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At Years End 2022

December 30, 2022 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

The world isn’t a place for everyone. For some, the world is only paradise they will ever know. The price of darkness may never feel the need to attack you. See, this world can be like a prison. For some, they will stay inside their walls freely, never seeking to escape, never reaching for the open door. For others, the prison like those in the matrix, they can feel something is wrong with the world. “It is all around you, even in this very room. You can see it when you look out the window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes.” (The Matrix) so many people are content eating their steak, and going about their day to day lives without care for the truth. People die young, cancer attacks a child, the wife has an affair and destroys everything. There is betrayal, and lies, and hardships beyond imagining. When was the last time you saw public outcry against Muslims, against their belief that homosexuality is a sin? Or that in Muslim countries there are strict laws against it. When was the last time you heard the outcry against Buddhism? Why is the world not attack other faith? I believe the answer is clear, why would Satan put time attacking something that isn’t true? Satan doesn’t see the others as a threat so there is no need to put his forces against falsehoods.

Sin does not need to be taught. Sin comes naturally in this world. We often cry out to God upset at the Father because of calamity that befalls us. How much of our struggle is of our own making? How much is caused by our own actions, our own lust of the selfishness and narcissistic behavior that lives in sin? When we are not walking with God we get mad at God for allowing disaster. Judgment comes in many ways to those who mock Gods commandments. When we are silent in our hearts about the sin that infiltrates and destroys our communities, judgment is imminent. We have spit in the face of God. We have turned our backs on His teachings. We have neglected his commands and commissions. Now as the world turns to darkness we cry out asking for salvation.

The path to destruction is wide and the way to salvation is narrow. The struggle in which we find ourselves can be seen as tests, or as a forge. In the military we train as we fight. We prepare for battle by simulating battle. We seek knowledge, and stamina by continually training. In a world clouded in darkness, those who wish to fight back, to stand firm against the enemy, must be forged into something new. You must be born again, for only those born again will enter the Kingdom of God. (John 3) If we are born again don’t we need to be trained for our new selves? Don’t we need to be taught and prepare for the obstacles we face in our new lives?

2022 was a rough year. From injuries, to illness, to setbacks in personal areas in my life, to kidney stones, to infections. After all the injuries and sickness, disappointment set in. On top of everything else, the longest run of depression i’ve ever had, had turned an already difficult year, into a battle of battles. What else would make for a truly awful year? Chronic pain. Chronic pain often brings forth and exasperates depression, fatigue, and of course pain. The hardships faced this year, for some would turn them a way from God. For me, it draws me near to Him. Does this mean, life isn’t full of frustration, or hardships of emotions. Of course this journey is hard, and full of emotions, but Jesus knows our difficulties. It’s precisely why the hope He offers is so much more important. What is it we fear? “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)” In Jesus we not only find our hope, but our peace. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)”

Have I not seen Jesus in my life? Have I not felt his presence rest upon me as the enemy bared down to murder me? Have I not heard the voice of the Father, breathe new life into my lungs as life drifted away from my body? Faith, is an essential and interesting thing. What was it Jesus said to Thomas? “Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed. (John 20:29)” I have seen, and I have believed. This does not make the journey less difficult, or even emotionally easier, but it does mean I have hope. It means there is rest at the end of this long race I run. Jesus overcame Sin, broke the chains that held us. We will have hardships, and trials, and even at times, we will be broken hearted. Faith in Jesus, and the path set before us is one many will endeavor to walk, but will fall away, run away, or stay away from. Jesus through the word, the Logos, has given us everything we need to traverse the difficult road ahead. We have his Word, the Helper (Holy Spirit) to be our guide. We do not travel alone but the brotherhood (sisterhood) of those who also follow the way. We have the testimony of those who walked before us and left us the eyewitness statements. We have the martyrs who gave up everything for the truth. We have our fellow believers who walk with us today. We have all the tools to manage through this struggle, and the Lord our God, prepares the called, he does not call the equipped. Blessed are the meek, the poor, the gentle, those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure of heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted, and those insulted and persecuted because thy follow Christ. We must have faith in our path and lean not of our own understanding. We must trust the Father in the hardships we face. We must learn from our mistakes and be honest of our sinful actions and deeds. We must hold ourselves accountable and responsible to Gods law, not the law of Man which spits in the face of the Father. As darkness spreads and becomes all the more intense, allow Christ to shine through you ever more brightly. Snuff out the darkness, not of our own doing but that of the Lords work through us. We never know whom watches us, or the purpose of a thing, but we know, through Lord all things are possible. All hope resides in Him. For it is in Him miracles still happen. It is in Him, the lost see the light. It is in Him our actions may bring glory and honor to His name.

Let us lift up the Lord Jesus name and praise him in the storm. Let us worship Him in the rain, the sunshine, the coldest of nights, and the hottest of days. Be of good cheer and rejoice and sing Hallelujah, for even now Emanuel, Emanuel on the highest. Worry not about today, nor tomorrow. Trust in the Lord your God and fight the good fight, till He calls you home.

Merry CHRISTmas 2022

December 16, 2022December 16, 2022 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

This world Forges us. Shapes us. Tests us. Do we put our faith in God? Do we know and understand who the true enemy is? Do we understand the importance of spiritual warfare? Do we allow the fire to forge us into something else? Or do we come out cracked and brittle? Do we take up the armor of God daily, and withstand the attacks of the Devil and his legion of demons? Do we know God by the study of his word? Do we trust the world and false teachers pushing us to and fro by the wind in the waves? Do we have cheer for the child born unto a virgin, celebrated by the angels on high? Faith in what we did not see but trust those who did and wrote to tell us about the child born a King, who overcame the chasm between the Father and man, who forgave us in his dying breaths. A death that would not hold but in 3 days rose again as the scripture foretold. The sun rise in the East, giving the age of man hope and the curse of sin, broken, a sentence of death laid aside and sinner washed of their sin made perfect upon death, and moving straight to Heaven. A belief in the Sun, Jesus, mind, and body for being a whosoever the choice is clear. Love god, love your neighbor. Merry Christmas neighbor, let love shine as bright as the star the Magi followed to find the little King.

The Truth

March 2, 2021March 3, 2021 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

The Truth

Being a Christian doesn’t mean I have it together all the time. It doesn’t mean someone is ok all the time. It doesn’t mean you’re never depressed. It doesn’t mean you can’t have other mental illnesses like bipolar or anxiety disorder. It means we realize we cannot possibly make it through this journey alone. We rely on our Lord and Savior to help us through and that we are nothing without Jesus Christ with us.

I am woefully insecure. My mind seeks human approval and acceptance. My mind is wrought with loneliness and self doubt. My insecurities make me question much about myself. I’ll give some examples.

“Hey how are you?”(message seen) two days later still no reply…

(Brain: what did I do? Are they upset with me? They don’t like talking to me. Am I not important to them?)

If I go too long without hearing from someone I question if I matter to that person. Do I cross their mind? Why don’t they say hello. Why don’t they ever check on me? Ultimately years of abandonment have culminated into a fear of such things, along with a deep seated question of self value and a desire for friendships that won’t scatter when the light reveals my imperfections.

As years pass by it seems I have become more and more isolated, not by choice, but by world events. My recent bout with Covid, left me seeking and searching both inside myself and outside for answers. While some people came to my aid, others whom I expected to be there weren’t. It produces a mix of feelings associated with my personal value. Of course the caveat to all of this is both simple and immensely complex. I am a child of God, a follower of Jesus Christ, and God don’t make trash. I have value because I am loved by God. On the flip side, feeling as I do are feelings of the world. The feeling and desire of wanting human contact is powerful. My soul and mind are at odds with one another and with a history of depression, a fierce battle.

The desires that comes and goes to reach out to people, is one that often seems to get me into trouble. It seems the thought of checking on loved ones and friends regularly, even if it’s just to show I care, is often met with feelings of anxiety, and messages left unanswered. Of course, in this age of digital communication, it’s too easy to ignore, and simply vanish in an event now called ghosting, is far too common in my life. Ghosting happens regularly in my life. And on top of that, those whom I had been friends with for years, have up and vanished, leaving me to hold on tight to those relationships I value most. Sometimes creating a catch 22. The desire to keep people close often has the adverse effect of pushing them away. Finding balance has not been my forte’.

Living with this kind of fear of loss is not easy, but there is hope out there to find. When I’m at my lowest, I remember my eternal Father. I remember that Jesus died for me, and that’s something I can’t ever let go of. In order to manage lows, anyone, anytime has to be proactive. In order for me to manage my way through the dark times, I have to create a mix of time with God but also time with people. It’s hard going sometimes, but knowing there’s light at the end of the tunnel is vastly important. Making my way through Covid, and the isolation it created has been a challenge. Many days of long periods of silence, left me in time of study in Gods word. I think back to Paul and the times of solitude in prison. How much less of a man am I, that I should not suffer also? If Paul can do it, I shall also. Paul suffered yet endured. He had a couple people he could always count on, as do I.

Managing these things doesn’t have to be completely debilitating, even though it proves a challenge, life moves on. Finding ways to manage the loneliness, and dealing with the depression that comes with, the lack of motivation, is a cyclical problem to deal with, but one that is nothing beyond what God can manage, and get me though. Time keeps moving forward and so shall I. God gets all the glory, and provides me everything I need. Never keep from moving forward, and never stop fighting the good fight.

Drive

September 5, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Drive

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

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

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

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

600

August 20, 2018 thearrowpreacher3 Comments

600

I can hardly believe so much time has passed since I published my first post on February 23^rd2017. At first my only intention was to work through some of my own personal struggles in my life and how using scripture would help me do that. As that mission slowly evolved now it is no longer about my own need to deal with demons, it’s about helping others through troubled waters. Of course on occasion I find myself struggling during a particular post, but on some level there will always be a symbiotic relationship to what I post and how I feel. I can honestly say, the thought of writing 600 posts in less then two years is truly something else. I have a hard time fathoming the amount of hours I’ve put into study to get this far. I have an equal hard time considering the consistent ability to somehow post a full message each and every day. Looking back all I can do is attribute my success to God. I could never have done it without the support of my best friend Glen, and my many followers. In recent weeks I have picked up nearly a dozen new followers, and one stands above the rest. A new suggestion has been made that I start working on a VLOG. While I have mixed feelings on it, I am excited to explore a new direction for my blogs. In the last year and some change I have had 6450 views, 4023 visitors in 2017 and 8181 views, and 4111 visitors in 2018 so far. With over 100 countries it’s pleasing to know maybe in some way I’ve touched lives in this world, knowing I’ve made a difference for God’s kingdom.

With my new path leading me towards full time ministry, I have to ask myself, ‘am I doing enough?’ For now, I am a full time student, I am studying the Word every day, and I am ministering as often as I can. For my 600^thpost I want to focus on Psalm 23

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not [a]want.

2 He makes me to lie down in [b]green pastures;

He leads me beside the [c]still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

4 Yea, 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.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will [d]dwell in the house of the Lord

[e]Forever.”

At 600 posts I have found myself tired. I have plenty of reserve topics to write about, I struggle now to find the motivation to do so. When I can’t seem to get up and get motivated I think back to this passage. First and foremost the Lord is our shepherd. We shall not want, this translates to we shall never go without. We shall always have what we need because the Lord provides for us always. No matter where we are in our lives we know that there’s one thing we can hold onto that the Devil can never take, our joy. When we close our eyes no matter how deeply into the storm are, we need to only picture a place of peace, and Christ will fill our heart with that peace. The Lord is always with us and hears us always. We have hope knowing that we are loved with no end. We remember that David’s first job was a shepherd boy. This was not considered to be a glamorous job, and he showed no shame remembering his origins. We are the flock of Jesus Christ, and we know that a shepherd will always protect us when the wolves come in the night. We don’t always know what we need. We often think we do, and we always knows what we want, but like a parent God knows our needs. He makes us lie down when we need, he leads us to water when we need, this showing that God will always provide for us. When we are hurt, God always restores our souls. He provides us comfort with truth, and grace. God is tender when we need a soft hand, and fierce when we need a disciplining hand, but always in love.

I remember in my military training the once place we never wanted to be was down in a valley. This is a choke point, a place where army’s go to die. An enemy that has the high ground always as the advantage, and the fear of being surrounded it can seem like there is no hope, but even here where it seems David is making this comment based on a memory, we remember the other job he had, and that was a soldier. David was a decorated military strategist and he had to be to survive. He talks about being in the midst of certain death, and yet knowing God was always by his side. David knows that he only walks through the valley, not that he will remain there. He knows that the shepherd leads and we must trust that the shepherd knows best, even when that hope seems lost. We must remember to trust in our Lord that no matter what we face in this life, we are but guests on this earth, and we’re just passing through. Those of us with the hope and knowledge of Jesus Christ knows that there’s nothing that this world can do to us to take away the gift Jesus gave to us, and we know that we to will one day join Christ in glory.

As I consider the next step for my blog, I expect God to continue to bless me, and I will continue to grow if for no other reason then to serve the Lord. I am here to serve, and as I now walk towards a path of service, I know that there’s nothing my God cannot do. I know that even a sinner like me can be used to bring glory to the only name that matters, Jesus Christ. To the 600 posts behind me now, God willing we will see what He has planned for the next 600. I am blessed with the support I have, and I am blessed with my church family. I have friends that support me, and one friend in particular that while new, she’s been incredibly supportive of my blog even though we have fundamental differences in our faith. Alesha, Thank You! Thank you for the constant warm comments, and thoughts and support. Glen, Speedy, I love you buddy.

God Bless You All!

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.

The Eye

June 29, 2018 thearrowpreacher5 Comments

The Eye:

I have spent the last few weeks ministering to those whom I meet and it’s no surprise to everyone else, but a total shock to me, that the moment I would devote my life to ministry the door cracked open, the flood of people I would be ministering/counseling would skyrocket. In these few weeks I have found myself finding lost sheep everywhere I turn. I have felt as it Sauron’s great eye were watching me. No I’m not comparing Sauron to God, but I have felt as if I were being watched. The fact is, I have been. Our God is an almighty sovereign of the universe and He can watch every single one of us at the same time. Proverbs 5:21-23“21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths. 22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. 23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.” We think we know the right way, we think we know the path, but if we but see through the eyes of the Lord, we would not be so easily led astray, let to ruin, led by the flesh.

I have often found when we start to stray away from God we fall to the flesh, the desires of our sin nature and thus, we fall to the ever watchful eye. We are children and when we need it we are punished and corrected so we may get back onto the path away from Sin. Of course we all sin, we will all always fall short of perfection, but in this life we are always working to be as Christ like as possible. Hebrews 4:13 “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” God is so great, and so merciful and gracious, and yet we spit on our blessings, we turn our backs, we scoff at the Lord, it’s no wonder our society and our Nation have fallen so far.

We have allowed the great darkness to rise and spread through the land and like Mordor’s black army being raised, we are Gondor vastly outnumbered, and yet we stand at the ready to face the swarm of darkness. The evil eye of Satan watch and waits for our guard to be down before He strikes and tries to break our spirits, our resolve. If we are being watched by the enemy, why then are we not watching for Him? We are told in scripture to be mindful, to be watchful, and it’s no surprise. 1 Peter 5:8“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” If our enemy doesn’t sleep, what makes us think we can rest in this war? While there is a time for every season that doesn’t mean we become complacent.

When I was in the military and deployed to Iraq there was something I remember above all other signs. “Complacently Kills.” It was a Marine Motto. When you become relaxed on the battlefield that’s when the enemy is able to get the drop on you and kill you. We cannot expect the great deceiver to take a break so why should we? Don’t take your eye off the ball because when you do, we never know when, where, or how the attack will come, but rest assured it will. Remember to pray to the one who can actually do anything for us, the one which whom our strength comes from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Father God, I want to give thanks for the many blessings you have bestowed upon me, and the path you’ve placed me on. I know it’s not always been easy for me, and I know I have not always been the best of servants, and for that and my sins I ask your gracious forgiveness. I thank you for my readers, and that they be blessed as you’ve blessed me. I pray for the vast number of prayer requests that have been made to me this week. There so to many to count, and some potentially life threatening. You are Holy and I know that at any moment you could wave your hand and right the ship, change the course, and make smooth sailing, but to my own feeble understanding I am nothing compared to the picture of the universe within your hands. You have given us so much, and we give so little in comparison, I ask your mercy that I may better serve you, but more importantly I ask for your blessings of those whom I encounter. There are so many crying souls Lord, you hear them all, and I pray for them. Lord I have met so many lost sheep in the last few weeks, I feel overwhelmed with responsibility to spread the word, but to make a change. I realize I am just a link in the chain, so I ask patience and wisdom as to how to manage these emotions I feel.

Father God I ask your continued blessings upon me, this blog, and my family which supports me so very much. I thank you for the animals you’ve placed in my life, Riley, Cooper, Roo. I want to thank you especially for Riley and her continued service to me. You know how much she aids me in my day to day life, and how much of a blessing she is, and I can never say it enough but thank you for everything she is for me. Father please watch over my church as we continue to preach your word, your truth, and please allow us to continue to repel the Devils attacks as he’s always trying to breach the defenses of the walls we’ve built. Please help us remain vigilant with your wisdom, your eyes, your patience. Please help us keep watch in the cold of the night, and in the longest of storms. We praise your name, and forever the glory to your son Jesus Christ. It’s all this I ask in yours Sons Holy and Precious name Jesus Christ,

Amen

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Find Your Ministry

June 28, 2018June 28, 2018 thearrowpreacher1 Comment

Find Your Ministry:

Have you felt like something’s missing in your life? Something you can’t quite describe but you feel it in the morning when you get out of bed and when you’re out with your friends. You feel it deep down into your heart and soul, and you crave answers, but you don’t even know the question. I felt this for many years of my life, and only when I struck the bottom of life’s horrors did I finally realize my heart has been calling to one thing, and that was Jesus Christ. The day I heard the voice of God I realized how long I had been living in the darkness. People think once you find your salvation or you have that one big event that changes everything in your life that you are all of a sudden going to be a perfect human being. This couldn’t be further from the truth. You can continue down a sinful path, but when you feel the love of Christ cover you like a warm blanket your body has revulsion to sinful behaviors. Things of your past will no longer be appealing, they will no longer give you the fake joy you once reveled in. You can continue to ignore those convictions, but you are only denying the truth. When you find Christ you are reborn, by fire your old self is burned away, and you are a new person. When that day comes, what’s your next step? Well, let me show you what your path will look like.

When you find that salvation in Christ you need to seek Godly counsel. You should go to your pastor, or a close friend in Christ. You need to meet with your pastor and talk about yourself, and start looking at ministries to get connected to. At first you should volunteer with as many as you can till you find the one you are most comfortable with. You will be searching for your spiritual gifts that you’ve been blessed with. I hear people tell me all the time there’s nothing they are good at. There’s nothing that makes them special. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Each and every person on this planet has been given gifts from the Holy Spirit and can use them in a ministry field. I think there are a lot of misconceptions as to what ministry is. Most people believe ministry is teaching, or preaching. This is not true, and when you look to the Hebrew of the word ministry it is, Shareth, “Ministry, religious ministry, service in the tabernacle.” Ministry is service to the Body of Christ. Every job, every works in the service to the Lord as according to your gifts is ministry. This is everyone from those who cook, clean, sing, organize, administration, teach, or preach. Ministries cover every works in the church. Any way for you to service God is a ministry. It’s our job to evangelize but evangelizing is a job for everyone. While people may evangelize and specifically good at missions work, that would be one of their spiritual gifts. You will find a natural interest or desire to particular activities. In this you are being directed by the Holy Spirit to explore different things and you will find it. Not all gifts are found right away, and some require practice. We do not see basketball, football, or hockey players using only their God given talents without also practicing their gifts. We do not improve without putting forth the effort.

God knows us beyond our imagining. We see the true nature of the Blessed Lord especially in Psalm 139:1-13 New Living Translation (NLT)

1 O Lord, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

2 You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

3 You see me when I travel

and when I rest at home.

You know everything I do.

4 You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, Lord.

5 You go before me and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to understand!

7 I can never escape from your Spirit!

I can never get away from your presence!

8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;

if I go down to the grave,[a] you are there.

9 If I ride the wings of the morning,

if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

10 even there your hand will guide me,

and your strength will support me.

11 I could ask the darkness to hide me

and the light around me to become night—

12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.

To you the night shines as bright as day.

Darkness and light are the same to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

If God knew us from before our birth and knows us in our death, knows our path, and what we will do, he designs each and every one of us with care and consideration to how we can serve in accordance with His desires for our service within the Body of Christ. In order to work on our selves, we must work with God by servicing God. Matthew 7:7-11“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” We must pray for our path to be made clear. Pray to Abba and ask how we may serve. We must allow God to mold us, to guide us, and in doing so, we submit to the spirit and let go of our own wants and desires. In doing so we will develop new joys, new dreams, and we will be blessed by God accordingly. Matthew 7:7-117 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”

Be sure to plug in when you find yourself a church. You will find yourself in need of prayer and thus you will pray, but you will also need to study. Joshua 1:8“8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”We must learn to take scripture into our hearts. The Devil will attack you day and night and he is testing your defenses to find a weakness to break through to poison your heart. Do not part from Christ, instead pray day and night, and study, and take scripture into your heart.

1 Corinthians 12

12 Now, dear brothers and sisters,[a] regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. 2 You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. 3 So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice[b]; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.[c] 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages,[d] while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

One Body with Many Parts

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,[e] some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.[f] 14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” 22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 28 Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,

second are prophets,

third are teachers,

then those who do miracles,

those who have the gift of healing,

those who can help others,

those who have the gift of leadership,

those who speak in unknown languages.

29 Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? 30 Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! 31 So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all.

Everyone has his or her gifts as seen in scripture. God ensures that every single person has his or her gifts. Never stop praying to God how we can serve. 1 Thessalonians 5:17“17 Never stop praying.”

Affirmations: “emotional support or encouragement.” When you start getting plugged in people will naturally tell you, or thank you for doing a good job. Between passion, desire, interest and talents, you will find your place in the church body. Finding your ministry is like “going to a buffet, some stuff ‘s okay, some stuff is pretty good, some stuff you absolutely hate, stuff you’ll absolutely love and you’ll want more.” (Rev. Glen Newsome, Jr M.A.C.S) Never stop growing, and learning about God. Your journey will never end, but as you grow your love and appreciation for the shear size and power of the Lord will begin to be revealed to you. It took me 34 years, nearly a dozen traumas, two divorces, loosing my job, and having major back surgery to find my gift in ministry. Never underestimate the lessons that will be used in each and every one of your hardships for the Glory Of God!

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Medic

June 27, 2018June 27, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Medic:

The medic is a soul of compassion and much like a physician also has an oath.

THE MEDIC CREED

My task is to provide to the utmost limits of my capability the best possible care to those in need of my aid and assistance. To this end I will aid all those who are needful, paying no heed to my own desires and wants; treating friend, foe and stranger alike, placing their needs above my own. To no man will I cause or permit harm to befall, nor will I refuse aid to any who seek it. I will willingly share my knowledge and skills with all those who seek it. I seek neither reward nor honor for my efforts for the satisfaction of accomplishment is sufficient. These obligations I willingly and freely take upon myself in the tradition of those that have come before me.…These things we do so that others may live.

When tragedy strikes 911 is called. EMS comes with their gurneys, their first aid bag and begins to provide aid. As a Christian we are to lift up and to never tear down. We are told in 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 “4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” I’m not saying loving like this is always easy, but easy or hard, it’s a command by Jesus Christ to love everyone. No, you do not see the command in this scripture, however, you do see it in Mark 12:30-31 “30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” I put this in red because in most bibles this passage is in red. It’s red because it’s from Christ himself. If we are to love God, and to love our neighbor’s, then we must do what love is, and if love is what’s found in Corinthians, then we need to be doing that for everyone we meet. That’s not a suggestion it’s a command. Part of loving is being there when the need arises. Everyone will stumble and fall in their daily walk, but when they do, it’s important to be there to help them back up. Carrying one another’s burdens is important as a Christian. While Jesus was walking to the Skull, he fell three times. He had help carrying his cross and thus showing us we all need help to bare the cross we carry. No one person can go through life and never accept help. As a body of Christ when someone suffers alone the body suffers. We are God’s hand and feet, and we must treat a suffering Christians as if they were apart of us.

In Spiritual Warfare the Devil is trying to destroy us. Are we willing to allow someone to succumb to the Devil? If we are to busy to talk to, or lift someone up, we need to remove something from our lives because we are NOT living in God’s will. God says bare the burdens, be the hands and feet of Christ. Galatians 5:14“14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In loving your neighbor as yourself, and knowing we all carry a cross to follow Christ, we see a second part to scripture. Galatians 6:2“2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” We are all medics for the Lord. We all have the tools, and the ability to make a difference in someone’s spiritual life. We don’t have to have money to help, or food, or connections, sometimes all the help needed is to be a warm hug, a loving word, and prayers. Scripture teaches us how, we only have to read it to learn.

Be looking for ways to lift up others. Be looking for ways to help. Be willing to take the time to talk, to listen, to laugh, and to cry. Being with whosoever needs and fulfilling the law of Scripture. We know trials and trouble will come, but we also have been taught how to navigate the storms.Matthew 4:4 4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” If you take care of yourself by studying scripture, keeping a healthy prayer life, and allow the words to fill your heart and mind, you are less likely to require a medic. You may only need a friend.

DO NOT SELF MEDICATE

If you do not have Jesus in your heart, or if you start to walk away, you may find yourself on a path of destructive pain. Often times when people turn to substances to make themselves feel better they are attempting to fill a void in their heart or life and that hole can usually be found as a Jesus shaped hole. The second possibility is if you are running from painful feelings that you don’t want to deal with. Either path to addiction is one that will only end in pain. People hide their pains in addictions of substances, alcohol, drugs, work, sex, gaming, and even now roll playing to escape reality. If you find yourself suffering from addictions I urge you to you seek help in dealing with this problem. Addictions don’t just affect you, addictions affect everyone around you. Self medication is never okay, but turning to Christ, and those who follow Christ, that will save your life.

There will always be help within the Church. To each person a divine gift is bestowed and together we can handle anything the Devil may send our way, because we have Christ with us always. Keep love in your heart as Christ so loved us, he Died for us. Love others, and be there for others in their time of need. Do not be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help for we all fall, we all sin, and we all have struggles. Do not be dismayed for there is hope as the Son rose, we shall always live with the light. Remember, we are God’s hands and feet, but we do nothing of ourselves. The one with the power the true one and only Medic is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the one who will save you, He is the one who can heal your heart, He is the one who will fill the void of emptiness you feel. You must ask Jesus into your heart, and call upon him to save you. He is the Medic, the cure for sin, the savior of all.

Captain My Captain

June 26, 2018 thearrowpreacherLeave a comment

Captain My Captain:

Follow my leader, my Lord Jesus Christ. A path straight and true, my ship sails and even though troubled waters are ahead, the storm I shall not fear. My Lord leads me through the highest swells, the strongest winds, and no storm shall sink my ship. My captain I trust, my captain I have faith and fear will not control me.

Matthew 14:25:33“25 And in the fourth watch of the night[c] he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind,[d] he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

When we give up the reigns and we trust in the Lord we will not be led astray. I believe one of the hardest things we will ever do is trust Jesus to get out of the boat of our safety net, and trust that we will not sink into the darkness. Sinking into the darkness, or trusting Jesus enough to let go of the power you believe you have. Power is the world’s greatest lie. We believe we have control over our lives, and that we are in charge of our own fate. While we do have free will, I challenge you to show me a life when bad and unexpected things don’t happen. We want to feel like we are in control but the truth is we don’t know what will happen an hour from now, let alone days, weeks, or years. 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.” The word in the Hebrew is Batach, to trust, to have confidence. Faith is an important part of trusting in the Lord. As we place our faith in many false teachings, many false beliefs, and people draw our faith, but I say this my brethren this is folly. Only one place your faith must go and that’s the Almighty God and His son Jesus Christ. Psalm 28:7“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” We only have one place to put our trust our faith, and in turn, we are graced with strength, and the fortitude to see the fight through to the end.

We see a theme from cover to cover in scripture and that’s trusting in the Lord. In the book of Daniel we see him thrown into the lions den and yet in Daniel 6:23“23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” Daniel trusted in the Lord and thus was delivered at the hands of certain death. Trust came in many flavors but the Lord’s promise is powerful. Do we curse the winds, which cause the waves? Do we curse the clouds, which empty the rains? We choose to venture onto the waters, and yet we take our risks against nature. We have to have faith in our Lord and Savior. Deuteronomy 31:6 “6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Courage in the face of danger pushing the fear away, and trusting that no matter what happens in this life our love of Christ, the submitting to Jesus assures us salvation in Heaven. Isaiah 41:10 “10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” We cannot curse God for everything that happens to us. We must understand the route of all evil is Sin. Sin is everywhere and if we underestimate the power of the dark side we shall be overcome by it. People fall to sin and make selfish, lustful, poor decisions every day. We cannot blame God for the actions of people. We cannot blame God for every thorn, every thistle, every hiccup, and every trial. Know that God is always working Romans 8:28“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We must not forsake our love for Christ with hate in our hearts. It is love that spared us death, and it will be love that will lift us up again. Love is the only way, and it’s in that love that we must have faith in the absence of things we cannot see. We live in this world but we must never succumb to it. We fight the fight so we can walk the path of rugged righteousness before our God. We trust in Christ to guide us in our way, the only way. Faith is Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” We put our faith in Christ to let go of our own prideful ways and instead give up control to Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Our faith to Jesus is where hope begins and ends. God’s grace will always be sufficient for us because we know the maker of heaven and earth, and trusting the way, the truth, the blood of Christ spilt to save us from our sins. My dearly beloved do not grow angry in the face of the trials, instead turn to the word of God to find your hope once more. Do not grow weary in the storm, for we see in 1 Peter 4:12-13“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”