Rumor has it today we'll see the last storm winter sends our way....hopefully the last that is.  It always seems to me that the things happening all around us are just symptoms of things that are going on spiritually.  I went out and watched the storm clouds yesterday afternoon and as always when I see that I feel a change in the wind.  I know that things look really dark right now but I continue to think that's the change that's going on here...there's something else just over the horizon.  I am reading Hebrews in chapter four where there are several things I see there that speak to me.  I will begin with versus one and two which say:  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should  seem to come short of it.  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them:  but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.  I have often had a hard time with this because when life is tough it's hard for me to hear that I need to have more faith or I'm screwing up now with God besides every where else you know?  Truth is though that God has done it all...He's paid every price and given us so much to make it through life...even when hardship comes but the question is what will we do with all of that?  Why is it that the first instinct is to run from God and ignore the bible and prayer when we need it most?  Satan has a constant campaign to suggest that things happen for the reason that God isn't willing or able to help you or worse (yes, this is sarcasm) we've made a mistake so this has happened...we can never take that!  We must have faith and we must have hope or we can't expect the seeds of good things God has given us to grow....I'm a creature of cynicism often and I can be a cynical as they come but God speaks of better things.  Being cynical or refusing to turn to the Lord in difficult times is the worst form of folly.  Falling down is human but to ignore God and rebel in your stumbling is the definition of being a fool.  Mistakes don't define you but your response to those mistakes are another matter indeed.  We are plagued with the idea that just saying something makes it so.  Just saying your a good mom or dad somehow equals truth but isn't it how you act that really proves this?  I often think that I've prayed about something but when I go back and look at it I've worried about it a lot more than I've prayed...just saying I prayed doesn't make it so.  The word says that if you're a hearer of the word and not a doer you deceive yourself and this is very strong with us today.  We fill our life with endless hypocrisy and it eats us up.  I never read the word of God to confirm what I already think I know...it's living and has something new to say every time...and God knows I don't know it all...not even close.  The bible and prayer isn't something we can do for extra credit...these things are the source of our faith and stability in life...honestly the bible to me is such a necessity.  If I don't have it I grow more and more unstable and become a person I don't like at all.  If we want to be strong and see the fulfillment of the things God has spoken we must mix faith within us and see the rest He's talking about.  Rest is a solid assurance that though it looks impossible you believe, really believe that God is moving on your behalf.  Joel Osteen hammers this message home to me so much in his book and I hear God speaking.  Just going to church occasionally isn't going to be enough...never praying won't cut it...never touching the bible will not lead to success.  Righteousness and forgiveness doesn't release us from responsibility nor does it neutralize God's justice.  We must be wise and respect Him and honor what He tells us to do.  It's dangerous to associate with God and do nothing He tells us to do.  How can we testify of God's greatness if we tell others to do what we refuse to do ourselves?  We fall but this is only part of the story...rejoice not against me oh mine enemy for though I fall I shall rise...how about that whole rising thing?  Isn't that a part of the story too?

I've been reading a book by Joel Osteen lately that I believe God really brought my way.  I am not nearly the reader these days that I used to be but the ones I've come across lately have been really great...thanks mom for this one!  Here is a piece from what I've been reading that helped me a lot:  once there were three trees, an olive tree, and an oak tree.  They each believed that they had a special purpose in life.  The olive tree believed that it would become a finely crafted treasure chest that held jewels and gold.  One day a man came into the forest and chose the olive tree for a project.  It didn't take long when the craftsman began working for the tree to realize he was being made into a manger for dirty, smelly animals.  He felt worthless and had his dreams were shattered.  The oak tree had similar grand dreams for itself.  It felt for sure that it would be crafted into a fine ship that would take kings across oceans to many exotic lands.  A craftsman came along and chopped the oak down and began working.  Soon the oak realized it wasn't being made into a huge ocean going ship at all but a small fishing boat.  Discouragement set in and so did disappointment.  The pine tree lived at the top of a very high mountain feeling that it would always stand tall reminding people of God's creation.  A lightning storm came along and lightning struck the tree bringing it to the ground in an instant...in just a second the pine's dreams were shattered.  A woodsman came along and threw it in a scrap pile.

All trees felt utterly ruined and were completely discouraged.  None of them saw even one of their dreams come to pass.  God had other plans for the trees.  Many years later Mary and Joseph couldn't find a place to give birth to their baby boy.  They finally found a stable and when Jesus was born they placed Him in a manger made from...you guessed it...the olive tree.  The olive tree had wanted to hold precious jewels but God had better plans, and it now held the greatest treasure of all, the Son of God.

A few years went by, and one day Jesus needed a boat to cross to the other side of the lake.  He didn't choose a huge ocean liner.  He chose a small fishing boat and you guessed it...he chose one made from the oak tree.  The oak tree wanted to carry kings to far away places, but God had better plans.  The oak now carried the King of kings.

A few more years went by, and one day some Roman soldiers were rummaging around in a pile of scrap wood where the discarded pine tree lay.  That pine tree just knew they were coming to cut him up for firewood.  But much to it's surprise, they cut only two small pieces out of it and formed them into a cross.  And it was on this pine tree that Jesus was crucified.  That tree is still pointing people to God's love and God's compassion to this day. 

All of these trees thought that they had lost their value, that their stories were over, yet they became integral parts of the greatest story ever told. 

God knows our value; He sees your potential.  You may not understand everything you are going through right now.  But hold your head up high, knowing that God is in control and He has a great plan and purpose for our lives.

Thank you Joel Osteen and thank God for His endless love and kindness towards us!

You know when a person sits down and looks at their own life realistically you can't help but see the smallness of who we are without Christ.  Sometimes when I read about who God says we are in His word I wonder if He's delusional or what.  It takes a real heart of faith to see it and even then to see it all requires a faith bigger than any I've ever had.  Sometimes it can see so far out there to imagine that the things God says could really be for me.  I've thought sometimes that I have gotten just one thing figured out but then something else comes along and I feel so lost and confused.  Today I read Hebrews chapter three where it says that we should exhort...or encourage each other daily while it is still called today...nice wording in my opinion!  There are so many things that you can put off but sadly it's usually the stuff you really should do that gets put off while the junk you should never do gets the priority.  Being an encouragement to someone else is tough when you have little hope for yourself sometimes but on the other hand sometimes encouraging someone else helps you too.  Lots of times I can see potential for someone else above me...believe that or not.  I can see that and to tell someone that can really lift me up when I see it's only God that can really promote in any way.  He's the one that gives a raise at work or provides a good opportunity in a given situation.  Sin is nothing more than missing it...missing opportunities...not seeing what you have in life so you squander what you've got in the hopes for something you're not supposed to have or whatever.  Sin isn't some fun and exciting thing that you get something good out of it...no it's about as much fun as missing the mark that you're shooting for.  Life is a bigger deal than shooting with a gun at a target though...sin is missing something important in your life and sacrificing what God wants for you and instead going where the devil wants you.  Satan has nothing but death and destruction in mind for you his offers are candy coated arsenic.  Looks good...might even taste good for a minute but it'll kill you in the end.  The next part of verse thirteen mentions the deceitfulness of sin...it tricks you and it 'hardens' your heart meaning that kills your conscience.  You start it and might feel bad but if you keep it up you'll ignore consequence and go full speed ahead and here's the worst:  you'll resent any that try to stop you from committing whatever sin you're into.  Here's my encouragement for the day:  you don't have to do wrong...you're not bound to fail and you don't have to settle for the low state you might find yourself in today.  If I did that right now life would be over and I don't think I'm alone in this.  There's not one thing you're going through that isn't common to someone else but God can and will deliver from all...question is will you be to embarrassed or proud to allow Him to help?  What cost is too high?  Who has to be hurt before it's to high a price to pay for that sin?  Would you sacrifice your kids?  The ministry perhaps?  Today is the day of salvation and I don't mean confessing so we can go to heaven...today is the day to start walking away from the devil and those traps he's set for us.  It might take many painful steps but at least it's going in the right direction and the end of God's plan for you is success far beyond what we can even imagine.

This is kind of along the lines of the post I had the other day.  I keep hearing the same theme lately when I come to God over the things that have come up lately in life.  Today I was reading about blind Bartimaeus.  He was a man in a terrible condition.  He was thought of as a cursed person who had nothing left in life but to beg on the side of the road.  Most people would pass him by figuring that he had no hope left in the world.  This man heard about Jesus coming down the road where he was begging.  This man did a remarkable thing in that he cried out to Jesus and asked for help.  Most people were telling him to shut up and letting him know that he didn't deserve anything at all and to stop shouting for Jesus.  Jesus heard the man and started to walk towards him....the crowd suddenly changed their tune when they noticed Jesus coming along and began saying cheer up Bartimaeus.  Bartimaes does something even more remarkable at this point in that he throws of his beggars jacket and goes toward Jesus though he can't see....talk about a step of faith!  Now Jesus can see this man's condition but asks him what he would like to be done for him.  I don't believe this is a joke or some act of cruelty but an encouragement to keep on going with the faith that he had that inspired him to cry out to Jesus in the first place.  Bartimaeus asks for his site which Jesus grants him.  Bartimaeus now has site and when Jesus says for him to go his way Bartimaeus chooses to follow Jesus!  I find this very inspiring but at the same time I find it really sets up some conditions for faith and receiving answers from God.  There's a syndrome alive and well in the world today.  People hit the bottom of the barrel and can see that what they are doing doesn't work but what happens when they hit the bottom of the barrel is they break out the bottom and start digging.  What does it take to return to God?  If we hit the bottom and blame God we are digging our way into a bigger and bigger mess.  The source of our trouble is all over our faith.  Satan pushes and pushes to get our faith and if we surrender it we become bitter and deceived.  The world has no help to offer.  All that the world offers is a carrot on the end of a stick...a mirage...greener grass on the other side of a fence that we can never climb over.  God offers a solution that is beyond our circumstance.  We can't empower demonic behavior and then criticize God when evil things come our way.  Bartimaeus never once accused God and said "hey God, you make eyes...why did you give me a set that doesn't work?  He didn't start yelling and saying:  "it's a good thing I am blind or I'd hit you with a rock!"  There was no accusation in Bartimaeus reaction to Christ rather he figured that Jesus was good and would do what he asked once he got his attention...not just by yelling but by presenting his case in faith.  I feel challenged...here's a blind beggar displayed more faith than I often do!  I remember the same feeling in Africa.  The people there were there in their best clothes though most of them had less than I did they were happiest during the offering when they could give what they had to God!  It blew me away and still does to this day.  That kind of faith we all have to walk in.  Let's choose life today...let's choose the path of faith.  Deny those feelings that want to make us walk away from God.  He wants us and He wants to bring good things into our life but we have got to take that step of faith.

Trying times require strong faith and faith can only come from hearing the Word of God.  There are many situations that arise in life that are beyond our control.  Many times it feels that the things we're going through is controlled by an evil situation or person but beyond how it appears there's the truth that Christ is in control of our destiny.  He never leaves us nor forsakes us.  Anything that tries to say otherwise is a lie.  We fail, everyone fails, bad things happen but in the middle of it all is God who never fails or lets us down.  Mark chapter nine talks about a man who had a son that was possessed by an evil spirit.  No matter what they had tried to do failed...even the disciples of Jesus couldn't seem to help.  The Lord looked beyond all of this and asked the father of the boy if he believed.  The father's reply is really interesting to me.  He said:  I believe, Lord help my unbelief.  I have been in this position many times where I felt at the end of myself to the point where I could only believe because I knew I was supposed to...it's not that I felt it amounted to anything so I asked God to help me...and every time He came through.  Faith is meant for the trials of life.  Faith is there when there's no reason to go on.  Faith is there when we are betrayed by those we trust and love.  God realizes that we don't understand everything and doesn't condemn us but rather offers real help in a time of trouble.  Satan knows that he can't stop the power of God so he works to convince us that God will never do anything...even when the answer itself is on the way.  Satan knows that if he can persuade us to give up we may well miss the answer God has sent our way.  I know that there are dark days ahead but by faith we will always find the silver lining.  I pray for all of those times when our faith is tried and say Lord help thou our unbelief.  There's a saying that says it's always darkest before the dawn.  I believe this firmly.  Just because the dark is thick and so very real doesn't mean that the coming dawn is any less real!

You know one of the most serious battles being fought in this country is one least mentioned on the news these days.  The last couple days I've seen some really horrific stories on the news.  One of these stories talked about a man who not only murdered his wife when his two children were home...two and four years old but he also dismembered the body and buried it in a park.  This guy heard that the police were going to look for his wife in the park so he went out and dug up the body parts and had the torso of his wife in his garage.  Another story was about a guy who put his kid in a small airplane with him and crashed his plane into his x-wife's house killing himself and the child...yet another story talked about some teens who were giving pot to kids that were just toddlers and video taping it while the single mom slept in another part of the house.  Seeing this stuff brings up several questions to me.  Is this world getting that much darker or is it just that it's not talked about more and we can see it more with the news and the Internet?  What are we supposed to do in the face of this kind of thing?  I always have felt that we can't change the world perhaps but today we can do the best we can to better ourselves and the environment we live in.  I don't believe that the negative things you do means that you'll always be like that but at the same time I believe that we have a responsibility to do what we can to resist the devil and as the bible says he must flee from us.  We as Christians are the first and last line of defense of morals and should we surrender this battle without a fight we end up not only giving up for ourselves but for others that could possibly be helped by a better testimony in our lives.  I hear younger and younger people saying that they can't help it...that's just who they are but if we as younger people just can't help it what hope is there for change for anyone?  Values are something that can be kind a vague in this world where everything is becoming more and more relative but I believe that the Word of God is clear about values and this is a standard we must fight for if we want to experience a life that is more of a blessing than a curse.  I love the scripture that says rejoice not against me oh mine enemy for though I fall I shall rise.  This shows that we absolutely can fail but not be a failure...make a mistake but don't be a mistake.  Mark asks an important question in chapter eight:  what profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?  I know that outside of God I have nothing of value at all.  The only things that are good in my life come from Him.  Jesus spoke well when he said "why do you call me good?  Only God is good!"  Nothing is good without him.  There's been a lot in my life that is negative but why should I glorify that?  Is it only the minister that should speak of better things or is it every Christian?  I've never felt that there should be levels of commitment in the body of Christ.  The ones that don't want to commit can act like the world and that's somehow okay because they are not in the pulpit...I don't think that's God's plan.  If our enemy knocks us down should we talk about that more than when God lifts us up?  So much talk about selfish things...where is God in all of this?  Maybe you don't have to quote the bible chapter and verse but what good has God done for you today?  I hate depression and I hate being depressed...I need to here myself and others give God some credit where credit is do!

Mark chapter seven is the reading of today for me...or part of it anyway.  I think that lately has been a time of terrible pressure in so many ways.  There's been a strong and obvious theme to the attack of the day.  There's a tendency to come against God openly and feel utterly rejected and hopeless.  I have felt these things myself and found it to be real poison.  It's never satisfied to remain with me alone but goes out from me to poison anyone who will listen.  I wish that I had all the answers but I can't even fix myself let alone do something for others.  God is the only hope in these times and I will not come against God for my sake...to do that is death.  I found a verse here that spoke to me today that has been a help.  It's actually in Mark 7: 15 where it says that the things that come from outside a man don't defile him but rather that which is inside.  Like food circumstances can come that are very negative but they can pass out of you as well.  It's the thoughts and perceptions of life that determine what's going to happen with you.  The heart is where both evil and good things originate in your life.  I think again of something I heard from a minister here when he was teaching.  He was talking about the Apostle Paul shaking off a snake that had latched onto his hand when he was gathering firewood.  He said that the sooner you shake things off the better.  The longer you hold onto them the longer they'll hold onto you.  The killer for me has been clinging to things and not letting go and then assuming I'm carrying some kind of burden for everyone...fact is it was simply walking in a lack of faith and worry.  I realize that I'm not holding up the ministry, my family or even myself...without God I'm lost on all fronts.  The wonderful thing about God is that in spite of the fact that I have very little to offer Him He chooses to offer everything He has to me.  The power of belief really can move mountains.  There's no mountain that can't be moved by faith.   There's not a whole lot that can't be ruined by a lack of faith.  Deal with the thoughts of your heart and you are victorious over life.  Life can be very difficult but a defeatist attitude surrenders before the battle is over.  Let's not allow ourselves to be defeated from within.  Leave room for God to move and never apply more faith in a circumstance than to God.  He's able, He's willing and He's going to move on our behalf!  We can't be defeated from without but when can be soundly beaten from within if we allow it.

There's been a lot of things stirred up for quite a while now.  Sometimes it can feel that you're in the middle of a huge storm that is never going to stop.  I'm thankful that step by step God has brought the answers just in time when we've needed it.  I'm so thankful for my mom's good report from the doctor especially when they had said at first it was abnormal.  It's like every devil in hell is stirred up and so determined to shake things up.  Today RD fell down and we were so concerned that he had injured one or both of his knees that have been replaced with artificial knees.  We really prayed tonight and thank God though he's in quite a bit of pain there's no damage to his knees.  Life can sure be like that...things want to drag you down but God makes a way to prevent things from being much worse.  It's hard to understand sometimes but He always makes a way where there is no way.  I just read in Mark about how people from all over came to just touch Jesus clothes that they would be healed...we have a song about this.  What a comfort that here we are today after all Jesus has done for us on the cross and we don't have to go to one town or another but now if we have received Him in our hearts there He is right inside us...He found us...His healing is within us and that work of the cross isn't far away but right there in our heart!  I thank God for watching out for RD today and I thank God for watching out for my mom.  These things are tough but at the same time they they are inspiring and show how God watches out for us.  Just as it was in Mark...as many as touched him were made whole...I claim this for RD tonight.  God bless ya bud!  I'm so glad you're not in surgery right now.