James 4:7
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
God has a plan a purpose for your life. Yes. You. It's not just Billy Graham or Rick Warren that are meant to have an impact on this world. It's you too! But, that impact, that purpose, that plan, that God has for you has opposition. We have an enemy and he is willing to stop at nothing to keep us from fulfilling God's plan for our lives. He wants to wound you. He wants to put you on spiritual profile so that you will not be as effective, or at all effective, for God. The best way to take out the most enemies is to wound as many as possible. He would love to see you in hell with him but, why do that quickly when he can wound you and watch as you spread poison and hurt to those around you. Why not just allow you to distract those who feel the need to help you from their path and mission? Our enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But, you have with you the power to overcome him. You just have to be willing to submit to God's plan for your life, resist evil, and then the devil will flee. But, are you willing to lay aside your plan for his? Or are you convinced that you have it all put together? The most depressed people I know are the ones who have "accomplished" what they thought they wanted for their life. But, they're walking wounded. Are you on spiritual profile today? Is the devil running from you or are you hiding from him?
Monday, October 31, 2016
Sunday, October 30, 2016
28Oct16
Hebrews 13:8
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
I apologize for being "off the net" for so long. Sometimes getting set back up with a computer and account can take a minute when returning from a deployment. But, I am home. This journey in a foreign country has come to a close and now it is time to figure out who I am, what I am doing now, and what God wants for me. This is where I can take comfort in the fact that, although I have faced struggles and changed over the last few months, God has not changed. He is the same God that has been with me the entire time. I have to face how I am going to engage Him here in America. What does that look like? Am I going to go to the same church I did before? Am I closer to Him or further away from Him? Have I spent the nine months in relationship with my Savior or have I neglected that? Regardless, He is the same. He is stable. He is waiting for me to go deeper.
We spend a lot of time talking about reintegrating with our family, friends, and Garrison. But, what about God? Do we even need to reintegrate with the one who has never left our side? Possibly... if we have left His. How are you going to do that here in America? How are you going to reach out for the God of eternal stability in a time of change?
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
I apologize for being "off the net" for so long. Sometimes getting set back up with a computer and account can take a minute when returning from a deployment. But, I am home. This journey in a foreign country has come to a close and now it is time to figure out who I am, what I am doing now, and what God wants for me. This is where I can take comfort in the fact that, although I have faced struggles and changed over the last few months, God has not changed. He is the same God that has been with me the entire time. I have to face how I am going to engage Him here in America. What does that look like? Am I going to go to the same church I did before? Am I closer to Him or further away from Him? Have I spent the nine months in relationship with my Savior or have I neglected that? Regardless, He is the same. He is stable. He is waiting for me to go deeper.
We spend a lot of time talking about reintegrating with our family, friends, and Garrison. But, what about God? Do we even need to reintegrate with the one who has never left our side? Possibly... if we have left His. How are you going to do that here in America? How are you going to reach out for the God of eternal stability in a time of change?
Thursday, October 6, 2016
07Oct16
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
I have a pretty huge decision to make in a very short period of time that has the capability of changing the future of my career in the Army. It's in these moments that I have to look deeply at who God has made me and what He has called me to do. I have to trust that what He has revealed as my purpose is true and good for my life or I will be tempted into comfortability and safety. Some things just make sense to the logical brain but run in direct contradiction to what God wants for you. You must trust. You must look back and realize how He has gotten you to where you are and will see you through to the end. He will make the path straight even when it doesn't look that way at the intersection of decision. Have you asked God to reveal your purpose to you? Do you trust Him enough to follow that even when it doesn't make sense?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
I have a pretty huge decision to make in a very short period of time that has the capability of changing the future of my career in the Army. It's in these moments that I have to look deeply at who God has made me and what He has called me to do. I have to trust that what He has revealed as my purpose is true and good for my life or I will be tempted into comfortability and safety. Some things just make sense to the logical brain but run in direct contradiction to what God wants for you. You must trust. You must look back and realize how He has gotten you to where you are and will see you through to the end. He will make the path straight even when it doesn't look that way at the intersection of decision. Have you asked God to reveal your purpose to you? Do you trust Him enough to follow that even when it doesn't make sense?
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
06Oct16
1 Kings 18:27 CJB
Around noon Elijah began ridiculing them: "Shout louder! After all, he's a god, isn't he? Maybe he's daydreaming, or he's on the toilet, or he's away on a trip. Maybe he's asleep, and you have to wake him up."
Have you ever had an inconvenient poo? Ever planned everything down to the last second, were right on time, and then got that rumbly in the tumbly that you knew was going to set you back? In this passage Elijah is challenging the prophets of Baal (a false god) to a contest. They put a bunch of wood on the top of a mountain and pray to their god to light it on fire. The prophets of Baal danced, and cut themselves, and screamed at the top of their lungs to try and get their god to act but, Elijah just makes fun of them. When it's his turn, Elijah has then pour water on the wood and then simply prays once that God would act. God brings down fire from the sky and consumes the wood, the rocks that the wood is on, and the water!
My point is that our God is never on the pot. He's not preoccupied with other things. He hears us when we call out to Him and is ready to act in our benefit. If you are putting all your faith in something that can be stopped by an ill-timed bowel movement, or needs a nap, you may want to reevaluate. God is watching, listening, and caring for you right now.
Around noon Elijah began ridiculing them: "Shout louder! After all, he's a god, isn't he? Maybe he's daydreaming, or he's on the toilet, or he's away on a trip. Maybe he's asleep, and you have to wake him up."
Have you ever had an inconvenient poo? Ever planned everything down to the last second, were right on time, and then got that rumbly in the tumbly that you knew was going to set you back? In this passage Elijah is challenging the prophets of Baal (a false god) to a contest. They put a bunch of wood on the top of a mountain and pray to their god to light it on fire. The prophets of Baal danced, and cut themselves, and screamed at the top of their lungs to try and get their god to act but, Elijah just makes fun of them. When it's his turn, Elijah has then pour water on the wood and then simply prays once that God would act. God brings down fire from the sky and consumes the wood, the rocks that the wood is on, and the water!
My point is that our God is never on the pot. He's not preoccupied with other things. He hears us when we call out to Him and is ready to act in our benefit. If you are putting all your faith in something that can be stopped by an ill-timed bowel movement, or needs a nap, you may want to reevaluate. God is watching, listening, and caring for you right now.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
04Oct16
Matthew 24:44 ESV
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
For the last eight months we have lived under the 2ID banner of "fight tonight." To this effect there have been multiple mornings, including this fine one, when I received a call at God awful times in the morning to rehearse, prepare, and test our systems for an attack at any time. No matter the time we have to be ready. Our bags packed, our armor on, our vehicles prepped. We stand prepared to do what needs to be done on this theatre of battle. But, how prepared are you for the final call? How prepared are you for the end of this age, the final battle, the beginning of eternity? Are you ready to "fight tonight" spiritually? How is that day going to find you? Maybe it's time for a spiritual "alert" in your life. Maybe it's time for that test of your spiritual systems. Because when that day comes you can be prepared but, it will be unexpected. No man or woman can know. ALERT!!! ALERT!!! ALERT!!!
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
For the last eight months we have lived under the 2ID banner of "fight tonight." To this effect there have been multiple mornings, including this fine one, when I received a call at God awful times in the morning to rehearse, prepare, and test our systems for an attack at any time. No matter the time we have to be ready. Our bags packed, our armor on, our vehicles prepped. We stand prepared to do what needs to be done on this theatre of battle. But, how prepared are you for the final call? How prepared are you for the end of this age, the final battle, the beginning of eternity? Are you ready to "fight tonight" spiritually? How is that day going to find you? Maybe it's time for a spiritual "alert" in your life. Maybe it's time for that test of your spiritual systems. Because when that day comes you can be prepared but, it will be unexpected. No man or woman can know. ALERT!!! ALERT!!! ALERT!!!
Monday, October 3, 2016
04Oct16
Psalm 16:11 ESV
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
There are always two choices. One leads to life. The other leads to death. Death, not just of the physical, but, of the spiritual. Death of your hope. Death of your joy. But, the path of life that God makes clear to us brings us fullness of joy and pleasure forever! Yet, we consistently choose the path of death. We trade short lived "pleasure" in exchange for true joy. What does your legacy look like? Do you think that when you die people will pick up your iphone and say, "wow! They had so many achievements in candy crush." Or maybe, "They were such a great Facebook friend." ? Choose in every moment the path of life. Choose a path of life worth living. Then you will see God and experience the fullness of joy you are trying to find in the million distractions you trade it for.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
There are always two choices. One leads to life. The other leads to death. Death, not just of the physical, but, of the spiritual. Death of your hope. Death of your joy. But, the path of life that God makes clear to us brings us fullness of joy and pleasure forever! Yet, we consistently choose the path of death. We trade short lived "pleasure" in exchange for true joy. What does your legacy look like? Do you think that when you die people will pick up your iphone and say, "wow! They had so many achievements in candy crush." Or maybe, "They were such a great Facebook friend." ? Choose in every moment the path of life. Choose a path of life worth living. Then you will see God and experience the fullness of joy you are trying to find in the million distractions you trade it for.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
03Oct16
1 Timothy 6:20 ESV
O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge,"
The last two days I have had a stanza from Lewis Carol's poem "The Walrus and the Carpenter" running through my head.
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
The poem follows a Walrus and Carpenter as they convince a group of oysters to come to their restaurant through smooth talk and temptation only to shuck and devour them. But, the stanza that has been on my mind is all about the "irreverent babble" and inconsequential talk that the walrus uses to distract the oysters from what is happening to them. If you are not focused on asking the right questions, seeking the true source of knowledge, or living a righteous life, then you will be led by the walruses of this world and all their distracting banter right into the waiting maw of death with nothing to show for it. Be careful who you are listening to and how much credence you give to those influences. Are you talking about shoes, and ships, and sealing wax; when you should be talking about God? Are you more passionate about a passing fad or news bite then you are about the eternal?
O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge,"
The last two days I have had a stanza from Lewis Carol's poem "The Walrus and the Carpenter" running through my head.
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
The poem follows a Walrus and Carpenter as they convince a group of oysters to come to their restaurant through smooth talk and temptation only to shuck and devour them. But, the stanza that has been on my mind is all about the "irreverent babble" and inconsequential talk that the walrus uses to distract the oysters from what is happening to them. If you are not focused on asking the right questions, seeking the true source of knowledge, or living a righteous life, then you will be led by the walruses of this world and all their distracting banter right into the waiting maw of death with nothing to show for it. Be careful who you are listening to and how much credence you give to those influences. Are you talking about shoes, and ships, and sealing wax; when you should be talking about God? Are you more passionate about a passing fad or news bite then you are about the eternal?
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