There is so much to get fired up over..ya know...stoked,torqued...excited. Like the super bowl.....playoffs..ect. I wonder...if what gets me fired up today is going to be good enough to ...well yuo know where I am going with this...but Peter said we should be fired up over different things... 1st Peter 4.3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what the Pagans choose to do....! We are supposed to be fired up about living for GOD...and his will! Her Name is Naomi...just your regular 7 year old from Peru, untill her mom died this tuesday.I was called to go to the house to be with the father when he told his three girls mommy isnt coming home from the hospital....I wasnt to fired up about that! I would rather low crawl through broken glass.or gargle lighter fluid..you know somethin less pain filled! And then there was the funeral the next day, The girls were running towards me..I thought there happy to see me....as they ran to hug my 12 year old who came to love on them.It was a difficult funeral to say the least..kids doing smack down on each other on the parlor couches as adults grieve 20 feet away!Maybe we should be more like them!!!!Not so preoccupied....focused on people instead of stuff.The service was over and the kids were going wild out in front of the funeral home so i had an idea..Wendys was only 20 feet away and there was a major delay in heading out to the grave site. So I talked the dad into some frostys..but then it turned into fries as well.....thats always the case...just never enough! I could not dream why God would send me on this mission! So we are running out and the limo driver said no FOOD IN THE LIMO....never mind 3 kids are on there way to bury there mommy..we have to preserve the .....anyway i grabbed it all up after only 1 sip and met them graveside. It was strange indeed.All the people got flowers and Naomi..her flower had already dropped half its petals,it looked pitifull as she just stared at it not knowing what it was for! Mine was picture perfect so..we traded,then he said to put them on top of the casket as they lowered it..and it finally hit her. I wont see her anymore.She began to cry and as the time closed and people we leaving Naomi wasnt going anywhere....she just stood there and cried..a family member spoke to her for a while in spanish and hugged her but she still didnt move,finally my daughter came and said they want you!!! I thought and even said ME??? W hat could they possibly want me for...I walked up half heartedly....at a loss for words or anything else....PRAY OVER HER..she said...as I began I could sense the overwhelming peace of Gods spirit in abundance warm our souls...and as i finished she let go of the railing and walked of the platform..back towards the car. That was it..it all came down to one moment...the whys ..what fors and what am i doing here....Peter must have felt the same in 62 A.D. when he was writing a letter that could get him killed..se The Emperor Nero was Mad...feindishly evil as well...and hated Christians so much he used them to light his gardens...not with a torch..but as one! A HUMAN TORCH! So next time your waiting around for something and getting impatient remember all those people in THAT waiting line...and read 1st peter as he tries to encourage all these people who were being blamed for burning down rome..see Nero did it, then told everybody it was the christians...this will help you get some perspective on trials..who knows maybe you wont think yours are so bad after reading this and you can focus mor on God than your problem and get FIRED UP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, PEACE
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You know how some jobs,places or things can get sorta boring,so we get in our routines and get in a groove.Well some would call it a rut.but there is another name for that..stagnent.But Gods plan for us is intended to be anything but routine or stagnent!!!! Attitude Check......An unthankful attitude can grieve The Spirit of God!!With all we are stimulated by we become more materialistic and less relational.If God would give me this...I would be happy....even though i already have more than 99% of the world. So I am in my Routine..and God shows up...some kid comes up to me and says.....I been reading the bible and praying...and I want to get saved!!!!!!!! Now thats God...and his Glory right there..he is just inviting me to be a part of what he is already doing! Jesus said My Father is always at work.... and I need to remind myself of that...Joseph was in prison...yet he was innocent...so maybe sometimes we need to stop blaming ourselves for our trials!And get past that to see where he is at work around us. Well he sees these 2 guys freakin out over there situation and wants to help. One is encouraged and one is outraged. Hey you cant be everybodys Favorite Person when you speak truth in love.So the cheif cup bearer is restored to service just a Joseph said through the interpetaion of his dream, and Jospeh asked simply that he would remeber him. Well he did almost 2 years later...and the bible says Pharoh had a bad dream....who ever knew God could bless you with your enimies bad dream. And the cup bearer remembers that kind act of Joseph.....A thankful attitude...simply being available to be in on what God was doing that day in the prision...changed lives.....SAVED LIVES...of Eygpt and his WHOLE Family.....pray today...God let me be in on what you are doing..I am available to you.........You never know .......PEACE
Its so awesome how God puts people in our paths..literally..puts them right in our way!His name is Biscuit..well at least thats all i know him by. I met him behind 7 eleven on Christmas day. He Prayed to receive Christ that day and was visably moved by The holy Spirit. Then he disappeared. Well I am longboarding one sunday eve with my posse ...aka ..my kids and after carvin a few small slopes we decide to go in another direction. Well alls good untill this really irate old dude almost crushes my head with his minivan,it was a narrow miss,me and 15 nervous Angles just stood in awe of what just happened! So after that we got a drink and then went out a different way. We ended up on a steet just by chance! When i see this guy go by...BUSCIUT???? Pastor Matt??? He says. Where you been i have been looking for you?? Then as I was speaking with him another brother in Christ I know was walking by...On U.S. 1....so random??? So pre ordained!!! We began to pray over Biscuit right there... in front of God, Traffic and all the hecklers. You see Biscuit was really low....way down no food no money no home no selfworth...nothing! This almost like Joseph, his brothers...HATERS no doubt,so they throw him into a cistern,while there arguing over who gets to take him out...a new suggestion comes thru brutha Judah..lets sell him to slave traders...so you think you cant get any lower than that? Well my friend you might feel pretty low today...you might even feel sold out by God. Like he is not lookin out for you..he has left you in you time of need..but God spared Josephs life with this horrible twist of fate and used it to transform him, from spoiled brat to trusted tool! You see Jesus said no man is greater than his master and the Master was busy about the fathers bussiness. So Joseph was not going to go from friut to more fruit to much fruit by hanging around his dads sheep and telling on his brothers. So where are you now??...because Jesus has chosen you to bear fruit....and to get more fruit sometimes the farmer has to reach WAY DOWN IN THE DIRT and lift up the branch and re direct it. Ouch!!! Well if you believe the bible and romans 8.28 says all things work together for those who LOVE GOD and are called according to his pourpose....and when you remember how Josephs story ends..... then you got the LOW DOWN on your situation ....Peace
He's been a cop all his life..you know,hard..seen to many shootings sensless acts of violence on innocents and others.It took a long while to make friends but once I did...it was good. It was God! He works like a maniac and has incredible skill, but his drive is relentless. Months passed, really no breakthroughs..then one day he invited me to lunch...after that our conversations seemed more natural..less labored.A friendship was growing,so was a seed.We had more in common than you could believe..my military background...special weapons unit and guided missle gunner talk.You know the things men love to hide behind to keep from having to talk about things that might display them as weak or in need of anyone or anything.I can relate..thats what this world expects....never having a father myself,the only men i trusted were JACK DANIELS AND JOHNNY WALKER.Its so awesome how after you taste of THE LORD AND SEE THAT HE IS GOOD.....you loose your taste for.....everything...nothing else can satisfy! This was The Bread of life and living water I longed to share with him. I invited myself over and he accepted! Sometimes,most times the person we think is farthest away from God is actually the closest.Regardless of distance..IS THE ARM OF THE LORD TO SHORT TO SAVE......that reminds me of a story in Acts 16 wher Paul and Silas are in prisoned for preaching and they meet this cop..blue collar military man,just punching the clock, indifferent to preachers,and to this so called GOD or any thing else for that matter..you must read the story...vs 25-34 and understand through the providence of Gods grace, The purity of Pauls praise and the power of the HOLY SPIRIT.. Paul went from in chains to in charge in about 10 seconds flat. And what saved this cop was the uncondtional love of the father shown to him by paul.Even after the Jailer has treated him disrespectfully and tourtued him, he acts on his behalf. Isnt that what you and I are on this earth to do..act on Christs behalf untill he returns..loving others unconditionally. We have more power than we know, Christ commissioned every one of us with his authority.MT. 28;19....WELL ends up this jailer is just begging to get saved...and so was my friend!!!!! They all are...they just dont realize it! .......God can reach down into the most unlikely places cant he.....just remember the pit he pulled you from Pslm 40......Peace
I dont know this for sure,but it seems to me S.Florida is getting colder every year. We were camping in a little pop up in Jacksonville in a place called Little Talbot island. We pulled in and it was.....C O L D. We set up the pop-up and took a look around,the oak tees were majestic,just witnessing of Gods creative and protective Glory.All the time I was wondering how long my family would endure this bone -chilling fun! I was kind of testing them to see how much we, as a family would endure for the sake of adventure. This always makes for good stories later and memories!The First night...ROUGH.Even with both heaters blazing and blankets galore, hibernation was difficult to say the least, My feet tingled like 2 blocks of ice floating in a slurpee machine a 7 eleven..the stinging and pain would come later...isnt this fun??? Well the next morning we were have our family time with THE MIGHTY KING...talking about his faithfullness and just praising him for the way he takes care of us and inventing new ways to keep warm when there is a knock at our door! He was an old guy..looked very friendly and i thought he did somebody loose a grandpa round here? No..his name was Gib and he was bugging out this morning and asked if we wanted what was left of his firewood?? He was in one of those 32 footers..you know the kind that has electric toilets seats and all..really roughin it!! AS we came over to his sight I saw an endless pile of wood and called the family to help,as we spoke, Gib began to tell me of his divorce and a 5 year battle with prostate cancer. I made mention to the Savior saying if that would make a believer out of you...he said NOT YET! Its amazing to realize how much THE FATHER has done for us..yet I always seem to feel I deserve more! It reminds me of this event in the life of Abraham..where he was promised a son. N guess what? He got one! But then you know what God went and did??? He asked for him back!!!!!!!!!! And he did this to Test him..Gen 21.1 Imagine that, God having an expectation on the life of his children asking them to give up things they love..of all the nerve. His only son on top of that! Sometimes what i forget is it all came from him, belongs to him and leads back to him at some point and if The Father gave me JESUS, he would be justified in giving me nothing else my entire life. So..... as these guys are going up the mountain..do you think dad is wondering... is God really going to take him from me? Maybe, just maybe the fire in my heart for my son is burning brighter and hotter than the fire in my soul for the Great God who gave him to me...can this be? So now the boy asking questions obeidently lays down on the wood trusting his father..and the father raises the knife trusting his father..so focused on doing the LORDS will that he doesnt see a ram caught in the bush by his horns..so an angel has to stop him. Look at the gift...the provision coming up the other side of the hill just as they were wondering...God was providing..even when they could not see it. A Ram caught in the thicket= Jesus on a cross. If our father will give us THE PRINCE OF PEACE. Be encouraged today friend..no we dont deserve his mercy...but as it draws us....its our choice to follow. Romans 8: 32 Not perfectly,but passionately, personally. Its ok to ask God for More...just be ready to give it back if he wants it. So he can say well done. peace.........
Some people my age have no business on a skateboard!!!Some people any age have no business on anything that moves for that matter.It was dark on Flagler Beach that night and we were checking out the little south fl town.Nice feel,cold wind off the beach..newly paved roads in front of city hall and a nice hill to bomb. A.K.A. = to skate down and risk life and limb against all rational thought. My wife was a spotter for cages. WATCHING FOR CARS! We were moving..shreddin this hill till she finally says..I wanna try! So Naomi readily gave up her board...the only one who had any sense!!!! She still was not quite comfortable with the feel of it and the rate of speed we were going..in the dark...on Hard cement. Joan did so well..the kids were cheering their mom on...me...I WAS PRAYING.... for all of us. Once, Twice...at the top she said maybe i should just stop now..while i am still...what does you gut tell you? I said. GO FOR IT!!!! Well now thats the problem is it not? Check out Abram and Sarai, Genisis 16:2 This cou[ple was in Gods waitng room! The Lord had already made a huge promise..a special visitation and a special blessing! Sounds so familiar right? But they just couldnt stay in Gods waiting room..so they moved out and into the WANTING ROOM. You know the place...where if you and i dont get what we want in our time frame we just figure out a way to make it happen.So she says...Go sleep with my maid servant perhaps I can build a family through her.So I wonder why Abram didnt say..wait a minute here..now just hold on...didnt God say this was something he was Gonna do? Well because waiting rooms are horrible!!!UNLESS you love to see God at work...I mean everybody had one..Joseph in his prison..David in his hiding..moses in his desert.And a hill on Flagler Beach..as i turned to see my wife on the ground,ids surrounding her..in mega pain i ran all the way up that hill..and thought both of us are gonna need a doctor!! In that emergency room my wifes ankle swelled up to a regulation size fast pitch softball.People could not move fast enough for me..and everyone seemed to not care about the severity of this PAIN!! Maybe thats the way it is for you in your waiting room right now my friend,but stay calm. God...Jesus...The Holy Spirit..is very busy...while you wait. Just like the hospital staff taking vitals and vital in formation so they can properly treat the injury. Ish 40:31 But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Some versions say wait. And what do we get??? God begins to allow us to identify with our surroundings...and THANKFULNESS is renewed, because we are not taking everything for granted.SPIRITUAL SIGHT is renewed because we take time to see..situations and others for what they are. not what the patterns of this culture dictates...ZEAL is renewed because suddenly little things mean alot. FAITH is renewed because you become an eye witness to Gods marvelous hand! The doctor came running in..GOOD NEWS its not broken....suddenly everyone within earshot was our friend and joined in our celebration..and we praised! Read the rest of Abams story and the conseqences of not being satisfied to be a patient in Gods waiting room..I think you find it astounding what nation arose from this son Ishmael. Wait on the Lord ,my friend, wait on the Lord. He will not LET YOU DOWN...PEACE
It is so awesome to catch a wave on a board...only problem is here in S.florida there really is no surf...oh sure you can get up and ride for a few seconds....but unless your a hardcore surfer...you wont see much action. So the longboard SKATEBOARD, the sidewalk surfer was invented! And this Christmas we all got one! Except for my wife..my 12 year old was thrilled,me.. I was thrashed.....onto the street rolling like i was 15. Its simply amazing.Our Christmas miracle was..that i wast in emergency surgey before the end of Christmas day! Well after shrugging off a swollen achilies tendon and dusting off some pride I got back on to cruise down to the local 7 elven for some slurpies with my 12 year old Naomi. Sittin in back on our boards sharing our feelings about the ride,that we were totally stoked!The breeze in your hair, whats left of it..wheels buzzin under your feet,brusises on your swollen miniscus..i didnt even know i had one! Thats when we met up with Donnie,a homeless guy living on a couch in back of discount auto,anyway he has terminal cancer..2 days before Christmas... he was hungry and needed a shaver. So we talked and prayed and got him some food...donnie said now your gonna make me cry....but that wasnt me, that was Gods prescence..so powerfully over us as we prayed. Donnie is surrounded..by LIONS...homeless..cancer..no money for food..no one to care..but will he be consumed? What happened in Daniel 6....vs22? You know the story...Bad guys try to trap good guy by getting king to issue a law they know the good guy will break! See Daniel was consumed with and by His God! Praying 3 times a day was all the dirt they could find on him so they knew,,just knew, no matter what..he would pray.Can people say that about me? You? Well they caught him breaking the law by bowing down to his LORD and not the king so he was sentenced to die in the lions den. Well most of us know the rest of the story.God saves Daniel and The King rejoices and sees through the plot and throws the bad guys in and they get eaten. But look at this...vs 22 My God sent his Angel and he shut the mouths of the lions...that one angel taking out a pride of lions!!! Now think...of the things surrounding you...things that seem they will devour you...bills..health problems,relationship issues,transportaion,employment,providing for your family..no end in sight,no light at the end of the tunnel..just more tunnel. There is a promise here for you today my friend..The Lord Almighty..thats his name..he is a jealous God..he deserves our attention,all of it. he is a consuming fire and it is he who wants to consume you...so do you think he will really let these other things have you, to eat you alive? No way..If God is for us?There are hundreds of promises that talk of God and his faithfullness to his beloved children. Cry out, he is close to the needed and broken hearted.He rescues and he saves...vs 27 chptr 6 Daniel. I didnt say that King Darius did after he saw what happened to Daniel. Maybe there is a Darius watching you go through your circumstance!! What would he say about your God and KING??? Is he consuming you or is the LIONS? Ish 43:1-10.....PEACE
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