love – Page 22 – The Arrow Preacher

Rainbows

August 14, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Rainbows

Genesis 9:13-14 “13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;”

I’ve always thought rainbows were beautiful, but not till I started reading Genesis did I realized they were mentioned very early in scripture. Now we know that science can explain what a rainbow is, light refracting through raindrops, but at this point in Scripture Noah and his family are just leaving the Ark after the flood. As this represents the covenant between God and mankind, I also look at it another way. It doesn’t always happen of course, but usually a rainbow signifies the end of the storm. Even in the movie the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wishes she could go to a magical place, over the rainbow. We sometimes think of rainbows as somehow magical, of beautiful happenings in nature that are quite the spectacle to see.

No matter how we look at a rainbow, they bring joy, or happiness, even if it’s just the spectacle of them being in the sky. Rainbows are a reminder of Gods love and grace for us. No matter how bad the storm was, if we look to the sky and see a bright rainbow we know the storm is over. While the rainbow is a symbol of the covenant with man to never again flood the whole of the earth, we are lucky enough to have a new covenant with God. After the fall from Eden, mankind could not be in the presence of God. We were no longer pure, but worst then a dirty diaper before our Lord. God set forth a plan that would take hundreds of years. When we think God moves too slowly for us, we truly don’t realize how God works. God doesn’t play the short game, and while on occasion he may answer our prayers in the here and now, more often then not God is working things out for the future.

God spent 400 years in silence between the Old and New Testament. In that time there were moving pieces on the board, and God is patient while we are not. We are a people of wanting change right now. We want fast food prayers, you order, God delivers. But that doesn’t work and God just laughs at our foolishness. When I think back at Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, she was dreaming of being anywhere other then on the farm. While things on the farm weren’t perfect, she was trying to escape her woes instead of putting forth the effort to fix them. We do the same thing in many different ways. In the last year, I have been a part of a social app and during my time there I have found a new escape I hadn’t really considered, on line roll playing. These roll playing conversations often consume someone’s life. There is no desire to talk to the person you’re roll playing with about real life, it’s always just the fantasy world. This is a person’s ‘over the rainbow’. So many people today find escape in drugs, or alcohol, on line roll playing, or video games. Addictions of all kinds have popped up on this planet all because fiction for many is better then reality. It’s a sad state of affairs we find our selves in when we no longer want to face any problems but instead turn to means to deaden the internal pain, dull our minds, and kick the can down the road for yet another day.

Sadly it isn’t just reality people are hiding from, it’s all negative feelings or emotions. We’ve become a society that at the first sign of trouble, or the first time someone’s brings up negative emotions, or ‘vibes’ as it’s called today, people run away. I have watched several people personally leave our ‘acquaintanceship’ because I had a bad day and wanted to talk about it. People only want to hear positive things; they don’t want to be bothered with reality. So long as life is rainbows and puppies they are happy, and anyone who threatens that is expendable. Because of this people no longer build relationships, they build acquaintances, and barely that. In the last 7 years I have been to several weddings, and I’m sad to say that all but two have already ended in divorce. During the wedding the rainbow seemed so bright and vibrant, and sometime over the course of their incredibly short marriages, that rainbow became gray and disappeared. It’s sad to think about how many people end their marriages these days. While I don’t know all the details of their divorces, those details are irrelevant. People have stopped living their lives in the way God says we should live, and we have stopped putting God first in our marriages. Sadly those kinds of relationships are about self, and not about the other person. When we ask what’s in it for me, or how does this make me feel, and we no longer ask ourselves what we can do for our spouse, we will grow in resentment, and heartache. We cannot continue wishing for what’s over the rainbow. We must face reality and live according to God’s will for us.

http://www.travelrewardsus.com

http://hangout.paid2save.com/

http://vacation.p2stravel.com/

http://compensation.paid2save.com/

https://zoom.us/recording/play/guvtqpnxT02lJVLfgKRjUnZ7Z1vMDZ15eEl-Smju1fpuOw31wg56gyvYHYiO2LvB

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

I’m not saying you can’t dream, but especially when it comes to relationships, focus on what those relationships are really supposed to be. Find some happiness in your life the way it is and make that flourish. No the grass is not always greener on the other side. Stop taking for granted the gifts you have right now. Embrace them, and enjoy them. You don’t want your life to become stagnant though, so balance tomorrow and today. Enjoy your sunshine, enjoy the rainbow, and remember God’s always with us each and every day. Give thanks for another sunrise, and the many, many blessings we have. Hope in Jesus Christ came slower then the Jews wanted, but it wasn’t their timetable, it’s God’s. Trust in God, and focus on what you can change, and pray for the things you can’t.

Women, Why Women?

August 13, 2018 thearrowpreacher2 Comments

Women, Why Women?

Have you ever put any thought into the reason so many people reject the idea of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? There are a few things I’d like to talk about concerning the resurrection of Jesus but first thing I’d like to do is talk about Mary, and Mary, the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. During that time women had no rights, and were treated not much better then property. The law stated they did not qualify as legal witnesses. Why then would these two women be important to justification of Christ’s resurrection? Credibility. If the men who wrote the account of what the Mary’s had seen, and ultimately believed them, if it were to be a lie, Men would have been the first because that would have carried more weight around the world. Instead women were the first Christ came to, and no one would create such a lie at the time.

First and foremost one thing needs to be made clear, the Gospels written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are eyewitness accounts. These separate witness testimonies despite popular belief do ‘match’ completely because no matter what 4 people you put someplace as witnesses, none of them will give the exact same description and account of each event. In fact, if the stories were completely identical, it would seem more likely the event was fabricated and rehearsed, but that’s not what we see. And, if you were to say that each account was written by the same person just slightly different, forensics show that each Gospel was indeed written by someone different. One example is Greek historian Polybius and Roman historian Livy, both disagree in regards to Hannibal’s route crossing the Alps in Italy, however no historian question the actual trek itself. (McDowell, J., & McDowell, S., PhD. (2017) During the burial of Jesus Christ a large stone was placed in front of the tomb, and at the request of the Pharisees, a detachment of Roman Guards would stand watch to deter anyone from attempting to steel the body of Jesus Christ. Along with the guard a seal was placed upon the ropes showing no one would enter. The stone used would have weighed approximately 440 pounds. The idea that the Disciples were in cahoots to steal the body from well trained armed guards is debunked in scripture itself. Matthew 26:55,56, and Mark 14:49,50 both describe the Disciples scattered and hiding away from the Romans. It’s not likely that if this story were made up they would admit to such cowardice; however, the writers remained truthful, even to their own shame. Also, a secondary note was crusifixion at the time was highly public, and was done so to bring shame upon the individual and the families. To use this has a launch pad for a new religion would have had a much harder sell, then some other way.

Women:

Women found the tomb of Jesus empty, and again, if you were going to start a religion with credibility, you’d use more credible witnesses. Women at the time would be stoned to death if they were raped, and they were unable to obtain property. Women, also weren’t supposed to be out of the house without a male family escort. Why then would anyone use women as the starting point of their religion unless it actually happened? The Romans kept grueling details about each capital punishment, and there are documents which predate the writings of the New Testament. Philosopher J.P. Moreland affirms these points in preaching and sermonettes in Acts, and Creedal Statement of the Death, Burial and Resurrection. There are competing reasons that Jesus’s tomb may have been empty by both Jewish records, and Christian records, both agree the tomb was empty, both disagree as to why. This common idea that Jesus’s tomb was in fact empty, first found by women, while Roman guards were on duty, and without further alternative theories by Jewish and Roman officials, the continued eye witness accounts would have left both unable to refute any of the facts. Jesus would appear over a span of 40 days which is discussed in all 4 Gospels. He would appear not only to his Apostles and disciples, but to over 500 at one time. The soldiers standing guard would have been elite solders and failure in those days was not tolerated. Those soldiers would have suffered greatly for failing at their duties to include floggings, whippings, or even decapitation, neither a fate anyone would want to die for considering all they had to do was guard a 440 pound rock. “The Romans and Jews could not produce Christ’s body or explain where it went. Nevertheless, they refused to believe. Even today, men and women still reject the resurrection, not because of the insufficiency of evidence, but in spite of its sufficiency.” (McDowell, J., & McDowell, S., PhD. (2017)

It isn’t a matter of evidence because there is evidence all over the place by Christians, Jews, and Romans in regards to the life and death and subsequent resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fact is people will rebuke facts all day long, and people will argue the grass is blue just to spite your face. The cross is offensive to people because it represents each and every one of our faults and failings. We don’t like being told we are sinful, and we don’t like being told we aren’t good enough to enter into Heaven. The truth is, while we can bring evidence, and further go over eyewitness testimony, and while there have even been Atheists turned Christian in the pursuit of the truth, people will always turn their backs on truth, especially if it means having to look in the mirror. It’s sad to say that many Christians are only Christian by name, by status, but few actually know and understand what it means to be a follower of Christ. I look around and I’m ashamed at how many Christians lie, cheat, steal, abuse their spouses or their children. I’m ashamed at those Christians because they aren’t really Christians, but the damage done to the name of Christ, to the body of us who are truly saved in the blood of Christ, is beyond sad. While Christ’s name will live on, because Christ lives, and while Christ will continue to save lives, make a difference is those lives, it’s our job to stand firm, and stand apart from the world. As scripture says, Romans 12:2“2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”

Don’t underestimate the need of Apologetics, and the teaching of history and facts in the pursuit of your own studies. Evidence that demands a verdict: Life-changing truth for a skeptical world. Is a phenomenal book and resource, along with The POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA OF APOLOGETICS, BY HINDSON, and CANER. Stand apart, and do your own historical research. Study scripture, and understand the nature of what it means to be an eyewitness. There is more then just scripture if scripture isn’t enough for you. But all the evidence points back to one incontrovertible truth; the Bible is the one truth. Not a truth, no one persons truth, the truth. The price of being a skeptic is high, and if this is the only life you’re worried about, then that’s okay. As a Christian all we can do is give scripture, point out facts, and let God do the rest of the work. Go forth and be blessed this day.

Refrences

McDowell, J., & McDowell, S., PhD. (2017). Evidence that demands a verdict: Life-changing truth for a skeptical world. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Take The Compliment!

August 12, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Take The Compliment!

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

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

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

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

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

Joy

August 11, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Joy

So many people in this world are constantly on a scavenger hunt for happiness. For many it’s like a wisp of a cloud the moment you have it in your hands it begins to slip away. Happiness is caused by a great many things, a new ‘thing’, a person, money, a place, etc. We are always looking for that new thing and if we only had it, then… we’d be happy. For me, I have often found, and I’m not proud of this, my happiness seems to often depend on if I am in a relationship or not. While I have had the last two years to find my own happiness without someone I’ve had marginal success. The difference between happiness and joy is, joy is a tangible feeling, something that doesn’t fade in the test of time. Where do you find your joy, and is your joy fleeting? Scripture tells us where your joy should be found, and once you have it, shouldn’t be something easily taken away.

True hope, true joy, is found in the knowledge that this life is a fleeting moment, and eternity is paradise. Jesus said John 14:27”27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” I was listening to a song recently called Joy by, For King & Country, and in the song it talks about how you need to make a choice, a choice on how you want to live. In the music video the world looks black and white, it looks like it has no hope, but at the end, there’s a line that says, “While our circumstances haven’t change, our perspective can.” We know the storms are going to come and even when everything around us looks awful, there’s hope in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. John 14:27“27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” In life sometimes we get to the point where we are holding by a thread, but in our greatest time of need, when your laying on the ground and the paramedic leans over you to reassure you, ‘you’re going to be fine, just hold on.’ Jesus is our paramedic in a world where we’re always on the brink. My help comes from Jesus, my refuge from the storms. When the world is it’s darkest, Jesus is the lighthouse shining brightly from Heaven and I’m being guided home. So long as I keep my eyes on the guiding light, I shall not fall off course, I shall navigate the storms no matter how grim things look. My peace in Jesus gives me strength, and even though the world is like a vampire trying to suck away my joy, I shall be renewed by the Holy Spirit every day. I drink from the everlasting cup, knowing that today will pass, tomorrow will rise, and one day I know my ship will sail into the most beautiful harbor, and I shall finally rest.

Don’t let trials from this world steal your joy. We can look at the Apostle Paul for inspiration of what it means to have joy. Paul said, ‘your grace is sufficient.’ Speaking of Jesus Christ. Paul endured hardships few of us will ever see in our lives. Even when Paul was in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, sentenced to death by Nero, he proclaimed he was at peace, because he knew true joy. In James 1:2-4“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” see the brother of Jesus telling everyone there is joy because he believes in the Holy Spirit. The church was being persecuted, hunted down, and people were being thrown in jail, tortured, and killed for their believe in Christ. Even as their seemed to be no physical hope of an end to the suffering, those who knew Jesus, knew that we can never count on this world for hope, and most importantly, if we did count on the world for hope, what looks like joy in our lives will simply be crushed by the weight of a world designed to try and break you.

Sin is heavy and if we don’t understand where our joy comes from we will never be free of that weight. The longer you carry the same amount of weight the heavier it feels even though, no matter how long you hold a 5 gallon bucket, though it’s still 5 gallons, it feels like 100. Sin doesn’t have to crush you, it doesn’t have to suck the joy out of your life. It may remove earthly happiness, but it’s up to us, each and every one of us, if we allow it to remove our joy. Galatians 5:22“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” Live in love, and live in Joy. In that joy of the Lord you shall find peace. The lighthouse from Heaven will never go out, it’ll never get dull, and in our daily devotions, our daily walk with Christ, let that light shine brightly in our hearts, and then allow that light to reflect off you like the moon. Light up the darkness by being a reflection of what Jesus has done for all of us. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her King.”

Rude

August 10, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Rude

2 Timothy 3:2-5“2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

The night is quiet as I’m the only one in the house. The white noise of the fan is the only sounds made in the whole house. The dogs are asleep, the cats too. While the world around me is calm, the same cannot be said for inside my mind tonight. As I have sat here facing one trial after another, I know that this is my trail, but the part that’s bothered me is how other people have been treating me. I have faced the new trend ‘ghosting’ and in this time of digital friendships, I have found that people have become selfish, rude, and the thoughts and feelings of others are little concern anymore.

We are told not to conform to this world, and as we look at our society now we see how many traits are actually called out in 2^ndTimothy. In my struggle of frustrations, I realize that as much as it hurts sometimes all we can do is step back and pray for each situation. We cannot actually change the hearts of people. All we can do is have faith in the Lords plan and believe in the Holy Spirit’s healing and changing powers. Remember though that people are people and people make mistakes. We must try to give the benefit of the doubt and work with love in our hearts.

While I wish people would be more loyal, and that they would stick more to their word, but ultimately people will do and follow a path they see best fits them. The only way we can combat that kind of behavior is through love. It’s hard for us to manage being hurt and going through that sometimes regularly, but Love must be the first last and only line of defense. We must be gently but firmly honest with loving overtones.

It’s our job as Christians to ensure we do not fall into the sin Paul writes about in Timothy. While the world will tell you, ‘the only one who will ever look out for you, is you.’ While this is potentially true, it teaches a self-centered point of view. Life isn’t always sunshine and roses and we must accept that people sometimes struggle. That doesn’t mean we need to push anyone away just because they are having troubles. Our place is to love, and to be there in people time of need. But if YOU happen to be the one being rude and ghosting, and being selfish, knock it off, it’s not nice, and it’s not Christ like at all.

When Your Heart Hurts

August 8, 2018 thearrowpreacher5 Comments

When Your Heart Hurts

Today’s blog post will be dedicated to a very lovely lady I have had the pleasure to get to know. She’s the most empathetic, and loving woman I’ve ever be blessed to know. No matter the hardships that befall you, turn to the Father and place your trust in Him. He gives us gifts and sometimes it’s in the most unusual circumstances, but God always works in mysterious ways. It’s not our place to question, it’s just our place to smile, say thank you, and Love Jesus for everything we have. God Bless Alice, you’re never ever alone.

We’ve all be there, broken hearted, torn, crying, lost and not sure where to turn. After my ex left I was broken, and I felt as if I’d never be whole again. There are days even now two years later when I wonder what more my heart can take, what more hurt can I endure. I have watched a great many tragedies, and have seen the revolving door of new people in and out of my life. What I have learned is to be sure my foundation is solid. I have wanted nothing more then to find myself someone special, but as I have moved forward I have now realized there’s a reason I hadn’t found the right person. It wasn’t so much as the right person for me, it was the right person for the path I am now on. It’s funny how just a year ago I never imagined the path I’d be on now. I still find myself surprised at each new path God places me on. It’s funny, after my near death experience back in 2016 for a while I was at ease with everything that was going on in my life. I was calm, and I was sure that I was so unsure of the future, but it was completely okay because no matter where I was, God would be in control. As time passed I slowly began to feel the doubts creep in, and I began to feel the pull of regret, doubts, and despair flood my heart, and I found myself being crushed by the weight I couldn’t carry alone.

In the months and now years of recovery of the worst heartbreak I’ve ever had, I have found clarity of faith that I have never had. I have become a pawn moving my way up the board, and one day hope to become a knight. The road to becoming a knight is a perilous one, and not to be undertaken lightly. The closer you get to God, and as you become one of his strongest tools, so shall you be subjected to more attacks, more scrutiny, and a bigger target on your chest. When you are broken hearted, do not fear the pain, instead accept it, and grow from it. When you are lost, turn to God to be your compass. When you are hurting turn to God to wipe your tears away. When you are sad and depressed turn to God for healing and trust that the gray skies will part. We are all down on our knees at some point, but always remember that our trials are for many purposes. We often think that when we go through a trial it’s because of us, something we are to learn, and while that’s quite possibly true, it’s also possible that it’s our witness that’s on trial. How we respond to depression, and anger, and heartbreak is just as important as any other day. We have the opportunity to show others the love of Jesus Christ in our lives. While this may not change our fear, or the hurt we feel, we should always hold onto the hope for tomorrow. God has made each and ever one of us important and it’s in scripture we find a hope that washes away all tears, washes away all doubts, and builds us stronger tomorrow then we are today. Luke 12:7“7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” We don’t often think about Christ’s love for us as an individual love, but the truth is Jesus would have sacrificed himself for even just one soul, but as God planned we are each, every single one of us, worthy in God’s eyes of saving. We are God’s people and our Father loves us unconditionally. We have a father that wants us to join Him in Heaven, and that wants us to know him. We have a father we can call Abba, and we know that no matter how much we hurt, how much we cry, how lost we feel, our Abba is never not with us.

It doesn’t matter if you suffer from depression, anxiety, heartbreak, or addiction, there’s always hope on the horizon. The first thing to know is God never leaves us. Second, is God will always provide a solution to the problem. God loves us, and God wants us to succeed even if there’s a hard lesson to be learned. God often gives us the tools we need to make it through our hardships. God also gives us help along the way. We may not expect the help to come from where it does, but we must verify by testing the apparent gifts, but if they are truly gifts from God, we must always appreciate them, and treasure them. I haven’t always been the best at doing this, and I feel if perhaps I would have done something differently I wouldn’t have ended up divorced, but regardless where the blame is to be placed, if any, I am on this path now because of that event putting this timeline in motion. Trust in God that even when we screw things up, or when the Devil intervenes, God is still working things out. All things in our life will be used to glorify God, the good, bad, even the ugly. Don’t fear tomorrow, instead focus on God today and ask how you can glorify God with whatever your going through. Never doubt yourself for you’re a child of the King. We all have limitations, physical, emotional, mental, but in our weaknesses, God grows our faith and we must turn to God and give all the glory. Embrace the gifts God has placed in your life to include and most importantly Jesus Christ. Be strong, be courageous, and be willing to take a chance by trusting in God the Father.

Living Your Identity

August 7, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Living Your Identity

Bruce Wayne lives his life as an eccentric billionaire playboy. He has his day job, his public persona but when the sun goes down and he dons the cowl, the true Bruce Wayne comes out. The true face is the one that criminals fear, and the one that stalks the streets of Gotham City. You can look at nearly all the superheroes and understand why they hide their super identity from the world. In The Dark Knight Rises Bruce Wayne tells Robin why he needed to wear a mask and it was to protect those people he cared about. I feel as if we as Christians have a secret identity, and that identity is Christian. I feel like we go to work and we never discuss our faith with anyone. We go to the grocery store and our faith stays at home. Even worse I feel like we go to bars, and strip clubs, and all manner of sinful things (no I’m not saying drinking at the bar is sinful), what I am saying is we check Christian at the door. How often do we hide who we are because we’re afraid of what someone might think? How often do we not stand up for what’s right as a Christian because we’re afraid of being ridiculed, or persecuted for it?

Not long ago I was in the grocery store, and I ran into someone I go to church with. We talked for a while and went our separate ways, but while I was grabbing what I went to the store for, I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach I couldn’t quite shake. I’m something of a newish good ol’ country boy. I like guns, and bows, and I listen to rock and roll, and I drink wine, and beer. I don’t drink to get drunk, but I feel and felt that if that person saw me buying beer that I would be judged. There are two things I’d like to say, one; we as Christians are some of the most judgmental people on the planet. Two, we as Christians are some of the most gossiping people on the planet. I fully understand and respect Christians that choose not to drink, however, those who condemn people for drinking have no real basis to do so. Drinking a beer or two doesn’t make me a bad Christian. Drinking a glass of wine doesn’t make me a bad Christian. Why are Christians so afraid to stand out, and the ones that do, why are they so afraid to be able to live who they are? This is a big problem many Christians face today, but it comes back to judgment.

I have felt in my life that I needed to hide my faith from others. The desire to fit in, the desire to be liked overwhelmed what I should have done and I hid who I was. Sadly I paid for that mistake as I ended up marrying someone who did not share my values, did not share my faith, and when the time came, I was left with nothing. I knew I shouldn’t have put my faith in the closet like that, but I was afraid that I wouldn’t ever find someone who cared for me like my ex-wife did, and when things got a little tough, she walked away without fighting to save the marriage. We as Christians must realize that our relationship with God is the most important thing in our lives. We must always put God first, and trust that our faithfulness will be rewarded. We should never deny Christ as Peter had. Matthew 26:70-74“70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” 71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” 73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” 74 Then he began to [a]curse and [b]swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.”

Every time we turn our backs on Christ, and we keep our faith locked away because of any reason, it never matters why, we are no better then Peter. We must not be ashamed of our faith, and we must never let fear be the reason we say nothing. We are promised persecution for our faith, and if we are truly going to accept Jesus as our savior, we must accept the struggles that come with it. Now, that being said, as for the other issues, we need to remember something, we are not holy, we are not righteous in any way. We are in no position to judge anyone else. The ONLY thing we are to do is politely call someone on their sins, and offer loving aid to help them. We are not called to pass judgment on someone. We are not called to dictate what is or is not acceptable from the world standards. The only place we just be going to determine what is and what isn’t okay is scripture. Let me point something out to those Christians who think drinking is a sin. John 2:1-11“2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and [a]manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”

So here is the Son of God at a wedding. Read verse 10 again, the master of feast called saying at the beginning of the party the good stuff is put out, but by the time everyone is drunk and happy, the cheap stuff is put out because no one cares anymore. Jesus didn’t turn the water into bad wine even, he made it into the best wide they’d had. Now, I’m not saying it’s okay to get drunk, but what I am saying is, there’s nothing wrong with having drinks in moderation. Scripture says not to be a drunkard, and what that means is we do some stupid stuff when we drink. We must stay sober minded not to do sinful things under the guise of alcohol. There is no excuse for doing stupid things while drunk. The choice to drink is yours and drunk is never an excuse. Now on the flip side, we must stop thinking we have the right to judge others. We don’t know what anyone is going through, and we have no place to pass any kind of judgment for any reason. Our place is to love, and be there for others. Our place is to share the Love and Gospel of Jesus Christ, and show the world what being a Christian is all about. No one wants to be around gossip, or judgmental self-righteous people. I have heard so often from people who have sworn off church because they always felt like they were being judged by people in the church. How much damage has been done by people of the church because of actions such as these? The numbers frighten me because I think of all the souls that are potentially lost because we as Christians have not conducted ourselves in the best light.

Someone once said to me that you had to be able to connect with your congregation and it was important that you are approachable. I come from the military and one thing veterans do is drink. Most veterans drink far to much, but it’s common place to have a beer with friends, and laugh and joke, and I find most veterans are more likely to open up at a gathering after having a beer or two. As a (hopefully) future reverend, I hope to be able to reach the veteran community. I hope to be approachable and if that means having a beer or two with veterans, to me it’s no different then having wine at a wedding. The reason I was so concerned at the store is because I know how some people are and some topics are touchy subjects for some people. I neither want to be the subject of gossip, nor the subject of someone’s judgment. Ultimately however, my actions are between God and me. I trust that if I stepped out of place I would made aware of it, and I would have to face the consequences for my actions. We should never have to hide because of fear. Growing up I hid I was a nerd in school because I was terrified I’d never be accepted. Now I have a blog post that I am literally comparing the Gospels to today’s age of the Geek. What I was once afraid of I now share proudly. I am a Christian, I am a nerd, I drink beer, and I talk to sinners. I talk to non-believers, and I converse with people of different faiths. I am decorated Army Veteran, and on occasion I might use a curse word. It should come as no surprise to anyone that I too am a sinner. I too fall short of the glory of God, and I to struggle with the world and my faith.

We are all attacked by the Devil, attacked by the world, attacked by the flesh, but we always have to fight as hard as we can. We draw our strength from our Lord and Savior, and we are covered in protection when we ask for it. Psalm 91:4“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Let’s all cool it on the gossip, and let us all stop judging one another, and just love one another. Lift up one another in talk, not tear down. Live your identity and remember it’s Jesus’s judgment we must be concerned with, not that of man. Never be afraid to be who you are. I’ve been condemned for being a Christian and the more I study, the more I preach and teach, the less tolerant those around be become. It was fine me being a Christian as long as I didn’t talk about it. It was find being a Christian as long as it didn’t come up in conversation, but now, more and more people are proving to be less open to hearing me out, and even as far as no longer supporting me and my path. I have found it difficult as my mornings now start with yet another person pulling their support. One by one acquaintances drop away and I find that as the Devil pushes me, I must remain vigilant and affirm who I am. I am a Christian, and I am a man seeking redemption for years of mistakes and sins. I am a man driven to help others going through hell on Earth that I’ve experienced. I’m a Christian who wants to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ, not because of something I think might be true, but what I know to be true by the evidence within my own life. I’m a Christian who loves the Lord and will stand firm as I am taunted, and exiled from parts of my old world. I have faith in God the Father, and I know he renews that Faith, and through the hard times, or the peaceful times, I will not bend a knee to the world just because it wants me to. I will not acquiesce to be silent in my faith. I am a Christian, and I will live my identity. I don’t need to hide who I am, and I won’t.

Behold The Power of Thor

August 6, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Behold The Power of Thor

“Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.” The inscription on the fictional hammer of Mjolnir. Thor possesses this hammer and the power is power within. When his powers were stifled by Odin in the first Thor movie, he was sent on a journey to discover himself. He needed to discover the true nature of a leader, of a King, and what it meant to truly be worthy of the gift of Thor. What are we worthy of before God of the universe? The answer is absolutely nothing. We deserve nothing but its through Grace we are gifted eternal life. When Thor betrays his father Odin, the King, he is cast out, stripped of his powers, stripped of his rightful place in Asgard. Odin being a loving and benevolent King and father did not send Thor to Earth without the possibility to return. He enchanted the hammer Mjolnir to give Thor back his power if and when Thor displayed himself worthy, to submit to the power of Thor which was to be kind to others, to be selfless towards others, and to be humble, all traits to make a great future King. In our walk with Christ we are told nothing we do in this life would ever make us worthy of the perfection of Heaven. Heaven cannot have a black mark within it, so in order to be worthy, we are washed, cleansed by the Blood of Christ, and we are made new, burning away the flesh of old, and becoming a new creature, submitting ourselves, humbly before the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:17“17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

What does it mean to be unworthy? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Unworthy as “a : lacking in excellence or value : poor, worthless b : base, dishonorable” In scripture, we see what we are to in the presence of God, Isaiah 64:6“But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like [a]filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.” When you look up this verse in the Hebrew it actually means our righteousness is like a dirty menstrual rag. The rag a woman uses to clean herself during her monthly cycle is how we are compared. That’s pretty low, and yet we see our salvation, and grace regardless of what we are worthy of. Ephesians 2:8-10 “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Much like Thor we have failed to be worthy of the kingdom. We however have hope in Jesus Christ, as Thor had hope in the hammer. In the Old Testament of the Bible the Jews looked forward to their savior, they where holding out for a hero to save them for their enemies, and when the day came, they rejected the truth because it wasn’t what they wanted. Thor regained his strength, his power through the change within himself. The Hammer gave him his strength back, but the hammer isn’t what gifted him his true power. The cross is what the Jews looked forward to, and we as Jews and Gentiles look back towards the cross, it’s not the cross itself that gave us our hope, it’s the blood of Christ that was spilt. We were washed with that blood, and since then we have the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through us. We must only believe in that power, believe in the sacrifice made for us to be saved from eternal death, and be given eternal life.

When Thor’s hammer is broken by his opposite Hela, he feels despair, lost, powerless, but in time, he found the power didn’t come from the symbol, it didn’t come from the hammer, no, the power was inside him all along. We don’t get our power and strength from the cross; we get the power from the Holy Spirit of Christ, which flows through us. We don’t need to carry a cross to have the power, we don’t need to eat the bread and drink the wine to have the power, those are merely symbols of the power given, the power of Love, Mercy, Forgiveness. We are gifted with Eternal salvation as brothers, sisters, children, of the King. We are God’s hands and feet, and we work not for ourselves, but to show the glory of God within us. We share the good news of Christ because when we submit to the Lord, and we love Jesus for everything done for us, we should be excited and unable to contain our joy. Much like Thor would make the thunder come when he had strong emotions, we to should bring the sunshine and rainbows everywhere we go, because we have the power of the Holy Spirit, and we must allow Jesus Christ to work through us in all we say and Do. Don’t let the Devil break your cross, don’t let the Devil destroy your world, stand up, stand tall, and remember that those whom attack us “know not what they do.” So forgive them, and pray for them, and love them regardless, and you will inherit the Kingdom to live in peace, and joy for eternity. Perfection is what awaits us, and we to, like Thor, are forgiven for our insolence, our disobedience, our faithlessness, and our sins that make us dirty. Isn’t that a wonderful thing, to have hope knowing we could never earn it because we don’t have it? Jesus paid our ransom for us, He paid for the ticket into Heaven, and asked only one thing in return, Love and follow Christ, and Love your Neighbor. Simple, and yet so many will never submit to a higher authority, and so many will never know the love and grace of God.

God Said and We Must Trust

August 5, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

God Said and We Must Trust

Genesis 2:1818 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

Some days when I feel alone, when I feel discouraged, I think back to what God said and I know that in this season I may be alone, but I must put my faith in God that He has a plan bigger than I can see. It’s not easy going through life without the things we desire most, but if something is truly good for us the Lord will provide when the time is right. Being patient is one of the hardest things we as humans have to do. There are a lot of things I am patient with, but being alone is not one of them. While some people can go their entire lives alone, some people are wired for those human connections. Be strong in your faith, and trust in the Lord. Walk closely with Christ and listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling you. Find your purpose God has planned for you, and always trust in the process. God doesn’t make mistakes, and for every hardship, tragedy, struggle, God is with you working out the details. Do not loose hope, and do not despair, Jesus Christ is the truth, the way, the life. In his death we were given eternal hope, so never fear tomorrow, focus on today, and trust the plan. God

Snap, Crackle, What?

August 2, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Snap, Crackle, What?

Have you ever been in physical pain? I’m betting most of you have been at some point. Yesterday, I was at my physical therapy appointment and we were working on a spot of pain in my mid back. The likely suspect was a rib that wasn’t quite in place. It seems between a fractured rib, and a damaged lung, two years ago it may not have set quite right. It occurs to me that one of the things we rarely understand is why we are afflicted with physical ailments, and how those pains can be used to glorify God. When I think about the passion of Christ, I think about pain, suffering beyond anything I could ever imagine. I think about the flesh being torn from bone, the lacerations, the tearing of muscle, and how agonizing that must have been. I don’t think I would be able to endure that kind of pain. I think about the drive one must have had to go through that voluntarily. I don’t think I would volunteer for the pain I have right now. But the love Christ showed us, knowing he could have stopped at any time, is truly showing grace upon humanity. Romans 8:18“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” The suffering we have today is nothing compared to what we will have in Heaven IF we know God, and know our savior Jesus Christ. While our physical pain may be an inconvenience, I give you this, do not let it become a roadblock, merely a speed bump. Pain doesn’t mean the end, it simply means different. While I’ve never watched the movie, much to my shame, the movie Soul Surfer comes to mind. A young woman, an amazing surfer was attacked by a shark and lost part of her arm. Instead of letting that destroy her hopes and dreams, she rose up, and learned to surf with only one arm. I have a friend who loves to surf, he lost his leg in Iraq and he surfs regularly with his prosthesis. While there are days he hurts, he doesn’t let it stop him from doing what he loves.

It occurs to me that we have a choice when it comes to getting older. We can complain about our physical pains, or we can find a way to overcome them. We can choose whether or not to let that pain be the victor over us. While some pain may be debilitating, I believe even then we can somehow use that situation to still glorify God. The whole idea is knowing Christ suffered, and we will too. We aren’t going to live a perfect pain free life, but we should truly be honored to know that when we follow Christ we are going to share in eternal blessing. 1 Peter 2:21“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” Knowing we follow in Christ’s steps is humbling. Knowing that we are given the opportunity to be with the King of the Universe and that we are loved so much that even though we are filthy sinners, that we will be made clean, that we will transform, and one day enter the gates of perfection for all eternity, is simply beautiful. The wonders of Heaven are far greater then our minds can comprehend, but when we think of it, we must grasp even a little so we may appreciate what we have here.

The pain we have now, is only for a little while in the scales of life eternal, so don’t loose hope. We know what awaits us, and we know that somehow the pain we have can be used to adore God, used to praise God, and we should never pass an opportunity to do so. There is a message to be shared in every situation if we take the time to examine scripture and our current condition and circumstance. Don’t loose hope, there is a better tomorrow ahead.