Pieces are Flying

 

~ Seem to be approaching a time where titles and forms of godliness have fallen to the wayside for whatever reason.. one thing will get you thru the mine field of this life.. coupling the word of God with the leading of his Spirit. Doesn't matter what label is put upon something.. whether a positive one or a negative one, whether a popular one or a rejected one, whether a socially accepted one or a peculiar one.. God weaves his presence back and forth thru all of them according to his wisdom and the work that needs to be done to seek out every lost soul upon the earth. Follow him, seek him, hear him.. and none other.

Self accountability, self control, self discipline, self examination.. it's time to put self in the forefront.. on the chopping block and to cut away what is hindering you from being all that God had planned for you to be, all that he has planned to pour into your life to prosper you, all he has prepared and equipped you to fulfill with courage and faithfulness and humility. No one is to blame for your failure but you.. no one is to blame for my failure but me.. no matter how we are sinned against, or betrayed or bloodied or baited.. there is nothing that God cannot restore.. there is nothing that he cannot forgive when we give in and quit.. there is nothing that he will not give us to win at what he has called us to ..

if we will but ask.

Forms of godliness want to push themselves to the seat of honor and recognition.. but such things are rooted in false humility and selfish ambition.. and definitely not of God. God always lays a solid foundation and pillars of truth, but it seldom follows a form or cookie cutter pattern approved by men. Remember how Jesus spoke with Nicodemus about the leading of the spirit of God.. how that it’s like trying to capture the wind.

Watch for the things that line up with the word of God, the fruit that we know should emerge from anything calling itself a follower of Christ.. watch for the effects of the wind. That’s what Jesus taught. Those effects are not from the textbook of denominations or ambitious ppl or the politically correct or ppl of power, rich or poor, Christian or secular, young or old.. those effects are from the Word of God that he has put into our hands thru the ages of history… the Bible.

There is a splintering.
You can hear the cracking and the pieces flying in the spiritual.
The spirit of God is leading the sheep against the grain of this world and the forms of godliness that have permeated the church.. challenging times.. get on the chopping block.. crosses are being hewn..

And every true follower of Christ must carry one <3

 

 

 ~ How can you watch for the effects of the wind..
when you neglect reading the Word of God for yourself?

When you fail to read the word of God and just take what God said at the word of others around you..
you set yourself up for failure.

Pick it up, read it..
lay your ax to the wood..
and let the pieces fly...

 

 ~ The only exception is for those who are in nations of great persecution, where you are denied a copy of Scripture to hold in your hands, to read, to treasure, to devour... but God has not forgotten you, he sees you, he speaks to you, he puts his word in your heart and in your thoughts and in your conversations with him.. when your heart is sincere and seeking his will no matter what horrors or challenges or blessings you are facing at any given moment.. he will speak to you one to one.. he will write a copy of his Word upon your heart and speak it to your mind.

Love to you, to those in the family of God who are denied that physical, tangible, reading of the Word.. just know that it is in the hearing that the blessing comes.. and when no man is present to speak it in your hearing.. the Spirit of God promises to speak it to you.. he is with you and is in you. Blessings and hugs and prayers that our Mighty God would encourage you today, that his hedge of protection would continue to work every good thing into your life that he has planned. Strength and courage to you, you are beautiful.. and God says you are highly esteemed and precious to his heart <3

 

 

Hope in God

~ Had a pretty cool thought today..
that our hope should never be IN someone we know..

We can hope FOR them..
We can hope for ppl..
For God's best in their lives..
For them to remain in God's will and to do God's will..

but we are not to hope in ppl...

We are to hope in God..
In him only and no one else, nothing else..
That is where our hope should always remain..
Because then, there is no disappointment..
Our hope is never lost..

We always know where it is..
That it is whole and perfect and accessible..
And it is never lost..

Hope for ppl..
Hope in God.
<3


 

~ Sometimes my heart is on the ground
And hope is nowhere to be found
Love is a figment I once knew
And yet I hold on to what I know is true

Yes I will rise
Out of these ashes rise
From this trouble I have found
And this rubble on the ground
I will rise
...
Cause He Who is in me
Is greater than I will ever be
And I will rise
Yes He Who is in me
Is greater than I will ever be
And I will rise.

(Shawn McDonald)

 

 

 

 



~ RISE.. and.. PRAY..

~ God hears us when we talk to him..

~ God speaks to us when we do.

~ Hear him <3

~ Make it personal.

God doesn't want a fb relationship with you.
He wants a face to face.
A touchy, feelie, huggie relationship..
you know..
the kind that scares the crap out of you..
inconveniences you..

thrills you beyond your wildest expectations or imagination..
...
yeah..

you forgot how much it's worth it..
so like I said..
make it personal <3

RISE and PRAY

~ Heard both of these this morning.. what a great way to start the day...
RISE and PRAY ^_^

~ love it so.. needed it.. so God crossed my path with it ♥

 

 

 

I will meet you in the morning.

~ "“Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14)

I have always thought of this passage in light of the Rapture, and the Second Coming.. but this morning I saw it in a new light.

I remembered when a family I know and love and respect so highly lost their teen son. I remember a dream I had the night before he unexpectedly was called home. I remember in the dream at a critical point I woke up in a place of the blackest darkness I have ever seen.. I remember being very cold and shivering.. and I started to say out loud, "Where am I?"

Hard to explain, but each time I spoke, something different would come out and it was like someone else speaking it.. and each time all that was said was "Jesus.." As though gently calling for him in the darkness..

Suddenly from a distance an intense light shined.. like those rays of the morning that I love and that the Bible speaks of.. and I could see the silhouette of a great valley and a far hill as well as the hill I was standing on.. and I knew that it was Jesus.. he had heard his name and was coming across the darkness. My heart began to race with excitement and an incredible peace flooded over me, and the dream ended.

I honestly believe I was being allowed to witness what this boy witnessed in his passing. I honestly believe he called on Christ because he knew him in this life as his Savior and Christ was coming to him just as he promises each of us in this passage..

"I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14)

If we die before the rapture, Christ will meet us in the darkness of death to take us to be with him in his home, among his family.
If we are alive in the rapture, he will meet us in the clouds.
If we are alive in the second coming, he will meet us here on the earth as he establishes his physical kindgom.

Where he is.. we will be.. because he paid dearly so that he could be WITH US and we could be with him.. I fear the process of dying at times.. but I do not fear death.. I feel that I have seen what waits for me... the rays of the morning, my Savior and Friend and Lord <3


~ For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be ...unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

(2 Corinthians 5)

John 14

~ “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him.”


~ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in ...me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.


~ “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.

“I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see ...me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.


~ “These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you,... ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go hence.

(John 14)

Make a mark..

“Not for me to make my mark, but for him to make his mark on me, in me.”

 

My pastor made this statement this Sunday as he mentioned his testimony about younger days. How that he (being full of zeal) wanted to make his mark on the world, but how he realized that Chirst making his mark on him was more important.

 

Immediately I saw the scars of Jesus, in his hands, in his side, the marks of the price he paid.. and I thought it interesting that there is such a twist to that statement. As with most things with God, there is much to consider and much wisdom that takes you to deep places… good places.. world changing places.. as well as heart altering places.

 

His mark..

 

We often think that receiving it will bring greatness and arrival.. and it will… past this life and into eternity.. but in this world, if we fail to consider fully the Words of Christ on the matter.. we open the door for hell to bring confusion. That rotten serpent will begin to twist things in our prideful flesh just as he did with Eve and cause us to begin to question and doubt the justice of God.

 

When life becomes difficult, and things don’t go according to the textbook we pieced together in our own minds.. we miss the true Word of Life that Christ spoke in his book, the Bible. His mark in this life will not bring us recognition in the eyes of all those around us in this world.. it will bring us offense and hate and make us a target for ridicule and death in the minds of many.

 

There is greatness to the mark of Christ..

But if we fail to acknowledge and embrace the flipside..

We lie to ourselves and set ourselves up for hell to bring confusion and doubt into our lives and into the lives of those watching us live it.

It is THE WHOLE word of God that makes us strong when under attack.

 

In the church crowd and outside of it.. you will be hated by many just as he was hated.

He walked it alone, so that we wouldn’t have to.

He walks with us, fights for us, equips us, leads us, and lives in us.

 

If we refuse to doubt him and his word, we cannot fail to make a powerful mark,

Because we will be his reflection, and it will be his mark that we make.

That is greatness.. that’s the mark we desire to make on the world..

Jesus.

 

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.  This I command you, to love one another.

 

 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.  But all this they will do to you on my account, because they do not know him who sent me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates me hates my Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.  It is to fulfil the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’  But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me;  and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15)


 

To be with us

~ Crucifixion involved being severely beaten, followed by several days of being nailed to a cross, naked, just a foot or so above the ground.. so that onlookers could still look you in the face and ridicule you as you died, so they could spit on you and smack you. It was considered the most vile and painful death in every way.

Infection and decay often set in while you were still alive.. a fever d...eveloped and a raging thirst.. all culminating in your body growing weaker and weaker. That weakness is what finally leads to death. The weight of your body and your hands outstretched makes it difficult to get a full breath. You have to pull your weight up by the nails in your hands and feet to breathe. As your body weakens, you can't pull yourself up so your lungs can expand.. so you eventually soffocate.

Death on a cross is actually a gruesome form of suffocation, lasting days as your breath gets more and more shallow and your body is slowly drained of all strength and health as you witness the decay.

But if the sabbath was close.. soldiers would break the legs of the ppl being crucified so they couldn't lift themselves up to breathe.. thereby rushing their death before sunset.

They broke the legs of the men on either side of Jesus to rush their death as sabbath approached.. but Jesus had lost so much blood from being beaten so badly in events leading up to the cross, that he was already dead when they got to him. So instead of breaking his legs, they just ran a spear thru his side to be sure he was dead. This acually fulfilled one of the prophecies Isaiah gave about Messiah when he would be led as a lamb to the slaughter.. not a bone would be broken in his body.

Hollywood didn't exaggerate how badly Christ was beaten.. it was so badly that he died before the other two men, because he had lost so much blood. He was a carpenter, he was in excellent health, a strong and robust man. But he couldn't even carry his cross all the way to calvary's hill because of the severity of his beatings..

All this not for shock factor.. just to remind us that it was real, and it was costly, and tho he was God.. he suffered as we suffer but multiplied.. even tho he was innocent of any wrong or sin. The blood he spilled that day from his arrest to the cross was cash doled out to buy our freedom.

Pretty incredible... that it would mean that much to him, just so he could be WITH US. We serve a crazy God.. one that loves to crazy extremes <3


~ Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was ...despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

(Isaiah 53)


~ It all comes down to this.. how real is he to you?.. all that he did, all that he said, all the good things he has planned for you that he came to fulfill.. it wasn't a story.. it was God.. who became a man.. just to die.. so that he could restore life.. to you and to me.

I love this guy, this Jesus, my precious Lord and Friend ♥

~ "and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him."

~ Hollywood exaggerated nothing, historians of the time of Christ reported how badly he was beaten.. that his face was grabbed and his beard ripped out of his face.. it was hate.. it was gruesome.. it was evil.. and yet he endured it all for our sakes. Having all the angels of heaven he could have called in any instant to escape the pain.. but he refused to quit, until salvation of mankind was won. Our God is awesome, full of courage, worthy of all praise!


 

It Matters

~ God seeded talent in you when he fashioned you.. made you beautiful, unique and with purpose.. because he loves you..

Everything in this world is fighting to keep you from him..
to steal all the blessing God placed in you for you to own and to give away..

what does this life matter anyway?

It's your chance to give back..
To the one who loves you more than anyone..
To those who can seldom ...match what you give to them..
And who you can seldom match what they give you in return..

Who's getting the glory for the incredible talent and gifting you possess and that you share with those around you, who get to witness your awesomeness?..

Maybe it's time to say thank you to your dad.
To love him back.
To really feel that appreciation that you merely glimpse from time to time.
To own bringing a smile to his face, just by being you..
Proud to be his kid.

It matters.


~ "While I may not know you,
I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes, does it matter at all?

Well let me remind you, it all matters just as long
As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you,
Cause he made you,
To do
Every little thing that you do
To bring a smile to His face
... Tell the story of grace
With every move that you make
And every little thing you do.."

(Steven Curtis Chapman)


~ God's timing never ceases to amaze me.. heard this song yesterday and it spoke right into things God has been putting in my heart this week..

God speaks to us today.
It's never from just one voice... it's always orchestrated thru several.
Hear him <3


~ First time I have ever heard it.. love it so much =)

 


~ If you're going thru a tough time.. a little tired.. a lot weary.. this song is such an encouragement.. Steven wrote this song during the healing process after losing his precious little daughter to a tragic accident.. in the testimony he shares about it in his concerts.. he talks of how it was such a time of grief, and yet God turned this song into a song of praise.. one that has brought absolute encouragement and healing to so many suffering thru difficult times. Love to Steven and his family, thank you for your faithfulness to minister to each of us in our pain, as God leads you day to day thru your own healing. Thank you for reminding me that, "We're gonna make it."

~ wow.. have never heard this song either.. ran across it this morning while listening to the other Steven songs.. what a picture of the aching heart of our Father for us to be with him in heaven.. that's the whole reason he came to the earth.. he couldn't bear the separation from his children, his baby girl.. me.. you.. the tragedy that was never his will that took her from him.. and his passion to hold her in his arms again.. to share a smile.. to hold her hand..

He is with us.

Heaven would seem to be where ever God is.
... He brought heaven down to us, so that he could hold his children once again in his arms.

You are loved...
Never doubt that truth ♥

no.

~ I remember when I was going thru the most hurtful time of my life.. and ran into an old friend from an old church.. she gave me some advice that would have been wisdom for her.. but was not the way God was leading me.. her word to me was, "it's time to grow up."

Didn't receive much of what she said because, that wasn't the character of the God I know. He would never rebuke me for not being like her, for not living a sober and staunch life that she had chosen. My stubbornness to continue to believe and hope in things that the world (and much of the modern day church) says isn't rational or logical is foolish to most, childish..

so yes then, I am a fool about many things. But my heart remains at peace with God.. and if walking the way his Spirit directs me is failing to be as mature as others.. that's okay with me. As long as I remain my heavenly Father's little girl.. I don't mind being a fool to the world and the staunch <3


~ I pray I never grow up to be like such a mindset.. if it means that I must lose the warmth and hope that God will fulfill every good work that he has begun in my life. May I always be a fool and a child in the eyes of such ppl... as long as it allows me to climb up in the lap of my Abba at any given moment, and to ask him about anything, knowing he will answer, trusting his answers.. I think so many ppl in the church have grown cold and lost sight of how warm and loving our heavenly Father is. I pray that God would work miracles in their lives so that they will desire to be children again, his children <3


~ I had other friends speaking into my life.. things that challenged me and rebuked me at times.. but I recognized that voice.. I knew in a moment that it was my Abba's loving discipline and direction and salvation... to keep me from sin and death.. we must not lose the love and warmth of a loving relationship with our heavenly Father, but we must not make the mistake of forgetting that he diciplines those whom he loves.. knowing him.. as his children.. so key.

yes...

~ You've been crying out for someone to help you..
feeling alone, forgotten.. like no one cares, disappointed with so much..

God is answering you this morning... he said to tell you..

"Yes, I will help you.."
(Isaish 41:10)

"Don't Give Up Trusting God."
He gave my Pastor this word to share last Sunday.

Claim it.. God is speaking to you <3

Diamonds.. treasure.. ppl.. service..

God often speaks to me when I am around water it seems.. idk.. the shower, washing dishes, fishing.. even tho I am not a good swimmer and just really don't like boats unless someone insists that I get on one..

So this morning in the shower God starts talking as usual, and he shows me a solitaire diamond in a setting. He begins to explain that all ppl are a treasure, a diamond, but that some are ...put on display. Those are the popular ppl, who have a set of struggles unique to where they have been placed, a treasure in the open that becomes a target for theives and for ppl to fight over.

Other diamonds are put out of view but whose presence allows all things in that circle to function. The example that came to mind is the diamond needle of a record player. How clear and lasting the sound quality remains because of it's presence. Even tho ppl fail to notice it unless they specifically look for it. The attention is taken from it and put upon the music or the performer or the sound it serves to lend it's high quality to. This too comes with a unique set of struggles because of where it has been placed.

Diamonds.. treasure.. ppl.. service..

God lends his beauty to us.. and we are to lend it to others. Whether in view as a source of inspiration or buried in the machine to ensure the highest quality.. drawing others to take notice and come closer to invesitgate the source of such clarity and beauty.

Treasure in the open, vulnerable in ways, with specific struggles...
Or treasure not in view, seemingly forgotten, with its own specific struggles...

"Stop comparing yourselves to one another.. I placed you with wisdom and care and intent.. you shine no matter who sees it or who doesn't.. I see it.. all ppl have worth.. all have purpose.. serve and lend your beauty to others.. that is what it is to be like Christ.

You're beautiful because I made you beautiful.
Nothing can change that or lessen that.
The appearance of things is a small matter."

Be encouraged today and know that you are loved by a heavenly Father. You're the apple of his eye, and he sees you <3


 

Five Years

~ Five years of waiting, five years of grace..
In the sixth year, being the year of men,
There are things that men must do..
In the seventh year, being the year of God,
There are things that God will do..

The end of year five is approaching.


~ Yes, he understands that there are scary things in the world that we face each day.. this is not a rebuke as much as it is direction and strenth and encouragement.. he wouldn't tell us to not fear, if there weren't reasons to be afraid.. he understands why we are tempted to fear.. but he empowers us and challenges us to fear not.

~ Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.


~ There is an unusual anointing on praise and worship this morning.. makes me feel like God is gonna show up in huge ways to do huge things.. almost like he desires a hug from his children today.. ready to manifest his presence and with power as his response.


~ "Don't Give Up Trusting God," Pastor Richard


~ "Your presence is life to me.
I need more of your presence every day."

~ "More than the air I breathe
More than the song I sing
More than the next heartbeat
More than anything
And Lord, as time goes by, I will be by your side
Cause I never want to go back to my old life."

~ "I need You more, more than yesterday
I need You Lord, more than words can say
I need You more, than ever before
I need You Lord
I need You Lord"

 

 

 

 

Be Courageous

~ Two things change the rules of engagement...
1) When at war
2) When dealing with family (which includes church family)

Immediate response as a Christian.. not so.. but not according to Ecclesiastes 3.


~ While I was fishing yesterday.. I found myself replacing hook and sinker time and again which is a common chore with fishing.. and the frustration over snags is so intensified when they come free and you discover that you have lost everything and have to reset everything for the bahzillionth time..

and suddenly God put it in my head.. such is the Christian life.

And I asked him, how do you mean Lord?

He answered and said that as fishermen in this world, you're gonna suffer loss on a regular basis. You need to embrace that. You need to realize that one of the most important things about fishing is having your tackle ready to restore and repair what is lost. I will always supply the tackle, but you have to embrace the chore of setting the tackle on your line time and time again.. after every loss.. no matter how frustrating, no matter how painful, no matter how often, no matter how pointless it may seem.

Embrace the loss as a constant part of the process, knowing that the tackle will always be there if you are willing to stay in the game.


 ~ As Christians we want to see everything as defined and in place and orderly progression.. neat and tidy.. but that is seldom the true walk as a believer.. because that is seldom the true walk in a war zone.. the rules of engagement change tho the Gospel and character of God never change.. that is why being led by the Spirit of God coupled with the Word of God is so key.. either without the other will always lead to error.


~ Devastating news yesterday.. I just heard that a couple that has been in ministry since way back when I was new to my walk has divorced.. He had an affair about a year ago and is leaving her for another woman.. I am just so heartbroken.. she left town for a year just after finding out because she was just so broken.. and is returning soon..

This scene from THE GUARDIAN movie (start at 1:00 to 5:05)) where the husband is pushing the woman under the water and almost kills her is an excellent illustration of an adulterer.. wanting what he wants, not caring if he kills her. Such men are quitters, cowards.. yes, there is forgiveness, but the pain to the woman whether they weather out the storm or not remains with her her entire life, just like the tender scars in the hands and side of our Lord. Love and relationship can be restored and even blessed, but the pain... always there..

I think of the excuses that sound so logical but are so small and nauseating, and it brings to mind when God confronted Adam in the garden after his sin. He blamed the woman and even God subtly.. " The woman you gave me.. " Basically saying this was her fault and your fault, God. It didn't fly then and it doesn't fly now. If only that over 50% of Christian men would choose to be men of courage rather than cowards..

Someone once told me that "it's not like he forgot to take out the trash".. even tho ppl want it swept under the rug or out of their sight and hearing.. altho it is a crippling ill that the wife carries to the grave whether divorced or not.

But I also love this scene because of the rescue swimmer. He makes me think of the presence of God who rescues us in such tragic circumstance. Even when those we love sin against us and it's just more than we can bear, he intervenes keeping us from death, searching us out in black water that covers us, working the details to get us to a place of safety, and breathing life back into us. And life goes on until all is fulfilled in the earth, despite the battle scars.

This is a war after all and such things involve grief and loss and casualties... but it will not last forever.

~ The thing is.. when those we love act as cowards.. it tempts us to do the same.. the world screams that we are justified to sin as well.. but that's a lie. If everyone around us cheats, if all our friends and key ppl in our family or our church family all quit on their marriage or relationships in their lives.. is that really God's stamp of approval on our cowardice? no. It is key moments like that that God needs someone to step up and be courageous.. unafraid of the pain or the controversy or the messiness... if everyone else around you fails you.. do not quit on God, do not go the way of a coward, do not fail to fight as that man or woman of courage that God has called you to be. As in this movie, there is a whole network that God has put in place to get you on your feet again and in the fight to win. GOD WILL NOT FAIL YOU, tho the freewill of mankind will. God has the final say and all authority. You're gonna be okay. I love so many scenes in this movie.. but in a later scene when they are lost at sea, the commander sends a chopper over so they will hear the engine.. even tho it didn't have the gas to rescue them in that moment.. he wanted them to hear it and know that they were not alone, that help was on the way... God wants you to know that.. HELP IS ON THE WAY.. be strong and full of courage, he will get you to a place of safety, a place of ministry, a place where you will find your feet again.. and stand <3