Tag: hope

Thank You, Because It’s Right

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Thank You, Because It’s Right

Thank you God for so many blessings bestowed to me this year. Thank you for a year of gifts, good health, financial stability, good friends, and most recently a woman God has felt it was time to bless my heart with. As much as I am happy for her, I must not forget the most important fact that God must remain first. Thank you God for your son Jesus Christ for loving us so much His sacrifice saved our very souls. We could never count our blessings because they are so great, so abundant that we could list all day and never scratch the surface as our blessings.

God doesn’t expect a reward for what He gives us, because God is a giver. Matthew 6:4 (NKJV)4“that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”What do you expect to get from your giving? Do you give and say ‘look at me, look what I did!”? A heart of gratitude and love is what we have because God shows us how. 

It occurred to me that God doesn’t have to give us anything. We are blessed just to have life. We are so incredibly unique because God blesses every one of us with life. I cannot imagine my life without God and the continued blessings I receive every day. One thing about God is the truth that God’s ways never change. God’s blessings do not sway with the changing winds. James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” 

When was the last time you did something for someone else not because you were going to get something back, but just because it was the right thing to do? 2 Samuel 19:38-39“And the king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you. Now whatever you request of me, I will do for you.” 39 Then all the people went over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.” 

David offered a place in his home to Barzillai for sheltering David when Absolom rebelled. David did not have to offer this as his thank you, but as David has shown time and again, his generosity of kindness was not the average for the time but he led by example. The true nature of kindness is loving as God loves us, and allows affords us so much grace and love. David’s kindness for this family is maintained for two generations. This changed the life of Chimham forever being taken into David’s family. How few we look to Jesus for His generosity, his selfless gift of life given to each and every one of us. Do we think to truly count our blessings big and small, or are we so wrapped up in life to forget? I’m so thankful for my life, and everything God gives to me. 

It Takes Guts

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It Takes Guts

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

Genesis 18:22-33(NKJV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn to Love Again

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Learn to Love Again

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

God’s Way

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God’s Way

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

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

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

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

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

The Veteran

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The Veteran

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

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

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

Every Contingency

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Every Contingency

As I have spent the last few months preparing for my mid December hiking trip, I have come to realize one very important factor that I am not in control over my destiny. I have tried to plan for every contingency, and the most I plan, the more carefully this plan is thought out, the words of Lenard Snartrun through my mind, “Make a plan, execute the plan, expect the plan to go off the rails, throw away the plan.” How true this statement is, not just for clever heists of Argus held technology, but in all of life. I have tried to think of every contingency, every minor detail of emergency I can think of, but when it comes down to it, I am not in control. Yes, there is a measure of free will, and yes, I am choosing to do this hike, and I am chosen where and when, but in my heart I know God has laid this trip on me for a reason, and I will go with an open heart to hear what God has to say.

 

One does not build a tower without first counting the cost. You do not build without a plan, and you cannot succeed in war without first being prepared for battle. I do not claim to know all that will happen, but I go humbly before the Lord the one who made the woods, and the mountains, and I ask for guidance and clarity and peace along this planning and execution phases.  James 4:13-17 (NKJV)13 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

 

While I don’t pretend to know everything, I do think God gives us the ability to think logically and with the gift of intelligence we are able to take in information and process it and we formulate solutions based on the data we have at the time. We aren’t always right and we don’t always use every bit of information we may have available to us, and we may not always come to the right conclusions, but when we walk with God, when we ask ourselves every day what would Jesus do, we are far more likely to get it right, far more often.

 

As I have planned for bad weather, small injuries, fire, food, warmth, wet, wild animals, water, and not just for me but for Riley also, I understand there will be things I will find on the trail I didn’t need, or things I wish I had, but even if this trek in the woods turns out to be a failure then I will learn from that failure and I will do better the next time.

 

A lot of people have asked me why I would be willing to, or even want to do a trip like this, and the answer I have often given seems to be an over simplification, and the true, deeper answer is far more complicated. Death comes for us all, and I often wonder when my time will be. In the last two years I have faced death, and then a life changing back surgery. In that time I have often looked at my life and questioned what I was to learn, what I was giving up and loosing in all of this. I was so focused on what I lost, that I couldn’t see what I can gained. I have gained perspective and insight into a faith I didn’t know I could ever have. I would come to face my past and be forced to dissect it in order to truly heal. I have loved ones I have lost and that I miss. One of my favorite quotes is ‘Living is not for the weak.’ It’s hard being on this side, but this side is important. As much as I miss my loved ones who’ve gone home, I try to keep my focus on the mission, the reason I’m still here. I try not to let my grief distract me from what God wants me to do. I remember that if it were my time to go Home God would take me, and he would have taken me two years ago when I nearly died, but I am still here, fighting the good fight. I do not pray for death, but I am prepared to meet death like an old friend when the time comes.

 

This journey is for me to focus on God, and regain something within myself I lost. This trip is for me to prove to myself that I can still do things I love, even if it’s different from before. This trip is for me to hear God more clearly, to focus on that relationship and get back to a simpler time. Faith is important to me, and knowing that my original route was canceled because the hurricane washed out the bridge, and then me finding the most perfect route I could have ever asked for, Marion to Damascus. The path to Damascus is a long, and difficult one, but much like Paul, the path is meant to be difficult, and even painful to pick away parts of me that I don’t need and make me more like Christ every day. Remember as you move forward in your life it’s good to make plans, to seek Godly counsel, but don’t be so rigid in your plans that you don’t leave room for God to change them. You have to know that the course we set according to Christ will always follow that North Star, but sometimes God sees fit to alter our course slightly and we can’t be upset when those course corrections come. When we realize we aren’t the Captain of our ship, we are more willing to let God be in control and realize we’re just along for the ride. Be wise and trust in God but don’t spend so much time worrying about life even though we are told to plan. It’s okay if God changes the plan because if God changes things for you, it means something better is coming, even if you have to go through the storm first.

A Month To Remind Us To Be Thankful

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A Month To Remind Us To Be Thankful

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

 

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

 

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

 

Psalm 100

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

2 Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

3 Know that the Lord, He is God;

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

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

5 For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

 

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

 

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

 

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

Don’t Go To Sleep

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Don’t Go To Sleep

God comes to you in mysterious ways. We never know when the Holy Spirit will fall on you, and we certainly don’t know when the Lord will use you. I find myself perplexed as I have recently received validation that I am ‘wise’ and filled with the Holy Spirit. I never considered myself to be able to speak with authority on scripture, but twice in twenty four hours I have received such validation, and now the question has changed. I find it odd that God would use a man like me to do these works for Him. I wonder my strength to follow the will of God. I question my worth and value in this decision of God’s. I guess the closest person from scripture is Gideon. I know it’s not me that offers the change found, or the advice that comes from my mouth, I know it’s not me. I struggle taking any credit for helping, but at the same time, God gave me free will, and I could have very easily gone to bed. How often do we ignore the calling of the Holy Spirit and do what we want?

 

Judges 6:1515 “He said to Him, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”

 

Gideon tells the Lord ‘wait I think you have the wrong guy! I’m not strong, I come from the poorest tribe!’ The Hebrew translation for youngest is tsa`iyr or insignificant, and he means what he says. God however addresses Gideon as a mighty man of valor. What an honor for God to see such a wonderful quality in the youngest, and weakest of his brothers. God see’s the capability of a person, the truest potential that may not have been realized yet. God doesn’t make mistakes, and it’s in those times we are to humble ourselves before the Lord and trust and not question. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, don’t ignore it.

 

We cannot fathom the impact we may have on a life if we just listen to that voice telling us the path to take. It would have been so easy for me to go to sleep, put off a conversation that it seems had major impact. The Holy Spirit guides and all we have to do is stop fighting for the steering wheel. What if Paul had decided he’d had enough after his first missionary journey? What if he decided he didn’t want to be beaten, or stoned anymore so he stayed home? What if he had decided he was going to allow fear to win over the instruction of God? Stand tall, and be full of valor of the Holy Spirit in your life. Don’t go back to bed when you are called to God’s work. Don’t allow laziness, or fear keep you from getting out of your comfort zone and going into the world we are called to be in to make real possible everlasting change.

 

God Won’t Leave

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God Won’t Leave

 

I wrote to you and you said stuff too. I fell for your lies and you left me feeling like a fool. How could I have not seen it earlier, instead I had to feel. You said you cared but then you were gone. How can someone care then disappear? I believed you and gave you my attention my ear as you lifted me up and told me a beautiful lie. I listened to you and fell for the line that wasn’t true at all. How often have I fallen for the same lie over and over in my life? The truth is sometimes hard to swallow, as I have now been smacked in the face with, you didn’t care about me at all, just about yourself and as soon as I didn’t give you a certain feeling, you left. How long I have looked for something real, someone truthful, and faithful, but have come up empty handed. Thankful I am that God doesn’t leave me the first time I don’t live up to his expectations. Thankful God’s grace and love are bigger then anything I could ever imagine. I am thankful that the God who created the universe loves me enough to lend me His ear, hold me when I’m sad, and never leaves me.

 

Isaiah 41:10 (NASB) ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”  God’s grace is something amazing and we often overlook it because we are too busy to count the blessings we have. I have had an all out yelling match with God, but I know He’s still there. He can take my faults and love me just as I am. As I watch one by one the majority of new people I have met have left and have done so without a word with their exit. God is my hero and knowing God won’t leave or forsake me gives me strength to carry on past the hurt.

 

I am a person, and I feel but it seems my feelings don’t matter much to the majority of people I have in my life. Thankfully God hears my heart and knows my feelings. I may not always get what I want, but God doesn’t set out to hurt me like other people do. People have forgotten the feelings of others, and it’s a sad day when close friends no longer show they care. Watching as people lie, and say whatever they want to try and get something is heart breaking. God though, doesn’t have to lie to get anything from us. Joshua 1:9“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

 

Dealing with the emotional fall out from so much disappointment, it’s hard to understand how this happens, but God will strengthen me, and I will watch as the purging wildfire continue to rages on in my life.

 

 

In Need

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In Need

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

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

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

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

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