December 28th, 2011

"uhh, no fear...?" 1 John 4:18 "Now, there is no fear in love" I must admit, I've struggled for years over this verse...I've told myself so often..."you're always afraid, worried, anxious, you must not love God"... One commentator writes: "The completeness of love means we do not cower in fear before God, dreading His judgment, either now or in the day of judgment. We know all the judgment we ever deserved – past, present, and future – was poured out on Jesus Christ on the cross." Another writes: "If fear has gripped your heart, it's because God's love is not perfected in you. You're not totally assured that God loves you." He goes on: "I'm not really sure that this is gonna work for good, this may destroy me. This may be the end of my road. This may be all she wrote. This looks bad, I don't see any way out. What am I gonna do?" You see folks...this is me! The second commentator goes on...Well, you see, if God's love were perfected, if you really knew God loved you, so totally loved you, that whatever and anything that may happen to you can only happen because God allows it to happen and He loves you supremely, then I don't worry about what happens to me. "Man, what a mess, but I know that God loves me and so He's gonna work it out some way or other, you know. Well, they just foreclosed and took away my house, you know, but God loves and He's gonna work out something, you know." Oh, the confidence that comes when I know that God loves me and His love is perfected in me, I can accept what comes without fear..........I've had flashes of this over my years, but right now??? Well... right now, and honestly for quite a 'season', I confess...I'm in quite the 'funk'...and I'm very sure, I'm "no fun" to live with!! In fact, just last night, my bride said to me..."where's your faith?" So....my battle rages on...

Christmas Eve 2011

"aw, be c-a-r-e-f-u-l...you're worse than you think you are..." Phil 2:3 "Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves..." Wow, how's that stack-up to the world's idea?...to the world’s concept of self-esteem? Uhhh, bunk's it, don't it? The ancient Greeks considered lowliness of mind to be a fault, not a virtue...sound familiar?...sounds like 'our-world-today', ya know? But Paul goes on...(vs.5 says) "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had"..."Aw come on Paul, are you serious?" It's always been too easy for me to read this description of Jesus and admire it from afar; yes God wants me to be 'awed by it', yesss! But He also wants me to see it as something that I must enter into...and i-m-i-t-a-t-e...You see, Jesus was/is God, He created us...and Jesus was willing to let go of His deity to become a man..."for the like's of me"..."He, who should have been served...Served !!!" That puts a slight 'twist' to things ya know? I had a brother tell me...years ago..."Uhhh, David, that would be Utopia!" Yeah, just think about it...If I consider you above me, and you consider me above you, a marvelous thing happens: we have a community where everyone is looked up to, and no one is looked down on! "Hmmm...kind a makes one think, ya know?"
"Hey folks...It's Christmas Eve...Our Dear Savior is Born!!!"

My yuck, does affect others?

December 18th, 2011......"there are always going to be 'conequenes' to my actions...my decisions..." Ezekiel 16:58 "You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the LORD" As far back as the children of Israel, many people who had gone through the rite of circumcision were still living after the flesh. And so the whole ritual was totally negated by the fact that they were living after the flesh...thus it is a meaningless ritual...because the rite itself did not guarantee that. Read thru the whole book of Ezekiel, God continually warns His children, "you will bear the consequences", yet they wouldn't listen...they kept going to their rituals, their acts, yet their hearts...well that was always a different story....so what of today? You see, God desires...God wants the circumcision of my heart, not of the flesh. So you say, "Well, I take communion." So. "I've been baptized." So. Those are marvelous rituals. They are very meaningful rituals if the truth has been actualized in your own experience. And it's the circumcision of my heart that counts.  My outward acts mean zilch, if in my heart, it's the very opposite! Often times, I can fool those 'round me, but ultimately..."ya can't fool God..!" Sometimes, God calls ya on the carpet concerning it, and when... that happens...whoa, do my decisions have mega consequences...especially to those who I love the most...my family! So, when I read of the history of God's Children, were warned, over and over again by God Himself...I think to myself, "boy, I think I would've listened to God's warnings... yet, do I ? Why, don't I?"

How does that make you feel?

"in the thinking of the world today, I have my truth and you have your truth...now, how does that make you feeeeel...?" 1 John 1:6 "So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth"  An ongoing question, for what seems like a very, very long time...is it possible for some to claim a relationship, or in fact think they have a relationship with God that they do not have? Many Christians are not aware of their true condition. They know they are saved, and have experienced conversion and have repented at some time in their life. Yet they do not live in true fellowship with God. Here, John speaks of a walk in darkness, indicating a pattern of living. This does not speak of an occasional lapse, but of a lifestyle of darkness. "So we are lying"...John gets right to the point...nothing middle of the road here, no candy-coating it...John is much too plain for our sophisticated age, which doesn't want to see anything in black or white, but everything in a pale shade of gray. In the thinking of the world today, I have my truth and you have your truth. But Jesus said, "I am the truth" and the Bible clearly tells us of a truth that is greater than any individuals feeling about it.  "hmmmm, how does that make you feel?"

Saturday, Dec. 3rd, 2011

"O ye of little faith...uhhh, me?" My son A.David reminded me of this verse this morning...Matthew 17:20 "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Tooo many times, my faith is in me...or in my employment, or my $ funds (or lack thereof)..."now listen kettle, this is the pot..." A small amount of faith - as much as a mustard seed (a very small seed) - can accomplish great things, if that small amount of faith is placed in a great and mighty God. "O Lord Mighty God, help me to not put my faith in me, but in YOU"

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, m...e, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!" Rocky Balboa (#6) "O Lord....help me to take life's hits, to keep moving forward, and I pray in doing so, to bring YOU the glory..."

Friday, Dec. 2nd, 2011

"ever feel...like you're hated?" John 15:18 "If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first."...There is no just cause for the world to hate Jesus and His followers they way they do. The world hates because its sin is exposed, and because they know not the Father or the Son. It's pretty much a given as Christians, we can, and will face the worst, press on brothers and sisters, recognize that Jesus has been there first, and then press on ahead. "Keep pressin' on"

Thursday, Dec. 1st, 2011

"Tired? dreary?...lookin' for rest? here's some good news, we have a Savior"...Proverbs 3:24 "You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly" When Christ is our life, we have nothing to fear. Our rest can be sweet because we have a God who neither slumbers nor sleeps. And He is always watching over those whom He loves...now, if only, i would trust and believe...

Wednesday, Nov. 30th, 2011

"Repeat after me...God alone is Faithful..." Sometimes it seems that He is at such a great distance, we need to remember...God cannot lie, and His Word Alone is true...He is near. Though it may seem that we are alone in our trials, yet still He is near. All Because of Jesus, we can know we too are at His right hand... and know that He loves you! Lam. 3:31-33 "For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow." Great is the faithfulness of the Lord...repeat as often as is necessary..."

Life.....is a haul

"faith...a prayer, a light-switch, a solitaire game, and a life...?" Luke 17:5 And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." it would seem to me on this occasion, the disciples are extremely perceptive. They recognize that great faith in God is needed just to get along in this life...not to mention, especially with people. Have you ever prayed the prayer, "Lord increase my faith" ? You...r wish is like a light-switch, you go over flip it on and instantly you have light! Or like my hand-held game of solitaire, I play it for what seems like forever, until I get a victory...i could play over a hundred games or more before gaining a victory...and when one finally comes, I just start the process all over again....That's Life! Life never stops coming at you, trials, obstacles, circumstances...even after praying, and trying to trust, trying to have faith, faith, that God will intervene...God will make it better...sometimes He does, sometimes it seems He doesn't..."it's a haul, ya know?"

As dependable as the day is long

Monday, Nov 29th, 2011  
"wanna talk d-e-p-e-n-a-b-l-e?" Isaiah 54:10 says: "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you" WOW, now thats a promise...that no matter what happens on this earth, God will always love us and walk beside us. "Thank You Lord...Thank You Jesus!"

I used-to-could-uh

Sunday  Nov. 28th, 2011
"used to could-uh?" Colossians 3:7 "You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world" Paul says that Christians once walked in these sins. It is possible that these sins occasionally happen in a Christian’s life, but Lord willing, they are no longer the 'norm'....nor comfortable, any more! Keep your eyes on Jesus!

What must I do?

Saturday  Nov. 27th, 2011   "is it a 'do-do-do' mentality?" Matthew 19:16 “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Like all of us, it's just natural, we are all bent towards a works-righteousness...a "do-do" mentality...
Jesus’ answer to the man’s question is straightforward. If you want to gain eternal life by your doing, you must keep the commandments - all of them, and in the fullest sense...uh-uh no way...ain't-uh-gonna-happen...so what's it gonna take?
G-R-A-C-E...."Amazing Grace" God’s grace is sufficient..."Thank You Lord !"

Response from Barbara Carter:   

Been thinkin' about something lately since reading a book titled The Green Letters by Miles Stanford. The idea of appropriation.We have so much In Christ that we don't avail ourselves of. Everything that Christ secured for us at the cross is ours NOW. Often we talk about the importance of not adding anything to faith when it comes to our salvation. And yet when it comes to all of the other things that are ours In Christ we live like we need to do something to obtain them.Hmmm, how do I get that "peace that passes understanding"? What about "joy unspeakable"? or Life more abundant? Surely I need to do something to get those. It saddens me when I talk to so many people that consider themselves Christians and yet only see their salvation as fire insurance. Doesn't Christian mean Christ follower? How can they say they are Christ followers if they aren't going the way He goes? Okay, I'm not sure why you are the recipient of my frustrations. Your post made me think about it again is the only reason. Thanks for listening....not that I gave you a choice..lol

Once we were enemies

Friday  Nov. 26th, 2011
Colossians 1:21 "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior" "Check it out friends"...Once we were alienated: This means that in Jesus, we are no longer alienated! The difference between a believer and a non-believer isn’t merely forgiveness; there is a complete change of status. "Allelujah, thank You Jesus!" Happy Day after Thanksgiving y'all!

Thanksgiving Nov 24th, 2011

"Thanksgiving means 'ThanksLiving" Psalm 7:17 "I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High" I pray everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving! Enjoy being with family and friends...turkey and all the fixins, and then eventually, the couch, sofa or recliner! God Bless...

All roads lead to god?

Weds  Nov 23rd, 2011
"hmmmm, really...do all roads lead to God?" Proverbs 14:12 "there is a way, which seems right to a man..." You hear people today say, "Well, all roads lead to God." Not according to Jesus Christ. He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). All roads may lead to God, but which god? You see, there's only one path that leads to the Father. There's only one way to the Father--that's through Jesus Christ. So, like Pastor Rob always says..."better get on board!"....amen?

Battle of will's

Tues Nov. 22nd, 2011     "my will vs. God's will" So often, if you are anything like me?...I battle these voices in my head...too many times, they seem to almost be yelling at me...that's not how God works...God's voice is still, look thru the scriptures and read for yourself...people, like me, are always craving the dramatic, the fantastic...like 1 Kings 19:11 "And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and stron...g wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice"....the still small voice of God speaking to the human heart is actually more powerful than outward displays of power or displays of God's judgment. Just try and be still, listen for His will

Monday Nov. 21, 2011

"Pastor said Sunday, that God knows everything about my life...and He still loves me"...How could God still love me? He knows all my uck...There's only one word, one name that answers that question...JESUS Colossians 2:13 "You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins" ..."Thank You Jesus"

Does my walk match my talk?

"sometimes...it just seems easier to say, I Love God?" 1 John 4:20 "If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar..." It's way easier for me to proclaim my love for God, because that's a private relationship with an invisible God. But John just kicks me right in the teeth...he insists that my claim of loving God is just 'hogwash' if I don't back-it-up, ya know what I mean? Once again, it's that old "yer talk and yer walk gotta match up!" My claim of loving God must be seen! Jesus not only talked it, He walked it! And He said it Best..."Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:35 So...."do you wanna be like Jesus?"

Not since august 19th, 2011

 Today is Saturday November 19th, 2011 "it's been awhile"...Psalm 126:6 "They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest" Repeat after me..." GOD alone is faithful"...Our Father is so faithful to lift us up from our grievous trials! regardless if I believe it or not, He's always there waiting for me, with open arms...He stretches His big arms to me, He says get up here on my lap, let me hold you...though weeping may last for a night, or longer...try and remember...there's always a shout of joy in the morning for those who trust in the Lord...amen?

You Mean, I Am Something Good?

‎"like a beautiful poem..." Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" Not only did God save us from this wrath (which we rightly deserve), but also...to make something beautiful of us...His Workmanship...His creation – something new He has made of us in Jesus Christ. The Jerusalem Bible translates workmanship as “work of art.” All because of My Jesus' work at the cross, I am a work of art...something beautiful...."Thank You Jesus!!!" "WOW...Praise Him Today!....Happy Friday!!!"

A Broken...and Contrite Heart?

"You break me down, Lord" Isaiah 66:2"This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word"...the word 'contrite' used here, literally means..."lame or disabled"...one who is aware of the damage brought on by his sin...and his personal inability to stand upright before God.” (Motyer)
Do I 'tremble' at God's Word? Or how about, do I tremble at the thought of standing before Our Perfect and Holy God, and hope to somehow say..."can you please overlook everything I've done, and let me in, cause really down deep, I'm a pretty fantastic person....I mean, why else would you love me?" Nope, what God really wants from us is a poor and a contrite spirit, and to tremble at His word...hmmmm?

Ok Job...I get your point

"food, for the 'spiritual' man?" Job 23:12 "I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food" How much value do I put on the Word of God? Job says he's come to value Our Lord's Words, even more than the food he considers to live on..."what's up with that?...I wanna be like Job!" First off...you see there is the natural man, than there is the spiritual man. Trust me, I see to it that my natural man is fed regularly and fed well...but what about my spiritual man? I confess, it's amazing how much junk food I cram into my spiritual man..."Lord, help me!"

Sometimes, when I stop and think about it....

"He has made me glad"..."Psalm 92:4 "You thrill me, LORD, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done" (NLT) Too often, I allow my circumstances to run me, and forget some pretty important things My God has done for me...like atonement for my sins..."Thank You Jesus!" Since sin is forgiven, can it matter what happens to you now? Come join me Christian, cling to that cross which took our sin away; serve Him who served thee.

I Could Never be a Judas

"me, could I have been a Judas?" Luke 22:48 but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" I am Judas’ kiss But You love me anyway...See now, I am the man who yelled out from the crowd For Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking ground Yes then, I turned away with a smile on my face With this sin in my heart tried to bury Your grace And then alone in the night, I still called out for You So ashamed of my life, my life, my life Oh, God…how you love me (Sidewalk Prophets)

Stop Focusing on my circumstances?

"keep our eyes on?...." Matthew 14:28 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water" Circumstances, you know as well as I do, its real easy for us to to get our eyes on our circumstances...we start looking around at the boisterous waves; we start looking at our problems...next thing ya know, we begin to sink...We need to keep our eyes on the Lord, the Master over the sea, over the waves, over the winds...It's been said: "As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus we can walk on the water, so to speak"             Help Me Lord!

Now that I'm Older

"uh when I grow up...I wanna die on a cross?" john 21:18 "I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; But when you are old, others will dress you and take you where you don't want to go" When Peter and Jesus first met, Peter was all about self-reliance...Here, Jesus promises Peter, when you are older, you will make a faithful stand for Me and be crucified. It's all about the cross. You can't help but do it...you look back over your life, and think...."I used to really think that was important, or this was important, but now?" God has this funny way of changing us...He does slowly, maticulously...what used to reign as so important, suddenly is not even worth thinking on...instead we mature...at least I hope, and in more cases than not, we become "kingdom minded"....like Peter, we focus our attention on finishing well.

For He is not far from any of you

"where can I go? He's like...everywhere" Acts 17:28 "For in him we live and move and exist" In all honesty...I am totally surrounded by God. I depend upon God for my very existence. In Him I live. God sustains my life. I'm dependent on Him. I move, wherever I move, He is there. I exist in Him, by Him.

An Issue as Old as Time

"perplexing...isn't it?" Eccl 8:14 "righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve" As old as time is itself...we often ask why Lord? It's a hard pill to swallow, but we simply cannot see the Lord's entire picture...He's in control, He has a plan...and only He can truly be trusted "Lord, just give me the strength for today, enough light for this step I am on"

is God in my Fires?

"is God in your fire?" 1 Kings 19:12 "After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire" "There's a fire starting in my heart, Reaching a fever pitch and it's bring me out the dark" So often we look for God in the 'dramatic', but God more than not, chooses the less dramatic...we have to learn such lessons over and over.."not by Might" Zech 4:6, but by My Spirit... says Our Lord

Okay...Once Again, Its Not about me!

"one universal cure" Romans 3:22 "We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ" I simply love verses like these, cause it makes me so thankful, and relieved, all at the same time...I can't do it, yet I keep on trying too...Thankfully, Jesus already did it! Cause you see, it is not earned through obedience to the law; it is a received righteousness, gained through faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness of God is not ours by faith; it is ours through faith. We do not earn righteousness by our faith. We receive righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.

"Thank You Jesus" Happy friday y'all

Me Content...Are You kidding Me?

"no matter what?" Phil 4:11 "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances" It was by the blood of Christ, Paul had grown to be able to say this...Circumstances, no matter how treacherous, seemed to be of no great concern to Paul...he had an eternal and unshakable refuge...sometimes I wanna say "I hate you Paul"..."O Lord help me, I've got so far to go"

We can have Confidence in Jesus Authority

"who has authority?" Mark 1:22 "The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law"..."They" had never heard anyone teach quite like this before. Jesus taught with authority because He really had authority. He brought a divine message, confident that it was from God. He wasn’t quoting from man, but from God. Jesus taught with authority because He knew what He was talking about. You can’t teach with authority if you aren’t familiar with your material.
Jesus taught with authority because He believed what He taught. When you really believe what you teach, it comes through to your audience with authority.                 Jesus still bringin' that same message today, come, you can have confidence in Jesus!

Pray Another Day

"there's always a maybe basis" Acts 17:27 "if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us" We all have family, or friends...who really have nothing to hold onto, they're just 'groping' around, they need Jesus Christ...the good news is He's never really far away at all...remember, we are totally surrounded by God, wherever I move, He is there..."and so, we pray another day"

Want to be Certain...Want Personal?

"up close...and personal" Isaiah 43:1 "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine" Sometimes I think...I simply take for granted, that we are so precious to the Lord...so precious, that He calls us His children. You see...God twice owns His people. He has right of ownership both as Creator and Redeemer. It's personal, because He says I have called you by your name. It's certain...because He seals it by saying You are mine. Knowing we belong to the Lord is a wonderful answer to fear. We can know that He holds us, protects us, guards us, and cares for us. We can know that He would not have created, redeemed, and called us unless He intended to finish His work in us. How can we be afraid when we know this God is for us, is looking out for our interests?
"Thank You Lord"

A New Nature?

"so, I need a new nature?" Jeremiah 13:23 "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil." A leopard can't change his spots, nor can you take a pig out of the pigsty, clean him all up nice and purdy like...and he'll go right back to the mud. So what's the answer? A change of nature, that's what's accomplished by the Spirit of God. That's what God does to us...I can try on my own all I want too...geographically, behaviorally....but God's Word confirms it,
No, a man cannot change his nature. Only God can change a man's nature by the Holy Spirit. A leopard can't change his spots. You are what you are by nature. And if you have not received Jesus Christ, you're a sinner by nature. You can't be righteous even though you try. It's impossible. You need a new nature. I don't care. You can take a pig out of the pigsty, give him a bath with deodorant soap, spray him with perfume, put a bow around his neck and let him go and he will go right back to the mud. He'll just roll over and wallow in it. That's his environment. He loves it. That's his nature. Loving to just wallow in the mud. And that's the nature of some people. You can clean them up, give them a new act, and you can say, "Oh, it's their environment, you know. Let's bring them out of that environment and let's clean them up and all." Hey, but it's their nature. Let them go, they'll go right back. You need a change of nature...and there's where Our God comes in...His power changes lives, still after over 2,000 years...Jesus still changing lives..."Thank You Jesus"

So often, its just a mystery

"the mystery of the cross of Christ Jesus!" 2 Corinthians 1:7 "And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort." How can this be? So often my struggles with my walk, with my faith, shoot with life in general....leave me questioning God. I know His ways are not my ways, and His timing is not my timing....and how about stuff like,  When I am weak, I am strong. In suffering, there is healing. And through persecution, we are blessed. How do I not fret? Seriously, how do I Trust that my suffering will produce hope. Hope in Christ. Hope in Heaven....and what about hope for today?....hope for now? What about encouragement for today Lord?

Weak and Tired

"grow weak, tired?" Isaiah 40:30,31 "Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength" God's Word seems to indicate, that those who thought themselves strong find themselves weak. God’s strength is reserved for those who know they are weak, and know they have no might. "Ok Lord, I AM WEAK, PLEASE HELP?"
How do we receive this strength from the Lord? We receive it as we wait on the Lord. "OK LORD.....WAITING..."

Just Seem to be Angry?

"angry with God?" Ecclesiastes 6:10,12..."no man can contend with one who is stronger than he... who knows what is good for a man in life" Lots of people today are fighting with God. They're angry with God. They're bitter against God. It's because their lives have not worked out to their desire. You see, I think God should only allow good things to happen to me...but really, what do I know? The Bible says I don't know my own heart. It's deceitful and desperately wicked. God knows. God knows what is best for me. " Oh, Why Lord, why do I struggle so much with that? Help me Lord!"

Roofin' It

been on the roofing crew all week, oh yeah, talk about fun....and not to mention the roof from h____, took me all week to move the tear off to the dumpster...thank you Lord for watching over us in this c-r-a-z-y h-e-a-t

Fightin' Against God

"who me fight against God?" Proverbs 19:21 "There are many devices in man's heart; nevertheless the counsels of the LORD, they shall stand" If you are anything like me, you've got all kinds of devices...you probably have all kinds of schemes, but ultimately, you know, God's Word is going to stand. In other words, you really can't fight against God or against God's Word..."The Word of the Lord, is going to stand"...."So why? Why Lord, do I continually try it my way....Lord have mercy on me!"

To Each Their Own

"Live and let live, you know?" Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" You know we live in a very tolerant age...and unfortunately, our tolerance level has become very high. We've become very tolerant of evil. Are we lacking a real hatred of evil? It seems almost illegal to hate anything...Shoot man, we've been taught, you know, we're not to hate anything, and so hate has been put as one of those intolerant words and people who have hatred are put in a category, so we want to accept everybody. "Live and let live," you know, and to develop a tolerance towards evil things. Evil is always seeking to be tolerated. It always is looking for you to compromise and to accept it. The real beginning and the sum of knowledge is really a hatred of evil because God hates evil. There's the 'key', if God hates it, I should! If I am to fellowship with God, I must also hate evil. I cannot tolerate evil in my life if I'm to have true fellowship with God. So, the fear of the Lord is the summation of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  "I don't wanna be a fool Lord, I do want fellowship with You...Lord help me"

Everything...That has breath, Praise the Lord?"

"soon and very soon, ALL will praise Him" Psalm 150:6 "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD" Father, we do offer our praise unto You. Oh, how we praise and give thanks unto You for all of Your blessings...You, O Lord Alone are worthy...worthy to be Praised! Instead of only focusing on my circumstance, cause me to focus on You, may I praise You this day!

Too Many thoughts of Self?

Monday July 11th, 2011

"How much time do I spend thinking about Him?" Psalm 139:17 "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God" Wanna be encouraged, just read thru the Psalms...and you'll quickly see, that as a child of His, The Lord is constantly thinking about you, His child!...and, so...what about my thoughts? Eyes off self...Remember your Father's love for you...Recall your identity as His own child...Rejoice in Him Today

Nope...Not Even One

Romans 3:10-11 says, "As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one...there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God."..."none of us would make it?" Psalm 130:3-4 "If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness" So if the Lord should begin to keep an account of iniquities, none of us would make it. Oh, how thankful we are that with God there is mercy; there is forgiveness. Oh, how happy is the man whose sins are forgiven...amen? "With the Lord there is mercy...Thank You Lord!!!"

"Now, that's what I'm talkin' about"

"Now you're defining Him" Psalm 121:1-2 "I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." There are so many gods that people worship and serve, we need to define when we say, "God," we need to say, "The only true and the living God, the Creator of the heaven and the earth." Now you're defining Him. That's the God that we worship.
"Aw come on David, Stop lookin at all the "hills, or obstacles" in your life...instead look to the Mighty One...the very Maker of Heaven and Earth....He's the One David!"

Is Anything too Hard?

"impossibility factor?" Luke 1:37 "For nothing is impossible with God" Over time we all learn...man and his abilities, has limits; Man's ability is one of the basic reasons we often doubt human promises. I'm even sad to admit, sometimes my experiences with man, eeeck over into my trusting God...sad, isn't it? But God is not like us, He alone is trustworthy, He follows thru, unlike me, unlike us...God's ability has a critical relationship with His promises. This is one of the significant differences between God's promises and man's promises. Our Lord is not limited by the "impossibility factor."   Help me this day Lord, to trust YOU

Who's worthy?

"as for man, we're all dust" Psalm 111:9 "holy and reverend is His name" No offense, I've even done it, said it..."Hello...Reverend So-n-So" I wonder tho truly, it's used in the scripture only as the name of the Lord...it is a title that is ascribed only to that holy name of Yahweh. That is the name that is reverend or to be reverenced. God, help us. Let us exalt the name of Jesus. "God has given Him a name that is above all names: that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess" (Philippians 2:9-11). But as far as man, we're all dust. We're all flesh. We're all corrupt...there is not one of us worthy, there is only one...Let us exalt the name of Jesus...amen?

24 Years

July 4th 2011  marked my bride and I's 24th wedding anniversary! "Can you believe it? 24 years with me?...she most definitely deserves a medal...6 kiddo's and 3 grand kiddo's, what history! Thank You Lord, for bringing us thru, for bringing us this far.....24 more? Please?

Six Foot Two and Bullet Proof?"

"I thought I was Superman" Psalm 103:14 "for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust" Oh, this body consciousness; everything is the body of man. Man has a tendency to magnify his body. I used too do the same, I used to really think I was something...but getting older has changed that...Now, oftentimes I am so disappointed with myself, and I weep because of my disappointment over myself. "Oh, I thought I was stronger than that, I used to be better than that"...its an ongoing constant reminder to me, that I am getting old, and my frame is deteriating...but thankfully, God says: "You didn't disappoint Me. I knew you were dust all the time." God wasn't disappointed; I was disappointed in me. But God knew me, He knew me better than I knew myself. He knew that I was, and am but dust. I thought I was Superman. I thought I could I leap buildings with a single bound, and He knows my frame. "Thank You Lord!"

Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds?

"What kind of a nut are you, Paul, to glory in tribulations?" Romans 5:3 "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials..."  The Bible tells us to consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds. I haven't achieved that yet...I pray, I am a 'work-in-progress'. God wants to manifest Himself in my life (to prove, put beyond doubt or question.) God uses our trials to do that... I've discovered, "I'm a tough nut, stiffnecked, alot like the children of Israel"...it takes me a long, long time to learn...sometimes, I get it, most times, I don't! In life... there is always pressure, there is always problems...Glory in tribulation? When does glory in tribulation come? If I can just "be still", if I can just "wait upon the Lord"....Thankfully, I do have a hope...Jesus Christ!
I am blessed... 

"Why'd You Do that Lord?"

"ya know, sometimes...it's a hard pill to swallow?" Job 33:13 "Why do you complain against Him That He does not give an account of all His doings?" "God, what did You do this for? Lord, why did You allow that to happen?" Do I have the right to challenge God? "God doesn't owe you any apologies, God doesn't owe you any explanations." Paul said concerning God that He is as a potter and we are as the clay, and what right has the clay to say to the potter, "Why have You made me like this? Why did You put that wrinkle in me?" As a lump of clay, the Potter has sovereignty over my life. Too often trusting God knows Best, especially regarding a certain circumstance in my life is really hard...and oftentimes I demand explanations from Him, but Job makes it very clear here.....God owes me none..."talk about your hard pill?"

Flesh vs Spirit

"an excellent prayer" Psalm 86:11 "Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart" One of my 'ongoing' battles, is a divided heart...Here David is praying, "God, just unite my heart towards Thee." Part of us is towards God, and part of it is towards our flesh. David is saying, "Lord, I don't want a divided heart. Unite my heart towards Thee." I think that's an excellent prayer.

It's All About Me...isn't it?

"rest for my soul" Hebrews 12:2 "Looking unto Jesus" The Holy Spirit's ever, ongoing work is to get our eyes from 'self' to Jesus...but for satan its just the opposite, he loves to keep us looking at our selves...he loves to tells us "Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you dont repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus" All these are thoughts about self, and we will never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: He tells us that we are nothing, but that "Christ is all in all." Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument—it is Christ's blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by "looking unto Jesus." Keep thine eye simply on Him; let His death, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to Him; when thou liest down at night look to Him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after Him, and He will never fail thee.

Remember, its not your hold of Christ that saves you—it is Christ..."keep your eyes on Jesus"

Just a Closer Walk with Thee?

"spiritual blindness?...a walk down death row?" Mark 8:36 "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Daily, okay minutely, we are reminded...it's a battle ya know? I mean where's the attraction in dying in an electric chair?...But it's possible, no probable, by avoiding the walk down death row with Jesus means that we may gain the whole world, and end up losing everything.
Every now and again, we're reminded of what it truly takes to "be like Jesus", and Pastor Rob did just that yesterday morning...and quite frankly, there's no attraction in it...in fact, I must confess, too often I choose the other path, the path more often travelled. Concerning this scripture of Jesus challenging us that if we are going to go His way, we need to die to ourselves, and become 'others centered'...a commentary I read said this: "Amazingly, the people who live this way before Jesus are the ones who are really, genuinely happy. Giving our lives to Jesus all the way, and living as an others-centered person does not take away from our lives, it adds to it"   "hmmmmm Lord, I really need Your help in this area, get my eyes off myself, help me in my spiritual blindness, Your spirit has to reign in me, so that I can take that walk down death row, and bring You the honor You deserve!"

Home is where....it's Best

"where's it Best for me to be?" Psalm 73:28 "But it's good for me to draw near to God." it's easy with the "stuff-of-life" to lose our bearings, get too far from our home base...God offers us a great 'home base'....its a real good 'place to stay close to'...God wants to be with me, holding me by the right hand, guiding me with His counsel. And when I get to the end of the road, He is going to receive me into glory...Often I forget who offers the best home base, thankfully God never stops trying to remind me, and its in His Word, and its made possible thru the work on the cross by Jesus Christ! Thank You Jesus!

Sometimes, I just need to take a moment

"a pause to reflect upon" Psalm 67:1 "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah" Truly, is there anything more affirming...more comforting...then to have God shine His face upon us? To know that as God looks upon you, He is well pleased - not because of who you are, or what you have done, but because you are in Jesus Christ; Once again, its not about me, its all about Jesus...Thanks Lord, for this reminder, this opportuntiy to pause and think of who its truly all about, your son Jesus Christ! Selah, ahh that's a pause to meditate on

Forest For The Trees

"God can change my attitude?" Ps 62:2,6 "He only is my rock, I shall not be greatly moved: He only is my rock; I shall not be moved." David went from not enough faith in verse 2, to an increased faith in the Lord, in verse 6. You've heard the old saying..."can't see the forest for the trees?" Well thats me...the stuff of life gets in my way...and David of the Bible was no different...so many times, he would come to God with a heavy, heavy heart...really discouraged, and not able to see any relief, or chance of victory...but after a little "prayer-time" with God...and 'poof'! That's our God...and it's glorious when we finally bring things to God in prayer and see how God can just bring a change in our own attitude concerning the situation. "hmmm?"

What is God Drawn too?

"what about my works?" Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." God really isn't asking or requiring sacrifice...what God really desires is only your being broken over your sin. "God, You don't want my sacrifice, else I would give it. But what You really want is just a broken spirit."  I think God is drawn to me, when I am broken, humbled before Him...totally reliant upon Him....not myself...

Regardless

Regardless of my circumstances, I need to strive to remember..."a self-evident fact" Psalm 47:2 "For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth." The Psalmist considers it 'obvious'. You see the pagan gods of the ancient world (Baal, Molech, Ashtoreth, and so forth) not only were they were imagined, but their authority was limited to a nation or a region...not Our God...as much as water is wet and fire is hot, ..."God You are Awesome!"

Always Thinking of Myself

"If I were honest with myself....If I could get my eyes off of myself, off of my circumstances...if I could simply focus on God, on His son Jesus...I would confess, I am Blessed, beyond imagination...far too blessed, too many to count" Psalm 40:5 "Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts towards us: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." The Psalmist makes it very clear...You can't even number the thoughts that God has concerning you...and yet I complain;..."O forgive me Lord"

Short, and I Mean My Short-term Memory Needs Help

"why can't I remember?" Psalm 37:3,4 "Trust in the LORD and do good. Take delight in the LORD." It seems I too quickly forget...that God knows my situation. God knows my limitations. Don't sit there and worry and fret over the situations of your life. Don't fret because it seems like everything is going down the tubes. Just trust in the Lord. God loves you. God will take care of you. Repeat as often as needed!

Happy Fathers Day

My kiddos Happy Fathers Day surprised me..."big-time", mom was in on it too...sneaky-sneaky-sneaky, Beejie had me convinced we had to go to Rochester for this 'Home Secuirty Demo' and I fell for it hook-line-and-sinker....WOW! They all 'pooled-together', got a hotel room, pizza, a dip in the pool, and breakfast this morning! What a clan, I am truly blessed..."Thank You All...Thank You Lord!"

There's Only Two 'Sure Things' in Life

Growing up, my uncle always used to say "there's only 2 'sure' things in life...death and taxes" Psalm 27:13 says "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." ...How many times I would have just given up in life if I did not believe the promises of God. If I didn't believe to see the Lord. Life does have this way of draining you dry, I mean literally...its kind of an oxy-moron you know? Life itself, sucks the very life right out of you! You and I are flesh, carnal....we live by sight, and what we see often causes us to believe, the goodness of the Lord is a hard pill to swallow.....but the psalmist knows, and points it out to us in Psalm 27:13 and says "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." Note to self....only God can be trusted, He alone is true, so take confidence and as Vs. 14 says:  "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD"

Help, Lord

"Help, Lord!" Isaiah 41:10 "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God." How often do you pray this prayer..."Help me Lord"...often? The prayer itself is remarkable, short, and to the point! Psalm 12:1 "Help, Lord..." The Psalmist runs straight-forward to his God, he knows what he is seeking, and where to seek it. Lord, teach us to pray in the same blessed manner.

I Want Stability

"want faithful and unchanging?" Isaiah 54:10 "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. Is it possible? Regardless of the hectic-ness of life, the anxiousness of an always changing jacked up society, do you long for consistency? stability? faithfulness? Only God can!

Is laughing at God, doubting Him?

"oh, yes you did" Genesis 21:6 "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." Too often, I laugh at God and say, "yeah right, no way!" Sarah, standing in the doorway eavesdropping over the angel of the Lord and Abraham...abnd she laughed as well..."Why'd you laugh"? She said, "Oh, I didn't laugh". "Oh yes, you did". How fitting, the child be named Laughter when he was born.

"Be a Light"

Give Him the Glory!" Col 3:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." As we strive and labor in this life, may the word of Christ dwell in you richly...maybe others will see "it", be curious about "it"...and desire some of "it" themselves..."do it all to the Glory of God"........"be a light!"

Press On

"It's Monday Lord. I could really use some encouraging..."Phil 3:14 "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." In any kind of training, they say "go til it hurts...and then go some more..." You run until you ache and you think you can't go anymore, but you keep going. You think you are going to drop, but you keep going. What about just life as we know it?  In our 'walks' too, we must press on, the word in the Greek is agonizo..."help me Lord, as I agonize in this life"

At the end, what will I be found?

"what's my true measure?" Daniel 5:27 says: "You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting." I remember this from a movie...so it drew me. It is good for us to measure ourselves against something, God's Word is preferred. When I read of David in the Psalms, can I relate to him, have I felt as David felt? Has my heart ever been broken on account of sin, as his was...?
"When my short life is over, what will I be found?....wanting? I pray not, may I lean on the everlastign arms of my Jesus!"

I'm Just to Pray?

"sovereignty: supreme and unrestricted power" Psalm 71:5 "For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence..." "I've got to do this...I've got to make this happen...if I don't, it won't" God demonstrated His Soverignty, His Power when He raised His son Jesus from the grave...I've heard it said; "If He's sovereign over some of it, He's truly sovereign over it All"...even my little stuff, Lord?"  So then, I'm just to pray....is prayer enough Lord?

What about, "God helps them who help themselves?"
The Bible teaches something entirely different than the above saying, because God makes special provision to help the helpless.
Romans 5:6, 8
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly....But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Proverbs 28:26
He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But he who walks wisely will be delivered.
Jeremiah 17:5
Thus says the LORD,
"Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes flesh his strength,
And whose heart turns away from the LORD.

Its not about me?

"to be high, one must be low?" Matthew 18:3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children..." It isn’t in our nature to take the low place and to humble ourselves...its pretty much all about me, none of this humbling myself and being a servant stuff...yet Jesus life is marked by just such a thing...."hmm, and I wanna be like Jesus?"

Quietness Before the Lord, means?

"want strength?" Isaiah 30:15 "Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength" "Trusting God's promise, means..." Returning...Resting...Quietness..Confidence... It's just like God to offer us strength and confidence, in things like quietness? Seems contradictory to the way this world operates doesn't it? Try it today, be quiet before Him and see...I read this morning.....There is no person walking this earth more powerful than a child of God boldly and properly trusting the promise of the living God!
"Help me O Lord, in these times when the voices in  my head try to convince me to panic, to worry...instead of leaning on my own understanding, help me to trust only in YOU!"

Another Egg Festival

"Thank You Lord"...we survived another Mentone Egg Festival, and not only that, but You blessed us (Pete & Freddy's Pages Aplenty Bookstore) immensely! We are indeed thankful, cause our May wasn't very good at all, and our 3 day festival enabled us to pay our rent for June! We also were able to sell alot of our 3 for $1.00 books, which all those proceeds go to the 'Helping Hands Food Pantry' here in Mentone Indiana....Once again, Lord, You are the faithful one...."Thank You, thank you, thank you!"

"Who do I say...HE is?"

I remember growing up (I know I've told this story before...so bear with me)...and my Dad would say, "Don't do as I do...do as I tell you too"...that was confusing to me! Now, all these years later, having my own kids, I realized, I can't say that....the Bible is very clear..."talk is cheap", my actions need to match-up with my words!Jesus confronted his disciples, in Luke 9:18 "Who do people say I am?" vs. 20 "Who do you say I am?" Why did Jesus ask them that question? Do you think He still asks this question today? In my 'alone-times', when He gently 'nudges' me...and asks me, "who do you say I am?"...I'm forced to reflect, and to seriously ask myself..."do my actions match-up with my words?"

"O Lord, You above everyone, know my heart, know the "real me"...and in spite of that, YOU still love me....Thank You Lord, Thank You Jesus!"

It makes me want to dance
You make me want to dance
When I think about how
You love me, You love me
You love me just the way I am
You love me, You love me
You love me just the way,
Just the way I am

No Longer a Slave

Because of what Jesus has done for the 'likes-of-me'...I no longer have to be a slave, to my flesh! I can enjoy seeking to live my life, being led by the spirit of God instead....that's what being a 'son-of-God' is all about. "He wants to be your Daddy" Romans 8:15 "So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." What a privilege we have, "in Christ"...As a child of God we have a relationship with God so close that we can 'cry out', Abba, Father! (Daddy!) Again, what Jesus has done in my life, has got to motivate me to want to be a better man for God...."Thank You Jesus!"

Overcome the World?...I just wanna get thru this rut

"How is it I can become a world-overcomer?" You know somethin'?...half the time, I'm not really sure I wanna be a world overcomer, as much as I simply wanna get thru this "rut-in-my-life!" But perhaps, I'm just really a "needy" guy, who is always going thru some "rut"?...and just perhaps God knows that...So he tells me in 1 John 5:5 " Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God" It's hard to believe or trust someone you don't know...and how do you get to know someone? You spend time with 'em, watch 'em, even study 'em...Jesus said, "Let me teach you, and you will find rest for your souls" Matt 11:29 More you know Him, easier to trust Him. Job said after going thru his ordeals...."before I thought I'd heard of God, now I know Him"...."Help me Lord, I know YOU are trying to teach me who YOU are...and at the same time, to put my trust in only YOU!"

I'm Hopeless....but there is Hope?

"am I hopeless?...uh Yep!" Hebrews 7:19 "For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God." It's hard to believe there are people who still think we can "earn" our way into heaven...I know people personally, who think to themselves..."if I just keep the law, I'm in"...trust me folks, we're hopeless...but there is hope! "Our hope is in Jesus, not in the Law of Moses!"  

In Christ Alone....its All of Him, "Thank You Jesus!"

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

...On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

"Yeah....The Sun is Shining Today!"

"Things always seem better, when the sun is shining, wouldn't you agree?" ‎2 Samuel 23:3-4 The Rock of Israel said to me: 'The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God, is like the light of morning at sunrise, like a morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain.' Thank You Lord, for this morning...for the sunshine after the rain. I must admit, it is so good to see the sun shining today, was starting to really miss it! "I really think that sunshine is a healing, its's 'meducinal' ya know? O Thank You Lord!"

Somebody yell "ALL"

Nahum 1:7 "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him" "If God is so good, then why is this happening?" Satan can really play games with our minds. Especially,when it comes to the goodness of God, he's always challenging that truth. Satan wants nothing more than to get me doubting God, satan loves it when I focus on my circumstances, when I convince myself, how 'bad' things are...and that God has forgotten little ol' me. There is a very basic foundation of God, from God, about God... that we must, all of us, incorporate into our own understanding. GOD IS GOOD. If you don't know anything else, know that God is good. In HIM is TRUTH...He Alone is to be trusted....It's important that you and I know that, and that is something that you and I need to accept by faith...praying to God to increase our faith...and than Believing the word of God, I accept by faith that God is good, because not always would my circumstances indicate that God was good..."Lord, help me to stop living by my circumstances"...It's also good to know your enemy, if you know how he (satan) likes to attack, if you know his tendencies, you won't be caught un-aware...Satan is constantly assailing the truth of the goodness of God. And so often, as I'm looking at adverse situations, I'm prone to say, "If God is so good, then why is this happening?" Don't you hear that so very often from people, "If God is good, why are there so many people starving in Cambodia? If God is good, why does He allow this to happen in the world? Why does He allow a little nine year old girl to get kidnapped if God is good?" There are always those challenges to the goodness of God that are thrown at us. Satan is always challenging that truth. And thus, I need to have that truth deeply, firmly ingrained within me. God is good, that I know. Nahum 1:7 "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him" Brothers, sisters, hear this TRUTH, it's vital to our lives! We must, all of us, 'drill this truth in deeply' into our own understanding. If there's ever more the need to memorize God's Word, it's for these times, when we start to live by sight and thus doubting God's Goodness...."Lord, keep my eyes off myself, and only on YOU! and help me to learn to say...God is good, this I know........‎God is Good!"..............somebody yell "ALL" ........"ALL the Time!""

The Friendly Confines?

"and I thought I had trials?" Hebrews 11:37-38 "They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them." History shows that the 'world' is not usually very friendly to people of faith...and yet at the same time..."the world wasn't worthy of 'em" either...Does my faith in God always bring me tremendous triumph and victory over the enemy? Does my faith, guarantee me...no trials? Nope!, instead God promises trials... John 16:33

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

 ...I do believe, by God's grace, that my faith will sustain me through any kind of circumstance that I may face in life.
I guess, I'd like to think, I suffer for Jesus.....I'd like to think the world was not worthy of me.....I can dream can't I?
"Lord, help me when I want to feel sorry for myself....help me to keep my eyes on Jesus!"

Heck, gettin' old

“How can you not lose heart?...what's the bigger picture?” 2 Cor 4:16 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." My body reminds me every day..."uh, you're old bub" It's true that outwardly, I'm perishing...but there's a bigger picture here...inwardly I'm being renewed! Simply by seeking the Lord in His word daily, He's changing me!
God's Word says it, so it's True...As our outer man is deteriorating, we are still encouraged, because our inner man can be in the process of renewal: "And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him" (Colossians 3:10). As we are humbly seeking the Lord in His word, we are being changed, brought more and more into the newness of Christ: "Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18). The message is the same: “On the outside, we are suffering and taking a beating. But on the inside, God is blessing and renewing us!”

"O Lord, as my outer man deteriorates, remind me of the encouraging reality that my inner man can be renewed. Help me to desire inner spiritual progress, rather than outer physical prowess. This I pray through Christ, my Lord, Amen."

He's still on His Throne

"we serve the Big God" Nehemiah 6:15,16 "So the wall was completed in fifty-two days...they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God." "Extra, Extra read all about it...God uses a man named Nehemiah to set right a 100-year-old problem in less than two months!" Why wasn’t the job done in the more than 100 years before? It wasn’t that no one saw the problem; it wasn’t that walls were not wanted. Many people saw broken walls, knew how they ruined the lives of the people of Jerusalem, but no one got past the place of just wishing there were walls. Finally, there came a man who did more than wish Jerusalem had walls; he grieved, he ached, he prayed, he planned, he asked boldly, he went, he fought, he encouraged, he stood strong, he saw the job through to completion. But he also had people around him with the same kind of heart.
Sad to say, too often I have such small ideas of how Big God is...and if He wants too, He can even use the likes of you and me! "It's my hopes and my prayers Lord, that You show me the right time to be a man who "does" for YOU when it is the right time....too often I fear my plots and schemes are not from YOU, You have shown me over these years, of my need to pray....perhaps thru prayer YOU might teach me the right times?...please Lord?"

Walk Like Jesus Did

"WLJD...."Walk Like Jesus Did" 1 John 2:6 "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." What's up with that? Ya mean I'll be perfect "sin-free?" Not hardly...just means my life
will be marked, whereas before Jesus entered into my heart, I went places....wrong places....now I'll be moving in a direction marked out by God...sin will no longer rule! I'm not called to imitate the way Jesus walked on water, but His every-day walk with God the Father. Jesus loved to please His Father, He loved to obey His Father, our heavenly Father, God Almighty....and if Jesus loved to, shouldn't I? YES, a resounding "YES"....sooooooooo "I wanna be like Jesus"
"Help me this day Lord, to walk as your son Jesus Did!"

A day in the life....if you will

As I finished my last day of class at Ivy Tech, with the CNC Machinists Course...as I labored thru 2 1/2 hours more of measuring, and missing 9 out of 70 some measurements...frutstrated, can you relate?...I am blessed in that a friend from a past church, from a past employment/employer scenerio paid for the course... a course, that if truth be known, I'd rather not have done, but what do you do? What are you supposed to do, when someone offers to pay for such a thing....say, "uh no, but thank you very much!" Perhaps I should have said just such a thing...what is wrong with me? I've just finished a 3 month course I'd rather not have done...but jobs are hard to find, and this area we live in is rich in CNC machining needs...Lord help me, I need a job, and the whole reason I agreed to taking this course, cause I'm 50 years old, and have been spinning my wheels now for over 30+ years....perhaps this course could give me a decent job/career for my remaining years of employment??? I don't know Lord, but YOU do....help me LORD?....Please?"

What are the Important Things?

Sunday morning, 5-22-11, this question kept running, racing, if you will, thru my mind...am I "free"? Free to ramble on, free to be introspective....free to think only of myself?...Self-Absorbed, ah now that's the way it should be, no? I fear this list, if I were allowed, would be entirely too long...but truthfully, it comes down to just one thing..."to be loved".
As my bride and I spent Sunday morning, sipping coffee and talking....many topics were touched upon, but mostly of people....friends, family, acquaintances, church(es)....relationships! How people, both now, and over the years, have and continue to fail us...to hurt us...and we're quite sure, we have in turn, done our share as well. Life is hard, we're reminded of this every day, but for some reason, Sunday mornings seem to bring this out more intensely....why is that? Why are Sundays this way, at least to me? Is it the whole church scene? Is it that Monday's just 'round the corner? Do Sundays make me think of relationships even more? It's got to be because of having to go to church again, don't you think? It's got to be because you are once again forced to go and have 'relationship' with others...to greet some, be hugged by some, be smiled at by some, be smugged by some, be hurt by some, be made to feel by some---you simply don't measure up! Why is that?....Relationships, like life, are hard...people are hard...we look for positive re-inforcement, encouragement, yes love, from people....and too often, it simply does not come, or falls way short of what we'd hoped for. We all seem to know, that truly, our only love and encouragement comes from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ....but we hope don't we? We long for it, don't we?
Ah to be loved, I do believe it is truly the most important thing! I have it, in Jesus Christ....but I truly long for it more, from this world....."why is that Lord?"

1 Class left...than what?

Today is my last class at Ivy Tech in their CNC Machine Course....finish up my measurements test, hopefully my paper work was received and sent onto NIMS....hopefully get my 'finals' scheduled, hopefully pass my finals? "Than what Lord? What do You have in store for me next, Lord?....Lord, Help me!"

God Revealed

"God revealed Himself" John 14:9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" Do you want to know what God is like? Simple look at Jesus Christ. You and I are to be God's representative in the world...unfortunately, we fall short, terribly short...but Jesus was consistent all the way through His entire life. "Thank You Jesus"...Yes indeed, thankfully Jesus completed the work that was needed to appease our Most Holy God, and now, all because of Jesus, we are "heirs" with Him..."Indeed, Thank You Jesus!"

End of Days?

Everybody wants God to move in their time and fashion...sad to say, I'm no different! I often approach Him and say..."why You takin' so long Lord?....I've been waiting...and waiting....Sad to say, I often tell God, it's just been too "long in the comin" Romans 8:22 "all of creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" So often, I think..."boy Lord, you sure are takin' a long time in answerin my request..." God's Word says, that all of creation has waited and has been groaning for Him to make it all right again...when I think of it that way, I've not waited hardly at all...."Thank You Jesus for the hope You give"
"Keep me trusting You O Lord, You Alone are faithful to Your word and Your Promised glory will be a reality"

Isn't there something about me, Lord?

"why can't I please God?" Romans 7:18 says, "I know that nothing good lives in me" If you're anything like me, you simply desire for their to be something about you, that attracts God to you....I just want it to be about me, sooooo bad...I think we all battle with this, why else is there so many different religions out there?  It's a battle you know? But I Praise God, cause He almost always brings me back to the realization, that it's "ALL OF HIM"...Talk about Grace, Amazing Grace!...cause each time, I'm driven to the same conclusion...vs. 24 "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me?" vs. 25 "Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!" "Thank You Jesus!"

How important is talking to God, with You?

"tough pill to swallow?" 1 Peter 3:7 "Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered." I think by now we all realize, there are consequences in life. Every day, my behavior has ripple effects...trying to be a godly husband there are 'spiritual' consequences! Peter's reminder here sets me back in my tracks, "how I treat my bride, can effect my prayer life"...Whoa! "Help me Lord!"
As I once again, ponder this topic....this particular verse...its sobering you know? Peter, you always throw the responsibility back on me! God's Word is good at that...regardless of how people, or even life treats me...the responsibility is put back on me.....because of what Jesus did for me, I must live my life accordingly. I have no excuse, no justification, I cannot rationalize some behavior, or even convince myself of any vindication...Jesus took it all for me, now, I must take it all for Him...Especially when I sit and ask myself, "how important is praying to God to me?" "How important is it, that God hear my prayers?" I must tell you, it's H-U-G-E...I've tried this thing called "life" on my own, in my own ways, I'm no good at it alone...in fact, I mess it up pretty good....I've got nowhere else to go! God has hemmed me in....and please don't 'mis-hear' me, I'm thankful for this realization, I'm thankful to be His child.....I want to be obedient to Him, to His Word....so "Thank you Peter, once again for this reminder!"....and "Help me Lord, to live with my bride in an understanding way!"

Do you ever wonder, why?

Are you anything like me? Do you ever wonder why? Like why I'm the way I am? I know my Dad struggled with so many things, I've often wrote about his "checking-out" in my life...I've grown over my years to understand a little to the "why" he could do such a thing, life is hard....and if you're not grounded in the Lord...well, I can't see how anyone could not check out! But yesterday, I was reminded again, in my behavior, by my bride, of another "why"....which in turn led me back to my father, and my wanting to ask him "why?" You see, I lack self confidence...terribly, oh I used to have it, perhaps tooooo much so, bordering on the cocky even, but over the last 4-5 years, I've literally had the self-confidence "sucked-outta-me" as my bride pointed out last evening....it was very difficult, to say the least, to sit there and listen to what my bride had to say.....started out in very much anger, and as I sat there, praying, praying that I not retaliate in my anger, and simply tried to talk thru what she so boldly brought to my attention....slowly we were able to talk thru this......yet talk is good, but now, what do I do with it? To be continued........................

Give me this kind of Confidence

"I long for this confidence" 2 Chron. 32:7-8 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." As a child of God, we need never be fearful or terrified of the enemy. Never! "O Lord, keep me ever aware of Your presence with me!"
Oh how I need to realize that, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
There is always more for us and with us than is with the enemy. "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (I John 4:4). "Thank You Lord for Your Words, Your Promises...Only Your Words and Your Promises are True...You Alone are the only True-Truth...Even when my enemy is myself, as is often the case...Help me to Trust in only You!"

Lack of Design by: Elyza A.

          To begin with I didn't know where to begin. I forced myself to write with a pen, so that mistakes could not be fixed, There is a person inside me that hates everyone and everything. I hate that person and shove her back to the darkest gloomiest places of my mind, to teach her a lesson. Why should I hate anyone when I am a powerless individual? In my head only people with villains or enemies in their life can properly hate. I guess I've found my beginning. Can you think of books or movies that don't have villains? If there is such a fish would you spend the whole time reading or watching, looking for the "bad guy"? Just a question. I ask lots of them. When I was little and learning my letters I'd carry around a pad of paper and mix around the few letters I knew on the pad. then I'd run to my Dad and ask if my creation was a word. Mostly he said no. Does that make him a villain? I don't think so. Honest fathers are treasures more than pretend words. Words, its funny how mysterious they are, especially when you're young. Curse and slang words were always windows into the grown up world. Finding out the meanings was not as easy as finding the words themselves. And usually explanations were just as confusing. another memory for my father and words was during middle school. A certain phrase passed around like a shiny toy, everyone pretending what it was. Maybe some knew, I didn't and couldn't ask. Ignorance wasn't bliss in middle school. On a trip home alone with Dad, I asked him what this mystery word meant. I knew it would be interesting by how quiet and red he got. Demanding to know where I heard my word, I simply replied,...school. No doubt he was cursing the public school system in his head. But my honest father told me. I regretted asking almost immediately after he told me, maybe sooner. It was a stupid word anyway and still confusing. At least I wouldn't feel dumb at school now. Maybe being a little dumb would've been better. It wasn't "hip" but ignorance didn't embarrass my father. Maybe it’s the words themselves that are the villains. We could go through life with grunts and hand gestures. Wouldn't that be more simple? Did we become greedy along the way? Demanding to voice our opinions and make words that shouldn't have been invented. It was words that created hate and enemies in the first place. But they also created love and family. Was this a trick to get us to value one more that the other? Told you I liked questions. Have you ever wished to take back words you had said? I imagine the process would be painful and disgusting to watch. Words are treacherous little creatures not prone to loyalty. They love to smack themselves against people you're talking to. And then like a spoiled child you have to apologize for them. because of course they won't do it themselves. I tried reading a large print book once. Someone told me that the extra thickness and more pages helped you feel more accomplished. I couldn't do it. All those large angry words each clammering for my attention gave me a headache. Which proves to me that words are selfish. They don't care about my pain they're just little "divas", each and everyone. Its amazing I've been able to read at all. My Dad's not a big reader , but he reads what’s important and I think of him as one of the smartest men I know. Has my father tamed the words then? By just ignoring their power does that lesson the villainous behavior? Or maybe acknowledging their power and sort of paying your dues. a person could go mad giving words life and personalities. In kindergarten we had a wedding for the letters Q and U, that in itself is a degree of power, giving letters genders. In this day and age how could we go to an alphabet wedding expecting their marriage to last? What made their chances any better than ours? Why should their love last when all around us marriages were falling apart? these were cases where words powers weren't acknowledged and they took revenge. To have and to hold until death do you part? Attack! Maybe we should burn stacks of notebook paper and number 2 pencils on the alter to words before weddings, to ensure that our words won't lie. Maybe someone should just care to say what they mean and mean what they say. Like some cheesy song. Billy Joel had it right when he sang a completely un-cheesy song with lyrics like..."Honesty is such a lonely word". If a word could be lonely...I think it would be honesty. Wouldn't you be if no one wanted to hear you? My father is an honest man and I always want to listen to him. So I think maybe he defeated the words. And maybe someday I will too...

Only 2 to Go

"Thanks Lord....only 2 more classes to Go!....and a few finals....give me strength to finish well!"

My God is Soooo Big

"who's in charge here?" Daniel 2:21 "He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings." I overheard a discussion yesterday at class...many complaints, anxieties...regarding the state of our union..."it" can be overwhelming ya know? Daniel thinks of how God is in command of all things, and how God is mightier than ______? Go ahead now, you fill in the ______!

"My God is so Big!....so Strong and so Mighty!....There's nothing My God cannot Do!"

"Help me Lord...to remember that when I pray...!"

Remember to Whom You Are Praying

"the Honor due His Name" Jeremiah 32:17 "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." God gives us these stories & prayers as reminders...It's good when you start to pray, in your addressing of God, to sort of remind yourself of Who you're talking to. "Lord, there's nothing too hard for You." Remember that when you pray. I'm kind of ashamed to say, but I need this reminder...too often I just simply start in with my prayers, kind of like just rattlin' off my list if you will, never really truly giving it any deep thought or especially the respect God deserves. Take this prayer of Jeremiah, talk about a valuable one to study. Notice how he begins his prayer. "Oh Lord God, You've created everything, and there is nothing too hard for You." Oh, what a glorious way to begin a prayer. O Lord, help me to remember, to Who I am Praying...and help me to give to You, as 1 Chronicles 16:29 says... "ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name"

God's Timing is Perfect

"His timing" 1 Tim 6:17 "to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment" God knows my tendency to trust in me instead of in Him...too often, I trust in my job, ability, even money...when I feel panic, and start plotting...yesterday, at church we read of Jesus' feeding of the 5,000 Pastor Rob reminded me, God has resources that I know nothing about, so I can trust Him and be at peace even when we can’t figure out how He will provide.
"Help me Lord...I want to trust in You, forgive me, too often, I try trusting/plotting...in me"

Hiding His Word in My Heart

"there is power in the Word" Psalm 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" God knew what He was doing when He gave us His Word, the Bible! The Word of God is Power, God's Power in our lives against sin. God has purposed that we hide His Word in our hearts. When Satan tempted Jesus, each time Jesus answered "it is written"...good 'nuff for Jesus, good 'nuff for me!

What's it mean..."in Christ"

"what's it mean, in Christ?" Eph 2:6 "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" We don’t actually sit in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus, at least not yet. Instead, we sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. So our life and identity is in Christ, as He sits in heavenly places, so do we. It's an anticipation if you wiil, and it's all because of Jesus! This can be our present position as a follower of Jesus Christ...as a Christian. We have a new place for living, even a new reason for living... our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20) But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ...So as I struggle thru this life, this every-day-fight-to-survive, I can try to remember an adopt this new attitude of "just-passin'-thru"...."Thank You Jesus!"

4 Classes & Counting

As of this coming Monday, I have only 4 more CNC Machining classes..."Thank You Lord!" 2 Online Modules...a couple of in class tests, including a very long-drawn-out 3 1/2 hour measuring test...2 NIMS Finals Tests....other than that, almost done!
I must say, it's been taxing, to say the least...A year and a half, crammed into 3 months, "what fun"!
"help me Lord, to finish well?....and than perhaps...a job?"

"Me....A Complainer"

"Really, all things Lord?" Phil 2:14 says, "Do all things without complaining" I have to confess I don't always succeed (ok, hardly ever) at this...I catch myself murmuring, but "Praise God", He is working in my heart, because when I do things and I am murmuring, He usually speaks to me and says, "Why are you doing it?" "Uh...I'm doing it for You, Lord." He says, "Quit your murmuring, or quit doing it."   "Lord, give me the strength, to trust in You, and in Your plan"

Soil, fruit...

"what kind of soil am I?" Matthew 13:23 "But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it." Note the 4 types of soil...wayside, stony places, among thorns, and good ground...The same seed was cast by the same sower. You cannot blame the differences in results on the sower or the seed, but only the soil. "What kind of soil, you gonna be?"    "Please Lord let me be the fertile ground. Amen."

Judge Yourself?

"judging...or judgemental?" Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." This is a popular Bible verse in our present day. Many think Jesus commanded a universal acceptance of any lifestyle or teaching. It's a 'thin-line' you know? As Christian's we are called to unconditionally love...but not called to unconditional approval. In Matthew 7:16 Jesus said "You can identify them by their fruit"...Jesus is speaking against being judgmental, that is, judging motives and the inner man, which only God can know. We can judge the fruit of a man, but we can rarely judge their motives with accuracy. That's me...I struggle with this one so bad..."Lord, help me not to judge the motives and the "inner" man of my brothers and sisters in Your Body"........Amen

God Knows Our Hearts

"things that make you say hmmm?" Luke 16:15 "He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight." Humbling thoughts...I can 'fool' men, but not God. God sees past all my 'show', God sees who I really am, and somehow in the midst of all that, He still loves me! That's definitely a Jesus thing!
I've heard it said...."Jesus loves you right where you are....He died for you, cause He doesn't want you to stay where you are!" "Thank You Jesus!"

Family...that Octopus

The Family...that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish too.    

--Dodie Smith

Confidence in faith

"that takes faith" Ephesians 5:20 "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything" That's tough stuff...you know? Cause things happen to me, & on the surface they look 'wrong' and so horrible that I'm prone to really cry out to God against these things. But God knows Best, and He's far-far, wiser than me! I don't always understand, but He's gotta plan...and He will be glorified!!
All things that happen, happen for His purpose because He loves me...and He knows me better, than I know myself...I can give thanks even for those things that I do not understand yet what the purpose is. That takes faith.
"Lord, I know you are trying to 'increase my faith', forgive me when I grumble...help me in those times, give me the confidence I need in Your plan..!"

Come Meet Our Clan

Saturday April 31st, 2011 my Aunt Barbara Lou Rider (Mom) went home...yesterday Thursday May 5th, 2011, we buried her...during these last two days, emotions have 'ran hard'...as I was once again forced to remember, re-visit, re-create, yes even re-live our family's history! Barb & Jack Rider did something very amazing in 1977, as my brother Dennis reminded me in Mom's Memorial yesterday...they took us in! Their house was for most practical purposes, an empty-nest, except for Tammy...and they took all 4 of us in! Amazing! And what a history, what a family...we do indeed have..."Thank You Lord!" Amongst other things, I found out my mother Carolotta has a sister....Aunt Annabelle Fulk...and she came yesterday to Mom's funeral...and I got to hold her and hug her, and cry with her...after 50 years, I find this out...there's word she lives in Kendallville Indiana...."Lord, make a way for us to get up there and visit with her, please?"  Riders, Adangs, Walters, Anweilers...what a clan! "Thank You Lord!"

Another reminder of decay

I tried, after all these years...to play slow-pitch softball last night...another reminder, of how my frame has, and is decaying!   "Lord, I hurt all over, but especially in my knees...is there any hope? I ask You Lord for strength..."

On my own...or drawing near to God

"me...unswervingly?" Romans 10:23 "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." In a tough time? Discouragement can make us 'swerve' from the 'truth'. When times get tough, don't pull away, Romans 10:22 says, "Let us draw near to God"...the reason we can stand strong is because He who promised is faithful. It is far better to trust in His faithfulness instead of ours!
It would seem to me, I am constantly in need of encouragement...I mean, I try to go on facebook every morning, and be an encouragement to others, hopefully while bringing glory to God...but all the while, I am yearning for encouragement myself. The truth of the matter is.........God's Word is 'stock-piled' with encouragement! God's Word is 'stock-piled' with Truth....God's Word is 'stock-piled' with Promises! So, why don't I rest in it? "Aw, help me Lord!"

Belonging...has it's privileges

"Who am I?" Trying to describe one's self, trying to make myself sound impressive, is tiring, to say the least. I think especially when it comes to trying to 'secure' employment..."be confident", "be cocky"..."rattle off all these things you can do"..."be convincing, don't hesitate, or they'll see right thru ya"..."Thankfully" Galatians 3:29 says "If you belong to Christ...you are heirs according to the promise." The issue is not "can you keep the law?"...the issue is not "what denomination are you?"...or "are you man or woman?"...the issue is not even if you are impressive or not... the only issue is "if you are Christ’s." This place of high privilege comes according to the promise, God's Promise, not according to law or works. It is belonging to Jesus that sets us free! "Thank You Jesus!"

No Good in Me

"look at me, don't you wish God could love you as much as He loves me" Romans 7:18 "and I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature." Ever since I can remember...I am constantly looking for some good in my flesh, some redeeming characteristic, trying in the flesh to give God some cause to love me so that I can boast a little bit in myself and say..."Ah, that's why God loves me!" The absolute truth of the matter is..."It's All Of God's Amazing Grace...it's All of Him!" We all so want it to be about us, something we've done or do....but it's All of God...."Thank You Jesus!"

Nearing, uh I mean, hitting overload

Study, study, study....I am in my last month of the Ivy Tech Course, CNC machine operator...and whereas I am glad...it also means this last month has me taking 5 more quizzes "in class", finishing up my "on-line" modules....about 5 more....and then scheduling and taking my NIMS CNC Mill, and NIMS CNC Lathe Tests to become certified....."Help Me Lord!"

Give me the Power

want some Power?" Psalm 119:9 "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word." Good question. How can a young man keep clean, or an old man for that matter? God's Word! The Word of God is a power in your life, God's power in your life against sin. God has purposed that you hide His Word away in your heart. It is a power to keep you clean. "Give me the power Lord!"

It Feels like Forever

How much creature of habit I am? We've been without our home computer now for 1 whole week, and I miss it sooo bad....silly, isn't it? I've been coming to our library to do my "on-line" studying and even finally put a post on my facebook...I tell you, when you get used to doing something, and then have it taken away from you.....well it really is difficult, ya know?

Hopeless...but never without Hope

"hopeless, but there's still hope" Romans 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love, & Romans 5:6 "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." You mean...for the good, sweet, wonderful, generous, kind people, right? Nope! Fortunately
 "Christ died for the ungodly." I qualify! "Thank You Jesus!"

Happy Birthday My Love

"This day in History" dateline April 16th, 1960...God brings Brenda Jane Clark into the world! March 7th 1987, Brenda would meet David S. Anweiler, April 17th 1987 Brenda J. Clark becomes engaged to David...July 4th, 1987...."the two become One" Thank You Lord for Brenda J. Clark (Anweiler) "Happy Birthday My Love"

Great Benefits Package

"no pay, but great benefits" Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." I've heard it said..."When you work for sin, your wages are death. When we serve God we get no pay - but He freely gives us the best benefit package imaginable." Can I get a "come on now?" "Happy Friday!"

Accept No Substitutes

"accept no substitutes" Psalm 50:15 "and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." God says..."Call upon Me in trouble. I will deliver you." Now when you can call on God, why should you accept a substitute? How beautiful it is that we can call upon God. "I will deliver you." And as a result of God's delivering us, we bring Him honor! "How cool is that?"..."Thank You Lord!"

"Keepin' me humble"

"be careful...you're worse than you think you are" Romans 12:3 "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought" It can be a dangerous thing for any man to think of himself more highly than he ought. Come on, let's be serious. You're nothing but a sinner saved by grace. And anything you have God gave to you to begin with, so why are you going around as though you are something? "Give God the Glory, Amen?"

Just an Ordinary, Everyday Joe

"ordinary Joe's" Acts 4:13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. The Sanhedrin must've thought “These guys are just like Jesus! We thought we solved the Jesus problem when we crucified Him, but now it is worse than ever!” The only Jesus they are going to see, is what shines thru us!
That's my prayer...nothin' fancy here, no special schooling, or training...but if people can get a glimpse of Jesus from my life...? Praise God! and may He Alone get all the glory!

Foolishness = Power?

"foolishness or power?" 1 Corinthians 1: 18 "I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God." We've gotten used to saying..."the message of the cross"...But in the first century, saying "the message of the cross", was about the same as saying "message of the electric chair" - except worse! But that was Paul...For Paul, the message of the cross was the gospel. It was impossible for the Apostle to preach the gospel without presenting the message of the cross. So, preaching a high moral standard is not preaching the gospel, preaching the universal fatherhood of God is not preaching the gospel, and preaching the universal brotherhood of man is not preaching the gospel. The gospel is the message of the cross. There is inherent power in the preaching of the true gospel, when it is received with faith. The hearing and trusting of the true gospel will bring the power of God into your life! So, we see why...to some it is foolishness, to others...it is Power! I pray, God would open the eyes of your heart, and make the "message of the cross", be Power.

The Lord's Day

"Its time to gather" Psalm 149:1 says "PRAISE the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints." Take a day, make it different than the rest...gather with others, sing unto the Lord!

Nowhere else to go

"self-reliance?"-"God helps them who help themselves!"-"Pull yourself up by your own boot straps!" But I read in 2 Cor 1:9 "But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God" I think God brings us to the end of our own resources, emotional, physical, perhaps financial, that we get right to the end. There's no place else to go. He might even love to hear us say, "I've had it, I can't do it any more...Help me Lord!"
For how many years I "tip-toed" around this subject with God...I'd give Him "lip-service", but in my heart...it was me...me whom I really trusted! It was in my job, in the amount of weekly $ I could bring home, which wasn't any huge amount mind you...but it seemed to pay the bills, and leave us a little (very little) extra. So God finally called me on it, my "heart-condition"...my lack of truly trusting/relying soley on Him...I cannot begin to tell you the number of times I've cried out to God...."I have nowhere else to go!"

Encouragent often comes, when & where you don't expect it

"Encouragement" Psalm 118:16 "The LORD's right hand is lifted high" vs 21 "I will give you thanks, for you answered me" Phil 2:1-2 "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion..." Thanks Lord for encouragement, You don't have too, but its sure nice when You do! Thanks "cuz", you inspire me!

Dead Dogs at the Dinner Table

"dead dogs at the dinner table?"Another of my favorite stories in the Bible...Mephibosheth & David
 2 Samuel 9:8 "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?" Talk about 'Amazing Grace'...The knock on the door meant that Mephibosheth was no longer hidden from David. Would David do as other kings did and massacre every potential rival to his throne? No, instead David went against the 'norm', he demonstrated love and grace...just like Jesus! A similar promise is given to the followers of Jesus. Jesus told the disciples that they would eat and drink at His table in heaven (Luke 22:30) This story of Mephibosheth & David, I can totally relate to "M", I feel the exact same way..."how could Jesus possibly do what He did for such a dead dog like me?" "Amazing Grace...that's all I have to say about that!"
"Thank You Lord, Thank You Jesus!"

Speaking of feeling overwhelmed

more prayer needed Lord....I just blogged on the importance of prayer, and wouldn't you know it...these 'feelings' of being overwhelmed, come in like a flood! The CNC Machining class I'm taking is pushing into "overload"...3 quizzes next week! Class time, on-line modules, work, cars that won't run right, the "stuff-of-every-day-life", is wanting to mount up on me Lord....and so, I pray another day...."Lord, help me!"

Be Prepared

"always, be prepared" Ah, the old boyscout motto...Mark 13:33  says, "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is." Calamity, it seems, is all around us...it can be overwhelming. "What can I do?" Ephesians 6:18 says, "with this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying" Want a good 'weapon'? Prayer!..prayer is one of the most, if not the most, powerful weapon we have. Are you praying always? After the Word of God, prayer is our best weapon! "Thank You Lord, for both!"

Little g, or Big G

"define God" Psalm 121:1-2 "I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." Because there are so many god's (little g) whom people worship and serve today, I must classify Our God (Big G)... "The only true and the living God, the Creator of the heaven and the earth." Now you're defining Him. That's the God that we worship!

One of my favorite Psalms, thank you Lord!

Gap standers wanted

"There is one Man" Ezekiel 22:30 "I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall, but I found no one." Throughout history, God has asked us 'to stand in the gap' for His Name...but we fail Him! Thankfully one Man has, Jesus Christ, our intercessor has reconciled us to God through the blood of His cross. I often have these "grand illusions", these desires...to be this "mighty man of God", but fail miserably. The Lord is merciful. The Lord is plenteous in mercy, slow to wrath and slow to anger. But will He always be so? There will come a day when God must judge. Though He is reluctant, His hand is forced. Now as we see the conditions that brought upon the destruction of Israel, the things that were going on, we look around the land today we see the things that are happening here. History is repeating itself. The principles are still the same; God is still merciful, plenteous in mercy, and God is still looking for men to stand before God for the land. To build up the hedge, to stand in the gap lest He destroy. But God's judgment, though it lingers of a long time, will surely come. "What must I do to be saved?" "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" Acts 16:30-31
"Thank You Jesus", You make me want to be a better man

Interruptions May Be From God

"doin' my own thing?" Proverbs 16:9 "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps." Ever make plans...and your plans get disturbed? Maybe, just maybe God is trying to stop me...How many times our plans have been changed by the Lord, God throws the monkey wrench in and stops us...If I pray and ask God to help me to do His will, and I pray and say "God, keep me in Your way"...and interruptions come, perhaps that is God?

"Help me Lord to be "open" to interruptions, they could be from You."

Repeat, Often As Needed

"waiting = trust?" Isaiah 30:18 "But the LORD still waits for you to come to Him so he can show you His love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for Him to help them." I often wonder why the Lord waits to do things in my life...Whenever the Lord waits or seems to delay, it always has a loving purpose behind it. We can trust that even when we don’t understand it. Say it with me now..."I can Trust in My Lord!"....Repeat as often as needed!"

Psalm 37:7 says..."Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act."