Well, we have come to the end of this journey together. After three hundred and forty eight posts, this will be the last from Afghanistan. I have thought about this day for quite some time, how do you end something that has been part of almost everyday that I have been here. How do you say so long and wrap things up into a nice complete little bundle. The answer that I came up with is, I don't know! I don't know what this should be, and what will come next. I am pretty sure however that I will continue to Post here, once I have settled back home as all of this will definately have a "rest of the story."
As for this year, I certainly hope that you all have experienced through me a walk with the Lord. I hope you have seen past only the things that I have done and seen what the Lord did through me and with me. I hope that by reading of what has occurred this year here, that something has also occurred with you, that my words have been considered when read, and made changes in all of you along with those that you saw in me.
I pray that my time here, with all of its ups and downs, ultimately bears fruit for the Kingdom of God and my Lord Jesus Christ. If only for one person that my time here made a difference. That through me, just a fleating instance someone was given the mustard seed that will grow in to tremendous faith for the Lord. I want to know this, but I may never until the day that I face the Lord in Heaven.
I hope that my writing showed that we Christians are not perfect, that we struggle and go through life with all of the same external and many more internal struggles as anyone else. That I am not above anyone else but here with everyone else, living in this world, wrestling with all of its sin. I hope that you have seen that as a Christian I am given hope and set free from the snares that bind to this world. That I seek to honor the Lord in all things first, that I may fail at this, but I know that He is faithful to recieve me in my repentance.
I hope that you saw the power of the Lord Jesus Christ in my life. That in times of my greatest struggles it was only Him that gave me strength to continue on. That only He allowed Catherine and I to remain faithful and to endure through this. I hope that throuh my words you all know Jesus Christ a little better. Only by His grace in my life could this day have arrived.
I aslo Hope that you have seen the power of the Lord Jesus Christ in the lives of others. That you have seen that He is the Living God, who was raised from the grave and sent the Holy Spirit to us to dwell in the hearts of all who believe in Him. That we are set free from our sin and can live in freedom from this world and hope of heaven. that God offeres His free gift of Grace through faith in the truth of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:16
Jesus Commissions the Eleven
16 But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped [him]; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
I hope not just this year, but in all years to come, all instances, in everything that I do I may honor the Lord Jesus Christ in what He has asked me to do and each person that calls Him Lord and Savior. To be a wittness to Him and go make Disciples of all nations.
Be well all, God Bless each of you and may the Lord Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit be in your hearts and lead your lives in all things.
Lord Jesus, I ask that the seeds that I have sown, now be watered and grow. That all that have read or will read my words know you more, know you as Lord and Savior. Watch over this Camp, and all those that remain here. In your name Jesus I pray, Amen.
First time in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor under a one year contract. I have been brought here by God and intend to speak the Gospel of Christ however I can.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
1 Timothy 6:10 -12
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:10-12
We men are in eternal struggle in our lives, we are pulled between thye world and our faith. The world have us be weathy, nice cars, prestigous jobs, kids in the best colleges, lacking nothing immediately. We are told by the fools of this world and the weak in faith that we must labor in the world to be of worth, that we must join even be it partially the reasonings of those that walk in death. We stand, even casually with one foot in the world and one in our faith. We have come to rely, in some way on the things of the world to provide rather then the Lord.
Our pursuits, while we work in the world, are not purely for the Lord. Somewhere as you dig down, man fears not having enough, being in adequate as a father as a man. We compare to others what they may have and have wants beyond our means. We look at some and say "poor" and others and say "rich" but we use the standard of this world. Who is truly "poor" and who "rich"? This is our sin nature, the worldly eyes that we never seem to completely discard.
Man of God! What would be a true man of God? Who has achieved this in the world? We hold this standard out to the Acclaimed Saints and never think that we are all Saints to the Lord. We hope that we men can be men of God but we only half heartedly pursue this in our lives. We give only what is easy, what will not cost us. We fail to truly trust the one who we claim as Lord, we we say we follow.
Men, we are the Spirtual Leaders of our households. As the head goes so goes the body. My family will only be as good as I am and in that I am bothered. We must stand for something, we must committ to what we believe. If we only say and not do our hypocracy shows, and becomes a cancer. We can not pick and chose the places of our faith, they must be always.
If we labor, then we must labor for the Lord. Our hearts not set on monetary gain or even accolades but on producing for Him who has given us much. We must see the fruits of our labor as His and then with that fruit seek the treasures that He shall provide, righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. These are the measuress of the Saints, of the Men of God.
Imagine if each man of the Church stood for these values in all things. If we pushed each other into service as Men of God to produce these fruits. If we displayed these in our homes and instilled these values to our children and wives. If our worldly work was marked by them and seen as different. What if we were not ashamed or fearful to say that we were Men of God in all circumstances, all circumstances.
We are expected to be the leaders, and bring these things forth in all things and all measure. Our church should be marked by its Men and Christ working through them. Our service is to the Lord and the works are the fruit that should be apperent to the community. We should be different to those that look only for the worldly man. If you are a beilever of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have publicly called His name as Lord and Saviour then you are without exccuse as to your duty and to the position that God expects from you.
Men of God, be the Men that God wants you to be. If not alone then be the help of your Brother but we must move to this in our lives. No excuse. Make secondary the issues and gain of the world and pursue first the righteousness of God. Make you home and family your cause and your work His. Trust in Hiom and He will see you through.
Lord, let all men who call you Lord stand and become the Leadersof their households, the leaders of the Church, the examples of Jesus Christ that they should be, that you made them when you called them. Amen.
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:10-12
We men are in eternal struggle in our lives, we are pulled between thye world and our faith. The world have us be weathy, nice cars, prestigous jobs, kids in the best colleges, lacking nothing immediately. We are told by the fools of this world and the weak in faith that we must labor in the world to be of worth, that we must join even be it partially the reasonings of those that walk in death. We stand, even casually with one foot in the world and one in our faith. We have come to rely, in some way on the things of the world to provide rather then the Lord.
Our pursuits, while we work in the world, are not purely for the Lord. Somewhere as you dig down, man fears not having enough, being in adequate as a father as a man. We compare to others what they may have and have wants beyond our means. We look at some and say "poor" and others and say "rich" but we use the standard of this world. Who is truly "poor" and who "rich"? This is our sin nature, the worldly eyes that we never seem to completely discard.
Man of God! What would be a true man of God? Who has achieved this in the world? We hold this standard out to the Acclaimed Saints and never think that we are all Saints to the Lord. We hope that we men can be men of God but we only half heartedly pursue this in our lives. We give only what is easy, what will not cost us. We fail to truly trust the one who we claim as Lord, we we say we follow.
Men, we are the Spirtual Leaders of our households. As the head goes so goes the body. My family will only be as good as I am and in that I am bothered. We must stand for something, we must committ to what we believe. If we only say and not do our hypocracy shows, and becomes a cancer. We can not pick and chose the places of our faith, they must be always.
If we labor, then we must labor for the Lord. Our hearts not set on monetary gain or even accolades but on producing for Him who has given us much. We must see the fruits of our labor as His and then with that fruit seek the treasures that He shall provide, righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. These are the measuress of the Saints, of the Men of God.
Imagine if each man of the Church stood for these values in all things. If we pushed each other into service as Men of God to produce these fruits. If we displayed these in our homes and instilled these values to our children and wives. If our worldly work was marked by them and seen as different. What if we were not ashamed or fearful to say that we were Men of God in all circumstances, all circumstances.
We are expected to be the leaders, and bring these things forth in all things and all measure. Our church should be marked by its Men and Christ working through them. Our service is to the Lord and the works are the fruit that should be apperent to the community. We should be different to those that look only for the worldly man. If you are a beilever of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have publicly called His name as Lord and Saviour then you are without exccuse as to your duty and to the position that God expects from you.
Men of God, be the Men that God wants you to be. If not alone then be the help of your Brother but we must move to this in our lives. No excuse. Make secondary the issues and gain of the world and pursue first the righteousness of God. Make you home and family your cause and your work His. Trust in Hiom and He will see you through.
Lord, let all men who call you Lord stand and become the Leadersof their households, the leaders of the Church, the examples of Jesus Christ that they should be, that you made them when you called them. Amen.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Can You See Jesus From Me
39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are th Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
John 5:39-40
In this verse Jesus is speaking to the Jewish people, the Pharisees whom are the Holy men of the Jewish faith. The know the Law, the Scriptures and study them diligently everyday. The hold onto the scrolls and possess the knowledge that is contained within. But what Jesus is saying is that this alone is not enough. That what the know is what should lead them to see Him as the Messiah but it has not. they have placed the value in the knowledge and Religion and not in truly and personally knowing and seeing God, the living God that stands in front of them.
I could easily fall into the same trap as the Pharisees, reading the scriptures and not seeing the Living God before me. I could be able to quotes thousands of verses, which I can't, and never once have know them to be true and active in my life. You could look at me and see only a wealth of knowledge and nothing in regards to faith, this is whhere the Pharisees were at and Jesus was pointing that out to them.
People so often point out the flaws in Religion. They say that this Religion did this and that, that. They will talk about all the things that they saw growing up that were wrong with their church and that caused them to fall away and seek their own god. They place all the value on the external showing, the expected human perfection, the abilities of man and they miss the essential part of what Christ is saying here, find Him in all of it. See Him when He stands in front of you. That all of the things that we try to know should bring us into a physical relationship with Him, a love relationship with Him.
I am kinda lost here today on this, and looking for a final point from this and what keeps coming through my mind is that above all I hope that those around me can see Jesus Christ through me. That even though I may read the Bible, that people see me as a Christian, they see Jesus Christ working in my life. I hope that my father and mother more then say "wow Michael it is good where you are at now" say "when I look at him I see something that is beyond Michael, that thhey see Jesus Christ." The Pharisees did not get this, I could be there also if I only just read the Bible. It has to go beyond that and become a physical relationship, allowing the words to become real and relevant to me and Him now.
Above all, I hope that through all of my writing, all of my devotions, all of the good works, the Bible studies, the small groups, the Discipleship, the guiding of my family that you have not just seen me being Religious, that you have seen me show Jesus Christ. If only religion then I have failed because without Jesus Christ in me then I am nothing but an empty shell as the Pharisees were.
Lord, amy life to show you to those that see it and not just an empty Religion. Amen
John 5:39-40
In this verse Jesus is speaking to the Jewish people, the Pharisees whom are the Holy men of the Jewish faith. The know the Law, the Scriptures and study them diligently everyday. The hold onto the scrolls and possess the knowledge that is contained within. But what Jesus is saying is that this alone is not enough. That what the know is what should lead them to see Him as the Messiah but it has not. they have placed the value in the knowledge and Religion and not in truly and personally knowing and seeing God, the living God that stands in front of them.
I could easily fall into the same trap as the Pharisees, reading the scriptures and not seeing the Living God before me. I could be able to quotes thousands of verses, which I can't, and never once have know them to be true and active in my life. You could look at me and see only a wealth of knowledge and nothing in regards to faith, this is whhere the Pharisees were at and Jesus was pointing that out to them.
People so often point out the flaws in Religion. They say that this Religion did this and that, that. They will talk about all the things that they saw growing up that were wrong with their church and that caused them to fall away and seek their own god. They place all the value on the external showing, the expected human perfection, the abilities of man and they miss the essential part of what Christ is saying here, find Him in all of it. See Him when He stands in front of you. That all of the things that we try to know should bring us into a physical relationship with Him, a love relationship with Him.
I am kinda lost here today on this, and looking for a final point from this and what keeps coming through my mind is that above all I hope that those around me can see Jesus Christ through me. That even though I may read the Bible, that people see me as a Christian, they see Jesus Christ working in my life. I hope that my father and mother more then say "wow Michael it is good where you are at now" say "when I look at him I see something that is beyond Michael, that thhey see Jesus Christ." The Pharisees did not get this, I could be there also if I only just read the Bible. It has to go beyond that and become a physical relationship, allowing the words to become real and relevant to me and Him now.
Above all, I hope that through all of my writing, all of my devotions, all of the good works, the Bible studies, the small groups, the Discipleship, the guiding of my family that you have not just seen me being Religious, that you have seen me show Jesus Christ. If only religion then I have failed because without Jesus Christ in me then I am nothing but an empty shell as the Pharisees were.
Lord, amy life to show you to those that see it and not just an empty Religion. Amen
Thursday, June 16, 2011
My Flesh and Heart Fail
My flesh and my heart fail: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
Psalm 73:26
I am sinful by nature, failed, inperfect in heart and mind. My life is a struggle, back and forth, ebe and flow, pulled nad pushed by sin and righteousness.
I am weak, unable on my own to control the things that cause sin in my life. Anger, envy, lust, pride, all of these wait as traps around me as I walk. Many i look at and hold only to be hurt by them, to feel the sting.
I worry, because of my own plans, my inability to control my destinty. I attempt to determine the outcome of my life when I have no control. I plot and move in the way that I feel best, only to find that each wrong turn was my fault.
I love things other then God. I seek things to fill small holes in my heart that only He could fill. I place small idols in my life that cause my head to turn and look away, then I wonder why I lost my way.
I polish my eterior and hide things on the interior. I store the bad with the good in my heart and allow it all to spoil. I depend on my own hands to determine what is useful and what is mine, and not Him who knows best.
I fear the future that may not come. I live not only for today and what He have me do but later in my on thoughts. I miss out on what is just in front of me a I peer to far into the distance in wonder.
I cry.
This is however the best place for me to be, the only place where I can be so that the Spirit of God can work, can convict, can change me. Until I relaize what is wrong, where I have failed nothing will change. We are saved and we are convicted from that day on, it must be that way or we will be stagnet and waste the gift of life. only the Love that God has for me will allow me to overcome all that I am. Only when He is with me will I have the strength to change. I can not, no not ever, change on my own.
I am struggling today with all of this. A weight has been placed on my shoulders, a yoke that if I carry alone will continue to bring me down. for God and the Lord Jesus Christ are the strength in my heart that will hold me from the brink of death. They are the portion, the part that I absolutely need or I will fail on my own.
Lord Jesus, your strength is what I ask for, today and always. I am thankful that when I am weakest you are what I see, I know from that you are near. You will never leave me or forsake me but you will have me know you, thank you Lord. I look to you and offer nothing but this failed and broken shell that hurts and needs you, now and always. Amen.
Psalm 73:26
I am sinful by nature, failed, inperfect in heart and mind. My life is a struggle, back and forth, ebe and flow, pulled nad pushed by sin and righteousness.
I am weak, unable on my own to control the things that cause sin in my life. Anger, envy, lust, pride, all of these wait as traps around me as I walk. Many i look at and hold only to be hurt by them, to feel the sting.
I worry, because of my own plans, my inability to control my destinty. I attempt to determine the outcome of my life when I have no control. I plot and move in the way that I feel best, only to find that each wrong turn was my fault.
I love things other then God. I seek things to fill small holes in my heart that only He could fill. I place small idols in my life that cause my head to turn and look away, then I wonder why I lost my way.
I polish my eterior and hide things on the interior. I store the bad with the good in my heart and allow it all to spoil. I depend on my own hands to determine what is useful and what is mine, and not Him who knows best.
I fear the future that may not come. I live not only for today and what He have me do but later in my on thoughts. I miss out on what is just in front of me a I peer to far into the distance in wonder.
I cry.
This is however the best place for me to be, the only place where I can be so that the Spirit of God can work, can convict, can change me. Until I relaize what is wrong, where I have failed nothing will change. We are saved and we are convicted from that day on, it must be that way or we will be stagnet and waste the gift of life. only the Love that God has for me will allow me to overcome all that I am. Only when He is with me will I have the strength to change. I can not, no not ever, change on my own.
I am struggling today with all of this. A weight has been placed on my shoulders, a yoke that if I carry alone will continue to bring me down. for God and the Lord Jesus Christ are the strength in my heart that will hold me from the brink of death. They are the portion, the part that I absolutely need or I will fail on my own.
Lord Jesus, your strength is what I ask for, today and always. I am thankful that when I am weakest you are what I see, I know from that you are near. You will never leave me or forsake me but you will have me know you, thank you Lord. I look to you and offer nothing but this failed and broken shell that hurts and needs you, now and always. Amen.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
To Partake With Sinners
"Those who partake with sinners in their sin, must expect to partake with them in their plagues."
Matthew Henry, Commentary on 2 Kings 8:25-29
Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does a good God allow good people to suffer and die? Why doesn't the the bad stuff only happen to the bad people? Add your own question here as to why things don't happen the way that we think that they should. How the world think that it should be.
God will maintain His judgement to the end, unwaivering and unceasing, consistant and clearly. There is no gray area in this. God does what He says He is going to do, always. In this sin will be punished, it will have its payment in blood, this is the way that it was intended it to be from the beginning. Genesis 3:21 "The lord made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." The Lord spilled blood to cover the sin of Adam and Eve, to cover their "nakedness" that caused them to now feel shame. Blood for sin.
So, sinners, part of why bad things happen to good people is because of the brokeness of the world from the beginning. It just isn't working the way God intended it to and therefore things break. When things break, murder, drunk driving, heart attacks, cancer, sickness and desease, they cause death. When things are moving and living and being part of the brokeness they are caught up in the outcome of it. There is no way around it.
Getting more specific to the message today, if you allow yourself to be part of the sin, or environment of sin, you are even more likely to suffer the consquences of it. Pornography, drugs, robbery, drunk driving, these all can have consequences that can be detremental beyond a "normal" life. If you get in the car with the drunk driver you should expect that you may be harmed. If your sexual appetite leads you to risky sexual relations you may end up with a disease that will kill you. You get the point.
So is there also consequences for allowing these things to go on without interceeding? Yes, I am asking how much you should be involved in stopping others from doing the things that may cause harm, things that may be sin. I know, who are we to say anything to somone else! They are grown ups and can do what they want. Even if it may eventually affect you? A neighbor that is continually driving drunk, could they run your child over or have an accident with your family? Do we have any responsibility to them or ourselves?
Ok, Christians, our turn. When we see sin, do we say anything? When we know that the actions of others are against God, are flirting with the Devil do we speak on the Lords behalf? I know we all want to be good wittnesses in our lives, let our actions speak for us, but does that work when you see your unsaved buddy sinning? Do you just sit and allow it to happen out of the same fear that the rest of the world has for speaking out? How about abortion? Deliberate murder of a child that God created, is that fight only for the radical Christians or do we all have a duty to speak and take actual action against this sin?
If we allow the things that are wrong continue in our presence then we must acknowledge that eventually we may be judged, that we may be part of the plague that occurs. Genesis 18:25, "Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Abraham questioning God in regards to the City of Sodom where wickedness was rampent in the eyes of God. The "righteous" living and allowing the "unrighteous" to do as they please. If not for Abraham speaking on behalf of these people, they all would have perished in Gods judgement.
Exodus 11:4-7, 4 So Moses said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. 5 Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. 6 There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. 7 But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. Every first born son will die! Every one if not by the protection that the Lord provided the Israelites even their sons. Was there not a good one among them? Was judgement on all that were not with the Lord? The plagues, the judgements of sin may befall the sinner as well as the nonsinner if they are allowed and accepted.
So, yes Christians, we are to be good wittnesses in our lives, we are also called to fight against sin and speak out against the things that may be unrighteous in Gods eyes. To allow them without concern is to place yourself along side the sins consequences. To the nieghbor whom you should love, you must offer them an alternative to what they will get from the sinner on the other side of the road, an alternative that brings them out of Sodom, an alternative that associates them with the Israelites and not the Egyptians. one that will save them from the plagues as well as saves yourself from them.
When you see sin, say something. Satan wants you to fear the consequences of a foolish rebuke. God wants you to stand for his righteousness and suffer the fools if necessary. For you no believers, you have a choice also, to allow bad to happen to the good, just because you also were afraid, Sin has cost. Sin must be paid for with blood. Partake in sin with sinners and patake in the plague that may follow.
Lord Jesus, give all that see sin strength to walk away from it, strength to repent if they have been caught in it. Let the righteous stand with you and for you and save the unrighteous through word and deed, not to have fear, but to walk in faith to your powerful word. Also let your judgements be ap[pernet to those who need to see, before it is to late for them also. Amen.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on 2 Kings 8:25-29
Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does a good God allow good people to suffer and die? Why doesn't the the bad stuff only happen to the bad people? Add your own question here as to why things don't happen the way that we think that they should. How the world think that it should be.
God will maintain His judgement to the end, unwaivering and unceasing, consistant and clearly. There is no gray area in this. God does what He says He is going to do, always. In this sin will be punished, it will have its payment in blood, this is the way that it was intended it to be from the beginning. Genesis 3:21 "The lord made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." The Lord spilled blood to cover the sin of Adam and Eve, to cover their "nakedness" that caused them to now feel shame. Blood for sin.
So, sinners, part of why bad things happen to good people is because of the brokeness of the world from the beginning. It just isn't working the way God intended it to and therefore things break. When things break, murder, drunk driving, heart attacks, cancer, sickness and desease, they cause death. When things are moving and living and being part of the brokeness they are caught up in the outcome of it. There is no way around it.
Getting more specific to the message today, if you allow yourself to be part of the sin, or environment of sin, you are even more likely to suffer the consquences of it. Pornography, drugs, robbery, drunk driving, these all can have consequences that can be detremental beyond a "normal" life. If you get in the car with the drunk driver you should expect that you may be harmed. If your sexual appetite leads you to risky sexual relations you may end up with a disease that will kill you. You get the point.
So is there also consequences for allowing these things to go on without interceeding? Yes, I am asking how much you should be involved in stopping others from doing the things that may cause harm, things that may be sin. I know, who are we to say anything to somone else! They are grown ups and can do what they want. Even if it may eventually affect you? A neighbor that is continually driving drunk, could they run your child over or have an accident with your family? Do we have any responsibility to them or ourselves?
Ok, Christians, our turn. When we see sin, do we say anything? When we know that the actions of others are against God, are flirting with the Devil do we speak on the Lords behalf? I know we all want to be good wittnesses in our lives, let our actions speak for us, but does that work when you see your unsaved buddy sinning? Do you just sit and allow it to happen out of the same fear that the rest of the world has for speaking out? How about abortion? Deliberate murder of a child that God created, is that fight only for the radical Christians or do we all have a duty to speak and take actual action against this sin?
If we allow the things that are wrong continue in our presence then we must acknowledge that eventually we may be judged, that we may be part of the plague that occurs. Genesis 18:25, "Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Abraham questioning God in regards to the City of Sodom where wickedness was rampent in the eyes of God. The "righteous" living and allowing the "unrighteous" to do as they please. If not for Abraham speaking on behalf of these people, they all would have perished in Gods judgement.
Exodus 11:4-7, 4 So Moses said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. 5 Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. 6 There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. 7 But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. Every first born son will die! Every one if not by the protection that the Lord provided the Israelites even their sons. Was there not a good one among them? Was judgement on all that were not with the Lord? The plagues, the judgements of sin may befall the sinner as well as the nonsinner if they are allowed and accepted.
So, yes Christians, we are to be good wittnesses in our lives, we are also called to fight against sin and speak out against the things that may be unrighteous in Gods eyes. To allow them without concern is to place yourself along side the sins consequences. To the nieghbor whom you should love, you must offer them an alternative to what they will get from the sinner on the other side of the road, an alternative that brings them out of Sodom, an alternative that associates them with the Israelites and not the Egyptians. one that will save them from the plagues as well as saves yourself from them.
When you see sin, say something. Satan wants you to fear the consequences of a foolish rebuke. God wants you to stand for his righteousness and suffer the fools if necessary. For you no believers, you have a choice also, to allow bad to happen to the good, just because you also were afraid, Sin has cost. Sin must be paid for with blood. Partake in sin with sinners and patake in the plague that may follow.
Lord Jesus, give all that see sin strength to walk away from it, strength to repent if they have been caught in it. Let the righteous stand with you and for you and save the unrighteous through word and deed, not to have fear, but to walk in faith to your powerful word. Also let your judgements be ap[pernet to those who need to see, before it is to late for them also. Amen.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday Night Prayer Group
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7
With hearts full of the Lord these men have gathered every week for the past year here at Camp Shindand. Started by Robert and myself as a way to offer prayer and worship time for men that worked jobs that did not allow them time for Church, it has lasted and grown.
It has been incredibale being able to share this time with these men and others over the past year. I have seen a diffent style or prayer and tesimony within a small group setting. It is a time as I could have imagined with the original churches as there is no set program, no script just open form. Be it a song, or prayer, or a testimony of the Lords working to the group, each man is afforded time to bring the word to the others in whatever way he so desires. I have never left this group empty of the Spirit or raised up to the Lord.
Over this year many have come and gone from us Richard and Phillip, Senoti, Charles and many others who will all be part of the memory of the group. I hope that each man that has come and gone will have the same memories that I now have. That the blessings that have come from this will remain forever. I have three sonds that stay with me now that I use during prayer time, simple, but perfect to set my heart before the Lord. That is one of the gifts. We also now have the gift of fellowship and Brotherhood, something that will remain for eternity.
Last night will be the last time that I gather with these men in this setting here at FOB Shindand. Again it was bitter sweet for me. I held Robert as the other men laid hands on me for my safe journey and return home. I however pray that this not be the last time that I see these men. I ask the Lord to bring us together again, even with grey hair and grand children, so we may worship and pray once more.
Lord Jesus, bless each man that is represented in this photo. Continue to be with themm as the remian here, protecting them. Allow this group to remain forever and to be the blessing it was for me to any who enter into it. Amen.
Monday, June 13, 2011
John 3:18, Don't Pass This One By!
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only son.
John 3:18
We hear so many times of 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. I rememeber growing up and seeing John 3:16 signs in many places, sporting events on TV and just about anywhere you looked. This is one of the standard Christian verses that people know, I think it is one of the few that I actually know without looking up.
This verse brings hope to the people that read it. I will bet that even someone who is not a practicing Christian, by that a I mean a follower of Jesus Christ, would in some way think that this applies to them. Even "good" people can place themselves into this catagory of having Gods love and therefore having eternal life. Natural human reaction, nobody wants to die and go to hell or think that they will.
If you look just past this "famous" verse you come to 3:18 which should be the one that is spoken more often to those that are not believers in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is nice to know why God sent Christ, and what He will do for those that believe, but until true heartfelt acceptance and change occurs everyone falls under this catogory "being condemned already." Yes the God who loves the world also sees us all as sinners until we believe in His Son Jesus.
What that means is that no matter what you are or what you are doing in your life, no matter how good a parent you are or how well you run your business, you are condemned in the eyes of God and therefore subject to His righteous judgement and condemnation. In plain terms, you are destined for hell on judgement day. Harsh reality but a Biblical truth. God must be righteous and stand by His truths or He is not then God.
Now you may say that that is only the Christain perspective, what about my personal beliefs, what about the other religions of the world. Are they wrong? Are all of those people that are "good" people, Ghandi, Budha, Mohammad are they all going to hell also?" John 14:6, I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. By these words yes they are.
I have discussed this before that there may be only one truth and Jesus speaks of that truth when he was speaking to Thomas. He either is or He isn't the Son of God. He either did or din't do what the gospels state that He did. He either was or wasn't what gave birth to this new religion. He either dis or didn't rise from the dead as the wittnesses swore. You have to choose if He is or isn't the Christ, the Son of God. I testify that He is, by the change that happened in me the day I called His name, Lord and savior. The millions of others who, from their hearts can also testify to this will tell you the same. He is Lord, Son of God, and through Him we were made new creations, not condemned by sin and held in bondage by this world.
Ultimately you will have a choice to make, until your heart earnestly seeks Him , He will not respond. If you walk in a half hearted attempt without true commitment you will never know His grace, you will never experience His forgivness, you will never become one with Jesus Christ and know Gods glory. You will remain dead fools of this world. Make no mistake that as I had, your follish pride will keep you from eternal life. Thinking that you know best will cost you dearly. Even believing in other false religions will not see you through to the promise of God. You must believe in the one sent from God to have victory over sin and to be an example of Gods Word in flesh for us.
Raise your hands up and forsake your foolish pride. Reach for Jesus Christ and live in the freedom freely offered by God through Faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Get on your knees and realize that you are only so "good" and that you have no payment greater then the one that Jesus Christ has already made on the behalf of all those that come to Him. Ask Jesus Christ to take your life, and be your Lord and Savior today and be set free from the Condemnation that you now stand in. He will be faithful to draw near to you and the Holy Spirit will dwell forever in your heart.
Lord Jesus, I pray that just one may be saved and move past the judgemnt that awaits. May they see your truth and see life through that truth. In your precious and holy name I pray, Amen.
John 3:18
We hear so many times of 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. I rememeber growing up and seeing John 3:16 signs in many places, sporting events on TV and just about anywhere you looked. This is one of the standard Christian verses that people know, I think it is one of the few that I actually know without looking up.
This verse brings hope to the people that read it. I will bet that even someone who is not a practicing Christian, by that a I mean a follower of Jesus Christ, would in some way think that this applies to them. Even "good" people can place themselves into this catagory of having Gods love and therefore having eternal life. Natural human reaction, nobody wants to die and go to hell or think that they will.
If you look just past this "famous" verse you come to 3:18 which should be the one that is spoken more often to those that are not believers in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is nice to know why God sent Christ, and what He will do for those that believe, but until true heartfelt acceptance and change occurs everyone falls under this catogory "being condemned already." Yes the God who loves the world also sees us all as sinners until we believe in His Son Jesus.
What that means is that no matter what you are or what you are doing in your life, no matter how good a parent you are or how well you run your business, you are condemned in the eyes of God and therefore subject to His righteous judgement and condemnation. In plain terms, you are destined for hell on judgement day. Harsh reality but a Biblical truth. God must be righteous and stand by His truths or He is not then God.
Now you may say that that is only the Christain perspective, what about my personal beliefs, what about the other religions of the world. Are they wrong? Are all of those people that are "good" people, Ghandi, Budha, Mohammad are they all going to hell also?" John 14:6, I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. By these words yes they are.
I have discussed this before that there may be only one truth and Jesus speaks of that truth when he was speaking to Thomas. He either is or He isn't the Son of God. He either did or din't do what the gospels state that He did. He either was or wasn't what gave birth to this new religion. He either dis or didn't rise from the dead as the wittnesses swore. You have to choose if He is or isn't the Christ, the Son of God. I testify that He is, by the change that happened in me the day I called His name, Lord and savior. The millions of others who, from their hearts can also testify to this will tell you the same. He is Lord, Son of God, and through Him we were made new creations, not condemned by sin and held in bondage by this world.
Ultimately you will have a choice to make, until your heart earnestly seeks Him , He will not respond. If you walk in a half hearted attempt without true commitment you will never know His grace, you will never experience His forgivness, you will never become one with Jesus Christ and know Gods glory. You will remain dead fools of this world. Make no mistake that as I had, your follish pride will keep you from eternal life. Thinking that you know best will cost you dearly. Even believing in other false religions will not see you through to the promise of God. You must believe in the one sent from God to have victory over sin and to be an example of Gods Word in flesh for us.
Raise your hands up and forsake your foolish pride. Reach for Jesus Christ and live in the freedom freely offered by God through Faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Get on your knees and realize that you are only so "good" and that you have no payment greater then the one that Jesus Christ has already made on the behalf of all those that come to Him. Ask Jesus Christ to take your life, and be your Lord and Savior today and be set free from the Condemnation that you now stand in. He will be faithful to draw near to you and the Holy Spirit will dwell forever in your heart.
Lord Jesus, I pray that just one may be saved and move past the judgemnt that awaits. May they see your truth and see life through that truth. In your precious and holy name I pray, Amen.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Ups and Downs
Today is the first day where I am officially preparing to go home. I will spend this week packing and sending the last of anything worthwhile home, cleaning my room and saying my goodbyes to all of my friends and collegues. Today this all hit me rather solidly as I walked back from breakfast, "this is it, it is ending."
I guess the best way to look at it is "bitter sweet." I am leaving most of all I have known for the past year to return home to what I love most. What I have known is more then what you would find back home in a sense that the people that I have become close to I have become really close to. There is so much emotion and need I guess when you are all away from home that it adds a new dimension to fellowship.
We are here living together but everyone is alone and lonley, if that makes sense. Thaink of each Holiday, birthday, first day, ball game, Sunday Sevice, small group etc, where you are not with your family. You may be with others but not the ones that own your heart. This is why I say a different level of closeness. In the states I recall people talking about finding intimacy in a small group and then holding on to it like a precious jewel. Here intimacy comes immediately, and the rest see it as an opportunity to show mercy and grace, compassion because it stems from that same deep hole that we are all in together. I don't know if that made the point but I will miss it tremendously, and hope to gain it back home.
This is also a week of "lasts". Everything that I do will be the last time here. Monday night prayer with Robert and the other Kenyan men. Tuesday "I Am Second" with Mike, Val, Ryan and the others. Wednesday night Open Bible study at the Chapel. Thursday, Manly Men, Whooha with Ryan, and the rest of the guys, this is one that I will bring home with me for sure. Also dinner with Chief, Gun Ship Piolet exstrodoniar who does not wear a skirt and high heals of course! Sunday Shindand Holy Smokes, the only Christian Cigar outreach that I know about on Sunday nights, and sitting with Walley on the deck having a smoke together watching the activities on the flight line as the sun goes down. There is something about an Apache riding through the setting sun that gives you goose bumps.
Oddly enough there will be some lasts here that will transfer back home also. This will be the last week that I have to call into my Accountability group at 3:30 in the morning. It will be nice to have that meeting be face to face and at a reasonable time. It will also be the last weekly phone call to Frank for our Discipleship, he has been a loyal friend this year and again we can st in actual fellowship face to face again. Lastly, and Steve will be happy for this, no more bringing Mike in a box to the Staurday morning Mens Group. I will again be able to sit with my Brothers at the church rather then ojn Skype as we have done.
I have so much anticipation for the return though and I have been praying heavily for God to bring me through to the next step. I want to see where God is working when I return and bring myself to that for Him, place myself where He will need me most. One of the biggest things on my heart is becoming the True Man of God my family needs me to be and the one that God made me to be. I must be the Spiritual Leader of my House and fight everyday for the Salvation of those within it. I think about it alot as I know that I have grown this year and this aspect of my calling will be different in my house. Yes I was the father, but not necessarily the leader that I needed to be.
I also pray for my ability to come back into the fold with my friends and the Church. Alot can change in a year. I, being absent, may not know all that has occurred for in my mind it is still primarily June 2010 back home. New relationships await and old ones may be gone, things will not be exactly as they were. I pray that the Lord keeps my heart open and my mouth closed for a while until my reality and that which is actual come back in line with each other.
So, I am sure that I will have ups and downs this week. I will say goodbye and probably cry a hundred times as this all winds down. I will also cry tears of joy as each leg of my return home unfolds until Saturday the 25th when at 9:30 in the morning I will set foot Home Again and see the faces of my family.
Lord, I trusted in you and continue to trust in you. This is not over, just changing. Continue to give me your strength, grace and compassion as it unfolds. Amen
I guess the best way to look at it is "bitter sweet." I am leaving most of all I have known for the past year to return home to what I love most. What I have known is more then what you would find back home in a sense that the people that I have become close to I have become really close to. There is so much emotion and need I guess when you are all away from home that it adds a new dimension to fellowship.
We are here living together but everyone is alone and lonley, if that makes sense. Thaink of each Holiday, birthday, first day, ball game, Sunday Sevice, small group etc, where you are not with your family. You may be with others but not the ones that own your heart. This is why I say a different level of closeness. In the states I recall people talking about finding intimacy in a small group and then holding on to it like a precious jewel. Here intimacy comes immediately, and the rest see it as an opportunity to show mercy and grace, compassion because it stems from that same deep hole that we are all in together. I don't know if that made the point but I will miss it tremendously, and hope to gain it back home.
This is also a week of "lasts". Everything that I do will be the last time here. Monday night prayer with Robert and the other Kenyan men. Tuesday "I Am Second" with Mike, Val, Ryan and the others. Wednesday night Open Bible study at the Chapel. Thursday, Manly Men, Whooha with Ryan, and the rest of the guys, this is one that I will bring home with me for sure. Also dinner with Chief, Gun Ship Piolet exstrodoniar who does not wear a skirt and high heals of course! Sunday Shindand Holy Smokes, the only Christian Cigar outreach that I know about on Sunday nights, and sitting with Walley on the deck having a smoke together watching the activities on the flight line as the sun goes down. There is something about an Apache riding through the setting sun that gives you goose bumps.
Oddly enough there will be some lasts here that will transfer back home also. This will be the last week that I have to call into my Accountability group at 3:30 in the morning. It will be nice to have that meeting be face to face and at a reasonable time. It will also be the last weekly phone call to Frank for our Discipleship, he has been a loyal friend this year and again we can st in actual fellowship face to face again. Lastly, and Steve will be happy for this, no more bringing Mike in a box to the Staurday morning Mens Group. I will again be able to sit with my Brothers at the church rather then ojn Skype as we have done.
I have so much anticipation for the return though and I have been praying heavily for God to bring me through to the next step. I want to see where God is working when I return and bring myself to that for Him, place myself where He will need me most. One of the biggest things on my heart is becoming the True Man of God my family needs me to be and the one that God made me to be. I must be the Spiritual Leader of my House and fight everyday for the Salvation of those within it. I think about it alot as I know that I have grown this year and this aspect of my calling will be different in my house. Yes I was the father, but not necessarily the leader that I needed to be.
I also pray for my ability to come back into the fold with my friends and the Church. Alot can change in a year. I, being absent, may not know all that has occurred for in my mind it is still primarily June 2010 back home. New relationships await and old ones may be gone, things will not be exactly as they were. I pray that the Lord keeps my heart open and my mouth closed for a while until my reality and that which is actual come back in line with each other.
So, I am sure that I will have ups and downs this week. I will say goodbye and probably cry a hundred times as this all winds down. I will also cry tears of joy as each leg of my return home unfolds until Saturday the 25th when at 9:30 in the morning I will set foot Home Again and see the faces of my family.
Lord, I trusted in you and continue to trust in you. This is not over, just changing. Continue to give me your strength, grace and compassion as it unfolds. Amen
Saturday, June 11, 2011
A Year Plan Completed
Today I am getting to the Blog very late as the interent was out on the Flight Line this morning. I hope I didn't miss Brother David who I believe is always the first to read the Blog.
Speaking of Brother David, yesterday I finished the one year Bible reading plan that he had given before I had left for Afghanistan. I started the day that I left home last year and ended nine days ahead of schedule. The plan brings you through the Old Testiment once and the New Testiment twice in the year. I am very pleased that I was able stick with this plan and actually look forward to starting it again for this year.
I know that many people don't like this type of reading of the Bible feeling that it makes it a choir and does not allow for meditation of the scriptures. For me I have made it that my meditation and study comes in addition to reading in this way. Reding through it I know that I have read the Word of God in it's entirety and with that placed it into myself. That my wisdomhas grown and that over time He will better be able to reveal Himself to me as I walk for Him.
This morning, I was also given an opportunity to wittness to a man that works here at the ADACG. I have known him for a while but have never engauged in much converstaion with him. Because of the internet being down and flights being a little slow we were both sitting in the smoke pit, I reading and he smoking. He happened to mention that his wife was having some difficulties at home and was looking forward to him returning next month on an R&R. As the conversation progressed and I listened I prayed for an opportunity to wittness to Him.
After several minutes of listening I metioned God as being who he should place his trust in and through that have a relationship with Jesus Christ. He then spoke of many occurences in his life that had caused him to loose his faith in God. Like many people he could not understand how a "good God" could allow bad things to happen, and he had seen a lot of bad. Ultimately our converstaion focussed on the personal relationship that is needed and the faith that that brings us to in God and His soverigntey.
I love when this happens and I will tell you that when he first sat down I put my book to the side and thought that I would wait until he left to begin reading again. It was at first going to be a distraction to me until I purposed myself and prayed for the opportunity that did come. he pace that my heart was in had a lot to do with me hearing and obeying or passing by the opportunity without a thought as to its occurance.
So I will end with wishing you all well and asking you for some additional prayer for me in these last few days here at the Base. I will be drastically winding down here, not working anymore from today forward and just dont want the Devil to have his playground in anyway. Thanks in advance for those prayers.
Lord, T=thank you for keeping in my heart the committment to read your word this year and maiking the goal to do it in one year. Also thank you for the switch in my heart to be open and willing to wittness to this man today. May seeds have been planted and hopfully grow within him and bring him back to you. Amen.
Speaking of Brother David, yesterday I finished the one year Bible reading plan that he had given before I had left for Afghanistan. I started the day that I left home last year and ended nine days ahead of schedule. The plan brings you through the Old Testiment once and the New Testiment twice in the year. I am very pleased that I was able stick with this plan and actually look forward to starting it again for this year.
I know that many people don't like this type of reading of the Bible feeling that it makes it a choir and does not allow for meditation of the scriptures. For me I have made it that my meditation and study comes in addition to reading in this way. Reding through it I know that I have read the Word of God in it's entirety and with that placed it into myself. That my wisdomhas grown and that over time He will better be able to reveal Himself to me as I walk for Him.
This morning, I was also given an opportunity to wittness to a man that works here at the ADACG. I have known him for a while but have never engauged in much converstaion with him. Because of the internet being down and flights being a little slow we were both sitting in the smoke pit, I reading and he smoking. He happened to mention that his wife was having some difficulties at home and was looking forward to him returning next month on an R&R. As the conversation progressed and I listened I prayed for an opportunity to wittness to Him.
After several minutes of listening I metioned God as being who he should place his trust in and through that have a relationship with Jesus Christ. He then spoke of many occurences in his life that had caused him to loose his faith in God. Like many people he could not understand how a "good God" could allow bad things to happen, and he had seen a lot of bad. Ultimately our converstaion focussed on the personal relationship that is needed and the faith that that brings us to in God and His soverigntey.
I love when this happens and I will tell you that when he first sat down I put my book to the side and thought that I would wait until he left to begin reading again. It was at first going to be a distraction to me until I purposed myself and prayed for the opportunity that did come. he pace that my heart was in had a lot to do with me hearing and obeying or passing by the opportunity without a thought as to its occurance.
So I will end with wishing you all well and asking you for some additional prayer for me in these last few days here at the Base. I will be drastically winding down here, not working anymore from today forward and just dont want the Devil to have his playground in anyway. Thanks in advance for those prayers.
Lord, T=thank you for keeping in my heart the committment to read your word this year and maiking the goal to do it in one year. Also thank you for the switch in my heart to be open and willing to wittness to this man today. May seeds have been planted and hopfully grow within him and bring him back to you. Amen.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Looking For God
If you search for God on your own, you will find your own god!
Do not mistake my statement with the fact that youir Salvation, coing to Christ and your relationship with God is a personal experience and will be, at the moment that it happens, between you and God. What I am stateing is that if you are a person who does not believe in organized religion and seek your answer to who God is by examining all religions you may just end up producing a god of your own making.
This goes bak to the man I wittnessed to two wednesdays ago, but also to anyone who has made God what they want God to be without truly seeking to know Him. To refresh your memories, a couple of weeks ago a a man came into the Chapel during our Wednesday night Bible study. He was looking for "Holy Books". When I approached him to help him out we fell into a discussion about what he was trying to do. With that he indicated that he was fed up with organized religion, being raise Christian, and wanted now to look at all the religions to find God for himself.
I have thought about this a lot since then. I was for many years the very same way. I believed that if there were a God that he would not care how we believed as long as we did believe. Throw in a touch of me thinking that being a good person also weighed in a lot to everything and I got what I had, no god at all. I did what I wanted, how I wanted and when I wanted, up to the place where I drew my own line. So with this man, who is seeking answers from many sources, he will get what he is looking for, he will get what I had, my own made up god.
Now you may be asking, what is wrong with finding the answers from many religions about who God is. Why is one any better then another, why not even take the best of them all and make waht works best for me? Simple fact is that there can only be one absolute truth. There can only be one God and anything less then that God is just an idol, a stop gap for us that allows us not to have to have real faith in Him.
So what must occur is acceptance of what this absolute truth is. The purest way to find that is to ask God to reveal it to you as you whole heartedly seek Him. Not an intelectual excercise, not a sentence in a book that finally reveals to you who He is, but with all your heart, mind, body and soul knowing and wanting to be in a relationship with Him. When you look in that manner you will be given the answer that you seek.
By this young man being angry at organized religion he was relly angery at "fallen men" who were not satisfing his need which only God could fill. He was placing percieved standards onto what the people of the church should be and when they did what all men do, fail, it became his excuse to deny God in that situation. Where he went wrong is by not allowing God to be God and man to be man. He was not giving man the same grace and forgivness that he was looking for in God. He had even made the Church the god instead of God being God. He also looked from the perspective that he was ok and everything around him was amiss. When we want people to fill all of the emptiness in our hearts that only God can fill, we will remain disappointed.
The point to all this, and what I explained to this young man is this, you will most of all never find a perfect God in a man. This only happened in Jesus Christ, perfect man, sinless. You may find aspects of God in men, some more then others but never sinless perfection. With this you will never find a perfect religion, a perfect church or organization, they are made of imperfect people. The only way to find the perfect God that you may seek is when you come to Him, in asolute openess and devotion and ask Him, the one who was perfect into your heart to guide you. Only then will you see the perfections that you seek, only then you will know God only then will you find absolute truth.
You can make God what you want Him to be. You can look for Him or not in many places. You can blame the people of the Church for not finding Him. You can look in every book and every place but as long as you look for Him in other things He will not be what He is, He will only be the god you want Him to be. Open your heart to the Truth, the absolute truth of the one true God and you will then find what you seek.
Lord Jesus, reveal your truth to this young man and to those who truly seek you. They may have been looking in other places but when they ask you personally to be in their heart then you will be there. Amen
Do not mistake my statement with the fact that youir Salvation, coing to Christ and your relationship with God is a personal experience and will be, at the moment that it happens, between you and God. What I am stateing is that if you are a person who does not believe in organized religion and seek your answer to who God is by examining all religions you may just end up producing a god of your own making.
This goes bak to the man I wittnessed to two wednesdays ago, but also to anyone who has made God what they want God to be without truly seeking to know Him. To refresh your memories, a couple of weeks ago a a man came into the Chapel during our Wednesday night Bible study. He was looking for "Holy Books". When I approached him to help him out we fell into a discussion about what he was trying to do. With that he indicated that he was fed up with organized religion, being raise Christian, and wanted now to look at all the religions to find God for himself.
I have thought about this a lot since then. I was for many years the very same way. I believed that if there were a God that he would not care how we believed as long as we did believe. Throw in a touch of me thinking that being a good person also weighed in a lot to everything and I got what I had, no god at all. I did what I wanted, how I wanted and when I wanted, up to the place where I drew my own line. So with this man, who is seeking answers from many sources, he will get what he is looking for, he will get what I had, my own made up god.
Now you may be asking, what is wrong with finding the answers from many religions about who God is. Why is one any better then another, why not even take the best of them all and make waht works best for me? Simple fact is that there can only be one absolute truth. There can only be one God and anything less then that God is just an idol, a stop gap for us that allows us not to have to have real faith in Him.
So what must occur is acceptance of what this absolute truth is. The purest way to find that is to ask God to reveal it to you as you whole heartedly seek Him. Not an intelectual excercise, not a sentence in a book that finally reveals to you who He is, but with all your heart, mind, body and soul knowing and wanting to be in a relationship with Him. When you look in that manner you will be given the answer that you seek.
By this young man being angry at organized religion he was relly angery at "fallen men" who were not satisfing his need which only God could fill. He was placing percieved standards onto what the people of the church should be and when they did what all men do, fail, it became his excuse to deny God in that situation. Where he went wrong is by not allowing God to be God and man to be man. He was not giving man the same grace and forgivness that he was looking for in God. He had even made the Church the god instead of God being God. He also looked from the perspective that he was ok and everything around him was amiss. When we want people to fill all of the emptiness in our hearts that only God can fill, we will remain disappointed.
The point to all this, and what I explained to this young man is this, you will most of all never find a perfect God in a man. This only happened in Jesus Christ, perfect man, sinless. You may find aspects of God in men, some more then others but never sinless perfection. With this you will never find a perfect religion, a perfect church or organization, they are made of imperfect people. The only way to find the perfect God that you may seek is when you come to Him, in asolute openess and devotion and ask Him, the one who was perfect into your heart to guide you. Only then will you see the perfections that you seek, only then you will know God only then will you find absolute truth.
You can make God what you want Him to be. You can look for Him or not in many places. You can blame the people of the Church for not finding Him. You can look in every book and every place but as long as you look for Him in other things He will not be what He is, He will only be the god you want Him to be. Open your heart to the Truth, the absolute truth of the one true God and you will then find what you seek.
Lord Jesus, reveal your truth to this young man and to those who truly seek you. They may have been looking in other places but when they ask you personally to be in their heart then you will be there. Amen
Thursday, June 9, 2011
At The Flight Line
At the Airfield I have been pleasantly relaxing to tell you the truth. I have offered to do whatever I could which has resulted in basically a passenger service guy. Each time a plane comes in I walk out to it and get the passengers off and back to the PAX Terminal in one peice. Other then that most of the other jobs are technical in nature and therefore beyond my current abilities.
I do find it very cool that I can be so close to some of these aircraft. The C-130's still amaze me. I usually stand just thinking that when in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be standing here. To stand behind the engines as they are still running, the exhaust hot against the skin and the prop wash almost to strong to bear. Way, way cool!
Today, the Air Force was doing a FOD walk of the flight line. This is Foriegn Objests and Debris, stuff that will mess up the engines and tires and such of the planes needs to be picked up. With this I was able to see the base Commander briefly. He knows I am leaving soon and asked how many days I had left. I have know him since I arrived at the base, and he always stops to shake your hand or say hello. Also spoke for a while with the Sgt Major. He also has always been very friendly to those around the base. They both will also be leaving soon so we are all in the same mind set.
In refernce to these two men, they both, along with most of the others in leadership here a faithful men. Most come on a regular basis to the Sunday services at the Chapel and when you speak with them they quite frequently make reference to God and His working in their lives. I figure that with the responsibility that they have there is great reverence for the Lord in each of them. They understand more so what life is and more importantly who God is.
So I am making the best of these last few days before I pack up my belongings. Being here at the flight line is anjoyable and has allowed me to see people I might not have seen before I left. It is also a nice way to wind down and concentrate on what I need to do next week. Next week I will spend saying my goodbyes to all those that have become my friends over this past year.
I do find it very cool that I can be so close to some of these aircraft. The C-130's still amaze me. I usually stand just thinking that when in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be standing here. To stand behind the engines as they are still running, the exhaust hot against the skin and the prop wash almost to strong to bear. Way, way cool!
Today, the Air Force was doing a FOD walk of the flight line. This is Foriegn Objests and Debris, stuff that will mess up the engines and tires and such of the planes needs to be picked up. With this I was able to see the base Commander briefly. He knows I am leaving soon and asked how many days I had left. I have know him since I arrived at the base, and he always stops to shake your hand or say hello. Also spoke for a while with the Sgt Major. He also has always been very friendly to those around the base. They both will also be leaving soon so we are all in the same mind set.
In refernce to these two men, they both, along with most of the others in leadership here a faithful men. Most come on a regular basis to the Sunday services at the Chapel and when you speak with them they quite frequently make reference to God and His working in their lives. I figure that with the responsibility that they have there is great reverence for the Lord in each of them. They understand more so what life is and more importantly who God is.
So I am making the best of these last few days before I pack up my belongings. Being here at the flight line is anjoyable and has allowed me to see people I might not have seen before I left. It is also a nice way to wind down and concentrate on what I need to do next week. Next week I will spend saying my goodbyes to all those that have become my friends over this past year.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Faithful Wittness
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here
2 Corinthians 5:17
Last night, Tuesday night, we have a group here, I Am Second. The group has always been very good, based on personal testimony and living second to Jesus Christ. The program uses online video testimonies from all sorts of poeple, famous and non famous, young and old. Generally the testimonies are five or six minutes long and then lead into questions from the Leaders Guide. Last night was a very powerful evening as we were blessed wwith the tesimony from a Soldier here from our group.
I am not going to give the Soldiers name and I am not going to speak of the details of his teatimony. What I will say is this, if I had not heard his testimony I would have never thought this man other than a life long, strong wittness to Jesus Christ and a faithful servant to Him. Very vividly do you see the truth in the verse from 2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here...
This young man, by trust in the Lord, courage and faith relayed the the person he was, the tragic events of his life, his coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ, and the new creation that he has become. As I listened I was forced to contrast what he was saying with the man that I new. Darkness and light, evil and good. Feeling at one point the pain in his voice as he recalled the events of his childhood and then the joy and hope of coming to faith in Jesus Christ.
If you have never heard the testimony of one who has been saved, one such as this, you are missing the real transforming work of God. In these testimonies you wittness true grace and forgivness that is offered freely from God through the faith in His Son, and the work that He accomplished on the cross. As this young man stated in last night, the Bible states that if you are guilty of breaking one commandment you are guilty of breaking all. Until he accepted that all sins, all sins have been paid for this change could not have happened.
He was set free of the bondage of guilt and self condemnation that so much was and would have consumed him by asking Jesus Christ to save him, to be his Lord and Savior. He has been made new. He is a new creation. He was born again. He lives now walking in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ. the Spirit is in Him and he is a tremendous wittness to the transformation that all men are freely offered by God.
If you are guilty of breaking the least, you are guilty of breaking all. We are all sinners, every man, regardless of how good you think you are you are guilty. It is our nature to sin, we can never break free of it on our own. Our only hope is to accept that Jesus Christ has gained victory over this sin and therefore can, if we ask Him to, stand before God on our behalf. If you have not done so, ask the Lord to be your Lord and Saviour. Place this truth in your heart and follow Him as He has asked. You to will see, and be a wittness to, the transformation of the old creation into the new in Christ Jesus.
Lord, thank you for your faithful servant who has poured out his testimonny to strengthen this body of believers. Continue to strengthen his wittness and allow him the hiopes of his heart as he lives for you. Amen.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Last night, Tuesday night, we have a group here, I Am Second. The group has always been very good, based on personal testimony and living second to Jesus Christ. The program uses online video testimonies from all sorts of poeple, famous and non famous, young and old. Generally the testimonies are five or six minutes long and then lead into questions from the Leaders Guide. Last night was a very powerful evening as we were blessed wwith the tesimony from a Soldier here from our group.
I am not going to give the Soldiers name and I am not going to speak of the details of his teatimony. What I will say is this, if I had not heard his testimony I would have never thought this man other than a life long, strong wittness to Jesus Christ and a faithful servant to Him. Very vividly do you see the truth in the verse from 2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here...
This young man, by trust in the Lord, courage and faith relayed the the person he was, the tragic events of his life, his coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ, and the new creation that he has become. As I listened I was forced to contrast what he was saying with the man that I new. Darkness and light, evil and good. Feeling at one point the pain in his voice as he recalled the events of his childhood and then the joy and hope of coming to faith in Jesus Christ.
If you have never heard the testimony of one who has been saved, one such as this, you are missing the real transforming work of God. In these testimonies you wittness true grace and forgivness that is offered freely from God through the faith in His Son, and the work that He accomplished on the cross. As this young man stated in last night, the Bible states that if you are guilty of breaking one commandment you are guilty of breaking all. Until he accepted that all sins, all sins have been paid for this change could not have happened.
He was set free of the bondage of guilt and self condemnation that so much was and would have consumed him by asking Jesus Christ to save him, to be his Lord and Savior. He has been made new. He is a new creation. He was born again. He lives now walking in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ. the Spirit is in Him and he is a tremendous wittness to the transformation that all men are freely offered by God.
If you are guilty of breaking the least, you are guilty of breaking all. We are all sinners, every man, regardless of how good you think you are you are guilty. It is our nature to sin, we can never break free of it on our own. Our only hope is to accept that Jesus Christ has gained victory over this sin and therefore can, if we ask Him to, stand before God on our behalf. If you have not done so, ask the Lord to be your Lord and Saviour. Place this truth in your heart and follow Him as He has asked. You to will see, and be a wittness to, the transformation of the old creation into the new in Christ Jesus.
Lord, thank you for your faithful servant who has poured out his testimonny to strengthen this body of believers. Continue to strengthen his wittness and allow him the hiopes of his heart as he lives for you. Amen.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Into The Teens
Into the teens I go! Eighteen days today left until I will be home. I do actually think the days are slowing down on e. Is that possible?
There has been another change so I am forced to do things a little different. I am at the ADACG now starting yesterday and because of that my schedule has changed again. Each morning they get on a bus at 0630 and head around to the Airfield. Last week I didn't have to report until 0730 to the CRSP Yard. Also I do not have an office at the ADACG so I can not plug the computer in and write my Blog as I usually have done each morning. Fo rthis week at least I will have to squeeze the Blog in to some time before I leave for work.
Like I said yesterday I worked, if you want to call it that, at the ADACG. I pretty much just helped out where I could all day. This meant that I would basically walk out to the Aircraft and if there were passengers, direct them off the plane and over to the PAX Terminal. Being that this doesn't take any special qualifications it was probably the only thing I could really do. Other then that I sat and read my book and helped some people out getting themselves situated for flights.
I did see many people that I know which was nice, most leaving or coming from R&R. That is the one benefit to being over at the ADACG is that it is the central hub for inbound and outbound movement. At one point the Base Commender cam by. He stopped and asked if I was leaving already as he thought I had more time here. I told him I was just working over here for the week but had two remaining on the Post.
I was for the most part boring however, filling time can have it's draw backs. I kept wondering what I would do once I finished this book. I thought that it would last me through my travel home but I should finish it today if it was anything like yesterday. I packed up all of the other books I planned on reading in the trunk I already sent home. I am hoping that my Kindle has a treasure in it but I hate to have that out and about here as the dust gets into everything. I ended up leaving the ADACG around 1430 and coming back over to my room.
Lastly, dinner last night was different, Seth was not there. He was able to get out with his unit yesterday and at this time should be enjoying a little more civilized and friendly atmosphere in a country to the North. I am sure he is very pleased but for me the table was empty for most of the meal. I got used to the conversations and time with Seth, and I guess will get used to eating now without him.
Lord, may the time just fly by over the next eighteen days. In that however please don't let me miss each opportunity that you may bring before me. Also, let each meeting that I may have with a friend be a great moment and our inevitable partings not be a goodbye but a so long. Amen.
There has been another change so I am forced to do things a little different. I am at the ADACG now starting yesterday and because of that my schedule has changed again. Each morning they get on a bus at 0630 and head around to the Airfield. Last week I didn't have to report until 0730 to the CRSP Yard. Also I do not have an office at the ADACG so I can not plug the computer in and write my Blog as I usually have done each morning. Fo rthis week at least I will have to squeeze the Blog in to some time before I leave for work.
Like I said yesterday I worked, if you want to call it that, at the ADACG. I pretty much just helped out where I could all day. This meant that I would basically walk out to the Aircraft and if there were passengers, direct them off the plane and over to the PAX Terminal. Being that this doesn't take any special qualifications it was probably the only thing I could really do. Other then that I sat and read my book and helped some people out getting themselves situated for flights.
I did see many people that I know which was nice, most leaving or coming from R&R. That is the one benefit to being over at the ADACG is that it is the central hub for inbound and outbound movement. At one point the Base Commender cam by. He stopped and asked if I was leaving already as he thought I had more time here. I told him I was just working over here for the week but had two remaining on the Post.
I was for the most part boring however, filling time can have it's draw backs. I kept wondering what I would do once I finished this book. I thought that it would last me through my travel home but I should finish it today if it was anything like yesterday. I packed up all of the other books I planned on reading in the trunk I already sent home. I am hoping that my Kindle has a treasure in it but I hate to have that out and about here as the dust gets into everything. I ended up leaving the ADACG around 1430 and coming back over to my room.
Lastly, dinner last night was different, Seth was not there. He was able to get out with his unit yesterday and at this time should be enjoying a little more civilized and friendly atmosphere in a country to the North. I am sure he is very pleased but for me the table was empty for most of the meal. I got used to the conversations and time with Seth, and I guess will get used to eating now without him.
Lord, may the time just fly by over the next eighteen days. In that however please don't let me miss each opportunity that you may bring before me. Also, let each meeting that I may have with a friend be a great moment and our inevitable partings not be a goodbye but a so long. Amen.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Great Wittness Day
Something must have been in the air yesterday. It was a great wittness day for me. I am not talking about people at the Chapel, other Christians for the most part but several people that were not Christians who I was able to share the Gospel and Jesus Christ with.
The first opportunity came when I left the CRSP Yard to go over to the Chapel. One of the workers came into my office and asked for the keys to the truck. He indicated that he was going out to perform some container inventories. I asked him where as I need to go over to the Chapel for the 11:00 service. It was just barely 10:00 so it was a little early but anyway he was going just by the Chapel so I asked if he could drop me off.
This man who is from Macedonia, on an earlier occsion had had a conversation with me regarding trying to get a job volunteering for organizations that may help people. He wanted to spend time just working in an area for no pay that would be for the good of others. I suggested some ways of finding these types of jobs and left it at that.
On this car ride he asked what I would be doing when I arrived back home. SO I began to explain how I planned first just to spend the summer with my family. In the Fall I told him I would be beginning school again, that I had enrolled in five class for my Masters. Inquiring, he asked for what degree in which I answered Biblical studies. This began us on the conversation about faith.
He beileves in God he said but that He was in many things. That there was not just one way to know God, many paths if you will. With that statement I began to wittness just in regards to Jesus Christ to him, what my faith was, and how there could be only one absolute truth so having many ways to God may present some issues of truth to those that believed that.
It was a verty good conversation as we traveled around the base. As he dropped me off at the Chapel we said our goodbyes. Before he left I invited him in for the service. He didn't show up but at least the seeds were planted and the conversation went well.
Now that I was about forty minutes early I went to take a walk through the PX and then through the Afghan PX just to see if there was anything interesting or needed for my trip home. Not seeing anything in either I walked back towards the Cahpel and past the Smoke Pit. There sitting having a cigerette was a soldier who I had met during this weeks Manly Men group. He said hello so I went in and sat across from him.
He asked me about what my plans were when I returned home as he had know that I was within a coupkle weeks of leaving. This of course brought us along the same path that the previous converrsation took. He stated though that he was planning on finnishing his degree in Political Science and hopfelly teaching. As we spoke we bgabn to compare and contrast religion and polotics, paticularly how people don't like to speak about either. As we spoke another Soldier sat down to have a smoke.
Shortly after sitting this new soldier began into the conversation expressing isssues with theology and the like. Now I did not gather if the second soldier was a Chrsitian or not, the first soldier was but seemed not to be big on organized religion. So as we all spoke the discussion became more focussed o the faith aspect. Always a better place to be when speaking to people about such things.
Within a couple more minutes two more soldiers had enter the smoke pit and began to interact with the conversation. These two were obviously not walking in faith and had some stronger opinions of God and what He was and wasn't. All in all this conversation was good, and lasted just up until the service in the Chapel began.
Sunday evenings we have Holy Smokes, a group that gets together for cigars and pipes. this group was started by Chaplin Sharpe as an outreach and fellowship for us here. It is generally pretty light on the Spirtual issues as it does draw a veriety of people in because of the cigars. For the last two weeks a new fellow has joined us, an Electrician for another company. He is a little rough around the edges but a jovial guy. Along with him a couple of the other guys that are regulars and Christians showed up.
As the eveing progressed the conversation became very faith based paticularly about accountability and fellowship. It also leaned alot towards Christian manhood, being a good husband and having a good relationship with our wives. The nice thing was that not only I this time but two of the three guys were Christians and the Electrician became involved in the conversation that we were all having. Holy Smokes was having its first real outreach to an apperently unsaved man and it was good.
So eventually the night ended and I walked back towards the LSA with the Electrician. I invited him to our Thursday night Manly Men group and explained what it was to him. He seemed interested as we parted ways. I walked the rest of the way in the dark back to the LSA thinking about the many opportunities that I was involved in during the day. I thanked God for each and prayed that the seeds that were sown may then be watered and grow..
Lord Jesus, be with each person that heard the Word yesterday. Allow them to set in their hearts, if not already there, the Truth of your Gospel and the saving Grace that comes from faith in you Lord. I am thankful to have been blessed with the opportunity to serve you. Amen.
The first opportunity came when I left the CRSP Yard to go over to the Chapel. One of the workers came into my office and asked for the keys to the truck. He indicated that he was going out to perform some container inventories. I asked him where as I need to go over to the Chapel for the 11:00 service. It was just barely 10:00 so it was a little early but anyway he was going just by the Chapel so I asked if he could drop me off.
This man who is from Macedonia, on an earlier occsion had had a conversation with me regarding trying to get a job volunteering for organizations that may help people. He wanted to spend time just working in an area for no pay that would be for the good of others. I suggested some ways of finding these types of jobs and left it at that.
On this car ride he asked what I would be doing when I arrived back home. SO I began to explain how I planned first just to spend the summer with my family. In the Fall I told him I would be beginning school again, that I had enrolled in five class for my Masters. Inquiring, he asked for what degree in which I answered Biblical studies. This began us on the conversation about faith.
He beileves in God he said but that He was in many things. That there was not just one way to know God, many paths if you will. With that statement I began to wittness just in regards to Jesus Christ to him, what my faith was, and how there could be only one absolute truth so having many ways to God may present some issues of truth to those that believed that.
It was a verty good conversation as we traveled around the base. As he dropped me off at the Chapel we said our goodbyes. Before he left I invited him in for the service. He didn't show up but at least the seeds were planted and the conversation went well.
Now that I was about forty minutes early I went to take a walk through the PX and then through the Afghan PX just to see if there was anything interesting or needed for my trip home. Not seeing anything in either I walked back towards the Cahpel and past the Smoke Pit. There sitting having a cigerette was a soldier who I had met during this weeks Manly Men group. He said hello so I went in and sat across from him.
He asked me about what my plans were when I returned home as he had know that I was within a coupkle weeks of leaving. This of course brought us along the same path that the previous converrsation took. He stated though that he was planning on finnishing his degree in Political Science and hopfelly teaching. As we spoke we bgabn to compare and contrast religion and polotics, paticularly how people don't like to speak about either. As we spoke another Soldier sat down to have a smoke.
Shortly after sitting this new soldier began into the conversation expressing isssues with theology and the like. Now I did not gather if the second soldier was a Chrsitian or not, the first soldier was but seemed not to be big on organized religion. So as we all spoke the discussion became more focussed o the faith aspect. Always a better place to be when speaking to people about such things.
Within a couple more minutes two more soldiers had enter the smoke pit and began to interact with the conversation. These two were obviously not walking in faith and had some stronger opinions of God and what He was and wasn't. All in all this conversation was good, and lasted just up until the service in the Chapel began.
Sunday evenings we have Holy Smokes, a group that gets together for cigars and pipes. this group was started by Chaplin Sharpe as an outreach and fellowship for us here. It is generally pretty light on the Spirtual issues as it does draw a veriety of people in because of the cigars. For the last two weeks a new fellow has joined us, an Electrician for another company. He is a little rough around the edges but a jovial guy. Along with him a couple of the other guys that are regulars and Christians showed up.
As the eveing progressed the conversation became very faith based paticularly about accountability and fellowship. It also leaned alot towards Christian manhood, being a good husband and having a good relationship with our wives. The nice thing was that not only I this time but two of the three guys were Christians and the Electrician became involved in the conversation that we were all having. Holy Smokes was having its first real outreach to an apperently unsaved man and it was good.
So eventually the night ended and I walked back towards the LSA with the Electrician. I invited him to our Thursday night Manly Men group and explained what it was to him. He seemed interested as we parted ways. I walked the rest of the way in the dark back to the LSA thinking about the many opportunities that I was involved in during the day. I thanked God for each and prayed that the seeds that were sown may then be watered and grow..
Lord Jesus, be with each person that heard the Word yesterday. Allow them to set in their hearts, if not already there, the Truth of your Gospel and the saving Grace that comes from faith in you Lord. I am thankful to have been blessed with the opportunity to serve you. Amen.
Jump Off The Log
Here is another wonderful little tidbit from the book I am reading Fire and Rain, The Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah, by Ray Pritchard.
Three frogs are sitting on a log. Two descide to jump off. How many left?
Now at first you are probably saying what in the world is this about? Who cares about these frogs on a log. But the illustration has alot to do with us as Christians. The answer to the question is this, three are left on the log. The two had only decided to jump of but until the actually do they are still on the log. The same is true in descision to follow Jesus Christ. Until we actually start to follow Him, to be like Him, to change our lives we have not actually done. this same fact applies to all aspects of our lives as well.
When I read this I began to think of all the times I have heard the phrase "I have decided..." and then how many times it resulted in actual action. I thought about even how I wittness to others regarding my faith, do I say "when I decided to follow Jesus" or "if you decided to follow Jesus" because it matters. Even in the plans that I make in my head or the ones I express to others, they are only just that until I make them happen.
Me coming to Afghanistan, was a descision but until it was under way was just that. I could have planned and committed but without actuall going through with it it would have been just nothing but a descision. I now, as the time comes close to go home am full of plans for the future, both near and far. None of them, not even the classes I have registered for, mean anything until I actually put them into action.
So a descision to follow Jesus Christ is just that until we move in the direction of Him and begin to actually apply the Gospel into our lives and actions. Even more then that and most importatntly is that we must place in our heart the real faith in Him and allow the Holy Spirit to direct our lives and actions. It must become more then just superficial change it must be actual Spiritual change resulting in apperent fruit in our lives. For instance the Disciples when called, dropped everything they knew at the time and followed Jesus. They didn't just decided to believe in Him and continue to fish, they dropped everything and followed Him. We then see from that point on transformation in each of them.
So reflect on your descions a bit, on the things in your life where you have descided to do something. Maybe even told someone about it. Now how many times did you actually jump of the log? How about those of you that believe in God, but don't know even the first thing of the Bible? Are you still on the log, waiting for something to actually get you to jump? Maybe cancer, or the death of a loved one or some other thing that all of a sudden makes you think that you must put into action what you have just up till now only descided would be good?
Christians, or log sitters, have you jumped in the water or are you just sitting on the log of following Jesus? Do you just hop out onto the log each Sunday so that your children who are watching from the shore may think that you are going to jump, but each week you just return to the shore with a smile saying that you have gone in the water. How about the feelings that we gat sometimes about Spiritual things, maybe about joining a small group, discipleship triad, maybe volunteering or wittnessing to others? How many times do we say a have decided but we don't jump? How many times do things pass us by with just that, only a descision?
What this boils down to is that we must at the core of everything, have faith in what we believe, the Word of God and apply this into true action and transformation in our mind, body and soul. We accept Jesus Christ as Lrod and Saviour then or lives must be obediant and follow not only the Word but the Spirit and we must strive in all things to be obediant and fruitful with eternal change. We must jump, not just walk onto the log, or put our toe into the water, jump! If we trust the Word then we know that we will be ok, even if this world sees it differently we will be then fully surounded by Him and in that we are, and always will be ok.
With this, when those on the shore see us completely under the water, in the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, there will be no question as to who were are and what we are about. If we reamin on the log, those on the shore can rightfully say, he is no more in the water then I am.
Lord Jesus, may the words of my mouth and the desires of my heart be only a fleeting instance before I jump into the water. May I trust in you, and may my life be full of actions for you and because of the Spirit that is within me. May those that have not decided to jump jump fully into your Word and care and love you with all of their heart, all of their soul and all of the mind so that they truly have transformation as a Follower of the Lord. Amen.
Three frogs are sitting on a log. Two descide to jump off. How many left?
Now at first you are probably saying what in the world is this about? Who cares about these frogs on a log. But the illustration has alot to do with us as Christians. The answer to the question is this, three are left on the log. The two had only decided to jump of but until the actually do they are still on the log. The same is true in descision to follow Jesus Christ. Until we actually start to follow Him, to be like Him, to change our lives we have not actually done. this same fact applies to all aspects of our lives as well.
When I read this I began to think of all the times I have heard the phrase "I have decided..." and then how many times it resulted in actual action. I thought about even how I wittness to others regarding my faith, do I say "when I decided to follow Jesus" or "if you decided to follow Jesus" because it matters. Even in the plans that I make in my head or the ones I express to others, they are only just that until I make them happen.
Me coming to Afghanistan, was a descision but until it was under way was just that. I could have planned and committed but without actuall going through with it it would have been just nothing but a descision. I now, as the time comes close to go home am full of plans for the future, both near and far. None of them, not even the classes I have registered for, mean anything until I actually put them into action.
So a descision to follow Jesus Christ is just that until we move in the direction of Him and begin to actually apply the Gospel into our lives and actions. Even more then that and most importatntly is that we must place in our heart the real faith in Him and allow the Holy Spirit to direct our lives and actions. It must become more then just superficial change it must be actual Spiritual change resulting in apperent fruit in our lives. For instance the Disciples when called, dropped everything they knew at the time and followed Jesus. They didn't just decided to believe in Him and continue to fish, they dropped everything and followed Him. We then see from that point on transformation in each of them.
So reflect on your descions a bit, on the things in your life where you have descided to do something. Maybe even told someone about it. Now how many times did you actually jump of the log? How about those of you that believe in God, but don't know even the first thing of the Bible? Are you still on the log, waiting for something to actually get you to jump? Maybe cancer, or the death of a loved one or some other thing that all of a sudden makes you think that you must put into action what you have just up till now only descided would be good?
Christians, or log sitters, have you jumped in the water or are you just sitting on the log of following Jesus? Do you just hop out onto the log each Sunday so that your children who are watching from the shore may think that you are going to jump, but each week you just return to the shore with a smile saying that you have gone in the water. How about the feelings that we gat sometimes about Spiritual things, maybe about joining a small group, discipleship triad, maybe volunteering or wittnessing to others? How many times do we say a have decided but we don't jump? How many times do things pass us by with just that, only a descision?
What this boils down to is that we must at the core of everything, have faith in what we believe, the Word of God and apply this into true action and transformation in our mind, body and soul. We accept Jesus Christ as Lrod and Saviour then or lives must be obediant and follow not only the Word but the Spirit and we must strive in all things to be obediant and fruitful with eternal change. We must jump, not just walk onto the log, or put our toe into the water, jump! If we trust the Word then we know that we will be ok, even if this world sees it differently we will be then fully surounded by Him and in that we are, and always will be ok.
With this, when those on the shore see us completely under the water, in the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, there will be no question as to who were are and what we are about. If we reamin on the log, those on the shore can rightfully say, he is no more in the water then I am.
Lord Jesus, may the words of my mouth and the desires of my heart be only a fleeting instance before I jump into the water. May I trust in you, and may my life be full of actions for you and because of the Spirit that is within me. May those that have not decided to jump jump fully into your Word and care and love you with all of their heart, all of their soul and all of the mind so that they truly have transformation as a Follower of the Lord. Amen.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
The Last Twenty One Days!
Well as you all know I relinquished my position as Transp[ortation Manager here at FOB Shindand over to my replacement last week. At that point I moved over to the CRSP (Central Recieving and Shipping Point) Yard to watch the shop here as the Foreman was on R&R and the Supervisor was just going on R&R. You need to have a leadership presence so the Military doesn't think that the workers are just on their own. Today, the Foreman will be returning so probably tomorrow or Monday I will be moving again over to the ADACG (never figured this acronym out), anyway it is the Air Cargo and Passenger Terminal to help out there for a week.
So going to the ADACG will bring another change for me, the daily routine disrupted as it was coming to the CRSP Yard. In these last days of my time here change is not the top thing on my list to do. Being in the CRSP Yard has allowed me to sleep in a little later but the convienace of praying out at the flight line has gone away. I now find some time when I get to the Yard to do that. The travel also over here has been a disruption, by car twenty minutes, by bus forty minutes due to condtruction of the STRAT Ramp for the C17's which has in essence cut us off from the rest of the Camp. We must travel the long way back to our LSA.
The ADAGC will be half as close but there I will be doing whatever needs to be done, a worker bee I hope. That will mean to some extent learning some new tasks and proceedures so I am not just getting in their way. I have discussed with the Supervisor that I will still like to get to Church on Sundays and if I could dinner at 1700 until Seth leaves and she agreed. I am not sure however about being able to get to my other activities at the Chapel though, it will depend on my hours.
I will spend one week at the ADACG and then use the last week to pack, although I have sent home most of what will be going already. I will basically use the last week to say goodbye to everyone and finalize my time here. There are a lot of people that I at least what to get addresses from and then also spend a little more time with the people I have grown close to here, like Mohammad and several of the Soldiers.
If all plans out right I will be in Kandahar by the 20th and then out of there on the 23rd. I will ask for prayer during those days as Kandahar is a pit and every time I have been there I get the bad feeling, it is evil in its own right. It would be nice to get in and out without any rocket attacks also, just dont like the thought of that so close to getting home. It would be just aweful to be the guy who almost made it home. God will has determined that so I guess if it does happen it was meant to be.
Once I leave Kandahar at land in Dubai I am no longer the Companies responsibility. I am on my own from that point on. Me being conservative, I booked a hotel close to the airport and plan on having a day of rest for the most part before boarding my plane home on the 25th. Looking so forwrd to that flight, so forward to seeing my family and those who I have missd over this year.
So withing the next 21 Days I have nothing but one small change after another all leading up to the day I have looked forward to since I got here last June, Home again.
Lord, bless these remianing days with fellowship and joy. Open my heart to all those here that I habve come to know and allow us to share our last moments together in anticipation of our future hopes. Bring safe travel to me and a settled Spirit during the change. Amen.
So going to the ADACG will bring another change for me, the daily routine disrupted as it was coming to the CRSP Yard. In these last days of my time here change is not the top thing on my list to do. Being in the CRSP Yard has allowed me to sleep in a little later but the convienace of praying out at the flight line has gone away. I now find some time when I get to the Yard to do that. The travel also over here has been a disruption, by car twenty minutes, by bus forty minutes due to condtruction of the STRAT Ramp for the C17's which has in essence cut us off from the rest of the Camp. We must travel the long way back to our LSA.
The ADAGC will be half as close but there I will be doing whatever needs to be done, a worker bee I hope. That will mean to some extent learning some new tasks and proceedures so I am not just getting in their way. I have discussed with the Supervisor that I will still like to get to Church on Sundays and if I could dinner at 1700 until Seth leaves and she agreed. I am not sure however about being able to get to my other activities at the Chapel though, it will depend on my hours.
I will spend one week at the ADACG and then use the last week to pack, although I have sent home most of what will be going already. I will basically use the last week to say goodbye to everyone and finalize my time here. There are a lot of people that I at least what to get addresses from and then also spend a little more time with the people I have grown close to here, like Mohammad and several of the Soldiers.
If all plans out right I will be in Kandahar by the 20th and then out of there on the 23rd. I will ask for prayer during those days as Kandahar is a pit and every time I have been there I get the bad feeling, it is evil in its own right. It would be nice to get in and out without any rocket attacks also, just dont like the thought of that so close to getting home. It would be just aweful to be the guy who almost made it home. God will has determined that so I guess if it does happen it was meant to be.
Once I leave Kandahar at land in Dubai I am no longer the Companies responsibility. I am on my own from that point on. Me being conservative, I booked a hotel close to the airport and plan on having a day of rest for the most part before boarding my plane home on the 25th. Looking so forwrd to that flight, so forward to seeing my family and those who I have missd over this year.
So withing the next 21 Days I have nothing but one small change after another all leading up to the day I have looked forward to since I got here last June, Home again.
Lord, bless these remianing days with fellowship and joy. Open my heart to all those here that I habve come to know and allow us to share our last moments together in anticipation of our future hopes. Bring safe travel to me and a settled Spirit during the change. Amen.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Dinner Fellowship
On day twenty eight of Seths countdown we began to sit and have dinner together each day. I was somewhere around forty eight days left at the time. The purpose of the time was to fellowship and lift each other up as Christian Brothers and get through these last days together. We have all heard , Iron Sharpens Iron, and that is what this was for the most part. It was also an opportunity to lean on each other in our weakness.
What I did not understand when we started are time together is what Seth was describing to me as the struggles of the short time. At around thrity days the mind realy starts to focus on getting home and what was easier before become more difficult. It is like when you see the long distance runners go smoothly through a race and then lunge right at the finnish line to make it just a split second faster. There also becomes aspects of fear and anxiety that creep in to the mind which start to take there toll on you. He went through it before I did but I am finding during the days that I am having the same issues myself.
One of the things is just simple fear. Yes this is contrary to my faith as I should not fear anything becasue He is in control. I can remember back when I would go outside the gate and I had no reservations of doing so, I trusted fully the Lord in those instances but now, the thought of something happening before I get home does cross my mind. I was going to spend a week in Kandahar but I have descided to move it down to three days just to decrease the likelyhood of a rocket hitting me. See, silly fear.
I also am feeling the anxiety of what is to come. This has not been overwhelming but I return to a new direction in my life. I return to the journey into Ministry and completing school there are many unknowns for me and my family. We will move into a place that will require even more dependance on God and what He has planned for us. As I read about Elijah I understand more fully that the blessings can include a drought for us. That we will most likely be tested, as we were over this year, in the coming year. Answers to prayers come in many ways and in many times, His plans not mine.
I also, as I sit with Seth know that just in three days now he will be leaving here. That our time here together will end and that the next time I see him will be in the States, the time yet undetermined. He will have, also like the distance runners, made the finish line before me. It will be another goodbye and that in it self will be difficult. I have made him promise to come up to Cooperstown and then over to Albany for a visit. I am lucky that he uis a big baseball fan!
Seth, I know you are reading this so I want to thank you so much for the friend and Brother that you have been. I can still remember you wittnessing to me about Jesus Christ some nine months ago on the porch of the Chapel. I also, jelously recall your testimony regarding bring your father to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. You are a striong soldier both for the United States and for our Lord Jesus Christ. Know that you have impacted my life and for that we are forever connected. One Spirit one Body in Christ.
So as time moves forward, I will have some ups and downs, Trust me however that the ups are tremendously more abundant then the downs. I will work through each of them and over the next few weeks begin the final process of my departure. I will however have some empyiness without Seth, but here the Brotherhood has been strong andothers are there standing along side to lend a hand. As this next week move on I will try to honor each of them in some way.
If you are struggling lean on the Brothers and Sisters around you. Seth reached out to me in his need and I responded. Not only was I there for him but he was there for me. We will never be able to seeexactly what will come but if we walk together the path becomes easier to navigate. When we have partners on the walk there is always another set of hands to help bring you up the difficult parts. Reach out and find those people. trust them and trust the Spirit in them.
Where two or more are gathered He is there.
Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing Seth and all of the other Brothers into my life. thank you for allowing these last twenty eitght days to be a time of tremendous fellowship and an opportunity for me, and others, to lean on each other. Continue to allow your blessings to shine on Seth and all who make this Camp their home. Give us all safe travels and bring us together again one day.
What I did not understand when we started are time together is what Seth was describing to me as the struggles of the short time. At around thrity days the mind realy starts to focus on getting home and what was easier before become more difficult. It is like when you see the long distance runners go smoothly through a race and then lunge right at the finnish line to make it just a split second faster. There also becomes aspects of fear and anxiety that creep in to the mind which start to take there toll on you. He went through it before I did but I am finding during the days that I am having the same issues myself.
One of the things is just simple fear. Yes this is contrary to my faith as I should not fear anything becasue He is in control. I can remember back when I would go outside the gate and I had no reservations of doing so, I trusted fully the Lord in those instances but now, the thought of something happening before I get home does cross my mind. I was going to spend a week in Kandahar but I have descided to move it down to three days just to decrease the likelyhood of a rocket hitting me. See, silly fear.
I also am feeling the anxiety of what is to come. This has not been overwhelming but I return to a new direction in my life. I return to the journey into Ministry and completing school there are many unknowns for me and my family. We will move into a place that will require even more dependance on God and what He has planned for us. As I read about Elijah I understand more fully that the blessings can include a drought for us. That we will most likely be tested, as we were over this year, in the coming year. Answers to prayers come in many ways and in many times, His plans not mine.
I also, as I sit with Seth know that just in three days now he will be leaving here. That our time here together will end and that the next time I see him will be in the States, the time yet undetermined. He will have, also like the distance runners, made the finish line before me. It will be another goodbye and that in it self will be difficult. I have made him promise to come up to Cooperstown and then over to Albany for a visit. I am lucky that he uis a big baseball fan!
Seth, I know you are reading this so I want to thank you so much for the friend and Brother that you have been. I can still remember you wittnessing to me about Jesus Christ some nine months ago on the porch of the Chapel. I also, jelously recall your testimony regarding bring your father to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. You are a striong soldier both for the United States and for our Lord Jesus Christ. Know that you have impacted my life and for that we are forever connected. One Spirit one Body in Christ.
So as time moves forward, I will have some ups and downs, Trust me however that the ups are tremendously more abundant then the downs. I will work through each of them and over the next few weeks begin the final process of my departure. I will however have some empyiness without Seth, but here the Brotherhood has been strong andothers are there standing along side to lend a hand. As this next week move on I will try to honor each of them in some way.
If you are struggling lean on the Brothers and Sisters around you. Seth reached out to me in his need and I responded. Not only was I there for him but he was there for me. We will never be able to seeexactly what will come but if we walk together the path becomes easier to navigate. When we have partners on the walk there is always another set of hands to help bring you up the difficult parts. Reach out and find those people. trust them and trust the Spirit in them.
Where two or more are gathered He is there.
Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing Seth and all of the other Brothers into my life. thank you for allowing these last twenty eitght days to be a time of tremendous fellowship and an opportunity for me, and others, to lean on each other. Continue to allow your blessings to shine on Seth and all who make this Camp their home. Give us all safe travels and bring us together again one day.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Just When I was Getting Hungry, God Provided
I noted the other day that I was reading a book by Ray Pritchard, Fire and Rain, The Wild Hearted Faith of Elijah. I will ahve to say that I am only a chapter into the book and I am already finding it to be very good and full of interesting insights that have just seemed to be speaking to me these last few days.
Being that I am kinda in a waiting period in my time here has caused me many different emotions and feelings about the last three weeks here. I am in essence feeling stuck between here and home and therefore in a waiting period. This is the place where Elijah found himself after speaking to Ahab and prophesizing to him in a prayer regarding the impending three years of drought. After being so obediant to God, God sent him out to the desert into a ravine to live for a while. Basically after being used by God god sent him to take a break for a while. Not that God didn't still provide for Elijah while he was there but he did want him to hang out for a bit while God fullfilled the prophesy.
So in my mind this is where I am at right now. A place where I am relying on God but not, in my mind, actively engauged as I was and waiting for the next thing to happen. I God did for Elijah, He will provide for me, and anybody who has faith and obediance, even in the solitude.
What the book points out is a fact of how God works with us in our walks. God speaks to us in some way, we are obediant and then there is a blessing. Elijah was asked to bring the message to Ahab, then God sent Him to the ravine, there God commanded the ravens to bring Elijah food twice a day to keep him alive while he was there, the blessing.
For me I saw some of this last night. I am not saying that it was in anyway as amazing as Elijahs story but I do see it in the same light as his in the fact that when we are obediant, God will provide the blessings to us.
I have to put this in just for color, to give you an idea of the conditions here as this keeps drawing my attention away. I have a cup of coffee sitting to my right on the desk. As I type this word there are four flies that are enjoying the little dropplets of coffee on the inside of my cup. Each time I go to take a sip the get up and fly away. Occasionally instead of flying up they fly down and therefore I have to pick them out from their impending drowning. I then take my sip and they then return again for theirs. I know it is gross but it is something that you get used to here. I can't wait to be home again.
Anyway, back to God working in my life. Last night I sat in my room after my 1800 meeting watching part of a movie I had started the night before. Wednesday nights is our Bible Study night at the Chapel which starts at 1900. As I sat there and time was getting close for me to have to leave I just didn't feeling like going. I was having one of those moments where in my head I was assessing the Bible Study, was it worth it tonight to go. Tottally thinking in a worldly manner, what would I miss and what would I gain if I went. Come on, you all know what I am talking about.
About ten minutes before the start I thought about how I spoke to Capt. Lowery and Sgt. Gardner earlier to see if they were coming. They hadn't been in a couple of weks and I thought it would prompt them to join us again. Then I thought, Ok Mike, what if now you don't show up, then how would it look. I thought of a few excuses, felt guilty and stupid, and got up and went to the Chapel. About ten minutes in Lowery and Gardner showed up so I knew that I had made the right choice.
What I didn't expect was what happened next, this hasn't happened in a while for me. As we were having our discussion in walked a Civilian Contractor, kinda young and rough looking. I turned and asked him if I could help him, this interupting the discussion that we all were having. He said "is there a Pastor here?" There is a Chaplin here, as I pointed to Chaplin Reagule who was in her PT's. "Can we help you?" "I need to talk to the Chaplin, I am looking for some Holy books" he said. I said well let me see if I can help you and I got up and walked over to him at the book shelf.
He was looking for a Koran, Hindu, and Jewish "Bibles". So I gave him a Koran and Pentatauch and stated that we had nothing else. From that I asked, "what is it that you are doing?" His answer we have all heard before. "OI want to reasearch about God and I do not believe in organized religion anymore, it has been the cause of so many problems." My response was this, "you are right, religion does cause issues, what you are looking for is your faith." Then I invited him to sit with us if he wanted. "No I don't have time right now."
As he walked out I introduced myself and he gave me his name. I said that anytime he wanted to come join us that he was welcome. I also pointed out Ryan who I know is around alot and would be willing to answer his questions if he needed. He told me he would be fine on his own. I don't know what he said after this but it prompted me to ask him if he had a minute to talk. He agreed and we went out on the porch.
For the next ten minutes I spoke with this lost man about what he was going through. He was another that was brought up in the Church and had for some reason moved away from it. He was feeling that there was hypocracy and wrong doing and that man had failed him over and over again. What I saw at the root of this was that he was seeking God but distrusted man, even to the point of questioning the Bible. He was therefore going to find God in all religions on his own. I was very sadened by this, and spoke to him about finding his faith, through this. I asked him to ask God to reveal to Him His truth as he sought Him. That if he put this in his heart God would be faithful to answer him.
See I realized that even my words would be viewed as the words of man. That if I were to speak specifically to Him about Jesus Christ as being His answer it would not be recieved by him. I did tell him that my faith was in that Jesus was the way, the truth and the life and that I hoped God would also reveal this truth to him. but I had to leave this primarily in the hands of the one that would do the best work, God.
After we parted I returned inside and sat in prayer for this young man. I aske dthat God reveal to him his truth and that the man found Jesus Christ as Lrod and Savior. As I sat, Capt. Lowery placed his hand on my back, understanding my prayer time and what I had just done.
So back to Elijah and what he had to do with this whole thing. He was obediant when called. He came down from the mountains, spoke with Ahab and then went to the ravine to stay for a while as God asked him to. I did not want to come down from my mountain, but I did. Then when presented with a lost sole I did not just sit and let him come in and then leave, I felt the call and went to the man and spoke truth to Him. As God provided a blessing to Elijah so he would give me this moment to do what I love, wittness to another. Even when I am feeling like my time is done here I was given a glimpse of what my purpose truly was, to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ however I can.
Lord Jesus, speak into this mans life. Let him see your truth and the truth of the Gospel even if that means that his road will be through the false teachings of others, allow Him to see you. I pray for him. I pray for you to pour others into his life to water the seeds. I pray that the power that is in your Word be revealed in his life and he comes to you one day. I thank you once again taht you allowed me to be used for your purpose. Amen.
Being that I am kinda in a waiting period in my time here has caused me many different emotions and feelings about the last three weeks here. I am in essence feeling stuck between here and home and therefore in a waiting period. This is the place where Elijah found himself after speaking to Ahab and prophesizing to him in a prayer regarding the impending three years of drought. After being so obediant to God, God sent him out to the desert into a ravine to live for a while. Basically after being used by God god sent him to take a break for a while. Not that God didn't still provide for Elijah while he was there but he did want him to hang out for a bit while God fullfilled the prophesy.
So in my mind this is where I am at right now. A place where I am relying on God but not, in my mind, actively engauged as I was and waiting for the next thing to happen. I God did for Elijah, He will provide for me, and anybody who has faith and obediance, even in the solitude.
What the book points out is a fact of how God works with us in our walks. God speaks to us in some way, we are obediant and then there is a blessing. Elijah was asked to bring the message to Ahab, then God sent Him to the ravine, there God commanded the ravens to bring Elijah food twice a day to keep him alive while he was there, the blessing.
For me I saw some of this last night. I am not saying that it was in anyway as amazing as Elijahs story but I do see it in the same light as his in the fact that when we are obediant, God will provide the blessings to us.
I have to put this in just for color, to give you an idea of the conditions here as this keeps drawing my attention away. I have a cup of coffee sitting to my right on the desk. As I type this word there are four flies that are enjoying the little dropplets of coffee on the inside of my cup. Each time I go to take a sip the get up and fly away. Occasionally instead of flying up they fly down and therefore I have to pick them out from their impending drowning. I then take my sip and they then return again for theirs. I know it is gross but it is something that you get used to here. I can't wait to be home again.
Anyway, back to God working in my life. Last night I sat in my room after my 1800 meeting watching part of a movie I had started the night before. Wednesday nights is our Bible Study night at the Chapel which starts at 1900. As I sat there and time was getting close for me to have to leave I just didn't feeling like going. I was having one of those moments where in my head I was assessing the Bible Study, was it worth it tonight to go. Tottally thinking in a worldly manner, what would I miss and what would I gain if I went. Come on, you all know what I am talking about.
About ten minutes before the start I thought about how I spoke to Capt. Lowery and Sgt. Gardner earlier to see if they were coming. They hadn't been in a couple of weks and I thought it would prompt them to join us again. Then I thought, Ok Mike, what if now you don't show up, then how would it look. I thought of a few excuses, felt guilty and stupid, and got up and went to the Chapel. About ten minutes in Lowery and Gardner showed up so I knew that I had made the right choice.
What I didn't expect was what happened next, this hasn't happened in a while for me. As we were having our discussion in walked a Civilian Contractor, kinda young and rough looking. I turned and asked him if I could help him, this interupting the discussion that we all were having. He said "is there a Pastor here?" There is a Chaplin here, as I pointed to Chaplin Reagule who was in her PT's. "Can we help you?" "I need to talk to the Chaplin, I am looking for some Holy books" he said. I said well let me see if I can help you and I got up and walked over to him at the book shelf.
He was looking for a Koran, Hindu, and Jewish "Bibles". So I gave him a Koran and Pentatauch and stated that we had nothing else. From that I asked, "what is it that you are doing?" His answer we have all heard before. "OI want to reasearch about God and I do not believe in organized religion anymore, it has been the cause of so many problems." My response was this, "you are right, religion does cause issues, what you are looking for is your faith." Then I invited him to sit with us if he wanted. "No I don't have time right now."
As he walked out I introduced myself and he gave me his name. I said that anytime he wanted to come join us that he was welcome. I also pointed out Ryan who I know is around alot and would be willing to answer his questions if he needed. He told me he would be fine on his own. I don't know what he said after this but it prompted me to ask him if he had a minute to talk. He agreed and we went out on the porch.
For the next ten minutes I spoke with this lost man about what he was going through. He was another that was brought up in the Church and had for some reason moved away from it. He was feeling that there was hypocracy and wrong doing and that man had failed him over and over again. What I saw at the root of this was that he was seeking God but distrusted man, even to the point of questioning the Bible. He was therefore going to find God in all religions on his own. I was very sadened by this, and spoke to him about finding his faith, through this. I asked him to ask God to reveal to Him His truth as he sought Him. That if he put this in his heart God would be faithful to answer him.
See I realized that even my words would be viewed as the words of man. That if I were to speak specifically to Him about Jesus Christ as being His answer it would not be recieved by him. I did tell him that my faith was in that Jesus was the way, the truth and the life and that I hoped God would also reveal this truth to him. but I had to leave this primarily in the hands of the one that would do the best work, God.
After we parted I returned inside and sat in prayer for this young man. I aske dthat God reveal to him his truth and that the man found Jesus Christ as Lrod and Savior. As I sat, Capt. Lowery placed his hand on my back, understanding my prayer time and what I had just done.
So back to Elijah and what he had to do with this whole thing. He was obediant when called. He came down from the mountains, spoke with Ahab and then went to the ravine to stay for a while as God asked him to. I did not want to come down from my mountain, but I did. Then when presented with a lost sole I did not just sit and let him come in and then leave, I felt the call and went to the man and spoke truth to Him. As God provided a blessing to Elijah so he would give me this moment to do what I love, wittness to another. Even when I am feeling like my time is done here I was given a glimpse of what my purpose truly was, to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ however I can.
Lord Jesus, speak into this mans life. Let him see your truth and the truth of the Gospel even if that means that his road will be through the false teachings of others, allow Him to see you. I pray for him. I pray for you to pour others into his life to water the seeds. I pray that the power that is in your Word be revealed in his life and he comes to you one day. I thank you once again taht you allowed me to be used for your purpose. Amen.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Ecclesiastes 9:2
2 All share a common destiny-the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.
No matter who you are or what you do in this life you are going to die one day. You can be the richest man in the world, you will die. You may be the most famous or the loliess person, and you will die. There is nothing in the end that will stop this inevitable fact of life, that it will eventual end.
You may try everything to maintain the best life you can, vitamins, healthy food, the best Doctors care and all will be for not. You can go the other way and live life to the fullest, eat what you want, soke, drink, go on dangerous adventures and you fate the same as the conservative guy, death.
We can live like there is no tomorrow or live as if there is endless tomorrows each will get the same return. No wants to think this way but really we all know in the back of our minds that we are just teporarily here, how teporary is the question.
So each person lives this life as the verse in Ecclesiastes with one very simple thing in common but we don not live all with thye same eternal outlook in common. Some never think twice about what it will all mean in the end. Some ignore all together any consequence to this life. They see only the death and the eternity of nothing beyond. They live without any hope for anything past what they have now. So get what you can get, here, and who cares about later.
Others, have hope, and look to what this life shall mean. The believe that it can not be for nothing, that there is more to come. They live this life looking to eternity, they ponder the consequences of this life, they live in hope. Things matter, atter tremendously.
We will all die, but only some will live after. Those that lived in the hope of what is to come. Those that believed in our creator and that He has a purpose for us. that he did not just place us here to live out every desire and then to die, but to serve and love and give ourselves to others so that He would be seen on this earth and then we could walk with Him for eternity, hope.
This life will produce two types of people in the end, those that die and remain in death and those that die and regain life. Which one will you be? What are you good for if you would chose just to die for nothing. Why is your life not just full of shamful things, murder, crudeness if you didn't have some hope? Do not ignore that you do want to live past this life. Don't make an excuse to cover your guilt that will cost you what you truly hope for on the inside, eternal life.
Come to the Lord Jesus Christ and live. Put your faith in the plan of the living God to save all those that call Him Lord and Savior. Look to Him now and ask Him for eternal life, ask Him to be your life. Lord, come into my heart and allow my sins to be forgiven, Lord I want to live. Save me, save me.
Lord Jesus, we all will die and only those that know you will live. Convict their hearts that they have an end and without you that end will be final and complete. Let them know that your hand is so close if they would just reach for it and hold onto to you. Convict them lord before they die. Amen.
As it is with the good man,
so with the sinner;
as it is with those who take oaths,
so with those who are afraid to take them.
No matter who you are or what you do in this life you are going to die one day. You can be the richest man in the world, you will die. You may be the most famous or the loliess person, and you will die. There is nothing in the end that will stop this inevitable fact of life, that it will eventual end.
You may try everything to maintain the best life you can, vitamins, healthy food, the best Doctors care and all will be for not. You can go the other way and live life to the fullest, eat what you want, soke, drink, go on dangerous adventures and you fate the same as the conservative guy, death.
We can live like there is no tomorrow or live as if there is endless tomorrows each will get the same return. No wants to think this way but really we all know in the back of our minds that we are just teporarily here, how teporary is the question.
So each person lives this life as the verse in Ecclesiastes with one very simple thing in common but we don not live all with thye same eternal outlook in common. Some never think twice about what it will all mean in the end. Some ignore all together any consequence to this life. They see only the death and the eternity of nothing beyond. They live without any hope for anything past what they have now. So get what you can get, here, and who cares about later.
Others, have hope, and look to what this life shall mean. The believe that it can not be for nothing, that there is more to come. They live this life looking to eternity, they ponder the consequences of this life, they live in hope. Things matter, atter tremendously.
We will all die, but only some will live after. Those that lived in the hope of what is to come. Those that believed in our creator and that He has a purpose for us. that he did not just place us here to live out every desire and then to die, but to serve and love and give ourselves to others so that He would be seen on this earth and then we could walk with Him for eternity, hope.
This life will produce two types of people in the end, those that die and remain in death and those that die and regain life. Which one will you be? What are you good for if you would chose just to die for nothing. Why is your life not just full of shamful things, murder, crudeness if you didn't have some hope? Do not ignore that you do want to live past this life. Don't make an excuse to cover your guilt that will cost you what you truly hope for on the inside, eternal life.
Come to the Lord Jesus Christ and live. Put your faith in the plan of the living God to save all those that call Him Lord and Savior. Look to Him now and ask Him for eternal life, ask Him to be your life. Lord, come into my heart and allow my sins to be forgiven, Lord I want to live. Save me, save me.
Lord Jesus, we all will die and only those that know you will live. Convict their hearts that they have an end and without you that end will be final and complete. Let them know that your hand is so close if they would just reach for it and hold onto to you. Convict them lord before they die. Amen.
Words to His Song
I started a new book yesterday and I am hoping to get it done before I return home. It is Fire and Rain, The Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah by Ray Pritchard. So far I am enjoying the book as it has kept my interest well. Today there were two things from the book that he wrote that I want to share with you. I also have a selfish purpose for sharing as I liked these two items so much and by putting them in my Blog I will be able to find them again one day.
The first was this, and maybe you have heard this before, as a matter of fact you you read your Bible I will almost guarentee that you have. I will paraphrase the books thoughts down to a simple phrase, the power is not in me, but the Word of God. Yes see I know you know that, probably from this; faith comes from hearing, the hearing of Gods Word, but today I stopped and thought about this for a while.
How many times to I depend on myself to go out and speak to another person about my faith? Why do I get nervous at times and don't speak all the truth that I know should be spoken? Why so many times do I just not say anything at all? Because I am depending on my words instead of His Word. See I am, we are insignificant to what truly will happen when someone hears, really hears, Gods Word. We are just the vehicle, the agent, the means of delivery of the Powerful Truth. Everything past that point is between God and the hearer.
But I put so much emphasis on my own abilities. I stop because of fear, I hesitate and think what is the best way to deliver this message. What does this person really need to hear right now? All these things are things that tell me that I haven't tottally put in my heart that Gos is all poerful and His Word is absolute Truth and therefore perfect in its form. I don't trust Him enough to just let go and speak. Don't get me wrong, I know that my faith must persevere and grow stronger everyday, but I think that trust must come first and be the strongest before any other part of my faith will grow.
Well now that I am writing this I sit and think about something that should be said but I don't know if it has before. In that I must trust God and write it now or I would be hypocritical in the words that I write to you. So here goes, Mom and Dad, I love you very much and I don't want to see you perish because you did not know Jesus Christ. I know these are not spoken words and maybe that would be best but for now this is the way I will open the dialogue. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no one gets to the Father except through Him. You must know that in your heart and profess it with your mouth so that you may be saved. I want to know that you are saved before it is to late.
Also to be quite frank with all, I love my parents very much and nothing in this world would make me happier then to see them saved. It is however difficult and sometimes uncomfortable to have conversations of faith with someone who is so close to you which is very strange because you would think that with them it would be easiest. I guess this is the same reason why Jesus stayed away from His home and also for a while His brothers and sisters did not follow Him. I trust in His word now in thier hearts.
The second point, if you know me, is unusual for me to understand as I am not musically inclined. This comes from John Ruskin who wrote:
"There is no music in rest, but there is the making of music in it. In our whole life melody, the music is broken off here and there by "rest," and we foolishly think we have come to an end of time. God sends time of forced liesure - sickness, disapointed plans, frustrated efforts - and makes a sudden pause in the choral hymn of our lives..."
Like I said I am not musically inclined but I get that! Iunderstand that in music there are parts where the music stops for a period of time. The sweatness of it is gone but then it comes back again. It returns and the silence is broken by the beat and the rythym and the sound. So in my walk there is going to be time when the Lord just places a rest into it. The time will be kept and the music will start again but for this moment just a rest. It is part of the music and needed, not forgotten or worthless. It helps in the creation of the song. I just loved thinking about my life in this way.
So the two take aways, first we are always in the music that God has written even if at some points there are rests, it all matters and His Word is what we must go forth and bring to all the Nations, not my words or myself. We are the vehicle that God will use to do what He needs done.
Lord Jesus, may these words be used by you in the song that you have written today. May I enjoy every moment that you give me be it in rest or business. May I trust you more as you command my life. May my parents and others know and love you in their lives. Amen.
The first was this, and maybe you have heard this before, as a matter of fact you you read your Bible I will almost guarentee that you have. I will paraphrase the books thoughts down to a simple phrase, the power is not in me, but the Word of God. Yes see I know you know that, probably from this; faith comes from hearing, the hearing of Gods Word, but today I stopped and thought about this for a while.
How many times to I depend on myself to go out and speak to another person about my faith? Why do I get nervous at times and don't speak all the truth that I know should be spoken? Why so many times do I just not say anything at all? Because I am depending on my words instead of His Word. See I am, we are insignificant to what truly will happen when someone hears, really hears, Gods Word. We are just the vehicle, the agent, the means of delivery of the Powerful Truth. Everything past that point is between God and the hearer.
But I put so much emphasis on my own abilities. I stop because of fear, I hesitate and think what is the best way to deliver this message. What does this person really need to hear right now? All these things are things that tell me that I haven't tottally put in my heart that Gos is all poerful and His Word is absolute Truth and therefore perfect in its form. I don't trust Him enough to just let go and speak. Don't get me wrong, I know that my faith must persevere and grow stronger everyday, but I think that trust must come first and be the strongest before any other part of my faith will grow.
Well now that I am writing this I sit and think about something that should be said but I don't know if it has before. In that I must trust God and write it now or I would be hypocritical in the words that I write to you. So here goes, Mom and Dad, I love you very much and I don't want to see you perish because you did not know Jesus Christ. I know these are not spoken words and maybe that would be best but for now this is the way I will open the dialogue. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no one gets to the Father except through Him. You must know that in your heart and profess it with your mouth so that you may be saved. I want to know that you are saved before it is to late.
Also to be quite frank with all, I love my parents very much and nothing in this world would make me happier then to see them saved. It is however difficult and sometimes uncomfortable to have conversations of faith with someone who is so close to you which is very strange because you would think that with them it would be easiest. I guess this is the same reason why Jesus stayed away from His home and also for a while His brothers and sisters did not follow Him. I trust in His word now in thier hearts.
The second point, if you know me, is unusual for me to understand as I am not musically inclined. This comes from John Ruskin who wrote:
"There is no music in rest, but there is the making of music in it. In our whole life melody, the music is broken off here and there by "rest," and we foolishly think we have come to an end of time. God sends time of forced liesure - sickness, disapointed plans, frustrated efforts - and makes a sudden pause in the choral hymn of our lives..."
Like I said I am not musically inclined but I get that! Iunderstand that in music there are parts where the music stops for a period of time. The sweatness of it is gone but then it comes back again. It returns and the silence is broken by the beat and the rythym and the sound. So in my walk there is going to be time when the Lord just places a rest into it. The time will be kept and the music will start again but for this moment just a rest. It is part of the music and needed, not forgotten or worthless. It helps in the creation of the song. I just loved thinking about my life in this way.
So the two take aways, first we are always in the music that God has written even if at some points there are rests, it all matters and His Word is what we must go forth and bring to all the Nations, not my words or myself. We are the vehicle that God will use to do what He needs done.
Lord Jesus, may these words be used by you in the song that you have written today. May I enjoy every moment that you give me be it in rest or business. May I trust you more as you command my life. May my parents and others know and love you in their lives. Amen.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
The Beginning Of The End
Well my role as Transportation Manager at FOB Shindand, now officially Shindand Air Base, is over. Yesterday after two weeks of trying my replacement and I transfered my Property Book over to him. This means that I no longer am responsible for any of the heavy equipment here on the bases.
With this I have temporarily come over to the CRSP Yard (Central Recieving and Shipping Point) to fill in until the Supervisor returns from his R&R. The CRSP is the area of the BAse where all incoming materials have to go before they move on to the end user. They are responsible for verifing the shippments and "Ingating" the materials. It is also the point where all materials have to come as they leave the base.
A secondary aspect of this area is the Container Management operation. This Department maintains accountability for all of the Shipping containers on the base. Shipping containers are the big metal boxes that you see in the ports all over the world. Most of those are owned by a company or orginization, and some are owned by the Government. There is a system that intergrates all of the containers no matter where they are in the world and it also identifies the charges associated with the use. There is big money in containers!
So probably until Monday I will be here watching the shop and then move over to the Airfield PAX Terminal for a week before I get ready to leave. I volunteered to do this as I could not allow myself to just sit around for three weeks doing nothing before my departure, it just didn't sit well with me. Trust me though there are people that would have done just that and taken advantage of the Company. Even though I don't know what I need to do specifically I will make myself as useful as possible here.
I did officially say goodbye to my men today which was hard. I went to their morning brief before coming to the CRSP Yard. It was hard for me, I almost cried, but didn't as I said goodbye to each one of them. Now I know that I will see them over the next few weeks but all the same I needed to offically turn things over to John. I will miss them all.
So the beginning of the end for me. The start to the journey home.
Lord Jesus, bless each man that has been so much a part of my life over the past year. May each of us maintain the memories of our friends for the rest of our lives. May I see those that you have me see again in my life. Amen.
With this I have temporarily come over to the CRSP Yard (Central Recieving and Shipping Point) to fill in until the Supervisor returns from his R&R. The CRSP is the area of the BAse where all incoming materials have to go before they move on to the end user. They are responsible for verifing the shippments and "Ingating" the materials. It is also the point where all materials have to come as they leave the base.
A secondary aspect of this area is the Container Management operation. This Department maintains accountability for all of the Shipping containers on the base. Shipping containers are the big metal boxes that you see in the ports all over the world. Most of those are owned by a company or orginization, and some are owned by the Government. There is a system that intergrates all of the containers no matter where they are in the world and it also identifies the charges associated with the use. There is big money in containers!
So probably until Monday I will be here watching the shop and then move over to the Airfield PAX Terminal for a week before I get ready to leave. I volunteered to do this as I could not allow myself to just sit around for three weeks doing nothing before my departure, it just didn't sit well with me. Trust me though there are people that would have done just that and taken advantage of the Company. Even though I don't know what I need to do specifically I will make myself as useful as possible here.
I did officially say goodbye to my men today which was hard. I went to their morning brief before coming to the CRSP Yard. It was hard for me, I almost cried, but didn't as I said goodbye to each one of them. Now I know that I will see them over the next few weeks but all the same I needed to offically turn things over to John. I will miss them all.
So the beginning of the end for me. The start to the journey home.
Lord Jesus, bless each man that has been so much a part of my life over the past year. May each of us maintain the memories of our friends for the rest of our lives. May I see those that you have me see again in my life. Amen.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Two Are Better Than One
9 Two are better than one, becasue they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Through one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Seth and I have been meeting every night at 1700 for dinner for the last twenty days or so. Seth now is leaving in eight days and I in about three weeks and becasue we are both going through ups and downs we figured that it would be best if we met everday and spoke into each others lives. 9 Two are betrter than one, because they have good return for their work.
With our meetings we are able to support each other. When one is down the other has been there for them. When we are both on then we have had wonderful conversations of faith that lift both our Spirits even further. There are even times when at our table there will be other Christian Brothers that join us and thus add to the numbers in the work.
10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! This was the basis of our meeting, the nightly fellowship. We were falling down, having struggles but we did what we needed to do, we reached out and leaned on one another. I do pity the man who either has nobody to lean on or is unwilling to lean on another for support. Pride, satans stumbling blocks, fear, lack of or miss guided faith all keep him from going to another. He falls and has no other to help him up, he looks but noone is near.
I can also lean on Catherine, more so than any other. What God has brought together let no man take apart. We are one and together we are strong. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? We togather can defeat any circumstance that we find ourselves in. Together we can join and be one body made of two hearts, two minds, one Spirit. This is the natural way that God created in the beginning, the one thing that satan sought destroy, and still seeks to destroy because of its strength.
12 Through one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. In all of these situations when we come together with the Spirit of God that is within all that believe we become the three strand cord. We are stronger than one, even stronger then two, because we become three. We are meant to join either physically or Spiritually with others, we are meant to walk as one body undr one mind. If we walk alone we die alone.
God is part of what we are who we are as Christians. He wants fellowship with Him he wants us to be all joined, connnected and willing to reach out to one another in all things. He is faithful to us when we are fiathful to Him.
Be always willing to lean, to express, to join with your Brothers and Sisters. In this each barrier becomes easier to cross, each circumstance smaller, simpler.
Lord Jesus, give us all strength and let that strength to be a gift to those around us. May we all have others that are close so we are not alone. May we eliminate our pride and give openly, respond graciously to those in need. Amen.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Seth and I have been meeting every night at 1700 for dinner for the last twenty days or so. Seth now is leaving in eight days and I in about three weeks and becasue we are both going through ups and downs we figured that it would be best if we met everday and spoke into each others lives. 9 Two are betrter than one, because they have good return for their work.
With our meetings we are able to support each other. When one is down the other has been there for them. When we are both on then we have had wonderful conversations of faith that lift both our Spirits even further. There are even times when at our table there will be other Christian Brothers that join us and thus add to the numbers in the work.
10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! This was the basis of our meeting, the nightly fellowship. We were falling down, having struggles but we did what we needed to do, we reached out and leaned on one another. I do pity the man who either has nobody to lean on or is unwilling to lean on another for support. Pride, satans stumbling blocks, fear, lack of or miss guided faith all keep him from going to another. He falls and has no other to help him up, he looks but noone is near.
I can also lean on Catherine, more so than any other. What God has brought together let no man take apart. We are one and together we are strong. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? We togather can defeat any circumstance that we find ourselves in. Together we can join and be one body made of two hearts, two minds, one Spirit. This is the natural way that God created in the beginning, the one thing that satan sought destroy, and still seeks to destroy because of its strength.
12 Through one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. In all of these situations when we come together with the Spirit of God that is within all that believe we become the three strand cord. We are stronger than one, even stronger then two, because we become three. We are meant to join either physically or Spiritually with others, we are meant to walk as one body undr one mind. If we walk alone we die alone.
God is part of what we are who we are as Christians. He wants fellowship with Him he wants us to be all joined, connnected and willing to reach out to one another in all things. He is faithful to us when we are fiathful to Him.
Be always willing to lean, to express, to join with your Brothers and Sisters. In this each barrier becomes easier to cross, each circumstance smaller, simpler.
Lord Jesus, give us all strength and let that strength to be a gift to those around us. May we all have others that are close so we are not alone. May we eliminate our pride and give openly, respond graciously to those in need. Amen.
Believe
"Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God; and believe also in me."
John 14:1
How many times my heart has been troubled, that I have been in a place of pain or sorrow or anxiety over this last year? How many times I have allowed the circumstances of where I am at, those around me, my work to cause me to suffer and be in a place that lacked joy or was full of stress? How many times have I let my troubles cause me to stand alone?
As I look back those our hard times and difficult to get through. In the beginning it was almost devistating to me. The first three days in Afghanistan I will remember for every as some of the hardest days of my life. Several times over the year the same feeling coming, the lonliness, anxiety, hoplessness. Thanksgiving without the family sent me a million miles away from them, almost trapped without any options.
All of these times I can remember was a time when I was depending on the external, standing alone, losing focus on God and not trusting Him more then myself. He was there but I would move from Him selfishly, wanting my own destiny my own outcomes and not what He had planned.
I know however that each of those times I became stronger as I worked back to Him. When I realized that I could not do it alone turned my trust in His plans, in what He had for me. I became stronger as I stopped being me and gave myself to Him. Not that the circumstance would ever change but that my anxiety left, the loniliness left, the weakness left, and my heart found joy. Each time He was there, accepting the Protical Son back home, offering grace to me.
This verse is so simple. The instruction clear. Don't worry, just believe! Believe in God and believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, who spoke these words. Believe what God has written. Believe what God has spoken through His Son and believe the Son. Believe!
This is foolishness to those that do not beleive. It was at times almost foolishness to me as I moved away from this belief and my world fell apart. It is foolishness as it is way to simple when compared to todays self help mentallity full of extravigant how to's. Just believe? That is it? But the God that created everything uses only this to offer us everything we could ever hope for, freedom from death, from sin, from the world that wants to destroy us by simple grace through faith.
We want our God to be so big sometimes that we can not rationalize this kind of simplicity. Ask with your lips, set it in your heart, love God and accept His Son and you will be saved. Believe, and all is yours and you will seee His glory in your life. You will live as a child of God an hier to His thrown, in His grace in His way.
As I released my troubles to Him he has always been faithful. As Catherine has done the same in her life, He has been faithful. When all release themselves to Him He has been faithful. Since the beginning of time and from the approved time of His Son, He has been faithful to all that remain faithful to Him.
I have come so far this year, but have so far to go. It will not end until the end and I am sure the worst is yet to come. But even now as I work through this in my head I gain strength, I gain belief and I gain more fully Him so that next time, I will be even more prepared.
Find God, find Jesus Christ and believe, your life will, as I can attest, never be the same again.
Lord Jesus, Father God, Abba set in the hearts that read this just a mustard seed of belief. Let them see your glory and be drawn towards it so strongly that they have no choice but to fall to their knees and cry out to you. For those that do already believe, let their yeast grow and spread throughout their soles, and to the soles of those around them. May their belief become a rock, a foundation that they may always hold to, even in times of trouble and a building block for their further strength. Amen.
John 14:1
How many times my heart has been troubled, that I have been in a place of pain or sorrow or anxiety over this last year? How many times I have allowed the circumstances of where I am at, those around me, my work to cause me to suffer and be in a place that lacked joy or was full of stress? How many times have I let my troubles cause me to stand alone?
As I look back those our hard times and difficult to get through. In the beginning it was almost devistating to me. The first three days in Afghanistan I will remember for every as some of the hardest days of my life. Several times over the year the same feeling coming, the lonliness, anxiety, hoplessness. Thanksgiving without the family sent me a million miles away from them, almost trapped without any options.
All of these times I can remember was a time when I was depending on the external, standing alone, losing focus on God and not trusting Him more then myself. He was there but I would move from Him selfishly, wanting my own destiny my own outcomes and not what He had planned.
I know however that each of those times I became stronger as I worked back to Him. When I realized that I could not do it alone turned my trust in His plans, in what He had for me. I became stronger as I stopped being me and gave myself to Him. Not that the circumstance would ever change but that my anxiety left, the loniliness left, the weakness left, and my heart found joy. Each time He was there, accepting the Protical Son back home, offering grace to me.
This verse is so simple. The instruction clear. Don't worry, just believe! Believe in God and believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, who spoke these words. Believe what God has written. Believe what God has spoken through His Son and believe the Son. Believe!
This is foolishness to those that do not beleive. It was at times almost foolishness to me as I moved away from this belief and my world fell apart. It is foolishness as it is way to simple when compared to todays self help mentallity full of extravigant how to's. Just believe? That is it? But the God that created everything uses only this to offer us everything we could ever hope for, freedom from death, from sin, from the world that wants to destroy us by simple grace through faith.
We want our God to be so big sometimes that we can not rationalize this kind of simplicity. Ask with your lips, set it in your heart, love God and accept His Son and you will be saved. Believe, and all is yours and you will seee His glory in your life. You will live as a child of God an hier to His thrown, in His grace in His way.
As I released my troubles to Him he has always been faithful. As Catherine has done the same in her life, He has been faithful. When all release themselves to Him He has been faithful. Since the beginning of time and from the approved time of His Son, He has been faithful to all that remain faithful to Him.
I have come so far this year, but have so far to go. It will not end until the end and I am sure the worst is yet to come. But even now as I work through this in my head I gain strength, I gain belief and I gain more fully Him so that next time, I will be even more prepared.
Find God, find Jesus Christ and believe, your life will, as I can attest, never be the same again.
Lord Jesus, Father God, Abba set in the hearts that read this just a mustard seed of belief. Let them see your glory and be drawn towards it so strongly that they have no choice but to fall to their knees and cry out to you. For those that do already believe, let their yeast grow and spread throughout their soles, and to the soles of those around them. May their belief become a rock, a foundation that they may always hold to, even in times of trouble and a building block for their further strength. Amen.
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