April 12, 2020 How do you speak???

Reading: Numbers 27-28 And 1 Corinthians 14

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:39-40, So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order.

Thoughts: Growing up in a church that really didn’t talk about the Gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Later learning that they mostly taught that they died away with he last of the Apostles. As I spent time in the Word and in being filled with the Holy Spirit, I have not manifested speaking in tongues, but I have prophesied and healed. The Holy Spirit is here with us and working though and in us. Paul would not have been teaching us about the gifts if they were not to be apart of our lives. We need to keep our hearts minds and ears open to the workings of the Holy Spirit. Lead us and Guide us my Lord.

Prayer: Father God you sent your helper to speak to us and lead us as your Son is sitting by your side and interceding for us. I thank you for your love and guidance. I thank you for your provisions and blessings that you pour out upon us. I thank you for the family and bothers that help keep me on the path. I ask your healing and blessings on all, guide our leaders local, national and internationally give them revelation on how to lead in your way.

April 11, 2020 Are you Jealous???

Reading: Numbers 25-26 and 1 Corinthians 13

Scripture: Numbers 25:11, Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy.

Thoughts: Are we jealous for what God is jealous for, is our heart broken for what is breaking God’s heart? Phinehas murdered two people when they were in the act of fornicating. In America, society has gotten to a place where we applaud things that a hundred years ago, we would have been hung or shot us for. The Word of God is clear on what is sin and what we need to avoid, yet much of the world has embraced it even to the point that there are churches that are accepting of these things. We are called to love and not to judge, but the Word does say that if a brother or sister has unrepented sin, and after we and the elders have come to them and they will not repent then we are to not associate with them. We are to not persecute them, but we are to be carful because what we allow into us though our eyes and ears will come out of our mouth. Let us meditate on the Word and love all with the Love of God.

Prayer: Father you are just, and you are the anchor I am connected to. I thank you that you are always watching out for me us. I thank you for your provisions and blessings that you pour out upon us every day. I ask that you make my heart like your mold me and make me into the vessel you need me to be. Pour your healing across the world guide the doctors to what need to be done.

April 10,2020 Didn't you hear me the first time???

Reading: Numbers 23-24, 1 Corinthians 12, and Mark 6

Scripture: Numbers 24:12-13, And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord , to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’?

Thoughts: After felling like I needed the Donkey yesterday. And having the ideas of needing to let my yes be yeas and my no be no. Balaam started off well in saying when Balak’s men came to him the first time that God told him that ha could not go but later after the came back he went and God used him to bless Israel more. Here he is quoting himself telling Balak, “see I told you I can’t curse them.” Are we letting our yes be yes and our no be no, or are we saying ok God said no but I will keep asking to see if God will change his mind? God does not change his mind; He may allow us to go our own way and give us over to our own ambitions but if God told us no, he means no.

Prayer: Father I thank you that you are consistent your yes is yes and your no is no there is no in between. I thank you that you take care of all needs and watch over your people. Open my heart to your leading and guide me. Create in me a new heart and make me the man you need me to be.

April 9, 2020 Did you hear that??

Reading: Numbers 22, Psalm 84, 1 Corinthians 11, and Mark 5

Scripture: Numbers 22:28, Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

Thoughts: I don’t know how often I have needed a donkey to speak to me. There are also many times that I have been the donkey only on the sense that what I was saying made a jackass of myself. There are times in our lives that ether we take things into our own hands and do something that seems like God told us to or because of our continual asking even after hearing from him, then God give us what we want even though it’s not his plan. We need that talking donkey in our lives sometimes, and sometimes we need to be that talking donkey. We are not meant to just let our brothers and sisters wander around in ignorance we are to help one another stay on God’s path. We may be going after good things but God wants to give us greater things we must seek him and strive after his will.

Prayer: Father you are so wonderful, your grace and mercy abound. I thank you that you will even use a donkey to get us back on track. I thank you that you have sent to me people to help correct me and guide me, I thank you for using me to reach others. I thank you for your provision and blessings that you pour out on us each day. I ask that you help me to be the man you need me to be and lead and guide me in your perfect will.

April 8, 2020 My Bunker

Reading: Numbers 21, Psalm 49, and 1 Corinthians 10

Scripture: Psalm 49:5-7, Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,

Thoughts: To me this spoke to the side of me that thinks about and can be jealous of the doomsday preppers that are out there. I want to protect my family, I want all the guns and ammunition, I want a bunker where we can protect ourselves and store all the food and stuff we need. Then again, We have God on our side, he has plans for us and directions for us for each and every day, yes protect your family know how to not let you or your family be victims. We cannot ransom ourselves we cannot extend our lives by even on moment by worrying about things. Focus on God and his grace, mercy, love and provisions in the midst of trials and the bunker will not be needed.

Prayer: Father, you are our bunker you are the place we need to head to when all things fall apart. You are our banner our rally point where we go to regroup and arm ourselves for battle. I thank you that you are the provider, I thank you that you pour your provisions and blessings out upon us every day. I thank you for my family and friends and those you bring to speak into my life.

April 7, 2020 Worship in the storm

Reading: Numbers 19-20, Psalm 47, 1 Corinthians 9, and Mark 4

Scripture: Psalm 47:1-2, Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.

Thoughts: As the world dives into trials and tribulations so do we all. Today the trial is surviving the pandemic of 2020 this virus has been fast moving and deadly and it has caused lots of panic and worry from the top down in governments and world powers. The Greatest power out there is God. Here is this Psalm we are being told that we need to clap and praise and shout to God because of his greatness and power and the King of the World even though much of the world does not recognize him as King. When we worship and praise God and put ourselves in a place of gratitude and thankfulness despite our lack and or the scarcity of the items we want or need, we will find that there is no room in our hearts and mind for fear and worry.

Prayer: Father, you are so wonderful, your creation screams of you and points to you. I thank you for your provisions and blessings that you pour out each and every day. I seek your directions and guidance in this situation. Help me to keep myself in a place of worship and honor to you and cast our all fear and worry.

April 6, 2020 I want it!!!!!!!!

Reading: Numbers 17-18, Psalm 73, 1 Corinthians 8, and Mark 3

Scripture: Psalms 73:2-4, But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.

Thoughts: This feeling has been a part of me more times that I would like to admit, I try to live for God and watch him provide for us day in and day out but I still look at some those people our there who have the brand new cars and trucks, the large houses where there is so much room they don’t know what to do with it all. We love the vehicles that God has led us to and provided, we love our tiny little house where we are able to thrive and even bring people into our home to help them out the best we can. We are blessed, yet I have this tendency to look at what others have and ask why are they getting to have all the nice things as we are stuck with the second hand things. I still struggle with this, but over time and getting to watch how God provides and that we are never going hungry or without we have always been provided for. With God’s leading we have almost no debt and we are able to live on much less then many others do.

Prayer: Father you are the provider, you are the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills and you are the one that takes care of the needs of your children. I thank you for your blessings and provisions that you pour out every day. I thank you for my family and that ability to gather from afar. Open my eyes to your blessings and help me to focus on who you are and what you are doing in our lives and not what if going on in someone else’s walk. Lead me and guide me in my day help me to keep a heart of worship.

April 5, 2020 Who am I?

Reading: Numbers 16 and 1 Corinthians 7

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:15-16, But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Thoughts: This morning I found comfort in this. Growing up in the church and the teachings that divorce was evil or of the devil and that we were not to divorce except because of adultery. I have been through 2 divorces and striving to be the man I’m to be in my marriage. As I look back my first there was abuse (toward me physical and verbal from me in the form of yelling) but also as much as I believed I was not a true follower if Christ, and I don’t think she was ether. My second was during a time where I was playing the Sunday morning Christian going to church part of the time and trying to look good for others especially for my parents to make them think I’m following in their faith. In this time looking back I know that my ex-wife and I were essentially unbelievers. I don’t know if there was physical infidelity, but porn became a huge part of my life. After she left me and we divorced, then after a year of not knowing who I was and seeking to find myself in all the wrong places. I heard God say go back to school I went through the process of getting set to attend a local Biblical university the day before I started my first class, I met my current wife. She has helped me to seek God more deeply then I knew was possible we found a church home where we are thriving. My comfort and peace comes from God and that my understanding of who I was then and who they were and who and who’s I am now. God has redeemed me even after all the mistakes and the failed marriages. I am becoming the man of God I am called to be.

Prayer: Father, you are the great redeemer, you sent your son to take my sins so that I can have a relationship with you. I that you that you love me enough that if I was the only one who needed it you still would have sent him. I thank you for you blessings and provisions that you pour out every day, I thank you for my family and those around me that help point me back to you. I ask that you continue to open my eyes to that wonders of your love and help me to share it with the world and point to you.

April 4, 2020 And the TRUTH shall set you free!!!

Reading: Numbers 15, Psalm 90, 1 Corinthians 6, and Mark 2

Scripture: Psalms 90:7-8, For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.

Thoughts: I know that I struggle laying it ALL out there most of the time. I have struggles with porn and lust, my anger gets the best of me and I don’t always treat my family and friends with the respect they deserve as fellow creations and children of the most high God. Moses was in the midst of watching Israel fall on their faces over and over. I’m not sure but I feel like he wrote this just after God told Israel to go wander for 40 years and then they said we will go, and then head into the promised land and get defeated because God was not with them. How often are we not laying these things in our life down before God and charging into battle with our pants around our ankles because we are not right with God and trying to hide our secret sins in the dark instead of letting the light shine on it and letting the blood of Christ flow over it and work in our lives to make us more like the Father.

Prayer: Father you are the great I Am you are the beginning and the end, you take care of all we need and much of what we want. I thank you that you are with us every day. I thank you for your provisions and blessings that you pour out upon us. I ask that you soften our hearts and lead us into true repentance. Help me to be the man, father, and friend, you call me to be. Help me to point you and your truth.

April 3, 2020 Who are we associating with?

Reading: Numbers 13-14, Psalm 81, and 1 Corinthians 45

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:9-11, I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

Thoughts: How often do we judge people for things we have issues with? I don’t know how many times this passage or others like it are used to do just that. When our brothers and sisters in Christ have fallen or returned to their sins, we are placed in a hard spot. Here it says not to associate with them, yet we are also told to love on them. My thoughts on this is if they are our brothers and sisters then we need to be encouraging them and trying to help them grow, but we are not to be their best friends. Those we spend time with are those we become. If we are spending time in the word and in prayer we are going to become more like God, if we are spending time in areas or with people that are encouraging things that are counter to the Father then we are going to become more like them. Whom are we becoming more like?

Prayer: Father, I thank you that you are here with us and that you take care of all things, I thank you that you long to be apart of our lives. I thank you for your provisions and blessings that you pour out every day. I thank you for my family and the directions that we have seen so far. I ask that you help me to not judge but to encourage and lead those around me to the place where they can come back into fellowship with you.

April 2, 2020 Angry with God?

Reading: Numbers 11-12, Psalm 148, 1 Corinthians 4 and Mark 1

Scripture: Number 11:15, If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.

Thoughts: How often do you get angry at God? I’m not going to ask if you get angry with God because if you are human you have probably been mad at God. I say welcome to the club, here we see Moses saying just kill me, and there are many times we hear about different people crying out to God in different situations. How are we handling our anger with God? God does have broad shoulders and can take our anger, but just like on Moses, God wants to pour out blessings, comfort, and peace on each of us. We are going to go though trials and tribulations I know the thoughts come up why I’m I going through this and sometimes we think “God, why are you putting me though this?” God is not putting you though anything but he may be allowing a trial to refine and grow you. When we cry out to God are we shouting “kill me now” or are we crying out and seeking him in the mist of the storm?

Prayer: Father you are the great I AM, the beginning and the end. I thank you that you give us what we need in the mist of the trials and storms that we go through. I thank you that you are the one in control and have the shoulders to bear all our burdens. I thank you for your provisions and blessings that you pour out upon us every day. I ask that you open my eyes and heart to your direction and help me to lay my burdens and worry at your feet and on carry your peace and love with me.

April 1, 2020 What is being burned our?

Reading: Numbers 8-10 and 1 Corinthians 3

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:15-17, If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Thoughts: Every choice of our lives is a brick in our temple to God. We spend every day building another wall or room or whatever though out our lives and each day. There are time that we will be tested by fire and are all those brick and choices going to stand up to the fires of those trials. One day the fire of judgment will come upon our temple and are we going to be sitting there watching all we built that looked good to the world burn to the ground because it was filled with straw and not made of things that will withstand the flames. Today we can start removing those brick of straw and replacing them with Gold and building on the firm foundation with the Cornerstone of Christ.

Prayer: Father you are the refiner, you are the potter, refine me and mold me into the man you need me to be. I thank you for your provisions and blessings and the stewardship you have laid before me. I ask that you help me to see the straw brick in my life and how to replace them. Open my eyes to your guidance and directions you have for me. Help me to submit to authority and lead with love.

March 25, 2020 Sorry for the time away.

I know that this has been quiet for a time. I have been focusing on other projects and have not taken the time to post on here. For that I am sorry I am going to do my best to share more of what God is doing and speaking to me both though the still quiet breeze and yes the 2X4 that I still need from time to time. Here are some of the journals from the last couple days. I pray they find you well.

March 23

Reading: Leviticus 24-25 and John 15

Scripture: Leviticus 25:3-4, For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord . You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard.

Thoughts: Moses is teaching about the law for giving your fields a rest every 7 years and that there will be enough in the 6^th year to last into the 8^th when you can harvest again. In American culture we are lucky to take a could days off from work but we almost always fill it with so many things that we are glad to be back at work because we get less rest on our days off. We need to take a rest from our toils. There are companies out there that have a sabbatical system set up where you get a paid break to reset, this is more then vacation or sick time it is an extended rest. God told us about these thousands of years ago. We need to be willing to take a day a week to just relax in the lord and reset our focus on him. When Israel was not giving the land its Sabbath, God took them out of the land and gave the lad rest for 70 years. In this time of COVID 19 many of us are being told to take a break this may be a few weeks or months, so make a point to reset your compass back to true north and focus on the father.

Prayer: Father you are so wonderful and your creation screams of your glory. I thank you that you care for us that you set the need for rest. I thank you for your love, and your provisions and blessings that you pour out on us every day. I ask that you help me to rest and help me to keep my focus and my compass pointed to you.

March 24

Reading: Leviticus 26, Psalm 12, and John 16

Scripture: Psalm 12:6-8, The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

Thoughts: This is a Great reminder that God’s word has value. I have struggled with staying in the word, in my past I played the dutiful Sunday morning Christian thinking because I believed and knew the stories that I was going to be fine. In the culture of the time when this what written 7 was considered the number of completion and they said the word was purified 7 time. I this time the wickedness of this world is everywhere and we need to stay in the Word daily diving deep into what we it teaches.

Prayer: Father you are the great redeemer and I thank you for bringing me back into relationship with you. I thank you for the blessings and provisions that you pour out upon us every day. I thank you for my family and friends that you have brought into my life for my encouragement. Open my heart to you love and guidance lead me in your love. Open my eyes to what you have for me each day.

March 25

Reading: Leviticus 27, Psalm 136, and John 17

Scripture: John 17:14-16, I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Thoughts: As I was going through today's reading I found myself really comforted, in the mist of the global pandemic and the panic that many people are going though due to the pandemic or the efforts to control it, there is peace. I know this in the passage Jesus was not praying about an outbreak or some other disaster that affects everyone but was praying over us that after receiving the Word that we are going to be hated and he wants us to be protected from the evil one. Even though we are not being persecuted in this the governments wail looking out for us are also making it more difficult for us to do life together and share God’s love. There is also the great reminder that we are not of this world, our citizenship is in heaven and we are resident aliens on this planet. It does not matter what happens here our home is with God in heaven.

Prayer: Father you are the maker of all things, protector of all thing, and you use all things for our good. I thank you for your love and mercy, I thank you for your provision and blessings you pour out upon us every day. I ask that you help me to walk in your plan and seek you all the time. Open the eyes to see the good that is coming from the disturbance of our lives due to these issues.

Foxhole Men

I know I have let this move to a back burner and those of you of following or seeing that nothing has been done for a time I thank you and want to say yes I’m still here. I have been distracted with work on my book, I have made great strives to getting trough it and once finished it will be shared here.

Something I feel that I need to talk about like I needed to talk about in my men’s small group. As men we have this need to do battle together to become closer. Women seem to be able to come together and in a circle talk things through and become close. Men we want the common experience to huddle up after to discuss then after that we can discuss things about our lives. Men do not want to be open and vulnerable in front of other me, but we are more likely to be willing to discuss those hard things and those things that cause us to have that Iron Sharpening Iron time. There are many different names that have been place on these kinds of groups of men; Band of Brother, Band, Guild, or a Foxhole.

I prefer the Foxhole, we are men who are striving together we are in that hole together I know I can trust the guys to my right and left they are there to back me up whenever I have to charge into battle. We are going to hold ground together we are going to take ground together and if we are to fall back No man is left behind. Jehovah Nissi is one of the names of God meaning God my Banner and banner can also be translated as rally point, when we are being attacked and we need to fall back not only do we not leave anyone behind we have a Home Base that is stronger and more secure in our Rally point then what the evil one can bring at us. In Genesis 17:12-13 Aaron and Hur were Moses Foxhole guys in when he was struggling to hold that staff above his head to keep the Lord’s favor on the battle they helped hold the staff and gave him a rock to sit on.

These men that we surround ourselves with whom we do life with. We need men who we see and spend time with regularly. Most of my men I see at church every week some we even serve together in kids ministry. Our trenches will not look like your trenches but we are all at war with the evil one. We also have a monthly gathering where we do dinner and hold each other up and having our Iron Sharpens Iron time. One of the best attributes that I want in myself and in my Foxhole guys are guys who can and do identify their mistakes and are willing to listen if one of the other guys calls him out on his stuff.

There are guys that you don’t want in you group because they will be the men who will draw you down and cause a lack of growth or even backsliding. These are in no particular order. We do not want complainers, complainers are those men who can’t be content or pessimistic, these men will cause us to always focus on what is wrong and not where God is leading us. We don’t want an excuse maker, that guy who always comes up with an excuse for why they can’t come help. When they only come for the fun times and never willing to do the work where else is that may doing that. We don’t want settlers, these are men who never want to grow never wants to work on anything and thinks they are good where they are. We don’t want addict not those would are striving to over come a sin but those like the settlers who are ok with their addictions and don’t want to change. We don’t want womanizers, those men who eyes wander from their wife/girlfriend, our eye need to be like basketballs bouncing off the things we need not be focusing on. Men who’s eyes linger are going to inadvertently encourage us to let our eyes linger. Finally we don’t want bums in our group, Men who don’t want to do anything or grow or be challenged, these are also like the settlers in that they are not willing to do much unlike the settler they may not be happy where they are.

We are called to stand together in Ecclesiastes 4:12 we are told that a three strand cord is not easily broken. We are also told in Revelation 2:5 that we need to repent otherwise our light may be removed from us. These men are there to help us to repent and hold us accountable.

August 10th, 2019 Who's strength is it?

Reading: 1 Kings 15, 2 Chronicles 14-16, and Revelation 6

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 16:9, For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.

Thoughts: In times of weakness I have heard and have said to God, “Where are you? Am I alone in this?” One of my biggest struggles is my feelings of inadequacy, because of the way the school system treated me in elementary. Even though in 2 Chronicles this passage was meant as a rebuke to King Asa because he was seeking help from and relying on the king of Syria. God is reminding me in this passage that he sees me as he looks to and fro, I have his strong support. My heart is not blameless because of anything I did or didn’t do but because of what Christ did for me.

Prayer: Father, I love you and I thank you for the men you have brought to me to pour into me. I thank you for all that you have given to us and the blessings you pour out on us each day. I thank you that your strength and your guidance in times of need.