Waste

Waste?

We were all born with talents, skills and desires. Sometimes we don’t catch those desires or talents right away. We grow into them. We see our desires grow at school during our first practice or after a encouraging talk with a teacher. Some find our talents outside the classroom. We find ourselves in the back yard picking up trash or helping a homeless man under the city bridge. Some even see their passion in their instrument as they learn their notes and grooves. We all have something to offer, I think we can all agree with that. I also believe whether big or small our gifts or talents to people may be, it is a valuable tool for something.

But what we desire to do with that, how we perceive our gifts and how we conduct ourselves with those gifts means everything. There is no doubt in my mind that someone with their talent will either give beauty or wickedness as their mark before his/her last breath is taken. “But John, how you defy beauty is not the same way I do, nor your definition of wickedness mine.”–I can agree that, we may have different perceptions so I will not base it on what I think or feel; I will base it on something concrete. I will base it on the standard on God (the God of the Holy Bible).

God has given us all “abilities” or talents. He has made us. He has designed our eyes, nose, ears, eye lashes, emotions, talents, etc. (Psalms 139:13). What God has given you is yours. You are valuable. No one is like you. As you grow you will build up this valuable gift with time, effort, study, practice. Your gift (talent) is what you are. It is your life, your hope for living and provision.

Quickly look at Matt. 26. It is the story of a women (not named) who came into Simon’s house to see Jesus. She walked in and poured a very expensive, precious ointment on Christ. The response from the disciples was clear. They were upset. They said “Why this waste? We could have sold this and given it to the poor.”(V.8-9) Basically I see this. This women came to Jesus for one thing. To give to Him all that she had. Without this precious perfume she would be another nobody. A regular person with no “value”. She found herself giving her value to Christ. And the world said “what a waste”. The world thinks that if you give Christ your all, your value, your talent, you will waste it. Christ said “For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.” “For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.” I believe Christ was making a fork in the road with this statement. There will always be a need for you to pour your life into the world. It is a vacuum of opportunity and need. There will always be the world. But what they didn’t understand was this. In a couple of days Christ was going to be crucified. He was going to save the world through His obedience to God. This women gave all that she had to Christ and Christ took that to the cross. That perfume was apart of not only a couple of people’s need, but all man’s need. What we think we can do without Christ does not compare to what He will do with it.

So, did she really waste the thing most valuable to her by giving it to Christ. No, she expanded it as far as the east is from the west(Psalms 103:12). If she didn’t give it to Christ. If she sold it and gave the money to the poor, then she would have indeed wasted it!

How Do You Pick Your Spouse?

Scripture 2:18-21
Application: Go in groups, expect nothing, and take words for what they are!

Myths About Relationships:
1. Relationships are meant to be experienced? WRONG. -God did not
designed you to be with more than one women/man.
2. Relationships should be about you and the other person, and some of
Jesus? WRONG -God must be at the center not a piece, but the center.
3. Relationships are here to get to know someone? WRONG -Relationships
are intimate commitments. Why commit to someone you don’t know.
4. Relationships with non-believers are ok? WRONG -You do not serve
the same master nor should have the same mind. You shouldn’t be able
to agree.
5. Relationships are not marriage therefore they should be viewed as
short term. WRONG -Relationships are very serious and long term.

Some of us are looking for specific qualities (which is good), but most of us are looking for specific people hoping they have those
specific qualities. At the end of most relationships the common understanding is “they did not meet all the requirement I had expected.”-the problem is that most of us can’t accept who is in the mirror so why do we think we can find fullness (everything expected) in someone else. We are a broken people
in a broken world. We are horrible at picking someone.

Adan in Gen 2 had not “falling into sin” yet. He had right communion with God. His concern for a spouse was not existing. In verse 18 we see that God was talking to Himself. ( 18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”) He was not talking to Adam. It did not say “I will make a helper for you”. Adam was unaware of a problem. Adam was not complaining about being lonely. In verse 19 Adam named the animals. He was not looking for a partner of soul mate. He was doing what God commanded him to do. Still unaware he needed a spouse. Then In verse
21 God put him to sleep. Again let me reiterate, not once did Adam ask for or push in anyway a relationship or concern for a spouse in these verses. God put Adam to sleep. So you have a man being obedient to God’s commands totally oblivious and then he falls asleep. He was not apart of the picking process for a wife.

Adam had nothing to say about a spouse. It was God who thought it was neccessary, not Adam.

So, how do you pick your spouse? You don’t. You follow God and let Him move in your life and draw you to a point of obvious commitment for another.

Relationships are about a solid foundation of commitment. Relationships are the second biggest decision you will make and the purest way to show God’s relationship with His bride, to think of it any less is missing its purpose and design.

A good sign: When others start asking you if she/he is the one instead of you asking others if she is the one.

Questions:
1. How have you seen relationships treated by other? By Yourself?

2.Why do think people have more than one relationship?

3. How hard is it to wait?

4. If waiting was God’s plan would you be OK with that?

5.Hould you be preparing for your wife or worrying about is she/he likes you today?

6. Where does God fit in in your past and future relationship(s)?

7. Is it too hard to be an Adam today?

Temptation

temptation is not a source, in till you make it one.

No matter where you are in your christian life temptation is apart of you. Some of us deal with small temptations, but most feel like we are in the worst place of out lives! But if we are honest,  a lot of us feel like that with every temptation (every single one of them-”Oh
THIS IS THE WORST THING EVER… TODAY IS RUINED, YESTERDAY WAS RUINED, TOMORROW HAS NO HOPE.. You get the point).  It’s like everywhere feels like a desert,  and life is unbearable with every trail.  If Christ is peace than why are we not getting any of it?

The answer is a lot simpler than you think! It is because when those problem arise, they become our source. With everyday of  temptation or trial we feed off the problem and not on our Savior/LORD. We think/consider the problem has the most important thing to deal with at the time (”Once I finish this-Once I get this handle, I can focus-So I will dedicate myself to this situation in till it is
finished.”) We take our eyes off of Christ to look at the world. You’re confused because the world is confusing, you’re angry because
the world is angry, you’re hurt because the world is hurt.  You feed off the source!

We must stay the course. This is why Jesus was able to deny the devil. It was not because Christ attacked Satan, but that Jesus listen to God more than the world. His source was GOD.

Where are you feeding from. If you are angry, why? If you are depressed, why? If you are lonely, why?

“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace….” (1 Corinthians 14:33)

Check where you abide-John 15:1-7

Puzzle

Have you ever put a puzzle together? The first puzzle recorded was developed by a man named John Spilsbury who invented the jigsaw puzzle in 1767. Depending on the skill level a person can get a 50 piece set or for harder puzzles they can reach 1,500 pieces or more! Some puzzles have huge pieces and some puzzles have smaller pieces. Puzzles can be different but their purpose is same which is to build off specific pieces of each other to create a full scale picture. If we look at every piece of the puzzle individually we see that it is useless on it’s own and can give you a sense of confusion (especially the smaller the piece). I know I always thank the puzzle companies for putting the picture of the puzzle on the box it comes in. If not we would have to guess what the picture was. How hard would it be to not have a clue what the end looks like. By having this whole picture we can plan accordingly? I think you know where I am going here. Life is a puzzle for everyone. Some of us have big pieces that are more obvious and doesn’t take as long to see the picture, but most of us have that box that contains 2,000 pieces and those pieces are very small. Life can be so strenuous and tedious. We know that God has given us a vision or dream. These dreams are a glimpse of our lives but they are not the whole picture. I think we all go through this, “why can’t we see the whole picture God?” thought(especially in times of struggle or trial). I believe God does not give us the whole picture because
we would “plan accordingly”. We must trust in God, have faith in His direction, and know that He is faithful. We would not do this if we saw the whole picture. Spend time with God today. He holds your pieces and knows your end. Trying to live without Him is like putting a puzzle together with the wrong pieces and the wrong end in mind. I pray you trust God today.

A Devotion:

We all heard the phrase “Life is one step at a time.” What we forget
sometimes as Christians is that every step is upward! As followers of
Christ we should never stop growing. Growing means going, and going
means up for us. If you ever had the opportunity to walk up several
flights of stairs you probably remember the experience well. Do you remember the first step?! You might of have had a courageous spirit to double your first step. As you made your way up the first flight of stairs everything feels right. Your progression is good and your body enjoys the challenge. But as each flight of stairs pass, the enthusiasm begins passing with it. Everything is not as it once was and we begin to wonder where the joy is now. These stairs seem endless for us as believers , but it should be a joy no matter the circumstance. So where are you in your walk with God? Some of us right now are struggling on a certain floor looking at those down low and clinching our fist for those that who pass us. Some of us have made it to the top in areas of our lives and now are heading back down to help others. Some have given up. Some have stopped before the first step and looked straight up. They stand there wondering if it’s even possible to walk, and so they have never moved.
*“It’s always crowded at the bottom, but never at the top.” So where are you? Are you on the bottom? Christ calls us to walk in His ways, and the Bible states that His ways are higher than our ways. If you’re going to walk, it has to be up!
Pray that God would show you where you are today. Ask Him to reveal his
ways and then walk in them no matter the cost. Understand that joy is not a
moment, it is the journey. Pray, and ask God to remove the weight of today so
you may walk up another flight of stairs. The end is eternity with Him!
*Quote by John Maxwell

What I believe about God?

It is not a cliché for our first thought of God to be plainly stated “Holy”.  It is what separates us from Him.  He is strong yet at times a human can be also strong. He is wise yet at times we too can be wise. He is justice, yet there are times of mercy and justice in us. He is good, but we also capable of good works. All these traits came from God; “strength” “wisdom” “justice” “goodness”, but there is one trait we do not share. Holiness. This is why the word Holy defies Him best. On this word alone we can see why God is passionate about us. If He were not holy, it would be a sinner chasing after a sinner for marriage, but because it is “holiness chasing iniquity” there is something to be grasped. I believe God is truth 2nd. What could we gain from a liar but trouble? This makes Jesus’ claims and God’s word more than sufficient for our lives.  Truth is our anchor for the pursuit of our purpose.  Without truth we will swallow lies and be left fat and consumed with bitterness and evil. I believe God is passionate 3rd. Why continue a pursuit of endless mistakes in less there is a passionate desire to see it through the end? God is the end, He sees it, and has prepared it as well. “Passion makes God’s timing for a return a mystery.” Will He return for a bride today or wait for another soul to come to the knowledge of Him? Will He give more grace today to receive a greater honor by man tomorrow**? This passion is not matched by anyone! I believe He is balanced (#4). God does no waver. If God did wavered, the same laws He set for mankind will also toss Him. He will not bury His goodness and righteousness to step outside these laws. God is balance. He wrote the laws of science and the laws of character/good (ten commandments) to establish Himself before man. These laws must be obeyed by all and lived out through the Kings of Kings!***   Balance is more than theology. It is science, physics, and divine understanding of His words.  I believe God is a lover (#5).  God wants us to be bond servants (like Paul), He wants us to be co-heirs, He wants us to be like minded, He wants us to be soldiers, He wants us to be child-like, but when Christ returns He wants a bride! He wants a beautiful clean and willing bride. Not a solider or warrior or slave (though these are the characteristics of a devoted fiancé). He wants a wedding, not a battle. He is coming with the intent to marry. If He wants a bride then He is a lover.

** God does not need anything. This honor from man standpoint will be given, but God does not need it. Yet He desires it from His bride.

*** Christ walked on water, raised people from the dead, healed others, and made a tree wither. These are seen as “outside” the natural law and they are. But these miracles only solidify His deity. These do not tossed God into a being of lawlessness because they were broken to show His power and goodness. These were acts of Godliness not lawlessness. God has never gone out of His law in such a way that it would cause Him to stumble.

KJV-Only

Recently I have run into a new friend. He came to me while I was reading my Bible at Burger King. His first question after placing his left hand on the back of my chair and his right on the table was “what you reading?” My response was in shock. How could you not know what I am reading. So I responded very simply “the Bible sir.” Then it all came to a quick point has he responded “what translation are you reading from?” Come to find out he wasn’t engaging in a conversation but engaging in a very well written plan of question, response, then the ultimate check mate he had executed many times before (hope that makes sense). I have seen him several times since. He has made it clear in our conversations that KJV is what he wants to discuss-debate. And if he is not sure (which I rarely get a word in to ask a stated question) about a controversial part of the KJV 1611 he simply response “my pastor can unlighted you more.”

Though I was born for debate, the last few years have struck me down from this idea of debating believers on particular issues. Issues such has KJV-Only, Calvinism, parts and times frames of Creation, Pre-tribulation (let me clear this up. All of these are important to a degree and i gladly discuss them with other strong believers to help me sharpen my understanding of God, but I do not want to find myself in a debate with random lost or even a random believer about such subjects. If they come up I try my best to quickly state a balance view of scripture and hope it ceases.)

What I have found is this truth. Open Christianity in 2009 between believers is wrapped and bashed in debate; not love.

We talk about things we don’t understand as if there fact and get upset if others don’t comply. Its hard to follow the commands of Christ that are plainly stated, yet we try to express commands from things not stated as well. It’s as if we have given up on growing in Christ and have found “our little box” and defend it while disengaging in other Scriptures that might try to help us balance our radical ideas and pretend those Scriptures don’t exist. It’s like taking Scriptures out and putting them on the bottom of the page for reference (thought i would through this phrase in here for a laugh.) We are so “right” that we have forgotten that it is God’s word that is right not our own.

So I am not debating one of these mention above. There is no need. I am not going to spend my time for a open forum debate. We have things to do believers. Now you can join a cause to defend your theology or you can go to a friend or stranger and love them like Christ did. If its about the cross, death, burial, resurrection, and power over our sinful nature so that we may have an eternity with God than let that be why we walk up to a stranger and place our left hand on the back of their chair and right hand on the table. Amen

“What you reading”
“The Bible”
“That’s awesome, can you believe Jesus willingly purchased our sin?”
“That is awesome”
“It is, praise God we have a Christ, by grace alone”
“Amen”
“So what do you do in Albany, and do you come in Burger King often for a quiet time?”

–There is purity and power in love.

Location can be a forshadowing too

“6: 11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.”

Threshing wheat is a part of a process that separates the grain (wheat) from the chaff (dry scaly casing). Gideon was found in the wine press, by the angel of the Lord.

–It was custom to thresh wheat on the threshing floor (A threshing floor is a specially flattened surface made either of rock or beaten earth where a farmer would thresh the grain harvest. The threshing floor was either owned by the entire village or by a single family. It was usually located outside the village in a place exposed to the wind.-Wikipedia)

Gideon was in the wrong location.
Gideon was staying out of sight from the Midianites(:11), this was the reason for the odd location.

The site Gideon calls this meeting later in verse 24 is “Jehovah-Shalom”(the Lord is Peace). This tells us that Gideon has seen God. The angel is a type (this was Jesus!!!)

- in verse 19 that he gave bread and broth (as an offering).

– the bread and broth was place on a rock and consumed by the fire from the rock as the angel (Jesus) stretch out His staff.

This is why I write this.

- Gideon was hiding in the wine press. This is where we notice that Christ was revealed to him (:12) (All men because of Adam have been cursed with being in the wrong location. We need to be in Christ but because of sin and sinful nature we have been born separate from God—See we should be at the threshing floor, but we are out of sight in the wine press.) But do you see that Christ (the angel of the Lord) came to him. He began to tell him about the redemption that was coming to his people. The angel of the Lord sat and spoke with Gideon. Later Gideon brought food that was consumed by God.

*Christ (the angel of the Lord) knew His location. He saw the wine press, He knew what its purpose was. Christ didn’t leave Gideon without reassuring His power for the redemption of God’s people. He consumed the meat and bread at the wine press, then left. Though Gideon later still needed reassurance (like we all do) the angel gave a foreshadowing of Matt, Mark, Luke and John. Christ’s blood was stepped on, beaten out of, and pour out like wine (-wine press). The bread and meat was consumed by the rock. (Christ death and resurrection was for God’s grace to consume our flesh and the nature of sin its pursues.)

Location: 1. Wrong place 2. Wine press
Characters: 1. Gideon 2. Christ

Mission/Goals/Dreams

I want to start this idea with what sparks our hope! When we are kids we don’t have to try to imagine, create, dream…… it was like breathing. But as we grow up we are jammed and pressed by “the world” “culture” “family” etc to get mature! But what they forgot to tell us is that Our Dreams are not a sign of immaturity, but actually a life that is fixed on what we can not see on our own. You see when we are pressed into a specific occupation, we learn, we read, we write papers on it, we live it, we breath it, we sleep it, we grab a hold………. and has soon as we grab a hold we tell God to sit in the back.. But i believe now that a dream is what God wants from us.. Why? Because dreams are bigger than us. Did you get that? If they are bigger than us then we must have guidance, direction, trust, hope, in something bigger than ourselves. “A man’s steps are of the LORD; How then can a man understand his own way.”Psalms 20:24…. “The horse prepares for he day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord.”Psalms 21:31 Basically i hope for you to pull out this: We were given, by God, desires above ourselves. For it is God who works through us, and He desires to bring His kingdom to come…… And there is nothing to big for God.. We just have to see it that way too.

I write this because i Hope to follow it through this year.. I will lead with a quote from Mike Brooks. lol. “Do what God has told you to do (or to go) no matter what the worldly outcome looks like.”

My hope this year and on is based around a heart of being submissive… That I will acknowledge God’s supreme divine design of His will and will line up. In detail i hope that God would bring me closer to Him and allow me to pour out in power His spirit, in my relationship with Jill first, with my ministries second, and with my family, friends so on., Basically..: I pray to dive into daystar and greenbriar(college) and the band. You can place in order of importance if you want but i have not. They are God’s ministries God has given me, I will dream big and give my best to all. I need God to make me mature in order to grow others in a mature relationship with Christ. I will stop here for now ITS LATE.

MATURITY should not hinder DREAMS…. Dreams are not a sign of stupidity or immaturity.

Go out and LIVE

Vision

I have found this word at the tip of my lips. The word is not what i would like to call a “surface” word… You know, not a word that is thrown around lightly like ballon or billy goat. lol.

This is what vision means to me. Hope it pushes you.

1. This word ends in death. Why? Because it is what we strive for till it takes are life. (Philippians 3:12″ Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”) Its more than a believe, it is a motion; action that we run too. It will take your life. I believe it is a life taker (in a good way… please continue)

2. it makes you Count the cost…… will you give your life for what you are apart of? Money, time, energy, is merely a wrinkle in the aspect of a vision. Its your heart, your mind, your soul that a vision requires. You must love it, or……. get off the train

3. The word (vision) is not for the one that receives it!
Please catch this leaders……

It is just too big for the leader, its so big, i believe the leader can not be apart of its fullness. You are only able to see or feel a its measure of accomplishment. Visions do not meet there full potential before it takes your life (i believe in most cases). Example A) Abraham saw all that God wanted Him to inherit and obtain through his descendants. Yet it wasn’t till Joshua was this accomplished. Way after Abraham’s death (God showed (the vision)Abraham first?) Example B) Moses was given the vision to bring the Israelites into the promise land. He also got to see the “promise land before his death” but died before entering (Moses was in God’s presence, parted a sea, won battles, wrote down the first five books, had the glory shine on his face, yet the promise (vision) was not for him. C) a history lesson… Martin Luther King Jr. (you catching me)- he never saw the fullness but had the dream (vision)!!

I see that leaders never see the fullness of the vision, they are the ones that push everyone else in. For it is in death that the vision is birthed to reality (manifested).

4.In Death i believe is the greatest act of leading!! It is in death that all view your life.. I heard a pastor say that in a foreign country a solider told a minister that he was going to kill him if he continued preaching the gospel to a particular town. He said to this broad shoulder solider. “If you kill me you will unleash the most powerful weapon that has been given to me by Christ for the gospel.” See it is in death that the gospel and its actions (visions) are taken to the next level. -some vision will continue to be passed down till it is in it fullness, others are accomplished right after the first leaders death. In any case we have a responsibility to our ownership to the vision we are apart of.

A vision is exciting because it is not in our control.. It is “a very small measure” of God’s final hand on this earth that He allows us to be apart of. WOW. A vision is more than just a word. It is death that ultimately brings LIFE…

Stop eating the mana-EAT the PROMISE

I have heard recently that 80%-90% student when they become freshman in college never return to the fellowship of believers.. We have all heard this. I believe there are many reasons why, and am convinced this is one of them….

In short… The Israelites were given a promise, the land of Canaan, the land filled with milk and honey, the land God told Abraham would be for his offspring. We know this. We also know that the Israelites rejected the promise by doubting because of the enemies appearance, their military force, etc. So because they did not receive the promise they were destined to die in the desert. God did not destroy them, he allowed the one’s (Joshua and other, along with the children who would grow to be men and women after the 40 years) that were faithful to survive the desert and conquer Canaan, but the others, the disobedient to receive mana until their death in the desert.

Mana is said to contain Honey & Milk…. The Promise land was FILLED with Milk and Honey. The Mana was only good for daily consumption, you could not keep it for the next day, for it would be of no good use to eat. The Promise Land was for them forever, if they kept the commands of the Father. The mana filled up the camp and around the Israelites. The promise land was vast and gave room for all.

This is my believe. We have, in rightly doing so for Christians, given out mana (pieces of the promise) through teaching, preaching, leadership, but we have forgotten that the “lost” don’t need the mana…. THEY NEED THE PROMISE. John Maxwell stated “People will not sacrifice for something they are not passionate for…. something that gets their heart.. We must see that the lost will only eat mana for awhile in till they are given another route or excuse to do something else. See the disobedient ate the mana in till they were dead, but they never got to the promise land. They had daily reminders of a promise they never had. Now if we tell the lost that they need mana they will be satisfied for a moment. In till they are about 18-20 and will leave… But if we give them the Promise (Christ Jesus) they like us as Christians now will consume the mana knowing we have the promise.. Basically: Mana is not for the lost. The promise is. Stop telling the lost what God can give them and give them what God as promised them. The mana is for the believer. Continue to give a lost person mana and they will come IF they are hungry. Give them the promise and they will hunger and thirst for righteousness. God will continue to pour out mana so that the young ones, who believe, can grow up strong being reminded of their fathers failure and doubt and their promise of Canaan. One day the mana will stop dropping. What a glorious day that will be for us! Come quickly Lord. I hope this pushes you to smile was again at God’s grace and love. If your relying on the mana (to satisfy) we will never be satisfied (the Israelites weren’t). But if we are relying on the Promise, we will be joyful for the mana.

Easy Jesus?

In light of this Picture…

“A quote from the website”–

We couldn’t find anything about Jesus solving ‘Life’s Problems’ but we did find a bunch of verses that talk about Jesus dying for our sins. But, sins aren’t just ‘problems’. They’re outright evil and Jesus’ solution for our sins was to die on the cross. There was nothing easy about that. http://www.alittleleaven.com/2007/07/jesus-the-easy-.htmlIF YOU CAN”T FIND ANYTHING ABOUT JESUS SOLVING ‘LIFE’S PROBLEMS’ THEN DON’T PUT IT ON A SHIRT…..

Be careful and watch…. Don’t join in, in such destruction. For it is swift and wicked are the lies of the evil one. Its not ok… please know this. God is not a button, nor a genie.- “they say thats not what their saying… but read what it says.. NOT what they say, but what is really said.

Job 28:28 And he said to man, ‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.’ ”

Job 31: 23 For I dreaded destruction from God,
and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.

Psalm 2:11
Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.

Psalm 19:9
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.

“-Jesus is NOT your homeboy, He is your Lord and Savior do not treat My God, “your God” in such a manner.

Its not the situations that pull us away from God.. Not death or life, not sickness or health, not accidents or tragedy’s. Its Me and You…

James 1 tells us its not circumstances, ITS US!!!

Copperhill-Just Another Day?

I have never been white water rafting. TJ, Nick and I were able to experience this monday. Three guys and a tour guide named Josh went on a ride for two hours down a river. But after the trip God spoke on the bus ride back to camp.

That was my first time ever. I couldn’t help but take in the vastness of not only the river but also the mountains filled with trees. Everything was new, like a breath of fresh air. As the waters pulled us one waved at a time to the next we pushed and sunk into the waters current with our pattels to keep us on tract. We smiled we laughed and enjoy it from beginning to end. But then i was reminded of Josh. He had been doing this as a hobby all of his life. This river was of no fear to him. He had been on rivers that exceeded this one by far. He was not impressed, it was just another tour, another raft, different people, but nothing out of the ordinary.

I began to search my heart. Its for these moments i pray for everyday. That God would speak truth in my inner most being in this manner. Let it not become weary, let it not become just another day, another opportunity, and moment, with different people, at a different place. We are a culture of distractions. We looked for things to please us to take us away from our busy day. We love to take time away, but the reality is that this mind set demands to much.

God is constant in everything. We need to get back to Him. Like the first time we met Him face to face. His arms open, bleeding, buried, and resurrected. Do you remember? I am reminded of what Josh said as we traveled down the river…. “You don’t have to talk about God so much, if you live it.” My spirit felt those words because i know someone didn’t live it in front of Josh. Maybe it was because they were to weary, maybe it was because they forgot Josh was important. That he was valuable to God, he wasn’t just another person, on another day, but that Christ died to set him free too.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”-Gal 6

Its not just another day………

A Night Way Back

I am a guard!!!!

I like to write poetry… but i am no poet. The lines don’t always match and i don’t always rhyme. I hope you enjoy!

A Guard….

I have been a guard of this fortress; 15 years to be exact!

Scaling on top the tower; with my armor secruely attached.

A sword to my side; and a spear in hand.

I watch my enemies; from far of lands.

A fortress more than mere stone or brick; a foundation that goes a hundred feet thick.

I am proud to say my fortress; is not to be reckoned with!

My fortress is not easy to fall or fail; NO… I guard an unbreachable sail

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