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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Mental Heath Day

Occasionally we give the kids a "Mental Heath Day" from school.  This is a day, planned after viewing their classes and assuring that their in nothing iimportant, for the kids just to stay home.  It is their one day a year to take a break if they need one.

I know that on a few occasions Christ also went off by Himself to pray and have some alone time.  Generally this was before or after major events.  He wanted to get His mind settled, His own mental heath day if you will.

Today, I think also I will have a mental heath day.  I rarely take one from my writing as I feel it as a duty to bring you something each morning to help start your day and to keep in touch with how things or going, maybe give you a little preaching, God if you will.

I am doing very well, actually building myself back up nicely with my walk and talk with the Lord.  I am handling the same situations that have been going on for the last three weeks in a much different way now which is a blessing.  I am also handling the idea of coming home in a proactive manner thinking of what the next steps are.  I have registered for five classes this Fall and trying to line up Ministry activities either with the Church or in other areas.

If you would like to you can pray for my family and me as we begin the transition back together again.  Also pray for my safe travels that if God willing will begin in just under three weeks.

So, with all this said, have a great day, and I will today have my Mental Heath Day, in a sense.

Lord, I pray a blessing on all that read this today.  That each person finds you and your grace and peace.  That we all obtain a stronger Love for you and who you are to us.  That we love others as you love us .  Amen.

Those Darn Goodbyes

Now that the end of my time is close I have begun to experience something that I don't like so much but is inevitable, saying goodbye.

In most cases in our lives when we say goodbye to someone it is not a perminant acknowlegment, it is just a way of saying I will see you later.  Here, because people are from everywhere in the world, everywhere in the United States, goodbye in many instances means goodbye.  I dont like thinking that people that have come to mean so much to me I will not see again, so my goodbyes have become very much like any other parting without any hint of being perminant. 

There has been three people in the last week that I have seen for the last time here.  Chances are with at least two that our paths will never cross again.  With one, if I don't cross paths with Him again I will be mad at myself.  I know that over the next three weeks this is going to be a constant reality for me.

Chaplin Sharpe, who has been here almost from the beginning left for good this past Saturday.  His Unit was moved just a few months before he will return home.  As when Chaplin Johnson left it leaves a hole in your heart as these are men that have lead us spiritually, who we have shared ourselves and our faith with.  Men that are our Brothers.  The Chaplin had given us so much here and poured himself into the men of this Camp in so many ways.  He showed us through himself and through his ministries what it means to be a Man of God, he toojk that very seriously.  Holy Smokes and Manly Men's Group were focussed on bringing us together and showing us that we were not just supposed to be femine whimps for Christ but strong leaders of our homes and church. 

My "so long" with the Chaplin was officially at the chow hall where Seth, Chief, Duncan and the Chaplin ate together last Saturday.  We all spoke to him about his impending flight and if he thought he would be at Sunday service.  He didn't think so, as he had already said goodbye there once.  He cleared his plate before the rest of us and left. 

Unofficially the week before a bumped into him at the Post Office, he was shipping out some boxes.  He had been at his new Base for a week and had returned to finish the move.  There we were able to speak a bit about our last year together.  I could not help but get teary eyed.  This man has become a friend and we were parting ways.  We did not say goodbye, as Christians we said, we are always connected and there is alwasy hope in the future.

Pam was one that surprised me a bit.  Pam is retired Army and is one tough woman.  She never took any crud from anyone and I dont think I have ever been scared of any woman like I was Pam.  She is one of the group of us that remain that was here since last July.  There were, until she left only thirteen of us of the original group of Managers and Supervisors.  I didn't speak much to Pam, no more then I had to, and on several occasions had very heated debates.  As I said she was tough.  But in the end, we had shared ten months of the same office space together and in that part of our lives.

Pam left yesterday for a new job in Kuwait. David and I went and met here at the flight line to say our goodbyes and there we had our final moments together.  Now I would have never expected this from Pam, and she never showed this before but as the three of us stood and spoke, she cried, she didn't want to but she did.  I really think that was the most emotion that I had ever seen from her.  But again, as we talk I also felt the enevitable end of this.  We had shared our lives here and now it was ending.  I also felt the emotion of it.  I will most likely never see Pam again but all the same, no goodbyes just so long.

Duncan, only a few month with Duncan and here wwe are already parting ways.  He is one that I will purpose to see again.  He is a Christian Brother and has become a friend over the past several weeks.  We were drawn together by God and our Faith in Jesus Christ and from that we share the same Spirit. In a short time we have shared our lives and our faith, strengthening each other as Christian Brothers, as Fathers and men. There are times in our lives when we meet people that we just connect with, something brings you together.  I believe that God has brought Duncan and I together and over time we will remain friends. Duncan I will see again.

I also have one that will be tough, Seth, the strong young soldier who I met so many months ago.  He wittnessed faithfully to me sitting on the front porch of the Cahpel and I will always remember that of him.  He will be leaving in eleven short days and I will miss him until we meet again. 

This scene is going to play out several times over the next twenty one days.  Over and over again either people, soldiers that I have known will be leaving here or eventually I will be leaving.  Either way it will be endless days of the same instances.  I look forward to my leaving but know that my heart will be left empty several times and there is no way of avoiding it.

Lord, watch over all of as as we part ways.  Bless those that I will never see again.  May we all, always be connected through your Spirit and by your Grace may we see all that we should one day again.  Amen.

Near To God

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded."
James 4:8

As you all have probably read over the last couple of weeks I have struggled on several occasions with the transfer of the Department over to my replacement.  He and I have struggled seeing eye to eye and it has caused several issues between us.  Catherine, very appropriately pointed out, that my pride was a large part of the issues that were occurring.  That I would have to overcome this pride or nothing would get any better.

You see, I know that it is up to me regardless of what my counterpart is like.  I am the one that should be the example and be a wittness to Jesus Christ in my life in all circumstances.  When I fail to maintain my composure or to demonstrate grace and forgivness then I fail the Lords command of Love that he left us.  Yes, I am human, but I also know better and that is where the personal condemnation comes in.  Mike, you know better!  Do the right thing and trust Him with this.

What is even worse on this is that I was not doing anything to change.  I was hanging out and allowing things to remain as they were.  I stood in the counsel of mockers.  I became the opposite of what I should have been and accepted it as ok.  I know at that point satan could sit back and smile as I was not walking with the Spirit and so became inaffective to the Him.  I was for all intensive purposes in the world.

"Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded."  So once I finally opened my ears enough to listen to Catherine, and accept that I was in the wrong place I was able to begin to move back where I should have been all along.  Recognizing the sin is one thing but repenting is another, and the catalyst to the change.  I had to reach into my heart and take the feelings that I was having and replace them with new ones, ones of the Lord.  I had to get out of this worldly myre and into heaven thoughts. 

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." Over the past several days I have been very purposfully drawing nearer to Him.  Starting with myself and this repentance and now maintaining in trust that he will see me through.  Each part of this had to occur, I needed to show movement and the breaking of the hardness of my heart.  Nothing would have changed without it.  BVut He is faithful He is near, and as I drew to Him He drew to me.  It is an absolute.

I am doing nicely now.  My mind being renewed I can feel the difference in my Spirit and my soul.  Joy and excitment for home and the next part of the journey is returning and being in fellowship with those here whom I am close to is exciting.  I like this place better.  It is a more comfortable place.  I am glad that that is true, as the old me, the man of a year ago, found more comfort in the pain of this world then the joy of Heaven.

Lord Jesus, I will continue to move to you and I look forward to you being close to me.  Help me to finish strong and be confident in what has been and what is to come.  Amen.

Look At All The Dieing People!

11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
Proverb 22:11

So how much does someone try to save another who is going to his own death?  How much effort should you put in to stopping someone who does not care enough for themselves that they would allow their actions to kill them?  Do you care enough for another to be involved if needed?  Do you turn and walk away from a child in need?  If death is apperent then we should do all that we can to intercede.  Is that not the worlds standard, we call those that do Hero's.

Yet as Christians we walk by everyday without a word to those who walk to their death.  I do it a thousand times a day, go by as someone displays their worldly actions and attitude without any thought as to the consiquence.  We christians, outside of church become very selective as to the times and place that we speak the Lords name as wwe are afraid of the consequence.  But a drowning baby, we would risk our own lives for.  This life, the next life.

Rescue those that are being taken to death.  Rescue them, most of the time I wont even speak to them.  Most of the time they pass by with smiles on their faces as they blindly live death until death and I offer them nothing.  No way out of where they are, no way past the end that is always near.  Maybe the easy save, the wife who is being left by her husband or the drunk that is trying to get sober, but never the brother who has it all or the father who is a good man.  Those saves involve risk to ourselves and our weak faith holds us back.

Hold back those that are stumbling to the slaughter.  We are to be active and engauged with those that will perish.  We are to share our lives with them, be close with them and in the end sacrifice ourselves so that they may live.  Remove the value that may be on the need of exceptance and see that the saving faith in Jesus Christ is an even more precious gift to them. Ultimately your love will bare you through the love of Christ that you shpow to those who otherwise will be dead.

It is tough for us to think past what is right here at hand, to see eternity when all we are shown is this world.  We must trust the Word of God and the fullfillment of that Word in Jesus Christ.  We must live as if we will not die and allow that faith to be our motivation to save all that are around us.  Our wittness should not be that in our liftime we gave the love of Jesus Christ to one or two, but that we gave it to every man and woman that we have ever known.  What they do with that is in their hands, that you were obediant is in your, it is in mine.

See each person today as potentially not having another chance to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Carry today a true Christian perspective that at any moment every person that you see could be taking their last step and standing at judgement.  That if they do not know Jesus in thier heart they will suffer eternal seperation.  Then see if you can in any way rescue them with a Word, or hold them back from slaughter by your love.  Dont let them just walk into death.

Lord Jesus, you saved me from my death. You lifted me from my enemies.  You brought me from deep waters onto dry land, because you delighted in me.  May I live that know shall perish either.  May I be obediant and forsake this world and give saving knowledge to all those who walk blindly to eternal death.  Give me the courage.  Amen.

Matthew 10:39

"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
Matthew 10:39

I have found life again, in a way, my old life.  Every day there is friction between myself and my replacement and in that I find some emotions that, at this ime in my life, seem a little unnatural.  It is odd to say, for me, but it has been so long that I have felt frustration like I have been feeling. 

Robert just said to me, "leave it in Gods hands, He knows where you are and where you have come from." Now the context of his statement was in regards to my sore back but for this it also is valid.  Here I look at myself and beat myself up, when in reality I only should give it to God.  He will, and does know all, and will ultimately judge everything.  But I know that what I am going through, can be, and should be overcome by my faith.

I will tell you straight out that the last few weeks I have struggled through the days, in a worldly sense, because I am focussed more on the problems and this friction then I am on the Lord.  When I am focussed on Him, even though the situations may be stressful, I am able to remain at peace knowing that everything will be alright.  That I am in his hands and He will help see me through.  There is a very definate difference between when I am trying to do things and when I am allowing the Lord to control things.

So in Matthew 10 Jesus is speaking about those that remain in the world, thier life, and those who descided to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Only through giving up all the worldly things of who you are now and completely following Christ can you fully see the Life that He offers.  If we stand with one foot in this world and one with Christ we will never see His full glory.  Through our walk, through all circumstance, we must devote everything to Him, even our pride.  As Jesus says, you must lose your life.

I long in my soul to have this tottal devotion.  To give Him every piece of myself so that even in such a simple thing such as relinquishing the control of this department would be given to Him first.  That I could come to a place where all of my thoughts would be to Him and for Him.  I want to trust and love Him completely but have yet found the eternal strength to remain in all things there.  I know the joy that is present when I am and also the feeling when I am not.

To lose my life, have completenss in Him so that I gain the new life that He offers.  Simple devotion to Him, trust in Hios word.  Allowing Him to guide me.  To apply His word and His actions to my life.  When I don't I can feel the evil, the hatered, the stress and anxiety, all of which is of satan.  Through Him I can experience His love, the joy, peace, patients, kindness and self control, even in the face of adversity. 

Lord Jesus, forgive me that I still remain, in some ways in my old life, that I have not yet given to you toattaly as you ask.  You are all that I need, let me set that in my heart, all that I need.  Amen

The Bridge Builder

I am not a poetry guy.  Rarely do I even read poetry but yesterday this poem was at the end of a book that Frank had asked me to read on Discipleship.  I have read it several times now and each time it reminds me not only of our roles in disciples but also in so many other areas of our lives.  We can move through life focussed only on our selves or we can purpose to move through life for what we can leave and do for others.

The Bridge Builder


An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at evening, cold and gray;
To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed the twilight dim—
That sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned, when he had reached the other side,
He built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,
“You are wasting strength building here,
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again will pass this way.
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build up the bridge at the eventide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head.
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said.
“There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
The chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him.”

——William Allen Dromgoole

Lord Jesus, may we all be bridge builders through our lives.  Disciplers to the young, Godly men to our sons, examples to all.  Amen.

Little Gods of Compromise.

I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the LORD.

Psalm 31:5-7

"Little gods of compromise."

I have kept several loose notes in my Bible over this past year.  They are generally things that I have thought about or heard, sometimes open questions to myself to induce thought, things of that nature.  Today as I flipped to Romans 11 as part of my daily devotional reading, one of these notes fell out.  "Little gods of compromise" was written on it.  I almost think I have written a Blog about this before, but I will not at this point go back and look, today another one.

This phrase, given to me in a Sermon from Chaplin Johnson, I believe, should induce thoughts to both believers and non believers alike.  Everyone, yes everyone, will have somewhere in their lives the little gods of compromise.  What are they?  The things that you hold in your heart as dear, that ultimately keep you from the glory of God, as you make them more important then God.  In essence they are idols, either actual or mental that you place high importance on, that guide you in specific ways and actions in your life.

For me, several years ago alcohol could have been considered one.  I began to think of my return home each day, if I had Vodka or not, and having that first drink.  I think now-adays I rely enjoy my time at noon reading and smoking my pipe.  I look forward to it everyday.  This more recent activity does not hold me from God but certainly the alochol contributed to it in the past. 

How about others, sports perhaps?  How intent is the family on the competeing and attending all sports events, even the ones that may fall on Sunday?  One that I have seen and that can cause other issues, school work.  Maybe not so much for kids but definately for some parents.  We can have a child that excels at something other then school work but place such a high value on grades that we create an idol of it. 

Little gods, such as vanity, weath, status, recognition, ackolades from others you name it and if it becomes a prime motivator in your life or a portion of your life then it must be addressed.  For believers the standars become slightly different, does it come before God or cause you to be motivated by something rather then what God would have?  This is the assement that should be made.

In all things we are to Glorify God.  Trust me non believers, if you use this standard also your life will be better.  Anyway, all things Glorify God.  Take these little gods and adjust them or eliminate them so that they are not taking away from your relationship with Him. Adjust them so they are done so others notice.  Adjust or eliminate them so that if they are not done for His glory that you find away that they are.  Don't compromise on it, allow your althetics to be honoring to Him.  Let people know that you are thankful for the gifts that He has given you.  Show that you are first devoted to God, before you are devoted to anything else.

As Psalm 31:5-7 says, I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the LORD.  This should be how all of us are, hate he things that become controlling, outside of what should be our control.  Non beleievers, even you have things that control, you haven't placed the ultimate importance on the Lord but none the less you have things that control and therefore your motivations or not as "good" as you may think they are.  You may also have sin that is going unrecognized or at least unconfessed in your life. You may also just be simply putting undue pressure on a child for a standard that they just aren't going to meet.

Whatever side you are on, with the Lord or without, you must look at where your heart is, what it is that is motivating you.  What is causing you compromise?  What is the little god or the idol in your life?  What you identify needs to be changed.

Lord Jesus, help me be convicted of the little gods in my life, be it pride or a habit that I have become dependant on, for others show them what they are.  Then Lord guide us to change, to become what you want us to be, to have that relationship with you without anything between us.  Amen.

Just Not Getting Along.

You just are not going to get along with everybody!  I have found that out this week working with my replacement.  Me and him just aren't able to see eye to eye on anything.  For me it has just been a struggle to maintain my compossure and over time I realized that I had better do something or it would not be good for either of us. 

The man is very capable, knowledgeable and eager to get started.  He will be able, in my opinion, to handle the job and the responsibilities with ease.  The problem has been that we just do things tottally different from one another.  These differences continue to cause me frustration and that frustration has lead to me getting angery.  This is not good.

Now the anger, which I tell you is not explosive, is what has been bothering me personally.  I should not allow myself to get upset with another so easily.  I should not allow my wittness to be changed because of an external factor, even somone else.  i should be able to remain in control and trusting of the Spirit enough to be ok in all circumstances.  What I have done though, on several occasions is just react in a negative way, certainly not, in anyway, glorifing to God as I should be.

So yesterday I did what I fet was right, being convicted of my lack of control, and appologized for adding stress to my replacements transition.  I also made plans to transistion very quickly and then for the next three weeks go to the PAX Termianl and help out there where they are short handed.  In essence I will be killing two birds with one stone.  Removing myself from this situation here and helping in another area there. 

In speaking with Frank yesterday, I expressed my disappointment that it had come to this, that I had come to this point.  His take was that ultimately we are called to be peace makers and sometimes that meant removing ourselves from the situation as I have done here.  We don't always have to remain where we are and try to fix it like guys wnat to do, we can see the struggle and get away, if it is best.  Jesus also shows us this, on multiple occasions He slips away fromk a crowd that is unhappy.  He had to do it cliff side in His own home town.  There is, contrary to the worldly view, nothing wrong with this view or action.

What is not good has been my actions.  Reagardless of what I percieve this man to be, or what his actions are should not change what I do.  My responsibility is to maintain myself, to be responsible for my actions.  This is the same priciple as regarding all circumstances that we find ourselves in that we glorify God.  Yes in all things glorify God.  I know this and I know when I am not doing it.  This is the part that needs correction and prayer.  This is where I have found inside myself, pride, and that is what I must work on.

I also know well enough, my actions aside, that there are going to be many stumbling blocks in my path for the next month.  These will be of satan or of God but either way, the way that I deal with them, how I give them to God, will be the key.  I must take each one, and attend to it appropriately.  This time it was with this man, next time maybe travel or later my asimilation back home.  Any one of these things can present in odd ways, and be used against me.  My strength and the perseverance that I have gained through this, I must rely on.

As a side message to Christian men, when I was weak it became wearing on my wife.  Yesterday, Catherine told me that this week was tougher on her because of the concern for me.  That she had been praying heavily for me everyday.  We are the Spiritual leaders of our house,and if we step down from that it affects the family. 

In the end, even in a bad place we can learn.  Even when we fail the Lord wants to see how we get up, how we turn or continue to look upon Him.  How and what we have learned and where our heart was and where it is going.  I am doing better, but I am not yet at my best in Him.  I know however that I will be again and from this I have learned.

Lord, bless those that have prayed fro me, that have helped counsel and see me through these last few days.  Strengthen again my wife as she can look upon me as the Spiritual Leader that I am.  Thank you also for this time of trial so that I can gain perseverance and endurance.  See me through the last few weeks here.  Amen.

Romans 9:14-16

14 What then shall we say?  Is God unjust?  Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,  "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.

Romans 9:14-16

This one goes out to the "good" people again.  To those that feel that they don't need faith or religion or church to tell them how they should believe.  The independant umungst the readers who believe the way they want to believe.  Those that were like me, that did what we felt was ok and justified ourselves so that we could continue in our behavior.  Thse that think that an absolute truth is too burdonsome to bother with.  To thos ethat will not see the Glory of God for the rest of eternity but rather His wrath and the eternal seperation that follows.

Yeh, I know,  right about now several of you are saying "here he goes again" and not wanting to read any further, that is your choice.  You are also right, here I do go again, because I truly want those that are lost to be convicted and to come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.  You will probably see me, till the day that I die, bringing this message to you.  If you don't find the Mercy and Grace that God offers you through Jesus Christ you will spend eternity in Hell.

The sad part of all of this is that like everyone that ever lived or lives, people believe that they will go to heaven when they die.  Everyone wants that Glory, they want to think that they will be with God and the Angels forever.  Nobody wnats to be damded and be in Hell.  Not one sould believes that their relative was not good enough to see God.  At every funeral you here, "well they are in a better place now."  No matter what the person was like the ones left behind always think the same way. 

I will tell you the truth, I spent several days with my Grandmother before she passed away and this question ran through my head often, is she saved?  In the end I had an opportunity to briefly speak to her about the Bible and her faith, but at the time she was very weak.  To this day I still ask myself if I could have done more.  I ask why I didn't ask her specifically about Jesus Christ.  I wonder if she was saved or not.  I don't want that to happen again.

As Christians, if we believe in the word of God and we believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior, then we must believe that there is Heaven and Hell.  We must also know, and strive, to bring the message of hope to all those that are lost, of the salvation of the Gospel, and the one path to Heaven.  We must want to save their eternal lives.

 "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
If you think that it will be up to you, that you will stand in front of God like one of those dumbies that try to defend themselves in court, without a Laweyer.  It just isn't going to work out well for you.  You have and will have opportunities to change.  You have heard and probably been convicted of the truth hundreds of times.  You chose which turn you will make and you will be soely responsible for that turn. 16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.Yes, he is Merciful but remember He is also Just and because of this Justice He will not just dole out unconditional Mercy to whoever comes to judgement.  If He were to do that he would not be Just.


Christians, if you are to be full of Love for your neighbor, grace, compassion, mercy and forgivness you should also be willing to speak truth.  If you hold back truth then you are not truly meeting the obligations of love.  You are allowing others to potentially perish because of your own fear.  If you hope, then bring that hope to those around you.  You never know when you will have another chance.
 
Lord Jesus, thank you for your love of us and your obediance to our Fatherin Heaven.  Thank you for the cross and the suffering that gave victory over sin and a way to salvation for those that believe.  Strengthen all of us that we may pass through fear, as you did, and bring the Good News to those that need to hear it.  Open the ears of hose that can't hear.  Amen

Hope In The Unseen

"24 For in this hope we are saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."

Romans 8:24-25

Yesterday, actually yesterday and the day before yesterday, I was in a funk.  Not self pitty or condemnation or anything like that but just sitting in a little darkness.  It stemmend from a couple of complaints from two of my Drivers here about me to HR.  What resulted from the complaints was an investigation from HR of the circumstances of the complaints.  What made it worse is that the complaints really came down to two man that don't want to do what they came here to do and they used HR as a tool to get their way.  Don't get me wrong, I encourage employees to go to HR if they feel it necessary, but in that I expect that HR will appropriately handle the situation.  Yes, appropraiately becomes ones perspective, but the HR here sole purpose is to protect the Companies liability. With this I was told by HR that when there is an issues they first look at what the Supervision did wrong. 

So anyway, satan hit me in my prideand I just was thrown off by this a bit.  I wasn't worldly and maintained my composure through the whole thing.  I just didn't have any joy that I noramally do.  I was just stagnet in a way, in disbelief of the handling of the situation and in that not looking to Him like I do most times.  Now this doesn't mean I didn't trust that He was there with me.  It doesn't mean that I forsook Him or thought that I was seperated from Him, the whoois me thing.  I was just sitting with my head down I guess. I spoke with Him alot.  Even appologized for being mopey and down, but I didn't look up from the funk.  Just slowly allowed things to work themselves out and waited, I guess.

Yesterday, the camp Manager came back and I expressed in a meeting my frustration in what was going on.  I told him I was getting beat up by the situation and that I was not going to do anything that would add fuel to the fire with HR.  Later in another meeting, he confirmed my descisions and position and from what I could tell was backing me up with HR and the men.  They are expected to do the job they came here to do and work the hours they are getting paid for.  This became a catalyst for change in me.  Not a quick change but at least change.  I felt confident enough in my original descions that I could at least let that part of the situation go.

Today I am back in the swing of things.  Catherine helped out alot and encouraged me through various means yesterday.  I also got a good boost from Sethh who I have been eating dinner with every night.  We have been using the time to encourage each other as we are both short on time.  In the evening, the I Am Second group met and that turned into a very good meeting after starting off rather slowly.  Last evening as I lay in bed I again turned my thoughts toprayer and began to truely move past the the little period as I gave it up to Him.  This morning with my devotions and some additional prayer I am back in a good frame of mind and feeling well.

In yesterdays post I tried to describe the feelings that I was having.  I can remember in my past feeling tottally helpless, this was not it. In factlike I had said, I know He is there, just waiting for me to trust in Him again.  I know exactly what needs to be done in these situations but I just didin't do it.  He is faithful and I am the broken one, so it is me that waivers, it is me looking at the waves.  So once He, and others pulled me out of the waves abit, I took a breath and got back into the boat with Christ this time. 

So after all this I will get to the verse at hand.  What we hope in.  I unfortuanately in a lot of ways hope now to go home and start the next part of this journey.  I hope to take this year and make it matter for more then just me.  I hope that I can leave here and have left a mark here, that my time here also mattered for something, but these hopes are in essence the ones that I have, the ones that are seen.  I know that I have changed.  I know that I have touched people.  I know that I will return home.  These things I know, but what I need to do is not hope in those things at all, only in the Lord jesus and the guidance of the Spirit within me.

Catherine said yesterday that satan is trying to rob me of what I have done here.  She was partially right, but satan also can only rob you of the things that you grasp hold of.  He can only change the things seen for the Christian as God will keep the eteranl, He holds the book of life and satan can not rob from that.  So my hope must rest on the unseen, the eternal, and no matter what my, or others perceptions are it will only matter in the end His perspective. 

Lord, may the eteranl remain our primary focus, may we hope in the unseen and therefore rebuke any power satan may think he has.  The worldly things are only temporary and we must look past them with patience.  Amen.

Letting Circumstance Get the Better of Me!

I have looked at the waves.  My eyes looked away. Not focussed on Him thinking only of the trouble that surrounds me.  I know that He is there, I have been watching Him as He came near, but now I sink, aware of His presence but preoccupied by the turmoil.

To stay only focussed on Jesus Christ is the goal of our walk.  This, when done with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind renders the circumstances of our lives meaningless.  Our only purpose becomes Hm and we move only in His way and for Him, to be used for His glory. 

Sometimes however the circumstance becomes the focus.  First our mind is overwhelmed, then the heart fails, then at some point we lose our soul.  We feel alone and incomplete.  He is there but we just don't want to see Him. This can happen over time or in an instant, either with the same result, light dimmed, darkness, lonliness.

I know what needs to be done, the fight that has to be fought, it is just that I am not prepared, I am demorilized in a way and the fight is not in me.  At this point I can only ask for Him to keep me, to hold me up, to wait for me to clear my eyes and stand back in the boat.  I am just under the waves but His hand is on mine. I lost focus, but feel His presence.

Pray.

Transition.

The last couple of days have been trieing. Many external things going on that have begun to frustrate me and cuse me, to on occasion just through my hands up. I know that much of this is because I am getting closer to the end of this and I am not looking at things past that point, for here. This is not good!

My duty is to maintain the standards and focus that I have had over the last year and assure that they carry through after I am gone. See the similarity to Jesus Christ? To equip the people here to continue along and improve after my last day. But what looks like what will happen is that the people that will take over will fall back to doing things as if it was before I even came. That is similar to many after Jesus death. As a matter of fact the Disciples went back to fishing for a while.

Anyway, the Supervisor continue sto say, after you leave Mike, we not going to do this or that they way you did it. He is a firm believer in unless you get something you don't give anything. Forget about it being the right thing to do or not. This has been a consistant friction point in our relationship since I have been here. Now the friction will be gone as the Rock will be leaving. He will, and I see it coming, have free reign over such things.

My replacement is very compitant in the way things should be running, rules and regulations, but each time he is presented with something outside of that he is differing it back to others. He is similar to the Pharisees, very technical about everything without taking responsibility. I have offered several sugestions on a go forward basis yet they basically fall on deaf ears.

Unlike Christ who just continued on a focussed walk right up to the end, I keep turning my head a bit here and there and looking for a different goal then the one that is immediately at hand. So in essence for the layman that I am, we are asked, if we are a slave, to be the best slave we can be. Me, at this point am not, and I am turning my light on and off to boot!

I guess the main theme here is that I am now looking very forward to returning home, coming back together with my family and friends, Discipleship and small groups, school and everything else that will come with that and that is making this difficult. I have come a long way here, many changes, seen so many things that I would have never seen before. I have become strong, much, with the Lord and my faith in God and His leading but home is now such a definate and here is fading away.

I know I have to get past this and finish strong. It is on me, all of it. I can be excited for home, for a new start, but I can not just stop carring about this place, it is not right. I am turning this back to Him, I need his strength, His help. I need this to help me persevere, to endure. I wonder if that is what Paul was taliking about! He was having oginizational and transitional challenges,, each church had to stand on its own when he left. He probably was always thinking ahead of the next thing. In Gods hands and my prayers it will work out.

Lord, I can do all things in you who strengthens me. Let me turn this to you for that strength and then the rest is up to me. May I glorify you more and more each day. Amen.

Cried

I have not cried in a while but today I cried, and it felt so good. God is good, and in many ways He speaks to us and shows us His glory if we just look for it.

My camera card is getting full again. At this point I am pushing another 1500 pictures since my last R&R in February. As I wind down here I figured I am going to need space on the card for the ride home, Dubai and into Albany. Becasue of that I took this Sunday morning to scrub a few bad, blurry, or redundant shots from the card to free up space.

Feeling very good today, I sat at my desk and took my IPod out, placed the earphones in and turned it up as lod as I could stand. I actually just wanted to be in my own little worship world with my music as I went through the pictures. So I began, first pictures of my R&R, breakfast out at Cheesecake Factory, Anna resting her head onmy shoulder, Catherine. The kids throwing snowballs after the storm, the ice storm the day I was to leave. Anna stomping around down in the woods.

Then, Dubai, my return. Back into the desert, alone again for the final time. Leaving behind the things that I loved to go the place of my work. Kandahar, stick pit, ROSI tent with a hundred other people. Stripped again of the comforts of home and civilization. But then the faces again of those that I know, those that have become my family, friends, Brothers. This is when The music and the pictures come together, this is when emotion begins.

"All Creatures of Our God and King" oh praise Him. I looked at the photos one by one and realized that each one of them, each face that was there was the opportunities I have had to wittness Jesus Christ. That each person has looked at me and seen something, seen me as a man, maybe as a light, whatever, but I had captured this year, all that it has been in these photos. I don't know if I can describe the feeling well nogh here but I was overwhelmed with the true meaning of why I was here.

I cry again now as I write this. Then photos of those closest to me, the people that knew me most and I wondered of the seeds, the planting and sometimes the reeping but it was all there for me to review. Remembering names and times and conversations, had I said and did all that I could do? Was I faithful to bring them near or did I push them away, but all there.

I guess I did not think that I would capture in the photos all that it stirred inside of me when I looked at them. Today I was able to look at what the words "Go and make Disciples of the world" I don't know all who may be changed from me being here, from spending this year at this place but I will for ever see the potential that I had and that my faithfulness, when there, can now be used by God in all those that I have seen.

Lord, I pray for each face, each person, that may may in some way, through me, know you. Amen.

He Is Sufficient.

"If God puts you there, He is amply sufficient." (To take care of you)

Oswald Chambers

Trust in the father. Believing what you say you believe in. Living your life with confidence that God will take care of you in all situations. Following His word and whole heartedly seeking to obey His commands. These are the active ingredients to being a Christian. This is where your "freedom" will stem from, knowing that no matter where you are at, He is sufficient enough to provide and take care of you.

Paul shows us over and over again that this type of faith, lived, allowed Him to overcome very bad situations. 2 Corinthians 11:24-27, Five times I recieved at the the hands of the Jews forty lashes less one. 25 three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was drifted at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship through many sleepless night, without food, in cold and exposure. Later in 2 Corinthians 12:10 "Paul gives us this; For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong".

Why? Because of His faith. That no matter what the situation, as we walk in Christ, and have faith in God, He will be sufficient enough for all of our needs. How many of us feel this? How many of us can rely solely on God in our provision especially with so many ways in our lives to be distracted and to find provision from something else less then God. I know that I can't do it all the time, maybe not even the majoruty of time, but I keep persisting to that end, moving closer to it everyday. I have learned this while being here in Afghanistan, that there is no other place to find what is needed to get through each situation better then to turn it to God.

The entire year has been an excercise in seeking Him first. Each time I have looked away there is turmoil or lonliness, stress or discomfort. Only when I consciensiously recognize and place things with Him do I see that they are manageable and easier. I will not say that they are simple, but I am able to come through in terms where my faith had been strengthend and my relationship with God has increased. This is Pauls exaultation of perseverance through trial, to bring us endurance. Each builds on itself over each experience. This only happens with the knowledge and assurance of God having you right where He needs you to be so that you recognize that He will give you everything you need.

Ponder this. That your circumstance does not matter to God, only your trust. That whatever is happening to you, or around you, He is standing by your side able to bring you through whatever it may be. It is not a promise to remove you from that circumstance, only to equip you to move through it. That is freedom in Christ Jesus, that is the truth that will set you free from this world, God is sufficient. (period!) There is no other words past that. No stipulations of when or where, just sufficient. Know this in your heart and live free. He is Sufficient.

Lord Jesus, you came and died, brought victory over the fallen sinful nature of this world. The reason we suffer now you have defeated in that all who come to you, accept you as Lord and Savior may be set free from the pain of this world. That through you and acceptance in you we are brought back into relationship with God who is sufficient. Thak you Lord for this and thank you God for your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

May 13, 2011

Due to Blogger maintenance I was unable to write a post today. I will return again tomorrow, God willing!

What Have You Done!

"6 God will give to each person according to what he has done. 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger."

Romans 2:6-8

What have you done? I know some of the things that I have done, actually that is not true, I know all the things that I have done. I can even look back and know why I did them, most probably due to my pride if you break it down to the root of it. I was not concerned with much, when I was doing what I wanted to do, what I thought was good for me. Based on this past my outlook on judgement day would not have been to bright. Heck, I was a good guy according to my standards, and based on the conversations I hear here from some of the guys, I was better then alot of people.

As a matter of fact there is a conversation going on right next to me as I write, regarding prostitutes in the Phillipines and how when when thes emen visited them. Many men stop through the far East on the way back from R&R and just tell their wives that they were in Dubai or somewhere for a few extra days. Lots of other conversations I have heard allows me, in some ways, look at what I was like and compare. This is the inherant problem with not having an absolute truth and following that standard which you choose for yourself.

Anyway, if I was judged on what I was, and given according to what I have done, then I would be in trouble. Gods standards verse mine and I believe that mine would not work out. So think about what you are doing now, in your life, even in your heart and then set it against the absolute truths that are set forth in the Bible. It is an easy read if you have not done so, Exodus 20 is a good place to start. Then maybe jump ahead a bit into Mathew 5 and 6, the Sermon on the Mount. No mind you this is just the beginning but it would start to give you an idea of the expactations that God has set for us.

See the two men that were comparing notes here next to me, they as far as I could tell had no outward issues with cheating on their wives even lieing about it. There was a big dose of pride involved, who had the better story and such but all and all I think that inside they actually are in termoil over their sin but just not willing to admitt it. No before you think I just sat here, when appropraite I interjected my Biblical perspective on what they while they were talking. Specificlly talking about Love and later about eternal seperation from God, hell. Trust me also, these are not unusual conversations here. Given back according to what you have done!

So follow this through to the other side of the equation. To those who by persistance in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life. Now yes, this does say "doing good" but remember this is from a Biblical perspective so it is in context of God and what he sees as "goodness" not what man sees, we saw that above. the glory is the glory of God, what He has set out for us. the things that will bring us back into relationship with Him. Honor is much the same, but think about if He would honor one that was contrary to Him and His word or one that is moving and living within it? Immortality, well you know as well as I do that man has not found this on his own, immortality can only come through the grace of God and thus He gives those that seek Him fully Eternal Life.

Now no of this says anything about perfection! We, Christians, are not set up to be perfect. As a matter of fact I believe that if I were to walk into a perfect church it would no longer be perfect. I think more of us aught to realize that, gosh even the Pastor is not perfect, sorry Frank. We are only to seek glory honor and immortality, with our hearts, openly and honestly. No other motives then to be with God. The only meaure then is that you are trying earnestly. Believe or don't, walk towards or away that choice is yours, the fina descision is His.

For those that are self seeking, rejecting the truth there will be wrath and anger. The two men that sat next to me, now gone, they are self seeking. Pleasure first, me, me, me! No concerned with their wives and families let alone God. For one of them his Granfather was a Pastor and he grew up with him in the same house. He knews the truth but rejects it for His own more comfortable truth. Any fathers out there that would allow their children to ignore the rules of the house? Any business man that would allow an employee to purposely break the law and jepordize the company?? So why not expect wrath and anger from God because you chose to ignore Him when in the bottom of your heart you accept His existance? that is rejecting, purposely ignoring, the truth.

Now I can't finish without having Christians think about this either. Jesus Christ, who we claim as Lord and Savior, came to and made the Word flesh. He is the embodiment of what God has spelled out for us from the beginning. He calls us to be His disciples oncewe have declared our faith. So why is it that many of us still chose a level of comfort that falls short of His expectations? Bonheoffer describes it as "cheap grace". We are saved so the rest is easy. We can sin because they have been paid for by Jesus. We stop there and want to feel that we are doing our part, wrong! We are called to follow Him. To become like Him in all that we do, not just Sunday, not just so the kids have "nice" friends. Our lives are to look like what Christ asks us to be. Are you there yet? Are you trying to get there, ernestly seeking?

Non Christians, wide path Christians, it is not going to be easy on the day of reconing. These two men that sat so close and conversed about their lives, one said that he would be bored in Heaven because he would not know anybody. I don't know if he will much enjoy the alternative, but if he continues to reject, or not live up to the standards set by God, he will not have an opportunity to change on judgement day. I would not want to see what Gods anger and wrath loks like, would you. Wide path Christians, yes easier times, but definately not what you may be expecting especially if you are just on that side of true heartfelt Salvation.

Jesus said, I am the way the truth and the life, nobody comes to the Father except through me. There in lies the standard for both Christian and non christian, where is your heart and what truth are you seeking?

Lord, convictr each who has read this far to evaluate where they are at in their lives. What is holding them back from moving closer to God? What keeps them from even knowing God and what is there expectation in the end? Allow them breath enough to change if they truly want to. Amen.

Romans 1:16

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

Romans 1:16

I have been making a very consistant habit of spending my lunch time on the deck overlooking the flightline. I takke this hour to feed my brain rather than my belly. It is very nice, very quiet, as the heat of the noon day sun keeps others from sitting at that time. usually in the hour I read for forty five minutes or so and pray for fifteen. By the end I am set for the rest of the day.

The deck is just adjacent from our Subcontracted Ebgineers office atop the set of bunkers. We have several new engineers in and most I had not met. Most days the closest that I get to talking to any of them is as the come out before lunch and use the Porta Johns below, a wave or freindly hello as they pass. Yesterday, one of the gentlemen that has passed several times during these times varied from the regular routine. Atfter using the restroom and returning to his office he returned with his lunch in his hands and climbed the stairs and sat next to me on the deck. We have nine Adirondack chairs there and it is quiet comfortable.

I generally think right away, here is an opportunity to have a conversation and give it to God to lead me through. Yes I look for opportunities to wittness in most conversation! so I put my book down and placed my glasses back across my eyes and said hello. Dave he said as we shook hands. Dave was from Oregon and had been doing this work for a while. Said there was no work in the United Satates and he had a few businesses that he had to close and that brought him here.

I am not sure what prompted me but I confirmed that he was a Christian with the question if he was. He responded yes and for the rest of the time, as Dave ate his lunch we spoke about our faith and how it has brought us through the time here in Afaghanistan. Each with our paticulars but very similar experiences. One that was exactly the same, and he had mentioned first, was that being here had made him learn to rely on God for evrything, to trust him fully. That had he not been here it would have not been so powerfully lived in his life.

I was happy to hear this as it is one of the greater lessons that I have learned also. There is not the same support, and because of the daily battles that you fight in your mind you find that the only support group that you need is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That everything else is of this broken world and therefore will eventually fail you. I have also seen so vividly over the past eleven months that the best place for me to be is completely emptied before the Lord. With nothing else left of me dependant soely on Him. Noone at that time will fill the void nor can be expected to.

So we spoke, and ebncouraged each other with our faith. We for those fifteen minutes or so allowed Iron to Sharpen Iron and confirm parts of our faith, to strengthen it even more. I believe this is the descernment that God will provide you when you look. Two men, Christians, who come together and without anything else but faith speak into one anothers lives a bit. Small experiences of faith that build us up for endurance of Faith.

"For I am not ashamed of the Gaospel for it is the power of God for everyone who believes" Romans 1:16 God will help us maintain our faith. He will help confirm it and strengthen it. He will provide the people around you to sharpen you and confirm you if you believe. We can not sit back and be quiet in our home lives, work or whatever, we most be bold and believe, we must not be ashamed of our Gospel. If we are we close of the opportunities that are just a word away.

This man could have sat with me for fifteen minutes and I could have kept my face hidden in my book. Not willing to even engauge him in conversation we could have parted without even more then a glance in each others direction. The same could have applied for him to me. Had he not ventured to the deck or sat near we may never have had that moment to speak. But because of our faith, and the willingness to speak the Gospel, god used that moment through us.

I asked him in the end why he had come up today. I wanted to see if the Lrod had spoke to him. He responded that he had for so long been in his office and today wanted to get out and breath. I imagine it was the same sense of being closed in that I get when I spend similar time in my room. The Spirit wants us active and available. We are to believe that God is soveign and that he will use us in all circumstances if we are available to Him. We can not sit and wait, we must be agents of the power of God and believe whole heartedly in the gospel.

If we are to call ourselves Christains and identify with Christ then we must live unashamed of that descision. It must be what we seek to be at every moment of our lives. Christ calls us to this in His declaration to follow Him. He enables us through closeness to Him to live the gospel, to breath the Gospel, to not be ashamed of it at any time. This is our calling and our purpose, anything less then you must ask why you fall short, what is the fear that you have, why are you ashamed?

Lord Jesus, Spirit, fill us all with your power so that we may trust and not be ashamed in the Gospel that God has provided. Allow us opportunities to strengthen not only our faith but the faith of others as we live in our faith. Let it be what consumes us and moves us. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 3:5

"May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ."

2 Thessalonians 3:5

You may be a "good" person without Jesus Christ, but I am a "good" person with Jesus Christ! Christians, who generally are good people also, have the extra added bonus of having the Holy Spirit guide us in our lives. Just so I am clear I am talking about Christians who truly are saved and profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Ones that earnestly seek to follow Him and have a close relationship to Him so that their lives are changing. I am not talking about cults that call themselves Christians, leaving out Jesus as part of there worship. I am not talking about people that just go to church out of obligations or that use Jesus as a parchute only in times of trouble. I am speaking of Christ following, Holy Spirit filled active participants in seeking His ways Christians.

Ok, that said, wait, not the wide path people either, so we have the Holy Spirit within us guiding us along in our daily lives also. This takes the good that the world sees and makes it even better then. Right? So why do some of you stop at just being "good" when you can be "really good" in the name of Jesus? Afraid? Lack of committment? Weak faith? if you set yourself to Him he will give you what you need.

So above we have an exoltation to the Thessalonians. Not so much a Biblical truth but more guidance and well wishing for them. But I like what it says, may the Lord direct your hearts to love God. May the Spirit that is within you bring you closer to Him that provides everything. May the Spirit lead you to the Love of God which will transfer over to the Love of those around you. the Spirit will guid you to the right relationship to fullfill the greatest commandment, to Love the Lord your God, with all of your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your body. Everything will come back to Him.

Not only this, but the Spirit will guid you to the steadfastness of Christ. the catalysit to the free offer of grace that when accepted by you allows the Spirit to dwell in your heart. From that point on you are brought closer and closer to the one who is Gods Word in flesh. You see more clearly the life that is offered to you as you follow Him. You see that your plain old "goodness" can become greatness as you Love God and follow Christ.

It is an amazing, fully incompassing, circle that leads to more and more maturity and joy in the one who provided it in the first place, God. His plans for us, His word, His word made flesh, the acceptance of that flesh and the following of Him who has freed us all designed to bring us to Him. To have again the relationship which was lost in the fall. to repair the curse that was placed upon man and woman in the garden. His plans are perfect for those who love Him.

You can continue to be a "good" man or woman. Continue to descide for yourselves which truth is truth. You may even be offended when I state the absolute truth of Jesus Christ and the Word of God, but you will never know it to be real in your life. You will never see what "real goodness" is, what your heart and the Spirit that will dwell within it will do, unless you give yourself to this truth. Jesus died for you, for your sins, for all sin. He died so that through Him those that accept Him as Lord Savior can be saved and recieve the free gift of grace form God.

Holy Spirit, guide us in love to the living God. Allow us to experience the fullest life in Him as we follow His ways and seek His face. Show yourself through those who are saved the path and the way. Strengthen us all. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 2:9-10

"9 They will suffer he punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might, 10 when He comes on that day to be glorified in His saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed."

1 Thessalonians 2:9-10

"Our testimony to you was believed!" How many times have you heard of the Lord Jesus Christ and the saving Grace that come through faith in Him. How many opportunities have you had to ask the living God into your life as Lord and Savior and then passed on by without any change. Maybe just once you sat in a room begging God for help, praying, that your childs health be restored, that your job or financial situation was changed. How many times did you need Him and when He responded did you forasake Him? How many more chances do you think you will get?

How about my testimony to you, you who know me? You find it hard to believe, something differnet but that is it. Maybe you only see that I to was on my knees at one point, low and lost, but don't want to recognize why the change, why the consistant walk in the same direction. Maybe if it was a pill or a Doctors note it would be different? Some self help Guru that was be uplifted even more at my success, then the world, you, would say wow, I want some of what he has. But faith, hearing my testimony of Jesus Christ, because it may cause inner termoil to you, or a worldly change, is disregarded!

The presence of the Lord in my life does show His glory and might. It in itself testifies to Him that is in me. He is present and my life and the lives of all others that He is in is a testimony to him. He will one day reveal Himself bodily and wholly in our presence and on that day your lot, my lot will be cast. On that day the testimonies that you had recieved and ignored will run through your heart like a sword. The times that you sat and called upon His name and then rejected Him will be rememebered. Your life will be laid bare and you again will need the living God. But on that day, He will exaecute His justice.

Those that have spent their lives away from the presence of the Lord, they will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction. Eternal destruction, eternal death, forever without an option for change. You may think that God would not or could not do this but think again. He is not a liar, or unjust and if He were not true to His word He would not be God. He must maintain His absolute truth or it would not be absolute or truth.

Be truthful with your self, and ask, if you truly believe in God or not. Ask if the testimonies of those that truly seek the Lord are false, if the are liars or not. Ask if in those times that you called out His name, why? What answer did you seek at that moment? Ask youself if you believe as much in heavenly reward as you do with eternal destruction. The choice, the difference,lies in Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus, may those that have called your name, but turned as you answered by convicted. May all who have heard the testimony of others believe and all be rewarded with heaven. Amen

Happy Mothers Day

I want to say first to my mother Sharon, that I love very much. You have always been a wonderful influence to me and been there when I needed you. Happy Mothers Day

To my other mother Gail, I wish you Happy Mothers Day also. Thank you so much for everything that you do for Cathyerine and I.

To Catherine, the woman I love most, the mother of my children, God has blessed me with you and together with our children. Thank you for being our cornerstone for our family and doing all that you do for us.

Michael

1 Kings 2:2-3

"Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in His ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do wherever you turn, "

1 Kings 2:2-3

David, the father of Solomon, as he is preparing to die begins to instruct his son on what he is to do as the new King. Along with the paticulars of how the temple should be built he gives him the above instruction. As a father, and a man who believes Gods Words this instruction has stuck with me this morning.

As a Men of God we are the spiritual heads of our households. We are charged with setting the direction for our families and instructing them in the way of God, instructing them in His ways, standing before evil on there behalf, and submitting ourselves also to His Laws. We must take these things and in the fullest manner accept them in order that our children see us as an example.

"Be strong," this does not mean abusive but firm and steadfast in our convictions. Not without the ability to listen and reason but consistant and true to the truths that we know. We must maintain ourselves as the rock and cornerstone of our houses. What we stand on and for the family will also, the children will know the same and value the same.

"Show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God" We are to maintain justice and peace. To determine right and wrong based on the wisdom of God. Always acting in fairness and love, represtening the ways of the Lord our God. Using that as the foundation of our actions, disregarding our own pride and setting standards for the household.

"Walking in His ways and keeping His statutes" We therefore must know and study the wisdom of God, His word, and live to that word. We give up much of ourselves for the benefit of showing truth of His ways, submission to Him as our Lord and that He alone will show through us so that we light the way for our children and wives to follow.

"his commandments, his rules and his testimonies as it written in the Law of Moses" We become governed by the one true God. We believe what He has given us and the authority of His word. We don't willingly waiver or we impune the Word that we preach, in action and deed. We must seek to follow and be this truth or we become confusion to the minds that we lead. We trust and profess the absolute truth of God.

"that you may prosper in all that you do wherever you turn" Prospr not in mans eyes but in the eyes of God. Prosper in that your family will also know Him through you and live to relationship also with God.

This is a truth of the Bible, a truth of Gods Word. As men we have a responsibility to transfer to our families, especially our children, the ways of God. We are charged with being the spiritual head of the households. We more then our wives are to instruct our children in the ways of God. We are to be examples of what the Bible says. To allow our families to see God in us. If we do this wholeheartedly, God will be faithful to us, and then again to our children to have them prosper. Don't weaken on your resolve, don't transfer the responsibilites. Stand on the truth that you believe in, transfer that truth, allow you family to rest below your leadership. To be guided by it as a light house.

Lord God, above all else give me the strength to stand before my family as a man of God, seking you and living in your ways. Allow me to give that gift to my family and be that lighthouse for them to follow. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3

"2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, 3 while people are saying, 'there is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3

The Lord will come like a thief in the night! If you are asleep this is a very scary thought. Caught tottaly off gausrd with no time to react. In that moment you will fear that you are unprepared, not ready to defend yourself. You will have made descsions up to that point to disregard that the time would come, when the Lord returned.

Judgement day could be as close as, now, for instance. Somehwhere in the back of your mind you have pondered that one day you will be in this position, maybe dead, maybe just asleep when He returned. But for some reason, or lack of reason, you brushed it off and descided to continue in the same manner that you had been for all the moments through your life.

Like a pregnant woman, the birth pains just begin, labor sets in and the wter breaks. At that point the mother to be can not change her circumstance, the birth has begun. She did not chose the start and can not determine the end, only go through the pain until the joy comes.

So all that maybe have heard for years the Good News of the Gospel, maybe you have pondered it a bit. Maybe you have brought your kids on Sundays so that they may get a little religion. May be when a loved one has died you thought about your own eternity. Whatever the reason though you have chose to stay distant. Within your comfort zone. Just inside the acceptance of a circle of friends who wouldn't understand if you truly gave yourself to the Lord. What ever the reason, you are asleep in the eyes of the Lord. You are the unprepared home owner who had the alarm installed but just never used the alarm feeling safe within your own shelter.

The day will come when your indescision will cost you! You will no longer be faced with a descsion to follow Jesus Christ you will be faced with the consequences of not following Him. On that day you will reamin dead to sin, and lust and pride and whatever else kept you from taking that step towards Him previously. He will look upon you and with a tear in His eye say that He did not know you. He may have seen you before, here and there, but you never spoke His name or placed your faith in Him. You never took the warnings seriously and therefore the results are your own doing.

For those that believe. For those that have heard His voice and know His name there is no fear for on the day of His return it will be a glorious moment. The Hope will become reality and the Saviour will stand with open arms for those who He knows by name. The preperation of the soul, the home, will have not been in vain and the thief may come, the destruction at hand but they will pass through. The Birth pains, will be worth the coming child.

Quick question, do you believe that you will go to heaven when you die? Why?

Lord, your time and place of return will be determined only by our Father in Heaven. Let those that only go through the motions, who hope without faith, who know your name but reject it realize that they are unprepared. Let them come to a restful sleep where they know, regardless of the time that they will be ok, that they will avoid the destruction that awaits. Amen.