Tag: learning

What Does it Mean To Have Honor?

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What Does it Mean To Have Honor?

Swords are tempered with fire. If I’m going to be a living weapon for God I too must go through trials, and my faith will be tested by forged in fire. Romans 5:3-5 “3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” When life gets hard how do you react? When provoked do you give in to anger? When we are sad do we turn to others for healthy outlets, or do we follow a destructive path? Hebrews 13:18 “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.”

The Klingon’s have a code of honor they live by. Death is glorious as long as it’s dying in battle. How people treat one another, how business is done, honor is the number 1 thing to a Klingon. Never dishonor yourselves for when you do, it’ not only dishonor’s yourself, but also your entire family. As Christians we should follow a similar idea. When we dishonor ourselves we represent our Christian brothers and sisters. We represent our families, and above all else, re represent God. “Romans 12:9-13 “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” There’s a saying I heard once, it goes something like this Lord please let them remember the things I get right, and forget the things I get wrong. We will always get it wrong, we will always make mistakes, but the key in that is don’t live our lives intentionally to dishonor ourselves.

There are simple rules to live by as a Christian Exodus 20

  • You shall have no other gods before Me.
  • You shall not make idols.
  • You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
  • Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
  • Honor your father and your mother.
  • You shall not murder.
  • You shall not commit adultery.
  • You shall not steal.
  • You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
  • You shall not covet.

When we break these rules on purpose, knowing our actions will hurt others, when we hurt others for our own personal gain you dishonor yourself. The Klingon’s aren’t the only race that holds honor to a high standard. The Japanese hold honor to a high standard, the Chinese hold honor to a high standard. That mode of thinking shouldn’t only be held by the Asian nations. If we put that high of priority on our own honor and integrity, and hold the commandments we can make a better world. The word for Honor is “Quv” or “to be honorable” The word for Honor is Russian is честь or ‘chest’. A Jedi’s weapon a light saber is honorable, just like the Klingon Bat’leth is considered to be an honorable weapon. A Samurai sword known as a Katana is their version of an honorable weapon. A member of the Knights Templar had a sword a beautifully crafted weapon, but perhaps not so much as the others, but all of these groups of people have a code, a code of honor. Live like Christ, be kind and love your neighbors, don’t lie, and cheat and steal for your own personal gain.

I read something the other day, “Here’s to Cheating, Stealing, Fighting and Drinking. IF you cheat, may you cheat death; if you steal, may you steal a woman’s heart; if you fight, may you fight for a brother; if you drink, may you drink with me.”

Never underestimate the power of love and faith and courage. Have all these things in God above.

Know when to hold em, know when to fold em.

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Know when to hold um, know when to fold um.

By The Arrow Preacher

As most of us know the song by Kenny Rogers, it’s great advice that old man gave on that lonely train. Though a parable the example of knowing when to fight for something, and knowing when to walk away, and knowing when to run and not look back is good advice we all should follow.

Personally I’ve gone through a very rough divorce and as hard as it’s been at some point you have to learn when to cut ties and run away. As hard as it’s been emotionally I still find myself sitting on the couch crying after a blog, after a song, watching a movie that brings back memories. The worst part is working at the very spot I once proposed. Seeing it every day, thinking about how nervous I was, how upset I was that it was raining, it’s a reminder every day.

Having faith is hard. Knowing that God is always with us, and remembering that in the hardest of times of our lives, but it’s so important for us to keep the faith. 1 John 5:5 “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” We need to be steadfast in our walk with Christ so when the time comes we can judge if something is better or worse. James 1:6 “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” Let’s remember though, that having faith is also having faith that whatever we need to do is right or wrong. When a relationship turns bad and is no longer healthy, and can no longer be repaired, sometimes it’s best to run away. Figuring out what hand you have and figuring out what cards to play is something that takes patience and a walk close enough to God to know what to do. You should always try your hardest to save a life you’ve built with someone if ever it can be.

Due to the invention by God of free will we cannot change what other people do. People will use you, cheat you, abuse you, and all you can do is figure out how much are you willing to take? Even sitting at a poker table the table can eventually get cold, and it’s time to get up and walk away. Don’t be afraid to say goodbye to something causing you pain. Much like a gangrenous limb, you must sever the limb to save the body. Our souls are very similar. Hate and pain can be a cancer for our very souls, and in order to prevent scar tissue from forming hardening our hearts, we must be willing to let go and push forward to heal. So know when to throw in your cards, pick up your chips win or lose, and walk away. Don’t think of it as failure. Think of it as protecting your very soul. Even Thomas Edison once said once asked about how many times he failed to create the light bulb. “I have not failed. Ive just found 10’000 ways that it won’t work.”

 

It’s a Wonderful Life, or flashpoint?

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It’s a Wonderful Life, or flashpoint?

Do we ever truly know the difference we make in our lives? To be honest I myself have questioned my place in this world. In the last 6 months I have had the hardest time of my life fighting my own personal doubt and have suffered a major defeat of my self-esteem. As I am very familiar with the authors of the Bible many of them suffered with depression, doubts, and questioned what God saw in them. Luke 12:7 “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” As we struggle knowing if we are valued, know that Christ values us.

As we walk our path we meet people, we encounter numbers beyond our realizations. We don’t ever know how our presence can affect someone else’s life. Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” If we are to understand Matthew we should see how we cannot hide ourselves from the world. WE must realize that if we are a positive influence just because we don’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Don’t just be a light for others, be the iron that sharpens others. Help strengthen others.

If we were to remove ourselves from time, we cannot fathom how important we are. We cannot believe our presence wouldn’t be missed from time. Our actions affect countless lives. Use your life to make a difference and never stop making a difference. When life gets hard, when it looks like hope is lost, find faith in God. Believe in yourself, and even when things are at their worst show the world that you can keep your head held high with dignity. As it’s always easier said then done, always try to do your best to keep your honor. Consider this, consider the comic Flashpoint, were one change affected the course of history. Consider the Butterfly Effect, were no matter how much we try to change the past things get worse. The movie It’s a Wonderful Life, is a man who wishes he were never born. An Angel shows him the world as if he were never in it. People’s lives weren’t better without him. His importance in the world seemed so insignificant to himself, but in reality God used him for good. Let God use you to make a difference. Be positive, raise them up, and walk with God to know your path is true.

 

Jesus the real super hero

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Jesus the real super hero

When bad things happen to us it’s easy to allow anger, frustrations, bitterness and for some hate to compound and grow in ones heart. When we are hurt or betrayed, sold out, left or forgotten by the people we care for most in this world, it can force us to fear others, fear even ourselves. When we suffer it’s easy to pull away from the light. “Once you let the darkness in it never comes out.” (The Huntress) So if even good people, even superhero’s can fall to the darkness within, what hope do any of us mere mortals have? You can change who you are, you can always let go of the pain and hate. Pain and hate are like a cancer for your soul. Vengeance is not bringing harmony to life, it brings further destruction. The real superhero in our lives is the living God. Jesus Christ preformed miracles, raising the dead, healing the blind, walking on water, saving lives. James 5:19-20 “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” As a superhero the idea is they never stop seeing the good in people, they never give up hope on the ability to save others. If that’s the case, then much like Batman the rules apply, never kill. The faith in the goodness of man is something that as the Lord knew, in order to save us, we must first fall. When we fail we learn more from our mistakes then our successes. Psalm 94:16-17 “Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.” Learn scripture and figure out how to be a side kick for Christ. A line from one of my favorite movies, “Twenty years in Gotham, how many good guys are left, how many stayed that way?” (Bruce Wayne) Isn’t that the truth though? Living through life, are we one bad day from becoming a super villain? We must learn to let go of our hate, do not give in to it, not give in to fear, doubt, or sink to the level of our enemies. Forgiveness is about regaining harmony for ourselves, it’s about allowing the King and Savior of the universe to pass righteous judgment. We must remember to live above the get even mentaility. Once we lower ourselves to that level we loose. Romans 7:19 “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 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. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 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.” For every person there is both the light and dark inside them, both Justice and In-Justice. It’s for us to keep our dignity, hold our chest high, and let your cape flow in the wind. Be the sidekick for Christ, never forget the golden rule. Matthew 7:12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Mark 12:31 “And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” Matthew 5:38-40 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.” Let God be our true hero. Let the heart not be stained, let not the heart be hardened. Love long, love often, trust God, trust faith.

 

 

Chess Match For Our Souls

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Chess Match For Our Souls

I move my pawn, and you move your rook, a chess match of moves and counter moves. The fight for the ultimate prize is heaven. When dealing with the Devil never turn your back, never underestimate. The whiles of the Devil are cunning and smooth, the deepest desires of your soul are brought forth. Romans 12:9 “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” If we love then we should know love. Love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13 4-13 “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” When we say I love you this is what it should be. We must learn to love one another in the truest of words. When we play our game of chess the Devil will lie and deceive us. Colossians 3:13 “ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” We as a society are cruel and sinful. When given the choice we hung an innocent man on the cross instead of Barabbas a known criminal. If Christ can forgive us for condemning him to death, and not just for that, but the entirety of our sins, we can forgive those who wrong us, and forgive those for walking the path of sin. James 5:20 “Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” Lastly Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?” If we sin because we are lost, and we love the sinner, we must rebuke the sin, but not give up hope on the sinner. If we can take the pain we can make the sacrifice. Never forsake those whom you love. Humans make mistakes, never give up on love and never give up on what you know to be biblically right. IF we love we can defeat the Devil in this chess game we call life.

A fisher of men/ Finding love in all the wrong places

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A fisher of men/ Finding love in all the wrong places

This blog will be unique. It will be a two-part episode as it were. Days like today I find that writing may be the only escape. The silence is deafening, the lack of companionship is excruciating. To truly find oneself you often need to take a long deep look inside, but also a long deep gaze into the pages of the one book, the only book that matters, the Bible.

As some call our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ more then a man, what else was he? He was a Fisher Of Men. Matthew 4:19 “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus sent his disciples out into the world to bring the good news of Christ to the world. The great commission, Matthew 28 19-20 “19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” As good Christians we must learn to become fishers of Men/Women. We must learn how to approach people about Christ, learn how to talk about the good Lord. We must learn how to use Apologetics, to defend Christianity, and understand religious worldviews. Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” A world fallen into sin may cause fear to be used by the Devil to dissuade you from continuing your path to Christ. The path to heaven is not for the weak, or the faint of heart. In our path to bring others into the fold is tough, but worth the attacks to expose others to everlasting life.

In the efforts in our walk with Christ we often fall victim to loneliness, depression, anxiety. Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” When we walk in the troubles of the world, we often find ourselves looking for comfort, companionship. We may loose our worldly loved ones, we may watch them leave our lives, hurt us, try to destroy our very lives, our reputations, but in all reality this is the Devils grasp on their heart. Often King David struggled with depression, anxiety, struggles with worldly desires, but in that deepest pain the book of Psalm’s was born. Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Do not be fooled, the Devils taunts are tough, the lies sound good, and when we need comfort, all manner of temptations will be thrown into our path. 1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” We look for love, but if we are faithful to the Lord, the Lord will take care of us. John 14:23 “Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.” Ephesians 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Never forget where the true love in life comes from. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” We are promised that our God is faithful, in that faith we must trust in the Lord. Genesis 2:18 “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” God wants us to have a companion, though we must have faith and trust in the Lord. Do not seek love in ungodly men, or ungodly women. Do not seek love in the desires of the flesh, but in the righteous who follow the Lord. Have faith and be patient with God, for he will bless you for it.

 

 

The Strongest

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The Strongest

Living day to day is never for the weak. The ability to fight the fight is something that takes time and effort, and a lot of faith. As the strongest are often the ones who take the brunt of the fighting, we must remember that the war is not that of flesh and blood but of principalities, the spiritual plane, the fight for our very souls. We may never fully understand how lucky we are, but if we understand nothing else, we must know God is for us. We may fall and fail our fellow man, and fail ourselves, but in the words of Thomas Wayne “Why do we fall, so we can learn to pick ourselves up.” It’s okay to get knocked down, just always fight to stand again. Be vigilant against the whiles of the Devil. He will sneak and lie, whisper, and deceive to achieve his goal. The great deceiver is always on the hunt to find a chink in the armor. Defend yourself.

Quenching Your Thirst

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Quenching Your Thirst

As the weather gets warmer we will undoubtedly be working outside, playing outside, going out into the sun. The average person can go without any kind of liquid for 3 days, some have gone as much as 6 or 7 days but that’s rare. The ability to drink liquids is so important. We must stay hydrated or our vital organs will start to shut down. What does this have to do with Christ? As we know Christ said at the last supper “Take this cup, and drink, for this is the blood of my body, which will be given up for you.” When we drink from the blood of Christ we thirst no more. John 6:35 “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”

As Christians something we have a tendency to do is want and want. We rarely are satisfied with what we have. We are rarely satisfied with the newest and greatest for long before we envy what others have, we covet the things we don’t have or what we want. We can think about these things as Lust. “Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” If you drink of an earthly cup you will never be fulfilled. If we are always thinking things could be better, the grass could be greener we will never respect what we have right in front of us. 2 Cor. 12:9-10 “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” …Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” These things can be said for money matters and how we spend what we don’t have, spend our hard earned money on shiny baubles, things that would make us happy. This can also be said for marriage and relationships.

Why do some people cheat? Why are some people unfaithful? Why do we look with lust towards others? The answer is simple we fall short on Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” If we cannot find joy in the gifts God has given to us we will always want more. We must learn to be grateful for what we have. Respect our gifts and pray for change according to Gods will. Luke 12:15 “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” The water we drink will always leave us to thirst, the ash in our mouths never to satisfy as the food we eat. Only the blood and bread of Christ will satisfy. We must learn to give thanks. Colossians 3:5 “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:” Satisfy your lust, to love Christ. Satisfy your thirst by the blood of Christ, and your hunger by the body of Christ. Love your wives, love your husbands, but never put one greater then that of God. God must be the number 1 in your life. Proverbs 3:6 “ In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.”

 

Sword forged in fire

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Sword forged in fire

When a sword is made in the traditional sense it is placed in fire, pounded, shaped, heated, cooled, pounded on more. It’s no surprise that scripture teaches us how our faith is tempered. Just as the sword it placed in fire and pounded, our faith is also tested in a similar fashion. James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” When life is hard, when spiritual warfare is well underway, those of faith are tested on the spiritual battlefield. We don’t always know why bad things happen, we don’t always know why our lives can go from what seems like long stretches of happiness to spin out of control to chaos. Isaiah 48:10 “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” When King David was a young boy he made a name for himself by killing Goliath with nothing but a sling. David would spend the next 20 years running for his life, fighting for it, his faith being tested over and over. Just as David would have to trust in God, believe God’s intentions would always be in the promise that was made to David to be King. The number of times the testing of faith is mentioned in scripture is many. Deuteronomy 8:2-5 “You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. “Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.” It’s easy to say you have faith when life is love and roses. When you’re all alone and it seems like tomorrow will never come. When life has you at your lowest, when depression and pain is all you feel, that’s when your faith, when God will peer into your heart and see what’s truly there. 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes being beaten, shipwrecked, threatened, on the run from those who meant to kill him, and yet while Paul was facing execution during his imprisonment he wrote some of the most influential letters in the Bible. His faith was tested to the max. Job lost everything he held most dear and he survived knowing that God loved him. Gods grace, mercy, and love are all some people have. Through the fire we are forged. Never forget no matter how bad it seems, through the Lord all things are possible and all wounds can be healed. Learn to trust in the Lord and let go of the pain and hate that fill your heart.