Loneliness, Perfect Time to Grow with God

Luke 5:16, "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

Loneliness is a very common human emotion. We must be very careful when we are struggling with this particular emotion. We should use this time to grow in the Word, prayer and meditation so that we may grow closer to God, Jesus would do this so he may better hear His Father. Jesus rose every morning to seek solitude to pray. Mark 1:35, "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." God will fill this void until a more suitable Godly solution can fulfill that need.

In my case, I have caused my own dilemma, however I refuse to give in to the enemy and instead use God to show my wife that even in the most difficult time in our lives, I choose her and Godly ways instead of how I had forsaken her in the past. Genesis 2:18, Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him." I find much more satisfaction in these choices, no matter how difficult they seem, than the alternative. I believe God is blessing me for my choices and obedience and he will continue to do so as long as I make the correct choices, my marriage over the flesh.  This is something we all should think about. If you are married no matter the circumstance, you should only be looking for your spouse to fill this Gap, if they are unavailable at that time, turn to God. 

I know a man who is a little older, he has been divorced for over 6 years. He says he still Loves his wife very much and wants nothing more than to restore his marriage with her. Yet he lives like a single man, giving into temptation, claiming that at his age the loneliness is overwhelming. Psalm 142:4, "Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life." I believe that it is no different than mine, the difference in our two situations is I am standing for my belief that God will restore my marriage, no matter what. So I choose for my thoughts, my eyes and my heart only to look to my wife. We can all make the same choices, we just have to stand for what God would want us to do, not the world’s solution.

Our children can also suffer from this emotion, this is also a great time to show them to turn to prayer. Show them how to pray for healing and peace. Let them tell God how they feel and what they want God to do. All too often we will hear them say the obvious, restore their parents. As I wrote a few days ago, we can learn from our children even in other seasons, to open our hearts and see the world as we did when we were uncorrupted with the worldly ways. Children look at situations with a pure heart. They hold no offenses and they understand more than we give them credit for. So take this opportunity to show them how to give their issues to God. My wife and I discovered this evening that this is what my daughter needed the last few days as she was acting out. God will hear them and he will look on us as parents favorably as we give our children to Him. 1 Peter 2:2-3, Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation– if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Let’s Pray: Father God, Thank You for another beautiful day Lord. Thank You for allowing us to share your Love Father. Please forgive us for any sins we have committed and Father help us through these moments of weakness. we know you will carry us through and deliver us form loneliness Father. Help all of us to make the Godly choice Father so you will be happy with us. Father we know you have a plan to cure this for us, help us to stand strong in Your faith Lord until that day. Father lift up all who are feeling this emotion God. Our spouses, children and even us Father. We know you want us to walk in the light so we ask you to show us the path. Father Thank You for all that you do and we ask you to grant these prayers in Jesus name....AMEN.

An Act of Betrayal

Matthew 26:47-50,  And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.

One of the most common issues we face as Christians is betrayal. This is something that is not easily accomplished yet it is so common. We somehow, whether intentional or not, betray those who care about us the most. Nearly every one of us will betray someone in our lifetime. Betrayal is one of the most damaging offenses to any relationship. Friends, family or the most common, a spouse no one is immune. Judas betrayed Jesus and though it was probably the most tragic scriptural reference, Jesus had already known it was going to happen, knew what His own outcome would be (death) and yet forgave Judas without question. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Betraying friends can bring about situations that can affect us emotionally, but in most cases these betrayals always end in no more contact with that friend. If they are close enough they may go through some of the same reactions that family or a spouse may suffer through. Forgiving in these instances is either immediate or nonexistent. 

Now when we betray our family or more commonly our spouse, these have some of the worst consequences. These are the most painful to deal with and the most to move past. They effects are overwhelming as well as long lasting. The only way a relationship will survive this type of breach of trust, is to let God intervene. I found an interesting article by the Christian author, Sarah Markley, who had an affair on her husband and then through the grace of God was able to restore her marriage. She writes about the journey here: http://www.sarahmarkley.com/2010/04/because-you-asked/ and she shares some helpful steps also:

Six years ago Sarah and her husband, Chad were battling the thunderous pounding of the revelation of her affair.  In this post she shares some of the major changes that took place for her and her husband to heal and change and grow.  Here is what I hear

1) Cut off all contact with the affair partner and actively challenge memories and fantasies about the relationship.

2) Removed all distractions like persistent alcohol use, porn and movies and cable that took their focus off one another.

3) Sincerely recovered their first love with God through reading scripture and praying together.

4) Took it one day at a time with an eternal viewpoint.  

5) Put up boundaries and safeguards for their relationship even if others thought they weren't necessary.  

The emotional healing after such a betrayal will in most cases anger and grief. It is important we do not try to manipulate or get in the way of these processes. Let God work and only with His grace will the relationship be restored. Let’s face it, if Christ was able to forgive Judas for effectively killing him, then God says we can forgive others if we just believe in Him and let our Father fulfill His promises. When you spouse starts the anguish phase they will effectively move forward and then back over and over.  

Just as a widow grieves the violated spouse will also follow those same patterns of loss:

• They feel abandoned by their mate.
• They feel alone in their grief.
• They feel as if they could have done something to prevent this.
• They feel like a marked person. They don’t fit in with normal couples anymore.
• They have a lot of unfinished business with their spouse that is now off-limits or has been overshadowed by what has occurred.
• They feel terrified of the future.
• They feel they should be doing better than they are.
• They will pretend nothing has happened (such as the widow who sets a plate for the lost partner at the table).

The spouse will then want a guarantee this will not happen again. If you do not have God guiding your life, then your being setup for failure all over again. You must humble yourself, be truly seeking forgiveness or to forgive and seeking God for healing. You will fail your spouse, maybe not in the same way, but it really doesn't matter as that trust will have to be supplied by God. You may never receive or give that level of trust again. The good news is, through God you can achieve restoration, all you must do is ask and believe. God wants to heal all relationships no matter how far gone we may feel they are. When they are restored, God makes them stronger than ever before and will truly stand the test of time. 

God has built each one of us with the coping mechanism to deal with such offenses. Now some can forgive immediately without any reservations. I believe the closer you walk with God the easier this is. Some of us must follow the natural progression of healing. However in every case God has to be left to work and the parties involved must work together in a common goal and He WILL do as He promised. Acts 3:19-21, 

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything."

Let’s Pray: Father God, Thank You for showing us the way Father. We ask that You forgive us Father first and then allow others to forgive us. Allow us to forgive those who have betrayed us Lord. And allow us to truly seek you for the healing that needs to take place. Father whether we see it or not, You are the only way through these storms. Father we know You can do all things and we know You promise to breathe life into whoever seeks you. Without that is death. Father we want life, for ourselves, our spouses and all who surround us. Father please cover us all in your Holy Spirit and allow us to heal and not go astray Lord. Soften our hearts O Lord and show us the way you want us to Live. Father we ask all of these things, in Jesus name....AMEN.

Standing Against Temptation

James 1:13, Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by evil and He Himself tempts no one. 


Over the last week I have been asked to write about temptation as it has been a big factor lately in many fellow Christians lives. It doesn't matter whether the temptation comes as drugs, alcohol, lustful desires, anger or any other sin. As the scripture above states these temptations are not of God. See the temptations come when we are moving closer to God. The enemy does not want us to accomplish this as he will be pushed out.


The biggest keys to temptation is to keep aware that they can and will come, it is nearly as important that you respond not react to these attacks. You can do several things to prepare for the attacks. First bury yourself in the Word. Memorize a few scriptures that can bring you peace in the time of an attack. Christian brethren or better yet your spouse are necessary when to reach out too when in need, they are your partners in Faith. 1 Corinthians 7:2, But because of the temptation to impurity and to avoid immorality, let each [man] have his own wife and let each [woman] have her own husband. Prayer is imperative before, during and after the attacks also. Before to keep your mind to recognize an attack. during to bring peace from the attack and after praising God for delivering you from the attack. 


There are many other ways to prepare for an attack, these are just the bare essentials you will need to stand firm. God will wrap you in his cloak of Love and deliver you safe on  the other side. He has delivered me many times, just in the last few months.I noticed that the enemy seemed to probe and find a weak spot, then attack full force or he will wait until you have been weakened by emotions, illness or even lack of sleep. When he sees an opportunity he seizes it. If he is unsuccessful on you he may turn to those around you. He has done that to me many times. He can use these people against you or just attack them directly to get to you. He is cunning and patient, so stand firm keep you tools handy and let God fight for you. 1 Corinthians 10:13, For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

I believe preparation in key in defeating the enemy. This means you must study and practice to stay spiritually fit for battle. You must know your tools you have in your arsenal. Most of all you must keep in faith. God will work, you must let him. Many of you can reflect back to earlier this week when this blog detailed my weakened state spiritually in this trying time. God rescued me, but it was not immediate. He had me learn a few lessons a midst the battle. 1 Thessalonians 3:5, That is the reason that, when I could bear [the suspense] no longer, I sent that I might learn [how you were standing the strain, and the endurance of] your faith, [for I was fearful] lest somehow the tempter had tempted you and our toil [among you should prove to] be fruitless and to no purpose. When the fight came it was a spiritual onslaught. I felt as if i wouldn't make it as the enemy was brought his A-game. I stood firm, my heart didn't harden, my Love increased and many other things became clear to me. So know that God may let you whether the storm only to follow it with a blessing. But he will always deliver you from it and you just have to keep the faith. 

Lets Pray: Father God, Thank you for all that You do in our lives. Lord please forgive us for our sins and Lord most important show us the way to be stronger for You Father. Allow us the wisdom, strength and fortitude to prepare and stand in the storms of the enemy. Father we know it is not and will not be easy, but as it says in scripture, with You all things are possible. Lord we promise to hold our ground until You arrive to defend us. God please continue to guide us, hear our prayers and do not give up on us Lord. We praise You for all that you do for us Lord. Father we ask all this in the name of our Lord Jesus......AMEN.

From the Eyes of Innocence

Matthew 19:13-15, "Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away"

In the eyes of a child, everything is simple. Until the world corrupts them, their Love is unconditional, their views are fresh and positive and they have the Heaven sent perspective of Life not death. I wrote a while back that as adults we should try to claim a small portion of our childhood, by learning from our children. Imagine how different we would be and how we would effect the world around us. We are told in the scripture above that "such belongs to the Kingdom of Heaven." The children are after Gods own heart, therefore we should learn a lesson from our children to if nothing else to praise God.

By tapping into our childlike heart we would praise Gods Kingdom so very much. We would no longer be selfish, unkind or harsh. We would be giving, selfless and kind as the is the God given nature of children. God designed us to be His children, so he expects us to model ourselves after the inspiration of a child's Love and their  outlook on life. The see innocence and only WE can corrupt that.

As parents we are commanded as in Proverbs 22:6 ( Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.) to teach our children in the ways of God. In the rest of Proverbs 22 the guidelines are set to teach them humility, giving spirit, moral character and to Love no matter what. We are to help them avoid, treachery, mockery, foolishness and evil. As a father it is my responsibility to do this in my every day actions.

I met two different people this week while writing from my office at McDonalds. The first was a lady who was separated and had two children, a boy and a girl both under 7. During her sharing her testimony she advised that her husband has abandoned the family due to her son needing special attention for medical issues and the comfort of another women. At one point the boy came in and told his mother that he wanted his Daddy back so he could play on the play ground. He went back to playing and she shared her prayers were the same as her sons. She did not care he had abandoned her and her children. She knew they needed him more than she did.

The next the role was reversed and it was a father and a little girl about my daughters age. His wife had been hooked on drugs and then turned to prostitution to support her habit. He also told me he just wanted his wife back, because his daughter needed her mommy. I saw his inner child and his attempt to walk in the light and Love his wife no matter what.

In my case, I have in a sense abandoned my daughter with my actions. I made choices that placed my daughter, who is innocent in all this, in a position she does not deserve. I pray that God will allow her to see past the worldly thoughts and see Love. Around Fathers day, I had to ask my daughter for her forgiveness about an issue and she willingly gave it and didn't even hesitate. She still has that Godly ideal that Love trumps all things (1 Corinthians 16:14, "Let everything you do be done in love"). As in the stories above each one of those parents also tapped into those ideas by watching their children. So as a father I will, from a distance continue to develop this view in my daughter as well as take lessons from her in how to Love others.

God wants us to Love like children (John 13:34, I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another.), while walking and growing in His ways. Our children were not here just to teach, but to remind us what how we are required to act if we choose to walk like Christ. We are to promote life, humility, unconditional Love. If we corrupt our child in the ways of the world with our worldly attitudes and views, then we are surely to parish in the fires of Hell. I just pray that given my circumstances I can promote the Godly ways in my daughter and still steer her from the worldly corruption.

Lets Pray: Father God, we come to you today and ask for forgiveness. Lord we come to you with humble hearts Lord and ask you for the wisdom to look at the world from a child's eyes. Lord we beg for you to remove the worldly blinders we have on and replace them with the goggles of Love that a child sees through. Father there are many different circumstances in which the children of our world do not know a parent. Lord we pray you help those children's prayers be answered. Father we know you want us to guide our children as well as learn from them too. Father i implore you to stamp the views of our children into each of our hearts so that we may see the world and those around it as they do. Father we Thank You for all that You do in our lives, in Jesus name...AMEN.

A Heart Conflicted

James 4:1-10, 1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.4You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?^a 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”^b 7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 

It came to me last night in the little sleep I received why I am so tormented. The above scripture says gives a high level example of the cause and the cure. The following reasons cause this, my heart is so full of Love that it is bursting, yet the person it is intended for cannot and does not want it, therefore my heart is exploding. I give God, my Children, my friends and those around me all I can. The rest is intended for one person. So much like a heart attack, the heart dies just a little with each tear. This is the conflict of my heart. 

My existence is a quarrel right now, my heart cannot have what it wants, I ask yet do not receive, I am grieving and wailing looking for Christ to cause the devil to flee from me, so that I may be lifted up. This is all caused from my treachery and I have spent months attempting to show the depths of my apology. My attempts are feeble as the intended person cannot see past the offense. I have spent the last several days trying to turn it over to God. The enemy does not want this to happen. He wants me to stumble, he wants me to revert to my old self. To give in and walk away like I have in my past, and to be honest I feel as if there are individuals who want this too. He wants me to deny Christ and take the bait he is placing all around me. The funny thing is even other Christians near me have noticed how bold Satan has become to get me to slip and take the bait. I refuse to let anyone claim victory in my failure, therefore I cannot fail in my endeavor. 

Yesterday I wrote about the pleas of Job. This message is part of that same plea. It explains why I cry out to my God. My conflict could not hurt deeper. It could not drain me anymore. I just pray God answers soon as I do not want to become bitter, angry or hardened. I was there once before and I do not want to go back. I see these people all around me, callous acts and viral tongues. I pray for those and try to show them Love also. I do not wish to become like them. I want to Love and I need God to restore me so I can continue my mission. He knows my needs to do this, I am waiting and not sure how long I have before my vessel sinks beneath the waves. But I still wait.

As Christians you can see that we have struggles like any other. The difference is I believe ours are more intense at times because we recognize the powers against us. Which forces us to fight at a much higher level. Without Christ none of this is possible. We would not have the understanding nor the energy for the fight. We would cave and become like those around us. I am fighting not to become that which I have described. I feel I have caused some to fall into that trap. For that I beg for God to release them and restore them. I pray that you see that there are others with similar troubles and struggles. We must continue to fight, until that day God calls us home. I will fight until my last breathe for my God, my belief and my family. Only through God can I make this claim and only through Him can I be healed, restored and strengthened to be able to accomplish this.

Lets Pray: Father God, please forgive us of our sins, our hard hearts Lord. Please show us how to soften them once again and return to your glory. Lord show me how to release my heart. Show the enemy we are out of his reach. Defend us O Lord, give us your shield of glory so we may remain in the battle. Today Lord we claim victory Father in our conflicts and suffering, in your sweet name Jesus. With your conviction and power we command the evil spirits to leave our lives for good never to get a foothold again. Father grant us these prayers so we may have the strength to glorify You. Father we thank You for Your Love and all that you do in our lives. You truly know what AGAPE is and we can only pray to experience it. We ask all this in the name of Jesus our Lord.....AMEN.

Praying for Deliverance

Psalm 34:17-19 "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all." 

I have been crying out for days for God to help me. I ask God for my Psalm 34:17-19 I feel, from his silence and lack of action he wants me to revert to hypocrisy and go against all I have come to believe, learn and stand for in these messages and my daily life. I have received no relief. Every time I open my lips I appear to offend, as I feel my very presence does this also. I was told I have not a clue of what being crushed and in pain is, I beg to differ. No one can see my soul except God. And right now I feel the very fabric of my soul has been torn and continues to be shredded. 

After another day of attacks, which began last night from different directions, I haven't felt God move around me. I have prayed and listened. I have meditated for hours, yet silence. I understand exactly what Job was saying as I am saying and feeling the exact same thing. Job 30:20-31, 20“I cry to you, O God, but you don’t answer. I stand before you, but you don’t even look. 21You have become cruel toward me.You use your power to persecute me. 22You throw me into the whirlwind and destroy me in the storm. 23And I know you are sending me to my death— the destination of all who live.24“Surely no one would turn against the needy when they cry for help in their trouble. 25Did I not weep for those in trouble?Was I not deeply grieved for the needy? 26So I looked for good, but evil came instead. I waited for the light, but darkness fell. 27My heart is troubled and restless. Days of suffering torment me. 28I walk in gloom, without sunlight. I stand in the public square and cry for help. 29Instead, I am considered a brother to jackals and a companion to owls. 30My skin has turned dark, and my bones burn with fever. 31My harp plays sad music, and my flute accompanies those who weep." As I feel my body weaken without the presence of God. I pray louder, now more of pleas of mercy.

I know he can hear me yet I feel my prayers fall on a deaf ears. I pray he delivers me soon. I beg for God to call me ignorant as he did Job for his disbelief. Job 42:1-6, 1Then Job replied to the Lord: 2“I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. 3You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. 4You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ 5I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. 6I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” 

I have never read these scriptures, yet tonight very spiritually grounded prayer warrior of mine, pointed them out. Many of these versus from Job I have stated verbatim. My heart, my soul and my very existence is weeping right now. I need help to push the enemy back. Only God can do this right now. Only God can heal me, he alone knows how. Until then i will remain tattered and torn. My light continuing to dim. My spirit escaping with every breath. These are the pleas of a faithful Christian to his God and I am crying out for deliverance. I pray that these words help whoever needs them, so that all may see that the scriptures speak of current events as well as what once was.

Lets Pray: Father God, hear our prayers Lord. I know I am not alone in feeling like Job. I feel humbled that these scriptures were revealed to me. Yet God we yearn for Your voice Lord. We need to feel Your spirit move within us. Lord we stretch to You in attempt to claim victory over the enemy who is attacking. Lord we cry out for Your mighty power to push the enemy from our midst Lord. We continue to stand in the storm waiting for you to deliver us Father. In the name of Jesus reveal yourself God and push us through this storm. Right our wreckage so that we may live and not feel as if death is upon us. Lord we claim You the victor and we ask you manifest Yourself from this prayer and heal our lives Lord. We ask these measures in name of Jesus Christ our Savior.....AMEN.

I'm at My Jericho

 John 5:25, "And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it's here now, when the dead will hear my voice--the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.

I found out today it’s not about me. I can’t describe it but my pastor and the mentors around me revealed something to me today with his sermon and their guidance. I had a very important meeting at church today so I missed part of the service. I just finished it online and between the meeting, the sermon and my mentors,  I had a revelation. I understand, it’s not about me and I am listening with all my heart. . 

I prayed for today’s meeting since Friday. Many have been praying with me also. In every prayer I felt God telling me to "stay the course" (Hebrews 12:2, Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith) I was prepared that there would be three different possible outcomes to this meeting. One would be an invitation to leave, another someone would be offended and leave and the third would end in pastor holding the meeting ministering about Gods plan. I prayed during the whole meeting. I felt the outcome was confusing, until I spoke to the pastor, the elders and remembered the coaching, then the outcome became clear. 

After hearing the rest of today’s message, I find myself to be at my Jericho. God is telling me to keep doing what I am doing, sound the trumpets and let Him bring down the walls. Some have mocked or slandered my efforts. Yet every time I receive those I am blessed with more positive reinforcement from God.  The message today was obviously about the walls of Jericho and breakthroughs. I am at my Jericho and understand what has been given to me and what has been placed into my custody to care for. God is using me in many ways and because of my fears the last several days, I have abandoned what God has charged me with.

I cannot worry anymore about what others choose to perceive, judge or actions they take. All I can do is pray for them and let God defend me. I will tell you now this is not easy, but I am letting it happen. I wasn’t shocked at the outcome of today’s meeting. I expected it however I still prayed for something different. God has to be left to work and I must give it all to him. I will listen for Him and Watch for His guidance (Deuteronomy 4:29, But from there you will search again for the LORD your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.) I will keep to the Kingdom principles and Love what God does and Hate what He hates. 

God is telling me to step away, to focus on the works he has laid in front of me and let Him work on my family and other matters of concern. He has charged me with some wonderful things, yet because of my fears of losing my family I have neglected those for a few days. He is working through me to positively effect peoples lives. It feels so great to see Him work through me.  I may never know how many people He allows me to touch, however even just one would be worth every effort. God is Great. I know that through my obedience and faithfulness to Him, that He will bring down the walls of my Jericho and run the enemy out of the Land. My life will be restored, stronger than ever before.

All of us have a calling from Christ. We must just listen to what He has charged us with. I caution that during this discovery process you can be mislead. So be cautious as the enemy does not want us to grow closer to God and he will do anything to distract us. My life is no longer about me its about furthering God, His Kingdom and the Principles of His Kingdom. If GOD doesn't Love it, or support it, if it doesn't breathe life into someone, then it is usually not of God and a poisonous trap laid cleverly by the enemy. I have had the privilege to witness to a few people this week who has found themselves in this trap. It is easy to do. So ask God to guide you, give you wisdom to know it's His will and the strength to follow it. 

Lets Pray: Father God, Thank You for everything you do in our lives Lord. Thank You for the ability to come to you and ask for forgiveness. Lord we thank you for allowing your son to wash our sins away with His blood. We can never repay You for this ultimate act of Love. Father many of us are at the walls of our Jericho. Allow us to see its not about us, but about furthering your Kingdom and it principles. We are facing things we do no understand, or seem insurmountable. Lord grant anyone who needs your comfort and understanding to feel the Holy Spirit move in them. Allow them to find their own trumpets to sound so that you may bring down their walls and conquer what the enemy is doing in their lives. Father we ask all of these things in the sweet name of Jesus...AMEN.

When The Pain Seems Unbearable

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

We all have to deal with emotional pain throughout life. Yet I think that one of the hardest pains to deal with is the pain that you feel when you have caused others to stumble or suffer. Now the scriptures tells us that we must forgive ourselves as well as ask for forgiveness. Self forgiveness is probably the hardest thing you will ever do and will be the longest and most painful journey.

God says that we must forgive others or will not inherit the Kingdom (Matthew 18). This as a Christian is relatively easy. I have been able to forgive some heart wrenching offenses others have committed, but only though Gods help.Proverbs 17:9, "Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends." I don't really struggle with them either. I asked God how can I trust others who have offended me in the past, his response was so simple. He said "You don't have to trust them, trust Me". WOW! That is profound. He is telling me not to worry that if I trust in Him, and He will not allow them to hurt or offend me again in such a way. He has kept His word. 

Forgiving ourselves is much harder though. For me every time I see, hear or even know my wife is angry, upset or struggling caused by my bad choices, it sets back the process of forgiving myself to the beginning. Those we have offended can and will be offended over and over with us until they can forgive us. Simple conversations can become an opportunity for them to be offended. We have no one to blame but ourselves. So now we are compounding the issue. They are upset with us and we also feel the pain for causing them to be upset. Research has shown that this stage of the emotional process has the highest suicide rate. God is the only one who can heal this pain or both parties. One of the most successful principles used and agreed upon by secular and Christian counselors is going through the process together has an exponential success rate and is much faster. Ecclesiastes 4:12, "A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer." Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. They caution that this must be done in controlled and safe environments. Time can only heal so much.

Today I know I have unintentionally upset my wife, as I felt she was punishing me. My pain is overwhelming today and this mornings interaction started a downward spiral. During the interaction she mistook my rising pain for anger. She obviously could not see me, therefore her already being offended by my actions she believed I was reverting to my old behaviors and immediately became offended and defensive. I am not trying to call her out here, simply show how easy it is for things to move be taken out of context or its original intention. The offended are not consolable or even open to hearing what you have to say. The downward spiral is almost immediate in these scenarios. Emotions are running wild at this point also. These are natural HUMAN responses. Therefore we must step back, reach to God and stay there until the moment passes by using supernatural resources. Hebrews 4:16: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” As you discovered from yesterdays post, I am at a point where I cannot take anymore pain. I have to let God refill me. I must retreat and reform. My light has dimmed, I cannot bear one more moment of seeing my wife in pain. I find myself shaking, not from anger, but from pain and fear. 

Fear, the bible talks of this being pawn of the enemies to secure a foothold in our lives. I fear of the unknown and the fact i have lost my one true Love over great errors in judgement. My wife fears much more, Her fear is that of she is searching for that reason to trust again. Yet every little thing can become negative not positive. Fear builds greater as she is already raw and exposed, so her fear of even slightly letting me in holds much greater consequences when I fail her again. Yes when, we will fail, we are human (Romans 2:23, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,). So without God to hold onto an already wounded heart will now crush more, instead of Loving more in times of great distress or discord. Again I am only using this as a tool to share how we must turn to God and be careful not to misinterpret what he tells us. Be still and hear His voice. Confirm what you hear through scripture and clergy. The Devils biggest feat was to impersonate God. The only one to keep you from falling victim to the enemy is God himself. 

Lets Pray: Father God, Thank You for allowing us to know you. Father please forgive us for any sins we have committed and most of all Lord allow others to forgive us as well.  Lord we invoke Luke 4:4 .. "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'" Lord we turn to your word Father so that we may find answers and peace in times of fear an attack Lord. We look there for confirmation of your will Lord. We ask that you move in our lives in the ways you have promised via these scriptures Lord. Father we cannot alone repair our broken lives. Allow others to know your will Lord. Allow others to find peace so that they may draw closer to you Lord. Lord answer us in our time of need, move supernaturally in answering our prayers. Lord many of us are in need of a miracle. Lord you know those needs as they are in the forefront of our lives. Father we give it all to you. As for me Lord I give you my family Lord. If your plan is to take them for my sins then I understand. Yet Lord if your plan is as you have shown me then I plead for you to move is Us, to restore our hearts in your image and favor Lord. Lord impress on her heart my Love is so deep that the verse from Song of Solomon 8:7 "Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away" cannot begin to describe my affection for her. We all are sinners and I know there are others out there who need you as much or more Lord. Reach to then Father and guide them back to you. Father we are eternally grateful for the sacrifice of your son Jesus and Father we ask all this in His name....AMEN.

Put Down the Stones

Proverbs 6:16-19, There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Tonight I heard a story of a man with a backpack filled with stones and one in each hand. Each time the man was offended he would throw a stone at someone who offended him. I think my offended person has refilled the backpack a few times now. Over the last week i have been verbally stoned until I am severely weakened

Discord, did you know that Discordia is the Goddess of Strife, in the Latin translation? She is the Goddess of disunion, dissent and division. Not that I believe in the Greek gods. What I do want to reflect on is the above seven abominations listed in these versus. I want to focus on verse 19 and the word "discord". It is no wonder God finds this behavior to be an abomination, as it works directly against what he stands for. See today this was what the enemy was using. I am fighting and retreating fast. I have no defense left. I have asked God to defend me, yet I am still being bombarded and now no shield to stop the stones. 


I have asked God over and over to help me. The enemy is not letting up, I am wavering and stumbling. I am weak and having trouble keeping my eyes focused on the kingdom right now. I know there are others who feel the same. I know that God is usually filling these pages with hope. Today, I am writing this page and I cannot say that God is guiding my fingers. I want everyone to see that it isn't always positive and the struggles are not always easy. God doesn't always come running to the rescue and at times we must retreat to regroup. 

What can anyone else take from me that hasn't already been lost? Someone said tonight that "you are alive". Well that depends on the definition. You see men require something more than just a heartbeat to survive. They require the touch of Love. Me particularly, the touch of the one woman I Love. However she has chose a path of self preservation. I cannot blame her, as I forced her hand. She feels I attack her with words and that my words here are not of God. Its not for me to defend myself against her and what she feels. I have given it to God and I am stepping away. 


I have stood in the storm and I still am here. There will be one difference from now on. My light has dimmed, I have no fight left in me. This will end one of two ways, one God will answer the call or he will not. My health is deteriorating from this, my drive is fading. However my Love for My God is strong. My Love for my wife is strong. My Love for my family is strong. The rest is not. Now some of you will be offended by this entry. I'm sorry that is not my intention. I feel empty and fading. My cup is full of vinegar and i need God to fill it with Love. I have been torn down over and over for the last two days, without relief. I am broken and now I am questioning everything I felt was God driven. 


Now tomorrow will be another day. I am not sure what it will bring, but I will try and regroup and change my formula. Now God will be asked to show me how to grieve. How to release my family and move ahead alone. If God truly meant what he showed me, then he will restore us. As of right now, I'm not sure what to believe other then the Love of my daughter, my God and my friends. 

Lets Pray: Father God I have nothing left to offer. I am sorry I couldn't stand strong as I understood you wanted. Father I am empty and I need a refill. I am stepping away, I will focus only on you and my daughter. The rest I have nothing left to give. I cannot take anymore stones in my direction, I need a new shield. So I turn to you for a new shield, My wife is now yours, soften her heart and maybe one day she will see the man you have made me to be. Thank you Lord for your Love, in Jesus name....AMEN.

A Shaking of Foundations

Psalm 62:6-8, 12, 6 He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. 7 On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. 12 And loving kindness is Yours, O Lord, For You recompense a man according to his work.

Today has rocked my foundations to the core again. My rock has been shaken and is still shaking, yet I am standing fast for my God. I do not really want to get into any details. I really am being led to talk about the biblical versus we all should be leaning on when this happens. First how I feel, Today started well but news soon came that took me by surprise. At first I thought the enemy was trying again, and he may yet be responsible for today.

My plea to our Father is this, I am asking him to follow through with what he has shown to me. Jer 30:17 — "For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD;" With todays shaking, I feel I have hit my limit on suffering and I feel I am heading down that path of the person that was shaken so bad that they were changed. By changed I mean they were still faithful, they still placed God number one in there lives, yet they were not the same. They became withdrawn and it appears as if there light had dimmed. They were not that shining beacon they once were. I feel if God doesn't step in soon, I may truly become that person. No matter what I will still be faithful to my God, that will never come into question again. I will still hold to the covenants I have made with Him. I want to shine and people see that and know it is God working in me. 

We all will have our foundations shaken. In the above scriptures of Psalms it speaks of making God our  rock and stronghold. I have done that, yet I feel the enemy has entered in using an apparent unresolvable trust issue to rock anothers foundation, where they feel there is only one way to resolve the issue. I feel that this has caused a loss of hope surrounding this situation. Only the enemy can feed that feeling of death. The scriptures are full of God speaking life into insurmountable situations. Today I am asking for Him to speak life into this situation and to build a stronghold around those involved.

I feel as if I have been faithful, in all that He has asked me to do and in some things I even did not agree with, I followed. So today I do not want to seem selfish, or ungrateful, or even inpatient. I simply am asking our God to fulfill what he has shown me quickly. So my light can be His testimony and it shine brighter than ever. Matthew 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." I know God has His own timing, I know he has His own plan. I simply ask He allows someone to know what I know. Hope restored and a renewed fire kindled through our Lord Jesus and all can share a common goal. Jesus is all I need for my spiritual health. Yet I yearn for another for my physical health.

Lets Pray: Father we come to you tonight, lost and broken again. We ask that you forgive us, patch us up and show us the way. Father as we continue to be faithful we tend to lose our way, as do the sheep. Lord reach down and tend to your flock. Lord I ask for all asking for that light to be brightened today that you help them shine. Father we do not pretend to know your plan and we are not attempting to manipulate it. Only asking you to reveal to all involved so that Hope may be restored were needed. I know Father I am not the only one needing this. So I ask for all those who faithfully follow you, and who may have been shaken that You work in their lives also. God I thank you for all that you do for us and we cannot thank you enough for You sending Your Son to die on the cross for us. Father we ask all of this in the name of Jesus...AMEN.

Looking Forward

Philippians 3:12-14,"12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,^d but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."

Our Father wants us to keep looking forward in life. He doesn't want us to dwell on things of the past. We are advised to forgive others as well as ourselves. He wants us to keep our eyes on the prize and striving to be more like Jesus. The above versus I think captures the essence of what our Father is trying to tell us. We will never be perfect but our goal is to strive for perfection and without moving on from our past we cannot be happy moving forward. Sometimes to move forward we are required to address hard issues we do not want to examine, yet there isn't an alternative, as the Law of God is clear. So we must dig deep and look up to find the inner strength and help to accomplish the following.

God instructs us to forgive others without question throughout the scriptures (Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you [attitude: forgive because you love the Lord]). He says if we don't then we will be judged accordingly. If you want the blessings of the Lord, then turn to him, give him your problems, ask for His forgiveness and grant forgiveness to others, then follow Gods laws. This is not a choice for the faithful, its a requirement. If we cannot get over our own selfishness of harboring ill will towards others, God will withhold his Blessings until we allow him to work in us to forgive those who may not deserve it in our eyes, yet they do from Gods perspective (Matthew 5:22-24 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council;). He does not say forget, just forgive and turn all the pain and doubts over to Him so he may heal you. Then and only then will God fulfill his promises to us.

We must also forgive ourselves, as this will also keep us from looking forward. 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." This scripture reminds us that we are new (forgiven) therefore we must look within ourselves, the same as God sees us. Once we have accomplished this, God can begin to work His blessings in our lives. This is probably the hardest portion of forgiving to follow. We will think how can we be worthy or our cross we bear is ours alone and surely God wouldn't want us. Yet He does, just ask Him to lift these burdens, to meet you halfway in giving you back your self worth and He will. We must be vigilant in working towards this goal and reap the reward of success.

Unforgiveness of any kind (holding onto offense, anger, hate, etc..), whether towards others or ourselves, is a slow moving cancer that will effect every area of our life and those lives around us. I spoke with someone tonight that has let this infect every portion of their existence. They failed to see this about themselves until it was pointed out by a fellow Christian. It was as if a light switch went on and immediately it was clear why their life was so challenging. Struggling with personal and professional relationships, lack of sleep, health issues, etc.. This cancer was slowly rotting this person from the inside out. God will heal this person if they take strides and stretch to Him as I think they will. I have been there and it is not easy, but I promise it is worth every bit of the struggle to release it to God. My eyes are so clear now as well as my heart wide open to those around me including those most important, my wife and family. It is so humbling to go through this.

Colossians 3:13, "Make allowance for each others faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." This says it all in one scripture, forgive others as God has forgiven us. This includes forgiving ourselves. There are many more versus all echoing the same message throughout the scriptures. Remember, unforgiveness leads to anger, hate, frustration and death, while forgiveness leads to salvation, healing, restoration and life. Which are you? I challenge each and every one of you to  look deep inside. Pray for God to reveal your true inner feelings. Have our Lord show you what you need to work on. I do this constantly as well as implement changes in myself to become more Christ like. It really is that simple. Do not wait, do it now before the cancer effects your life. You will be happy you did in more ways then one and you and your Loved ones deserve it.

Lets Pray: Father God, please forgive us for our sins and Father allow us to see inside ourselves so that we may not only find the strength to forgive others, but also forgive ourselves. Lord we know your scriptures tells us that we cannot receive your forgiveness until we have do so ourselves. Therefore we must look past our selfish ways and follow in the path of our Savior Jesus Christ, who forgave Judas for his ultimate betrayal. He forgave all who denied and betrayed Him. We can do this and mend our relationships and Father we know you can give us the strength and wisdom to accomplish this Lord. Father help us find that Love once again and in You Lord we can begin to look forward towards the finish line once more. We ask all this in the sweet name of Jesus...AMEN.

New Beginnings

Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

This scripture speaks to my heart in so many ways. I started my new job this week and my company is privately owned and runs the business on Christian ethics. I found out today that Friday mornings the company owner puts on a two hour Christian leadership class and all employees attend. This is such a wonderful thing. I know more each day that God has placed me in the right position for this season in my life. Lamentations 3:22-24, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

I was with my family today for a few hours and enjoyed the time. There were a few tense moments I just let God work in me and was not offended by any statements. I see the restoration of my marriage more each day. God shows me little things each day and every so often the enemy tries to step in, but I do not let him take over.  I have my shield firmly in place and it is stronger then ever.I think my wife is still waiting for me to fall or fail again. Yet I know this will not happen and only in time will she see this for herself.

All around me miracles are happening. People landing jobs, who have desperately needed them. Other relationships being restored or healed. People being healed of the illness that is terrorizing their bodies. You see God will give all of us a new beginning. It starts with His forgiveness and then from there the sky is the limit. God can do all things, just reach to him today. The details above may not seem like much, but they are glass half full statements. I choose to speak life not death. I choose to see life not death. So must you. It doesn't matter how painful or desperate your situation appears. All you must do is lift it to God and start believing in the ability of our God. Everyone deserves a new beginning and if God wants to give you one, then those who Love you will too as this makes God happy. Matthew 6:14 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you"


Lets Pray: Father God, please forgive us for our sins as we are striving to become more Christlike. Lord, Thank You for the blessings of new beginnings, even though we are undeserving of such. Father we are so Thankful your mercies never end and your Love never ceases. Lord refill our cups so we can show the world your Love and Glorify you to everyone Lord. Father help us be grateful for each new beginning and Lord help us be patient for the ones to come. Father we know your word gives us your laws and covenants and Lord help us understand those and others to discover and begin to live them. Father we pray that you use us to spread your Word to the world Lord. Father we come to you humbled and Thanking You for all you do in our lives and in Jesus name we pray...AMEN

Fasting update, I continue to pray each day for:

1) To grow closer to God and hear & seek Him more often.
2) Give Him my first fruits of everything, my day, money and even Grace.
3) To truly give my relationship with my wife over to Him and to be a better father and husband when called upon.
4) To find what it is He is calling me to do so I may start preparing for it.
5) To excel at my new job, find a residence and move past my legal issues while not being confined. To do all this while promoting His Kingdom.
6) Support my Brothers in Christ in their goals and needs.

I have done well on my liquid fast until this evening I had a small salad. I will do better tomorrow and spend more time in prayer. 

Keeping Your Word

Psalm 89:34, "I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips."

This week started with a series of apologies and fixing my errors. It started with my daughter and I going to the movies on Sunday afternoon then that evening my wife reminding me I had a project to do with our daughter due Tuesday morning. I forgot the project as it was tasked to me about a month ago. Galatians 6:1-2, "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness."

Well today my daughter and I finished up the project pretty late, but I had to apologize to her and my wife forgetting for not remembering the project and having to rush to finish it. My daughter was ok with it, but my wife was a little upset and let me know real quick about it. I deserved it as I should have set a calendar appointment. 

Next I had to apologize to my daughter for something we do all the time when we go to the movies. We usually stop and get cheap snacks and sneak them into the movies to save money. Well we all know that isn’t the right thing to do or teach our child. So I asked for her to forgive me and explained why. She did not hesitate in her forgiveness. I then had to explain why we could not do that anymore. 

As Husbands and Fathers like I said before, we need to lead by example. Today I had to walk the walk and at first it was not easy, but I felt better afterwards. I will continue to strive in finding that deeper relationship with God, my Wife and my children. We must break the cycle of behaviors that are not Christ like and be continually stretching to our Father.

Lets Pray: Father God, Please forgive me for my behaviors and I ask that you keep me striving forward reaching for the light. Father Thank You for the strength to admit my mistakes and the ability to receive forgiveness. Lord Thank You for all that you do in our lives. Thank You for showing me my mistakes and allowing me to grow from them. Father hear our prayers and please grant them Lord. Father we ask this in Jesus name...AMEN.

A Fathers Love

Malachi 4:6 "He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers;" 

Today is Fathers Day and I couldn't think of a more fitting subject than a father Love. You see we should Love our children as God Loves us. As well as we should Love our Father as our children Love us also. If you have ever noticed our children Love us unconditionally, but can you say the same about our Love for our Heavenly Father? Do you dismiss Him in times of anger, frustration or despair?

As Christians we know we should Love our Father as he Loves us, unconditionally. Yet as we struggle through life our worldly ways try to take over. The enemy is lying in wait for this. He will capitalize on these moments and try to feed you full of lies so that you will not turn to your Heavenly Father. However we should always be turning to God no matter the circumstance, in happiness as well as in our struggles. God gets the Glory for positive things as we ask for his help during our struggles, so that we can be victorious in these also. Watch your child and see how they Love you, no matter if you fail, fall, stumble, no matter what they continue to Love you without judging, leaving, labeling or reminding you of the failure. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned from our own children in finding that lost unconditional Love inside of ourselves.

Today was an emotional day for me. I had my youngest daughter with me for service this morning, yet I was crying like a baby as my Wife was not with me. It was like a huge part of me was missing. Especially while singing "Amazing Grace". I did have a blessed day with her and my oldest daughter had sent her Love to me in the morning also. God gave me a wonderful day overall, but I was also filled with sorrow all day too. My wife caught me looking at her several times and asked me what I was thinking. I replied, "Nothing", yet I was truly taking in her beauty and feeling like a fool for ever making the choices that placed my family in this position. I'm still going through the stages of trying to forgive myself. Yet to see my family in pain, hurting or struggling brings it all right back. My heart truly aches and only God gets me through these days and He plants the sense of Hope in that He will restore my marriage one day. I did see my daughters unconditional Love all day today. So tonight I praised God to have the day with my daughter and the evening with my wife. I continue to try and give them to God.

So if you are struggling giving our Father unconditional Love, pray about that and find whatever it is you haven't turned over to Him completely. He is waiting and knows your needs all you have to do is ask. Our Father wants us to Love Him as He Loves us.

Let’s Pray: Father God, Please forgive us for our sins and when we haven't Loved you as you Love us.  Father, we know how we should act and we could take a lesson from our own children who show unconditional Love to us. Father they don't judge us, look down on us for our mistakes, or even push us away when we fail. There is much to be learned by following their examples. So Father allow us to find that inner childs Love that we have lost and allow us to use it to Love you as we once Loved our earthly Father. Lord show us the way to Love and we will follow. Father God  please give all the worldly father the strength and understanding to follow You and to raise our children to follow you Lord. Father thank you for all that you do, in Jesus name we pray...AMEN

Our God is a Jealous God

Exodus 20:25, "for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God"

Pretty Clear right? SO what does our God have to be jealous of? How about anything that we put before him? Our wives, families, career, food, etc...Our Father is to be first in our lives, without Him we are nothing anyway. So He is first in our hearts. We should rise every morning and give Him praise first thing. He gets the first fruit of our labors.  


Our Father does not ask for much but He does have some rules we are to obey and Him being first is one of those rules we tend to ignore. It is easy to fall into the trap of not making God our first priority. I have done it. I made my family my first. I have made my job first also. God demands that he is first as he can take all the other away if we do not honor Him and be obedient. Deuteronomy 6:1, "for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God."


God wants only what any Father wants and that is respect. I for one think he deserves it. He gives us everything, protects us, forgives us and all we must do is put him first and follow his laws. So think about what you may need to do to make God first in your life again and they rest will fall into place. 


Let’s Pray: Father God, Thank You for all that you do and Lord please forgive us for not placing you first as You should be. Father forgive us for our sins and Father we ask that you convict us and remind us to always keep you first in our lives Lord. By keeping you first everything else will fall into place Lord. Father give us the wisdom to study your word and understand what you request from us. Father we thank you for all that you do Lord and all we ask is to show us how you want us to serve you Lord. Please continue to bless us, in Jesus name we pray...AMEN.

Are You Being Grateful or Ungrateful?

Romans 12:9-13, " 9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality" 

This passage holds the key to some behaviors I observed this week, so I am feeling drawn to write about them. In the passage above it is simply saying Love as Jesus did and anything that we say and do to the contrary is ungratefulness.  Jesus Loved everyone he came into contact with, including Zacchaeus who the people deplored for his evil ways. Yet Jesus knew his heart and on the spot Zacchaeus offered repentance and asked for forgiveness. Even while the people murmured against him. 

All week I have been hearing people say "my job is driving me nuts" or "I took the day off for a headache", in front of someone who needs a job. I've observed people talking about the huge meal they ate the night before in front of someone who don’t know where there next meal is coming from. Another was someone complaining how hot it is and there allergies were bad, even with the a/c at night, to someone who was homeless. All of these occurrences the people making the statements knew the situation of those around them and these individuals speaking are all Christians. 

I am saying something, because in the past I too may have been one of these hypocritical ungrateful people not realizing what I may have said or just not caring. So to draw attention to this is not only my duty but now its my passion. I am not perfect, but I do believe this is at the minimum, a poor choice and we should be mindful who we are speaking too and remember how Jesus would have responded in the presence of the less fortunate. He would feed them, take them in, give them work, heal them, pray with them, etc...If we as Christians are truly trying to walk in His light then we will not only change our views and perspectives, we will be thankful that we have the food, job and homes with a/c. We should thank our Father for these things He has given us and remember to help those less fortunate, as God expects that of us. 

If you have realized this has been you, then start by asking God for His forgiveness, for the selfish and ungrateful behavior, and possibly the person who was the receiver of your ungrateful words. Daniel 9:19-20, O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name. While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the LORD my God for the holy hill of my God." Here we are being instructed to not delay in your confession and asking for forgiveness. Take full advantage when God presents the opportunity of confession to Him or any another person and let no man sway this decision. As this is what God expects and no man is above God. Only the enemy would try and dissuade you of this act of confession, born of Christ.

Lets Pray: Father God, Thank You for the lesson this week in humility and being thankful for what we do have. We should be giving You the praise Lord for even the simplest things we have in our lives. We should also be careful in what we say when around other Lord. Father please teach us and convict our hearts for understanding when we do these ungrateful things. Lord I don’t want to see anyone "reap what they sow" as was discussed a few days ago. So Father help us understand what we need to change and help us make those changes. Lord I also lift up to you those who need to confess and ask for forgiveness. Lord there is many who the enemy has filled with evil thoughts and behaviors Lord. I pray these lost people find you’re Love once more. I pray they are filled once again with the Holy Spirit Father so they can see how separated they have become. Father we are to Love all we meet and I am working on that, Father I have an open humbled heart Lord and we wish only to serve. So guide our words and ways Lord and I will follow. In Jesus name we pray....AMEN.

Turn it all Over to God

Philippians 4:6-7, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ."

Something we all have difficulty doing, including me. I have a tendency to say I have given all my issues to God, yet I still try to fix some of these issues on my own. God wants us to reveal these worries to Him so he can work on them for us. Until we truly give them to Him, they will not be solved.  He will give us peace in these areas, we just have to give them to him in prayer. 


Starting next week I will be starting my second fast ever. A few of us from our mens group will be fasting in unison to show ultimate obedience (Psalm 69:10, "When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach.") . During this 10 days we will lift up everything in our lives holding us back, to God. We will spend the 10 days also giving Praise to our Lord and Savior. Our prayers will contain pleas of help, commitments of obedience and praise that we have the Love from our Holy Father. 


My first fast yielded many revelations and releases in my life. I stopped dipping after 25 years with no withdrawals or cravings. My wife and I committed to working on our family and marriage during this fast. Many things were revealed to me in those 10 days in January. I still am committed to all of these things, as I promised God during that fast. I hope this next to be just as profound and my God knows I am committed without question to, Him, my Wife, my Family and serving all of them freely and without question. 


You too can experience this amazing time with God. He will show you so much during this time of obedience that you will be humbled beyond understanding. All he requires is your commitment to obedience and what better way then to give up the worldly things (Joel 2:12, “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; ). Give it all to him during a fast and God will bless you. He wants this for you and what better way to show Him praise than obedience and witnessing of the results. Our God is a Loving God and starting Monday I will include a daily brief of that days fast, prayer and revelations through the ten days. I will include it after each days prayer. 


Lets Pray: Father God we come to you as broken and humbled servants Lord, asking only that you forgive us for our sins and bless our lives Lord. We are undeserving of your grace Lord, yet Your never fail to show it to those who obey and listen. I have heard lately people say they are not hearing you. Lord show these people you are talking and how they are just not receptive to you Lord. Show the that maybe you are not telling them what they want to hear. Help them find your whisper or the emissary you sent. Father I too want to hear your voice, Lord I yearn for it Father. Lord please invoke the Holy Spirit in all of us so that we may know how you want us to serve you next Lord. Thank You Father for showing us perfect Love. Thank You for your son and it is in His name Jesus that we pray.....AMEN.