Tag: jesus christ

Don’t Get Stuck in the Weeds

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Don’t Get Stuck in the weeds

We get lost in the details sometimes. We spend so much time arguing over Calvinism or Arminianism. We argue over who wrote Hebrews. We argue over what color the church carpet should be, what kind of music to play at worship, or even what color shirt the pastor should wear. We argue over so much, but the truth is, why? Why are we allowing Satan to divide us? Why are we allowing the world to have control and to dictate terms within the church? The truth is when it comes to our Salvation, does it truly matter who wrote Hebrews? Does it matter what color shirt the pastor wears, or if the pastor wears tennis-shoes? I tend to side with no, it doesn’t, but of course, some people firmly believe, yes, it does matter. The sad part is, when we start to take the focus on those things we can get lost in the weeds. 

Scripturally tragic 

When I think about all the times people break bonds because of disagreements it’s sad. I can say, I’m guilty of it myself. While I have never left a relationship easily, I have done so with the feeling it was best for the entirety of my health. Sometimes, the differences and the way in which they are presented are not healthy, and sometimes we need to brush the dust and keep it moving. That being said, differences is never an excuse to be ugly with one another. Differences of ethnicity, creed, nationality, wealth, sexual preferences, etc. is never a reason to be ugly to one another. Christ didn’t die for anyone of a particular color, or creed, or background. Christ died for all. He died so we could one shot, one opportunity to seize eternity. Christ didn’t die for us to have our physical means met here in this life. Truly, Christ died so there could be mercy upon us. Christ died so we may live. Christ died to pay the ransom due, the blood debt that we ourselves stained crimson with our very sins. Every breath is an act of mercy by a loving God, that would be every bit righteous to Thanos snap us out of existence. God allows believers and non-believers to remain in coexistence so we may have that opportunity to choose Christ. We are given that mercy so we may seek God and his righteousness. What’s sad is when we truly look to John 6:66, the sad reality is those people who left him, were also some who had just days or even hours prior, had been calling to make him King. Those who left weren’t just those hanging out for the fish, the bread, and the free healthcare, but those who truly had known Christ. There’s no way around it, those who turned and followed him no more, actively turned their back on the sovereign of the universe, and likely knew it. Imagine if you will, that in your days, weeks, and months, you follow a man, walking hundreds of miles, and hearing him speak every day. Imagine you lived with Christ. Imagine you laid eyes on his eyes, heard his very voice, and yet, when he says the truth, cuts to the heart of the matter, you turn and walk away. 

The Difficult Path

I heard someone say once that they thought once they followed Christ everything would get easier. I, at the time didn’t know how to articulate on that sentiment, but now I do. The truth is, when you look at scripture, and then historical records, many who followed Christ met horrific ends. Many of the Apostils died martyrs, and many still today die for the faith within the persecuted church. The thing is, there’s a big difference between knowing about God, and knowing God. It’s easy to have a head knowledge. Many, face the challenge of accepting in their hearts. That’s what happened in John 6:66. Those people knew Christ, they saw him, they saw the works, the miracles, heard the truth, and yet walked away. They knew in their heads who Christ was, but refused to allow him into their hearts. The sad fact is, and scripture is clear, they followed him no more. This doesn’t mean they walked away for a while and had time to think about it. No, this means they never accepted him, and if we are going to be real about it for a moment, that’s a lot of people who chose the condemnation of Hell and the absence of God. 

         What I have considered is that, those people actually saw Christ, and yet still walked away. What about those of us today, who have not seen Christ in carnet. Sure, some people experience miracles and have a life changing and mind-altering experience, but the majority of people are blind to the very miracle of life we have daily. There are many who choose to live a negative life, and that life leads to a chronic negativity, and negativity is infectious. Look for a moment at the evening news. How often does the news tell us about the good things happening in the community? Sure, there are some perhaps, but the vast majority is negative news. We tune in to see, and hear what horrible things are happening all around us. Some people might walk away from the news, but then there are others who gossip, who never see a silver lining, and are always Debby downers. How do I know this? I fight every day so I am not this. My natural go to, my default setting is one of a negative setting. It’s easy to tell someone everything wrong, but the hard part will be to tell someone everything right. When we get down to the meat and potatoes of it, the Sinner is negativity, and it is the default setting for all of us. We are fickle creatures that ride a wave, and our mood goes up and down with the ebb and flow of the worlds stimulus. Consider this, John 20:29 (NKJV) “Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Thomas doubted because he couldn’t see it, and touch it. When he saw it with his own eyes, he believed. The rest of us, we have to believe on faith. Some of us believe on things we have seen and rationalized to be Gods intervention in our life. Others, believe with little to no physical evidence, but I challenge and say the evidence is there for anyone who truly wants to see it. When you read the works of J. Werner Wallace, it’s hard to deny the facts. The problem is, when we have to make the choice between Christ the savior, and Christ the Lord. As I have spoke of recently we like the idea of the fire insurance, but we don’t like the idea of being told what to do. Following Christ is anything but easy, it takes sacrifice, it takes faith, it takes a constant renewing of your spirit, and prayer to connect you to the almighty. 

Who Are You?

In scripture we see that Jesus knew who his Apostles were. He also knew who would betray him, who would deny him, who would be with him in the end, and who would hide for their lives. John 6:70-71 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve. Jesus is a year and a half into his ministry and knowing who would turn him in, who would betray him with a kiss, and yet, not a day went by Jesus was ugly to Judas. Who are we, who are you? Are you the betrayer, the denier, the one to draw a sword? Are we one that becomes infected with the negativity of the crowd and turns from what we know is wrong? We all think we know who we are, but until we are truly faced with it, we don’t know what we would do. 

When someone asks how or why I believe in God, believe in Jesus Christ, this is a simple answer, the Apostles. They knew the truth, they lived it every day, and they died for it. They would not knowingly die for a lie. What matters, most, is that we are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. We must see Christ, and allow Christ into our hearts. It isn’t just walking an isle or saying a prayer. It isn’t even having a head knowledge. You can memorize all the scripture you want, but if you don’t have it in your heart, it’s nothing. Satan himself stood before the almighty Father, in full glory, knows scripture, and yet refuses to accept. 

Don’t get stuck in the weeds arguing about the little details that don’t matter. Don’t get drawn into frivolous arguments. Stay away from gossip, and keep straight on God. It’s easy to get pulled off course, but when we stand firm on the rock, the foundation in which we ought to build our lives, we can withstand the temptations and the whiles, and lies of the Devil. We too are tempted into sin by Satan. We too are pushed and pulled into situations we should never be in. The important thing is we’re never too far gone to find forgiveness in the eyes of the Lord. We are never too far gone to repent and turn away from our sinful nature. So long as we don’t do what the followers of Christ did in John 6:66, and that was to make a conscious choice, to choose deliberately to turn their backs on the Son of God. 

         There’s a lot of arguments that can come up, but when it really comes down to it, the only argument that matters is, Jesus is the son of God. He is the God Man, one third of the trinity, the father, son, and holy spirit. The only way to get to the father is through Jesus. We are saved by grace, through faith, and by Gods mercy. We should not get caught up in new age ideas, new twists on Satan’s old lies. Plant firm and trust the truth of the word in scripture. The worst thing we can do is get to a point where we forsake the name of Christ, turn our backs and forever walk away. Choosing a life where our eternal lives is a complete and total separation from God. There is nothing worse than that separation. Don’t turn your back on the creator, don’t forsake the gift we’ve been given. And don’t get lost in the weeds, distracted by that which matters most, Gods sacrifice for us. 

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!

The Light On The Hill

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The Light On The Hill

Surviving is something I don’t think we put enough emphasis on. We joke about stuff like, ‘I survived black Friday.’ And while this is true, technically and in some cases, legitimate, it most often, is an exaggeration of a set of circumstances. Once in a while though, someone will go something truly difficult and, in those difficulties, we often look inward, ‘am I a bad person?’ I have talked to survivors of rape and for many it took a long time for them to take the blame off of themselves and place it with the attacker. Survivors guilt is similar, ‘it should have been me.’ It seems, and this is of course from a layman’s perspective, that we tend to carry burdens that we should not. 

I’m very guilty of this and sadly not just once, but over and over in my life. Starting off from childhood, I blamed myself for the bad things that happened in my life, even to the ridiculous, where I would have had no way to stop the event from happening. In time I would be called on a habit, and that was living in a victim mentality. Not to detract from the events themselves, but a change in the frame of mind was needed. Technically it was true, I was a victim of a lot of very awful things. But when someone beats cancer we don’t call them a victim of cancer, no, we call them a survivor. We as a society have started shifting the mindset of surviving rape, instead of being a rape victim. We must truly start to look at our lives as what we have survived, thus looking at each event from a positive perspective, rather than a negative one. Now, please don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that just because you call yourself a survivor means it will heal every wound, it won’t. Healing takes time, and one thing that has been proven is by changing the mindset about an event, may help speed up the healing time, or, it may allow the wound to heal more thoroughly. 

Recently, I was given some advice. A few years back I made a choice, and that choice had dyer consequences. My choice, nearly cost me my own life, but it cost the relationship of nearly a dozen people in my life. I have shied away from talking about this even very often in general company. It’s both, not something I enjoy talking about, but also something that may bring a mix of emotions and judgments. This fear of rejection, and judgment has given me pause to discuss it. The thing is, the advice given was to use what happened, instead of hiding from it. Advise I analyze here. 

For so many, people are self-defined by their traumas. We often define ourselves by something, For years I defined myself as a veteran, or before that a soldier. I defined myself as married, divorced, married, divorced, broken, a Christian. Are you an athlete, an artist, a doctor, a teacher, etc. When we define ourself we risk writing in our brain of who we are, in a way the job we have, or some status is truly a defining feature of who we are. Our actions define who we are. What we do, not what we are underneath that defines us. Scripture tells us, Matthew 7:16“Ye shall know them by their fruits.” This is referring to the many people who would come, being false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing. Scripture goes on to say to keep an eye on the type of fruit being born of those kinds of works. I will say, while something may look good right away, give it time, allow the true nature to shine. People have gotten good at packaging an evil or corrupted message, to make it sound good, but over time the vinier fades, the rust shows up, and the light shines on the darkness revealing the secrets. 

We all have a chance, an opportunity to allow the awful things that happen to us, to be used for the glory of the Father. We all have the opportunity to use the pains we feel, and turn that pain into strength. So many people allow that pain to fester, to become an infectious agent inside their soul. When I think back to characters such as Jeremiah. Here you have a guy, he’s been faithful for a long time telling the people of Jerusalem the fate that will befall them after years of them failing to listen. Now the time of reconning comes, and the final warning Jeremiah gives is to the people is to surrender and live. Of course, this doesn’t go so well with the army and the officers tell the King, let’s kill this guy! The King of course did not want Jeremiah to die but also didn’t want to have the army officers turn on him, so the officers took Jeremiah and threw him in a well with no water, only mud, and he sank. This guy, trying to do the right thing, trying to proclaim the word of God, and what does he get for his trouble? He’s tossed into a well to starve to death. Eventually Jerusalem is captured and he survives the siege. 

Let us look at another character. Lets take a look at Paul. Paul is a man who was filled with anger, and hate, and with all that malice, he was given permission to hunt down and imprison, or kill, Christians in the city of Damascus. Paul, or as he’s called before Damascus, Saul, is blinded by the Lord and confronted by Jesus Christ. In the years following his conversion, Paul is faced with one horrific event after another. He would not only face emotional traumas, but physical as well. He would be beaten (multiple times), stoned, imprisoned (multiple times), ship wrecked, bitten by a viper, and eventually beheaded. Here’s a man who left wealth, prestige, power, and comfort, for what he knew to be the truth. He moved from comfortable to miserable, but in misery, he grew strong in faith. He never stopped sharing the love of Christ. He never stopped sharing the truth that is Jesus Christ. He was willing to die for that truth, and he knew through revelation he would die for the name of Christ, a fate he never feared. He chose to stand on his faith, no matter what the world would do to him. Christians are called to be Ambassadors, meaning we live here, but are not of here (Earth). Yes we are humans, but our place is in Heaven for eternity. Do we allow our light to shine despite the world? 

It isn’t easy to smile in the face of steep opposition. It isn’t easy to be positive when a hurricane takes your home. It isn’t easy when the coworker lies and gets you fired. It isn’t easy when your ex-wife is so angry she makes decisions that truly have the potential to destroy everything you’ve ever worked for. It isn’t easy when the husband has an affair and rips a family apart. It isn’t easy when cancer take the life of a loved one. The list of course is endless, to the potential life changing, devastating events that happen to people around the globe every single day. No matter what the event is, at the end of the day, regardless of the pain you feel, if you wake up at the next sunrise, you have survived. I am in no means down playing the hurt, the physical feeling that the emotional can leave behind. I have been in several of those examples I gave, plus others I did not list. I know full well, and good, how hard it is. But, what I do know is the Devil has not taken one thing from me, my salvation. The Devil will lie to you, and tell you all kinds of things about how you’re not good enough, or no one can ever love you now, or you’ll never make it to heaven with the past you have, etc. The Devil cannot steal your joy, and thus, cannot snuff out your light. Does the light go out on some Christians? Sure, it does, but here’s why. Spiritual warfare is an every day battle. If you don’t wear your armor every day, and if you are not in the word of God, allowing Him to renew your spirit, yes, the world can be heavy. If you do not buckle in for the long road, you can be beaten down, stepped on, crushed under the weight of the world. The Devil cannot steal your joy if you guard your heart. Your joy should shine the light of Christ, and it should do so as a survivor. We saved, are promised eternal salvation, a fate we did not earn, one we don’t deserve, but through grace we are saved from the fate we do deserve, death. See, we are survivors, we survive the grave, we survive the eternal death, the damnation promised for those who deny Christ. If we are truly survivors, and have survived the worst outcome of all, why then do we choose to remain labeled as a victim. Never once did Paul call himself a victim of such events. 

2 Corinthians 11:22-31 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my [d]infirmity. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

Never once does Paul complain about his suffering in the name of Jesus, because he knew, as I am trying to tell you, Gods got better plans for you after this life. You can look out your window and see a world on fire, I think we’ve all seen what’s been going on in this world right now. We see a world torn, on fire, divided, famine, storms, but through it all, this broken fallen world, is not the end for us. We must be the beacon on the hill. We must be the light that snuff out the darkness, not the production of the light, but we are the moon to Christ’s sun. If Christ is the light, we must be the reflection of that light in the darkness. We must be the hope people in darkness sees. We must look different and every chance we get tell people why. We must remain lit, not hiding under the bed, not under the basket, but held high. We must not allow our joy to be extinguished. Stay firm in the Armor of God, and get ready for darker days ahead. We are survivors, not victims. We must tell the world, tell everyone, and be a billboard the Truth, Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Jesus saved a wretch like me, deserving nothing, deserving death, but instead through the blood, I am given new life. Those who accept Jesus, repent and put away the old selves, shall have eternal life with God. Survivors. We all have hardships, and yes those hardships leave scars, and like a cast for a broken bone, sometimes we need to get help for the emotional scars also. Remember though, Christ is the ultimate healer, the great physician. 

Do not spend time pitying yourself, stand up, dust off, and rise up with Christ beside you. No matter where you are, shine brightly with the Lord with you, shining, always be the reflection of the Son, who died and rose for you. 

Being Saved, Being Surrendered

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Being Saved, Being Surrendered

A lot of people walk and isle, and pray a prayer. A lot of people will ask, “are you born again?” and to that the next question, “what does that mean?” It isn’t that the statement born again is lost on me, because it isn’t, the question is, what does it mean to you? I have heard a lot of people say a lot of things in the name of Christ. I have heard a lot of people say they are believers, but the fruit they bear is as rotten as it comes. Now, I’m not judging someone’s heart, no that would be folly. It is not my job, nor am I qualified, for the plank still resides within my own eye, to judge the sins of someone else, or for that matter, the justification within someone’s heart. 

I have often wondered how people look at me. Does someone keep mistakes held against me? Does someone look to me with disgust with that common “that’s a Christian?” glare. While I fully admit, and acknowledge I am a sinner, nay, a broken, fallen sinner, who has to ask for the strength to pick myself up every day, and only by the glory and grace, and mercies of God our Father that I am able to do anything, for it is not I that accomplishes anything, but rather Christ in me. It has taken me a long time to come to the realization that I am truly nothing without Christ. Without the Father’s Spirit in me, I am but an empty decaying shell, doomed to suffer for all eternity in the pit of Hell. But I digress from my original point, what does it mean to be Born Again? What does it mean to be saved? If we are saved, and we have allowed Christ into our hearts, that doesn’t stop us from being sinner, no, in fact, what it does, is creates a gut retching, horrible feeling in the pit of our stomach at the thought, at the mere act of performing cosmic treason, against the sovereign of the universe. In layman’s terms, our conscience goes into overdrive and the acts we once enjoyed in our sin nature, becomes repugnant to our sinful psyche. Scripture tells us that when we accept Christ into our lives we are born anew, a new creation. Scripture goes on to tell us that we Christians are judged by the fruit in which we bare. So, there in lays the question, are you baring good and plentiful fruit in the name of Christ? We should all walk with a cautionary tale, a tale that it is in fact not a tale at all, but as real a warning as we could ever receive. Christ himself said, Matthew 7:22 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ Do we bare fruit in so much as we are actually casting out demons in the name of Christ? Walking an isle, going to church, singing in the choir, helping our landlady with her garbage? Even if we are doing these things, what is our motivation for doing such things? Are we doing these things because the fruit of the spirit compels us to do them, or are we doing them for our own rewards, our own accolades? See, the difference between the two is often an addendum to the term being saved, but not just being saved, but being surrendered. We often look at Christ is savior, but we struggle with the Lord part. Many look to Christ as, and it pains me to say this, but it’s the absolute truth, “fire insurance”. It isn’t that simple. If you are looking to Christ as just a way to keep you from the fires of Hell, sadly, and while I’m not expert, but I question if you will actually get the outcome you hope for. 

When we turn to scripture, when we truly dive into it, we start to uncover the mysteries of the Lord, the Abba father who by speaking a word created everything seen and unseen. Every molecule, every star, every atom, every hair on every creature, every embryo, every child conceived, every bit of the cosmos that we can see, and the x number of lightyears of the cosmos we cannot see. God is truly the sovereign of the universe. We must learn to not just read scripture like our favorite fiction novel, but rather, learn to treat scripture like an onion and peel away layer by layer. James 4:7 for instance, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” When we read this, it’s easy to say, ‘sure, I need to submit to God, okay, yeah, I can do that.’ Then when we say, ‘okay, resist the devil,’ sure the Devil is some entity they tell us to scare us. The truth is, we need to read and understand scripture, and to do that we must look deeper then what our eyes can see. When we look at the human form, we see what we call skin, or the epidermis, but when you take the same skin, and look at it under a powerful microscope, the picture is vastly different. So, why then are we so quick to settle on the surface level of scripture? Don’t we want that relationship with God? Don’t we realize that the Bible is our love letter given to us by our Father? Don’t we realize that God has gifted us with a small, almost infinitesimal glimpse of the mystery of the Godhead? The truth is, in 2000 years, we have barely scratched the surface, and in many ways perverted the sanctity of scripture, and yet, for those who truly study, and remove our sinful selves from implanting our own foolish notions, Scripture is so much more than we could ever dream of. When you take the first word in James 4:7 ‘submit’, and you look up the word used in scripture, it’s hypotassō which translated can be subjected to, or to be in subjection of God. We are not just to submit, but to do so mind, body, and soul. We see this in Romans 13:1“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” We cannot be content with Christ being our savior, to keep us from Hell, because without the Lord part, the savior part doesn’t matter. We cannot look to Christ as only one half of what He truly was. 

We must not only ask Christ into our hearts, but we must also bend a knee. We must learn to be of complete service to our Lord. We cannot bare fruit if we say the prayer, ‘Jesus I want you in my life, please come into my heart’, and then on Saturday party and act a fool. It isn’t just, ‘oh darn, I sinned again, but it’s okay, God will forgive me.’ I think 1 John 3:4 sums up what that mindset of a license to sin actually looks like, “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” If we truly believe we are saved and yet have a license to sin, we don’t truly understand or accept the nature of what salvation and submitting to the Lord Jesus looks like. We cannot continue sinning as if nothing changes in our life. If we wash away our old selves, put away our old selves and in its place a new creation is born, then we must also put away our old lives, our old ways, and make a true, and honest effort every day to not sin. We are called to be little Christ, and in that, we must feel the weight of our sins. We must feel the cosmic treason of our sins deep in the pits of our stomachs. Sinning in essence should not feel good. We should feel the guilt of our sins, and look upon true repentance, thus forsaking our old selves, and looking forward to tomorrow, allowing the old self to burn away. We should be like the purification of gold, melting and allowing the impurities to be wiped away, only to go back into the fire once more, to push away more of what we are not, to allow the reflection of Christ to shine through us. Only when we do this can we truly go beyond saying we are saved, and surrendering our lives to Christ. Scripture says often that the writer is a bond servant, Romans 1:1, Paul states that he is a slave, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,” but what does this mean? The Greek word is  doulos, and it means to give up ones self, to “devote to another to the disregard of one’s own interests” (blueletterbible.org). This means to be of complete service, a life of servitude to the Lord, thus being fully submissive, not just being saved, but being saved by our saviors sacrifice, and accepting Him, as Lord over all. For we know that in the beginning was the word, and the word was with Him (God) and the word was God. John 1:1. 

There is no future for us if we do not submit ourselves to believe and understand the one truth that Jesus Christ is both Lord and Savior. No one gets to the Father but through Christ. If we are to understand that, then we must accept the Hard Love, and realize our old selves but be burned away, purified, Justified, Sanctified, and we must strive to be more righteous each and every day. This process takes time, and it is not always easy. In fact, truth be told, the process of being Christ like can be downright painful. But, growing is in its nature, a painful process. It’s something that we know the juice is worth the squeeze. We must remind ourselves every day that the world is darkness, and we are to reflect as the moon does, the light of Christ. We make no light of our own, but in the darkness the moon shines and brightens the path. We are to be the moon in this dark world, living in it, but never becoming a part of it. Go forth, and sin no more, go forth and tell all the world, not of a savior, but of a Lord and Savior.

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.