Tag: The Truth

Sinking Together

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Sinking Together:

I might need someone to be there for me tonight. I might need someone to tell me it’s all right. I might need someone to take the first step and come rescue me. Tonight I find it so hard to breath. What’s left for me to say, but I feel like I’m in a sinking ship of emotional stress and I am reaching for anyone to rescue me. I don’t want to be alone tonight. I feel as if I’m on a sinking ship and I wish sometimes I wasn’t alone in this boat. The thing is though, if I brought someone else into my boat, they would sink right along with me.

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2 Samuel 13 A man by the name of Jonadab offered advice to Amnon one of King David’s sons. Amnon was infatuated with his half sister. She was a virgin and he lusted after her so intently that it made him sick. Jonadab was a smooth talker and instead of throwing a line to Amnon, he got in the sinking boat with him. The advice given was to lure Tamar into Amnon’s bedchamber and try to persuade her that she needed to lay with him to make him better. Of course this horrible sinful advice for so many reasons, I don’t think I need to actually go into detail as to why.

The truth about hurting people hurt others are undeniable. The same goes with the saying, ‘misery loves company.’ While I don’t want to bring anyone down with me, I struggle to go day in and day out without once in a while letting my voice out. Usually a post like this would talk about the dangers of following someone down a troubled path. For example, if you are friends with someone who really wants to rob a bank, and when they talk you into being their accomplice, that’s the kind of thing where you’re getting into a sinking ship and just poking more holes in the bottom. Stay away from temptations and trouble. Stay in the bible and when or if someone comes to you, stop giving him or her opinionated advice. Go to the one place that truly tells you right and wrong, scripture.

I find myself wishing for someone to come with me not to join me in a sinking ship, but to help plug the holes. I have found myself avoiding the Jonadab’s in my life. I have gotten advice to do some pretty deep sinful things because ‘it’ll make me feel better.’ The thing I see with the advice is the aftermath. If I take advice like that I will only cause my boat so sink faster. If someone is willing to give you bad advice like that, they aren’t your friends. If you’re willing to take advice like that, you need to reevaluate your life choices. Some people just enjoy chaos, and you will need to remind yourself the kind of Christian you want to be. Do not conform to this world, but find your path in Christ and renew that path every day by staying in the word of God. It isn’t always easy, and some days you’ll nearly tip your boat, but you can always right your ship and keep sailing along this thing called life.

 

 

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Are You Crazy?

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Are You Crazy?

Acts 14:19-20“19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.” Paul has been going from city to city proclaiming the word of Jesus Christ. He has been teaching and preaching in the synagogues but as usual the Pharisees didn’t take to kindly to being shown the error of their ways, so they decided to turn the crowd and attempt to commit murder. Can you imagine yourself in Paul’s shoes? Poor guy has been beaten, stoned, ship wrecked, tortured, imprisoned, and all the while probably had more aches and pains and illnesses then we could ever imagine. Even with all this he carried on, pushed through, and not only continued to preach the word of Jesus Christ, but returned to cities in which recently tried to kill him. The ability to stand up to your enemies in the face of tremendous dangers, and yet to have that kind of faith to overcome fear with glorious courage is the embodiment of a true hero.

Acts 14:22“strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” There is always a price to be paid and sometimes that price is higher then others. Look at all your favorite super heroes and see what they’ve had to give up to go out into the public and save lives, stop crime, and sometimes save the very world itself. It takes a special kind of person to run towards danger, and we see this in our emergency services personnel and in our military every day. How passionate are you about the Lord? How passionate are you about your eternal salvation? It’s so easy to say you know the Lord, and say you’re saved, and that you know you’re going to Heaven, but to not share the excitement is simply a travesty. A man bought and paid our salvation with His own blood and here we sit idly by as sin plagues our friends and families. We allow evil to rise up all around us and we do nothing.

When I was hearing the scripture here in Acts 14 I couldn’t help but imagine the image of Superman. The S on his chest meaning hope, and that Superman stands for Truth, Justice and The American Way. If Paul were to have a suit his would undoubtedly hold the cross. The cross is true light, the true symbol of hope. The cross that encompasses the trinity, the heart, and the blood spilt to earth so we might be free. What are you willing to do for your freedom? What would you be willing to give so you might embrace your destiny to walk with Christ in Heaven? Would you Risk your life for what you believed in? As a spiritual leader, persecution, revile, and hatred will come to you from every direction.

As a Christian it’s up to you to wear that cross proudly and visibly for the world to see. Do not hide behind the cross, and do not show offence to it. The cross is liberation, not enslavement. Do not hide behind fear. A hero will step into the light to shine brightly for all the people to see. I am reminded of an episode of the Flash (Spoilers Ahead)where Barry Allen goes to Oliver Queen the Arrow for advice on being a hero. To be a hero you’d have to be a little crazy to put yourself in harms way all the time for strangers. Knowing any minute you might not go home to your loved ones in the service of others. Knowing you can sacrifice everything you are in this world for a cause you believe for so deeply is a little nuts. I submit to you though, if you love Christ as much as I do, then you’d probably do some pretty crazy things too. I think we should all be crazy in love for Jesus. When we love Christ that much we take the command for the Great Commission seriously. Get out there and be a little crazy for Christ. If Paul would be willing to get stoned and in less then a year return to that very city to preach again, we should be willing to at the very least stand up and proclaim who our true hero is, Jesus Christ.

Barry Allen:“I’m just not sure I’m like you, Oliver. I don’t know if I can be some… vigilante.”

Oliver Queen:“You can be better, because you can inspire people in a way that I never could, watching over your city like a guardian angel… making a difference… saving people… in a flash. Take your own advice: Wear a mask.” (The Flash Pilot Episode)

See, Oliver Queen was doing what he felt his city needed to be saved. Sometimes Oliver’s methods were a little rough around the edges, and weren’t exactly the gold standard for being a hero, but the Flash, could be different. The Flash, much like Paul would stand out as more then the average hero. Even in the midst of tremendous adversity and danger, both would stand on the morals that guided them and would never relent. Both would stand tall and show the world a better way. When we look to our neighbors, our brothers and sisters, do we see anyone in our life that shows that level of integrity? We can’t even make our own right decisions, and yet we call ourselves Christians. We spit on the cross and we turn our backs on it regularly. We deny the cross when it’s convenient to save ourselves from standing apart in the crowd. We are no heroes, we are the villains. We are the mob that turned on Christ just days after greeting the savior with palms and cheers, and love and praises. We are the ones who love the free hand outs, and then when it’s time to listen we turn our backs. When it’s time to hear the truth we would prefer living in our world of free stuff, and never being held accountable for our actions.

Who are we going to be from this day going forward? Are we going to be the mob that caused the nails to go into our saviors hands, or are we going to be the man who took being stoned and beaten over and over again standing up for the name of Christ? We should stand up for Truth, Justice and Godly Light.

 

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Don’t Get Pulled In

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Don’t Get Pulled In: 

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Find your Peloton

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Find your Peloton

In life one of the hardest things we may ever do is find where we belong. My whole life has been one train wreck after another in my search for my place. As tough as it can be to admit, there are some personality types that are more difficult then others to find that place. Romans 14:8 “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

The journey starts with prayers and focusing on your relationship with God. When we turn our focus to God we will eventually find our path. When we find our path from God the rest will eventually find a way. I have spent a lifetime trying to figure out my place, and some days I still feeling like I’m trapped under water unable to breathe. I’ve spent so much time wishing to be loved by someone in return. I’ve spent years searching for friends that would accept me for who I am. I’ve wanted to feel like I’ve belonged, to find a peloton where I belonged. In cycling I have learned the term peloton means a group of cyclers. While I still haven’t found where I belong in this life, I do know where I belong is with God.

For years I begged to give up something for God to put me where I belonged. I may have found my path by listening to the guidance from God, but I still haven’t found the love I’ve been seeking my whole life. Giving up isn’t something I’m accustomed to, but I will admit, after all this time I find myself beaten down and discouraged. Loving someone with all my heart and being forced to watch them leave without any true reason why is crushing. I haven’t recovered and even after all this time, I still wonder what’s next. I have prayed for my time to come and wondered if I’d find what I seek before the end. I have wondered if I would ever leave something to be missed when I’m gone. I pray and have hope that one day I will find my place. I have prayed to God that I would go the distance no matter how far I’d have to go. I’ve prayed to God to shape me and give me the tests so I could pass.

I’ve have given my blood, sweat and tears trying to get where I belong. I have felt like I’ve been stuck in a dream world unable to wake up from my nightmare. I have wandered in the dark for many years, and despite trying to wake up from my sleep, I still feel trapped. The darkness covers my world in sadness and despair with only small glimmers of hope sprinkled around me. As I try to grab on to a sparkle it’s snuffed out like grabbing onto a snowflake. While with enough snow the sun glistens brightest the day after a fresh snowfall, it does however take a good amount of snow. Before I have seen the sunrise on many snow days, the dirt and grime floods the snow and melts to slush quickly.

It takes time to find our place in this world, and a lot of pieces have to be moved before it’s our time to shine. Much like a marathon it takes time to move, position, and wait for the right moments to move to the front. When life is a marathon we must be patient and precise as we move around the bored. The future is always a question, but in the darkness we can find the light. The days that come are always a gift from God. God will always take care of us, and no matter the darkness covering our lives, God’s light will always make the darkness flee. The Devil wants you to feel alone, and he wants you to feel like you don’t have anyone in your life. While we may not have someone to fill our heart, there will be people we can turn to. Don’t let the silence keep you from joining a peloton. Don’t let the ride scare you. You need to get up and get out there, and you may accidently find what you seek if you just take a chance.

 

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The Wake Left Behind

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The Wake Left Behind:

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

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

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

 

 

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Left Behind

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Left Behind:

I look to the heavens and I pray to you. I fall to my knees in desperation hoping for something to change. I have looked around and I have felt like I have been left behind while everyone else moves forward. I have been waiting and today I just don’t feel like I can keep moving forward. When I look in the mirror today I struggle to see what you do. My God please show me the way, please help me see what you do. Today I look in the mirror and I see a shattered reflection.

Feeling like everyone else has moved forward in their lives while I am left behind. Feeling like I’m invisible and that my feelings don’t matter. Of course these feelings are spiritual warfare at it’s best. Many before me have faced challenging times, and many before me have lost more then I could imagine, and yet here I am feeling sorry for myself. Alas I long for the feeling of being useful and feeling wanted, yet I struggle in my own understanding of my trials. 2 Corinthians 12:10 “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” The days come when we stumble as I have, and when my faith isn’t as strong as I wish it to be, but where there is weakness, there is hope. I have seen the darkness creep in and I have chosen not to flee. Even as I feel my hope dwindle beneath the pressure of lies, my soul is warmed by the voice of light from above. Isaiah 41:10“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

My God, my God I trust in you, but I feel sorrow and pain. So many have left, and so few remain. My God I feel alone and lost in desperation. I don’t know where to go, and I don’t know where to turn. I’ve tried to many ways, and failed so many times. My Lord I feel blind traveling the maze. Please light my path and guide my feet. Show me a sign and answer my prayer. I’ve waited so long, how long must I be made to wait. What must I learn, or do to prepare? My God you are Holy and I am not, and I ask you now, please deliver me from my suffering. I have been left behind and alone I sit. I’m not weak though today I don’t feel strong. Please show me who I am, and tell me my quality. I trust you my God and you’ve never forsaken me. Through my deepest valleys you’ve protected me along the way. Now I fight a new kind of war, and it’s one for my darkest emotions.

Psalm 43:5“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” I resist the pain and the lies from below. I stand on my armor and hold fast in the attack. I shall pray upon you my God and renew my strength. Isaiah 40:31“but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” The world may leave me behind, but I trust you my God, you will always be with me.

 

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Port Holes

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Port Holes: 

Life as we see it can be so narrow, so limiting based on our own feeble perceptions. Not long ago I was on a boat tour of Cape Cod and while I was below deck I found some old fashioned port holes and while I looked out I realized how small and narrow the view was. It got me thinking about our own view of life and how we sometimes view life through portholes of our own doing because we don’t want the full view.

When we are in the middle of the forest sometimes it’s hard to see the grand scale of the world around us. When I was below deck and I was looking through that tiny window I started thinking how bad the view was. I decided to brave the weather and go back up top. When I got there I looked around at the cape and realized how beautiful it was. The catch was however that it was uncomfortable on deck since the wind was heavy and it was quite cold. Is that the way life is sometimes? We choose our narrow view because we feel it’s better then the alternative? I think there are many reasons we would choose to limit ourselves to the world around us. Some reasons for living below deck can be emotional pain, voluntary ignorance, sheltered lifestyle, and maybe even fear.

2 Corinthians 4:18“as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Life isn’t easy but often we bring our own struggles to our front door. We see what we want to see and accept what we want. We want to feel we have a free pass to sin and ignore the consequences. We want to believe what we do and ignore any evidence that may prove us wrong. We want to walk our own path and we alienate anyone that tries to help, to include God.

Life isn’t as easy as taking a few steps to the top deck and all of a sudden everything is crystal clear. Life is far more complicated then that, and so is the puzzle that makes up our perspectives. We can only remind ourselves to remain faithful and trust in the Lord. We will often go through our day-to-day life with the perception that our way is right and others are wrong. We will allow fear to guide our actions, because we don’t want to face that fear so we avoid it. We want to think we are in control of our own path, that we don’t have to answer to anyone else, and we let whatever we want to influence our decisions. We want to believe that we know what’s best for us, and we push away anyone that might have the courage to tell us differently. Proverbs 14:12“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.[a]”

We must resist going through life looking through tiny portholes. We must learn to take the chance and view the world with unobstructed eyes. We must learn to recognize our own path and determine if we are missing out on so much more. There are often people in our life that try to help us, and we must have the wisdom to listen rather then close ourselves off from the world. We must learn to live in the world with eyes wide open yet never conforming to it. We must learn to see the truth instead of hiding from it. We must learn to come to God and trust that God wants us to see the troubles of this world, to see the sick in this world, to see the downtrodden, and the weak, because we are God’s hands and feet. We cannot make a difference if we hide below decks. We cannot expect to preach about the world if we have never seen it. When Jesus spoke he was accepted to have authority. We must get out from our shadows and experience the world, see the world so we may one day have the ability to stand up and preach to the world with authority. We must never conform to it, but if we are to speak we should speak from knowledge. Be sure to speak with truth on subjects you ought to speak of and those you don’t, leave alone. You may not have the protection on deck as you do below, but if you are the captain of your own ship, then as Captain Kirkonce said,“Risk is part of the game if you want to sit in that chair.” Take a chance and step out from the shadows. See the world for the good, the bad, and the ugly. We may get hurt, we may fall, and we may have great stories to tell, but we don’t experience anything looking through that tiny porthole.

 

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Man On The Run

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Man On The Run:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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The Common Cold

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The Common Cold:

Something that has always bothered me was how far we’ve come in medicine and technology, and yet we still cannot cure the common cold. The cold is a common virus that infects more then a billion people every year. The most common viral infection is rhinoviruses. Though there is no cure for the common cold, we generally have to rest, drink lots of fluid, and help with the symptoms. Are we doomed to go through life one cold after another, or is there a secret cure out there someplace? A little secret about me, is that I don’t get sick very often. I’ve had less then 2 colds in 10 years. I have always considered myself to be more or less a mutant with my ability to stay healthy. Alas this week my immune system finally succumbed to darkness. I have been fighting off this cold for days now and it’s taken so much out of me I sleep every few hours. I have often wondered in times like these how people do this every year. The same goes for those who don’t know Jesus Christ, the one true cure for eternal death.

John 14:6“Jesus said to him,“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the cure to sin, the overcoming of eternal damnation, and yet with the cure right at people fingertips, people run away from it as if it were the plague. The gospel is for everyone, the cure is for everyone who can give up themselves for the truth. Our salvation was paid for by the ransom of a life, and our cure was bought by the blood of the one true Son of the Father. As much as people have searched for a cure for diseases that effects the human race, we turn our backs on the one cure that matters most and that’s for salvation. Billy Graham once said that sin is a disease. If sin is a disease then we allow it to spread unchecked throughout the world when we stand quiet, idly by while loved ones pass on without ever knowing the truth, which is Jesus Christ. “The cross is office because it confronts people.”(Billy Graham) We as a society don’t want to admit that we are sick. We don’t want to admit we’re sinners, and we don’t want to admit we need help. See, we’re in denial. The sad truth is if we don’t realize the truth soon enough, the fate of our illness could very well be sealed.

The thing with illness is if left unchecked without treatment it can grow out of control and by the time something could have been done, it’s too late. One thing the experts say about the flu is it’s better to get help early on. The flu if left unchecked much like cancer can be lethal. Sin is just as lethal, but it’s the eternal kind. If we aren’t careful sin infects us and like the common cold it spreads to everyone we come into contact with. It spreads like a wildfire uncontained, uncontrolled, and before we know it, everyone around us is sick or dealing with the ramifications of our actions. Unlike the common illness staying locked away in our rooms won’t prevent the spread of sin. Sinful actions send out ripples to our surroundings affecting everyone. The only cure for sin is for us to turn to the Lord and ask for the healing power of the Holy Spirit to cover us. When we turn to Christ it’s like having a limited vaccine. We have revulsion to sin, and even though we can fall off the rails, we can always get back on track. Following Christ will often cause us convictions to amplify in the presence of sinful actions. That doesn’t mean we don’t still sin. Find your cure in the Lord and step away from the plague that’s covering our land.

 

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Drop Anchor

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Drop Anchor

When the storm hits, sometimes you just need to drop anchor and turn to God. The storms that hit our lives is an inevitability, and no matter how well we prepare, or think we’re prepared, we can’t always prepare for every single contingency. All we can do, is hope and pray, and hunker down and wait for the storm to pass. Now dropping anchor isn’t always the best thing to do when you’re out on the ocean in a storm, but sometimes you have no other choice. When the wind is strong, the seas are tall, and it seems like there is no hope just remember God is always with you. Psalm 61:2 “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” The tough days will come no matter how badly we try to prevent them, and sometimes it’ll seem like more then we can take. In your darkest hour call upon the Lord and find peace. Hebrews 6:18-19 “18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,” Find that peace to weather the storm.

The world can be a cruel and unforgiving place at times. We can feel as if we are tossed upon the waves, and sometimes we are. When it rains and the thunder rolls don’t worry for the Lord is with you. God’s mercy won’t leave you, and in all things God is working for the good. While even in the worst of circumstances, hearts are broken, and pain runs deep, there are still blessings to be found. The anchor of our soul is a metaphor to be grounded to the Lord. Allow yourself to praise God for the good and the bad. We don’t always understand why we are allowed to go through the horrible times, but some day those answers will be made clear. Having faith when the pain is deep may be tougher then it sounds. I myself don’t always get it right, but no matter where we are, or what we are going through Jesus has never left our side, and never will. We can be as broken as can be, we may be more lost then we’ve ever imagined, but casting that anchor down into the blackness of the water is much like tossing your faith out into the Cosmo’s and trusting it lands on something. Our faith runs deep and makes a connection with the Father we are anchored to Him, just as our anchor is tossed into the black sea and it hits bottom tethering us to the ocean floor. We cannot see the anchor on the ground but we know it’s there, just as we must have faith in Jesus Christ and that anchor is there even if we can’t see the other side.

Remember that God is always in control no matter how bad the storm. When we have nothing left, and everything is falling away, trust in the Lord. When you have lost everything, people, jobs, friends, remember that God’s got you in the palm of His hands. Remember when the sails are torn, the crumbled life is all you have, God will rebuild better then it was before if you have faith. God guards our soul, our heart, when you’re tossed upon the waves. Don’t loose your anchor and trust that it’ll do its job. Life will sometimes be heavy, and it’ll hurt, and you may end up broken, but God fixes broken things. In God all things are possible, and he promises peace at the end of the ride. Don’t let the storm toss you around, trust in God to be your anchor and never give up the fight. The thunder rolls, the wind howls, friends leave, family forsakes you, there is always God. Sometimes you just have to wait out the storm. Baton down the hatches and trust in the Lord God with all your heart.

 

Thank you so much for your interest in my post today. As a token of my appreciation if you want to travel more for less at up to 50% off retail price please take a look at the following website. Risk free trial for 30 days on shopping, travel, and entertainment. For more information, take a look at this website: Please accept this $200 shopping dollars that you can use to buy items you’ve been wanting for less, or even your next vacation. 

 

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