Sing Praise in Battle

Psalm 56:1-9 Be gracious to me, God, for a man is trampling me; he fights and oppresses me all day long. My adversaries trample me all day, for many arrogantly fight against me. When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? They twist my words all day long; all their thoughts against me are evil. They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps while they wait to take my life. Will they escape in spite of such sin? God, bring down the nations in wrath. You yourself have recorded my wanderings. Put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call. This I know: God is for me. 

Hope you put on your armor this morning! I know many who read this are in such a battle in your life as David was at this time. This is a song that he sang as a prayer to God. 
Do we do that? Amidst our battles do we sing to God? I can tell you that it is hard to do but I’m learning this is a great way to ease things as they are pounding. At times I just I sing Jesus, Jesus, Jesus and other times I sing a praise song that comes to mind. It is well with my soul comes to mind a lot and the song, I want to go back to Jesus Loves Me and This Little Light of mine. I am hoping that one day it will just be automatically there and I am sure as we train together these Hallelujahs we sing will go up in unison as a pleasing chorus to God. Because after all God is for us and not against and He loves us more than anyone who walks this earth can ever love us. 

Lord thank You for the Cross and thank You that Your Holy Spirit comes in during times of trouble to sing praises unto God during our battles. Lord guide our minds and may we always sing at the top of our lungs even if it is in our minds may it be pleasing to You. Jesus we Love You and thank You for walking on the water with us. Help us stay above the waves. In Your Mighty Name the name of Jesus Christ Amen!

Walk on Water with Us

Matthew 14:25-31 Jesus came toward them walking on the sea very early in the morning. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and they cried out in fear. Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter answered him, “command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 
This past Sunday Pastor Mark was reading what a fellow Pastor who had brain cancer had written. For those who weren’t there I will try to shorten and paraphrase a bit. The Pastor went to have his CT scan after chemo and was determined that part of it was stable with no new growth but there was a tumor growing in an area that is inoperable and he needed to decide what to do. The analogy was like having to choose which quicksand to stand in either the slow sinking quicksand or the fast sinking quicksand. 
I pray that in your life you don’t ever have to make that choice as this man and I have had to choose. It isn’t a choice lightly made and affects all in your circle. 
As I listened the Holy Spirit moved upon me and I heard in my mind the scripture that I posted above and hear is what was laid upon my heart. 
As a younger man I always wanted to walk on water after hearing these scriptures and the Holy Spirit told me I am. See as a curious seeker I walked with Christ on the beach of life and as a new Christian I walked in the shallow waters with Jesus and He took me ever deeper in life and never left my side. Today having to make a choice in my storm I can continue walking in the waves with my head barely above the waves or put my eyes upon the Lord and walk above the storm and the waves. 
What a difference it is walking above the storm! I know that He will take me home soon and it won’t be easy, but be at peace I’m walking above the storm. 
I always wondered what an amazing sight it would have been if all the disciples would have stepped out of that boat and walked to shore pulling the boat behind them. I have so many people that are walking with me on this journey and my wife is walking me home well and I see people walking along side us and I am hoping we can all continue walking side by side on top of the water with Jesus to the shore pulling this boat called cancer all the way to my healing. 
Jesus bless those who have blessed me as we walk together. Lord to Your Glory we walk to give You praise for what you have done and are doing in this short life. Thank You for the cross that we may walk together in faith on top of the deepest water in Jesus Name Amen. 

Memorial

Psalm 103:15-19 As for man, his days are like grass— he blooms like a flower of the field; when the wind passes over it, it vanishes, and its place is no longer known. But from eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him, and his righteousness toward the grandchildren of those who keep his covenant, who remember to observe his precepts. The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. 

An appropriate scripture for today as we remember the men and women that have given their lives for our country that we have the freedoms we have. Today is a day remembrance for those people and their families. Take a moment to remember and give thanks to God that He is Sovereign and sits on His throne and rules for eternity. 

Jesus we love You and give You all the praise honor and glory You deserve. Lord we remember the blessings You have given us and the men and women You chose to fight for the blessings we keep today. Without You we are nothing but dust blown from east to west with no purpose or reason. Lord bless the families of those who have lost loved ones in the battles past and keep our service men and women safe from harm in the battles of today. We know You’re the Great Provider and we thank You on this Memorial Day in Jesus Name Amen. 

Twisted

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 

So, knowing this how can anyone doubt Salvation is through Christ alone? God sent His one and ONLY son to be the sacrifice once for ALL. One God, one Son, one Spirit, ONE SALVATION. Not sure where all the other stuff comes from and how people can take the Word of God and twist it into all this stuff it isn’t.  

Well I do know how because I used to be one of them. Selfishness, lack of knowledge in the Truth, the desire to justify my sin. Many other factors too but mainly thinking I was righteous in my ways but far from Truth. A misunderstanding of things that I read and called “of God” were only things in my tiny mind. But years have passed and people have come into my life that have helped me see the error of my ways to help me see and changed me to correct thinking and to use my knowledge of the Word as it is written and not twisted for my pleasure. Thank you! You know who you are and some of you will not know until we meet in heaven. 

Lord Jesus what a blessing You have given us. Relationship! We praise You and we honor You for what You have done for us all. Changing the immaturity of those of us who just didn’t know into mature Christians with relationships with all whom You put in our paths. Lord Jesus You alone are worthy to be praised in the Name of The Holiest, Jesus Christ Amen. 

Slow Down!!!

James 1:19-20 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 

I don’t know about you but I need a regular reminder of this. When something simple and insignificant make you angry it’s time to get refreshed on what is truly important. 

Lord please forgive me for my short fuse. Lord I know I’m not the only one Lord please help us all that fret the small stuff and let it make it be a time of remembering You. Lord bring us peace and a really really long fuse. Father hold our tongues so we do not sin in those moments we allow anger to creep through. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus should be what we say in these times. Help us to be quick to listen and slow to anger and slow to speak and to be quick to forgive and remember Your the Judge and we are to love deep and long and seek You in all things in Jesus Name Amen. 

Men of God

Romans 12:9-15 Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 

I have some great brothers in Christ that I had the honor to spend some time with yesterday. All the traits listed in this passage are being shown and learned through each other’s life experience and time we spend together. We all are going through stuff some more than others but time was spent asking and seeking and praying. I think that as we speak it is lifted as prayer and praise to Christ as an offering of loving one another as brothers serving Christ through a fishing trip and burning a few steaks on the grill. What a blessing this was to my heart and Lord willing there will be many more. I pray blessings abundantly be poured out on these men of God and their families for many generations to come. Thanks for hanging out!!!

Lord we Love You and the time we have with You. We know You are near and You love us more than we can ever imagine in our finite minds. We ask You to continue laying out those footprints in the sand carrying us to where You are taking us. May we all lift You in praise honor and glory in Jesus Name Amen!!!

Love One Anothee

I can’t add much of anything to this scripture it’s self explanatory. 

Galatians 5:13-18 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another. I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 

Is It From God?

Ecclesiastes 11:3-5 If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain on the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or the north, the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. One who watches the wind will not sow, and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap. Just as you don’t know the path of the wind, or how bones develop in the womb of a pregnant woman, so also you don’t know the work of God who makes everything. 

Even if we have an agenda we don’t know if it’s Gods plan or not. We see things that are successful and think we made it happen on our own. I’m not sure that is the truth. I’m thinking that if it isn’t His will then even though you started off successfully maybe it fails and you lose it all. Not that I know but it could have been His will to allow it to fail as to wake you up and be sure you are in His will. I have seen successful things happen and then fail because of the sin of those involved once they tasted success. 

One thing I take away from these scriptures is that if you do nothing you reap nothing. If you sit around and wait for the wind to come your way you will never get it done. I have found in life if you allow people to judge when you should start something or finish something it will never be done. If you hear God tell you to move then move. If you hear Him say wait then wait and if you hear Him say no then no it is and don’t go out and do it anyway because it will not work. 

Lord we praise Your glorious Name and ask that You forgive us for trying to shove doors open in our lives that you have shut and locked. Give us wisdom and knowledge to serve You Lord in our business be it a worker a mom or business owner. Show us Your path with Your footsteps visible so we can clearly walk with You in Jesus Name Amen!!

Forgiveness in Christ

Ephesians 4:25-32 Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity. Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. 

What the what? Why? I got this person that is always doing this and that and now you tell me I have to be cool, calm, and collected? On top of that I have to forgive? 

We all have someone in our lives that are this so and so doing stuff to us and it’s hard sometimes dealing with them in a manner pleasing to God. What is even more difficult is when it’s one of our own.
 Forgiveness with a right heart is the best way to work through these times. You don’t have to agree with them but you do have to forgive in Love as Christ has forgiven us. 

Lord Jesus give us the wisdom and knowledge to serve You through forgiveness of those we feel are not forgivable. Jesus none of us deserve forgiveness but You forgive us anyway. Hold our tongues and convict our hearts when language that stings comes into our minds and spews like poison stealing joy from us. Lord we choose You and Your Words today to forgive and speak truth in love. In Jesus mighty forgiving Name amen. 

Jesus Loves You

Romans 8:1-11 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. What the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. Now the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. The mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you. 

So being in Christ, if I’m understanding this correctly means we are no longer in our freshly bodies but are renewed in Him and now have a body of Spirit and flesh until He so chooses to release us from the flesh part. Because He loves us so much that while we are still part flesh and part spirit of God we should be walking with Him and sharing Him to those that have not reached the level we have as to glorify God in Love using His Words and the fruit of the Spirit. Ok, maybe that’s a bit much but Jesus Loves us this I know because the Bible tells us so. Amen!