Tag: hope

Continuity

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Continuity 

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

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

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

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

In The Year 2020

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In The Year 2020 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Plot A New Course and Engage

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Plot A New Course and Engage 

The captain orders the helmsman to plot a new course and to set sail. A few turns at the wheel, and the ship begins to turn, a new azimuth is set and along that line the ship travels. The ease in which we change course in our cars, or on bicycles is amazing, but on foot, we need to be vigilant. We must stop and check our course often because we by nature will easily get off course. The hardships we face in life, or even when everything is going as smooth as glass, we can get ourselves off course. Once in a while we need to stop, make camp, rest, and pull out our map. 

In land navigation we learn to check our heading or azimuth every 100 meters. We do this by having a pace count, a map reader, and someone checking the compass. Every 100 meters an azimuth is shot, and a new landmark is set. Sadly, life isn’t that easy. We can’t always plan by one event, or one mile marker at a time. Sometimes, as were navigating we come across a mountain, a cliff, or a body of water. Sometimes these things come out of nowhere and weren’t apart of the plan. We must learn how to respond when these obstacles arise. What are these obstacles? They can be a sudden illness, a sudden change in relationship status, a child, a change at your job, an in law moving in, etc. you name it, almost anything can be a hurdle to overcome. 

It’s important for us to be listening to the Holy Spirit and know when it’s time to change course. I heard something a while ago, “just because it’s always been done that way, doesn’t mean we have to keep doing it.” Sometimes in order to grow, change needs to take place. Sometimes we will reach a point in our lives, and we have to decide which way to go. No matter what the situation we always make choices. Sometimes it’s hard to walk away from something you enjoy. Every now and then we have to walk away in order to grow or to reach our potential. Let me explain. Let’s think of the story of Hercules. The story goes he was a troubled youth. A demigod with extraordinary abilities. What if he had chosen to stay home, take a wife, and have a family? Would that be wrong of him? No, of course not. But, if he does stay home, he never reaches his true potential, never fights the monsters, saving so many lives. While this is a larger than life character, we can look at the Disney movie for inspiration. Do we go the distance? Do we tell ourselves we will do what it takes to reach that greatness? Our path should never be about our own greatness, instead knowing that any greatness we have comes from the Lord. Any achievements we have are because the Lord has blessed us. If we are to achieve the sky as the limit, we do it to glorify God. We however, cannot reach our heights if we choose to stay in the shallow ends. How can we truly bring glory to God if we always play it safe? We must be willing to step out into deeper waters. We must be willing to reach for the golden ring. We must be willing to dig deep and make the hard choices. Nothing about following Christ is easy, but as Paul told Timothy “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 

Are we listening to the little voice inside us? Are we hearing what the Holy Spirit is telling us? There is danger all around us when we travel outside our door. There is even danger now inside our homes. We see the danger on TV, in movies, in the music we listen too, and even the books we read. We must learn to decide what we feed our minds, and our hearts. We must not allow those dangers to hit our ship. We must not allow those eddies and currents to push and pull us off course. The Devil wants to keep you distracted so you don’t see the huge waterfall in front of you. Without the Holy Spirit to keep our compass on, we can easily veer off course and find ourselves falling out of control towards the sharp rocks at the bottom.

We will always be faced with choices, ‘do I stay here or take that job across the country?’ Do I leave this job when I don’t have another?’ Do I stay in this relationship and hope he changes?’ Do I keep this child or seek abortion?’ ‘Do I drop out of school to work and help my family?’ Not everyone choice is clean and clear cut. What is however, is scripture. What does the Bible say? What is the Holy Spirit telling you? The Devil will most assuredly tell you what he thinks, but as he tempted Christ, make no mistake, he tempts you also. While sometimes there’s no easy solution, God is telling you which way to go. And I will say this, God will never tell you to do something contrary to his Holy Word. God’s word stands true yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Follow his word, and listen to the spirit guide you. 

What happens when you get off course? 

We all get off course sometimes. It doesn’t matter who you are, saint or sinner, we all get off course. We are not perfect, no not one of us. We all hold the filthy burden of sin. That sin nature as Paul said, “the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.” While of course we don’t want to walk outside of God’s grace, but when we do, we need to know we are always welcome back. We must learn to be open to have others tell us when we are walking astray. So often we don’t want to be told we aren’t right. We don’t want to be told what we are doing is harmful. You can’t tell an addict they are an addict. You can’t tell a gambler they have an addiction. You can’t tell an adulterer they are wrong. While of course we need to tell them, it is not likely they will hear you. We are all those people though. At some point in our lives we take a detour and we get off course. We need to be teachable, and most importantly, be reachable. Don’t fall so far that you have to hit the rocks at the bottom of the waterfall, before you listen. 

We know that grace saves. We know that mercy is granted to us. We can never earn it, we can never deserve it, but we are given all, because of one thing and only one thing, the love of Christ. God so loved the world he gave, he sacrificed his one and only son, to pay the ransom for our sins. He knows we will mess up. He knew on the cross we’d mess up. And yet despite all our short comings, despite our retched paths we take, the words forever ring true, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” We we’re not saved because we are worthy of saving, instead we are saved despite our treachery. That’s Love. If we are loved that much, then we can at the very least, do our part to bring Glory to the Fathers name. We can listen and let the spirit guide us. We can be obedient and follow where He leads us. Paul tried to teach to Jews in the temple and eventually he listened to the spirit, he would instead bring the word to Gentiles. He would try to go into Asia, and after three try’s he realized he was not meant to travel into Asia. We must not only walk the path, but listen for the changes that come. Be willing to adjust the plan, change the plan, and sometimes throw away the plan. God needs no explanation, only soldiers that follow orders. God never needs to explain why or how, for His ways are perfect. He is righteous, and his plans are perfect. If we remain flexible and willing to listen to the Holy Spirit, then no matter what comes, we shall continue on in our joy. Never in my life have I been more miserable than when I try to walk my own path. It wasn’t that I was walking without God in my heart, but I wasn’t being obedient. Essentially I told God, ‘I love you God, but I think my way is better for me, than what you want me to do.’ It sounds silly, but ultimately, much like the Borg ‘resistance is futile.’ The years I spent running from God I had one miserable experience after another. Now, don’t get me wrong, since I stopped doing that, it has in no way been ‘a walk in the park Kazanski,’ but instead, the trials I face have in many ways been more difficult, I feel more equipped to handle them, because I’m on the path God wants me on. Once you make the choice to follow Christ, to really pick up that cross and follow Him, the Devil takes your number. The Devil cannot abide you being accepted into eternal salvation. He will do to you, what he tried to do to Job. He will bombard you with insults, tragedies, temptations, any sinful desire he can throw at you, just to pull you off course. The Devil wants nothing more than for us to drag the name of Christ through the mud. The Devil wants you to mess up, screw up, make Christ look bad, because the world will judge you harshly on what Christian look like. Is that fair? No, but fair is not in the Bible. 

Maintaining a course in the storm is perhaps one of the most difficult things a sailor will ever do. It takes time and effort, courage, and skill to maintain ones heading when the swells are high, the winds are horrific, and the rain never relents. Make no mistake, some storms Jesus will calm, others, you may have to navigate. This isn’t because Jesus doesn’t love you, it’s because the teacher cannot always do your work for you. In order for you to learn, and grow, sometimes it’s hard, and sometimes it hurts. When you rely on Christ for your strength you can overcome anything, because you know, you learn that it is not truly your strength that gets you through, but that which the Lord gives you. When it comes time to choose your path, to choose your heading, be mindful of what the spirit is telling you. Be vigilant to hear all the voices talking to you. Satan is very, very good at what he does. He’s very good at making the vinegar seem like honey. You need to use discernment to tell the difference and hear the voice of truth, not the voice of lies. Learning how to do this takes time, and effort, and it takes a whole lot of action. You must be praying to God daily, you must be listening, and reading scripture daily. Hear what the spirit is telling you. Walk with God so when the day comes you are faced with those tough choices, you can hear the voice of truth much more clearly. Keep your armor up, and always be ready for the fight when it comes to you. The Father has not given you a spirit of fear, but a spirit of courage, so you may stand against the forces of darkness, and emerge victorious. 

Making the Leap of Faith

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Making the Leap of Faith

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

Matthew 6:9-13

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

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

Luke 11:2-4

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

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins,

For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let Us Get One More

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Let Us Get One More

It is our duty, a charter, a command from our Lord and Savior that we go forth in a great commission, to build upon itself a great church, a rock, an immovable object of faith and truth, that all who would believe in Christ, be baptized and inherit to Kingdom of God. What does that mean? What does it mean to inherit the responsibility we have been given? I’ve been putting thought into what it means to receive this charter? 

Christians for a long time have sat by and watched the world change around them. I’m not referring to just watching the decades pass by, but rather, watching as moral decay seems to have run unchecked. We Christians have been given a charter beyond what we could ever imagine. I daresay, while we have not failed in the great commission, we are not doing a good job. 

Matthew 28:16-20 “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

There are Christians who take the commission given, and go abroad and make disciples in the name of Christ. Some people do mission work at home, and host bible studies, outreach programs, and other events to bring people the love of Christ. That being said, if it is true that there are 205 million Christians, why then is there such a rise in moral depravity? If those who claim Christianity, why are we so ugly to one another? Sadly, it would seem, there is a lot who take on the name of Christian, but how many of the 205 Mil. are cultural Christians, sideline Christians, or fully-fledged, submitted Christians? Now, I will say, it’s not my place to determine what’s in someone’s heart, I am not qualified to do so. However, scripture says this, Matthew 7:15-17 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” If this is true, then if we know that a prophet in this sense is referring to those who claim to speak in the name of the Lord. But we can also take this a bit further. In other scripture verses, it talks about the vine of the spirit, and those vines that do not bear fruit will be pruned. We are the vine that bares fruit in the name of the Lord. If we are part of the vine, do our actions look like Christ? 

It breaks my heart when I turn on the TV and I see people being ugly to one another. It breaks my heart to see people in the street screaming profanities about our President, screaming insults at our President elect. It breaks my heart to see cops even if accidently, killing a man in their custody. It breaks my heart to see protesters injuring police, burning down peoples hard made businesses. It breaks my heart to see all the rape, murder, and cruelty to one another. I sit back, and I think to myself, what have we come too, where we think it’s okay to do these kinds of things? 

The hope we have in Christ, comes with the knowledge that things will continue to ‘fall apart’, before it gets better. In the time we have, we are chartered to make the very best of every day we have. When we go outside our door, we have the responsibility of Christians to either share the Gospel, or live in a way that we look different than that of the world. If you are a saved Christian and you believe you are given a gift in which we do not deserve, why would you want to keep that gift a secret? Why would you hide the light under the bed for no one to see? If you are a Christian, do you walk an isle on Sunday, but get hammered on Friday? Do you swear like a sailor and fall into depravity? What about a life of debauchery? Do you look like a man or women of Christ? We must be careful with our actions, and we must take time to look within, and ask the hard questions. When we look in the mirror, do we see Christ looking back, or is it a man or woman of the world? 

Christians truly need to be doing better at being Christ(like). When I look at our nation (US) I am saddened by the divide. I’m saddened to see the racism, the hate, the cruelty to one another. I’m saddened to see so many battling mental health problems, substance abuse, addictions, toxic relationships, and the list goes on. Like no other time in recent history it seems people are so alone now more than ever. We are not just physically distant, but emotionally as well. We are not loving as we are called to do so. The term ‘neighbor’ is no different than the parable of the good Samaritan, our neighbor is now the traveler that fell upon forlorn circumstances. We have become a people of the priest and a Levite. We call ourselves good people, but our actions would speak differently. We are not good people; we are not worthy people. No, sadly, we often turn a blind eye to those suffering, and to those in need. We often fail to share Christ even when the opportunity is right in front of us. I’m not talking about shoving Christ down people’s throats, but we should be offering to pray for others, we should be asking people to join us in church, we should be offering to help those in need. We don’t always have to do this help with money, sometimes, time is all that is needed. Are we offering time to pray? Are we offering time to help a single mother get out for a night? Are we offering to help an overloaded family clean the house, or do some yard work? Are we offering our elderly neighbor time to sit and talk? Are we listening to those around us? I daresay, we can be doing better. 

The year 2020 has been a strange year for everyone worldwide. We have endured so much loss, and destruction, pain and hardships. So many people have lost everything they’ve worked hard for. We have lost loved ones, and some have even lost themselves. Now more than ever, we Christians must be shining brightly for all the world to see. Right now, when times are truly tough, we must be shining brightly to show the rest of the world hope. We must be as bright as a full lush, bright moon lighting the nights path. We must be walking close enough to Christ to reflect his light to all who see us. We must be taking the time to give others our time. We must be helping, and lifting up one another, fulfilling the law of Christ by baring one another’s burdens, showing others love. 

If we are willing to sit by and say nothing, sit by and do nothing, how sad that we are letting those around us walk in darkness. It isn’t just walking in darkness, it’s not knowing when we will breathe our last, and yes, that’s a heavy burden, but we have been called to carry a cross, and that in itself is part of our burden. Eternal damnation is nothing to take lightly. Those who refuse to hear Christ, that choose to live in darkness, or even those whom we know don’t know the Lord and never share the good news of the Gospel with, we are complicit. We must take action. Christianity is not a spectator sport. No, far from it! In fact, Christian is about doing, it’s about loving someone enough to spare them from eternal hell. Even if we are simply ignorant, an ambivalence is still egregious when it comes to an eternal soul. Are we praying for our enemies? Are we praying for that neighbor that simply doesn’t like us for just being who we are? Are we sharing a nice smile to the young girl working in Walmart who looks like the weight of the world is on her shoulders? Are we turning a blind eye to the homeless man begging for money on the corner? Are we praying for the lost, the homeless, the hurting, those in harm’s way? 

Let us Christians do better. We can always do better. As Private Dawson said, “Lord, please help me get one more.” Let us find our one, and then another, and another. Let us not grow tired of finding someone to share the love of Christ with. 

And let us have a wonderful, and safe Veterans Day!

War

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War 

War in the streets, the riots rip apart neighborhoods, blood, tears, loss, and hopelessness. While tragedy befalls this once great country, we have most assuredly lost our way. A nation no longer seeking the face of God has grown faint and weary. A nation where wrong is exalted, right is condemned and righteousness has fallen away. This country while seemingly being torn apart, a house divided form the inside, is heart breaking to say the very least. 

Recently I was told I could never understand what it meant to be dark skin in a white world. Perhaps not those words directly, but that was the gist of the conversation. While of course I don’t know what it’s like being a person of dark skin in the United States, I am no stranger to discrimination. Growing up I was discriminated against because of the clothes I wore, and where I came from. I didn’t grow up with money and that was evident by the clothes I wore. My clothes didn’t quite fit, where often second hand, and everyone could tell. When I was beat up, or picked on in school, I dreamt of the day I’d be able to wear a uniform to school so I would no longer be judged by what I wore, but rather who I was. 

As I got older, I would face hardships as a veteran. I was often overlooked for jobs, or promotions because my experience didn’t account for anything. The discrimination I faced when I got out of the military and for several months unable to find work, I felt defeated, broken, depressed, and questioned the very country I spent years sacrificing and fighting for. What was I good for if I couldn’t be a soldier, and I couldn’t support my family, even being passed up on retail jobs. This would eventually lead me to write a paper on the stigmas of PTSD in the workplace, for a college class. The very essence of truth is veterans do face a version of discrimination even within our very country. 

We are a nation divided by color, sex, creed, nationality, masks vs. no masks, cop vs. criminal, virus vs. hoax, liberal vs. conservative, and the list goes on and on. Not only is there a war in our streets, but there’s one going on in our hearts. There’s a war in the streets yes, but when we dig down deep enough, the war is being waged for our hearts. All the hate and discrimination people face are a result of a sin nature running unchecked. The hate we face is the embodiment of sin bubbling to the surface in a nation that has pushed God aside. Much like Sodom & Gomorrah, or even the Israelites getting their party on while Moses was up on the mountain having a confab with God. Sin has become common place not saying it hasn’t always been there, but rather now that we have actively pushed God out of schools, out of government, out of the home, and largely turned our backs on God of course we will see more and more of this type of activities happen in the streets. 

I’m reminded of the song “Reflection” from Mulan. We can no longer hide who we are. Our reflection of who we are inside is now playing out with blood on the streets of our once great nation. The truth is, what’s going on is truly the reflection of who we’ve become. We can no longer hide the ugly within. We can no longer pretend everything’s alright. We can no longer stand here and say everything’s ‘fine’. We are truly ugly to one another. We are rude, hateful, and spiteful towards one another. We fight about everything and have gotten so spiteful that we cannot talk about our differences without blowing up the bridge between us. This chasm that has grown, has done so like a cancer and has infected not only every generation, but we teach hate and misdirection, lies, and we no longer teach respect, and love. Years ago Paul Harvey spoke during a show and his title was called “If I was the Devil”. During this three minute and seventeen second broadcast, which aired sometimes around 1964, it seems prophetic in nature. WE are at war with ourselves, we tranquilize with drugs, we created God. Churches are at war with themselves, nations in kind. Media of course fans the flames. God has been evicted from the courthouse, the schoolhouse, and even the house of congress. Not my words, but the words of Mr. Harvey. “If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. We have allowed the Devil to turn our Nation into His playground, and sadly even the burning down of cities is now being downplayed and justified by those who swore oaths of office. 

Recently the show Picard was released and during the show, I was amazed at one very real and shocking revelation, Star Trek was no longer pure in its depiction of a future, but rather a darker turn mirroring the current climate. The word staring with ‘F’ was dropped multiple times during the show. A major disappointment to say the very least. A show once adored by children, now using language that perhaps is spoken in front of children, but I daresay is wildly inappropriate. 

While it seems our current state of affairs is hopeless let me be the first, or perhaps somewhere in the slew of people saying, there is always hope. First, let me start off by saying it’s never too late to except Christ into your heart and allow Him to heal you. It’s never too late to walk away from the world, and become an ambassador for the Loving Prince of Peace. Jesus Christ showed us that we are not saved by our deeds, but merely the sacrifice of his blood, the truest gift of sacrifice for our very souls. We are given everything though we deserve nothing. Left to our own devises we see how we behave. 

The hope we have is in Christ, not our leaders in Washington. We must learn to put our faith in the Heavenly and not the worldly. We cannot stand here and think the President will make things better, or blame police, or the criminal, or the color of someone’s skin. Instead we must look beyond the symptom and realize the cause. Sin is the root of our nations plights, and it’s because we’ve let it take hold. We have stood by and allowed sin behavior to become commonplace. We have allowed the cancer to grow out of control. We grew faint and complacent, and now War is in our front yard, our back yard, and in our very homes. 

If we have any chance of gaining ground we must turn back to the Lord. We must find rest for our weary souls. 

Isaiah 40:30-31

“Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

31 But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.”

Galatians 6:9 New King James Version

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”  

If we are serious about retaking our country, retaking our lives, we must start with the man/woman in the mirror. We must first look into our own hearts. We must first realize we are in fact sinners and each of us are in part, part of the problem. We must realize that if we are to make a difference, we must be different. We must look and act differently. We are going to battle and we must prepare. We must allow God to forge our hearts, change our minds, heal our hurts, mend old wounds, and fix bridges we’ve long burned. We must forge our spirit and rekindle our fire for the Lord. 

Psalm 144:1 

“Blessed be the Lord my Rock,

Who trains my hands for war,

And my fingers for battle” 

We are called to be Christians, holding our witness, and in the fire let us be forged stronger, let us strap on the full Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and let us run with endurance. 

Hebr3ews 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” 

We cannot fall to this world. We cannot allow sin to defeat us. We cannot allow the shadow to overwhelm us. We must show limitless love, the true meaning of love, the true Agape’ love we see in scripture. We must look different in everything we do. We must continue to fight the good fight till we draw our last breath. Show love to snuff out racism, bigotry, discrimination, and hate. We can do better, by being better. Put a little love in your heart, and let it shine brightly to all you encounter. Be kind, be courteous, be generous, be giving, and never grow weary of doing good. 

Paul Harvey “If I were the Devil” 

What Flows In Our Veins

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What Flows In Our Veins

I suppose this is a question everyone faces at some point, or they don’t, I don’t really know; What flows through my veins. For a long time, I have wondered, questioned, pined for a place in this world. For years I hoped for a way to be remembered, but have found it isn’t about me. I am literally no one. I am a nobody without Christ. My works here in this life don’t matter if they aren’t for the Glory of God. My works mean nothing without the acknowledgment of the salvation I am graced with if it weren’t for the Blood of Jesus. When my wife left, I went to a dark place, and I fell to the darkest of pits I didn’t know existed. With the light of God, I crawled my way out, but a fall like that doesn’t happen without leaving its mark. I would be left with scars both physical and emotional. I would be faced with a new path, and with that new path, a purpose left in question. I have talked often about being the clay and allowing God to mold you. (Be God’s Lego & Be God’s Lego 2). I have spoken often about finding your ministry, and allowing your spiritual gifts to guide you to where you are supposed to be. It’s funny though that tonight, tonight I would find myself seeking answers as my path has become so clouded, I no longer have a direction. At the very lowest point, the very foundation, I know that my purpose is to serve God no matter what I end up doing, but as far as what that is I have no idea. Long term, I have my dreams, my instincts on purpose, but in the here and now, the more immediate path, I feel as if I’m floundering in the open water on a stormy night, not sure what way to swim. 

I am trying to find what seems like a temporary Job, trying to be proactive, but in itself seems to be more of a struggle then I ever thought it would be. Someone asked me what I’m looking for, and to be honest I have no idea. I’m finding that my degree is relatively worthless in the short term. I’m finding that I have neither the skill or mastery to narrow down a path. I have years and years of security service, but as far as my passion goes, I have little to none to remain in the security field. I have some medical training and a desire to be helpful, but not enough to mean anything in the short term. I have a passion and a knowledge of the outdoors such as hiking, camping, etc, but while it’s enough to survive and get through, it’s not a mastery. And sadly, outdoors survival skills, mostly military and personal experience, doesn’t offer much opportunity for a job, especially in this day and time. I have a passion to help veterans, but as I am no longer a chaplain the opportunities are minimal. To be a crisis counselor it requires a master’s degree or higher, and sadly my area is not a big area of opportunities for that kind of work with veterans. I worked in retail for a few years, but it would not be recommended any longer due to physical limitations. So, where does that leave me? The truth is I don’t know. I have no mastery, or a specific set of skills or talent that leads me anywhere in specific. Now is not the time to build a photography business, and while I love teaching and preaching, that path has not yet been laid out before me. And, as with many things, that’s a long-term path, not a short term. While I have even looked at teaching first aid and CPR, the training for that takes one, money, and two, time, time I don’t have. So, I have come back to a single question, “God, what would you have me do?” 

I think we all get to these points, these questions in our lives. In the last several weeks since the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, I have seen hardships, heartbreaks, blood, sweat and tears, and realized that while my path is cloudy, I am still immensely blessed. While we all have hardships, and struggles, everyone has something they are going through and working out. I have seen and endured far more than I’m going through now, but that does not detract from its difficulty. I shall then, put my trust in God to show me the path when it’s time. I know that perhaps there are other reasons I am not being shown the way just yet. There are infinite possibilities that I cannot ignore, and trust that when all the pieces are where they need to be, I will be placed where I need to go. I will keep in mind Gods ways are not my ways, they are beyond my understanding and comprehension, and I must trust, and lean not unto my own understanding. I must have faith and be content with where I am, and trust that tomorrow is a new day, and anything can change between now and then. I must trust and have faith, and in constant prayer, turn to the Lord my God to deliver me from the spiritual attacks of the Devil, and believe that I will rest tonight being covered under the protection of Angel’s wings. I trust that my hands are prepared for war, and when the time comes I shall battle the enemy and be ready for what may come. I know that I am forged in fire, tempered and treated for the days ahead. I know that everything I am not is melted away, smelted like gold. I know that my salvation is secured by the Blood of Christ which was a debt paid for me, ransomed for my very soul. I know I am redeemed by the blood, and this life is but a temporary speck in the new glorified body that awaits me. I know one day I will kneel at the foot of the judgment seat, and answer for everything I have done, said, thought, and felt, and I will have no excuse but to ask for forgiveness in the eyes of my King. I am not worthy of such love, or grace, or mercy, but given to me freely, in which my sins are washed away, upon my repentance and plea for forgiveness. I know that hardship comes in this diseased, fallen, sinful world, in which awful things befall all who live here. This world knows death for this world is not Glory, but the proving ground for what’s to come. I do not know my place in this world, but I know my place with God. I do not know my gift in this world, but I know the gift that saved the world. Today will pass into memory, and perhaps tomorrow, and the next, but a day will come when the path is made clear, and the answers shall be revealed. Till that day comes, I find myself in prayer, and wonder, questioning, and praying, telling God what rests upon my heart. Perhaps a letter just to express myself, a few words on a white computer screen, just to make sense of what’s in my own head. Alas, I know I am a child of the one true King, the only way to the father Jesus Christ, the narrow path that only a few will travel, I will buckle my straps, tighten my breastplate, sharpen my sword, dig in my sandals, and prepare for the war to come. I shall fear no evil for the Lord is with me, and no matter where I roam, I am never alone. 

Who Are You Today?

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Who Are You Today?

I was thinking about the story of the Potter and the Clay. I was also thinking about the enemy and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know that all of us are facing challenges in this life, this new normal of being forced to lock down in our homes. I know that all of us are trying to find ways to deal with the isolation, the lack of finances, the lack of church, the lack of work, and the lack of anything else you can think of. I have been wondering, myself included who am I today? Are we falling apart in these troubled times? Are we bonding together to be stronger? Are we becoming someone the enemy fears, or are we becoming someone the enemy cheers? If we are truly clay, who are we allowing to shape us? I know that a tool like any other in the wrong hands can be used as a weapon. As Bruce Wayne once said “One man’s tool is another man’s weapon” (Dark Knight Rises). 

I have often wondered why so many bad things happened to me as a child. I wondered why so many awful and hurtful things happened to me as an adult. I realized some of those things where of my own doing even in a passive sense. In many those things I blamed God for my troubles, not always for causing them, but allowing them to happen. I have faced challenges, and even when I haven’t gotten them right, I’ve realized that for every challenge faced there is an opportunity. That being said, “God only knows the real you.” (God Only Knows, by for King and Country). Since we all have a face that we hide away, the potter is the one that knows us best. That being said, we can be shaped by one of two potters. We can be shaped by Satan, or Jesus. 

We are all facing things we never thought would happen, or things we could never think to prepare for. Our behavior shows who we are and what kind of person we’ve become. In these days are you behaving in a way that would make the enemy fearful? We cannot see what’s in someone’s heart, but we can make an educated guess based on a person action. It’s said in the Christian walk a person’s witness is so important because we outwardly represent Christ. A persons walk shouldn’t be impacted by the sins and mistakes of a person, but sadly that’s not the world we live in. People believe that those who follow a religion are a representation of that religion. 

IF I were a drunk, an abusive man, cruel, and yet on Sunday I’m in church sitting the pew and praying the prayers, am I a good representation of Christ? No, of course not. If someone saw me they would have a negative thought of Christianity. With so much idol time on people’s hands, and with social media being all the buzz, it’s more important than ever to watch what we say, watch what we do, and check ourselves and our actions. IS what we are doing bringing Glory to the Father, or are we making things easier for Satan and his army? We have a choice to change how we act, how we talk, what we post, how we deal with people, and even the support we show one another. 

Life has thrown us all challenges, and while we are struggling with our own problems, we must remember that first; We are not alone in this walk. Jesus is with us every step of the way. Second, we are called to be there for one another baring one another’s burdens. We are also told that we are responsible for ourselves and our own actions. 

Galatians 6:7-10 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” 

We have a responsibility to our homes, and our brothers and sisters. We have a responsibility to own up to our mistakes and in doing so, we face who we are. In the last several weeks I’ve seen a lot of selfish response to the crisis gripping our world. I’ve seen a lot of decisions made based on fear and ignorance, We all need to take a step back, relax, and evaluate how to manage our struggles. We’re all in this together and we need to encourage and lift one another. WE all have an opportunity to grow, and we should spend more time loving on one another, and of course most important, growing in Christ. 

Today, if I’m honest I’m hurting. The days are long and run together. The struggle to see what I see and manage the impending challenges is a mountain and a half. I have found myself spending the day listening to Christian music, and praying to take this thorn from my life. I know that in all things I must find contentment, Philippians 4:11 (NKJV) “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:” I have been praying to the Lord to let me say the word and have the mountain jump from my path. I am not a foolish man, but regardless that I know the truth and that this is a mountain I must walk, I still tell my Father my hearts desires. The heartbreak I feel, and the impending storm brews in the distance, I can hear the thunder, and as Kylo Ren says “I know what I must do, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it” (Star Wars). Will I have the strength to get through this? I have prayed to God to continue to give me the strength, to renew my strength, to build upon my faith and increase both. Today I feel like I’m weak and I know that I’m not, but the spiritual attacks are heavy. I know that Jesus is my chain breaker, my way maker, and I know that Jesus has set me free of the chains that held me, and I know that Father above hears me, hears my cries, hears my heart cracking, and I know that I will not be alone in this fight, but rather I know I will have Christ by my side. I know there’s a crack in my armor, but I know as the flaming arrows are landing all around me Christ stands next to me guarding me with his Shield. I will make it through this, and I know when I do, it’ll be by the grace and mercy of Jesus, not of my own doing. On bended knee, I lift my prayers to the King of Kings, the Great Healer, The Chain Breaker, The Savior, The Right Hand of the Father, Jesus Christ. 

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The Long Days Ahead

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The Long Days Ahead

Some days it’s hard not to feel lonely in these days. The constant drone of the same endless news. With no new TV shows, the same repeats flood the airways. When the sound is all turned off, the silence is just as loud. The effort to quiet the loud buzzing inside my mind is both physically and mentally exhausting. The only reprieve is the time I spend with the Lord which has been more and more often during this time of isolation. While the world is social distancing, it seems the social part has been taken literally by many. The masses are busier now than they were before, it’s just a different kind of busy. In the new normal, there’s so many changes, and while there are some wonderful changes, the weight of isolation is crushing. The hope however remains knowing that God’s Got This. Knowing that Jesus is here with me gives me comfort. Knowing that some day this will end, and while it may be weeks, or months, or Heaven forbid, years, I know that Jesus will stay with me during every wakeful night. I know that Jesus will be with me during every long and lonely day. I know that Jesus will remain with me as I have watched all my plans, all my hopes, all my dreams for this year have fallen in ash as it’s been burned like a wildfire. There is no going back, no way to salvage the losses, but knowing that a new plan will emerge from the ashes. 

We have all lost so much in these dark days. Businesses have closed. Jobs have been lost. Dreams have been crushed. Lives have been lost, and families destroyed. Some families have been so completely devastated by this dreadful virus, it’s hard to imagine. As I have remained in solitude to do my part to stop the spread, to slow the spread, to at the very least not be a part of the problem I have to acknowledge the struggles. I can’t be the only person feeling this way, in fact I know I’m not. On the flip side, I know that how I feel is not nearly as severe as others even in the sphere of knowledge. 

Lamentations 3:22-24

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

    his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness.

24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

    “therefore I will hope in him.”

We know that the Lord is over all things, and while we may not know or understand the nature of God, why things are allowed, or why things happen, we know this His ways are perfect, beyond what we can understand, and we have to have faith and trust in His perfect will. 

Romans 5:2 (ESV) 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith[a] into this grace in which we stand, and we[b] rejoice[c] in hope of the glory of God.

It’s so important in these days that we are there for one another. It’s so important that in our solitude we have people we can reach out too, and talk too. It’s so important to show the Love of Christ to one another. It’s easy to forget, but not everyone manages isolation well. Not everyone manages the silence well. Even the most introverted of people are struggling today. The loss of income and for some, the loss of hope will lead us in this country to record number of suicides, and mental health crises. We must do more as the Body of Christ and we need to be showing abounding love to everyone we can think of. A text, a message, an email, a card, anything helps right now. Please don’t think you reaching out doesn’t matter. Reaching out may be all the difference for someone. A simple act of kindness goes a long way right now with how people are feeling. 

Keep hoping in the Lord. Keep your faith, and plug in to be spiritually by watching a church service online. You can also find me on The Arrow Preacher on YouTube. Be safe, and be well.