Life Choices

I started this blog over a year ago, in the amount of time I have had over 5000 hits on this blog. It began as a choice to put my thoughts out there for people to read. Just like this blog is a choice for me so are so many other things I do.

I have learned that I need to live intentionally, because yes it is easy to walk through life by feelings, but feelings come and go, but what stands strong are choices. If I am going to walk as a Christian man I need to be willing to make that choice moment by moment, it can't be that I just say yes to the Lord, but go about and live by my feelings once again. I have to let the old me pass and what God has for me to rule. It is not my way, but Your way oh Lord.

See life is so much greater when I excepted the point that they are all through choices that I make. If we all lived by feelings we would be in and out of relationships, friendships, we would disown our kids, we would leave churches, jump from job to job, but that isn't how it works well. When we make a choice to do something we must stick with it. When we ask Jesus to live in our lives, it is a choice, but it is not just for one day it is a lasting covenant with Him. We make choices daily. Even in the person we love, the love feeling is stronger some days and in other days it may dwindle, does that mean we love them less? No, because love is a choice, the choice is our to chose. When someone gets married it is a choice, they say I do and I will, because that is part of the choice. It comes down to excepting that life is a choice, excepting that God has given me today to serve Him by my choices, to love Him by my choices and to shine His light through my choices. I can either hide the light or I can allow others to see what He has done and continues to do inside of me.

It says in Joshua 24:15 choose ye today whom you are going to serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. It is a daily choice, what is today going to hold and are you going to allow God to work in your choices?

Real Love in a Christian Relationship

This video is so worth the 30 minutes. I hope it comes through.

Sowing and Reaping

Last night I was wrapping gifts, but as I was wrapping them, I was thinking back about my life and where I am now. I was thinking about how things have been. I will explain a little bit.

Galatians 6:7 (KJV)
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

I lived my life a certain way, not thinking of anyone, but myself. I didn't think how my actions would affect others, I didn't live the very true bible verse Matthew 7:12 (NIV)"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." I didn't say that, it is in the Bible. God gave us His word as a gift, it is a light to show us the way. Are we willing to learn from it?

My life was full of myself, I was entangled with doing things for me and in that I paid the price, I didn't reap anything, but being alone, pain and hurt. I brought it on myself with the way I conducted myself, it is no one fault but my own.

Today I thank God for the gift of His grace, because I am here before you a new man. He saved me from how I once was, how it was all about me, what I wanted and has changed me. I am so thankful that I am here today with a new chance to do life right, to do marriage right, to love the way Jesus has taught me to love, to teach and to grow. He gave me a gift when He sent His son Jesus here to earth to be born, to walk as we walk and then to die for my sins, so that I may find freedom in Him, so that I may be able to be the man I am today. He didn't just come for me, He came for you too, what are you sowing? How are you treating others?

Christmas Time

It is that time of year again, everyone is busy rushing from this place to that place, worried about all they have to do to get ready for the big day. The day of preparation, buying, wrapping and worry about what to get everyone. Have you ever noticed how many people are in the stores, they are focused on the very task of getting what they need, but they miss out on the very things that could bring meaning to this time of the year.

What is the reason for the season? Is it about the big man in the red suit? Is he really the reason for the season? Maybe it is time to think about who sent us the gift originally.

God sent us His Son Jesus, He was born on Christmas to bring us hope, to bring us a new life, a new meaning.

If you are busy rushing into and out of stores, busy with your own things, remember that Christmas is not about us, but about the birth, the celebration of Jesus's birth. When someone cuts in front of you, or cuts you off ask yourself what would Jesus do. Isn't it time to start mirroring His actions?

Have a blessed day and remember God sent us the ultimate gift by sending Jesus here to be born, to live and then to die for our salvation. It is the grace of God. Jesus is the reason for the season and if you are searching for the joy, remember this very simple thing.

Jesus
Others
You

Great Are You Lord

"Great Are You Lord"

You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken

Great are You, Lord

It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
To You only

You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken

Great are You, Lord

It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
To You only
[x2]

All the earth will shout
Your praise
Our hearts will cry
These bones will sing
Great are You, Lord
[x3]

It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
To You only
[x2]

God has given us the ability to make choices to make mistakes, but He has taught us about grace and the grace to walk each day to serve Him to praise Him. He came to the earth to free us from ourselves, it is our choice to allow Him to do that or to keep making the same choices that bring us to the same conclusions. They say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Today is about doing it God's way and allowing His grace to cover us. He continues to teach us, it comes down to our choice if we want to learn.

I am so thankful that He has not given up on me, that He continues to teach me each day and I want to learn, to grow and to learn what He teaches me, because it is in that, that makes me more of the man I am today. 

The enemy comes to rob, steal and destroy, but Jesus has come and has set us free. Are we going to allow the enemy to win or are we going to walk in the freedom that Jesus has given us? The enemy says we can't do it, we can't change, but Jesus says that we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us. The enemy is the one that feeds us lies, but Jesus is the way the truth and the light.

Jesus is the only way and if you want freedom from all the lies, seek ye first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness. For what you seek you shall find, are you willing to seek God first? 

Pride

I have had to look at myself this Christmas season and really think why I find it so easy to give and not receive. Is it really because of what the Bible says, or is there more to it. I have had to think about how many times I have asked for help verses how many times I have offered help. What am I getting when I help someone, when I issue them kindness through words, I am getting the acknowledgement that I helped that person, but man when someone tries to do that for me, why am I so taken back by this, why do I say I do it myself, I do it my way, why do I avoid asking for help?

PRIDE. My pride of it all gets in the way. Pride says I can help others, but man I don't need any help. I can say I am there for my fiance, but when she tries to be there for me I allow my pride to stand in the way. The Bible talks about pride. When I offer to help, I must be willing to receive help too, what a concept, being able to give and to receive with a gentle heart.

I have thought love was just giving, but how can love be just giving if someone else loves you, I must be able to receive that love from them, I must be able to receive the same things that I want to give. Love is so much more about both, it may not be gifts, but my time and their time, or there help in an area that I need it and even in the area I don't need it, I must not allow pride to stand in the way. Have I been to proud to receive help in the past? I have and admitting my failures in this is not just enough, I have to be willing to allow God to work in this area in my life.

God sent His son Jesus to be born as a human, that is what this Christmas time is about. He gave us this gift and we have received it, but isn't it time that we not only receive it, but also receive the idea that love isn't just about giving, but love is about being able to receive as well.

I thought it was just prideful, but not just pride it is selfish of me, because I was thinking only of myself when in fact the other people were looking to assist me in ways that I didn't want help. This is all tied together and I didn't even realize it, Christmas time it is so hard for me to receive the gifts that people give, but just like I, they love to give and receiving them requires a humble heart and being able to say thank you requires me to be honest not only with myself, but with others. This Christmas time it is not only about the gifts that we give, but also about receiving.

Pride is selfish, it is time that I allow God to change me, to do that deep work in my heart and teach me not only how to give, but also how to receive. How does my lack of receiving affect the other person? How does that make them feel? Oh man, I really failed in regards to this. Oh Lord Help me to receive with a humble heart.

Additional thought:
I added a section about The Love Dare, because it talks about all these things that I have learned and continue to learn. I will continue to add dares through out the time, because I think it will continue to establish them in me as well.

Words to Songs

When I sit or stand worshiping God in church they put the music that we are singing up on a screen and so I know what words come next. I sing the songs, but do I really know what I am singing? Have I ever thought to consider the words and really just let them dwell in me. Maybe it is just me and others know the words to the songs and know exactly what they are singing, but there was a song yesterday that really ministered to me as I sang it and I wanted to share it with you.

"No One Higher"

Our Father, Creator

You hold our hearts together

There's no one higher than You

Redeemer, Defender

Our great and mighty Savior

There's no one higher than You

You are always with us

Gracious to forgive us

By Your power we've been set free

And Lord we stand amazed in Your presence

Astounded by Your mercy and love

Our hands are lifted high in surrender

Your grace for me is always enough

And there is no one higher than our God

There is no one higher than our You

My Comment: We surrender all to Him, that means His will be done in our lives, each day, every moment, He is in control and we are giving it to Him, not just during the song, but in our lives. We are worshiping Him for the great and marvelous God He is and we are saying we trust you and your will in us.

Majestic in wonder

You reign with love forever

There's no one higher than You

Your beauty, Your splendor

Your glory knows no measure

There's no one higher than You

You are always with us

Gracious to forgive us

By Your power we've been set free

And Lord we stand amazed in Your presence

Astounded by Your mercy and love

Our hands are lifted high in surrender

Your grace for me is always enough

And there is no one higher than our God

There is no one higher than our You

Let my life forever praise the glory of Your name

There is no one higher than You

There is no one higher

No one greater

No one like our God

There is none more able

Christ our Savior

Great and glorious

And Lord we stand amazed in Your presence

Astounded by Your mercy and love

Our hands are lifted high in surrender

Your grace for me is always enough

And there is no one higher than our God

There is no one higher than our You

Let my life forever praise the glory of Your name

There is no one higher than You

My thoughts: Have you ever stopped to really think about the words you are singing? Today I urge you to think about the music that is coming from your lips and really mean it, not because that is just what is being sung, but because it is your hearts desire, to worship God, to praise His holy Name. We have the greatest honor, it is truly amazing. 

Verse for today

Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

A New Chapter

I wanted to share with the people that read my blog, that another chapter in my life has begun. This time has been a journey for me, through hardship and struggles I have continued to focus on God. He has gone before me, He has opened doors and paved the way, yes there have been obstacles, but with every obstacle there has been a lesson, with the hard days there have been easier ones too. I can look back over the years that have passed and really seen the lessons in each storm, some storms last more then I want them too. After the storm there is the calm and in the calm reflection and learning. It is the whole lesson of not focusing on the storm, but focusing my attention on God. It is so easy to get lost in the storm, so easy to take my eyes off God, but in order to get through the very thing that I am struggling with, the more I rely on God the more I see Him carrying me through.

In all I have seen God's hand even in the hardships teaching me to embrace Him.

As you all know I have been dating a woman, her and I have grown closer and closer together. Yes we have had struggles, but even through them when we rely on God He brings us through, when we try and do it alone is the hardest thing. I believe God brought us together and I am excited to share that we are now engaged to be married. To be able to walk this life growing, learning, loving and sharing will be incredible. I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I do know who holds it.

I am extremely excited to do this right, I have shared the lessons about love, about all I have learned and continue to learn, God gets all the glory, I am but a tool. He has gone before us and He is with us walking and loving is. He teaches us how to love unconditionally, it comes down to our choices, do it alone or allow Him to lead. I want Him to lead and I want to see where God takes us next.

Love

Jesus died on the cross because He loved me so much, can you imagine choosing to die because you loved so much? He knew all the sins I would commit, but still He died for me, He knew that it would take me over 40 years to understand what true love really is and He knew that all and He still loved me so much He died on the cross for my sins. What an incredible example of the word LOVE.

How much do you say you love the one you are with? I have found that Love is so much greater then any 4 letter word. Jesus loves me unconditionally, He always has and He always will. He came to this world to teach us and then to save us from our sins. He made the choice to die and carry our burden, it was a choice, it was His choice. What a true example of a man, He was born into a human body, He walked and experience life and then He experienced the ultimate death, not only did He die on the cross for our sins, but God turned His back on Him, "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" He bore our sins, He carried our weight, because He loves us that much.

Today do you have anyone you say you love? I know I do and I want my love to be not just a action, not just a word to say, but I want it to be so much more. It isn't just a 4 letter word, it is a choice to walk with that person, to love them unconditionally, to be there for them and to allow them to be there for me. It isn't about loving them more, but about loving God so much that the love I have for the people I say I love will just be radiant and obvious to those around me and for the people I say I love you too. Love comes to be something much greater then a feeling, it is a choice.

If you have off days, or days you do not feel like doing things, you will then allow love to be a choice to chose to love because that is what Jesus did for us. What an example for those around, what a witness and what a way to show love has no barriers, humans are the only ones that create barriers. Are you willing to love Jesus more? And by loving Jesus more you will be able to love those around you unconditionally. Isn't it time to love God's way? Your choice, just like Jesus had a choice.

God Working

I was thinking last night as I sat inside on the another snowy evening, just thinking about how God is working and has worked. I was talking to my girlfriend about this as well.

See back when the apartment became available I really prayed asking God because my lease does not run out on the LeRoy apartment until December. I didn't want to pay both, but I wanted to allow God to lead. I had a sense He was opening a door for me to move and I listened. It has been tight, but God has been faithful through this whole time. The Snowvember hit, snow like none we have seen before and it was like God was saying, see there was a reason I had you move earlier. He has provided and it has been amazing seeing Him work.

It is easy to miss out on why God has us where He does, or has us going through things He has us go through, but there is always a reason and He will be faithful at some point to share that reason with us, but just trust and see His hand moving in our lives. He is with us, He has made a promise to never leave us nor forsake us and I am seeing that time and time again. He is faithful and what the devil means for bad, God is faithful to turn around for God and to bring glory to His name, don't be afraid, even when times are tough and the storms are raging around you, trust and believe that God will bring you through, because He is ever faithful, we just have to believe.

Lesson from Joseph's (Zaphenath-paneah) life

Have you ever read the story of Joseph. I have heard this story many times, but for some reason today it has really made an impression on me, I am not sure why, but it is incredible just how God had gone before Joseph and prepared a way for him.

When we look at our lives it is easy to see where we are, but not see where God is moving us to. We struggle in the small things and yet God has a bigger picture in mind.

Joseph's dreams:
Genesis 37:5-11 "5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?”And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind."

His brothers sold him into slavery. They didn't see the bigger picture, they just saw their anger, they thought they would stop the dreams from happening, but God. What a lesson this is for our lives, we ask if what we are doing is where God wants us, but God has made a way for us and our little minds can not fathom what the reason is.

Joseph went from rags to riches, but he didn't forget where he came from. When his brothers came and bowed down to him he didn't say see my dream came true. He didn't rub it in there face, but he loved them all the same. It would be so easy to make them pay for what they had done, but I think the bigger payment wasn't taking wrong for wrong, but they wronged him and he loved them. He didn't hold it over them, but he brought them to live there.  What a lesson for us today. It is easier to say he did that to me and I have the right to do it back to him, but what does God say? Do not pay back wrong with wrong, love them regardless. Romans 12:17-21 "Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

We can learn so much from what is written. Apply the story of Joseph to your life, have you been wronged in the past? How did you handle it? Today if you are wronged in the same way, how will you handle it? God has a plan for your life, just like He had a plan for Joseph's life, even when it looked like he would be a slave, he was used in great ways. We get to see the whole picture, how do you think Joseph reacted to each day in prison? What do you think his thoughts were? God is the God of the impossible.

This lesson has taught me so much, it is easy to look at the place where I am and wonder why God, but know what, God knows why He has me here and I need to rest and trust in Him. He knows, He sees the bigger picture, I see a polaroid He sees the whole thing. There is so much more and I need to trust in Him.

Today

There are many verses about today in the bible. It is so easy to forget the word of God when we talk about today. We look at it as another Monday, as another day to go to work, another day to live, but really what does today hold? We don't know, we know our busy schedules, we are busy about many things, but what is the one thing we should be steadfast in doing? Resting and knowing that God is God and He will provide. When times seem tough, He is the one that will carry us through. When times are easy, it is easy to forget all we have learned from the past days.

Psalm 18:24 "This is the day the Lord has made;We will rejoice and be glad in it."

It is so easy to think today is just another day, but guess what God made today, He made it for you, He has gone before us and is with us.

Matthew 6:25-34 "Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

God is good and His mercies endure forever. He has gone before us and is with us, we should rejoice and allow God to work, for if we try and do it on our own, we will only grow tired and weary, but rest in God and He will give us strength. Have you ever tried so hard to do something on your own, but can't get it done, but when you rest in God He gets it completed. Allow God to set your schedule, when you get up, say Lord today is your day and I want to rejoice and be glad in it, but I am struggling to accomplish all that I have, Lord please guide my steps and allow me to walk according to your way, not my own. See we can get lost in our ways, but His ways are much better then our own. Isn't it time to walk in His ways? Not just in the morning, at meal time, but all day long. Allow Him to guide you and your time and His timing is so much better.

Today praise Him where ever He may have you, thank Him for the storms and allow Him to lead. More of Him and less of me.

Prayer Thoughts

Have you ever thought about your prayer language? No, I am not talking about speaking English or some other language, I am talking about how we bring our requests before God. Is your prayer a shopping list of requests, are you saying Dear Lord, I pray that you will help me to walk according to Your word, I ask that you will... I request... I ... Do you get where I am going with this?

How are we to approach God, with praise and thanksgiving. It is easy to pray with all our requests, but what is the answer to those requests. It is very hard to do, I have prayed more times then I can count and it becomes like a habit to pray with the question and not the answer. Change comes hard, but pray with the answer and allow God to do the rest. Let me explain a little more on that, because I can see that it could be taken like I am telling God what to do and that is not what I am saying.

Dear Lord, I thank you for today, I thank you for the life you have given me, I thank you for loving me even when I do not feel like I can love myself, thank you for showing me through your grace that I can except me right where you have me, I praise your name oh Lord and I thank you for giving me the wisdom to handle my son today and even when I want to not respond because I feel like he is rejecting me out, thank you that I am reminded about your Grace father and I thank you for that. Thank you for providing a girlfriend that loves You and I thank you for continuing to establish yourself in her life, thank you that she loves me Lord, thank you for bringing her into my life to help me walk closer to you. Thank you for giving me peace Lord to handle the hard places that I come to, thank you for continuing to show me your love and faithfulness. Lord I failed to stand tall, but I thank you for the hard place that you brought me to and showed me how I need to just trust in you even in my weakness you remind me that You Oh Lord are strong. Thank you for never leaving me and being with me even when I was struggling to focus on you, You are right there, thank you for the storms because I am able to sink my roots into you, into your word deeper despite the weather...

It no longer is a prayer of a list of requests, but a prayer thanking Him for even the areas in which it is easy to ask for, but much harder to say thank you Lord for His grace. In all circumstances give thanks. It is changing how you approach the Thrown of God that could make the change that you are looking for. God is faithful and His way is better then our ways.

We are to trust and believe, have faith even in the uncertainty of life, that God will provide a way. How are you praying? Are you asking God for a way, or thanking Him for the way He is providing? He is faithful to provide, what if instead of asking Him to provide, you thank Him for the provisions He has brought you, thank Him for what He has given you and just be thankful in all things. Do you think that your views will change? I believe they will, because I know that I still struggle in not asking, but thanking God. Be thankful doesn't always come easy, but being thankful helps me to focus on what God is doing and less on what I want Him to do.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Psalm 107:1 "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Psalm 118:1 "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Colossians 1:3 "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,"

1 Timothy 4:4-5 "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."

1 Chronicles 16:34 "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Reflections

I was thinking about how we reflect other people and how it comes so naturally to us. We drive down the road and I want to switch lanes. The person speeds up and doesn't allow me to get into that lane, I have a choice to either get mad or to love them even though they did that. Oh you are so right, I get mad and we pull up to the next light and I cut them off as quick as I can. I drive into work and that person is someone I work with, what kind of influence was I? Here I talk a good talk, but I reflected there selfish attitude, I wanted to be in control, I wanted it my way and so on.

The choice for the above scenario was mine, yes I can say if they didn't cut me off, it was because of them, but the truth of the matter was it was my choice to follow in there attitude. I can see how this is a crossed the board, someone at works gives me attitude and what is my reaction. See I can react like they do or I can take the higher ground and reflect the love of Jesus in my reactions.

We are responsible not for there reaction when we reflect the love of Jesus. I took it on myself for a while and thought if I would do this differently they will react differently, but when someone approaches me and gives me attitude, that is not my issue, but when it becomes my issue is how I respond. Jesus calls us to love and reflecting the love of God we can do that. There reaction isn't about me until I make it about reflecting there attitude back. When I reflect the love of Jesus, there reaction is just that, there own. When we react to them, we only create issues and we do not do anything other then create a problem. How can we reflect God's love if we are reacting to them. Isn't it time to react the way God calls us to? I have done it the wrong way and now it is time to do it the right way, God's way.

God calls us to love even the most unlovable, it is our choice to do that. Somethings do not always come easy, especially when we try and do them in our own strength. Take the sun and the moon for example. The moon is a huge star, or something and without the sun it is void, not much to the moon. But when you add the sun, it becomes a beautiful light in the sky in the darkness. The Son of man came to the world to die and rise again. He has brought us hope, peace, joy, patience and more, without Him we are like the moon, void and without meaning, but with Him we are a bright shining star. It isn't our light we shine, we shine the Light of Jesus through us.

Today don't reflect others, reflect the love of God and see the difference God can make. Let the attitudes be there own and your attitude be what God calls you to.

Intentional Thinking Verses Feelings

I have found that there is so much easy to say, but yet harder yet to do it. It is easy to say that I can keep my eyes on Jesus even in the storms, but yet when the storm comes it is so easy to look at the storm, see the trouble, see what I am facing and in doing so lose sight of what Jesus is trying to teach me. I have seen and continue to see that life has to be intentional, it isn't just when things feel good, or when I get the warm bubbling feeling, but it has to be even when I don't. If I look at all I have to be intentional about, I am surprised at how much it goes against the worlds point of view.

The world says, do it if it feels good to you, when you fall out of love it is over and there are so many more cases of this. If I base my choices on the world, I do not live intentionally. I can see that I need to do things not because they come naturally, but because it becomes a choice. Who said life would be easy, being a Christian doesn't mean that life will be easy. It is through being intentional that the difference is made.

In the Bible it says pray without ceasing, but to do this we need to be intentional about doing this, if I try to do it in my own power I will not be able to, it is about complete surrender, which also has to be intentional.

I live a life, it is by choice that I live this life, if I am going to live with a better frame of mind, I must be intentional about doing so, if I am going to see things for positive, I must be intentional in doing so. The excuses I have heard is it is to hard, it isn't natural and the list goes on, but I can honestly say that being intentional about things I do, it becomes more a part of who I am, then living just because I am alive.

Is it time to live intentionally, instead of just living. I want to live life intentionally and be the man that God calls me to be and I will have hard times, I will see the negative in things, I will struggle, but it is in all this that I am learning how to truly be. It is a battle, but I believe that with God all things are possible. He is the God of the I'm Possible.

A thought for tonight

I woke up tonight and I was singing a song. I am never sure what wakes me up, but I try and just ask God who I should pray for during the time I am awake.. I don't always succeed at praying because I get caught thinking about all the sleep I am missing. But then after I wake up in the morning I wish I had prayed instead of thinking about poor me.

Tonight as I woke up, I started down the road of poor me and I got off the ride. I just sensed I needed to write down what I was going through. And put this song down.

Crown Him With Many Crowns

Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark! How the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own!
Awake, my soul and sing
Of Him Who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.

Crown Him the Lord of love!
Behold His hands and side—
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends His wond’ring eye
At mysteries so bright.

Crown Him the Lord of life!
Who triumphed o’er the grave,
Who rose victorious in the strife
For those He came to save.
His glories now we sing,
Who died, and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring,
And lives that death may die.

Crown Him the Lord of heav’n!
One with the Father known,
One with the Spirit through Him giv’n
From yonder glorious throne,
To Thee be endless praise,
For Thou for us hast died;
Be Thou, O Lord, through endless days
Adored and magnified.

When tough times come, remember that God is with you. He has come to set you free. He has conquered death and has brought you life. He rules victorious and is with you every moment. He chose you from the foundations of the earth, He knew your bad days and good and He has given us hope for more, for even in the bad we are to thank Him. When we stop looking inward and start looking upward we are then allowing God.

Make a choice today to allow God to order your steps. We see what happens when we do it, now do it His way.

Great I Am

This song has been in my head for days and I wanted to share it with you.

I wanna to be close close to your side
Heaven is real and death is a lie
I wanna hear voices of angels above
Singing as one

Hallelujah Holy Holy
God almighty Great I am
Who is worthy
None beside Thee
God Almighty
Great I Am

I wanna be near near to your heart
Loving the world hating the dark
I want to see dry bones living again
Singing as one

Chorus
Hallelujah
Holy Holy
God almighty Great I am
Who is worthy
None beside Thee
God Almighty
Great I Am

He's the Great I Am Great I Am

The mountains shake before Him
The demons run and flee
At the mention of the name
King of Majesty
There is no power in hell
Or any who can stand
Before the power and the presence of the Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am

(Chorus)

Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am

The mountains shake before Him
The demons run and flee
At the mention of the name
King of Majesty
There is no power in hell
Or any who can stand
Before the power and the presence of the Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am

(chorus)
the Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am

God's Grace

I was thinking over my life and thinking about the grace of God. I have taken for granted that very thing, the very thought of the grace that He has given me. It is so easy to see my life as what it was, instead of what it is, to see my failures, but God's grace has allowed me to be here today, to be here to love more, to except that I am not perfect, but God. I see my faults, but the grace of God is with me, not because it has to be, but because it is God, sovereign almighty God.

2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Though I am weak, He is strong. We strive to be the best of the best, better then others in different things, but in our weakness God is our strength. When we admit our weakness to Him to others, He is our strength. I will fail, but God is my strength. I may not be able to love as much as I should love, but Gods love is pouring from me, I may not be the greatest father, but God's is our father and in my weakness's He is my strength. It is when we admit our failures, when we admit we need help, that is when we are finally able to see that the help is there.

I have to admit that I am proud and it is so hard to ask anyone for help. It is so easy to think that I can do it alone, but when I admit I need help, then I am willing to recieve it. The Bible talks about this, in Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." When I am to proud to say I need help, that is when I am going to fall.

I have done it my way and allowing someone else to help me is so difficult, but it is so worth it. I reflect on the choices in my life and when I struggle the most is when I want to do it alone and on my own, because how could anyone understand me. Do you see the fault in that statement? There are several, I have made choices for others instead of allowing others to make those choices. I can't put words in their mouth and for me to do that is wrong. I need to allow others to help.

For example on Saturday I asked my girlfriend to help me finish cleaning my old apartment, just having her there motivated me, it helped me see that we can work together, it helped me communicate what I was thinking, instead of just doing it myself. The whole time it built a bond between her and I. If I had done it alone, that bond wouldn't be as strong as it is now. By allowing others, by allowing God, I see that my ways are not perfect, that I need to except the help and be thankful, because without the help I would be lost.

God has brought people into my life to help me, but it takes courage and guts to allow them to be the support I need. God's grace has been with me through it all. His love and His faithfulness, because I can't do this life alone, I can try, but I will surely fail. By allowing God and the people He has brought into my life, it is no longer the statement of "my way" it changes to "Your Way".

What I am saying reminds me of a verse from:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

"9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:

10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.

11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

I have listened to the lie in my life long enough, if I do it alone, then I can't get hurt and I don't need help, I am stronger when I do it alone (have you said this, have you heard others say these?). By not allowing others, I am hurting myself. It is time for a change and it is only by the grace of God that I can do this. For change has to start with me and it is only through the strength of God that this change can happen.

Song for the day

In the name of Jesus

In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus,
We have the victory.

In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus,
Satan will have to flee.

Oh, oh, oh

Tell me who can stand before us

When we call on that great name

Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus

We have the victory

Fear

What is fear?

fear
ˈfir/
noun
1.
an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.
"drivers are threatening to quit their jobs in fear after a cabby's murder"

synonyms: terror, fright, fearfulness, horror, alarm, panic, agitation, trepidation,dread, consternation, dismay, distress; More

verb

1.
be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening.
"he said he didn't care about life so why should he fear death?"

synonyms: be afraid of, be fearful of, be scared of, be apprehensive of, dread, live in fear of, be terrified of; More

We think fear is just being fearful of monsters and buggy men, but the truth is fear is through our being if we allow it. Fear can really control how we are, or how we can be, it can change our minds, make us fearful because of things from the past, it can cause us to be agitated, or distressed, dismayed and so much more.

I am finding as I am allowing God to work on the wall of fear in my life that more things that could bring fear are coming in droves. For example this morning a simple morning text didn't come through, something as simple as that, but it can bring us to a state of panic, instead of thinking that the cell phone didn't deliver our message, it is easy to jump to the worst case. The person doesn't want to talk with me, see by allowing the simple fear into us, we have allowed a foot hold in our lives. I was speaking to someone that says everyone has fear, it is just a part of life, but I have to wonder if it is a part of life because we have allowed it to be. What does the Bible say about fear?

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."

Isaiah 41:10 ESV "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

There are so many more places in which the Bible talks about fear. God has not brought us the spirit of fear, but of a sound mind. When fear comes and it will, be willing to call it what it is and be willing to say in the name of Jesus, I want no part of this fear, in the name of Jesus fear be gone. Allowing the power of the name of Jesus to be your deliverer, not trying to talk yourself out of fear, but believing in Jesus who has brought us peace and so much more. 

In Psalms David talked about the fear: Psalm 23:1-6 ESV "A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."

God never leaves us or forsakes us. As we start confessing our fear as sin and using the name of the Jesus to make sure the fear stays away, we will find that more fearful situations happen, because fear wants to control our lives, but who is more powerful then fear? Isn't it time we start using the power that Jesus has given us? 

Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

God is with you, just allow Him to lead you and guide you, when fear comes don't allow it, allow God. 

Great Are You Lord

"Great Are You Lord"

You give life, You are love

You bring light to the darkness

You give hope, You restore

Every heart that is broken

Great are You, Lord

It's Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

We pour out our praise

It's Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

To You only

You give life, You are love

You bring light to the darkness

You give hope, You restore

Every heart that is broken

Great are You, Lord

It's Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

We pour out our praise

It's Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

To You only

[x2]

All the earth will shout

Your praise

Our hearts will cry

These bones will sing

Great are You, Lord

[x3]

It's Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

We pour out our praise

It's Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

To You only

Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-18
"The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."

Put on the full armor of God, the more you seek God the more the devil tries to get in your way, because the last thing he wants you to do is find the peace that God has. The devil does not want you to find the comfort, he does not want you to find freedom and he will stop at nothing to make sure he wins, BUT guess what... God is so much stronger, we just need to seek ye first the kingdom of God, don't look to yourself, look to God. God is the answer, in the power that Jesus has is the answer. The name of Jesus is powerful, but Jesus is so much more powerful then just His name. 

I praise God for all He has done. It says praise Him in good times and guess what we need to praise Him in the storms of life, God is our deliverer, our strong tower, in Him we find the security from the enemy, who has come to rob, steal and destroy. Take shelter in God.

Jesus is the answer, not things, not money, not relationships, the hope you are looking for is in Jesus Christ. 

Have a wonderful day.

Confrontation

Yesterday I was in line at church to catch the shuttle to go to the other building. One could walk, but there is a sign up that crosses one of the road that reads No Pedestrian, or something like that. Well the couple behind me was debating whether to walk that way or not and I asked them what kind of an example that would be setting for those around us if we were to walk across the road. Well to say the least, me not being very tactful and I did not probably word it the best and the reaction I got was something I was not expecting. They wanted to argue the point with me and I realized just how important it is to state what we mean and stick with it.

I failed to say it right, but looking back at it helps me to learn from my mistakes. Yes I may have fallen, but it is how I stand back up and learn from how I handled it. I believe that if I saw them again I would apologize for how I handled it and ask there forgiveness, because not only can we do confrontation right, we can learn from it and grow from it.

I believe we all can learn from life, or we can just ignore our mistakes and remake them over and over again. I have made many mistakes repeatedly, but I wonder if I would have if I would have learned what God was teaching me the first time.

If you feel like you are repeating things over and over again, maybe it is time to learn from past mistakes and so you can move forward instead of going around the same mountain again. God will teach you, just be willing to hear the answer. It is hard, but it is so worth it. I don't know about you, but seeing the same mistakes in different circumstances gets pretty tiring after awhile. Learn and grow from your mistakes, we all make them and it helps to admit them. It isn't easy, but so worth it.

The Power in the Name

Have you ever considered the power of a name? I have been thinking about this, yes we can call many peoples name to mind. We can think about how we use peoples names, but no other name has more power then Jesus Christ. In John 14:13 ESV "Whatever you ask in my name (Jesus was saying this), this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." In His name, did you get that? There are many places that reference His name in the Bible, but if His name carries that much power, how much more does He carry.

Philippians 2:9-11 ESV "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Every knew shall bow at the name of Jesus. 

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Romans 10:9 "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Jesus will always be with us. Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." 

Easy to forget the truth of just the power in Jesus and He is with you if you believe in Him, if you have followed what Romans 10:9 says. Let your life be an example of Him. 

Signs of the Time

In Luke 21 (see below for chapter) talks about the Son of God returning. Today was a Lunar Eclipse and I don't know if you got to watch it, but it was beautiful. I was thinking about when people didn't know what was happening and what could cause such a thing to happen, but today we are told that it is the earth shadow that covers the moon. It removes the mystry of it all. When the Bible talks about the end times, it talks about things such as this, I don't know when Jesus is returning, but I do know He will be back. This year a lone there will be 2 blood moons, there are 2 lunar eclipses. This is a rare event, sending people into worry and causing all the websites to go crazy with theories and all, but what does the Bible talk about fear? Are we to be afraid when Jesus returns? No, we are to stand firm in our faith.

One of my struggles is fear, fear of so many things, fear of rejection, fear of being hurt, fear of standing out in a crowd, fear, fear, fear, but who is the author of fear? Who was sent to us to save us from our fear? 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"  I am learning that I need to stand and be counted, that Jesus was sent to save me from myself and in doing so, He was sent to save me from my fear. Fear can hold us back from seeing what God has, or I can allow God to overcome the fear and except that I will be free from it. This time I am finding is a time of learning for me and I am allowing God to tear down the walls of fear in my life.

Another verse of scripture that has really caught me this morning is this 2 Timothy 3 "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents,ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people."

We do not know the day or hour of His return, but we do know that He is coming back. He will return and my question for you is... Are you ready? (If there is anything I can do to help, anything you need prayer for, my e-mail is attached, you can always just e-mail me.)

Today is a new day and God has given us another day to live on this earth, isn't it time that we allow God to fill us up with His full power that He has for us. Do not be afraid, for He is with us, He is our Rock and our Steadfast love, He is the beginning and the end, He does not change.

Luke 21
"The Widow’s Offering

1As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3“Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times

5Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6“As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

7“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

8He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

10Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

12“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13And so you will bear testimony to me. 14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17Everyone will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19Stand firm, and you will win life.

20“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

29He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

32“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

34“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

37Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, 38and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple."

Song for today, Tuesday 10/7/14

Hallelujah for the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 
Hallelujah for the Lord our God the Almighty reigns,
Let us rejoice and be glad
And give all the glory unto Him,
Hallelujah for the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

This song just came to me as I was at work and I can't remember if this is all of it, but we are here because of Him. If your life is tough, look at all you are learning. If it is easy, take today and thank God for allowing you to walk this earth. We are to praise Him in good times and bad times. We are called to love Him more then things or people, because the more we love God, the more we are able to love people, our spouses or who we are in a relationship with, our kids. God teaches us how to love, how to have joy, how to be. Don't be afraid to be thankful in the storms, because He is teaching us so much.

If are life was all good with no storms, we would not learn the hard lessons. We would not need to sink our roots into the word of God. We would not learn how to live when the weather is not sunny, so today thank God for all things, praise Him for who He is and for establishing Himself in you.

The Move

Saturday I finally made the big move. I had spent a lot of time praying and trusting God and sometimes even doubting God in this move. I sensed it was time to be closer to work, closer to my girlfriend, but in all of it I still wanted to make sure I followed what God was saying, not what I wanted. I find it so easy sometimes to get lost in my wants and not to put God first. I don't know if others have that issue too, or is it just me.

God really came through, He paved the way and when I thought about doing things my way He closed the door. God just went before me and it was amazing to see His hand working.

The week was a tough week, but God pulled through. Where I couldn't do what He sure did. When we allow Him to work, He will do marvelous things, but when we try to force things, they will fall apart.

Friday, I got some of the truck packed. I danced between rain drops. Saturday morning, my girlfriend and I left Lancaster to drive to LeRoy. It was pouring rain when we left. When we got to LeRoy it was a little sunny, but no rain. We finished packing the truck and just as we were getting ready to leave, the rain began to fall. My thoughts raced to the fact that when we left earlier it was pouring rain, not much fun to move all in the rain. As we drove back, the sun was peeking through the clouds and it was turning into a beautiful day. We pulled into the apartments and unloaded the truck. I had a friend come and help which seemed to help a lot. The last piece of furniture to come off the truck and it began to rain.

God sure was in that. He continues to amaze me, people may say that is lucky, but I say no it is God.

I am so thankful that my girlfriend was there to help me set up, she helped me make the apartment home, it was an incredible feeling after all the worry and the struggles. I am so thankful for her, she continues to walk with me and to love me. She continues to support me through some hard spots, but is there. We continue to walk together and allowing God to be Lord of our life. We continue to learn about the love that God has for us and we continue to see the more we love God, the more we love each other.

I am thankful God has gone before us and is walking with us each day. He continues to establish Himself in our lives and I look forward to see what He has for us today.

Thank You Heidi for all your help.

Thought for Friday

Here is a thought for you today...

If there is no bad in the world, no devil, no evil, why did God send His Son Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior?

My Uncle wrote a letter that stated the following: "In 2007 Barna’s survey concluded that only 9% of all American adults held a Biblical worldview. Among those between the ages of 18 and 23, only one-half of one percent had embraced a Biblical worldview. Furthermore only 27% of Americans believed in a literal Satan and his hideous influence in our day. Because of this basic spiritual ignorance, darkness is continually growing darker in its impact on our culture. Every day we encounter the forces of darkness emanating from people, conversations, the various situations of life, the news, the books we read and the advertisements we see, the music we hear and the videos we watch, as well as the internet and movies ."

What do you believe? We can't make our own religion, take out the bad and only leave the good. The Bible clearly states that we are not to change the Bible, that it was breathed forth from God. What are we then doing when we take out the bad?

Jesus was sent to save us from ourselves? Save us from the bad, because there is bad to be saved from.

Standing Part 2

I was reflecting on the things that have happened the last few days, the lessons I have learned and the way in which God has a way of teaching us things about ourselves. We can learn the lessons the first time, or we can go around the mountain again and again until we learn the lessons. God has a way of teaching us even if we don't think we need to learn, He instructs us and is there to help us live a fuller life.

It is easy to say the words, it is easy to repent, but true repentance comes from the heart. It is being willing to say you are sorry for something, must mean you are sorry. Just like saying the word love, the word sorry will you forgive me takes on a whole new meaning. All are easy words to say, but when you look at the meaning of them, you need to be willing to except that if you can't follow through don't use them.

Repentance means turning from the sins, not make a 360 degree turn, it means making a turn that is 180 degrees and walking away from it. So when you ask forgiveness for something, that means you must turn from the wrong you have caused, not turn back to it. True repentance is walking away from it, being willing to except the consequences and dealing with them as they come. It is taking the time to actually make things right.

When you ask someone to forgive you, it is then there choice if they will or not. You can't worry yourself with if they do or not, it becomes there choice.

The lesson here is when you stand, turn from your wicked ways, humble yourself and pray. And in doing so you can stand and trust God to do the rest. We can't change others, only God can do that, but we can be accountable for our actions.

Have a wonderful day.

Stand

Yes, if you read yesterday's post I failed to be honest, I failed to be forth coming with the information of my struggles. I was reminded that yes it is easy to talk the walk, but much harder to walk it. We will have failures, we will make mistakes, but praise God that there is the grace of God. I am thankful that God still loves me even though I failed. That His grace is sufficient for me, I will struggle, addictions are hard to break, it is easy to fall, much harder to stand and stand accountable to someone else.

I am not making excuses for my actions for what I did was fail, but what I want to do is walk with my head up knowing that God loves me so much that He sent His son to die on the cross for my sins, for my failures and has taught us how to love.

Yes, I am not perfect, but through my mistakes I hope that I can reach one person. I pray that my wrongs will help you walk according to how God calls us to walk. Through my struggles, my failures may you learn that it is better to be accountable then to have the consequences of not allowing the person God has placed in your life to stand with you, to pray with and to walk with you.

I can't change what I did, but I can learn from it and grow from it.

Failure

It seems that I have to learn the hard way for most things and again my learning was through my failure. A few weeks ago I had a very stressful week and I gave into the temptations of smoking once again. That wasn't the worst part of it, it was the accountability partner that I let down. See my girlfriend said she would be there for me, she said she would pray with me, but I didn't contact her, I allowed my own feelings to get in the way of what was the truth. I hid my failures from my girlfriend until today and in seeing the devastation I have caused I realize that ones sins can not remain hidden. I can't hide my struggles, I can't say I will deal with them myself and it was all because I thought it was better, but if I had been honest this could all be avoided.

Deception on any level is still deception, I hid the truth from her and I can't take that back. I can say I am sorry, but still she feels as if I could hide anything from her. You see how one little sin can cause a multitude of issues. My failure has cost me someone that I love and to say I love that means I trust and to say I trust that means I must tell the truth, even if I am struggling. I know what the bible says about a lying tongue and about deceit and it is so true.

I ask my readers forgiveness as I failed you as well by me preaching a good talk, but walking it is so difficult. It is much harder to stand, much easier to fall. I fell and I am sorry I fell. I know that struggles will come, but focusing on God, allowing the people who say they want to help, allow them to help. We can't do it alone and in this life we must allow others in. I didn't and I am paying for that. I don't want to do life alone.

I pray that you will learn from my mistakes, my failures and that you can avoid the same pitfalls as I seem to be struggling with them still. I want to stand, Lord help me to stand, help my failure to be a ministry to others to avoid the pitfalls of deceit and doubt. Let others learn from me as I don't want to fail at this again. Lord help me to live as an example, not as an example of what not to do. Lord teach me today through this and help me to walk this out with humility. In your name I pray Amen.

I thought through my having no struggles that made me strong, but it is actually allowing God in my struggles that makes me strong. It is seeking the help I need, asking for it and being willing to say I am weak, but you are strong. Paul went through this too and he realized even though he was weak, that God was strong. That though he may struggle, that God is stronger. It is allowing God in the struggles that made him who we read about, not because he had no struggles. We see this through the Bible, but for some reason I didn't see it. Though I may struggle, it is admitting that and allowing God. I don't know, but I do know God is in control, I need to let Him work. It is not my will but yours be done.

Definition

I was reading a blog the other day and it was from a former pastor. He was stating how he got lost in the way of life, he allowed his job to define him, he was a pastor of a church and that made him a Godly man, but then he realized that his job couldn't define him, but God our heavenly father that must be the definition of our lives.

How true that is, when we focus on our jobs, we see that yes it puts food on table, it gives us money to do things, but really who gave us the job? God gave us the job, we need to change our focus from horizontal and focus on God. He is the one and only one that can define who we are. He gives us gifts and He will give us the wisdom to use those gifts when we focus on Him.

I took a gift test the other day with my girlfriend, it is much like a personality trait test, but it is a test to see what spiritual gifts that you have. I started thinking about that, because what the test doesn't show is what God has done in our lives. Where is He calling you to? I don't know, but God is the answer to the question, it is where He calls us to, it is in Him that we find the definition of ourselves. Not through a test, not through the job, not through the church we attend, but in God.

Seek God first in all we do and He will direct our paths.

God is our definition, He is the one to define us, if we don't focus on Him, where does our definition come from? Is it time to focus on God and not ourselves? Hard questions, but God will and does provide.

Change it up, start today doing it God's way and allow Him to order your steps.

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Thoughts for today. It is easy to try and do it all myself, my way, my thoughts, my plans, but the truth is that we can't do it on our own, our ways will fall apart. The arm of flesh will fail, but when we lean on the everlasting arms of God, He has promised to walk with us, to carry us through. He is teaching us each and every day what love is and how to love, He is teaching us how to live, how to walk, how to trust, but we have to be willing to learn, willing to change for change to happen.

Change starts with a choice, Lord I want to change, I am willing to change, please help me to change. You would think that is enough, but it isn't because God will bring things in that He wants to make changes in us and it is our choices that we can either allow Him to teach us, or we close the door. Isn't it time that we allow Him to continue the good work in our lives that He has started? It isn't easy, but nothing worth doing is easy. To climb the biggest mountains takes work, but the view from the top is worth the climb. Yes there will be pitfalls and valleys, but do you want to stay stagnate or do you want to grow and learn? Isn't it time to lean on God? Isn't it time to allow God to continue the work He has started in you?

It is a personal walk with Jesus Christ, He is our savior and Lord, He has gone before us and He is with us, why don't we allow Him to continue to shape us, to polish us and to allow us to grow in Him. Not my will, but your will be done Lord.

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

What a fellowship, what a joy divine, 
leaning on the everlasting arms; 
what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, 
leaning on the everlasting arms.
(Refrain:)

Leaning, leaning,
safe and secure from all alarms;
leaning, leaning,
leaning on the everlasting arms. 


O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
leaning on the everlasting arms.
(Refrain)

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
leaning on the everlasting arms.(Refrain)



What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms; I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms. 

Elisha Hoffman

It is not my will, but Lord it is your will. It is not my way, but your way Lord. It is not my timing, but your timing Lord. It has to be God changing you, not someone else. Pray that God will change you and then your willingness to allow Him to make you and shape you. He is the potter we are the clay. He is the only one to make you who you need to be, not your wife, not your husband, it is God. He will show you area's that need change, be willing to except it and don't give up, for yes it is an uphill climb, but He is worth it and He is making you into something new. I go through this change daily and daily I am reminded of changes He wants to make. He shows me things in which I need to change. His will not mine, His changes not mine. His leading not mine.

Standing

The easiest thing to do is fall, it is easy to look around and see how people around us fall every single day. If we compare ourselves to others, what is the reason to stand?

God calls us to complete surrender to Him, to His way, to His love and yet we want to do it our own way, we want to look and see that we are so much better then other people, but again the bar that is set has not been set by others, it has been set by Jesus Christ, who came to die on the cross for our sins. He came, not because He had to, but because that was the only way to bring us grace and victory. We will not find victory in ourselves, we will only find victory in Him. He is the only way to true life, true joy.

Today I call you to stand, to stop comparing where you are with others and look to Jesus for He is the only way. Our victory from our minds is found in Him. When you feel the anger welling up in us about someone or something that is happening, change your perspective and bless the person. When we focus on the problem, the only thing that happens is the problem grows. Focus on the blessing, in the blessing is life and hope, for we are then focusing on God. He is the only answer.

The old ways must pass away, for God is the only way to stand. It is never to late, for He has come to save us from ourselves. He knows our struggles, our pain and He is here to take them away. Focus on Him, for the love for others will change, the love you have for the one you are with will change, because no longer is it about our own, but about God. Isn't it time to stand.

Stand up and be counted, for God has gone before you and is with you.

Thoughts for Today

Today is a brand new day. The trials, the struggles and everything else from the past, can be either discarded or I can use them to help me, to help others. There are no two cases the same, but we all have struggles. I have a choice, either to allow someone to help, or say it is my problem and I will do it on my own.

I have learned that if someone is willing to help me, even though it is hard, to take the help. We are all prideful and don't want to admit our mistakes, our struggles. In Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Also in Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom."

There are many more verses about pride and what holds us back from asking for help? Why do we think we need to do things on our own? Isn't time to allow God to work on our pride and so that in that we can grow, we can learn and we can walk in God's wisdom, not our own.

God is with us, He brings people into our lives to teach us, to help us and to walk with us. I am thankful I continue to learn and I continue to see God teaching me.

Keep a Journal to help you remember the struggles, the answers to prayer and to help you to see what God is doing in your life.

My Best

I was thinking today what is my best. If my best is compared to others, then we limit ourselves to others. How many times do we base what we do upon what we think we will get for what we give, or because Joe over there only did this much that means I only will do just a little better then him.

All our lives we are either comparing ourselves to others, we are trying to be like an athlete or we are trying to like others, but maybe it is time to stop comparing ourselves with others and start allowing God to be our limit. It isn't about how much love I receive back, but it is about loving with NO conditions, it is about living with no limits. Jesus walked this earth and didn't say well they don't listen to me, so I can't love them, He loved them regardless, He spoke to them regardless of what they gave, He asks us to give regardless of how much we receive.

Isn't it time to stop allowing others to limit us and allow God to be our limit, because with God He is the only limit. We can not compare to God, but He sent Jesus to this earth so that we could learn from Him, so that we could walk this day, not because Joe made it, but because Jesus Christ showed us how to truly walk.

What is your limits? Are you willing to allow God to set the bar for you?

Isn't it time that we give all that we have, instead of basing it on others, base it on God. The bar has been set and we are to strive to that bar. Jesus set the bar.