EVER SEEM TO NOTICE HOW WORRIED WE ARE WITH THE WAY WE LOOK...LIKE THERES THIS NEW TOOTH PASTE IF YOU USE IT FOR A WEEK IT PROMISES TO MAKE YOUR TEETH SO WHITE YOU CAN CAUSE YOUR FRIENDS TEMPORARY BLINDNESS! AND IF YOU USE THIS SOAP WITH THIS CREAM YOUR FACE WILL LOOK LIKE..WELL YOU GET THE PICTURE..WE ARE SO WORRIED ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK OF US IT SOMETIMES GETS OUTTA CONTROL....FASHION POLICE??? WHERE DO THEY TRAIN??? ABERCROM&FITCH..PLEASE..I THINK IT SHOULD BE MORE LIKE PRICING POLICE....WHOEVER SETS THOSE PRICES SHOULD BE ARRESTED! I MEAN REALLY HOW MUCH TIME DO I SPEND GETTING READY FOR CHURCH HAIR TEETH CLOTHES VS GETTING MY HEART READY FOR CHURCH..PRAYING BEING THANKFUL FOCUSING ON MY WEEK AND GODS FAITHFULNESS.WE ARE ALL SO WRAPPED UP IN WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS ABOUT US..WE ARE ALMOST INTOXICATED WITH IT. READ 1 SAMUEL 17:33-39. DAVID WAS READY,WILLING AND ABLE TO FIGHT FOR HIS NATION..BUT THEY LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID...YOUR JUST A JIT..A LITTLE SCRAWNY PUNK KID..YOULL GET POWNED...= PUNKED AND OWNED! BUT DAVID FINALLY TALKS THE KING INTO IT,SO SAUL SAYS AT LEAST LOOK GOOD IF YOUR GONNA DIE..HERE WEAR MY ARMOR! BUT DAVID TRIES THEM ON AND SAYS,,,NOPE THIS AINT FOR ME! CAN YOU IMAGINE TELLING THE KING HIS ROYAL ARMOR ISNT GOOD ENOUGH!! BUT DAVID DINT CARE WHAT ANYBODY THOUGHT.....EXCEPT GOD!!!!!! YOU SEE YOU AND I CANNOT WALK AROUND IN THIS LIFE LIVING UP TO THE STANDARDS OF THIS CULTURE OR THE EXPECTATION OF OTHERS. YOU CANNOT WALK AROUND IN THE SHADOW OF WHAT EVERYONE THINKS OF YOU..YOUR MAJOR FOCUS NEEDS TO BE ..WHAT DOES GOD THINK OF ME?? ARE MY ATTITUDES PLEASING TO HIM IS WHAT MY HEART MEDITATES ON PLEASING TO HIM ,ARE MY MOTIVES PURE? READ PSALM 119.73;74. THOSE WHO FEAR YOU..WILL BE GLAD WHEN THEY SEE ME...BECAUSE I HAVE HOPED IN YOUR WORD. WHEN WE ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT GOD THINKS ABOUT US THAN THE WORLD....IT SHOWS! PRAYER: I WANT TO BE A GOD PLEASER,NOT A MAN PLEASER, CAUSE I KNOW WHEN I FOCUS ON PLEASING YOU LORD, OTHERS WILL BE ALSO. PEACE
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DO YOU REMEMBER THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY USED TO SCARE YOU,,THE DARK,,BEING ALONE,,LOOKING STUPID IN FRONT OF EVERYONE,,THE DOCTOR,,THE DENTIST--MY FAVORITE! AND AS YOU GROW YOU TRADE THOSE THINGS IN FOR OTHER FEARS....STOP AND NAME A COUPLE. FEAR IS CRIPPLING,IT CAN FREEZE YOU DEAD IN YOUR TRACKS LEAVING YOU PARALYIZED..KIND OF LIKE A STUN GUN....THOSE ARE GREAT LITTLE TOOLS IF YOU DONT WANT TO KILL SOMEONE..JUST STOP EM AND MAKE EM DO THE CHICKEN..ON THERE BACK! DUDE WITH ONE OF THOSE IN MY POCKET I COULD TAKE ON CHUCK NORRIS....AND JET LI,,,IN BETWEEN CHARGES OF CORSE! THE NATION OF ISREAL IN 1 SAM 17 WAS LIKE THAT ..READ 1 SAM 17:20-24 IT SAYS THE MEN WERE DREADFULLY AFRAID. HOW CAN YOU DO ANYTHING IN THAT CONDITION??? SOME OF US DONT DO ALOT OF THINGS BECAUSE OF FEAR,,,AND JESUS WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS...HE SPOKE ON IT MANY TIMES IN THE N/T. LOOK IT UP..FEAR NOT HE WOULD SAY....OVER AND OVER HE WOULD REASSURE THE DISCIPLES,,FEAR NOT I AM WITH YOU!...NOW READ VS 25-27...THE GUYS ARE TELLING DAVID JUST WHY HE SHOULD BE AFRAID OF THIS BIG HAIRY FREAK!!! BUT DAVID WAS NOT FOCUSED ON DEATH DYING OR DEFEAT...HE WAS FOCUSED ON LIVING...THE LIVING GOD! WHO IS THIS GUY WHO THINKS HE CAN BEAT UP GODS ARMY...YOU HAVE TO STOP AND REMEMBER WHO YOU BELONG TO!! WE ARE GODS PROPERTY AND WE CANNOT LET FEAR STAND IN THE WAY OF ADVANCING HIS KINGDOM! READ HAGGAI 2.9 ONE DAY JESUS IS COMING BACK TO TAKE ALL THAT IS RIGHTFULLY HIS AND HE WILL REIGN FOR A THOUSAND YEARS FROM JERUSALEM! DONT LET FEAR CHEAT YOU OUT OF BEING FAITHFUL TO GOD WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME YOUR WAY TO STAND FOR HIM..THERE IS A REWARD YOU KNOW. PRAYER REQUEST: PRAY GOD WOULD MAKE YOU SENSITIVE TO THE PEOPLE HE IS GOING TO PUT IN YOUR PATH TODAY,AND TO ERASE THE FEAR OF _____________. PEACE..
GODS PURPOSE MUST ALWAYS BE FULFILLED IN LINE WITH GODS CHARACTER! GOD IS NOT IMPRESSED WITH OUR TALENT..HE CONCERNED WITH OUR CHARACTER..WHO WE ARE WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING...THATS WHY HE IS ALWAYS WORKING ON US...SO OUR TALK WILL MATCH OUR WALK,DAVID WAS BRINGING SOME FOOD TO HIS BROTHERS, BIG BROTHERS..YOU KNOW THE THE ONES THAT HOLD YOU DOWN WHEN YOUR A LITTLE KID AND LET THE FAMILY PUPPY CHEW YOUR FACE OFF! YEAH THOSE BROTHERS...NOW HE DIDNT HAVE TO DELIVER IT BUT HE HAD CHARACTER...AND HE WAS FAITHFUL IN THE LITTLE THINGS SO HE DID WHAT HE SET OUT TO DO..IN HUMILITY AND SERVICE. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED AS SOON AS HE SHOWED UP..READ IT IN 1 SAMUEL 17:20-29....HIS BROTHERS ACCUSED HIM OF COMING JUST TO WATCH THEM DIE....BUT DAVID LOOKED ON IN WONDER..HERE IS A WHOLE NATION THAT HAS BEEN VERY POWERFUL AND WON MANY BATTLES AND NOW THEY ARE ALL QUAKING WITH FEAR...AND SO DAVID ,,,JUST FOLLOWING HIS FATHERS ORDERS SHOWS UP AND SAYS THIS...IS THERE NOT A CAUSE? EVERYONE THOUGHT WE WILL NEVER WIN...WE ARE DONE FOR ...EVEN THE KING WAS AFRAID//// DAVID WAS JUST A HUMBLE SHEPHERD BOY,,HE WOULD BE ..WELL YOU KNOW THE LAST ONE PICKED WHEN WE ARE CHOOSING TEAMS! BUT THATS IS JUST THE WAY GOD DOES THINGS..HE WORKS HIS PURPOSES THROUGH THE HUMBLE AND UNEXPECTED.READ PHILIPPIANS 2:5-6 THATS JUST THE WAY JESUS CAME TO THE BATTLE LINE////NOBODY WOULD OF PICKED HIM EITHER.NOT EVEN YOU OR ME, THE SCRIPTURE SAYS HE HAD NO BEAUTY OR MAJESTY THAT WE WOULD BE ATTRACTED TO..JUST A REGULAR HUMBLE GUY...SEE JESUS SAYS IN JOHN HE CHOOSE US WE DIDNT CHOSE HIM! WE ARE DRAWN TO THE ONES WHO STAND OUT AND MAKE A NAME FOR THEM SELVES ..WE ALL WOULD OF BET ON GOLIATH/// BUT WHAT WE SEE AS A LOST CAUSE GOD SEES AS MIRACLE WAITING TO HAPPEN! WHAT OR WHO DO I SEE AS A LOST CAUSE? LOOK AROUND TODAY LOOK FOR SOME ONE OR SOMETHING TO POUR FAITH INTO..TRUST GOD! BE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE,MAYBE THJAT MEANS REACHING OUT AND SHARING FAITH WITH SOMEONE ELSE,,,JUST PRAYING WITH OR FOR THEM OR SHARING A WORD OF HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT! PRAYER REQUEST> LORD HELP ME TO SEE THOSE AROUND ME WHO FEEL LIKE A LOST CAUSE...GIVE ME GRACE TO TRUST YOU IN MY OWN LIFE WITH THE THINGS I THINK ARE HOPELESS!PEACE
I saw this guy...16 years old pull up in a car today..not just any car..a very expensive..ROCKIN...car! i thought woah i will most likely never own a car like that...who am i foolin..I WILL NEVER OWN A CAR LIKE THAT!!! Hey look at me do i have a Big L in the middle of my forehead?? wait a minit...what i drive doesnt determine my value or success, so dont be hatein. and if you live and die by the standards of the world then you will always......lose! JESUS called it BUILDING ON SAND...LIVING FOR THE NOW..BELIEVING THE LIE OF YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE...SO GRAB EVERYTHING YOU CAN.....WHEN YOU LIVE BY THIS VALUE SYSTEM IT IS LIKE TRADING REAL FOR FAKE...YOU SEE THE REAL RISK TAKERS ARE THE ONES WHO ABANDON THE ARTIFICAL FOR THE AUTHENTIC! PROBLEM IS SOME OF US HAVE NEVER KNOWN THE REAL THING...SO ITS EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY ARE MEZMORIZED BY THE BEST VERSION OF IMITATION HAPPINESS....WHAT THE WORLD OFFERS NOW! JESUS SPOKE ON THIS..READ MATT 7:24-27. WHO WAS WISE AND WHO WAS FOOLISH...THE WISE GUY DID NOT BUILD HIS HOUSE BY THE ROCKS,AROUND THE ROCKS OR EVEN WITH ROCKS...HE BUILT ON THE ROCK!IT IS SO EASY TO BUILD YOUR LIFE AROUND THE ROCK..GOING TO CHURCH,HAVING CHURCH FRIENDS READ THE BIBLE ONCE AND AWHILE GIVE A SHOUT UP WHEN YOU NEED STUFF..BUT YOUR LIFE ..YOUR FAITH IS GOING TO BE TESTED,MAYBE YOUR IN ONE RIGHT NOW ..A TEST/...AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE BLOWING APART...JESUS SAYS WHAT IS BUILT ON HIM.. WONT FALL CAUSE IT RESTS..ON HIM......NOT YOU! SE ITS HIS GREAT NAME AND BUILDING EXPERIENCE THATS AT STAKE HERE! ITS NOT REALLY ABOUT YOU..EXCEPT WILL YOU BUILD ON HIM ,,TRUST HIM? EVEN THOUGH WE MESS UP,& MADE MISTAKES AND...YES EVEN THOUGH! READ ISAIAH 41.10 MAYBE AS GOD IS GETTING YOUR ATTENTION HE HAS SOMETHING HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU THROUGH THIS...SOMETHING YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO ACT ON AND DIDNT..MAYBE TO MUCH TRUSTING IN SELF AND THE WAYS OF THIS WORL A PERSON GOD SAYS IS WISE NOT ONLY HEARS HIS VOICE ..BUT IMMEDIATELY ACTS UPON IT....PRAYER REQUST FOR THE DAY: LORD DID I MISS SOMETHING YOU SAID AND NOT ACT UPON IT..PLEASE SPEAK IT AGAIN LORD FOR YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING AND WILL ACT UPON YOUR WORD..AMEN. PEACE
IF LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE....THEN DANGER IS SURE TO COME ALONG THE JOURNEY. THE SIGN ON THE PATH SAYS WILDERNESS, SO WHAT....IT DIDNT LOOK THAT WILD. WE STARTED STROLLING ALONG WIDE EYED OHHH LOOK AT HOW EASY THIS PATH IS..JUST TAKING IN THE BEAUTY AND THE LITTLE CHALLENGES COMING OUR WAY. SLOWLY THE PATH BEGAN TO GET HARDER AND HARDER,AND BEFORE WE KNEW IT ..IT WAS DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS! I THOUGHT WHAT AM I DOING LEADING MY FAMILY HERE? THERE WERE STEPS THAT WERE SOFT AND UNSURE WITH ONE WRONG MOVE YOU WENT OVER THE EDGE AND DROPPED 100-200 FEET INTO THE SIDE OF A ROCKY MOUNTAIN ONLY TO LAND ON SOME TREE TOPS! HOW OFTEN HAVE WE SURRENDERED OUR FREEDOM UNDER THE WIEGHT OF OUR FEARS? SO OFTEN WE TRADE IN LIVING FOR JUST EXISTING...BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A LEVEL OF PREDICTABILITY AND SAFTEY. FREEDOM IS WILD FILLED WITH UNEXPECTED CURVES AND UNCHARTED TERRITORY. PSALM 119.32 I RUN THE PATH OF YOUR COMMANDS,FOR YOU HAVE SET MY HEART FREE. DAVID SHOWS US THE REAL DEAL ON FREEDOM HERE..BECAUSE GOD SET HIS HEART FREE,HE CAN PURSUE A LIFE OF TRUTH,,AND MEANING.WE ARE FINALLY FREE TO BE ALIVE WHEN GOD FREES OUR HEARTS FROM THE PASSIONS THAT IMPRISON US! PSALM 37.4 DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LOED AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART. WHEN I CONFORM TO THE PATTERNS OF THIS WORLD..THINGS I MUST OWN TO GIVE MY LIFE A SENSE OF VALUE ..THINGS I MUST DO TO GIVE MY LIFE A SENSE OF MEANING... I BECOME TRAPPED BY THAT MINDSET. NO DONT GET ME WRONG THERE ARE ALOT OF THINGS I THINK GOD WANTS ME TO DO..BUT AS I PURSUE HIM HE WILL OPEN THE DOORS. FOLLOWING GOD IS ANYTHING BUT DULL AND BORING..ITS JUST THE OPPOSITE..RISKY AND UNPREDICTABLE. IF YOUR LIFE IS SO ROUTINE AND BORING ..BETTER CHECK THE MAP AND SEE IF YOUR STILL ON HIS PATH.ON HIS PATH HE SAID THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE THINGS TO TRUST HIM FOR...ALWAYS, READ PSALM 119: 1-10 WRITE DOWN THE VERSE THE REALLY STICKS OUT..THINK ABOUT IT THE REST OF THE DAY. PRAYER REQUEST: ASK GOD TO BEGIN TO ORDER YOUR STEPS AND DIRECT YOUR
I think of certain things sometimes that come my way and they just freak me out!! either i lose sight of GOD temporarily or sumthin!! our i just let natural instincts take over..which is not cool! READ MT 14.28-30 IF YOU TOOK TIME to read that you would see a key verse where peter freaked...BUT WHEN HE SAW TH WIND, HE WAS AFRAID. Thats what freaks me out God allows us to get into situations where we have to trust him really trust him..and they get more and more as time goes by..because JESUS is intrested in a REVOLUTION..hE wants to REVOLUTIONIZE your charachter. so you will have something far more than just a set of beliefs..you will live breath eat and know you have the living GOD with you...you must run towards this revolution..its like an obstacle course waiting to be conqoured..Charachter is like a hero sleeping within you waiting to be roused and awakened.in pursuing a life that is not about you, you will find yourself living the life you have always longed for..living just for you will always leave you LONGING FOR THAT NEXT THING/ so with each challenge you face and every small victory you suddenly realize you are a different person. PETER SAW THE WIND and was gripped by fear..AND BEGAN TO SINK read psalm 27: 1-3 now read Joshua 1: 1-9 Now memorize vs 9. even though peter sank ..he did step into the storm AND WALKED ON WATER...so he was sinking in fear .doubt and self effort...and look what happens!! IMEDIATELY JESUS REACHED OUT HIS HAND AND CAUGHT HIM.......PRAYER REQUEST..LORD GIVE ME STRENGTH TO LOOK AT YOU AND NOT THE STUFF///ALSO HELP ME TO REACH FOR YOU INSTEAD OF ALWAYS TRYING ON MY OWN,CHANGE WHO I AM. PEACE
EVER NOTICE WE HAVE A HANDS ON GOD....HE IS VERY ACTIVE AND ALIVE ALL AROUND US ...FOR ME TO THINK GOD IS NOT INTRESTED IN ME OR MY SITUATION IS SIMPLY CRAZY. HE IS EITHER INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING ..OR NOTHING. JUST LOOK AT HOW HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN YOUR LIFE THIS WEEK..PERFORMING MIRACLE AFTER MIRACLE..BUT YOU SAY WHAT MIRACLE? WELL THINK ABOUT IT..EVERY TIME YOU READ THE BIBLE...THE BIBLE IS MIRACULOUS FROM ITS AUTHORS TO ITS PUBLISHING. YOU SHOULD RESEARCH THAT ..THEN MAYBE WE WOULDNT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED..THERE ARE SOME PLACES PEOPLE HAVE TO MEMEORIZE A PAGE THEN EAT IT...BECAUSE ITS OUTLAWED. I MEAN JUST THE FACT THAT YOU READ IT AND GOD IS GIVING YOU REVELATION OF IT IS A MIRACLE..I REMEMBER WHEN I HAD NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT..I LOOKED AT THE BIBLE LIKE...DUHHH. NOT TO MENTION ALL THE LITTLE THINGS GOD IS DOING AROUND YOU EVERYDAY...LIKE KEEPING YOU FROM CALAMITY AND FEEDING YOU AND GIVING YOU LIFE AND BREATH AND SUSTAINING YOUR PLANET AND LISTENING TO THE PRAYERS OF MILLIONS OF BELIEVERS...LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT I AM SO BUSY LOOKING AT HIS HAND OF ACTIVITY IN MY LIFE I FORGET TO SEEK HIS ..FACE. I AM ALWAYS WANTING SOMETHING FROM GOD..INSTEAD OF GOD HIMSELF..I WONDER HOW THAT MAKES HIM FEEL...TODAY WE ARE BEGINING A FAST AND I WANT US TO LOOK AT 2 CHRONICLES 7.14-15 AND SEE SOME CONDITIONNAL IFS ABOUT BEING RESTORED IN A FACE TO FACE RELATIONSHIP TO THE ALMIGHTY. PLEASE READ THE VERSES AND WRITE DOWN THE CONDITIONS. WHAT ARE WE TO SEEK???? WHAT IS PROMISED? PRAYER REQUEST; LORD TEACH ME TO LOOK FOR YOUR FACE, NOT JUST SEEK YOUR HAND OF BLESSING AND JUST ALWAYS HANDING YOU MY PERSONAL SHOPPING LIST OF STUFF, I TURN FROM THAT MINDSET...I WANT TO KNOW YOU. PEACE..
Indiana jones would of been proud ..remember that one movie..RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.....where the germans were searching foR a lost artifact,,the ark of GOD. SO THEY FIND IT AND ARE TOLD DONT LOOK INSIDE....OR YOU DIE...THEY WERE OFF ON ONE MINOR DETAIL THOUGH,,IT WAS TOUCH IT AND YOU DIE.!!!! SO THE ARK WAS THIS BOX USED IN THE TEMPLE TO HOLD THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.AND ALSO WHERE THE SHIKANA GLORY OF GOD RESTED ABOVE IT AND ONLY THE HIGH PRIST COULD APPROACH HIM ONCE A YEAR..AND WHENEVER THE ISREALITES WENT INTO BATTLE THEY WOULD CARRY THE ARK IN FRONT OF THEM SIGNIFYING GODS POWER WAS WITH THEM.....WELL IT GOT CAPTURED ONE TIME BY THE PHILISTINES SO THEY PUT IT INTO THEIR TEMPLE WITH THIER GOD DAGON...KIND OF A FISH MAN HYBRID..WEIRD..ANYWAY THE NEXT MORNING THE COME IN AND DAGON ..THIS HUGE STATUE HAS BEEN KNOCKED DOWN....ON ITS FACE! SO THEY THINK NOTHING OF IT AND PUT IT UP AGAIN...NEXT MORNING THEY COME IN NOW ITS DOWN AND BUSTED UP...GOD WILL NOT COMPETE WITH OTHER GODS..HE IS SUPREME! I DO THAT SOMETIMES...I TRY TO PLACE GOD IN WITH OTHER THINGS I AM TRUSTING IN WRAPPED UP IN AND HOPING IN ..BUT GOD WANTS THAT I WILLINGLY KNOCK THOSE THINGS DOWN THAT HE MAY REIGN SUPREME IN MY LIFE...READ 1 SAM 5. 1-12//// PRAYER REQUEST ASK THE LORD TO SHOW YOU ANY FALSE GODS YOU ARE TRUSTING IN OR IDOLS YOU HAVE BUILT UP
WHAT IF YOU OR I KNEW SOME VITAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE THAT COULD CHANGE THE COURSE BOF THEIR LIFE??/WOULD I HIDE IT AND KEEP IT FROM THEM OR SHARE IT..WETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT>> IT IS MY DUTY TO SHARE WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GOD TO OTHERS....BUT ALOT OF TIMES I DONT SHARE...I HAVE MANY EXCUSES BUT THEY ARE ALL JUST THAT..EXCUSES.. WE WERE OUT THIS WEEKEND PASSING OUT OVER 200 GOSPELS OF JOHN WHEN I MET BERNIE...HE SAID HE DESERVED TO GO TO HEAVEN..AND AS I SHARED THE TRUTH WITH HIM....IT WASNT PRETTY...WE WENT THRU THE 10 COMMANDMENTS TOGETHER...I WATCHED HIS FACE CHANGE FROM SMILES TO A GRIMACE....BUT HE HAD NEVER HEARD..JESUS RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD!! NOW HE DID NOT ASK FOR FORGIVENESS BUT I DID TELL HIM ABOUT COMING JUDGEMENT...READ 1 SAMUEL 3:10-18 ...............WHAT SHOULD HAVE ELI DONE?? WELL 2 SAM 2:12 SAYS HIS SONS WERE CORRUPT AND SERVING AS PRIESTS AND GOD TOLD HIM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT,,,BUT HE NEVER DID.. HE JUST LET THEM KEEP GOING AND PRESUMED GODS GRACE AND FORGIVENESS. THAY=T IS DANGEROUS..READ PSALM 51:1-6 ASK GOD TO REVEAL TO YOU ANYTHING THAT IS KEEPING YOU FROM WALKING CLOSER WITH HIM. THEN EXHALE SIN AND BREATH IN GODS LOVE AND FORGIVENESS. RECOMMENDED WORSHIP SONG..UTUBE WE WILL RUN BY GUNGOR! PRAYER REQUEST -LORD MAKE ME SENSITIVE TO THINGS THAT GRIEVE YOUR SPIRIT. PEACE
CALL TO ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU,AND TELL YOU GREAT AND HIDDEN THINGS THAT YOU HAVE NOT KNOWN! jEREMIAH 33.3 tHIS IS PROOF GOD WANTS TO SHOW YOU THINGS YOU HAVE KNOW IDEA ABOUT,,,THINGS NO PERSON CAN TELL YOU..MAYBE ABOUT YOUR LIFE ..MAYBE ABOUT HIMSELF..MAYBE HE WANTS TO GIVE YOU SOME WISDOM OR SHARE SOME HOPE FOR THAT SPECIAL SITUATION YOU ARE IN RIGHT NOW...THE ONE NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT BUT YOU AND HIM! AS YOU BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY TO GO DEEPER WITH GOD YOU AND I MUST FIRST UNDERSTAND PRAYER IS NOT A THING OR A SPIRITUAL EXCERCISE...IT IS A RELATIONSHIP....A LOVE RELATIONSHIP...CAUSE YOU ONLY MAKE REAL TIME TO BE WITH PEOPLE YOU LOVE....RIGHT,,,,,SO WHEN I DONT MAKE TIME FOR JESUS..WHAT MY HEART IS SAYING IS...I DONT LOVE YOU ENOUGH TO SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH YOU..WE CAN JUST HANG OUT ALITTLE BIT AND ILL SEE IF I CAN GET SOMETHING FROM YOU....THATS NOT NEW..IT HAPPENED IN JOHN 6. AND JESUS KNEW IT SO HE SPOKE THIS WORD TO THEM....AS THE LIVING FATHER SENT ME,AND I LIVE BECAUSE OF THE FATHER,SO WHO EVER FEEDS ON ME HE WILL ALSO LIVE BECAUSE OF ME.....NOW THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING AND IT DREW A LINE OF DIVISION BETWEEN THE PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST FOLLOWING JESUS FOR A FREE MEAL AND THOSE WHO NEEDED HIM AND HIS WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. SO JESUS IS GIVING THIS OFFER..SPEND TIME WITH ME..TALK TO ME AND I WILL SHOW YOU...HOW TO LIVE YOUR LIFE TO PLEASE ME..HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE ..HOW TO BE COMPLETE.MY WORD WILL CHANGE AND COMPLETE YOU...TRANSFORM YOU AND I WILL SHARE MY JOY..AND GIVE PEACE..TO YOU!!. 1. QUIT FOOLING YOURSELF..THE EARLY CHURCH WAS NOT BUILT ON 3 MINUTE DEVOTIONS ON THE RUN 2.IT TAKES DISCIPLINE TO LISTEN FOR GODS VOICE. 3. WHEN HE DOES SPEAK TO YOU ...YOU SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN ..SO YOU CAN READ IT AGAIN AND AGAIN..THEN YOU CAN ACT UPON IT..APPLY IT TO YOUR LIFE. 4. GET YOURSELF A JOURNAL..AND COMMIT TO WRITE DOWN WHAT GOD IS GETTING READY TO SHARE.5.READ 1 SAMUEL 2.12-3-15. MAKE YOUR OBSERVATIONS..DID GOD SHARE SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH SAMUEL??? WHAT?? WHY?? HOW OLD WAS HE?? DID IT HAPPEN ALL AT ONCE? IN MANY WAYS LEARNING TO ...HEAR GOD.. IS THE GREATEST SECRECT TO ANSWERED PRAYER! PRAYER REQUEST FOR THE DAY 1-LORD TEAGH ME TO RECOGNIZE YOUR VOICE! DONT FOR GET YOUR 7 MINUTES OF WORSHIP AND 14 MINUTES OF PRAYER...PEACE..
I CONSTANTLY WANT TO UPGRADE...INTERNET SERVICE....CABLE SERVICE IPHONE 6???? BUT AS I LOOK AROUND THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED MY CONSTANT ATTENTION....NO NOT THAT ANNOYING PERSON THAT SOME HOW GOT YOUR DIGITS!!! JUST THINGS THAT KEEP MY DAY TO DAY LIFE GOING..OTHER THINGS THAT ALSO DEMAND TIME...SCHOOL WORK...OH AND SCHOOL WORK..OH YEAH AND DONT FORGET...HOMEWORK....BUT WHAT ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD....CAN I UPGRADE???? I CAN ??/ SWEET....WELL REALLY..I MEAN FIRST I MUST DO SOME SIMPLE THINGS...LIKE WHAT? MAINTAIN...MAINTAIN WHAT ...MY CONNECTION WITH HIM. READ JOHN 15; 1-7. WRITE DOWN ANY OBSERVATIONS YOU MAKE ABOUT FRUIT...NAME THEM. IF JESUS IS THE VINE YOU ARE THE __________. WHAT MUST REMAIN IN YOU TO UPGRADE TO MUCH FRUIT? NOW LOOK AT VERSE 9-10 NOTICE A COMMAND AND IN VS 10 A CONDITION....IF! FOLLOWING CHRIST IS CONDITIONAL...SOMEDAYS WE FOLLOW HARD AFTER HIM,, OTHERS WE WALK OF THE SIDE OF THE PLANET..WHY????? WELL WE SIMPLY DONT STAY CONNECTED! WE LET OTHER THINGS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT..WE LET OTHERS AND OTHER THINGS OVERSHADOW HIS POSTION IN OUR LIVES..WE LOSE OUR CENTRAL FOCUS....WE DOWNGRADE!!!!!!!!!!! REPAIRING YOUR ALTAR IS ONE THING..1 KINS 18.30 THE TIME AND PLACE IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE WHEN YOU GET ON YOUR KNEES AND WORSHIP...BUT MAINTAINING IT IS QUITE ANOTHER,, LEVITICUS 6.12-13 READ IT ..MAKE YOUR OBSERVATIONS. 1. DO YOU MEET WITH GOD IN THE MORNING??? WHY OR WHY NOT..2.DO YOU MEET WITH HIM AGAIN AT NIGHT? WHY OR WHY NOT...3.WOULD YOU TELL THE PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A. YOU DONT HAVE TIME FOR HIS COMPANY IF HE WERE TO CALL YOU/4.. DO YOU FEEL YOU CONNECTION WITH GOD IS GROWING STRONGER OR WEAKER? 4. WHAT MUST YOU DO TO MAKE IT STRONGER??? ANSWER THIS AND SAY YOUR ANSWER OUT LOUD TO YOURSELF 3 TIMES......NOW JUST DO IT. PRAYER REQUEST: GOD HELP ME TO SEEK YOU MORNING AND NIGHT,,GIVE ME THE DESIRE..PLEASE. .PEACE
I WILL TAKE HER NOW!!! HE SAID IN A STRONG ACCENT. SHE LOOKED AT ME..SCARED, NERVOUS AND UNCERTAIN... AS RALPH WAITED FOR MY RESPONSE... SHE HAD TRAVELED HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD..A FORIEGN EXCHANGE STUDENT WITH THE PROMISE OF A WORK VISA AND THE WORD WAS IF SHE DIDNT REPORT THIS MORNING AT THE PIZZA SHOP THEY WOULD REVOKE THE VISA. IT ALL SOUNDED SKETCH TO ME, AND IT WAS HAPPENING SO FAST, NIETHER OF US KNEW ANYTHING REALLY..HOW COULD SHE OR I KNOW...IT WOULD COME TO THIS....WE HAD ONLY MET MINUTES AGO.... HOW COULD SHE EVEN TRUST ME? A TWENTY YEAR OLD GIRL..LEAVING HER HOME COUNTRY WHERE HER PASTOR HAD BEEN SHOT AND KILLED AND WHEN HER FAMILY FOUND OUT ABOUT HER NEW FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST HER BROTHER THREATENED TO KILL HER AS WELL. SO SHE LEFT EVERYTHING! WITH THIS QUESTIONABLE CONNECTION TO THE UNITED STATES AND THE PROMISE OF A NEW LIFE..SHE LEFT EVERYTHING SHE KNEW. I ANSWERED A PHONE CALL IN MY OFFICE LAST WEEK FROM A PERSON IN A REVIVAL MINISTRY MY DAUGHTER USED TO TRAVEL THE COUNTRY WITH SEVERAL YEARS BACK. THEY WERE PERSONALLY CONNECTED TO HER AND TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE TO CARE FOR HER WHILE SHE WAS IN FLORIDA...MY DAUGHTER WAS THE LORDS CHOICE! BY THE NEXT DAY SHE WAS SLEEPING IN MY DAUGHTERS TINY APARTMENT AND AT OUR CHURCH THE NEXT MORNING! SHE WAS TAKEN TO PUT AN APPLICATION IN AT THE PIZZA PLACE ON TIME BY ONE OF MY INTERNS.BUT THERE WAS NO PROMISE OF WORK AS DESCRIBED..IT WAS JUST FILL OUT THE APP AND WAIT FOR RALPH, HE WONT BE IN UNTILL THE END OF THE WEEK. THEN BACK AT THE CHURCH A CALL CAME THROUGH TO THE INTERN..IT WAS RALPH...MEET ME AT THE SUPERMARKET IN THE TOWN CIRCLE! MY INTERN CAME TO ME WITH QIUTE A BIT OF CONCERN IN HER VOICE AND FEAR IN HER EYES..WITH GOOD REASON! SHE HAD A VALUABLE PACKAGE..A GIRL WITH NO FAMILY OR TIES TO THE UNITED STATES AND NO WAY OF TRACING THE WHEREABOUTS OF THIS YOUNG GIRL IF SHE WERE TO VANISH OF THE FACE OF THE EATRH. HUMAN TRAFFICKING! SEX SLAVING IS A BIG BUSSINESS AND MIAMI IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST HUBS IN THE COUNTRY. I DECIDED THIS WAS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER AND TOLD THE INTERN I WOULD TAKE HER ,BUT SHE COULD RIDE ALONG. NONE OF US KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT! THE GIRLS WERE SCARED...AND I ....I WAS TRUSTING IN HIM! WE PULLED UP,GOT OUT AND THERE HE WAS...SHORTS ..T SHIRT AND FLIP FLOPS..I LOOKED HIM OVER FOR POSSIBLE CONCEALED WEAPONS AND CHECKED HIS BODY LANGUAGE..HE SEEMED COOL AT FIRST.. BUT THEN HE SAID' " I WILL TAKE HER NOW" A MILLION THOUGHTS RAN THROUGH MY HEAD OF WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUNG GIRLS WHO JUST VANISH NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN..AND BEING THE FATHER OF 2 DAUGHTERS I CHUCLKED AND THOUGHT TO MY SELF ..OVER MY DEAD BODY! WHO DOES THIS GUY THINK HE IS??? SHE LOOKED AT ME I COULD READ HER EYES... SHE WAS NOT FEELIN IT! I SAID, I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO WORK AT THE PIZZA SHOP? NO, I HAVE ANOTHER PLACE...IN MIAMI...SHE CAN GO WITH ME NOW..I WILL BRING HER BACK....YEAH RIGHT, I THOUGHT! WHO IN THERE RIGHT MIND JUST MAKES THIS KIND OF HUMAN TRANSACTION..NO DETAILS, NO HISTORY..NO TRACE! NO...SHE WILL RIDE WITH ME I SAID AND WE WILL FOLLOW YOU! THIS WAS A NOT A CONCEPT HE HAD CALCULATED FOR IT CAUGHT HIM OFF GAURD AND THEY BEGAN TO SPEAK IN THEIR NAITIVE TOUNG, HE WAS SKEPTICAL AND TRIED TO SWAY ME AND SAID THAT HE NEEDED TO TAKE HER ALONE, WE WOULD BE IN THE WAY, I WASNT BUYING IT. NO... I SAID , WE WILL FOLLOW YOU. AS WE GOT BACK INTO MY TRUCK I WONDERED IF HE WOULD JUST DISSAPEAR, BUT I SPOTTED HIM, DRIVING VERY SLOW AS HE WAS ENGAUGED IN A PHONE CONVERSAION ALMOST IMMEDIATLY! HIS OUT OF STATE PLATE MATCHED HIS OUT OF STATE PHONE NUMBER! WE COPYED IT DOWN AND MY INTERN SNAPPED A PIC OF HIM WITH HER PHONE EARLIER AS HE WAS HEADED TO HIS CAR. I CALLED THE PIZZA SHOP MYSELF THIS TIME AND TALKED TO THE OTHER CONTACT..FRED. I ASKED FRED IF RALPH SPOKE THIS LANGUAGE I WAS HEARING BETWEEN THE THE TWO OF THEM AND FRED SAID NO!! SO WE HAD TWO RALPHS IN THE MIX NOW..THE SO CALLED PIZZA SHOP MANAGER AND THE ONE WE WERE ACTUALLY FOLLOWING. I CALLED MY DAUGHTER, SHE SAID "DAD GET OUT OF THERE WHY ARE YOU FOLLOWING THEM?? YOUR CRAZY..THIS IS SO WRONG! GIVE ME THE NUMBER FOR THE PLATE TO ALERT THE AUTHORITIES"...WE BOTH KNEW NOW THIS WAS TERRIBLY WRONG! AS I HUNG UP WE PULLED UP INTO A PARKING LOT I REASSURED HER SHE WILL NOT GO ANYWHERE WITH THEM AND SHE IS SAFE. AGAIN, RALPH WANTED TO TAKE HER INSIDE ALONE ,NO I WILL COME WITH HER! ONCE INSIDE I SAW 3 MEN AND RAPLH SPEAKING WITH THEM IN NATIVE TOUNGE, I LOOKED AT HER AND SAID " YOU DONT HAVE TO DO THIS", SHE SAID "I WILL TELL THEM I WILL NOT WORK FOR THEM." I BEGAN TO EYEBALLING THE PLACE ..IT HAD BRAND NEW FURNITURE AND IT WAS LUCH HOUR RUSH..WITH NO CUSTOMERS! IT LOOKED AS IF NO ONE HAD EVER COOKED SO MUCH AS A GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH IN THIS PLACE..SHE EXCHANGED A FEW WORDS WITH THEM AND WALKED BACK TO ME AND WE WALKED OUT. WE HEAR STORIES OF HUMAN TRAFFICING RINGS AND ARE PROMPTED TO BE APART OF THIS CAUSE AND RAISE AWARNESS, AND HERE IT HAS FALLEN INTO MY LAP AND I WILL NOT STAY SILENT. EXPERIENCING THIS FIRST HAND HAS SPARKED A FIRE UNDER ME THAT I WILL CONTINUE TO LIGHT ALL OVER THE WORLD. HUMAN TRAFFICING IS REAL, IT IS HERE AND IT IS NOW. PLEASE HELP US TO PROTECT GOD'S CHILDREN AND BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS. ......CALL TO ACTION.THERE ARE MANY ORGANIZATIONS BY WHICH YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND RAISE AWARENESS SUCH AS f.4.c.org.
CRYING OUT LOUD..............and when he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it. luke 19.413/25/2012 We get so mad at KIDS THESE DAYS...I mean look at them...running around in middle school with issues on sexuality and cutting themselves,pink hair and doing drugs! I have over 100 students i see on a weekly basis...who frequently text me on all these things warping their lives. WHO IS TO BLAME..GOD ??? THE DEVIL??? THE CULTURE?/ THE MEDIA??? FRIENDS?? HOW ABOUT GOOD OLE MOM AND DAD! Most kids I know suffer from 1 major thing....LACK OF LOVE AND CARE FROM THEIR PARENTS. OH yeah the parents provide..but for the most part the majority of parents in with teens and preteens are not emotionally investing in the hearts and lives of their kids. Most of the kids I know are not bad..just unloved! So they look for love among their social order. the look for significance in hurting themselves. Pain is better than lonliness, at least there is other cutters you can identify with..but my parents,,,,they would never understand..how lonley I am. How could they when i see there lives...empty endless pursuits of bill paying,and beer drinkink shallow freindships and any reason to party and forget their troubles,Christmas included.But mom and dad say ....dont do as i do do as i say,ha ha. So the bondage is handed down...like an old pair of handcuffs or slave traders chains..from generation to generation. I wound up almost drinking myself to DEATH...because thats how my mom learned to cope with the death of my father. I took her chains tried them on and they fit...REAL GOOD. and I had good friends with these chains..others could see my chains, recognize them... i was in the family...But the real lock on MY chains was a huge, rusty lock of lonliness and fear. These 2 together have tag teamed many a teen to an early grave..and I was well on my way!When I was 16 I prayed to Jesus to be my savior..because someone said I should...but i knew he didnt love me..cause i wasnt good enough. thats all i knew.. i wasnt good...and Jesus died. I didnt get it ..or want it...Just like the people in Jerusalem..when JESUS showed up on palm sunday and saw his Kids partying down...REMANING IN THE BONDAGE OF EMPTY RELIGION PASSED DOWN BY THERE FOREFATHERS....LOOKING FOR A MESSIAH BUT NEVER REALLY EXPECTING HIM TO SHOW. IF THEY HAD REMAINED TRUE TO THE WORD OF GOD AND NOT RELIGION THEY WOULD HAVE KNOW THE EXACT DAY MESSIAH WAS TO WALK INTO TOWN FOR IT WAS FORETOLD BY DANIEL IN 9.25 & 26.And yet They thought he came to take out the roman government so they could get some respect and and have their country back. Like the old days KING DAVID DIDNT TAKE NO SMACK FROM ANYBODY. Everyone feared the ISREALITES AND RESPECTED THEM....BUT JESUS CAME TO TAKE CARE OF....THE MATTER OF SIN...NOT THE MATTERS OF STATE! HE CAME TO DEAL WITH OUR WAYWARD HEARTS AND SOULS. HIS KINGDOM IS AN INTERNAL RULE. BUT THE PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE RULED BY SOMEONE SO WEAK....NO TIME FOR MATTERS OF THE HEART...OUR KINGDOM IS NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE....parents busy building LITTLE kingdoms...HANDING DOWN CHAINS..no real time to build lives that matter ..submittted to THE KING OF KINGS. LESS STUFF MORE LOVE...LESS MONEY ..MORE TIME. WHAT IF YOUR SON CAME IN ONE DAY AND CAUGHT HIS FATHER WEEPING..ON THE FLOOR..WORSHIPING GOD! what would that do to his fathers reputation...his sons idea of what it means to be a man.and his world veiw on what life is really about? What would it do to the way he treats hisfriends teachers...and what would it do to his veiw of GOD????and JESUS SEES THE PEOPLE WITH THIS FALSE WORSHIP OF HIM..LAYING DOWN THERE COATS AND PALM BRANCHES..NOT THEIR SINS,BURDENS AND BONDAGES.....AND HE CRIES!!!!!! A MAN CRYING OUT LOUD FOR A LOST GENERATION... I WONDER IF TODAY HE WALKS THROUGH OUR CHURCHES,SCHOOLS AMD HOMES...AND CRIES. Lets pray...... LORD LET ME BE SOMEONE WHO CARES TO BE REAL ENOUGH.. LOVE KIDS ENOUGH.LOVE OTHERS ENOUGH..TO Cry out loud...............peace.
Its just all so crazy..the pace of life moving us along at blinding speeds..and we love it. Its called CONVENIENCE...i LOVE IT WHEN THINGS ARE EASY... I can email 30 people while listening to a song while walking into 7/11 for a slurpee on my way to Church..oh you dont drink slurpees on sunday morning...?? You should try it sometime..nothing like a good brainfreeze right before worship!! Jesus went to Church one day..they called it TEMPLE. He got so angry when he got there and saw all these men and smell animals in the courtyard....so angry in fact it says int his account that he turned the money tables over!! Please open your bible at this point..PLEASE..JUST DO IT;;;and read matthew 21.12,13 Wow thats not like the LILLY WHITE SOFTSPOKEN JESUS WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE.....SAD. SO SAD THAT MOST MEN IN AMERICA DONT REALIZE CHRIST IS THE ULTIMATE STANDARD OF MANHOOD. Success is not a big house fat bank account or educational credentials. Show me a mans family..his wife and his kids..and you can determine whether he is really succesesful as God defines it. Eph 5. Jesus hands were rough..he was a carpeneter..he was strong..he carried logs..for a living...he went to the depths of mental anguish and physical tourture that movies really cant portray. As brutal as Passsion of The Christ was...Real life was worse..The Romans were Masters of Pain and torture. Most men dont understand Jesus example of courage and sacrifice in the horror of The Darkest Spiritual conflict and battle every fought on planet earth. God defines success totally opposite of what we define it as.....SACRIFICE! The spiritual leaders of the day had it all figured...COME TO THE TEMPLE...you can change your denarius and buy your sacrifice..present it to the priest and be home by 1.00 for the big game. IS THAT IT!!!CONVENIENCE and Sacrifice are directly opposed to one another. Jesus was angery because for the sacrifice of convenience PRAYER WAS BEING CROWDED OUT. tHE OUTER COURTS OF THE TEMPLE WERE fOR THE PEOPLE TO PRAY AND PRESENT THEMSELVES BEFORE THE LORD! Convenience is a thief of prayer qUESTION...do you and i really think Jesus is satisfied with our 7/11 prayer life..NO PERSON IS GREATER THAN THEIR PRAYER LIFE;;;;Has it become boring ..robotic... .ritual
if so what is Jesus driving out to make room.for you to come to him in prayer?/Prayer at its holiest moment is entering into GOD...A.W.TOZER./.is he turning over money tables? READ ROMANS 12.1-3 i will write part2 soon but please leave me some comments on what our father is doing..peace I think I first got the motorcycle in my blood when i was 5 years old. I remember getting a small cast metal mtr cycle in the mail one saturday after a morning of watching a meat cleaver carryin cat chase an innocent little mouse that had the military srtategy of Rambo! And i wonder whats wrong with me? I have very few memories of my childhood...because I believe that is Gods saftey system for those of us who have nothing but bad ones. but this one stands out...i was so happy.. and a Charms pop to go with it....I was lovin life my friend. Well years... later after a rough teen life...living out on my own by 16 with 2 jobs sleeping in my car in the Indiana cold,I joined the U.S.Infantry,Regular Army.I met my wife at Fort Carson in Colororado Springs....28 years ago....after the first few years we were called to go overseas. I purchased my first Bike and rode across Europe and away from my wife and child. On the brink of divorce after 11 years God painted me in a corner...untill he was the only thing left. As Christians we tend FORGET.....GODS GRACE AND OUR NEED........and where we were before he found us....WE TAKE SO MUCH FOR GRANTED ....so we become proffessional hearers.....not passionate doers, evaluaters of other Christians and their lives and not our own.Pslam 103 Bless the LORD AND FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS,WHO PARDONS ALL YOUR INIQUITIES,HEALS ALL YOUR DIEASES,WHO REDEEMS YOUR LIFE FROM THE PIT! I have a close friend he is like a brother although he calls me his dad, he fell into a pit once working for FPL. It caved in on him and almost killed him...as he screamed for help the co-workers just laughed..he got out ..a narrow escape..and left his boot and never went back. So it is my friend...God asks us to look into the mirror of his law ...not to condem..to transform...... as others look on and laugh or criticize our walk be encouraged and keep the perspective Christ wants us to have....Remember when..........you were in the pit...a.slave to sin ...The Best the devil can offer one of his children is the promise of hell......and Jesus reached out his mighty hand and pulled you out of the slime.....Pslam 41 The mirey clay.....we forget what wretched sinners we really are...and what we have been delivered from. I recently aquried a 85 IRON HEAD HARLEY DAVIDSON AND I REMEBER WHEN,,,,I used to ride and that owned and ruled my life as the saying goes RIDE TO LIVE,LIVE 2 RIDE...BUT i now live For CHRIST...ALONE.But just because you are on one of those terrible contraptions people look at you differently,even christians..just because we listen to Gods word so much and know it.......do we think that makes us better than others..well if your honest with yourself you would say....sometimes! God sees us as FORGIVEN OR NOT. uBDER THE BLOOD OR SEPERATED. And his loves CRUSHES ALL LEGALISTIC BONDS AND OUR LISTS OF DO'S AND DONT'S.Lord help us to love others more..if i could spend mor energy on that..i think my father would be more pleased than when i check off my list a temptation i avoided...James 1.22-25..its when i do what i have heard From God..is when i get the blessing. of GOD.and i do it more readily and passionatly when i remember where i came from. So the next time you start sizing up sombodey elses sin...or even your own.............Remember when.....
He was only 7 years old,,,,,when asked to officiate his memorial service i said ...NO!! Then a 2nd time...No was the reply. I couldnt help but feeling drawn in by the pain. I mean my heart was churning with compassion for these parents. I agreed to meet them. Being convicted by the power of THE HOLY SPIRIT..i felt as if this is something He really wanted me to do. I broke down in the first 10 minutes....as i witnessed my worst nightmares of a kid who is at all out war with the most wicked cancer in the brain....and i was told the father was Agnostic. Funny how that doesnt seem to matter on this level of pain..because of the mind numbing reality of life and suffering leaves a person,,,,hollow. ALL THE MORE REASON TO HOPE!! In something beyond this .....place of seemingly insignificant world of chemo trements...50 in the last 3 years to be exact...INSANE..WHO CAN HANDLE THAT??????? What we fail to realize is Is.41.10 I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND! Whether we acknowledge God or not,does not change the fact that his strength is the only thing that holding us up..and his grace is the only thing suspending us between HEAVEN AND HELL. After my time with the family, it turns out I have known them for years! Being thrown into their world of suffering I saw the true meaning of living each day like its the last...I mean birthday parties..everyday...always celebrating the smallest of victories...it was rich full fun colorfull crazy extravagant,,,out of control.//to much.. but never enough....love lavaished on a little boy....just poured out on him every day! God does that for you too, my friend,,,,Romans 8.32 He who did not spare his own son,but gave him up for us all,now will he not also along with him,graciously give us all things? Thats a question by the way..see we always think if I have just this one more thing..that situation taken care of ..that degree..that job..more money..that person in my life......our lives will be full and complete..well if thats true look around...its never complete. Once you have one area in order another area gets jacked up by unseeming consequence. Because Col.3.3 says your life is HIDDEN WITH CHRIST IN GOD. and i keep trying to find it.....apart from him..oh sure i include him in my plans and even consider it HIS PERFECT WILL ,,but the principle here is when the other things become my reward instead of him..HIS PRESCENCE, HIS SPIRIT, HIS VOICE RADIATING IN MY HEART MOMENT BY MOMENT GIVING LIGHT & LIFE......then the rest will never be enough! So I began to speak on the valley of the shadow....some could relate others never heard of this King David who walked through this Kidron valley..a grave yard on the east side of town where just because of the way the temple was built, there was no light there..at all. At this time in his life his runaway murdering son was trying to steal the throne,,,sounds a bit like our relationship to GOD ...if we think not,,the darkness has penetrated futher than we realize.... and THE KING IS DETHRONED AND BROKENHARTED.. and he walks thru this dark time in his life and writes it down for us,,he calls it the vallet of the shadow of death. Friend we will have dark times..we will have joyous times/ When the feast was going on the temple courtyard was supplied with 4 huge bowls,one in each corner filed with olive oil and old priestly garments used as wicks and lit. Lifted high up into the air,all he other court yards were li up as well/so if you had a home on the east side west side..no matter..all could see and you could save your oil and join in the feast/light every where except the kidron valley. And through there was the garden of gethsemane and the mount of olives....here through this valley david cries as he walks barefoot. fleeing Absolom who tried to steal the throne. Well absolom fails and dies. And the valley of the shadow has not prevailed. For Your LORD AND SAVIOR walked that same path the night they led him to 7 unfair,unlawful trials. He most likley prayed that same prayer David penned 900 years before on that road. Friend God is a God of light..there are no shadows in him. if we experience darkness,,understand even our SAVIOR did, yet he held to this thought...I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER......what is the next three days ..compaired with eternity. Lord help us your people to be seekers of God...not lovers of pleasure...that corrupts because our lust for things has over taken our zeal for you. AME
It was so strange being in that the room. A room I considered a part of my past. One i really didnt care to go into anymore. Not because anything bad happened there,just because i assumed that stage of my life was over. But there I was Sunday morning ..teaching some people..grown up adults...weird I KNOW,how to share their faith.Week 4..i will never forget it! I was going over the Law with some people..You Know A.K.A. The ten commandments.As we covered each one i saw several of the ADULTS in the class get very uneasy and nervous. Now everyone knows I am not the sharpest tool the shed but I did get the hint that the HOLY SPIRIT had showed up and conviction stirred a heart or 2. When i got to the Phrase I always ask...so if you were to stand if front of A HOLY GOD would you be guilty or not guilty of breaking his law? Well the answer is always the same with any rational human being..but there are exceptions!I have heard I AM JESUS!!!!!!OR ANTIPAS! ect..ect. But not on week four...one of the people was just broken..and as i stayed after class with them and shared GOSPEL TRUTH..freedom in CHRIST was celebrated through prayer and faith. In proverbs 24.30 Solomon wrote. I passed by the field of the sluggard ,past the vinyard of the man who lacks judgement ,thorns had come up everywhere,the ground was covered with weeds. One dusty afternoon the royal entourage comes to halt.The king dismount his chariot..nothing here hardly deserving of a kings royaly gaze..a grown over field..a run down vinyard! Hummm...and that was all!Surmizing the situation and taking the mental note Every mounts up and rolls out. What was that all about? WEEDS. When you dont pay attention to the property WEEDS grow up and take over. I am sure thats what God was talking about in Dt 17.17 He must not Take many wives or his heart will be led astray. This was in reference to the king...and how many wives did Solomon become preoccupied with???Hundreds upon hundreds. And now the weeds had fully covered his heart..and taken over.. HIS REALIZATION WAS TOO LATE!!!.Ecclesiastes 2.11 YET when i had surveyed all my hands had done..everything was meaningless..PREOCCUPATION! YOU SEE MY FRIEND WHEN I GET TOO PREOCCUPIED WITH BUILDING GODS KINGDOM TO SIEZE THE OPPORTUNNITY PRESENT HIS GOSPEL...I start lookin for sum roundup.......
Thursday was warm breezy with a hint of cool air..i was so thankful as The Lord sent a beautiful song bird that sat atop a memorial stone in the graveyard.one little reminder of of a seemingly hopeless situation....Trucks roaring by and the sound of the highway..made it almost impossible to hear the bird...Yet he caught my attention immediately! As about 200 crying young people gathered close around the beautiful white coffin to hear what GOD had to say...I spoke...wondering..MY LORD what can your servant say to glorifiy THY NAME? iTS JUST NOT FAIR..WERE THE WORDS that came out of my mouth.. I too just buried someone here last week..i pointed to a freshly dug grave right behind them..the crowd looked on un moved...but she was 93..and this young girl..your friend was only 19. Its just not fair....tears flowing like the the Niagra...BUT GOD...GOD IS GOOD!!!!! Their mind s perplexed..with furrowed brows i could see they were trying to grasp hold of this..one peice of truth which could change eternity in the heart of a human being! God is so good..every time she smiled(the girl who passed) every time she breathed..every time you shared moments to remember..that was GODS GOOD GIFT OF LOVE TO YOU.... HE DIDNT OWE IT TO US ..HE GAVE! I could see hearts melting looking for more of this truth...THAT GOD IS GOOD...and can be trusted! You see Gods love is so powerful it is a force that cannot be thwarted...it is steadfast, unmovable washing over time into eternity! Because he has said I have loved you with an everlasting Love, it means..long before you were created my friend, you were on and in the heart and Mind of the ALMIGHTY! Thats why it says he has set eternity in the heart of man..his love..its just not fair that we would Judge the heart of a good father by the gifts he gives us...because we dont understand the value...of what he has already given..If God doenst pay my bills or promote me or put me someplace in life where i have no troubles he must not really care about what i am going through..on the contrary! Its because he loves and cares so much he allows trials and discomfort and suffering...when the prodigal son got every thing he had coming all at once where did he go...as far away from the father as he could get....He shall supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in CHRIST JESUS..and we think materalistic almonst every time, but if God did not give you another thing while on this earth..and left us to starve to death he would be justified in doing so for he has already given us the very best he has.........JESUS!!!!! Exodus 33...And i will make all my goodness pass before you and I will PROCLAIM MY NAME! And thats exactly what I did..I spoke the truth of hope that CHRIST CAME TO DIE..SO THAT WE TOO COULD LIVE...FOREVER WITH HIM..PAST THE PAIN AND TEMPORALITY OF THIS LIFE..and many young people prayed for Christ to forgive them and to find their way unto him..but some..Just CRIED UNMOVED BY THE HEART OF A GOD WHO LOVED A 19 YEAR OLD GIRL ENOUGH TO DIE FOR HER!!!!!!! Its just not fair we have such a GOOD AND LOVING FATHER....BUT many times we cannot here his song of love and faithfulness to us because.....we have already JUDGED HIM.. SO WE MISS OUT ON A LOVE SO POWERFUL IT CAN CARRY YOU THROUGH DEATH INTO ETERNITY. WERE JUST.... NOT FAIR!!!!!!!PEACE
When I was a kid my brother made this underground fort. It was a hiding place, a refuge, a secret place. This thing was 6ft deep by 10 ft by 10 ft. It had plywood over the top and grass placed back over it so it looked like a normal part of an alley way in rual Indiana where we grew up. You could only reach it from our side of the fence and the fence was curled up for quick entrance..to help that along the entrance was sloped and lined with cardboard so you could just dive in. And dive in we did....always running from something or somebody. You really thought you had the world by the tail when at 7 years old you would get some friends, go the edge of the alley way and take those little white refrigerator bombs that could snarl up any daytime traffic..rush hour or otherwise. So...you get some direct hits...tires screeching..people yelling, getting out and surveying there windsheilds...overeasy and scrambled. By that time you want to call 911...cause your laughing so hard you cant breath! Nothing can prepare you for the sight over your shoulder of a menacing face filled with rage...coming after you. AH the fort..you jump the fence and disappear as if by magic,listening to the footsteps of a confounded taxpayer breathing out threats and bewilderment...of where could they be?We take ourselves so serious these days...just because we know so much..the way government should run...the way economics should flow...the way others should behave, look and live. The way God acts in his dealings with us and the issues of HIS CREATION. I wonder if i have become so smart in my systematic approach to everything...theology..people...life....HIM,that i havent noticed he enjoys TEARING DOWN my systems. The high preists and religious people had such a system...there was even some of it in place by God that needed to be torn down.The monolithical preistly system. The whole thing! Jesus came to destroy it. To seek and save that which was lost..yes people...aka mans relationship with GOD. Please take a few moments to read this.MT 27.51 at that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. thimk about that. Sometimes HE MUST RIP APART things that seperate you from him my friend...things your hiding behind,,,trusting in ..valuable things that may seem good..but not his best for you. Yes I know it seems impossible for it to be him but that is exactly what the Pharisses thought..their beautiful..lovely temple...... curtain. Destroyed. This happened the very moment JESUS died. He became the curtain....the way! You could only get to God if you went passed that curtain...and only the High priest could go there!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what..and TEARING DOWN from top to bottom signifies the impossibility of that happening by human hands.What is he doing,,,God.Jesus..tearing down in my life right now..ask yourself that. 1 peter 4 .1 think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way.Then you will be able to live out your days free to pursue what GOD wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want. WELL eventually our fort was find out and torn down. peace
When i was a kid one of my brothers biker friends showed me how to breath FIRE.....Really.To an 8 year old boy this was simply....the best thing scince peanut butter...Oh yeah and getting your first Knife. Breath fire???/ So this guy says watch this....he holds up a match and and spits at it and 10 foot flames come shooting out of his mouth! WOAH..........DO IT AGAIN....hey can i try??? I didnt think he would actually say yeah. So he teaches me....the trick is simple....1. fill your mouth with lighter fluid under your tounge. 2. light macth far away from body 3.blow fluid out of orifice as hard as possible at match @ arms length. 4.NEVER EVER EVER INHALE! 5. dont pay attention to the warning label on can. Please if your reading this now and are considering doing this....DONT!!! You can accidently burn up your lungs in an instant and the risk level is not worth the effect. Where is the adult supervision...you say. Well lets just say the longer you leave kids alone they will find things to do. And I was always alone. So a warning label meant nothing to me. Well i perfected it and it was magnificent. If i ever wanted to impress someone...just grab my can of zippo fluid.....friends and girls alike instantly mezmorized by your uncanny ability to be so close to death yet defy it. What power. WHAT AN IDIOT!!!!! Kind of like the guy in 2 samuel 6:7 his name was Uzzah and he was helping David get the Ark of The covenant back. Well it was on this new cart because this is the way the pagan people the philistines had moved it when they captured it did it. So the oxen stumbled and this innocent guy just standing around trying to help gets killed...by touching THE ARK to steady it. Wow....whats the poblem here? Of course God wants David to have the Ark back..It signifies Gods Prescence,protection and provision for the nation. And as King this is a fundamental moment in his order. So whats wrong....Friend you and i cannot conduct ourselves the way the world does..just because things seem to go well for unbelivers and they are living it up..nothing could be further from the truth....its as if you think your 8 year old kid is gonna have more fun if you take away all the boundries and love that shows him whats really good for him. As Gods children...he has set an expectation for us ..loving boundries..that express his care ..guidance...and abundant love and HOLINESS. Back in exodus 25 God perscribed a certain way the preists were to carry this ARK...with poles.....meaning GOD IS HOLY!!!!! AN innocent violation of his LAW can completly mess up your and my LIFE. AS christians we need to remember there was certain preperation in approaching God....THE DEATH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! If the moving committee for the ark David had put together really remembered the God of the old testament there would have been a reverent fear....and maybe a sense of warning in their approach. Check the warning labels....our hearts need them and the bible is full of them. Peace........pslm.31:19 How great is your goodness which you have stored up for those who fear you.
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Have you ever looked on some products to see the warning label??? try it just for fun....some of them are so ..............stupid. I guess because people can do some pretty crazy things. There was a time not long ago when a series came out showing teens and young guys hurting themselves and doing really stupid stunts just because...it seemed funny at the time. Now dont get me wrong i like to have fun and even take some risks..but they are very calculated. Once in North Carolina I was going to base jump this cliff at a place called elk river falls. Now it is a 60 ft drop and is RELATIVELY safe. Ha ha. So i did some calculating before i got there at the end of last summer and looked it up online,there had been 12 DEATHS already scince Jan. But that spot looks so ..so inviting and easy to just jump in! It does take a certain amount adreanaline though...so i got to the spot and my wife started getting upset...FO REAL...she said if i jumped she would not talk to me the rest of the vacation...GiRLS! oh man....so i did waht any guy in my postion does.......JUMP.............J.K. Of course I didnt jump..I wouldnt jump knowing I am the cause of that much stress and fear..to me it wasnt really a big deal...because it looked so safe....Ladies are so much....smarter..no not the word..PRACTICAL. My wife knew just because it looked safe didnt mean it was. Thats the way it is today...our culture is on cruise control and it looks very safe but for the heart of a Chisritian, every day is like jumpimg out into the unknown. There is a huge dynamic we forget about..there is a seriuos SPIRITUAL war going on all around us. And it is not about wether we are happy here on earth and living it up the american way. Its about the souls of men and ladies..the people you and I see every day and dont think about. The ones we are so used to seeing.in bondage to sin and SATAN that we forget about their eternal destiny..so we just go about our plot of land here on earth and try to build or little kingdom. Some our greatest enemies is Gods greatest gifts to us. We begin to Idolize them and serve them. So when a test comes and upsets our perfectly safe little world..we think what did i do wrong..why cant i have my world perfect with no unknowns. iTS all unknown..every day and its always a war zone....if not then we must be going in the same direction as slewfoot. JESUS..RADICAL THINKER.. LOVER..nothing he ever did was real safe. He invaded the PHARISSES TERRITORY... read the 7 woes of the pharisee mth 23 and it will shed some light on our thinking. See we surrond ourselves with Jesus..church people music....bible......But so often refuse to be INVADED BY HIM...MEANING NOT ACTING ON WHAT HE TOLD US THE LAST TIME WE HEARD FROM HIM..NOT TAKING TIME TO GET ON OUR FACE AND CULTVATE A WORSHIPFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM..ECT. EX 19 .20 Do not be afraid God has come to test you,so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning. THE WARNING LABEL Peace.
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