a bad relationship for example. The whole world might realize a relationship is bad news, but the one person who doesn’t is the person in the middle of it. There can be emotional abuse, an over controlling element, or even physical abuse, and yet someone will stay in that situation till, they hit rock bottom. Much of that has to do with self-esteem, a notion of worthlessness, and an idea that no one else could ever love them, so it’s better to be mistreated by someone who ‘loves me’ than to be alone. Then there’s the alcoholic, substance abuse addicts, and workaholics who drive themselves towards destruction and rarely turn their own train before it smashes into the wall.

What can we do though, for those people who seem to be on those trains? Sadly the answer is not much, and any intervention may be a dangerous idea for the relationship. People often lash out when an intervention is staged. Admitting there’s a problem is incredibly difficult and always the first step to any real change. Every 12 step program is laid out very similar, and the first step is always the same.

  1. Admitting powerlessness over the addiction
  2. Believing that a higher power (in whatever form) can help
  3. Deciding to turn control over to the higher power
  4. Taking a personal inventory
  5. Admitting to the higher power, oneself, and another person the wrongs done
  6. Being ready to have the higher power correct any shortcomings in one’s character
  7. Asking the higher power to remove those shortcomings
  8. Making a list of wrongs done to others and being willing to make amends for those wrongs
  9. Contacting those who have been hurt, unless doing so would harm the person
  10. Continuing to take personal inventory and admitting when one is wrong
  11. Seeking enlightenment and connection with the higher power via prayer and meditation
  12. Carrying the message of the 12 Steps to others in need

 

While the 12 steps list a higher power, we as Christians must remember that it is God, Jesus Christ that can help us. No matter what situation you find yourself in, there are a few things that need to be mentioned. First, the creator of the universe loves you. Jesus Christ died for you, and you are special to Him. Second, you do not have to stay on the road you’re on. There is always help out there and all you have to do is ask for it. However, you must be willing to hear the truth, and face the challenge of making the change, which of course will not be easy. Third, you must trust that God can work out any bad situation, and there is something good to be taken from it. No matter the horrible things you’ve experienced in your life, i.e. rape, abuse (physical or emotional), loss, health issues, addictions, etc.) no matter what it is, there is something to be gained for it, and used in a positive way. Fourth, GOD DID NOT CAUSE YOUR SUFFERING, I cannot understate this. God is not in the habit of causing suffering in our lives. We must understand the nature of a sinful world, and a world endowed with free will. People choose to act how they want to. People choose to prey on the weak, to take other peoples power for their own. People choose to give in to the sin nature of this world. People choose to allow addictions to take hold by starting in the first place. People choose to rape, to abuse, to control, because it masks their own insecurities, and they themselves are not following Christ. We often want to blame God, instead of blaming the Devil. We want to ask God why He didn’t save us, and the truth is, he probably tried. We expect God to send us a miraculous intervention, where the truth is, there were probably people there who would have been willing to help, and maybe even tried to help. The problem is, sometimes we slap away the hands that try to help us.

It’s said we as people don’t truly change till we reach the precipice, the bottom of the barrel, the brick wall, but the truth is, you don’t have to wait that long. Addiction can be anything to include staying in bad abusive relationships, but there is hope. 1 Corinthians 10:13-14 (NKJV)13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” When we put anything before God that is our idol, and we are in essence worshiping that in which stands between God and us. If it’s work, or a substance, video games, whatever you can fill in the blank that takes the majority of your focus, there’s a time to walk away. Change is possible any time, anywhere, but YOU have to be willing to make that step towards change.

I have lost two wives to adultery and I remember asking what I had done to deserve it. I asked God why I was being punished, and what I didn’t realize at the time was it wasn’t God, no, it was Satan that had intervened in my life and brought destruction upon my home. 1 John 2:16 (NKJV)16 “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” Every day people endure hardships, and they endure the pain of this life, and every day people cry out to the Father and ask what they have done, why did they deserve such horrible things, but the fact is, it’s a sinful world, and there will be troubles. God does not force people into His will and in turn God does not force people to sin. God did not force sin upon this world, but people choose to sin. As scripture says, God will ALWAYS give you a way out. It may not be easy, but God isn’t in the business of making life easy, but it is always what is right. “Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right.”(Albus Dumbledore)

If you’re in a position you want to change, or need to change, ask yourself, have you been talking to God about it? Has an opportunity to change been presented to you but you’ve not taken it? Is the situation truly bad, or is it that you’re just not happy? Are you putting your attention to objects, substances or people? No matter what’s going on in your life there is always hope in Christ. Remember that as you might have fallen victim at the hands of others, remember it’s free will that causes so much pain. The same free will that causes you pain, is also the same free will that allows you to walk away and turn to God. 1 Corinthians 6:12“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” Don’t give away the power God has given to you. Don’t allow other people to take your happiness from you. When you trust in God you are given joy, and nothing can steal away your Joy. If you are in an abusive relationship, get help. If you are addicted to (blank) get help. Don’t walk through this life living in misery, there’s help out there for you. Be willing to make the hard decision for the hard change, but always turn to God for guidance. God will hear you, and God will answer you, so keep an eye open for it, and listen to the Holy Spirit guiding you. Have faith and don’t forget to love first, love God.

When the Excrement Happens

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When the Excrement Happens

You know you’re about to do something pretty good when Satan throws you a curveball. It’s unclear how much the Angels know about what will happen into the future, but one thing’s clear, Satan does a good job trying to muck up a good thing. Any time something good and positive is going to happen especially things that are for good Christians, Satan likes to try and put a stop to it before hand. This coming weekend I am supposed to be away on another Wounded Warrior Project event, and trying to be prepared with my homework and everything else I have to do, Satan is trying to put a stop to my trip by literally putting a stop to my trip. Yesterday I was involved in a small auto accident in which my car, my poor, poor, car, might have seen it’s last day. Driving home from an appointment a nice guy, was just trying to get to where he had to go, but the way in which he did it, well, when you try to cut over two lanes to turn in bumper to bumper traffic that’s moving 35-40 miles per hour is going to cause problems. Without enough time I was cut off and less than 30 feet I was ill prepared to stop in time when he needed to turn into the shop he was going to. My little Chevy sonic was no match for his Honda Pilot. His bumper took next to no damage, while my car…. Well, it’s seen better days. Everyone walked away and thankfully my airbag never deployed. The impact was just high enough on my car to keep it from exploding in my face. The accident could have been much worse, and I’m thankful we were both all right. Cars can be replaced, people cannot.

I firmly believe that for a Christian who knows the Lord, who trusts in the Lord, who’s faith guides them, and not the world, Romans 8:28is so important, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to Hispurpose.” Bad things happen every day to good people, and sometimes it’s not easy to see the good in the midst of so much awful and terrible things. We can become numb to the world and cold and disconnected in time as Satan’s claws dig into our shoulders to drag us down. For instance, as soon as I got home 4 hours later then I was supposed to which put me 3 hours behind on homework, I received a phone call from a friend with terrible news. I began to minister to her, helping her through a tough time, still reeling from my own ordeal. Then not more then 2 hours later, I end up ministering to another friend who was also going through a pretty hard time, and a small albeit real crisis of faith. My cup ran over, and I knew I needed to step away and empty my own cup of stress before I could be effective. It was a good thing I did, because later that night I was faced with a third friend in need of spiritual guidance. Satan is moving in a big way in my life right now, and it’s not easy to stand there and be under a real spiritual attack. So what can we do when the attack comes?

I knew what was happening so I took a moment to reach out to one of two people that could help, my own best friend and pastor. Calling later then I think I’ve ever called I was relieved when he answered the phone. The conversation wasn’t very long, just enough to pray, talk about the quick issues, and we parted ways, in which I knew he would be praying for me till he went to bed. See, prayer is important. God hears our plea’s and God move the pieces into play to be where they are supposed to be, or where they are most needed. I called a second pastor friend of mine, and while he was unable to take the call, just the act of me calling showed my faith in prayer because knowing he’d see my missed call, I knew he’d pray for me on the spot. I was able to get through my night with only a few tears of stress, and although the schoolwork suffered a little, I know that the good certainly outweighed the bad!

 Trusting in God in the middle of the (expletive) storm isn’t easy, but when we know who’s still in control, we can be prepared for the flaming arrows Paul speaks of in Ephesians 6:10-18 10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [b]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”

 Trust in God and believe in the works that are happening to answer your prayers. As I referred to recently, God moves pieces around the chessboard and it’s important to know that it takes time to maneuver those pieces into play. Be patient in your walk with the Lord. “If I walk with the world, I can’t walk with God.”  Dwight L. Moody If we are walking with the Lord we know troubles will happen. We know that we will have opportunities to be pleasing to the Lord, and we trust these things because troubles were promised by our own Lord and Savior. Colossians 1:10-11 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; We suffer long and with Joy. We are patient and trusting in God we may be strengthen by all of God’s might. By walking upright in the Lord we are blessed by the Spirit, and renewed our strength when the attacks come. Don’t loose hope for the world is darkened, designed to crush your spirit and drain the joy from you, but if you know the Lord, trust in the Holy Word of God, you know that this suffering is only temporary that you may be tempered and ready when you are called to do more. This isn’t home, so remember one thing, ‘flexible people can’t get bent out of shape.’ We are not consumed by the darkness of this world, because it’s the Light of Christ that brings us hope, and every morning is a new symbol of the hope left to us as Jesus ascended into Heaven.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV)

22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

 

Tears On My Pillow

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Tears On My Pillow

I’ve spent many nights since my life was flipped upside down more than two years ago crying, tears staining my pillow. I hide my face in shame, shame for where I am, shame for what I’ve done. Shame for being a failure, and for not being any further along in my life. It’s a rough time but faith in God has gotten me through many nights. Even great men of faith cry. No matter what you’re told it’s okay to cry. Ecclesiastes 3:4“A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;” We have been given tears for a reason, tears allow the strong emotions we have to be shed in a physical way. Much like laughter it’s important we allow our bodies to feel. If David himself went to the Lord with tears in his eyes, who are we to say men don’t cry?

 

Psalm 6:6“I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.” It’s perfectly normal to cry when you’re sad, or feeling hopeless. It’s important to know that there is always hope. Crying is a way to relieve the pressure that builds up inside. It is part of the array of emotions we feel, and it’s important to know that while the stigma can be that grown men don’t cry, that’s a bunch of societal crap.

 

John 11:35“Jesus wept.”  Our Lord and savior cried and in front of others. Don’t be afraid to cry, and please don’t tech your children, especially your boys that it’s not okay to cry. This world is full of young people who don’t know how to express their emotions and the damage it’s causing is severe. We must learn to have a healthy range of emotions. Crying does not mean you’re weak, and it does not mean you have no hope. Jesus is the hope, the one way, the truth, and the everlasting life. Trust in Him, pray to Him, and know that when you cry, Christ cries with you.

God’s a Chess Master

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God’s a Chess Master

We pray to God and we ask for things, we pray for all kinds of things but how often do we get frustrated when we don’t get them in a time we had envisioned for ourselves? I know I have prayed and have become frustrated when my prayers hadn’t been answered. As I have been considering what it is God truly does, I have in my opinion grown in my spiritual maturity. While God can materialize things from thin air, God chooses to use recourses already in play in the world. I like to think of this world as a chessboard for God.

When I think back to the 400-year gap between the Old and New Testament I think about how pieces on the board needed to be moved, and positioned in order to have everything in place for the arrival of Christ. The world wasn’t ready for Christ and God had to work on the process for 400 years. When we pray and we ask for something, our prayers are always answered, now that answer may be a no, not yet, or a yes, but sometimes we have to wait to receive the answer. Think of it this way, if you pray for a new job, that job first has to be available, the right people need to be in the right place, the environment must be prepared in order for your prayers to be answered as a blessing and not a curse.

There has been study on lottery winners who’ve gone from nothing to millions overnight. A very high percentage of lottery winners end up worse off then when they started. We often ask for things that God knows would be a curse for us but we don’t see it that way. In the parable of the talents Matthew 25:14-30 three men are given a different amount of money comparable to their abilities. Two of the men manage well, but one did nothing with the money, and in fact put the money at risk. We are given so much and entrusted with what we have. Luke 16:10 (NKJV)10 “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.” We must understand that we may not get what we desire because what we want wouldn’t be good for us. We must learn to trust in the Lord and believe that if something doesn’t happen the way we want it to there must be a reason.

In chess it’s important to move pieces into place before moving in on the opponents king. Chess is a game of patience and we too must learn that God is a God of patience. When one considered the moving pieces needed in order for David to be reigned King, from the promise made to him to the point he became king it was 15 years give or take a year or two. It took time to arrange everything for David to become King. Patience is important and if we ask for something we have to understand that God may be working on our request, and just because we don’t see the moving pieces doesn’t mean God isn’t working on it. It’s not just a matter of being patient, but also a matter of trust. If we are to call ourselves true Christians, we must trust in our God, truly believe that He Father of all things has our best interest at heart. Joshua 1:9 (NKJV)9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” This of course is easier said than done but regardless, it’s something we need to work on, something we need to think about every day.

We live in a microwave generation where everything is accessible within a couple days. We forget that we are foolish in our own sight, but the God of the universe knows our hearts, he knows our path, and as our Abba we must trust in His way, not our own. Proverbs 11:28(NKJV)28 “He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage.” We put our desires into the material. We place our hearts in the stuff we want, or the people we want, but we rarely sit back and ask God what we can do for the Almighty. We want God to place stuff in our path for our own joy, but we don’t ask how we can be used as His pieces on His chessboard. What are we on the board? Are we pawns, or are we knights? Are we the little throw away pieces, or are we God’s heavy hitters? We should think about how are we allowing ourselves to be of service to God instead of constantly asking for stuff. If we want to expect things from God, perhaps we should look at it from God’s point of view. If we aren’t going to do anything for God, why would we be blessed by God? We are incredibly selfish and we need to take a step back and wake up and realize we are to serve the Lord, and God isn’t here to serve us.

Be A Part Of Something

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Be A Part Of Something

It’s important to be active in life. It’s easy to get into a habit of sitting back, enjoying the couch, watching TV, but before we know it that’s become our daily routine, and we miss out on some wonderful stuff. I recently got to go to Relay for Life, and I had an amazing time. Leading up to it I kept pushing back getting ready, and then I realized I was avoiding the idea of going. There would be a thousand people or more at the track and I didn’t like the idea of being around that many people. When I actually arrived at the field I instantly questioned what I was doing there. My anxiety was high and all I wanted to do was run back to the comfort of my own bed. Regardless how I was feeling, I stayed, and with Riley (My service dog) by myself I walked to the track and began to mingle with people I knew. My anxiety took over an hour to subside, but it wasn’t long before I realized why I was there. It wasn’t me at all, but Riley who was making a difference. I would come across several people I knew that were having a rough night, and Riley provided comfort to them. We don’t always think about the plan, but we have to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit when we are told to do something. I ended up having an amazing time, and it’s because of all the nice conversation I had, and watching Riley be such a joy to so many who met her. Sometimes I don’t want to do the stuff that God is calling me to do but when I do I usually end up telling God He was right. Be sure to listen to the Holy Spirit guiding you, and remember that no matter where you go, you can be a little light of Christ for others.

Encouragement

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Encouragement

You might be going through so much today, broken hearted, jobless, health issues, family problems, no matter what you’re going through know that Psalm 118:24“Today is the Lord has made so be glad and rejoice in it.” We can worry ourselves sick, and we can stress over everything going on in our lives, but and I get it, it’s easy to forget the most important thing to remember, God is still on the Throne. I know what it’s like to see the worst humanity has to offer. I know what it’s like to face unknown health problems. I have been through two horrible divorces, so I know that there are days when the world seems like its going to fall down on your head. Rest assured it isn’t, and no matter how dark it may seem today, Jesus is always with you. If you feel you can’t make it, just start with baby steps. Realize that tomorrow is a tomorrow problem. If you can’t face tomorrow, face today. You are a child of the King, and you are royalty, made for a purpose. Jesus loves you, and as you are known before you took your first breath, know that God knows every hair on your head, and you are just the way He wants you to be. Tomorrow might look scary, and you may think there’s no way out of your current situation but there always is. God never sends us into a problem without the tools to fix it. God always equips us to handle any situation we may face. Sometimes that’s the people God puts in our path, sometimes it’s a song on the radio, but He always gives us what we need. It’s our job to go through life with an open heart, and a love of Jesus Christ, and trusting and having faith in our place with the Lord. No matter if our path is to beautiful streams, green pastures, or the valley of death, the Lord is with you always.

I have had my share of ups and downs, and lately the struggle of depression has been very real for me. I have questioned if I’d be alone for the foreseeable future, and I’ve wondered if my living situation would ever change. I have doubted my self worth, and I have questioned my place in this world. You aren’t weak if you ask yourself these things, or if you feel these things, you’re normal. Dealing with life can be difficult, but when you truly understand that Jesus is the Truth, The way, the life, we know that there is hope on the horizon. It can be hard to see sometimes, and through the pounding of the storm, it can most certainly be hard to hear, but know that Christ is walking next to you every step of the way. When we are at our lowest we often search for meaning, we want answers to why we’re suffering, and it’s simple, sinful world. Our suffering is caused by our own sin, the sin of others, or just nature. Christ overcame sin, and gave us something to look forward to. Remember though even in our salvation, is a story of pain and sacrifice. Jesus bore the cross, took the beating, faced the pain, and the ridicule so we wouldn’t die without hope. Who are we to think we won’t suffer a little along the way if our own savior suffered for us? The Apostles were without hope in this days and nights after Christ’s crucifixion. They were lost and discouraged, but the morning came on the third day and Christ returned. The doubts were laid to rest as they found he was truly resurrected. After that they went with hope, with love, and with confidence to face the world in which they would most surely die for what they would preach. They didn’t fear what would come, so why should we? We may not have been able to walk with Jesus, but Jesus walks with us, and is in our hearts if we only let Him change our lives. Jesus can heal a broken heart, can give us peace in the storms, and show us the way through the fire. All we are asked is not to be afraid, and be courageous. Find your strength in Christ, and never give up the fight.

On Hold

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On Hold

Have you ever had that feeling you needed to do something? What about that feeling what you were doing was wrong and you should be doing something else with your life? Recently I was on hold with a local hospital and while I was on hold I started wondering how often we keep Jesus on hold. How often do we send Jesus straight to voicemail when He calls on us to do something? The story of Jonah is a prime example of what happens when you put Jesus on hold. We can’t be afraid to pick up the phone with we are called by God. We can’t be afraid to do what it is God’s asking of us, because we are told over and over that if God calls you He will prepare you for the mission he has in store for you. In Exodus 3 and 4 Moses is telling God he is not the right person for the job to free the people from Pharaoh in Egypt. In Exodus 4:13-1713 But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” 14 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. 16 So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. 17 And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.” Notice the word angerin verse 14. Moses had excuse after excuse why he wasn’t the right man for the job. How do you feel when you call your friends over and over and they never answer their phones, or they make one excuse after another that they cannot spend time with you? God at every turn tells Moses that the Lord is with him, and because of that, Moses has no reason to say no, that he wouldn’t go to Pharaoh.

In Jeremiah 1, God calls young Jeremiah to be a prophet of Israel. As expected the young man made his best argument as to why he couldn’t do it, and this time it was his age. God responds Jeremiah 1:7-87 “But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.” God would call upon Jeremiah to be his voice for many years. During this time Jeremiah would consistently tell God he didn’t want to do it anymore. As the people would not listen, punishment came, and a lather rinse repeat cycle came around, he became frustrated and tired of the same old thing. He wanted nothing more than to be released from his calling.

Guidian that you see in Judges was a warrior for Christ. He was called to be a soldier and he doubted. With the guidance of protection of God he defeated the army’s against Israel.

Most people called by God run away from that calling. Not only do people run away from the calling of God they ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit that tries to guide you in your life.  Romans 8:15 “Foryou did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” Do we ignore God because we’re afraid to listen? I think we’re afraid to let go of ourselves and submit to Christ. Christ though will keep calling, and won’t ever quit. He will leave us messages. Send us text messages. He’ll even send people to check on us to remind us He cares. Keep putting God on hold, and you’re only missing out on the true blessings of the grace and love of Jesus Christ.

 

 

A Light in the Darkness

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A Light in the Darkness

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

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

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

Sometimes You Have To Lose

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Sometimes You Have To Lose

We shake our fists to Heaven when something we perceive as bad happens. We don’t always see the blessings till well after the tragedy. This happens more often then we think in life. When I spend time thinking about the worst things to happen to me in my life, I often wonder if there was any other way. (Spoilers Avengers Infinity War)

Dr. Strange tells Tony Stark “There was no other way.” This happens when Strange calls to Thano’s and spares Tony’s life. Sometimes victory is in the loss. It’s hard to face those hardships with hopeful hearts but in all things have faith in God’s plan for love not despair. This can be seen and summed up in one scripture verse Romans 8:28 (NKJV) “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Loosing isn’t everything, for it’s in loss we are truly able to rise and see what we’re made of.

I’m reminded of a line from Star Wars Last Jedi. Yoda tells Luke that failure is the greatest teacher. This couldn’t be truer. In my own life I have lost, and though it’s not always right away, usually some lesson can be taken away from it. Sometimes the lesson to learn is to change directions in your life. Several months ago after a long period of time out of work I was able to finally get back into the security field. I found a job that although had it’s issues, was well suited for me and my current physical restrictions. I wasn’t at the job more then 3 weeks before out of the blue I was called by Human Recourses telling me that I would be out of work by the end of the day. There was no other position that suited my physical requirements, so without any positions I would not remain with the company. 7 years with the company, employee of the year, exemplary record, and it would all come to an end in the blink of an eye. I can remember sitting in my car at the end of my shift. The only thought that kept rushing to mind was prayer, so I sat there and I prayed to God. “God, I understand what you’re telling me. I see that this chapter in my life is over. Please show me my new path.”

We often think of loss or failure as a bad thing. We fail to understand that, those times are often when we learn the most about who we are. We face the dragons and we are either victorious, or we are beaten down. No matter where we are in our lives, these times will be the most defining events of our life. Obviously we won’t always handle every failure with ease and grace, but even in those moments it’s an amazing opportunity to do the one things that’s more important then any other, TURN TO JESUS CHRIST! When we are struggling, and we are low, Jesus is the first place we need to turn. We 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 14 “Now we [b]exhort you, brethren, warn those who are [c]unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  Turning to Christ and rejoices in everything. Every success, and every loss we have are in a place where we can turn to God to help us make our way through. If we are not following Christ it’s possible that our hardships are presented to us so we turn to Christ when perhaps we hadn’t in the past.

Thinking back about that moment when Dr. Strange tells Stark, “there was no other way.” Reminds me that sometimes the only way to alter our course is for something bad to happen. We can be stubborn, and I ask how often we refuse to change. If we are to look at life as a long highway, sometimes to change our path, God needs to place some construction signs and force a detour to change our path. We want to focus on the why me, but we don’t really want to face the why. They are very different questions, and very different reasons. When we ask ‘why me’ we are looking at self, we are looking at the me aspect instead of asking the purpose of what we should be learning in those situations. If we are not listening to the subtle clues God places in our path, God will eventually throw a major construction site on the path to force change. This is not likely to be a pleasant event because truthfully we don’t change much when things are going great. When it comes to following the path, it’s important to focus on God the whole way. We know that there is a purpose, or at least something good we take from every experience. Instead of saying we have a problem, instead say we have an opportunity.

Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.

Trust in God, and trust in the path you find yourself. In the darkness it might be you that’s the light for someone else to see. It might be you in need of help, and it’s someone else’s opportunity to feel useful by helping you. Life is about perspective and changing your perspective will often change the way you feel about a situation.

Expectations

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Expectations

Do you ever ask yourself who you’re trying to please or why? People have so many expectations and it’s nearly impossible to meet them. You may meet or exceed them sometimes, maybe even most of the time, but how quickly we as a people judge more harshly in the failures and forget about the successes. We place unfair expectations on people and the moment they make even the slightest of errors they are ousted as friends, or even in marriage. We forget that we are all sinners, and we all make mistakes. Yes some mistakes are worse then others in our point of view, but in God’s eyes they are all equal. There is no sin greater then another. We forget the importance of forgiveness and grace in our lives. We place unfair expectations on people and then get mad when they don’t live up to what we want. How quickly a person will flip flop as the wind blows. Thankfully God doesn’t do that to us.

I can remember my time in security. We would go weeks or months without a single incident, but the moment anything bad happened security was the first to be blamed for not being around to stop it from happening. Weeks or months without any major incidences soon accounted for nothing, but how quickly things changed in the attitudes at work.

I’ve been putting some thought into what I want in a relationship. As I have watched people come and go, it’s dawned on me that this concept of expectations has become one of fragile eggshells. The slightest miss step and the egg breaks, people get angry and walk away. To that end it begs the question, are we loving one another like we are called to in scripture?  We judge other so quickly, often without any background information, or even a moment to clarify what was said or meant. We find in scripture those who judge are actually wrong for doing so. Matthew 7:1-3“Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”

We as a society, if it weren’t enough to judge so quickly, and flippantly, we not only judge the smallest things, we’ve become a world of shallow physical judgments. While the argument can be made that attraction is important, I submit we have grown to an unhealthy idea of what attractive is and what it isn’t. From movie stars, models, and most others famous people, they now become the standard to what beautiful is. The truth is we are all beautiful. We are wonderfully created by the Lord of the universe. We are special and we must realize that as a pillar of our faith. Christ bled for, died for us, and if we are to be honest about what our expectations should be, it’s simply just to love like scripture commands. It’s time we start to treat people with respect again because we are all the body of Christ connected under the same cross, washed by the same blood.

We must be patient, understanding, and grow closer, not separating over small squabbles. We often miss such amazing blessings because we dismiss others for little to no good reason. Can you take a moment to think what would happen if Christ dismissed us at our slightest transgression? We would have no hope if it weren’t for grace. We are so consumed with “what’s going to work out best for me?” We do this instead of asking what we’re doing, delighting yourself in the Lord! We ought to give grace to others, and take time to truly get to know others, and we need to be patient and stop judging, and placing expectations someone could never live up too. If you’re willing to walk away over the smallest of things, what will happen when someone lets you down with the bigger issues? We are all sinners, we will always fall short, and we must ask ourselves how we would want others to treat us when we falter slightly. Do we want forgiveness, or do we want to be treated in the ways we treat others? Shame on us for being so judgmental that we waiver like a sail in the wind.

It’s so easy to have open and honest communication. It’s so easy to say how we feel when someone lets you down. We don’t live in love even though that’s what we seek. We want others to give us the benefit of the doubt. We want Jesus to show us mercy. Are we living with hearts of mercy, hearts of grace, hearts of love? We aren’t a perfect people, so before you pass judgment on someone quickly, take a moment to think about our expectations and if we are fair and just, or if we are wicked with a cold heart. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Grace is something we should all show more often. We must learn how to communicate our feelings rather than walking away. When our actions hurt another person, we must learn that even when Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Speech is not the only form of communication. Body language is 70% of communication. When we turn and walk away we are saying a great deal. We must learn to trust in our faith, and we cannot pass judgments on others based on our own past experiences. One thing I see a lot in relationships is how someone brings baggage from their past and place their insecurities on others. We are told not to recluse ourselves, and it’s important to remember that because God wants us to fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Do not isolate yourself, and do not force isolation on others. Life up and do not tear down.