jesus – Page 12 – The Arrow Preacher

God is Good

September 6, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

God is Good

This seems like such an easy message, but so few truly understand just how impactful it can be, God is good, and God is good all the time. I have been down and from the deepest pits of despair I have know that God is still there. I may not have always been on speaking terms with God for my own selfish, lost reasons, but God as Abba (Father), has never turned His Holy back on me. When we are upset and angry with God it’s us that walks away. We are children who storm off and slam the door to our rooms. I was an angry person for so long I ran from God. We would fight constantly. I felt like I was being taken out to the whipping shed so often I couldn’t sit down anymore. What I couldn’t understand was it wasn’t God, God wasn’t the source of my pain, the Devil was.

It’s easy to feel like you’re alone, but the truth is we are never alone. Romans 8:28 ESV“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We know that no matter what we are going through God is there. Psalm 31:19 ESV“Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!”

Living life with depression isn’t easy. Living life with severe depression can be debilitating. Knowing God is there is sometimes the only hope people have that suffer from depression is trusting God is still there. I’ve spent time laid up in my bed and the only thought that’s gotten me up is knowing that I need to post a blog entry, or homework, or to go to church. Knowing these things are to bring glory to God is often the only thing that gets me moving. I can’t imagine how people who believe in nothing find anything hopeful when things in life don’t go very well. Worse, when people suffer traumas and if not one, or three, or even five traumas later if they believe in nothing, how they manage to keep moving forward is something I will never understand. Psalm 145:9 ESV“The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” Knowing everything the light touches, and everything it doesn’t is all under the mercy of God is such a warm thought. Knowing that everything in my heart is touched by God, and every sorrow I feel Jesus Christ felt and took it for me. Knowing that the love of Jesus Christ is what lights up the darkness. The darkness that covers those with true horrors in their life is lit up by the grace of God.

Sometimes in life when you need to fix something, you have to make a mess before you build it back up and make it pretty. The human heart, and the psyche are sometimes the same way. In trauma therapy you often need to talk about the worst things in your life you you’ve ever experienced, and you talk about it some more, and then some more, and each time it feels like the wounds are fresh, just as painful as the first day it happened. Going over the events, and talking about them, and talking about the emotions in a particular way is how we slowly start to clean up the mess. Knowing that God is there keeping you safe, keeping me safe, has been a comfort. Knowing I am broken to pieces right now, is only a temporary thing because I know that one day God will use me to help others and bring precious glory to His holy name. Trusting in the Lord and that He has plans for me keeps me fighting and moving forward. Even when I don’t think much of myself, I know that the Lord loves me. Jesus Christ died for me, and I know that one day I will leave this broken life behind, and I will go home to where I truly belong, and why, is because God is good all the time. God is Love, God is Grace, God is Joy, and God uses broken things just like me. If God can use a broken man like myself to spread the Gospel, God can use anyone to show others hope and joy, and faith that tomorrow will be better because this life is only temporary. We have work to do in this world, and we can’t let the Devil win. We must hold strong, and never give up. If God never gives up on us, we can’t give up on ourselves either, and we certainly can’t give up on God. We are never alone.

Drive

September 5, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Drive

Sometimes in life when the dogs are hyper, and the stress is mounting, all you can do is go for a relaxing drive. Yesterday, I was sitting on the couch and my oldest dog Riley was restless. After playing with her, and trying to figure out what she wanted, I asked if she wanted to go for a car ride. She went straight for her Service vest and I said okay. Cooper my youngest dog, who doesn’t usually want anything to do with the car decided he also wanted to go, so we got in the car and started to drive. Before too long I decided to drive to the North Carolina, Virginia border, and then decided to go further. In total the ride was about an hour and fifteen minutes. While I was out driving it occurred to me, as long as there wasn’t much traffic it was nice to be out on the road. By time I got back home it turned out to be a nice time out with the dogs.

How often in life do we forget to take a moment for ourselves? I know for me, I need to schedule fun into my life because if I don’t I forget, and the mundane of life creeps along until my weeks or months have finally gotten to me. It’s important for all of us to remember that doing things we enjoy, and taking to recharge is essential. Christ often took time to retreat away from his friends to have quiet meditation, time to rest and spend with God. Luke 5:16(NKJV) 16 “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.”

Christ was leading by example, and the example started in Genesis as we see God resting on that seventh day. It’s important to take time to rest, or even just go for a relaxing drive with the animals. For me, going for a drive with the Dogs was going for a drive with friends. While I was out driving I had time to turn to God. I listened to K-Love, which always plays good Christian music. I was reminded of the scripture in Matthew 11:28-30(NKJV) 28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am [a]gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

In this verse you find a simple thought, come to Christ with everything you have, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, you shall be renewed. Christ took the burden of sin for us, so everything else in comparison is easy. Not saying we don’t suffer in this life, but it’s certainly better then fiery pits of Hell. Take time to recharge your battery once in a while. Take time every day to turn to God with praise, worship, and unloading your burdens. Have that relationship with God because there’s no other relationship that’s more important. We should all remember to find a little rest each and every day.

Nick of Time

September 1, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Nick of Time

How often do we sit in the middle of our trials and we don’t know what God’s waiting for. I know I have sat here and I have begged God to deliver me from the evil. When things don’t go according to my plan I get frustrated. When the storm lasts forever and we just want out we begin to doubt God, and we begin to think negatively of our relationship with god. James 4:14“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” I have watched so many suffer from depression after the loss of a girlfriend, a job, a friend, and think that they will never feel better again. In my life, I have faced days where I have felt like tomorrow wouldn’t come. When we don’t know what tomorrow will bring it can often bring emotions of anxiety, fear, confusion, sadness, and hopelessness.

When I am in the most despair I often find that right when I need it the most God sends exactly what I need, when I need it. We want things done in our time, but we don’t understand the nature of God and God’s timing. 2 Peter 3:8 “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” In the movie Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo is waiting under a tree for the gray old wizard Gandalf to show up. When Gandalf finally shows up, Frodo says,“You’re late!” and Gandalf responds with “A wizard is never late Frodo Baggans, he arrives precisely when he means to!” God is the same way, and when God decides when it’s time we need to be on the look out.

2 Peter 3:9“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” God has made us a promise of the return of Christ, and when that day comes we are told to be ready. But God has also made us another promise, to never leave, nor forsake us. We need to remember that when we are going through hard times the Lord is right there with us. When we need help the Lord will always send it. It may not be in the way we expect, but if we go through life with our own expectations we may miss the blessings God sends to us in our time of need.

If you were Batman and you were fighting a dragon, things may seem dire but just when you need it the most Superman comes to help. Psalm 31:15“My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!” When David was being pursued and hunted, and he prayed for deliverance, he still knew that it would come at God’s appointed time. Faith in the Lord is the first and last place we must turn. There will be a lot of troubles along the way, but God will always give us what we need, when we need it.

Silent Prayer

August 31, 2018 thearrowpreacher2 Comments

Silent Prayer

I sit here in the dark, on my bed, with just the dim lights from my new Lego set and the computer. The sounds of classical music come from the speakers of my laptop. I realized I haven’t really spent much time with God lately. I’ve been so busy worrying about school, and worrying about my other stressors in my life, that I have forgotten to pray. I have been thinking lately of all the trials I’ve gone through, and I realized I cannot do this on my own. I have been hearing the voices telling me I’m not worthy of God’s grace. The voice tells me I’m a failure, and I’ll never amount to anything. I hear the storm is too strong, and I’ll never make it. While I know this is all lies, it’s hard for me to continue being rejected, to continue failing, falling flat on my face, and not feel those negative feelings. So, when you find yourself low, and you don’t know what else to do, prayer is the first place you should go. Prayer is something we need to be doing every day, and according to scripture it’s something we need to do without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-1816 “Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” The first thing we are told is to rejoice, and while sometimes this may seem difficult it’s important to remember that even in our hardships we have an opportunity to praise Jesus because it gives us a chance to show others how Christians ought to behave in times of trouble. We can witness to others even in our own trials and tribulations, if we remember to turn to Christ in even the darkest of days.

One thing we forget to do is pray even when things are going great. We forget to rejoice when the world is peachy keen and everything is going right. We forget to thank God for the blessings we have, and even when it seems like we have so very little, we fail to put some perspective on what we do have. I have been to 3^rdworld countries where I have seen poverty that we can’t fathom here in our country. While we do have homeless, even our homeless eat better then those in other countries. I’ve seen people who don’t eat at all if they don’t work, and many don’t get the chance to work simply because of where they live. I have watched as children have begged for food simply because it may have been days since the last time they had a meal. Even when we feel we have little, to other parts of the world, we are rich.

So in my time here in the dark, I find myself struggling between the flesh and the spirit. Romans 7:21-25 21 “I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” As Paul explains there is a war going on inside him. The war of the laws of Sin, and his desire to do good battle with one another. As I struggle with the feelings I have, knowing that God’s grace is sufficient for me, it’s hard to stay positive. Even knowing what Jesus has done for me, the struggle is still strong. Sometimes, I feel like I’m not a ‘good’ Christian because I have such negative feelings about myself. Sometimes when I feel low, I feel like I’ve done something wrong, and I’m not where I should be in my faith. But then, once again I realize that those are all the lies from Lucifer himself trying to bring me down, to raise doubts, and to do harm in my relationship with God.

David himself struggled a great deal with doubts, with depression, with hardships, and even in the very end he was considered a man after God’s own heart. This is a man who faltered a great deal, and by all mortal accounts was an awful man. While we would deem his actions and behavior deplorable and knowing those types of things would not happen today and have anyone get away with them, he repented of his sins. He did however suffer the consequences of his actions. We must remember to pray and in our prayers follow the standard Christ gave to us.

Matthew 6:9-13

9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

[a]For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Many people believe that these are the words to pray, but that’s not what Christ said, He said “IN THIS MANNER” so he was merely citing an example of how to pray. Addressing who you are praying to. Then he brings glory to the one whom you pray to. He’s then saying, whatever your will is, I will accept because you are great, and I am not. He offers thanks for the needs we have that are met by the Lord. Then he asks for forgiveness for the wrongs we’ve done, and in turn offers forgiveness to those whom we have wronged. He asks for the strength to avoid the temptations of the flesh, of sin, and to rise above the powers of Satan in this fallen world. He ends with acknowledging the power of God, in Heaven, on Earth, and the glory of God. Within that template you can ask God for the desire of your soul. You can bring your prayer requests for those you feel the need to pray for. God wants to have a conversation with you, and hopes you will come to the Father with all the troubles, and desires of your heart. So when we sit in the dark, in our quite place away from the world, away from technology, and when we can actually hear ourselves think, we need to remember what’s important, and what is right with our relationship with the Lord. Don’t give up and don’t despair in the dark days, today, or tomorrow.

Junk

August 30, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Junk

I was going through my emails recently, and frustrations as always, as my inbox was filled with loads of junk mail, sadly the junk box missed. I was thinking about what someone told me about my blogs being helpful to others. While I appreciated the compliment of course, I found myself concerned about the millions around the world who are seeking truth, seeking knowledge in their salvation through Christ, and the wolves circle. I think about all those so called preachers out there who pervert the gospel in order to gain power, to gain wealth, all under the disguise of the Word of God. It’s a scary thought when you think of how many people have been led astray by such junk.

Recently in the news there was an article about one of the top ‘prosperity’ preachers out there, and he was saying his congregation needed to buy him a new jet because Jesus would want him to have more then one. When I think about the kind of cost of that airplane, and then those who are in desperate need of food, medicine, shelter, and who’ve never heard the name Jesus Christ, I am ashamed to consider those types of pastors Christians. They have preyed on people’s fears, their desires for hope, and instead of finding truth, they are met with lies. Sadly thousands have fallen victim to that kind of prosperity gospel and undoing that kind of damage is extremely difficult.

I wish I could say prosperity gospel is the only enemy out there disguised as truth, but it’s not. Churches like the Westboro Baptist church that have perverted the word even more then prosperity seem to have no shortage of followers. While that’s an extreme example of the lies being spread from a pulpit, there are churches all around the world telling lies and leading people down the wrong path. There are a growing number of churches teaching false doctrine and largely a Jesus plus one ideology. It’s being taught that you need Jesus, but you also need this ‘other’ thing. I’ve heard so many different examples ranging from women having to wear dresses to church to men always having to wear a collard shirt to church. I’ve heard churches talk about how you need to do so many works to be ‘right’ with God, and the list goes on and on in churches all over the world. Lastly the claim that the only true Bible is the King James Version. This is beyond far from true. First of all, the KJV has been revised several times. Second the KJV isn’t written in other languages. If we were to try to read the original KJV we would be unable to because that form of English isn’t spoken any longer. There are translations out there that aren’t very good, but to say there is only one Bible you should read from is simply not true. On that note no matter what Bible you choose to read from you should ALWAYS do your own homework as to the language the bible was written in, Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. This can be done on websites such as Blueletterbible.com

Here’s the message in a nutshell, there is no amount of works that will save you, or make you right before the eyes of the Lord. There is no way for you to beg, borrow, steal, or barter your way into Heaven. The only way is Jesus Christ. John 14:6 6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Our works are but dirty rags before the Lord. When you are following Christ you will want to do more, you will want to volunteer, and help others, and your heart will turn to a giving heart, and the ways of the world might affect you differently after you submit to Christ. We will be rewarded in heaven for what we do, but that’s not the way into Heaven. Put your faith in Christ and be sure to verify what you read, and what you hear that sounds like it’s the Word of God. Do not be sheep led to the slaughter. You are the master of your own ship; led by Christ, so don’t let someone else lead you off course. Always check your heading with the Lord and make sure you continue to shoot that azimuth often.

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It’s a wonderful thing to be able to share the blessings and teachings of Christ with all of you. For those who read my works in Christ, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Recently I came across an amazing home business based in Travel and Entertainment that’s the real deal. The savings found through this business are amazing. If you shop online, like to go to movies, or travel, this gift card for you can save you up to 50%. Please enjoy your gift as a symbol of my appreciation and gratitude. God Bless.

Patience, What’s That

August 23, 2018August 23, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Patience, What’s That?

To me it seems like Christmas morning, even though Christmas isn’t for another 124 days. For me one of the most exciting days a year is when I bring home a new Lego set. Until now, I’ve never done a project as big as the one I’m about to embark on, and I’ve never ordered such a set online either. All day I’ve been watching the window for the FedEx truck, and as the day turns to evening I find my patients is slowly waning. The problem with patience is it’s supposed to be more resilient then what I’ve been displaying today. How often do we pray for something from God, and then after a few days, maybe even a few weeks, and when we don’t get what we’ve asked for, we get frustrated with God? Be honest, I think we’ve all been there. We are a fast food, fast passed kind of people, and we expect God to be able to keep up with our life style. Once in a while we need a swift kick in the you know where, to be reminded of what God’s love and grace truly are.

Genesis 29:20“So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.”We’ll start with this one because it touches home for me. One area my patience isn’t as solid as I’d like, or that I even put much effort into is waiting for God to send me a lovely lady. Of course I realize it’s God’s time, and it’s about what’s best for me, but when it comes to desires of the heart, it’s hard to maintain a positive attitude. I find patience is a subjective thing. As I have recently started a sizable Lego project many people have told me they would not have the patience for such a project. I find that strange because for me I don’t feel it’s about patience, I find it relaxing. An issue with patience for me aside waiting for that particular Lego set to arrive, is traffic. I have a big, huge problem with waiting in traffic. Some of that of course is the PTSD related to Iraq. The thing about patience is it comes differently for everyone. We all have our strengths, and we all have our weaknesses. It’s in those weaknesses we reach for the Father, and we are given the strength to push through. Romans 8:25-26“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

Be sure whatever you’re waiting for, it doesn’t replace God in your life. My Lego set I had been waiting for, for days arrived five minutes prior for me to leave for church. I had waited all day, and when it did arrive I found I was more disappointed. I was barely able to take it out of the shipping box to see it with my own eyes before I had to set it aside and leave for church. Comments were made at church about how appreciated it was that I was there considering the circumstances. (Everyone knows about my love of Lego) This was God’s way of validating my decision to set aside myself for church. That time of worship is important. For me when I sit in traffic, I find (only recently) that’s a good time to have a chat with God. Whatever you find yourself having trouble with go to God with those struggles. Every situation we find ourselves in is an opportunity to praise Jesus and take away a personal lesson, or to spiritually grow. Life isn’t about staying away from situations you don’t like, it’s about being able to deal with them in a Godly way. I could sit in traffic, and I could honk my horn, and swear up a storm, but when people look at me, I wouldn’t be setting a good Christian example. What kind of example are you setting for those around you? People look to you as a Christian, and by the way you represent yourself when things are great, and when things aren’t, people believe how you act is the example for Christians themselves. It’s not an easy thing having that kind of responsibility, but that’s part of carrying your cross. Take a breath, and handle whatever it is you’re dealing with, with grace.

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Take The Compliment!

August 12, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Take The Compliment!

What is it with our society that accepting compliments has become so difficult? I’ve been putting a lot of thought into this as I have recently begun getting more compliments then I’m used to. There are two areas in my life in which I get compliments, writing my blog, and my photography. I think sometimes compliments come infrequently and sometimes we put our expectations to treat the flesh rather then trying to please God. When we put our focus on why we do things for the pleasure of bring glory to God, we can take the edge off. For many months I hoped my blog traffic would increase and it would become popular. I placed my value on how good my blog was by how many people viewed each day. Even now, I get very few comments, and some days I struggle with not achieving the goals I had set for myself.

My photography is something of an interesting position for me. While I take a ton of photos and post them since I don’t get much feedback about them, I usually assume they are average or below. Because of these things I have often questioned both my writing and photography and in that, I lost focus about what was important. Bringing glory to God and talking about God word wasn’t my inside priority, and when I lost sight of that, I questioned myself, and what I was doing. I began to think of quitting, and in that time I struggled a great deal.

My blog posts now reach almost 600 entries and when I receive a compliment I don’t really know how to react. I have realized lately that I don’t take compliments well. I spent so much time being told I was worthless, that I wasn’t good enough, that I’d never be special. I’ve spent time rejecting compliments with my heart while accepting them with a smile. I can’t say I’m proud of this, but after years and years of negative reinforcement it’s hard to reprogram the mind. Proverbs 15:13“13 A merry heart makes a cheerful [a]countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” It’s clear I must change my heart, and focus on the glory to God instead of the glory of myself.

I often hear people scoff at the idea of a compliment. I know I’m not alone in this aspect, but I say to all those out there it’s important to realize that God loves you, and as such, you’re important. You are royalty and heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven and you can’t place your self worth in the hands of fallible people. People will always be cruel, and selfish, but on the occasion you encounter someone who’s willing to compliment you, give you something wonderful as a compliment, humble yourself and accept it.

Remember it’s important to give compliments as well. It’s important to show others how much you care, and that you appreciate them. Romans 15:2“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” Be kind, and gentle. Lift up others, and show them the love of God. Show them love because we are commanded to do so. Dream big and don’t let anyone stifle your dreams. Love yourself, and allow yourself to let others show you kindness. This is hard for some, as I know because it’s hard for me, but it’s important to put negative feelings away and trust what’s being told to you is true. Today I decided to share some of my photography I find most appealing. I hope you all enjoy.

Hold On

July 16, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Hold On:

In the course of our lives we will go through a mound of trials, one more intense then the next, but what are we really doing with those experiences. My personal experiences have left scars and those scars have been an irritant for many years. I’ve struggled most of my life with low self esteem, and that’s had a major impact on my adult life. When we go through painful events if we don’t have a strong foundation those events can start to pile up and leave us feeling self-conscious, bitter, and sometimes resentful. I know for me, I have argued with God on many nights why would He allow me to go through so much. I have often asked what I had done to deserve so many tragedies. I have been angry with God for so many people abandoning me. The thing is though, had I been more mature in my faith I would have understood the true nature of being a Christian. I would have understood that God loves us, but He is first and foremost our father. He disciplines us when we are bad, and allows us to make our own decisions, good or bad. He cries when we cry, and laughs when we laugh. Jesus Christ is always with us whether it be the green meadow, or the valley of death, the Lord is always by our side. Somewhere I lost sight of that, and begun to self-pity. I failed to realize that we are the metal, and life is the forge. We have the ability to face life with a smile on our face, or we can let life beat us down and take away our joy.

Scripture is full of promise concerning living life. We are told that life will not be easy. We are told that to be a Christian is to suffer. We are warned that we will face trials, and persecution for our faith. 1 Corinthians 4:8-9 8 “[We are] troubled on every side, yet not distressed; [we are] perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;” If we build our faith on good soil, allow Jesus Christ to fill our hearts and let it take root, we will have good fruits for our labor. We will not wither under the hot sun. When we allow Christ to be our foundation we can build our lives on that, and when the storm comes we will not loose everything. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”Do not become angry with God for the sins of man. Do not become bitter with God for the trials we face simply makes us stronger. In every situation both good and bad draw closer to God. Give thanks for the good times and the bad. Pray for God every day and every night and in all things bring glory to the father. 1 Peter 5:10 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you].” We know that we are ambassadors for Christ, and to be an ambassador that means we are not on our homeland, but in a foreign land. We are not home in this world, but just passing through. That knowledge, that viewpoint allows us to grasp the true nature of this life, and understand it’s purpose. We are lowly servants to the Lord and we deserve nothing, but through grace and love we are saved. We have been shown mercy and in that mercy and love comes a cost, the cross. Christ suffered in this world for us, and for the gift of salvation the price we pay is a little suffering on our path. 1 Peter 4:12-13“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”

Though we face the fiery trials we are not alone. We are the church and we must stand together and help one another bare burdens. We must lean on one another in our times of need. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” Christ tells us we will suffer, and he was telling all people who follow him what the future would hold. This is prophecy, and we should take heed to it. John 16:33“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”Heaven has never been free. While the price was paid in blood, it is us that must understand that Christ is the only way. Loving Christ and having faith that he is our one and only savior is how we get that golden ticket. We are tested in this world, tested if our faith is strong. We are forged in the fires and when our time comes, we will be strong, courageous, and faithful to our Lord.

Just know that following Christ was never promised to be easy. Just when you think things are going well, and you’re on a winning streak a pipe burst under the house and floods the crawl space. The Devil doesn’t want us to be happy and He wants us to turn on God and walk away. So keep the faith, deal with one problem at a time, and keep pushing forward.

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It’s Not The End, Just Different

July 10, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

It’s Not The End, Just Different:

Nothing lasts forever. This life is a fleeting moment in the totality of the universe. Sometimes in life we have a hard time with change. We can have a difficult time letting go of the past. I know for me, I have struggled in the past with relationships when they end. I have a hard time understanding why it ended. I don’t understand the human emotion that causes people to walk away from something that seemed good. I have a hard time understanding how someone’s feelings can change without negative interaction. I have a hard time understanding how the heart can change and people who were once beautiful, kind, and caring, can turn so cruel. The change comes when sin takes hold, and the fight against it goes south. The attacks of the Devil can over time wear you down and if you’re not careful you can succumb to the enemy.

When the river changes are you going to be prepared to face those changes? Are you prepared to deal with the storms when they come? My whole life I thought I could handle anything that came my way, and one afternoon I was caught of guard and when I wasn’t looking I stepped into the fist of Satan and fell to the mat. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get back up. After more then two weeks in the hospital, I emerged with a new drive, a new direction, and rebuilding the foundation that cracked beneath my feet. God was changing my direction, and I felt like my world was ending. The thing about life is sometimes it’s truly about perspective. Had I looked at my life and saw it from a different point of view, it’s likely I would not have been in a worse situation from the one I started out on.

Realizing the end was there I panicked and my life spun out of control. When it seems like everything is upside down, and the hurricane is all around you, you have to remain calm, and focus on God. Had I taken some time I could have seen it wasn’t the end, but the beginning of a new chance to fix what I didn’t like about my life, and push forward. That’s not what happened for me, but now going on two years later, I can look back and realize everything I went through was growing pains. We can either choose to be destroyed by life, or we can rise above. We can choose to be hit by the lemons, or we can make lemonade. We can allow Satan to destroy us, or we can command Satan to flee before the name of Christ. We have the opportunity to learn, and to grow each and every minute we’re in this life. Yes, there will be horrible things, and things will often be painful, but consider how much you’ll be able to grow and change. No one likes pain, and no one wants to endure hardships, and while some will go through more, understand that in every situation both good and bad God is still in control and working things out. Our part in the matter is so small, yet we have the power to do great things, or screw up our lives royally. I’ve seen people destroy everything they had worked for and was forced to start from scratch in their lives.

Don’t look at life as what you’ve lost, instead look at it as what you have the potential to gain. Instead of me looking at what I was loosing, I could have instead taken the position that it wasn’t my doing, or my choice. I could have looked upon my life as a season of change, and taken that to move forward in my life in a healthy positive direction. I could have thought I am stronger, and I am capable of finding someone who better suits my personality. Sadly, I did none of these things, and I didn’t turn to God in my hour of need.

Scripture tells us to do two things in times of struggles. First, we must turn to God and pray for guidance and peace, and direction. Second we must turn to our brothers and sisters so we may seek Godly counsel for wisdom and guidance. Both of these things are important, and needed to ensure the compass continues to point North. It’s so easy for the Devil to get into our heads and pull us just a degree off course ever so slightly. Eventually we will find ourselves headed for a waterfall, our engines are broken, and we can’t steer. The Devil will laugh as we tumble over the edge and he’ll watch as we smash into the rocks at the bottom. The Devil delights in watching others suffer and if I had to describe the Devil in human form, he’s the guy sitting in a Corinthian leather lazy boy, sipping on a Martini, smoking a cigar, watching lives being destroyed on a thousand TV’s at once. Don’t give the Devil the satisfaction of good entertainment. Stand firm in your Christian convictions, and repel the attacks coming your way.

We change as we grow, and change is either good or bad, but one thing is certain, we have a say in how we change. Trauma’s and tragedy will come, but those who’s faith is cemented in Christ will withstand the storms far better then those with no hope. No one’s perfect and we’re all going to fall and fail, but making the choice to get up, change course, and keep pushing forward is all we can really do. God will guide us if we let Him. If we give up our selves, and trust God the journey will go much smoother. We will still hit the storms, but they won’t seem so scary anymore. While I was scared to change the way my Blog is posted, going from everyday to part time, I have found it difficult to take my fingers off the keyboard and make that change permanent. I know one day the time will be right for me to skip a day, or take time off, but as for right now, that’s not today. We can’t worry to much about tomorrow, instead focus on the here and now, focus on today, and focus on how you can glorify God in this moment.

http://www.travelrewardsus.com

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Okay I Lied

July 2, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Okay I Lied:

When I woke up this morning, slightly groggy, I rubbed my eyes and swung my legs over the bed thinking to myself, ‘okay time to publish today’s post.’ That’s when I realized I didn’t have one, and I didn’t really know what to do with myself. As I went throughout the day, the nagging sensation to write and post stayed with me. I was thinking about a new tattoo I want, and while I was thinking about that I was thinking of peoples moral compass. I’ve seen people justify so many horrible things and somehow felt okay with those decisions. Recently I was asked by someone (mind you I told them my advice would be based on scripture only) out of two men, which do I think she should focus on. One man was married with kids, the other had kids, and both worked with that individual. Obviously scripture tells you not to mess around in someone else’s playground. It truly has astounded me over the years how people justify bad behavior. I knew someone one time who would sleep with married men and never bat an eyelash. The though process was they weren’t the ones cheating, and the married guy was the one making the choice. They truly didn’t feel it was wrong to be an accomplice to cheating. Which way is North on your compass? Which way do you follow along your path? I’ve seen people’s compasses broken and spin every which way, and I’ve seen people’s compasses point almost North, but just a shy bit off. The thing is though, no matter how far off of Jesus you are, if you aren’t right there, then you mine as well not be there at all.

Christians who are cold, or luke warm Christians are not really where they should be. When you look at Christians today and they are in all manner of trouble can we truly call ourselves Christians when we don’t act like, or behave like Christ would have? If our compass doesn’t point North to Christ then we are lost just the same. If you’re in the military and you shoot an azimuth and you’re off by even a degree, it can place you miles off course. In the military we are taught to check and recheck your azimuth every couple hundred meters. We shoot a course and then pick an object within view we can walk to on our path, and then when we get there, shoot again. This is no different then life. We shoot a course of Christ, and when choices come up in our life, we should be checking our Jesus Compass, and making sure we’re still on the right path. This is for decisions big and small. It’s even more so when you’re talking about making a choice that’s in active sin. When we walk with Christ we are ambassadors of Christ, and we need to make sure we live up to the name of Christian. If we expect the world to change and be a world of loving and caring people under the blood of Christ, we must first be the loving and caring church. We must show a good representation of what it is to be Christ like, but we can’t do that if our compass doesn’t point to the Cross.

Check your compass people, and figure out where you stand, because if you’re not walking towards the Lord, you’re walking into Hell. Many will stand before the Lord crying out Lord Lord, and in reply, the Lord will say, ‘I do not know you.’ This isn’t meant to be harsh, but Heaven cannot have imperfection, and those who have chosen to follow their broken compass have chosen to gamble with their final destination. Set your course and check it often. Ask yourself in each decision if that decision still points you to Christ. If you’re compass is broken, I suggest you dive into scripture, talk to a pastor or priest, find Godly counsel amongst your friends, and fix your life. Don’t let the Devil’s temptations lure you off course. Like the sirens in the Odyssey, their sound is beautiful, majestic, magical, enticing, perfect to the ears, but the reality is it lures you off course and you crash into the rocks and join the thousands who’ve perished. Follow the voice of truth, and find your True North. Stand tall on your faith, and trust in Scripture to guide you home. As my days move forward I ask God, “Please God let me write just one more.”

http://www.travelrewardsus.com

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