Deal With It

Sometimes we try and ignore or avoid our problems; passing them off or just walking away. God wants us to deal with issues in our life, by letting Him deal with it. That means doing things His way, not our own.

Are We Proactive Or Reactive?

When I was young, I used to play football.  One of the lessons I remember about playing football was that you wanted your game to be proactive and not reactive.  You wanted your opponents on their heels, having to adjust themselves to what you were doing rather than the other way around.  It was one of the keys to victory. 


I was sitting around the other day thinking to myself, why is it that I do the things that I do?  That led me to this other thought of whether I was being proactive or reactive.   Each and every waking moment we spend in life, we are being either one or the other.  We are either causing people to react to what we say or do, or we are reacting to what others are saying or doing.  Neither is good or bad in and of itself.  It just is.  It is the nature of interaction.


When a person is proactive, they are making a particular choice.  Let's take something simple.  You are in a room with your family, and you stand up and announce, "I am going to the store".  You have done something proactive and decided to do something.  Everyone else has now been placed in a position to react.  They can go with, ask you to get them something, ignore you, laugh at you, whatever.  But, what you have done is to set the agenda.  Now, you may be able to compromise a little on the details based on others reactions, but you have set the direction.


What if the situation were more complicated?  A number of years ago, I had a health problem arise.  It was pretty serious, at least to me.  I just had no clue what the problem was, why it was happening, what to do to fix it, or even wondered if I would survive it.  I went to see a doctor.  they ran tests and mumbled some things I could not understand and offered me some pills.  I suppose I could have just been reactive and taken the pills and left it at that.  I was not satisfied with that.  I became proactive and sought a specific diagnosis.  I studied, got other opinions, And by the time of my last doctor visit, I pretty much was able to give the doctor a complete rundown of my symptoms, how and when they occurred, and what those symptoms seemed to indicate and a possible plan of action on how to improve it.  The last Doc just kind of agreed with me and again offered me medication I already learned would not work. 


I guess what I am saying is that it is hard to be proactive in situations where you are not knowledgeable.  My reaction to something was to become proactive through study, educating myself.  This again goes back to my opening football analogy.  You could not be proactive on the field if you did not understand the game.  You had to have an idea of what you want to accomplish, how to get there, and an understanding of the opposition, and what they were trying to do.
 

It is in this latter point that I think that many Christians are failing these days.  They are either totally reactive, basing their ideas and actions bouncing off surrounding events; or they are trying to be proactive, but don't understand the game, have no plan of action, and no understanding of their adversaries.  Both are recipes for failure.  You end up looking like uninformed complainers, offering no hope, and appearing hypocritical, not practicing what they preach.
 

The bible says, 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  As believers we should know our playbook, understand our plan of action, and be able to effectively implement the plays.  I'm not talking about formulaic responses, but truly understanding What God wants and expects and putting that to play in our lives.  Truly living for God is proactive and will cause a response in others.


Why is this the case?  The word itself explains this, Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  When we live out the word in our lives, and share our lives with others, it will naturally cause others to react to it, one way or the other.  It will either draw people in, or push them away.


The end game for the believer should be the same as God's in the 2nd half of 2 Peter 3:9 ..., not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  We should all be playing some role within the body of Christ towards that end.  We do that most  importantly by being obedient ourselves to that which God has called us to do, living rightly, using whatever talents and interests God has given us for the furtherance of the gospel.  Each of us has been given individual abilities, superpowers as it were, that we can use in His service.  Some pray, some preach, some provide, some sing, some clean up the mess, whatever.  It all goes to make the team run effectively.  That pass play won't work if the receiver runs the wrong route, or the lineman makes the wrong read and misses the blitzing linebacker.


Our touchdown is Jesus.  When we can lead someone to the foot of the cross and they accept Jesus as their Lord and savior, that is our score.  And the crowd goes wild! Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. v10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 


john3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  This is the gospel message.  It is the goal of the plan, the end game of the playbook.  Our whole lifestyle should be proactive in leading people to make this decision. 

Getting Angry

Psalm 97:10 Ye that love the Lord, hate evil:  The beginning part of this psalm verse gives a Godly perspective on getting angry.  We who are believers should get angry when we see evil occurring.  We have a right to be angry about evil doings.  Proverbs tells us the same thing, Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil:.


We are given some precautions when it comes to being angry.  Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:  Our anger should be in control.  When we get angry, we should not be flying off the handle and acting impulsively.  We are to maintain right thinking even though we are angry.  Often in life people let anger get the best of them and then bad things happen.  We see an example of this in the racing world recently where an angry driver wanted to after another driver and ended up getting run over and killed because his anger overrode his common sense.


Another thing that often happens in our anger is that we take matters into our own hands.  This ties in with the impulsiveness and loss of common sense that can occur when angry.  We often want to mete out punishment on the one we are angry at.  But we need to remember that we serve God, and we are not him.  Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  Let God take care of the matter.  We don't have to do anything to anyone other than letting it be known we are angry and why.  (part of not letting the sun go down).  If something needs to be done, let God do it.  He can take care of it much better than we can.


Ephesians 4:31 tells us to, Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  Get the anger out of your system right away.  Don't let the sun go down on it.  Give it to God to take care of and move one.  All of the things listed in this verse can derive from holding on to anger.  We take matters into our own hands and we start saying things we shouldn't, and/or talking about it to others which stirs up division.  Over time this leads to bitterness and a hard heart.  We end up being miserable.  This miserable mindset also leads to physical ailments as well.  It hurts us far more than it ever hurt the person we were mad at.


The following Ephesians 4 verse reminds us to get back to a Godly attitude.  32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.  But, you don't know what this person has done!  You don't understand how long this has been going on!  God does.  He knows everything.  He sees the situations.  As believers we have to trust that Romans 8:28 ...all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.


No one said it would be easy.  It is never easy to see evil flourish, especially if you are on the receiving end of it.  Imagine how Joseph could have felt all those years, being thrown in a pit, then sold as a slave by his own family, falsely accused and imprisoned, forgotten about, alone...  Then one day, years later, it all came to fruition.  Joseph never would have been ready for that if he had let anger grow into bitterness.  Instead, he constantly trusted the Lord and did things in a godly manner and was blessed through, not out of, the difficult situations he encountered. 


When we get angry, take it to God in prayer.  Tell God how you feel.  Express yourself to Him fully.  David in the Psalms often prayed in anger at the wicked and asked for God to send wrath upon evildoers.   One light example is in Psalm 40:14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.  David does get harsher in his requests too.  Letting it out to God gives us relief from the stress and peace in our minds.  Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.


In prayer too, if we are listening and not just jabbering (lol), we might receive instruction in how to deal with a situation.  I was recently praying about a situation that made me angry and while I stopped and listened, a verse popped into my head, Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  It was not a resolution to what I was dealing with, but it was a reminder of the importance of my own conduct in the matter and refocused me on what I should be doing, rather than getting sidetracked by what made me angry.


In conclusion, It's OK to get angry for the right reasons.  just don't hold on to the anger.  Let it out in a Godly fashion. Hand it over to God and let him deal with it.  Move forward, continuing to do what God wants us to do.  This way we won't cause ourselves further grief and we can trust that God will resolve the manner in the best possible way (but that may be different that what we think should be done).


Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Coming Attraction

There is something that I notice from time to time, that every time I see it, amazes me and perplexes me. I will see ads in the help wanted section for a pastor, or youth pastor in a church.  I suppose they have positions to fill to.  The ads themselves are not what gets me, but it is in the qualifications.  You need a college degree. 


Now, maybe I'm just a simpleton, but I do not ever recall there being a University set up by God.  Oh, sure, there are universities set up in his name that will usually espouse a particular sect of religion that one can get a degree in.  One can even get a theological degree from a non religious institution.  Those generally give you an overview of all religions in general, or so I am told.


Now, I am not saying that education is a bad thing.  Education is a good thing.  But, with God, a school education is not what He is looking for.  If you look throughout the Bible, what you will find is that God often calls seemingly the least qualified people to do His work.  He chooses the people least likely to be chosen by society at large.


Obviously, there is Jesus himself.  He was from the wrong family, wrong class, and had no known formal education from the accepted schools that the little San Hedryn children attended.  He was just some guy, and not to attractive of a guy according to the Biblical description.  Who was he?


His disciples, all chosen from the dregs and working class of society with probably little formal education.  Nothing about those men were exceptionally honorable in the elite class view.  They were just common ordinary Joe's...  Well except for the highly educated and learned disciple... Judas.


I guess what happened is that churches have gone away from trying to find someone with the wisdom of God, and are seeking after the knowledge of men.  Is it any wonder that church membership is falling and church influence is dwindling.  I know so many people who are believers, but they have no place to go to worship simply because so many churches have been corrupted by man's wisdom.  I know so many people who have left the faith because they only saw a religion operated under man's wisdom (and the hypocrisy thereof) and never experienced a body of true faith that trusted on God.


Soon coming will be the beginning of a new move of God.  It will not be led by those in established churches.  It has been being prepared for some years now.  It's message will not sound like the soft message the churches preach today.  It will be preached with authority and power.  It will be manifested in love.  It will come from people who would not be expected.


1 Corinthians 1:18-29
18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

 19For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

 20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

 21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

 22For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

 23But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

 24But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

 25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

 26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

 27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

 29That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Watches and Warnings

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX 
328 PM MDT FRI JUL 18 2014 
 
NMC035-182145- 
/O.CON.KEPZ.SV.W.0065.000000T0000Z-140718T2145Z/ 
OTERO NM- 
328 PM MDT FRI JUL 18 2014 
 
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL OTERO 
COUNTY UNTIL 345 PM MDT... 
 
AT 322 PM MDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS REPORTED...PRODUCING  
QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS 
STORM WAS LOCATED 17 MILES EAST OF CLOUDCROFT...MOVING SOUTH AT 5  
MPH. THE CORE OF THE STORM WAS PASSING JUST EAST OF MAYHILL. 
 
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... 
  SIXTEEN SPRINGS... 
  WEED... 
  SACRAMENTO... 
  MAYHILL... 
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM... PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR LARGE 
HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER... 
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS. 


 
The above warning is an actual weather warning from the National weather service as I am typing this article.  The national Weather Service puts out various types of weather related watches and warnings to help protect the public from the danger that are posed from severe weather events.  They are intended to save lives of people in the area from the potential dangers of the incoming severe weather by informing them of the current and future location of the threat and the nature of the threat faced.


Having been involved in the world of weather for many years, I have seen people who continually ignore these watches and warnings.  they don't take them seriously.  They have become complacent because they have not experienced the worst of what they are being warned about.  I've had people tell me in tornado warnings that they did not need to pay attention because the tornado never strikes where they are.  just because it hasn't, does not mean that it won't this time.  Just because it did not strike here, does not mean it did not strike there.


Other people actually get mad at the messengers.  They complain about the weatherman, and about the weather service.  They complain about how they are always wrong and never know what they are talking about.  They then make claims that they think they know more than the weatherman and "prove it" by repeating old false wives tales and such.  It never occurs to them to think that they really could be in harms way and that they really do need to take the watches and warnings seriously.


 I've seen people who are in a panic at the last minute realizing that the storm is actually really heading toward them this time.  Panic and confusion set in.  They are unaware of what to do or where to go because they have never really paid attention to what they were being told in the watches and warnings that were put out to inform them.  Some of them actually further endanger themselves by doing the exact opposite of what they should be doing.


This is exactly what happens with God and the Bible too.  People of God go out and share the word in various ways, warning of various dangers facing people and the possible consequences of those dangers.  They give notice of what one should do to avoid those dangers and be safe from them.  They are words of life when facing death.


People do Gods messengers just like they do the weatherman.  They make fun of them, laugh at them, disrespect their knowledge, and generally think they know better than anyone else.  They come up with all kinds of reasoning to justify why they are right and the messenger of God wrong.  They will arrogantly make false proclamations about the situation when in truth they know nothing about it. 


Unbelievers are often lulled into a false sense of security.  They think that because a particular warning has not come to pass that it isn't ever going to, or that it is even possible.  This false sense of security causes them to become bolder and bolder in their disregard of the warnings provided in scripture.  They will ignorantly put themselves further into harms way being totally oblivious to the dangers.


The weather service and the Christian can only put out the warnings, and pass along information to help people to survive.  Neither can make people heed the warnings or do what it will take to stay alive.  Neither are responsible for those who do not heed the warnings.  The job has been done to sound the alarm.  It is up to the individual to accept the warnings, and heed the advice.   We all hope and pray that people will survive the storms in life and live, both in this life and the next. 

Hurricane Andrew:

The Babies Bathwater

Often times we wonder where it is that we strayed.  Not just personally, but collectively.  There was a time where the gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in His word the Bible was the foundation for us as individuals, families, communities, regions, states, and as a nation.  It was such an infused part of most everyone lifestyles and our overall culture that Christianity and the United States were seen as inseparable.  


Now we look around today and see all manner of ungodliness occurring and accepted as normal.  Our own leader has even declared that we are no longer a Christian nation, and he is right.  In the void left by peoples lack of personal responsibility as forged by their fear of the Lord, government has stepped into that role as God and savior of the people.  Because of peoples immoralities, government has had to make laws that infringe upon every aspect of our lives.  We as a people can no linger be trusted to do what is right.  Sadly though, those same people are in the government trying to tell us what is right.


We know the situation we are in, but we do wonder how we got here.  The last couple of weeks and a little light bulb action from above and I think I can put a finger on a least a good portion of what happened.  I've talked to a lot of different people from a lot of different churches and other beliefs as well as no belief at all.  It seems like everyone has their own doctrine, and it has gotten to the point where unless you are in lock step with what the other believes, you are a heretic, a false teacher, someone to be shunned.  The Love of God does not reside with many any longer.  The Gospel of Christ has been replaced with doctrines of men.  We are full of pride and arrogance.  We are backbiters, and lovers of self.  I say these things with great shame.


This I don't believe is an accident.  The enemy has always set about to divide and conquer.  Many of the divisions are like long lasting feuds that linger on and on even to the point where no one remembers what really started it, but they all know their talking points and have their preconceived ideas to label each other with.  It's gotten to be a free for all or a witch hunt where everyone is pointing fingers and yelling FALSE TEACHER!  


I think this goes on because we are so woefully illiterate biblically.  Many folks know the scriptures... the ones that support their church doctrine.  Show them some others that contradict that and hoo boy, thems fightin words.  Others know so much that they literally can't see the forest through the trees.  They have gone to colleges and were taught under liberal professors who sliced and diced, shaked and baked that Bible so much that it was left looking like a lump of unrecognizable slop.


This fear of false teachers is a big one.  We have whole segments of the gospel torn away because we are afraid of false teaching.  This is where we throw the baby out with the bathwater.    Many folks are horribly weak in faith because they threw out the scriptures about faith because there was a word of faith false teaching.  So as to avoid going anywhere near there, they throw out the teachings on faith.  Because we have charlatans running around with their miracle circus', many throw out completely that God can and does work supernaturally in our lives and will heal and deliver us.  People are so afraid to be under the law that they want to throw out the law completely as if it did not exist.  then there are others who throw out everything God says about prospering us in our lives because they are afraid of the false prosperity gospel.  And it goes on.


The only way to safely navigate oneself through all of this mess is by getting into the word themselves and setting aside the teachings of the church or a particular teacher and do so with a sincere heart in asking God to reveal the truth to you.  The Holy spirit will guide the sincere heart in the path to take and safely guide us through the dark and dangerous forests of doubt, disbelief, and skepticism. 


Will it be an easy journey?    No.  Friends, family, strangers, everyone might accuse you, negate you, get mad at you, deny you, abandon you...  and yes, there are times where they could even hurt or kill you for the sake of the truth of the Gospel.  Remember that it was the religious folks that put Jesus to death.  Jesus assures us that for His sake people will indeed hate you and persecute you.   He tells us to count it all joy when this happens.  The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is all that matters though.  Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life; no man going to the father but by Him.  You won't get to heaven following a church doctrine or a teaching of men.  


Read your bibles, and talk to God as you do.  Let your questions and concerns be known to him.  His spirit will answer a sincere heart.

I Heard A Word

A long awaited vacation had arrived and I was ready.  It was my plan to kind of right the ship and straighten some things out with my free time.  I had kind of slipped into some old habits that I had tried to change so I figured this time would be good to get back into the ways I wanted to go.  At least, that was the plan.  


One thing that I am passionate about is weather photography and videography.  I can't seem to let a good storm slip by, but I had little inklings in my head to stay at home instead of traveling out.  This was going to be difficult since severe weather was in the forecast for the whole week.  I wanted to go out badly, but that inner voice kept saying no.  I watched as online people I know were out catching once in a lifetime twin violent tornadoes, and knew that I could have been there.  But, I had just had the feeling not to.


After a couple days of watching this, and the threat being closer to home, I decided to go out.  I still had the inner voice saying no, but I just kind of half ignored it and figured on a short tentative trip.  I would just drive a few hours, see some storms and be home in the wee hours of the next morning.  


One thing about storm chasing is that you get a lot of time to think...  at least I do since I chase alone.  I sometimes spend that time thinking or talking out loud to God.  That is what I started out doing as I drove off.  The main thing I kept thinking is that I want to hear from God, and hear directly and clearly from Him.  I would like to hear His voice clearly and distinctly without any doubt about whether I was just thinking to myself.  I truly want to know God better.


As the day wore on I just kept on driving.  I kept trying to listen for God, but was not really hearing Him.  my mind would wander about a little, but I really did spend a bit of time trying to listen, almost pleading to hear from Him.  It really was not anything specific I wanted to hear, just a burning desire to hear, to have a closer relationship with my creator.  I often long and ache for that.  I want to be told what I should be doing.  I suppose I was having an ecclesiastical moment where I was looking at life and all of its vanity.  I want meaning, purpose and direction.


After about 4 or 5 hours I found myself half way across the next state and it was closer to get to the storms than to return home.  Tornadoes were starting to drop and I might have a chance to make it before dark; so I kept driving.  I was too late and too dark to see tornadoes but was treated to a fantastic light show and was around 2 tornadic storms.  I was still getting the feeling that I should have stayed home though.


The next day the forecast was the same so I decided to stick around.  A friend offered to feed the cat, so I seemed to have the green light.  It was going to be a great day of storm chasing, or so I thought.  In reality it turned out to be one of the most frustrating chase days I have ever been on.
 

In the morning the car battery died.  My fault really, but I did get a jump rather quickly.  I took a nap around noon parked in this church parking lot only to wake up with the car full of biting flies.  It took hours to finally get most of them out of the car.  I did not notice the moths, but I am still getting them out of the car 3 days later.  I thought I only had one, but I believe I am up to 4 now.


The next thing that happened was the forecast changed some and pushed the threat further away, but I decided as ling as I was there; so I started heading out.  I was using the map to plot a course, but the map could not tell me what was in store.  I was following the highway and entered a town.  Next thing I knew I was on detours and surrounded by water and sandbags on all sides.  A dam had broken and a levee gave way and the entire town had been flooded...  well, the parts that were not sandbagged.  I could not cross the river there...  or in fact hardly anywhere.  I had to backtrack 30 miles before I found a way across the river.  


On the way I decided I might as well document some of the flooding.  I stopped at on flooded out crossing and was taking pictures of the creek that was now a lake when I heard this cracking sound.  Yep, someone was out shooting.  I began looking around and then saw a splash and heard a crack again.  Then I saw two old folks in their back yard shooting.  I doubt they knew they were shooting in my direction, so I high tailed it out of there.


The floods and the dilly dallying cost me a chance at more tornadoes.  I finally made it to the area just after dark and the storms were dying.  I started heading back.  I was watching the lightning from tornadic storms about 40 miles to my NE as I drove down the highway when I believe God spoke to me.  No it was not audible as I had asked, but it was unmistakeable and a clear thought in my head and feeling in my heart that goes right along with scripture.  I could almost feel my spirit leap at the thought and I had to write it down right away.


"If you put as much effort into serving Me as you do pursuing your hobby, amazing things will happen."


I know that to be so true.  If only I got as excited about going to fellowship with other believers like I do when I know storms are going to fire up.  If only I so anticipated seeing or hearing  my favorite preachers TV or radio show as I do about watching shows on the weather.  If only I got as jacked up about reading the word as I do about reading the weather forecasts.  If only I was as urgent in alerting others of their spiritual dangers as much as I am about warning them about dangerous weather.  My life would be completely changed.


What are you really passionate about? 

So Frustrating!

Something just isn't right.  For the past several days, in fact, nearly a week now, I have been feeling very unsettled.  Things have been bothering me, annoying me.  My patience is very thin.  I have been finding myself going around upset.  This is not like me.  Normally I am a very positive person, upbeat, happy, and making jokes.  What is going on?

Seems like lately I have been bombarded with stupid.  Not just your average everyday stupid, but some real hardcore stupidity.  I got people who don't care about their job, doing things wrong and it doesn't even concern them.  I've got vandals messing up my work area.  Things are breaking and not getting repaired.  I have multiple bosses giving conflicting orders and me taking the blame from each for doing what the other said do.  People are acting like jerks for no reason.

Recently it has just been like a tsunami of stupid has flooded into my life and I seem powerless to be able to do anything about it.  I'm being battered by the idiotic debris and sucked under by the turbulence of imbecility.  I'm trying to gasp for air as I bob above the surface for a moment only to be pushed under again by some other ridiculousness pushing me down.  HELP!  Dwayne the bathtub!  I'm dwowning!

Psalm 46:10 (a) Be still, and know that I am God:

Amid all the turmoil and craziness that continues to overwhelm me, I took my 15 minutes break, grabbed a chair, and sat silent in a closet, praying and thinking.  No great revelation came to me, but a peace came to me that I had mot felt in a while.  I was calm again; relaxed.  I felt some of the joy return.  I was energized.  The weirdness no longer worried me.

I think that is just a little mini lesson for me to do what I often forget to do, and that is just to be still and know the God is God.  He is in control of it all.  He knows what is happening always and when we love, trust, and obey Him, He will cause everything to work to our benefit.  So how is all the recent madness going to be worked for my benefit?  haven't a clue.  That is for God to do.

Psalm 28:7  The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

I Am SOOOO MAD!!!

Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Boy, this is a hard saying.  Sometimes it just no longer lies within me to keep my peace.  tonight was one of those nights.  My nemesis thorn in the side for the last 9 years crossed the line.  I let them know in no uncertain terms that they had done so.  I asked the boss to intervene and asked that it go up the chain of command.  9 years and nothing has changed, nothing has been done. 

People have praised me for being able to put up with so much for so long, but there are limits.  We all have our limits.  Some days our fuses are a bit shorter than other days and it takes less to light those fuses, and they burn faster.  It was just the wrong day to try pulling passive aggressive stunts on me; the wrong day to swear at me and make false accusations in half under your breath but loud enough to hear tones. 

As I sit and look at these verses in Romans 12, it gets harder though.  What God is asking me to do in the word is beyond me at times.  it is not what I want to do.  It is not what I feel like doing.  I'd like to be able to go back behind the woodshed and open up a can of whoopass.  That is not what the word says to do.  Oh Lord help me in my weakness. 

This little segment of Romans 12 starts out with this admonition, 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  When we get mad, we are not supposed to act like the world and try to do something to the other person in a sneaky or underhanded way.  No backbiting.  No lying in wait to set them up.  We must be honest in our dealings.  Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:


We go past our opening verse now to verse 19: Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  Along with the part of not returning evil for evil, we should not avenge ourselves.  Perhaps snapping back in anger was a bit of that, I'm not sure.  Telling the boss?  It is what we should do in the situation.  Taking it silently for so long is sometimes beyond me, so I must ask for God's spirit to infuse me the right things to do. 


Verse 20: 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  This verse parallels the word of Jesus when he said,  Matthew 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  Oh, that is so hard and I try so hard to be like this. This kind of attitude can only come through the Spirit of God.  It does not lie within me to do so. 


This part about pray for them I am hit with in this situation.  This person has been my sworn enemy from almost my first day at the job and for reasons that have nothing to do with me.  In thier head I am somehow at fault for some percieved wrong years in the past that he cannot seem to let go of.  It strikes me at the moment that when we pray for people, especially our enemies, we begin to see them as Jesus sees them, a lost soul in need of a savior just as we were. 


verse 21 concludes: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.  This is hard too, but we cannot let evil people and their ways get the better of us.  Being the humans we are, we can only appeal to the holy Spirit to empower us to not be overcome of evil.  It is also the Holy spirit that will reveal ways and empower us to to good to overcome the evil.


I don't wish any ill will toward this person, but I do pray they would just go away or change.  One or the other.  I suppose with Gods sense of humor, I would be the one through which this instrument of change should come about.  Things cannot remain as they are though.  I am at my limit of being able to live peacably with this person.  I've tried the doing good to them.  I'm tired and wanted to rant a bit and end up led into a lesson of how I should be acting in this situation.  Praise the Lord. 

Does the Church have it Backwards?

Colossians 2: ¹⁶ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
¹⁷ Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.


Most of the time when people use this verse, they are generally making the case that we are no longer under the law, that the law has been done away with, and that we therefore no longer have to be obedient to what God has said through the law.  But, is this what the passage is really saying?


I propose that it may be saying just the opposite of what most people use it for.  It may just be saying to let no man judge you for KEEPING the Sabbath and FOLLOWING the dietary commands, or using the Jewish calendar to denote holy days and keeping them.  Some of the biggest debates in Christendom surround the idea that we need to be obedient to the whole Bible.


Many Christians today have been taught that they no longer have to do what the bible says to do because certain parts of the Bible have been done away with.  Is this so?  Christians often use the previous verses to substantiate their claims.  
 

¹³ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
¹⁵ And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

The argument is that the OT laws were blotted out.  The truth is, what was blotted out was the penalty for violation of Gods commands.  Jesus himself said,  Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  That fulfilling was His substitutionary death in our stead.  In no way were any of Gods commands declared null and void.  

 

this easy believism and grace without responsibility is what has watered down the churches message.  It has destroyed the witness of Christians.  Rather than being separated from the world through obedience to God, the church has become part of the world, nearly indistinguishable from unbelievers.  The rates of sin within the church are just as high, if not higher, than outside.  

 

There is no more fear of Yahweh in believers any longer.  The salt has lost its savor and is being trodden under foot.  Every vestige of our heritage as Christians is being removed from society.  Over the last 50 years God has been removed from nearly every institution.  Where have the Christians been?  

 

Believers!  It is time to repent and return unto the way of the Lord.  Time is short and the harvest is ripe.  Turn away from the lie of grace as a license and do as thou wilt churchianity.  It is time to submit yourself to do what God has commanded you to do.  We serve a might God, not the other way around.  God is not our magic genie to make us feel all warm and fuzzy and give us the things we want.  We are His servants who are to do as HE commands of us.  Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Which Way Do I Go?

The other day I was pondering my work situation and whether or not I should be there. What direction should I go? Do I just chuck it all and wander about, and several other crazy things.  My job is not exactly the most Christian oriented.  Many of the values it promotes are anti-Christian and discussion about faith is suppressed.  It’s been something on my mind as to whether or not I should be working in such an environment.  Am I actually helping to promote an anti-Christian system by assisting in its functioning?


Those are some tough thoughts, and the implications that could arise from the answers would certainly be life altering.  I don’t have a great job, but in this day and age, I really do have a good job.  I get paid more than many and have benefits that many don’t get.  The job has let me live a pretty decent lifestyle.  But, we are not supposed to look at the carnal, are we?  We should not trade principles of God for earthly gain.


I sometimes feel the call like that of Abram.  Get thee up out of thy house and thy kindred and go to a place that I will show you.  I’ve always been kind of a wanderer and there is a bit of romantic appeal to this for me.  I’ve been homeless and broke though and I know what that is like and how unromantic it really is.  Still, if that is what God calls you to, He will provide.  This I know from experience too.  I’m just not quite sure about whether this is for me or not.


On the other hand, I look at Joseph.  Although he did not really have a choice in the matter, he found himself working in places that were extremely against God and His ways; first at the captain of the guards, then as a prisoner, and finally ruling over an ungodly nation.  All the while that he was doing his work, he never compromised his principles between he and God.  He worked hard, accurate, and honestly.  God blessed everything Joseph did because of his faithfulness.  In every situation he found himself in, he was promoted over time to a position of leadership as others saw his hard and honest work, and the blessing god bestowed upon that work.  It was not quick progression, but one that took years, all the while being faithful to God to carry out his duties as best he could so as to honor God.  I’m just not sure about whether this is for me or not.


I think back to my early days as a Christian and how I was prophesied as a minister of God and trained in that.  Is that the direction I am going?  I’m not even sure how to get there.  Am I to end up having a church?  Is this here kind of like my church?  What is God preparing me for?  Where is this blog even going?  Lol


Mainly I suppose it is that we need to be obedient in the small things.  If we tell the truth, help others, love, do our work as unto God, be obedient; eventually we will find out the answers we have about what is to occur.  We have to trust God that he has our futures in control and we need to just be obedient day by day.
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Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Did God Just Say That? pt 3

A few weeks ago I shared the story of how God talked to me and gave me a parking spot in the front row of the grocery store.  I took a lot of grief sharing that tale.   Some people don’t think God talks to people.  Others think God would not be so trivial.  Still others questioned why me and why not some elderly person.  I could not answer those questions, nor did I even try.  God does what God does for reasons only He knows.  It is not for us to wonder why, it is for us to obey and live.

There was one person who gave an interesting perspective.  They brought up Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  They were thinking that God used something insignificant to see if I was listening and faithful and that down the road there would be something bigger.  They were right.

A little over a week ago, I found a receipt for a certified letter in my mailbox.  It said that I needed to go down to the post office to sign for it and pick it up.  Now, normally I don’t do certified letters.  They almost always mean bad news.  Suddenly I had that familiar thought in my brain.  It was the same way as the parking event.  “Go and pick it up.  It will be ok”.  

 
I gave pause, just like I did before.  Did I just hear that?  Did God just speak to me again, or am I just wishful thinking.  I went back and forth in my head as I drove down to the post office.  Was it me?  Was it God?  But I did know from the parking incident that following through brought a blessing.  Perhaps this too would end up being a blessing?  There was only one way to find out; be obedient and go get the certified mail.

I wish I could say that things went as smoothly and quickly as getting a parking spot and whizzing through a checkout line.  It has not.  What was uncovered with that certified letter was years of underhanded sneakiness and deceit that has been going on behind my back.  It exposed some dark dealings meant to rob me of what was rightfully mine.   Those who have been exposed are not just going to step aside either and are digging in to fight tooth and nail. 

Normally, what has been uncovered and the subsequent fallout would be very stressful.  It would be a normal reaction to be angry.  While it is taking some effort on my part to further uncover things and do my due diligence to rectify the wrong; there is a peace in me about this.  The matter is already settled.  God already said it will be ok.  It is already finished.

While I was at work before getting home to write this, God spoke to me in another way; through a preacher.  The program I was listening to came from Joshua chapter 1.  He was explaining how Israel was about to go in and possess the land that was already theirs.  It was already a done deal.  God had already given it to them.  Certainly it was not easy.  Israel fought many battles along the way before they actually owned the land.  But, while they fought the battles, the outcome of the war was a foregone conclusion.  It was theirs.  They just had to root out those who were there.