Monthly Archives: November 2018

Isaiah 12:1 And in that day you will say: “O Lord, I will praise You; Though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. 2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ “

Truth be told, I don’t like people, and many of them don’t like me (keep reading LOL). Would you be brave enough to tell the truth and make that statement? If you really dig deep, you will see the level our nation is divided at, the angst you feel towards humanity. From the level of evil displayed, the political divided views, the religion’s differences, the selfishness on an incredible scale, the lack of moral character, the aggressive state of simple daily tasks such as driving or shopping, the social media posts that anger…..well, I will stop there since that is why many don’t like me. 🙂 We at our core, in our sin, struggle with not having anger issues in daily life. It is the world we live in, the sin we live in, the need for God to forgive us each day.

Romans 5:6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The depth of that passage demands more than this short 1MM, but we are those ungodly Christ died for. We are those that today still harbor angst in our hearts, still some battle anger at elevated levels, the level of the battle of good and evil that is within us all. There are still those today that deny Jesus Christ, or that warp their views and religions of him, denying deity and belittling him from God to many number of things and ideals. There are those that hate him, but Jesus did not die for just a chosen few, he died for all that would choose him. He died for the sinner and the saint, even the example of the thieves on the Cross. You have done nothing that Jesus Christ will not forgive, nothing you have ever done exceeds or eliminates what Jesus Christ died for you to cover your sins with his blood to a Holy God. Sadly the worldly saints feel as though if they live their lives as good people, they will get to Heaven on their good deeds, while in reality denying what Jesus did for them. There will be many good saints in Hell, never grasping John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. “The two biggest lies our cultures believes today are that we are good people and that, because God is loving, he will not punish sin.” Francis Chan.

I get every bit as angry as you at my fellow human being. I get so mad daily, I say or post things I regret. I am appalled at the level of division over politics, and the victories Satan has in them. I am amazed at the religious people that act and post things that don’t reflect Christ. Hypocrisy was one of my earliest struggles even as a child in faith, and now the same as an adult trying to cope with this world, and the struggles of my own sins. But, I am nothing…..without love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

Good Books

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

I sit at my desk and observe
I ponder as I take a look
What is it within me
That has all these religious books?

What am I trying to attain
What is my goal as I read
Where do I want to focus
Who I am willing to let lead?

The books have a simple theme
They are connected by just One
Jesus is the root of my library
He is the one to whom I run.

This world gets me down
I battle a war from within
I do my best and yet can fail
I am wrought at the level of my sin.

My only hope is Jesus
My only focus is him
Even drowning is an ocean of evil
He is the air I gasp to swim.

I see Satan peaking in power
I witness evil everywhere I look
The selfishness of society’s pride
Has not been humbled by these books.

Society has turned away from God
Absorbed in themselves only you see
Teaching all paths lead to God
Preaching what God can do for me.

All paths do not lead to God
Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life
All other paths teaching just do good
Will lead to an eternity of strife.

Jesus did for you and me
What you and I cannot accomplish
He atoned for our sins to God
Gave you grace like you so wish.

Grace is getting what you don’t deserve
Mercy is withholding the punishment you do
The gospel is the story in these books
Of how Jesus died for me and you.

I pour myself into these books
Many versions of God’s living word
I preach it from the mountaintops when I can
From my mouth truth will be heard.

I try to teach it to my boys
I try my best to show them the way
I fail in my sins before them
Many times each and every day.

If there is one thing they know
If there is a light on they see
I am seeking God every morning
I am trying to be all I can be.

This world will steal your joy
This world will make you not look
But get up early each morning
And spend time in the only Good Book.

Put on the armor of God
Arise early each day to seek
Pray and seek God first
He will reveal himself to the weak.

Nothing, yet Everything

Romans 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What drives you? What gets you out of bed each day to experience another day on the roller-coaster of life? You know not if it will be a day of highs, or a day of lows, but something drives you to carry on, to move forward down this journey in life. Is it your family, your career, your desires, your passions, your pride, your stubbornness, your love, your……..how many reasons can we give; the list is personal and endless. For me it was likely pursuits of many sorts for a long time. Then a growing family, and then above all a love for my Lord. As God began to tug on my heart, and began to open my eyes to his Word, my focus changed to living and sharing my faith with all he placed before me. My most important ministry is my family, for they know and see all the highs and incredible lows my walk of faith brings. They know the struggles I face better than anyone, and they see me try to cope and pursue it through my faith, prayer, and pursuit of God in his Word in all of it. If nothing else, may they learn how to stay on the track and deal with all of life through their faith in God’s sovereignty.

I relate to so many guys in the Bible, so many stories of men who struggled in so many ways, yet God showed them incredible mercy and grace. The evidence of the scripture above is written throughout countless chapters and accountants of the lives of so many in the Bible. Seemingly endless examples of exactly what you are dealing with, played out centuries before, and the proofs of God’s work through them. You have always heard all you need to know is in the Bible, and I am hear to attest to that truth; it only takes your heartfelt pursuit to find them. Paul wrote openly of his struggles throughout his epistles; he wrote of how God could use all his personal struggles for God’s glory, to point others to their need for Christ. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. The depth of how that speaks to each of us individually should stir the soul, and openly sharing of God’s love and provision through it will deeply encourage others who hear of our testimonies to Him.

My list of struggles, of sins, of failures, will boggle the mind, and keep you from ever listening to me or reading what I write, but, if you are honest, your list is the same, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23) The great prophet Isaiah trembled at God’s revelation, for he knew his sin and those around him. Isaiah 6:5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” Think about David, a man who had it all, and the failures before God that he did. But even when God chose him, He knew all that would happen, all that history writes of David, God already knew, and yet loved him anyway. Acts 13:22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.‘ Listen to me, read my words, hear me speak to that nothing can separate you from the love of God through Christ Jesus. Humble yourself, repent of your sins, and draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.