Tag: jesus

The 11Th Commandment

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The 11Th Commandment: 

Now, I know what you’re saying, but Preacher there’s only 10 commandments, and you would be absolutely correct. There are only 10, but as one of my mentors would say, “Always remember the 11thcommandment. Thou shalt not misquote the pastor.” (Rev. Glen Newsome, Jr M.A.C.S) It’s unbelievable how often a pastor will get up in the pulpit and give an amazing sermon, but there’s always one that hears a different message then the one preached. “One of the most disappointing things for a pastor is realizing people heard a message he did not even preach, which often happens when people hear what they want to hear and wrap the preacher’s words around those things they desire to justify rather than what the spirit has spoken through His messenger” (Dr. M David Chambers, senior Pastor Antioch Baptist Church) I have found in my studies of sermon’s, in my studies teaching, one thing you have to do is repeat your intent in the lesson multiple times. You have to make your message concise and clear, and leave no room for interpretation of your message. The Gospel has sadly been misused and misquoted for centuries. The idea that people have used the Word of the Lord to further their own agenda and play on the fears, and the hope of others for their eternal salvation is sickening. Not too long ago I was listening to a sermon and during the sermon I was writing notes as I usually do. What I heard in the verse we were studying is not at all what that verse meant. As I wrote and wrote I had a full page before I realized how I was wrong, and re-reading the scripture I then sank as I found all that work was for nothing. I didn’t hear what the preacher had said and thankfully I figured out that I was wrong before I went forward and used parts of that message in a blog of my own. Don’t twist other people’s words to bend to your own will. Don’t use scripture to further your own agenda because I promise you, God does not like when people pervert the Word. If you want an example from scripture to what perverting the word looks like, take a look at the ENTIRE New Testament and see how corrupt the Sanhedrin had become. These were top priests, men of God of the Jewish faith who had made the laws of Judaism work for them by adding a new law every so often. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees time and again throughout his ministry. And before I move on, I wanted to point out one small thing without going to into detail, all those prosperity sermons that say, if you give x amount of dollars God will bless you, but if you don’t you aren’t going to get as much of a blessing. This is complete and total garbage from the pit of Hell. There is no Jesus plus one. You need Jesus to be saved, that’s it. There is no extra. You follow Jesus, you walk as close to Jesus as you can in this life, and you study the word day and night and allow it to be engrained in your heart, so when the day comes the Devil tempts you, you can withstand the fiery darts from Hell. The world will tempt you, and lie to you, and say things to you to sway your attention. We as Christians must live in the world, and yet apart at the same time. It’s our job to be evangelists and spread the Gospel to all whom we can, and in doing so, we must learn to spread the TRUTH! Not a sugar coated truth, or a watered down truth, but the HOLY TRUTH, truth that would live up to being scrutinized by scripture. That being said your only truth is that which comes straight from scripture, and only from scripture.

What’s one way you can evangelize, spread the gospel, and know that what you’re saying is true? First things first, study the bible. Pick a book at the beginning, and read. When you’re done, reread that book a second time, and a third time. Find words you don’t know what they mean. Read study bibles so you can get an idea of what the author of the book was trying to reveal. Study the original meaning of the words in Hebrew or Greek. The English language does the Bible poor justice as we often find our words aren’t as eloquent as the original text. We must learn to see what the words mean and thus understand the true nature of the text. I will give one example, simply because this text has been taken out of context, misunderstood, and used against me as a former soldier in the US Army and as it would be, a combat veteran. I was told I was going to Hell because as a soldier I’ve killed people. First, just because I was a combat soldier in Iraq doesn’t mean I killed anyone. (Not saying I did, or didn’t) Second, to assume someone killed another is bad enough, but to actually tell someone that they are going to Hell because of it. So that being said lets take a look at scripture.

Exodus 20 King James Version (KJV)

20 And God spake all these words, saying,

2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

13 Thou shalt not kill.

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15 Thou shalt not steal.

16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

22 And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

Highlighted are the 10 commandments. Notice there is the 10, but there’s also more in the instructions. Also, and while we will only look at one of the 10, I encourage you to use this to start your exploration into legitimate bible study of your own. The word in Hebrew for kill #13 is râtsachwhich means “slayer, murderer, kill, murder, slain, manslayer, killing, slayer, slayeth, death”(Blue Letter Bible) When you dig a little deeper the usage was common to be used with premeditation, cold-blooded murder, assassinations. So when put into context, we know that God has divine rule over all, and we see that in some cases war was necessary because of the sinful ways of man, but the word Kill in English is one word. Hebrew has 12 words for Kill in the OT, and in the Greek of the NT, 7 words that mean kill. With so many different variations, the English language simply doesn’t do the scripture true justice. It’s important that in your study you use websites like Blueletterbible.com and study bibles to broaden your understanding of scripture. It’s up to you to listen without a predetermined heart to what the message is saying. Don’t just hear the words spoken, but listen to the message. Hear the word of God and trust in it, but always verify. Don’t just take a pastors word for it, don’t just take a Sunday school teacher’s word for it, trust by verify.

John 4:7-9“7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.” What exactly does this verse say? We look at the script earlier and it says either noon, or 6 in the evening. Which during that time period in 6 was noon. But you wouldn’t know how time was recorded unless you look at the history. Second is a woman from Samaria. Women at the time were not allowed to be out of their homes alone. Third is Jewish descendants’ were not supposed to have any dealings with the impure blood of any Samaritan. Talking with a Samaritan was simply not acceptable. As we look at the scripture surrounding this passage, we must both put this passage into context with surrounding verses, but also it’s important to understand the history behind it. You cannot expect to understand scripture if you pull verses just because they sound good. You must understand the author, the environment, the scene as it were, to fully understand what scripture is saying.

Do not misquote the pastors, and do not take away a different message then the one preached. Do not use scripture for your own personal gain by picking passages, pulling them out of context just to fit your own narrative. Be a responsible Christian and study like we are commanded to do so. We are responsible for our own actions and if you find yourself in a situation and your response was ‘The pastor said it was okay.’ Is not going to get you very far. Be mature in your faith. Going to church every day does not make you mature in your faith. Listening to sermons on your phone once in a while doesn’t make you mature in your faith. We must study and commend the word into our hearts. Do not be the one to violate the 11thcommandment. I daresay when you misquote the pastor, you are essentially baring false witness, or testimony of what the pastor had said. The Hebrew for witness in this verse used is ed, and means “עֵד ʻêd, ayd; contracted from H5749; concretely, a witness; abstractly, testimony; specifically, a recorder, i.e. prince:—witness.” (Blue Letter Bible) You are responsible for what you say, and thus if you cannot listen and take away the message being preached, then you are not listening with an open mind and heart. Don’t make your pastor’s job harder then it already is. Don’t force them to put out a fire you started just because you weren’t listening. Have some respect for not only them, but yourself also. Speak on things in which you have authority, and leave the rest alone.

 

They Did WHAT On The Roof?

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They Did WHAT On The Roof?

Have you ever been given advice and without a moment to think about it, you decided it was a great idea? Well, as far as bad ideas go, rooftop orgies are probably not the greatest ideas you could have. Oh yes, we’re going to be talking about sex and spies, and lies, and wickedness of the heart in today’s post. We’ve been discussing the impact of choices, and how the outcome will be a result of what you’ve put in. Reaping and sewing your crop, sort of speak. 2 Samuel 16:15-23 (NIV) “15 Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16 Then Hushai the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” 17 Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?” 18 Hushai said to Absalom, “No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and I will remain with him. 19 Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.” 20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?” 21 Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 Now in those days the advice Ahithophelgave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.” As far as bad ideas goes, when a man tells another man in power, ‘hey, lets go have a giant orgy on the roof,’ well, I think it’s pretty easy to see where Absolom went wrong. Now, lets look at who Ahithophel is, he is the Grandfather of Bathsheba. That’s right folks, the woman that David raped and then had her husband killed to hide his own sin. Sin is never just a consequence we face, but if we aren’t careful generations after us. I will say this, it’s never a good idea to go outside the with of God when it comes to sex. We all sin, and while I’m not going condemn anyone for having premarital sex, or any other sexual exploits, what I will say is, it’s still sin, and while it’s on equal footing as any other sin, we must still realize those choices are living in sin. While we as people might say a rooftop orgy with your fathers mistresses is just plain wrong, and we’d deem that worse then a monogamous partner engaged in premarital sex, they are actually on the same level. Sin, is now, it was, and always shall be, equal at the foot of the cross.

I want to ask everyone a question. When you’re at a crossroads do you do what’s good, or what’s God? Let me explain what I mean. We often make decisions about what’s good for us, or what we feel good about. How often do we make choices based on what scripture tells us is the right way to go? What’s even worse is when we get advice from others and their advice leads us down a sinful path. To add one more level to the horrible nature of such a path that Absolom took was, Ahithophel’s advice was based on revenge, thus tainting the decision even further. This motive was based on revenge not justice. In the movie Batman: Son of Batman (Spoilers Ahead), we see a small Damian Wayne taken from a broken League of Assassins and placed with his father Bruce Wayne AKA Batman for protection. Batman decides to try and teach discipline to his son whom he had just learned existed. His entire life Damian was taught that there is no mercy towards the wicked. Damian was taught that vengeance was the same as justice. “You don’t seek justice. You seek vengeance. They’re not the same.” (Son of Batman) Vengeance is about making yourself feel better, while Justice is about seeking harmony. When you allow your decisions to be made through negative emotions bad things are sure to follow. Even some positive emotional decision can be sinful, so in all things we need to be turning to God and ‘ask does “_____” please God?’

When you get to a crossroads in your life do you have a process you go through to determine what choices you may have, and narrow down which choice would be the most pleasing to God? It’s important and scripture that we surround ourselves with good Godly people to help us with big decisions in our life. It’s also important that those friends, that counsel will tell you the truth not what you want to hear. You must also be willing to listen to that advice without getting upset by it. It’s not always easy listening to advice telling you to do the opposite of what you want, but God puts people in our life for a reason, and at the same token the Devil will put people in our life also to tempt us in Sin. We must be able to discern the difference. Also, don’t be the type of person people are afraid of to be honest with you.

The problem with powerful people is when the advice comes from someone with significant pull among the people. Ahithophel’s advice was on equal footing as scripture. When he spoke people listened assuming his advice would be from God. The lesson to take away from this is even people who were once Godly people fall. We are all human, and as scripture points out, Psalm 146:3 “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.”  There’s a line in The Dark Knight “You Either Die A Hero, Or You Live Long Enough To See Yourself Become The Villain” I think the big take away from this line is even good people, great people will fall and fail sometimes. It’s not possible for us to make the right decision every day, all day. We are sinful people, driven by sin nature, and we will make mistakes. If we expect perfection from others, we are the ones who will be let down. Psalm 118:8 “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.” Jesus Christ in the refuge we must seek. Scripture is the best guide we could ever ask for. While we may need help with our path, by seeking other Godly people to help us work through the facts of our life and working through scripture to seek our answers.

It’s not easy sometimes walking the righteous path, but it’s always what’s right. Whenever you get the advice to do something you know is wrong, follow Romans 12:21“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Sin is evil, and it’s not just murder, or adultery, or lying, or stealing, sin is everywhere. We must grow beyond and trust that the road in Christ will be turbulent, it will be painful at times, but the road to be super isn’t without it’s challenges. We are royalty in our Lord and Saviors blood. We are heirs to heaven and therefore we need to be better with how we live our life. No one is responsible for our actions no matter the advice we take from others. We will always be responsible for ourselves. One last point I’d like to make about following the advice given from ungodly sources is those in positions where they take orders from other people. In the months proceeding the end of WWII countless soldiers from the lowest rank all the way up to the generals claimed they were ‘just following orders.” Following the orders of someone above you to do things that are illegal, or immoral, never excuses you for your actions. We are our own men and women and we will always be responsible for only ourselves. When you find yourself at the foot of the cross no matter of excuses, or blame elsewhere will ever make you right with God. We will all answer for our sins, every last one of them, and if we think passing the buck is going to win you any favor with our Lord and Savior, you are completely wrong. I envision someone kneeling at the foot of the cross trying to enter Heaven and giving a good story to the Lord about why they aren’t responsible. Across from them is Jesus and he replies “Impressive. Every word in that sentence was wrong.” (Luke Skywalker)

 

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The Path We Follow

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The Path We Follow

The path we follow is a winding road.

The twist and turns how far will it go?

There’s no doubt, we reap what we sew.

The path is long, and sometimes narrow.

Sometimes it’s joy, sometimes sorrow.

Sometimes we walk by the peaceful streams.

Other times the valley where it’s only screams.

My God my God protect over me.

All you out there listen and you’ll see.

There’s no fairy, or magic genie, which whom I pray.

My God is King, with evidence strong, I could argue all day.

 

I’ve run the race, so long and true.

It makes me strong, but worried about you.

I sit and pray, with a mighty fright.

You don’t believe, but what if I’m right?

You walk your way, and you turn your back.

What must I do to get you on track?

I pray to God with fervent might.

So one day, you may look on with glorious sight.

So far you’ve gone, you can turn around.

No longer are you chained and bound.

God is true, with love surround, no sin to big that cause a fall, blood shed for you, to all stand tall.

Introspective

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Introspective:

Some people say the eyes are the mirrors to the soul. Regardless if this is true or not, we need to sometimes be willing to take a long, deep hard look into ourselves. Introspection:“the examination or observation of one’s own mental and emotional processes.”Look within, and ask who are you? Is God in your heart? Are we a hero out in the world making a difference? One of my heroes Green Arrow, had a conversation with a new hero the flash. “You can inspire like I never could.” What does it take to be a hero? We have high expectations in our country to fit the term hero, but really, a hero is anyone willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Sacrifice for others, and to serve. Jesus Christ is the world’s greatest superhero. Jesus Christ showed us what it means to be a true hero. He showed us what it was to truly love, to truly give, to truly sacrifice. We must be better then we are, we must stand apart from the world by living differently. We must live our life as a hero so we inspire at least someone to live their life differently. Proverbs 24:10-12“10 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. 11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. 12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?” There is no greater calling then to be a fisher of men. There is no greater gift then the gift of showing someone salvation of their eternal soul. We who live with Christ in our hearts must stand tall, stand firm, and walk through the storms tall and strong. We must walk in our witness every day. We can be the difference in someone’s life if we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us. We must be able to look inside ourselves however and evaluate if we are truly doing God’s work or our own. We must do this regularly, not just once a year at a special church service.

You don’t have to do big grandiose things to be famous in your father’s eyes. We shall not underestimate ourselves when God is concerned.Judges 6:12-15“12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” 13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” 15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” A mighty warrior Gideon was called. A hero before God. God doesn’t need to explain Himself why he chooses someone over another. David a small squire chosen to be King and led to slay a giant with nothing but a stone. He became a hero for Israel, and would be for generations to come.

In this fallen world there are so many who are dying spiritually. When we look inside, we must ask ourselves if we are saving in faith? Are we making a difference in those around us? Are we rising up to be soldiers for the Lord in this war? We cannot stand by and do nothing as we watch hatred, and sin destroy lives. Jude 23“23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment[a] stained by the flesh.” We don’t have to be the wisest, the strongest, or the biggest to make a change in someone’s life. We only need to look in the mirror and see that we have the power of God with us always, and when we become servants of God we can see the old self left behind, and it will be good. We may be small, but we may have a big impact on this world. We don’t need to run into burning buildings, or be a doctor, or fight crime to be a hero. Proverbs 3:27“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,[a] when it is in your power to do it.” Anyone can lift up and inspire others. Anyone who can make a difference is told to be that difference. We are told to be good for those in need, and as long as the power is within us, we must. The thing is, we always have that power. There is never a time when we can’t make a difference. We are all links in a chain. Even if you just pray and offer words of encouragement, that’s making a difference. There is no reason you can’t make a positive impact in someone’s life.

All we really have to do is be an example of Christ. Be loving, and all that love is. Be kind, and gracious, and meek, and joyful. Be a lighthouse in the middle of the storm. Know scripture and use it everyday in your walk. Lift up others and never tear them down. Push others with a gentle hand, and respect everyone regardless of differences. Always do the right thing even when no one is watching meaning have integrity. God is always watching you. Remember that no one deserves grace, but we all have it, and we should follow in God’s likeness and offer grace to others freely. Being a hero is doing the right thing and never expecting a reward. Being a hero is living with integrity, and honor. There is always hope, and where there is hope there is life. The battle is for souls, and it’s the most important battle we’ll ever fight. We are called to be God’s warriors, but we must first look inside and accept the calling. If you’re not happy in your life maybe it’s time to find out why. Maybe it’s time to take a long hard look inside and figure out why we’re missing something. If were missing something, I’d be willing to bet its Christ in your life. Rise up and live so close to Christ that others will see it in you, and as Gideon before you, be a hero, even if it’s an unsuspecting hero. With God nothing is to big, nothing is to small, and nothing is impossible.

 

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It’s All Part Of The Plan

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It’s All Part Of The Plan:

I want you to stop where you are and look around. Right where you stand, right where you sit, is this moment in time where you thought you’d be? I’ve been taking a moment to think about my life and reflecting the path I’ve taken to lead me to this moment. While I would like to say it’s been smooth, I’d be lying. I think we can all agree there is no such thing as a smooth life. While I myself do not prescribe to complete pre-destination, I believe that God will continue to move pieces around the chess bored to maneuver us to where He wants us. For the vast majority of my life I’ve run from a calling, and it wasn’t till recently I have felt as if God smacked me in the back of my head and said ‘Okay, it’s time.’ As I have spent years in the same career when that came to an abrupt end a few weeks ago, I had to accept that my time as a security officer had ended.

I watched my career implode when I ruptured a disc in my back. 9 months later I found myself back to work in what seemed to be a perfect type of position for me. 3 weeks later due to government oversight that posting was dissolved. Just like that the laid plans that took months to bare any fruit, where whisked away in a short but powerful hurricane. Left standing in the destruction I looked to the sky and asked, “Okay God, what next?” I never expected to get an answer so fast, but I can’t say I didn’t ask for it, and I can’t say I’m overly surprised. I think what shocks me most is my willingness to acquiesce to God’s plan over my own.

Who are we without Christ? We wake up at whatever time, we get ready for work, and we go to a job every day, or most days for most people, and we are either good at what we do, bad at what we do, or just don’t care to put forth the effort in what we do. For some people their careers are everything to them, and for others, it’s just an annoyance they put up with day in and day out to make money to pay the bills. While work is not everyone’s cup of tea, we all have something we enjoy doing. Whatever that is, and I’ll allow you to fill in the blank, we all, no matter how big or small, have at least that one thing that brings us great joy. For some people it’s a hobby, others it’s their pets, some it’s work, and others it’s being on fire for God in ministry and missions. While I don’t often get to talk to full time missionaries, I do get to talk to those who go on mission trips on a regular basis, i.e. once a year or so. The reports to the church on how the other half of the world lives are usually similar in nature, they have next to nothing, and yet they are happy. We have an abundance of wealth in our society and yet we are some of the most pitifully miserable people on the planet. Those who say money buys happiness obviously hasn’t taken a good hard look at the United States mental health reports. So when we look at the abundance of wealth we have, and the lavish lifestyle we live (even our poverty) lives better then many countries I’ve been too. We see disparity within our country when it comes to joy with most other countries around the world. We are truly missing one main ingredient, and that’s Jesus Christ.

When we are following Christ we find that we move from one thing to the next with more ease and less worry then those who are unbelievers. (Not a black and white statement) I am reminded of the statement by Paul, and I’ll paraphrase, In all situations I find myself, content. This is a man who if any had reason to complain, it was him. Few people go through so many hardships as Paul, except maybe Job, but he kept moving forward no matter how hard the road, no matter the obstacles in front of him, he moved forward with grace and dignity. Remind you, Paul was a sinner just like the rest of us. Paul would have faced the same draws from the sins of the flesh, the pull of a fallen world, and the human faults that plague each and every one of us, but he knew he was a sinner. Paul on more then one occasion responded to attacks by saying he was no one. He would tell people he is nothing without God, and Jesus Christ is truth and Jesus Christ alone is truth. Where Paul went he was met with hostility, anger, hatred, and even physical violence, but everywhere he went was ‘All Part Of The Plan’.

When we follow scripture and we allow ourselves to give in to it, we will be moved and used by God in ways we never thought possible. When we are seeking the Lord and we try to have that relationship with our Abba (father) we will be amazed how drastically different our life will be, how bright it is, when we finally open ourselves to God, and force our selfish need to be in control away. We will go through life trying to do things our way, but often in our feeble attempts to do things right, we usually find ourselves in dire situations often because of our own sinful decisions. When I was watching The Dark Knight a few years back I was amazed at how well written Heath Ledgers Joker was. Each scene he was in was a small masterpiece in the grand scheme of the movie. The Joker in the movie falls in the category of an Anarchist. What’s an anarchist, “a political theory holding all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary and undesirable and advocating a society based on voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups” The Joker tells Dent he isn’t a man with a plan. He tells him he’s a dog chasing a car, and he wouldn’t know what to do with it if he ever caught one. “Upset the established order and everything becomes chaos.”(Dark Knight Rises)The Devil means to upset order, and as seen in the Garden, he’s been doing it for some time now.

How do we ensure we continue to follow God’s plan? First and foremost you must have a relationship with God. You must study scripture to the point where you have it in your heart and in your head every day. You must understand the word of God to prepare for the day when you will be attacked on the battlefield. We must study scripture day and night. We must get to the point where our actions are instinct and we no longer have to put hours of study into what to do in different situations. We must have a relationship with God that gives us a level of intimacy with scripture, and not just a passing understanding of it. We must focus on that relationship with Jesus Christ, and while we are doing that, our path will be made clear as seen in scripture. Psalm 25:4-5 “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.” Start with learning scripture and God’s ways. Learn behavior which is acceptable and that which is not. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” We must allow ourselves to subside so we may submit in every way to the Lord. To do this requires us to trust in God for every last bit of our lives. Not only trusting in the Lord with the big stuff which most people turn to God for prayer, but also the smallest details in our life, and to be thankful and appreciative of our vast number of blessings which come from our Heavenly Father. Psalm 32:8“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” God will never put you on a path alone. God will never give you the keys to the car without first teaching you how to drive it. God will always give you what you need, when you need it. We are to be the hands and feet, and we are to work hard for everything we do, but God always rewards hard work and self sacrifice.

While the Joker is an agent of chaos and we often feel like our lives are chaos, I submit to you, that we are actually following the path laid in front of us by either our own sinful selves, or we’ve taken the bait and followed the path of the first agent of chaos, Lucifer. If we glance at the instruction manual and have an in passing familiarization of the design, when we get done building, will we have pieces left over? The instructions are there for a reason and just like my Lego sets I often build, if I miss even the smallest step on page 4, it could have vast problems by page 34. We must be careful to read every word, study and understand it so when the day comes for temptation to creep in on page 36, you will be ready for it. You’ll know that’s not apart of the plan, and you’ll know how to manage that day. “Yea you know, you really should have stolen the whole book because the warnings, the warnings come after the spells.”(Dr. Strange) The warnings about sin don’t just come at the end of the Bible, but throughout the whole thing. We have no excuse to expect Hell, when we live our lives according to our own plans and desires. Much like Kaecilius failed to realize the depth of what he was reading and getting into. “Eternal life as part of the one, you’re not going to like it.” (Dr. Strange) Instead of thinking of it as the one, God, instead think of it as eternal life with the one agent of chaos and destruction, the Devil. I believe so many people follow such a path that they feel works, or being good enough, or even whatever other faith they may follow, I hope in the end it’ll be worth it. I feel a bit like Dr. Strange, “you got what you wanted, but you’re not going to like it.”

We may not know what the plan is for us, but if we are patient and faithful to the Lord it will be made clear when all the pieces on the board are in the right place. We will always have a choice which way we want to go, we can be agents of chaos, or we can be agents of order. Jesus Christ is the only order you will ever need to be apart of. No matter what path God has you on based on the gifts He gave you, be patient, be trusting, and be willing to allow yourself to be the hands and feet of God. God will never ‘need’ you, but if he chooses to use you, believe me, it’s better to give in, then to fight. You can fight tooth and nail but if you want to find your happiness and contentment, go with God’s plan sooner rather then later. It’ll save you years of headaches. So get out there and make a difference.

 

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Don’t Get Pulled In

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Don’t Get Pulled In: 

Galatians 6:1-5“6 Brothers,[a] if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.”

It’s a hard thing sometimes figuring out where the line is to help someone in need. I have always gone pretty far above average to help my friends in need. I’ve spent a good amount of time and effort giving to friends in need, and often at the expense of myself. I often let people come and go as they wanted and often take advantage because I felt perhaps one day my kindness would open a door of change. I wanted to be the helping hand, and I felt that as God’s hands and feet, it was my responsibility to give and let God sort out the rest, so long as I wasn’t putting myself in harms way. I felt that as long as I was a gentle soul, and kind, and true to the word of God, I was doing the right thing. One thing I always kept in mind was not to get pulled in to the temptations of those around me.

It’s important for us to be there to help bear one another’s burdens, and to do so not for our own glory or brownie points, but in all we do to glorify God. We don’t want to be a poser because God see’s the true nature of our hearts, and when we put on a mask and hide the truth, we do nothing but lie to ourselves, everyone around us, and we are trying to lie to God. We must always remain humble and understand that without God we are nothing. When we are giving advice to friends or family we must always remember to do so from a biblical point of view. We must never think it’s okay to take credit for doing anything on our own. Remain humble and keep in mind that the Lord gives, and takes away just as easily.

In this life it’s easy to fall into the temptations of this world. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the flow of the crowd and forget what’s important. Likewise it’s easy for people to become prideful and want to hide their hardships, hide their struggles, and never ask anyone for help. Pride like this is also just as much as sin. We are to carry our own cross and handle the things in life we must handle, but when the boulder is to heavy, we are supposed to ask for help. Many times people will ask for help for little stuff that’s well within their ability to handle on their own. We must learn to ask for help when we really need it, and make ourselves free for those around us when they need help. We are all in this crazy ride together, so we must learn to help and accept help freely. If we aren’t careful we may just get lassoed and pulled in.

1 Corinthians 3:13“13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.” In this life we only get one chance to get it right. When the day comes and we punch our card for the last time, everything we’ve done will be tallied and quantified. We cannot hide anything from God so the best thing we can be is true to ourselves, true to those around us, and be genuine. Many people will persecute you for your stance for Christ, and many people will try to lure you into drama, and other sinful actively while under the disguise of asking for help. Be wary of the wolves, and stay out of quicksand.

 

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The Wake Left Behind

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The Wake Left Behind:

A ship, a boat, even a kayak will always leave a displaced wake behind. No matter our actions both good and bad, our decisions have impact on the world around us. The truth that’s as real as gravity itself, that no matter what we do we cannot escape. Galatians 6:7-8“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 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.” Not only will we have earthly consequences but spiritual as well. We are all connected on this planet, and our decisions, our actions will always come with repercussions. We cannot go through life doing whatever we want thinking no one else is affected. Our very presence affects change, just like as one person after another enters a pool, the water level changes. While I’m not suggesting that for every action there is a large impact, I am suggesting that we must be conscious of how we behave.

I knew someone once who was incredibly blessed. They had a good family, a good job, a good home, and yet something seemed to be lurking in the darkness. One day they lost their job, and everything changed. As if the whole world had changed overnight they decided they didn’t want to have any connections to anyone. Eventually they would give up their new job in a slew of bad decisions. They would give up their spouse, their home, and walk away from any responsibilities to anyone. They would live a new life being able to come and go as they pleased, answering to no one, and believing their decisions affected no one but themselves. Sadly, while like communism it looks good on paper, reality rarely matches the concept.

See, we live this life all connected. There will always be people who care about us, and despite what we may often believe a life of self-destruction does hurt those who care for us. The emotional pain as we watch from the sidelines unable to change a person’s heart is horrible. I have had to sit by and watch, and as I’ve felt powerless to change anything it’s truly heartbreaking. All we can do is pray for those in need. Pray for the lost and hope one day they find what they seek. It’s not easy when you’re wounded and you hide from the pain in worldly things. When the answer is in front of us all along, Jesus Christ. Job 22:23“If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,” We must realize how lost we are, and change our ways. It’s never to late to change the ways we affect those around us. We make a choice every day and we alone hold the power to our actions. We cannot change what happens to us, but we can change how we react to it. Everyone falls, and sometimes we turn away from God, but this is folly. We always have a choice and when we choose the Lord, we will find the peace we’ve been searching for. Life is cruel sometimes, but we can either live with peace in our hearts, or be lost at sea. Lamentations 3:40“Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD.”

 

 

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Man On The Run

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Man On The Run:

For many years as a child I felt as if I were running. I was running away from bullies. I was running away from my pain, and my fears. I ran from my gut instincts, and I felt as if I was made to run forever. When life would get bad I would run and push the deepest pain into the recesses of my heart, and I’d carry on running. There’s another type of running that I’ve done a lot in my life and that’s running from God’s calling of me.

We are all made for a purpose, and what that may be isn’t going to be spelled out all the time, but if we are patient, and if we listen, God will tell us. Psalm 138:8“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” As a young boy I found comfort sitting in the pews of my church. I found comfort with the ear of my priest, and those few members who looked after me like one of their own kids. For as long as I can remember I’ve been in scripture, and I’ve asked tough questions. I have had a thirst of knowledge regarding God my whole life. When hard times hit I put my head down and punched through life unwilling to face more hardships. The thing I didn’t know back then, was all that running I would end up on the path God wanted me to regardless of my best efforts.

Where are you running to, or what are you running from? When our life is in the hands of the Lord can we truly be surprised when we eventually come full circle? I spent years saying I wasn’t cut out for ministry, and that it would me a mistake for me to tempt that journey. I spent years struggling with God as I’ve tried to come to grips with my hardships and my trials, searching for a reason for my pain. I searched for an absolution and even though the pain is still very real, the path now makes perfect sense.

My God has been making a masterpiece in me. I’ve been shaped and groomed for years for this path. God has laid the groundwork carefully, tirelessly, and has cried and hurt right along side of me. When babies teeth they hurt, and there isn’t a thing their parents can do but to be there and hold them while they cry. I am reminded of King David’s struggles in 2 Samuel 15:30-37 David’s eldest child has overthrown the kingdom forcing David to flee to avoid bloodshed. David could have gone anywhere, but he chose to go to the Mountain of Olives. A spiritual place so he could be close to God. When in need he ran to the one place he knew he could be closer to God. He went to the mountain peek, and prayed to God. He asked for forgiveness of his mistakes and sins, and he sought to repent for the errors of his ways.

Psalm 3“3 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.”

David prayed to the Lord on that Holy place and prayers were answered. While we may pray and not hear the answer right away, that doesn’t mean God doesn’t hear us, and it never means God is ignoring us. We may not always see the path God has laid out for us, and we may not always like the path laid in front of us, but we must always have faith in God. We may not like what we see but that doesn’t mean it’s not what is best for us. We must remember what faith is. Hebrews 11:1“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” When you’re on the run always remember where you can turn. Always remember that we can run away from our destiny, but if it’s God’s will, it’ll always catch up to us.

I still don’t always understand why things happen, but I am slowly getting to the point in my life where I trust God is working things out. This doesn’t mean we won’t have pain, and it doesn’t means we won’t be punished if we are the cause of our own struggles. We cannot expect to always be safe from trouble, but know if trouble comes we have the power of God on our side. Sin affects everyone and no one makes it through this life without being broken a time or two. We cannot expect to run forever but when you’re tired of running you can rest assured that Jesus is waiting for you with arms wide open. If you haven’t found God’s path for you don’t fret, just continue to pray, and get into the word. God will present the path to you when the time is right. Just keep the faith, and never stop living in Christ.

 

 

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It’s Looking At Me!

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It’s Looking At Me!

My day started early. I was up at 0630 hours and even then I wondered why I keep doing this to myself. I know it’s good for me to get out and be social. The feeling of going out on my own never sits well. I often found myself on adventures alone in my youth but now I struggle. I’ve realized my fear has been conditioned and as a result from a particular mindset. Can we ever be rid of fear? Is the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself? The Apostle Paul spells out fear in Philippians 4:6-7“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”Fear comes to all but in prayer me, and all of you can slowly come to face fear on our terms. We know where our true power comes from, God almighty. “God, I cannot endure this, it’s just to much.” This is a prayer I’ve heard often. I’m afraid of being alone, going into places where I won’t be accepted. For so many years making friends was difficult for me. After years of bullying, I became unsure of myself. I was shy, and reserved, because I wanted to be accepted. The flip side is my desire to have a battle buddy with me. The knowledge of someone being around if it ever hit the fan. All these things fall under fears, mine, and perhaps yours. The thing about fear is it comes in all shapes and sizes. Fear can keep us alive and spare us from danger. Fear can also prevent us from living if we aren’t careful. How do we embrace the good fear, and rid ourselves of the bad fear? Stick with me, and we’ll make this journey together.

The fear of going out alone which for me is a two-pronged attack has been a constant challenge since my military days. The judgment and unknown have beaten me down filling me with anxieties, and great discomfort. I am not comfortable calling it a fear because I am able to go out and even if I don’t like it I can always maintain. 1 Corinthians 10:13“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” We must rely on God to take our fear, turn it into courage, and stand firm.

We must learn to feed our minds with positive, uplifting, and empowering scripture. Proverbs 23:6-7 “Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy;[b] do not desire his delicacies, 7 for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.[c] “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.” We become what we put in, and that includes how we feed our minds. We must learn to be weary of the coveted deceptions of the Devil. Fear and lies are two of the biggest tools the Devil uses to ensnare us in his trap. Find scripture that fills your soul and memorize it to heart. Do not be so concerned with numbers, and chapters, it’s the verbiage, the words that matter. The heart and soul of the voice of God coming off the page and entering your heart must be a major step for all of us to face our deepest fears. Fear is a slave, and if we want to be free, we must learn to break the chains and then the only one that can do that is God. The blood spilt from Jesus, which covered the whole of the Earth, we must know that our freedom is found in Christ alone. We can never be free without Jesus. Romans 12:1-2“12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.[b] 2 Do not be conformed to this world,[c] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.[d]” and Ephesians 4:20-24 “20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self,[a] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” We are reborn in Christ and we become heirs to the Kingdom, so with royal blood and the power of the Holy Spirit, what then do we fear?

As I move forward in my life in my walk with Christ, I find myself being put in new experiences. The lobster is looking at me. No it’s not alive anymore, but it’s something I’ve never done. For instance, on my recent Wounded Warrior Project; Soldier Ride, I came face to face with a lobster. I’ve never eaten lobster before but I finally got to try it. Breaking the shell, wearing the bib, the whole works, and I didn’t let the fear of it interfere with the experience. I was in no way afraid of the lobster, but I saw others who were afraid to try it. We cannot be intimidated and scared off so easily. When fear is staring at you, be sure to take that contest and don’t be the one to blink first. Control your fear, and do not let it control you.

We need to learn to push beyond our fears, our dispositions, and embrace life beyond our narrow-minded view. I’ve met so many people who won’t ever try even slightly exotic foods because they can’t stop over thinking their challenge. While lobster has always been a goal of mine to try, I will admit for a moment I was take aback when I saw it staring back at me. Fear of moving into the unknown is a dangerous slope because once you justify one fear, where does it end? If you are right with God, and you believe in Jesus as your savior, what do we truly have to fear in this life? Don’t let fear stop you form experiencing the joys and wonders of this world. Don’t be afraid to try, and don’t be afraid to explore. This world is a beautiful place with so many small wonders to experience, how can we look back at our lives and be satisfied if we’ve let fear keep us in bondage? Live life, and don’t be afraid to take those chances, and trust in your God. My God is with me every minute of every day, and I am never afraid of being forsaken. Yes failure may come but failure is just an opportunity to grow. “Anybody can try, only those with the will, will succeed.”(Arrow Preacher)

 

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Divorce

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Divorce:

Divorce is something that’s found pretty often in our society now. Divorce affects more then 50% of all marriages, and that is either a lot of happy people celebrating the breaking of those bonds, or the flip side, the broken hearted who are trying to pick up the pieces of what’s left behind. When you put everything you have into fixing the hole in the ship, and no matter what you’ve tried to do, you realize it’s going to sink no matter what, the despair that fills your heart is sometimes more then you feel you can take. I spent the better part of the last two years trying to keep from facing the day I’d stand in front of a judge and hear those four words, ‘Judgment of Divorce Granted” No amount of time in the world can prepare you for the sinking feeling that takes over deep down in your stomach. I have tried to detach myself from any feeling, but I’m just not built that way. I have always given people second, third, and more chances after they’ve screwed up. I have always been the type of person to let people take advantage to a point because I felt I might eventually get through. All that time I’ve spent trying to fix my marriage, and to watch it still end this way, it’s hard not to feel the whispers of failure creeping in. Matthew 5:32“But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” From this point on, I will be judged by everyone I encounter as a twice-divorced man. I am the survivor of two separate affairs and sadly I will be judged negatively by most as if I were the cause of the affairs.

In the months since my separation I have been blamed by strangers who never knew me nor my situation. It’s not easy having to tell anyone I’ve been married twice, and waiting for their response, which often sounds of surprise, and wondering if they should be talking to me anymore. Some people are polite, and others aren’t. I have walked this path before, but this time has been different. This time it’s been harder, and the recovery hasn’t been as easy. In life though, I would submit, nothing worthwhile is easy. It may take time, even years, but some day, the broken will rise up and sing Hallelujah and be free from the pain that once chained them to sorrow. No matter how long it takes we must never give up hope, and we must never forsake our relationship with God. We must never rise to God in anger at the sinful choices of man or women. We have free will and people fall to sin. It happens even if we wish it didn’t. All we can do is pick ourselves up after a time to grieve and learn to stand all over again.

 

Tell Your Heart to Beat Again: By, Danny Gokey

You’re shattered

Like you’ve never been before

The life you knew

In a thousand pieces on the floor

And words fall short in times like these

When this world drives you to your knees

You think you’re never gonna get back

To the you that used to be

 

Tell your heart to beat again

Close your eyes and breathe it in

Let the shadows fall away

Step into the light of grace

Yesterday’s a closing door

You don’t live there anymore

Say goodbye to where you’ve been

And tell your heart to beat again

 

 

I can’t undersell this song when you find yourself feeling heart broken. This song brings the feeling to life. Everything for your good, is referring to God. In every situation we find ourselves, God is working it out so we will be all right in the end. Proverbs 28:20 “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.”This isn’t just referring to monetary wealth, but riches referring to any objects of our affection. Don’t take shortcuts because we will never truly appreciate what we have if we cheat our way to the top. We must remain strong in the storm. We must stand our ground when the Devil pushes us. We must remain vigilant as the serpent slithers all around us in the shadows. We must remain true to who we are and if we are a follower of Christ, then that truth is the light we stand on. Make sure that whatever you’re going through you try to maintain who you are in Christ.

Lean on your friends and family in your time in need. Take time to digest what’s happened, and prepare yourself for the battles ahead. There will be days that hurt like you wouldn’t believe, and then days you feel on top of the world, free as an eagle. The journey can be turbulent so prepare for it. Find yourself ways to keep occupied. Sitting at home sulking will only delay your healing and it’s not good for you. You may want to take a couple days, and that’s fine, but much more then that, and you will find yourself sinking into depression. Get out, stay active, and talk about it. Don’t be afraid to get out your anger, frustrations, sadness, and hurt. Find friends who will allow you to express yourself, and your feelings, because we have them for a reason. I don’t tell you all this as a cookie cutter self help aid, I say it from experience. I didn’t have the means to go out much after my ex-wife left, and I sat in the house for months alone, sulking in my own sorrow. It stunted my healing process, and the struggle to get better was very real.

Find new hobbies, things you like to do, that make you feel good about yourself. Often when you are the one being divorced it’s hard. You will question yourself and ask what you did wrong, why would they leave you, if you’re a good person, if you’re attractive enough, all kinds of questions and doubts will flood your mind but you have to realize Satan lies, and those feelings are lies. One person’s sinful action does not, and never will determine who you are. You are the child of a King and you are royalty to Heaven. You must find people who will help lift you up, remind you, who you are, and most importantly, you will need to remind yourself who you are. You can overcome those negative feelings slowly at a time, but you cannot do that if you sit around and push everyone away. You need people in your life because it’s in our fellow Christians we will find counsel and comfort in when going through these hard times. Allow others to help you carry your burden, and one day you will pay it forward for someone else.

Don’t give up hope, because even though the journey seems long, and hard, and it will be painful for a large portion of your struggle, the day will come you will realize it doesn’t quite hurt so bad anymore. Keep up moving every day, and let every sunrise be a new day pushing out the path from the day before. We cannot choose how anyone else acts or behaves, but we can choose how we deal with it. We choose what to feed our brains with, and we choose the type of person we want to be. Never give up on yourself because God will never give up on you. Keep pushing forward and always remember God first, everyone else second. Work on your relationship with God. Study scripture in your times of troubles. Look up the story of Job, the story of Jeremiah, and even the early story of David. Each of these individuals had challenges, and struggles, and in their individual ways, they found how to receive the blessings from God. Remaining faithful and trusting in the Lord is the best thing you can do. It won’t be easy, but every day will be the best attempt you can give. Don’t loose sight of the end, and never feel you are a failure. We all fall, but the true measure of a person is how you get back up. Always get back up and keep marching on. Don’t allow your strength to fail, and certainly don’t turn away from God. Know your enemy and it isn’t the Lord. Remember in all times people are sinners and will eventually let you down. Pray for them, and don’t stop loving them. As for me, my ex made some awful hurtful decisions, but I refuse to hold a grudge. Apologies have been said, and olive branches extended. Love concures hate every time. Living in peace and love is a choice. Krystal may no longer be my wife, but never will I give up on someone who made such an impact in my life. Forgiveness isn’t a suggestion, and if we can live in peace, we should. Be big enough to pray for those who hurt you, and help by always being a light in the darkness.

 

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