Tag: hero

We needed a Hero 

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We needed a Hero: 

As we approach Good Friday, I often think of the horror that unfolded for the few Apostles and Marry Magdalene, and Jesus’s mother Mary. Most of the Apostles fled once Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. Afraid of what may happen to them, they did not stick around to see the wrath of God poured out on their savior. Indeed, while they all redeemed themselves (minus Judas) they were nearly all cowards. Having just watched their savior enter the Holy City by way of a donkey, and palms lining the road, how quickly they changed their tune when the Roman guard put Christ in chains. Can you imagine the hurt they must of felt watching their beloved Jesus go through what he did? Seeing his face beaten and bloodied, his near naked body paraded around torn to shreds. How awful and traumatic it must have been for them. 

These last few weeks have been a difficult road for sure. Recently my doctor changed some medications around and adding a new one, it has helped with the chronic pain, but comes at a steep price, I’m tired often. Even with the new med, I still have what they call break through pain. Today for instance, I have been in bed most of the day waiting for the meds to help. It’s not easy when pain puts you in bed all day. For those who don’t know me personally, let me explain. While in the military I served in a combat zone. I was a member of a platoon that pushed hard, fought hard, and was always on mission. I experienced actual combat, and loss. The problem came from the sometimes 12 plus hours or more of wearing my Kevlar helmet. I often slept with it on in the truck, slept with it as a pillow, and of course wore it all the time on mission. Between that and the constant combative’s training, when I was getting out of the military for a different injury, we found my neck was a little screwed up. Sadly the VA denied my neck claim, and I was left with no treatment for many years. By the time I bulged a disc, the damage was done. Very little could be done to reverse the problem, and it would continue to get worse, through a disc rupture, and continuing on till this very day. Pain today is a part of my life, one I live through, and with. When I think of pain though, I can’t help but think of Paul, or Job. 

I was watching a documentary recently and one thing struck me, a sentence used, ‘You cannot have resurrection, without crucifixion’ (The insanity of God). There is not two churches, the persecuted church, and the non-persecuted church. While persecution looks different everywhere you go, the church as a whole is persecuted. Here in America, we are merely called names, sometimes we are picked on at school, even censured at work. We are not however, dying for our faith. While I firmly believe we will be persecuted in due time, the level of our persecution is not yet of China, or India, or Africa. Years ago I watched a difficult movie with Bruce Willis called ‘Tears of the Sun’. This movies premise is a group of Islam extremist are moving towards a village where there are American civilians working as missionaries. A priest, a doctor, and a few nuns. There’s a scene in the movie where the Navy Seals come to a town recently attacked by the rebels. Women were mutilated, assaulted, men, and children killed. All for being Christian. The scene was accurate to what real Christians face in such areas of the world. Watching the documentary and seeing Christians beaten, killed, imprisoned for their faith only strengthened the discussion for the nature of our sinful world. 

Someone asked me recently where is God when 15,000 children die each day of starvation. While it is heart breaking to see such things happen, it is explained in Holy Scripture, the fallen world, a result of sin, is a world of darkness. God’s plan since the fall of man has always been to redeem us. God gave us His son to redeem our sins and clothe us in his righteousness, but also gave the world his redeemed children. His redeemed children, Christians, would be the hands and feet of the Lord. While we don’t always do this well, just as Israel didn’t always do it well, we are the ones who reflect his light in the world. Christians worldwide come together to participate in many programs. Let’s take a look at one, the Samaritans Purse (SP). This organization does Disaster Relief, Operation Christmas Child, Operation Heal Our Patriots, and World Medical Mission. SP provides a great deal of aid all around the world, and often in very short periods of time. One organization cannot fix all the world’s problems, but when Christians come together for a single purpose, it’s quite amazing what can be accomplished. The SP is one of many organizations that takes the light of Christ and spreads it throughout the world. 

We see that we live in a fallen world, and as time goes by, we notice it seems to be getting darker. This is not a surprise as more and more people reject Jesus Christ, “The Way, the Truth, and the Life.” The draw of a sinful world, the lust of the flesh, is a powerful one. Satan’s grip on the world is tight, but not all inclusive. Christians are often at the heart of the inclusivity conversation, since by its very nature, and Christianity being the antithesis of the world, Christians cannot be included into an inclusive world, when Christians are not welcome in the world. Even though Christians are not welcomed in the world, and even when the work of a Christian can in many places, lead to their death, we still see Christians putting it on the line daily. So why is this? We have starving kids in Africa, but Christians who try to bring light to the dark world, are murdered for their faith, when they are trying to better a situation. Christ laid down his life freely for us, so we would have the opportunity to look upon him and believe. We Christians want the same for the world around us. We have joy even when being beaten, imprisoned, and killed. What a pleasure it is to die for one’s faith. There is a special place in heaven for those who give up their lives for the Lord. Christians try to provide aid where it is needed. I myself have participated in Operation Christmas Child, and have heard testimony of those who have received the gift packaged from across the world. The churches job is to take care of the orphans, the widows, the poor. Most churches today are too small to do anything on a large scale, but I would hope most churches are doing something to help. 

God calls us each to do something within our own power and means. We are to be servants and that means we must serve our families, our churches, but very importantly, our communities. We send missionaries into dangerous places, and all over the globe to help where it is needed. A warzone, a disaster zone, a place of poverty, or a place of complete governmental control. NO matter where there is a need, missions are there. Christians do the work of God, and God not solely relying on his people is always working in those places. There are reports of non-Christians having visions of Jesus, leading them to piece together information about who he was, so they could know him. People who had never known anything about him, and like Paul, Jesus comes to them, so they may serve. God is in fact doing something, and is using his people. 

We all suffer in this world, financially, physically, mentally, we all face hardships. We are called as Christians to live in the world, but not to conform to the world. When Jesus faced hardships, having no place to lay his head, or very little money, and ultimately, he would be betrayed, beaten, flogged, brutally scourged, spit on, humiliated, hung on a cross, and died, he who knew no sin, so we may be reconciled to the Father. We needed a Hero, someone to save us from ourselves. Jesus came to do that. Not to bring forth an Earthly Kingdom, but to give us access to His Spiritual Kingdom.

Soon we will celebrate Easter, but in order to get to Easter we have to endure the worst, most tragic day in all of human history. Nothing surpasses the tragedy of the day Christ was crucified on the cross for our sins. Not even the Holocaust was as impactful as the day Jesus died for our sins. We see people dying today of starvation, and war, violence, and illness, but for those who have hope in Christ, all of that is temporary. God sent us to work, to go on mission, to serve our communities. What are we doing in the service of the Lord? When we look to the Cross and see it empty, do we see the blood spilt on it for us? When we look to the Tomb, empty, do we see the redeeming power of Jesus to overcome death? Or do we look to Easter as a cute holiday full of bunnies and eggs? While we do suffer in this life, we do not suffer in vain. We have hope in Christ, because Christ isn’t in the tomb. Take joy in the sufferings of this world, for they bring perseverance, and character. Let us look East at the sunrise on that third day, and know that Jesus will one day return, and all will be made right. He will come back to judge the living and the dead, and will, with righteous judgment, judge those who were obstinate to his will. One day Christ will return and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, and they shall call him Lord. Even the demons know Christ was the Son of God, they just don’t follow him. Have you chosen to let God into your heart? Have you chosen to let Jesus be a part of your life? To repent of your sins, knowing they are a death sentence? 

Salvation comes by trusting in Jesus, having faith in him, and repenting of your sins. Being a Christian isn’t being better than anyone else, it’s being redeemed by the blood. Being a Christian, we should be evermore aware of our sins, and do everything we can to put away that sin with all malice, and to serve a Holy and Righteous, Loving, and Merciful God. How are we serving him today? Are we truly giving him everything? Are we working to grow the kingdom? Or are we keeping our witness, the good news of Christ hidden, in fear of what the world may say? “Sticks and stones may break your bones, but from His hands you’ll never be taken” (Arrow Preacher). Go in faith, and love, go with reverence to our Lord. Serve him in all we do. No matter the hurt, the pain, the sorrow, do not lose faith, or hope. The Lord our God is on the throne and nothing that happens here will change that. This life is but a vaper, one day we will have no more tears, no more pain. Look to the East, the Sun still rises, as the Son rose and will return. 

For more, follow me on Youtube Arrow Preacher. Live broadcasts on Mondays and most Fridays. 

Mondays we are going through the book of John. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV3r024gS2FRDIbpqnsDwWA

Hope in a Hero

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Hope in a Hero

 John 16:33“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

 Who’s been down to the bottom of the barrel? We all have our struggles and our trials. Have you put your hope or prayers in someone? If you’re anything like me you’ve put your hope and faith in a person and that person dropped the ball. For me, I have been down to the woodshed of life a few times. I’ve been down and broken more then a time or two, but I’ve always managed to get back up. I can honestly say I didn’t get back up on my own. I have struggled with my wounds, and I’ve been struck a time or two. My whole life I wanted a father. My whole life I wanted an earthly father to look up too, someone to teach me what it was to be a man. I have found in my life one man who I had, for a while, then like many others, in the blink of an eye, that man was gone. I placed my faith in a man and when the time came they were gone. I placed my love and faith in a woman and in the blink of an eye she was gone leaving the family broken. My life was shattered and I laid there trying to find who I was. I was a let down to those around me. I was a failure, and a nobody. Recently someone I looked up to told me I was selfish because I needed, wanted a friend to be there for me. Some would say I haven’t learned anything in the last 20 months. While I will admit perhaps it’s true, perhaps I am selfish, perhaps my ex-wife was right and I am a selfish, arrogant, egotistical, narcissist.

I don’t know what I am, and to be honest, I often think my place in this world is a mistake. While I don’t have much faith in myself, I have to believe that God wouldn’t make a mistake. I know Jesus was a hero of man, a savior to be a great gift to humanity when we didn’t, we couldn’t ever disserve it. Jesus was a superhero among men and came with unlimited cosmic power but was no Genie. He came with a big heart and mercy we could never understand.

When the world has beaten me down and I’m covered in the lies, I know I need you. When the days are dark, and I have no faith, I know I need a hero. I wait for a hero and I know, when I pray, just barely a whisper and the hero of the universe hears my cries. I need a hero to save me tonight, and I know that the hero of my dreams will be right by my side. What is a hero, but a savior who comes in the darkness? Someone who saves you from the hopeless and who saves you when the wolves come howling and growling in the night. God is our Hero and the breath of God lives in each and every one of us. Because God lives in each of us, sometimes God calls us to be heroes among men but we are nothing without God. When we look to the Lord we know that through us God will do great things. God calls on us when the time comes to rise above the darkness and shine a light down for others to see. We must not run from God because we already have the second chance and we can’t waste it.

In the universe there is no one stronger, fiercer, more powerful then our God. We sing our praises to the Lord and believe in the power and love of our God. No greater love then our God. If we are to hope we must hope in our God because there is no other true hero. God makes heroes and those who raise up earthly heroes is a hero above all others. God is a healer, a mercy that’s unfailing, a place for the weak, a place to take refuge from the storm. A hero that can calm any storm, restore any soul, but a stopper in death, and a God that is faithful to a covenant that was paid for in blood. My Hero my God that saves me from the darkest of nights, the deepest of holes, and the strongest of oceans, and I am lifted to safety. I lift my hands to the true Hero in my life. I may not have ever had a Dad, but in my Lord I find my Abba, my Father. My father gives me strength. He teaches me how to be a man, and I will not let people tear me down. I will not let the hurtful words break me. If I am wrong I will listen and make things right, but the judgment and approval I seek is that of my one true Abba. I am waiting on my Hero my Lord to save me. I wait through the storm, I will wait through the pain, and I will keep my faith, keep my footing and trust in my service to the Lord while I’m waiting to be delivered from my pain. Please my God, do not let me fail, do not let me fall. Please my God hold me up and hold me tall. I’m waiting for my time my Lord to show me the way out of this darkness. I am not perfect Lord but please give me strength, give me the guidance, show me my path, and I will take the steps in obedience while I wait for you my Lord, my King, my Abba. I’m not worthy, and I never will be, but my Lord I’m waiting, I’m holding out for a hero to save me.

Be the Hero

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Be the Hero

God is King and as king He needs warriors to fight the forces of darkness. As King the wishes of a king are not requests, but a call to serve. To honor your king and to be obedient you are to serve to the best of your ability. God has endowed each and every one of us with a gift, something that makes us stand out, unique, and something that we are capable of beyond those around us. A hero doesn’t have to wear a cape, but if we are soldiers for Christ our capes may not be seen by us, but they are there. A hero can be anyone who endures, who puts on the brave face every day.

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“What is it to be a hero, look in the mirror and you’ll know. Look into your own eyes and tell me you’re not heroic, that you’ve not endured, or suffered, or lost the things you care about most. And yet here you are….” (Karen Page/ Daredevil)

In this world cowards don’t last long. In this world, some ‘bloody their fists’ (DD) to keep the world safe, some write, some talk, and others remain in the shadows but without them, the ones in the light couldn’t do what they do. Without the every day service and sacrifice of so many people within our church, from those who take out the trash, to the ones in the pulpit, no matter who you are, your service counts. Each and every one of us has the opportunity to spread the Gospel every day. We don’t have to be literary experts to talk about Jesus Christ and what affect Christ has had on our lives.

It doesn’t matter how far you’ve gone down the wrong path, you can turn around any time, and Jesus will be right there waiting for you. You all probably know someone whose just one step away from turning around. How many lives can one person save in eternity by sharing the gospel to friends, coworkers, and even random strangers at times? We all have the ability to be heroes for Christ. When we lay down our old chain and we take up a new name in Christ, we are given the power, the grace, the courage when we need it to look at Satan in the face and laugh. We don’t have to fear the Devil and his lies. We don’t have to fear the persecution of our peers because no matter what happens in this life, we are given the promise of forever. No matter the day, the month, the year you’ve had, good, or bad, the Lord is still working to bless you. “Living is not for the weak” (Arrow) As long as you walk this earth you are not done fighting.

Everyone in this world makes a difference in their own way. Everyone’s contributions to the Lord will never go unnoticed. While man may not see it, or even appreciate it, the Lord is the one opinion that matters. If you live your entire life and you’ve lived with Christ, if you’ve breathed the Holy Spirit, if you’ve suffered the cross, and if you’ve cried to God that you need saving deep down in your soul, you have been broken the chains of death. The weak, the small, the big and the tall, Jesus calls to all.

Look in the mirror and tell me you haven’t endured. Look in the mirror and tell me you haven’t survived this far. No matter what you’ve been through you made it. You’ve overcome hardships, and pain, and while those scars will forever be with you, tomorrow the pain will be a little less. No one, and nothing can ever make the scars go away, but in some way you can use those scars. God doesn’t let anything go to waist. You have been given life, given the breath and the strength to carry on through whatever you’ve made it through.

I’ve seen friends die, and I’ve seen friends fall. I’ve seen friends get lost, and ones who’ve found the way. I’ve seen friends suffer through loss, and rape, and those who’ve faced death. There’s one thing they all have in common, they all woke up this morning. When you have the strength to get up and step back into the world for another day there’s always hope because God is still working on whatever pain you have. You’re stronger then you know because God is still standing with you. When you hurt God hurts, and when you cry God cries. Heroes stand tall and sometimes they fall, but no matter what, a hero never stops fighting the fight. Your heart may be broken, your bones may fail you, and your heart may often heavy as bricks but your life is worth more to God then you can ever know.

I’ve been taken to the woodshed by life more then once. I’ve faced death and I’ve faced loss. I have seen the Devil, I have seen war, I have experienced the worst kinds of loss, and yet here I am. I have sinned, I have made mistakes, I have hurt people I love, and I have been in my own purgatory of my mind, and yet, here I am. God has forgiven, and strengthened me. If you can stand you can fight. If you can see you can fight. If you can hear you can fight. Stand for the Lord and you can hold your head high. If you can see God in your heart then you can hold true when the Devil attacks your heart. If you can hear the Angels calls you can drown out the whispers and lies of Satan. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

 When the skies fall down around you, when the world you know it is gone, remember that you are still breathing. No matter the storm, or the fight that may lie ahead, the King of all is still in control. If you’re still breathing there’s always hope. Faith is hard, but to trust in the Lord is sometimes all we have left. Let God be in control of your life. Let God be the star in which you guide your ship. Those who stand to fight along side Christ are the heroes of today, like the heroes of old we are in heavenly company. Like Moses, and David, Joseph, and Esther, the Apostils and Job, Daniel, and Stephen, we serve the Lord with our hearts, and we will one day walk with angelic company.

We all have the capacity for both great good, or terrible evil. We all have a choice who we are, and how we live, so if you had to make a choice, and you do, what side are you on? Be a hero for Christ. Look in the mirror and be the change. Let go of the selfish love, let go of the hate, the doubt, and with the Armor of God, don the heroes cape and join the greats of the bible. “Start with the man in the mirror… If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change.”(Michael Jackson)

 Let the regret and worries of this year pass away. Let them fade from memory and remain in the present, and prepare for the future. Let God be in control and “Lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil.”

 

Blind Spot

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Blind Spot

For the last year I have had a blind spot when it comes to one facet of my life. I have apparently duplicated my suffering by not learning a lesson years ago. My hope has always been to see the best in people, even when the best in them has not been shown. I have put aside pain, suffering, wicked behavior, I have allowed lies to pass through my ears and still I have given the benefit of the doubt.

Over the majority of my life I have often allowed people more then one chance at my heart. In fact to be brutally honest with myself, I’ve allowed a few people more then several chances. I’ve been hurt more then my share by people I’ve continued to allow being in my life. While I would have been considered to be the one at fault for allowing someone who had a history of ‘flip flopping’ their position, yes, when it comes to love, I would say I am stubbornly blind.

While 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 speaks about what love truly is, it’s also important to know that at some point while we may love our neighbor, while we may love someone, when that person does nothing but hurt you over and over again, you must learn, like I am still trying to learn, to let them go. We must learn how to not force our will upon others, we must learn to be patient and allow God’s will to come to fruition. I don’t know what the path I’m on is meant to accomplish, but having faith in the creator of the plan, I must realize I’m just a character in someone else’s book. Like it or not I am not in control of the vast majority of what goes on within my life. All I can do is learn to react to each changing moment and try must best to be a Godly man.

While my hope for others and the ones I care about may not be the smartest thing I’ve done, I often see the worst in the world, but see the best in my love, and ignore the bad they do. I can no longer sit idly by and allow myself to be put into harms way over and over again. I have failed myself and the heartbreak I have led myself to over and over again must stop. Divorce is hard on anyone. Perhaps that this is my second divorce, and the second affair I’ve weathered, the family I lost, and the hopes I had to rebuilding it are now utterly gone. For every winter there becomes a spring, and with that spring fresh life. Sometimes in our lives we have to take the blinders off and see the world and ‘someone’ for who and what it really is. We must learn to see the world beyond our narrow view. We must learn to see people for who they are and not who we want them to be.

“You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” (Dark Knight Return) While I firmly believe the idea that this may be the case, it certainly has been in my life. The hero’s in my life have become the villains in my story. (Excluding Jesus) Never forget the true hero in our life died upon the cross to save us all from a horrible forever death. While in our life we may meet police officers, firefighters, or soldiers, all of which could be considered heroes, eventually all manner of men will fail you. Sometimes in life the Devil wins and as any true strategist knows, some battles once lost cannot be salvaged. If a battle cannot be won sometimes a retreat and regroup must be made in order to win the war. Never forget the bondage of sin may have been broken, but the war is far from over. Remember to fight the good fight and win what we can. As for me, I know that no matter how dark and cold the winter is, there’s always a way to get colder, and darker. I’m not certain if my winter is over, or if the deepest winter is still coming, but either way, God will provide the path and the direction, and any and all of us can follow, when the blinders come off.

 

I Need A Hero

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I Need A Hero

Holding Out For A Hero : Bonnie Taler

Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where’s the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need

[Chorus:]
I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ’til the end of the night
He’s gotta be strong
And he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ’til the morning light
He’s gotta be sure
And it’s gotta be soon
And he’s gotta be larger than life

 

 

So, here’s a fun fact about me, I suffer from white knight syndrome. I want to feel like I am useful, and when I see someone I care about in distress I have an almost uncontrollable urge to swoop in and save the day. I have had many loved ones, many friends in serious need, but I often find myself left feeling my efforts went unnoticed. Romans 15:1-2 “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” We who are strong can be used by God to do great things. We are called to lift up our neighbors in time of need. This is even more evident for the ones we care about. John 11:41-44 “41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.” Jesus was very fond of Lazarus, and he did something uniquely special, he raised someone from the dead, someone he cared for deeply.

 

No matter where we are in our lives we can always be a hero to someone. If you looked someone in the eyes would you see their pain? What can you offer someone that might help them? A hello, a friendly hug, a couple bucks of spare change to help out, a card to show them you’re thinking about them? There’s so many little ways you can show someone you care. Why, just a few days ago I made a mindfulness glitter jar for someone I loved. It’s small, it doesn’t take a lot of time or effort, but it’s the thought and effort that does go into it that means a lot. While I received a thank you for it, it almost seemed empty, but the fact is, that doesn’t matter. If we do things for validation we’ll always be let down. Being validated by man is only a worldly validation. Doing the right things and knowing that the things you do are pleasing for God, that’s the only validation you should ever need in your life. You can’t go through your life constantly disappointed in your lack of validation. People will never be as thankful as you want, or even see you for the effort you put in, however, God will always see what’s in your heart. You have to do good because it’s the right thing to do, you can’t do good because you want to be recognized for it. You must learn to let go of the worldly need for acceptance and realize that the Father in Heaven is all you will ever need. Doing things for the betterment of the world, and for the glory of God is the true meaning of being a Hero. Who are you going to be?

 

Reaching High

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A song, a photo, a medical breakthrough, an expose’, what do you want to be remembered for? Ash to Ash Dust to Dust and just like that all that’s left is memory. Some people want to get by day to day and never put much thought in the end game. A young mans dream to make such a difference in this life to reach higher then others but falls short. The dreams of a child often never become a reality. What actually holds us back? Is it a lack of faith? Is it a lack of opportunity? In this life we often only get once chance. In this life we can look back 10 years and just like that it’s gone. What do we hold onto? The heart of a warrior, with the desire of the greats, but standing still. If you gave everything, jumped into the deep end, stop holding back and reach for that one golden ring of glory. To be the hero to someone, to be wanted, to be loved, to be someone’s all. The truth is as every new day comes the battle can always change. If you feel like you’re on the loosing side find a new tactic. Never stopping reaching for the sky. Follow your heart, never stop reaching for the sky. If you have the heart of a lion, the faith of warrior, never stop moving those feet. Never stop moving forward. Never hold back from the one above. Have the faith to move a mountain and answer your call. Never settle for 2nd It’s okay to give everything to God and know that you are literally 1 in 16 billion. You are special, you are unique, so when God calls on you, be ready to answer the call. Never back down, never quit, never surrender. 2 Chronicles 15:7 “Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.”

The Man Under the Hood

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The Man Under the Hood

By The Arrow Preacher

 Imagine yourself walking down a long road, mountainous, dry, dusty, at night, and all of a sudden out from behind the rocks 3 men jump out beat you to the ground, steal everything you own to include your coat, your wallet, your sandals, and leave you there bloody, cut, and dying. The sunrise comes as a welcome sight. Finally someone will see you and come and help. Your suffering is obvious; someone will surely stop and provide aid. You struggle to breath, you raise your hand to try and stop the masses from walking by you. Some even move to the other side of the road to get away from you. You can’t believe it, of all these people no one has enough compassion to stop and help? You see a peace officer pass by you and never stops or even slows down. A little while later you see and recognize your local senator you call to them, gasping past your own broken lung, but they walk by you, not looking down, pretending you don’t exist. Defeated, broken, and barely conscious you think it’s then end of the road for you. The day parches your throat, lips are chapped, and as the stars start to come up as the sun falls, a dark figure comes from nowhere. A dark hood covers his face so you can’t see him. He picks you up, barely conscious now, and carries you to a nearby inn. He pays for your stay, gets a first aid kit, and orders the innkeeper to help bandage you up. He says he’ll pay for everything. A dark knight from the shadows, a faceless protector the one to save your life, but who is this man under the hood?

Luke 10:25-37 “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”

 Who are you in the story? Who are we all? “I always thought that I was the Samaritan in that story. It’s funny, isn’t it? How even the best of men can be… deceived by their true nature. What the hell does that mean? It means that I’m not the Samaritan. That I’m not the priest, or the Levite. That I am the ill intent… who set upon the traveler on a road that he should not have been on.” (Wilson Fisk) The ill intent of the travelers is most certainly the Devil and his games. He will brings destruction to everything He touches. During this war good people, civilians are caught in the firefight, casualties of war. The good honest man just trying to go to work, trying to take care of his family, trying to be a husband, trying to be a good wife, a good mom, the devil doesn’t care how it’s done so much as lives are ruined. The Peace officer who walked by, the politician who walked by let their hearts be hardened, let their cultural stereotyping blind them to the truth. It doesn’t matter how someone looks, how someone sounds, we are all people first and we should be treated as such. In my own life I have been bullied, beat up, tortured emotionally by people different then myself. Even today as I find myself putting my life back together I have skeletons in my closet that could cause people to pass an unfair judgment upon me.

Is this what we do when we see the homeless on the side of the road? Is this what we do when we see someone suffering online, or at work? If the ill intent is the Devil inside us, who then is under the hood? Jesus commanded we love our neighbors, and that wasn’t just the ones we liked, the ones we tolerated, but our enemies, those who wish to do us harm. Christ living in us, is the man under the hood. It doesn’t matter what they look like, doesn’t matter who they are, what matters are those who are willing to do right and make a difference without seeking glory, or even a thank you. The hood can be worn by anyone, and anyone can be the Good Samaritan. We may not always get a thank you, we may not always be safe doing Gods work, but if doing Gods work leads to your own death, then that just means you get to go home sooner. Don’t be afraid to put on that hood and do good works. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” He lives so we can live without fear, we can live knowing that tomorrow we could be in perfection.

 

Jesus the real super hero

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Jesus the real super hero

When bad things happen to us it’s easy to allow anger, frustrations, bitterness and for some hate to compound and grow in ones heart. When we are hurt or betrayed, sold out, left or forgotten by the people we care for most in this world, it can force us to fear others, fear even ourselves. When we suffer it’s easy to pull away from the light. “Once you let the darkness in it never comes out.” (The Huntress) So if even good people, even superhero’s can fall to the darkness within, what hope do any of us mere mortals have? You can change who you are, you can always let go of the pain and hate. Pain and hate are like a cancer for your soul. Vengeance is not bringing harmony to life, it brings further destruction. The real superhero in our lives is the living God. Jesus Christ preformed miracles, raising the dead, healing the blind, walking on water, saving lives. James 5:19-20 “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” As a superhero the idea is they never stop seeing the good in people, they never give up hope on the ability to save others. If that’s the case, then much like Batman the rules apply, never kill. The faith in the goodness of man is something that as the Lord knew, in order to save us, we must first fall. When we fail we learn more from our mistakes then our successes. Psalm 94:16-17 “Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.” Learn scripture and figure out how to be a side kick for Christ. A line from one of my favorite movies, “Twenty years in Gotham, how many good guys are left, how many stayed that way?” (Bruce Wayne) Isn’t that the truth though? Living through life, are we one bad day from becoming a super villain? We must learn to let go of our hate, do not give in to it, not give in to fear, doubt, or sink to the level of our enemies. Forgiveness is about regaining harmony for ourselves, it’s about allowing the King and Savior of the universe to pass righteous judgment. We must remember to live above the get even mentaility. Once we lower ourselves to that level we loose. Romans 7:19 “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” For every person there is both the light and dark inside them, both Justice and In-Justice. It’s for us to keep our dignity, hold our chest high, and let your cape flow in the wind. Be the sidekick for Christ, never forget the golden rule. Matthew 7:12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Mark 12:31 “And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” Matthew 5:38-40 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.” Let God be our true hero. Let the heart not be stained, let not the heart be hardened. Love long, love often, trust God, trust faith.

 

 

I got a friend in Jesus.

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I got a friend in Jesus.

I see a silhouette of the man I once was. It’s like a flashpoint on the wall of just an outline of the old man, the burn marks that surrounded the intense heat of the fire that burnt down my life. Like the phoenix something beautiful can be born from the ashes. Like that majestic bird rising and taking flight Jesus also rose from the dead, more beautiful then we could ever comprehend. Christ became the embodiment of perfection. Heaven is our perfect home that we only need to believe and follow to be accepted into. No matter the road we are led down, we must remember that the fire will get put out. When your life is burnt to ashes we must learn to rise up better then before. John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” When we run through our life we have our hurdles and our pain, our joy and happiness. Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

A quote from a famous movie I heard once was “”Life is an endless series of train-wrecks with only brief, commercial-like breaks of happiness.” (Deadpool) As cenacle as that may be, I’d say in life we should generally be more happy then not. Yes we are promised hardships, but we got a friend in Jesus. John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” There are a plethora of verses that Jesus calls us friends. John 15:15 “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” Jesus is the great phoenix and he has offered to carry us on his wings to take us home when our journey has ended. Never give up hope for God never gave up hope on us. We truly are the Champions for Christ, we truly are the Champions over Satin and everything he tried to destroy. Don’t loose faith, take the challenge end never stop fighting till the day God calls you home. Keep fighting and never surrender to the evil ones calls.