My wife just recently had her thirtieth birthday.  She often says that it bugs her to be getting old....I'm five years older so as you might imagine I have very little pity for her!  The nice thing about birthdays is that they can make you think about all the years that you've known people.  The fact is I haven't had that many close friends.  I've had aquaintences but it's not often that somebody really can get close to me.  My wife is someone that I'm closer to than anyone else and like gold I treasure that because it's so rare.  She's somebody that has always stuck by me through thick and thin and been a tremendous blessing to me.  The bible speaks truly when it says when you've found a wife you've found a good thing (Proverbs 18:22).  The Lord has shown His favor to me in so many ways.  Lovely is one of the most beautiful ways for sure.  I think of it that eleven years ago I had no hope of finding someone that would be just who I needed and then out of the blue Lovely came onto the scene and in spite of many obstacles we've been married now over a decade!  Happy birthday Hon!  I love you so much!

This is a brief look at the lyrics to the song that really blessed me lately.  I have it playing at the time of this writing but it may not be playing when it's finally seen by somebody.  This song is by the band Petra.  It's quite old but the words are powerful and underline one of the real problems with the church.  Here's what it says:  "Another sleepy Sunday safe within the walls

Outside a world in desperation calls

But no one hears the cries or knows what they're about

The doors are locked from within or is it from without?

Looking through rose colored stained glass windows

Never allowing the world to come in

Seeing no evil and feeling no pain

Making the light as it shines from within

So dim....so dim

Out on your doorstep lay masses in decay

Ignore them long enough and maybe they'll go away

When you have so much you think you have so much to lose

You think you have no lack when really you're destitute."

One of the big battles for the church at large today seems to be the confusion over what love really is.  Many mistakenly think that being 'positive' is the only way you can be and never address the evils in this world but if a person is honest they can see there are many instances of very negative situations mentioned in the bible.  Christ Himself when dealing with the pharisees would be seen by some as being harsh but He is our example.  Jesus didn't spend His time denying the existence of sin and the results of it but was ever there to minister to the people and deal with sin head on.  If there was demonic activity He dealt with it directly...He never denied it's existence.  If He was questioned by someone that wasn't sincere He called them on it...often He called people like that hypocrites...He didn't say "don't publish this because someday they may think that I'm being negative" but rather knew that the Holy Spirit would enspire men to write the words He'd spoken.  Today we find ourselves in a wold filled with negative events and I believe that we as Christians have not only the right to deal with these things but the obligation to seek the Word of God and pray to find out what God has to say.  Sometimes there's a scriptural answer to these things and other times we can relate how it effects us and find the answer from the most unusual of sources.  I was reading in Revelation today (Rev. 10:8-11) It talks about John 'eating' the Word and it being sweet at first but later inside he basically got a stomach ache!  How true is this?  I don't know how many times I've received the Word of God and it was so good but immediately the Devil comes in and attacks that word.  We can't defend this by denying that it's under attack and like with this blog if I can mention a struggle I'm going through and tell you about it you can help by praying for me...or if I mentions struggles that our country is going through....you can pray!  The love of God isn't like man's love where we claim we love someone but do nothing to help or are like those people that didn't help the man robbed by the side of the road (Luke 10:25-37).  Some people went by and denied that there was someone in need of help but the one that really cared did something about it.  I believe that the church is bound by religion and unwilling to help because they feel it's wrong to mention evil for fear of being 'negative' but if you're an honest student of scripture you can see this line of thinking is a joke.  The reason Christ died for us all is because He saw the terrible need of the human race...He did confront evil directly and I believe that we should do the same.  The purpose of this blog is to share not only my struggles but what God has to say.  I mentioned the struggle our soldiers are facing every day and those that show negative videos claiming to have a monopoly on truth.  The bottome line to this was:  PRAY FOR OUR TROOPS!  If the negative things we go through leads us to God then it's not a crime to talk about it nor is it something the church shouldn't talk about.

Lately we've been really trying to deal with the things that we say and think at our church and I came along these scriptures today in Luke chapter 18 beginning in chapter 11.  It's talking here about the 'seed' which is the Word of God and the 'soil' which is the heart where the 'seed' is planted.  I notice that no matter which parable we're talking about here the seed is the same but the soil is quite different in each case.  The Word of God can seem difficult or even harsh at time but no matter what it's good because it's from God and He can only be good.  The soil on the other hand is quite a different matter.  The Word talks about heart and that means you mind will and emotions...this is a very changeable 'soil' indeed and unlike the Word it's not always good.  We as Christians often struggle and even though here in America in particular it's very easy to get a bible but we neglect that precious freedom so often.  The Word has a way of cultivating the heart...it makes hidden things obvious but what happens if we never even pick up the Word or take any time with God at all?  I believe that without agreement with the Word of God our minds can become very wayward and not at all in agreement with anything good.  Funny how man seems to think that he can find a happy medium between good and evil by just going his or her own way but the fact is anything we do without God is at enmity or disagreement with all that's good since only God is good.  We see in verse 16 that we don't light a candle and put it under a basket but rather let it shine...to hold onto the Word we've been given we have got to let it show...what happens to a candle that's snuffed?  I find that I am amazed at what I can forget.  There has to be a constant reminder of what God is saying in life.  The difficulties that America has even with the war on terror come from just sort of going with the flow and not taking the time to fight that war even in our own minds.  Wars these days are every bit as psychological as they are physical....not to mention the most important:  spiritual.  I want so much to be good soil for the Word of God where even if it was just a little bit that God has spoken I make it grow by believing it and reminding myeslef of it ans sharing it with others.  I know that with the war on terror it's the same....I know this:  I have way more faith in my country than I do these terrorists.  I do not believe that America is an entirely evil country and I don't believe that our president is stupid or ignorant of what's going on.  The accusations that have flown about the administration have always come from those that are less knowlegeable the the president...I find it outstandingly arrogant to assume that we know more than he does.  I take the same approach with God in that I believe He knows much more than I do...this is not a blind belief but a total trush.  I put faith in God and so far I see no reason to doubt my president nor my country.

This is such a great day to remember the sacrifice of the Lord for us!  I am so glad that it didn't stay with Him in the grave!  Hard to believe that some don't believe that He's alive.  How could you even walk out the door and see the things that God has made...the things that He sustains everyday and not know that there's a God?  I'm always puzzled at agnostics who say there may be a God but if there is i don't know Him or an atheist that denies God outright.  Don't you know that every breath you take is a miracle?  How could this all be some cosmic mistake?  Out of all the planets in our universe alone this is the only one that sustains life...how could that not be the divine plan of God?  How could we 'evolve' by some mistake?  God is so alive and His genious is so evident that only those who have their eyes closed could miss the evidence of providence that's around us all.  My life would be nothing without Him and there would be no purpose in life or death if this is all some tragic mistake...sorry but i find no evidence that life is a mistake.  Even the most evil of people serve a purpose though it may be hard to see at the time.  Today my reading brought me to Luke chapter 6 verses 48 and 49.  I love how it talks about our foundation.  If we build our lives around fragile stuff that is here today but gone tomorrow how can we expect to have any kind of stability?  If we build on the rock...which is Christ and the things in the bible we have a firm foundation and that can withstand all that comes against it.  I always see it as being something you have to stay on to have stability.  It's not that the Word of God ever is weak but if you move away from it and don't read the bible constantly and remind yourself of the promises that God has for us you will forget and the waves that couldn't touch you on the rock can certainly touch you when you're on the 'sand'.  Talk about expensive realistate!  Christ paid for our place on the rock through His death and resurrection...how can we choose the poor ground when He's offering us the very best...paid for with His very own precious blood?  I wish it was easy to walk in this all the time...for now I rejoice that I'm reminded of it and pray that if I ever fall short of find myself in the sand I'll be able to find the Lord where He ever is beconning my up higher...to go to that place that He's reserved for me at such a high cost.

Today in reading I really enjoyed a scripture I was reading in Proverbs (3:13-15).  It was talking about how wisdom is more precious than siver or gold or rubies and really more valuable than anything else we desire.  There's so many ways to communicate these days but I've found that usually the ones who truly use the lines of communication are those that express one point of viewn and the masses at large just seem ot soak it up and are swayed by whatever they hear.  Nothing can depress me personally more than seeing and hearing what the people are saying about our government or the war on terror these days.  It seems that truly the battles won on the ground have nothing to do with the wars won on the tv screen.  I find a great similarity to this and the warfare we go through spiritually every single day.  Satan has really lost the battle over those who believe so he spends his time in a psychological warfare where he works to undermine us and convince us to act in such a way that we might as well not be Christians at all.  It's not about how wise we think we are but wether or not we're in agreement with what God says...that's true wisdom.  Just speaking doesn't mean you're exercising the right of freedom of speech or being what God has called you to be.  Mostly what we see exercised to day is the abuse of speech and a cronic lack of wisdom that comes from the ignorance of the Word of God.  The only way we can combat this is to be in the Word of God...the bible calls it renewal of the mind where we get ourselves in agreement with the Word of God but few even recognize this battle.  Without faith it's impossible to please Him and you can't have faith without hearing the Word of God....not just listening to it...or having it go in one ear and out the other but really having an understainding of what you're reading.  I've found it really helps to read different translations of the bible but even more to actually read with an expectation that the Holy Spirit will guide me to understading of the Word.  We don't have to just except it because it's on tv or because someone else says it....if God hasn't spoken it then it won't last but according to the bible His word will remain forever!  Help me Lord to find wisdom today and every day!

I really like this picture of Gabrielle!  She is such a sweetie and really a total joy in every way.  I am so thankful that God brought her to us in spite of me thinking I had it all figured out.  I never would have had her if I would have been doing things my way and what a difference it would have made!  She's so much fun now as she more and more shows what her little personality is.  This picture really shows her when something has hit her funny bone.

Actually tomorrow is a my son's birthday.  We plan on having a couple of days of fun stuff to do and I hope he really, really enjoys it.  I can hardly believe that he'll be seven years old already!  It seems like it wasn't really that long ago in some ways but my daily experiences with Mike show me he's become quite a wonderful young man whom I am very, very proud of.  We are going to be hitting Summer break now before too long and I look forward to every minute with the wonderful family that God has given me!  Thank God for Mikey today!

This is the second time in a day that I've been looking for things about our troops in Iraq and have come upon these websites that claim to show the 'whole truth' about the war in Iraq while all they show is insurgant propaganda video.  The new one I saw was of a sniper called Juma that has supposedly killed over a hundred coalition soldiers.  I can't help but burn when I see stuff like this.  They call this the 'whole truth'?  Where is the American soldier's views?  Where's the oppinion of any of the coalition soldiers involved in operation Iraqi Freedom?  All I see is insurgant propaganda pieces and a claim to be telling the whole truth.  Isn't the whole truth in need of the whole truth for the story to be fully told?  You can't take propaganda video from terroists and claim to have the views of any but a tiny minority that is anything but true.  The American soldiers that I've heard about mention the good that is being done there...schools being opened...hospitals being opened...caring for people in need of medical attention.  All I see on the insurgant side is screams of how 'great' their 'god' is while they kill innocents.  What have they done for the Iraqi people I'd like to know.  I think of my friend who served in Iraq and how he mentioned the good things that the troops had done.  He like so many others has sacrificed so much not just for his country but for Iraq...there's a loss of humanity when you have to be somewhere where you're trying to help and there's people like this sniper that would take a shot at those helping....how do you cope with having your friends shot or killed like this?  I can't help but continue to believe that these monsters that set up roadside bombs or shoot at coalition troops that are trying to help are either brought to justice by being captured or killed.  I say again:  GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN TODAY!!!  Sorry but to say tha you support the troops while coming against everything they're doing is nothing more than a lie.  How can you know a soldier or go there and talk like that anyway?  The soldiers are heroes not just because of being soldiers but because of what they're doing in places like Iraq.  I salute their sacrifice and stand by not only them but what they fight for.  I don't have to look at video like I've been seeing and be in doubt about who's side God is really on.

I figured that I'd better have some commentary on the latest batch of pictures.  It's been so nice to have things warm up a little after it's been cold for so long.  I really understand what people mean when they say that they can see God in nature.  The new house we're in now has so much wild life just outside our door that it's really wonderful.  I was remembering how long ago we had a field outside and you could hear meadow larks out there in the Spring.  I asked God for this and the other day mom got us up to go outside and there wasn't just one or two meadow larks out there but a regular chorus!  They have such a beautiful song and if they aren't giving glory to God then I don't know what they're doing!  If this wasn't enough to show that there's a living God out there the warm weather allowed us to go to the zoo and be outside...which means photo opportunities!  I go back and look at my family and I know that I know God is good...not just in general but good to me!

Today I received an answer to a note I sent someone on C-Match...sort of a website designed to meet other Christians around the world.  I have had the opportunity to correspond with people from all over the place.  Recently one of them was wondering what I meant by God not being a respector of persons.  This idea can be found several times in the Word but I was looking at it in Romans chapter two verse eleven where it says:  "For there is no partiality with God."  I really think this is one of the cornerstones for us in the bible because it shows how God never looks at us according to the natural and determines wether He's going to answer our prayer or be good to us but rather according to the work of Jesus Christ which we can see further down in verse sixteen where it says:  "in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel."  The great truth in this is that it shows the measuring stick of God if you will to be Jesus Christ!  We as Christians have Jesus within us...we're the 'temple of the living God' and as such we have access to the good things that God has for us...what an awesome thing!  I never get tired of the mysteries of God revealed by His Spirit!  If we don't have Jesus we miss out on everything that God has for us and we're lost without at compass!

Just yesterday I was looking up some things about war and such and came upon a site that had some pictures and video of the Iraq war.  I was horrified to see that some of these video were from some of the terrorists we are fighting now.  These look to be home video clips that were no doubt originally sent to Arab t.v. networks or posted on the various terrorist websites that you can find these days.  One of these videos had lots of eerie chanting/singing and different shots of a couple terrorists firing a mortar.  Then with a bunch of shouts of 'Allah Akbar' they showed what I assume they were trying to suggest was an American soldier who was killed by the mortar...though it's hard to say if this is really the case.  Here they are shouting 'great is god' while kicking a dead body around and the sheer evil of this just hits me.  We are not talking about an enemy that can easily be converted or one with any sort of honor.  They can't imagine anyone doing good to them because they don't do good to anyone else.  I know that it's a spirit much like what you can see if you've seen any video footage of what the Nazi's did in their time to the jews.  This is obviously a picture of demonic activity that defies what most can imagine.  I've seen many examples of outrageous behavior in my travels but I have to say this stuff was bottom of the barrel.  I was struck with the urgency that we must never forget our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I don't think we're flawless but we certainly are better than that.  We must win this war and we must not forget to pray for our soldiers!  God bless the United States and her allies and may they know success against this enemy that threatens to drag the world down a path that would destroy us all.  May our troops have Your guidance above all else.  May we find the people behind these attacks and deal with them...may real justice be brought to them.  I thank God that though we may not know where Bin Ladden is hiding you certainly do...get that information to our soldiers and let him be killed or captured.  I pray that there's a move of the one true and living God in these countries who have never known what Jesus Christ is all about and what He's done for us all.

There are a lot of things in life that can come your way.  I've found that the ones that are pleasant and surprise us are the best of all.  Eagle Ministries has been my church and the ministry I've been involved with as long as I can remember.  There are many churches that are bigger and have fancier buildings but none of them would ever give me the love and devotion of this ministry.  It's so hard to get anyone to ever pay attention to you these days let alone find a group of people that would really believe in you and give you a chance.  Eagle Ministries has done just that for me.  Many times I've thought I couldn't go on another step and then there's the gifts of God right there in this tiny little ministry reminding me of who God says I am over and over.  My mom has been the leader of this work and done so much with so little recognition but I just want to say I recognize that work and value it so very much!  I've heard some say that they come from a huge church that's sent them to other countries but for me....few have sacrificed so much so that I could travel abroad...isn't that an even greater miracle?  I've seen the miracle of the widow's might over and over again...I see the sacrifice of Christ for me personally over and over again.  It's one thing to see that sacrifice for the whole world but quite another to see that on a personal level.  If I could say that I want to accomplish one thing in my life it would be to keep the spirit, drive and excellence of this ministry alive no matter what and pass this great inheritance to my family and to those that would believe that you don't have to be great to serve a great God!

I finally figured out how to get music to play on here...sheesh!  I don't know wether to feel like I'm finally getting somewhere or wether I should feel like a total noob!  I just want to say that Disciple has been such a blessing to me ever since I first heard of them.  I got their EP "My Daddy Can Whip Your Daddy" and have been hooked ever since.  I was listening to all of the stuff I had from "What Was I Thinking?" to "Rise Up" and realizing how much of a difference these guys have made in my life...wether they know it or not.  I've had the privledge to see them twice here...that's saying something since there's hardly a decent band that comes through and for a Christian band of this caliber to show up is even less common!  The first time we saw them was in a little club called Double Edge.  I liked that because they were reachable and we could talk to them.  The music was beyond what I'd ever imagined because I could feel an attitude of real worship to God in spite of the frantic beat and intensely loud volume.  I love hard music...it's one of my real joys in life but to have the music mixed with the worship was really something I'd never experience before.  I was able to talk breifly to Kevin, the lead singer of Disciple and tell them how their music always has been there to fight for me even when I couldn't fight on my own any more.  I've been to some dark places in my life but this has been a light at the end of the tunnel over and over...why?  Because it all points to Jesus Christ!  God bless Disciple...the whole band...not just as they minister but as they go to be with their loved ones. 

 

B.T.W.  It never hurts to check out their website at disciplerocks.com or check out what they've got on myspace.com!