17 Year After September Eleventh.

17 years after September 11, 2001. 

I was 20 years old, in my eyes social media was still in its infancy. I was working as a backroom attendant at a major retailer. I turned the tv on as I was getting ready for work when I saw the live feed of the second air craft hitting the trade center. I went to work and of course this is all anyone could talk about for the next few day as we all try to wrap our minds around what had happened and what it all means. 

As I looked at the calendar and realized that it was going to be 17 years post September Eleventh in the next couple days I thought back on this time. In these last 17 years I have seen social media and mobile technology have become so prevalent and with that, the saturation and awareness of local and global issues. These issues now at our fingertips and are splashing across social media feeds all day. 

I hear every day that the world is getting worse and more hate filled every day, that may be possible but I think that is more, that we are now more connected and can see the evil that has been infiltrating our world from the beginning. God uses all sorts of things to get our attention. Some times he lets us hit rock bottom and fall into a place where we can’t pick ourself out of just so he can lift you out. God does not make bad things happen but he will use all things for our good it we earnestly seek him. 

Over the first months and years after the attack I watched such great love and good come from those who were directly involved in recovery and cleanup in the aftermath. God’s love for his people poured out all over the place. Now in the last few years there have been many attacks on schools and different establishments due to hurt people and broken people doing things to cause more pain. 

As the world says to tolerate those who are different due to anything; color, race, religion, sexual preference, or even social and economic difference. God dose not say to tolerate, God says to LOVE and Accept them. We are not here to judge one another we are here to love. I may not agree with your stance on something but I am willing to talk about it so I have a better understanding even if I don’t change or change you. 

When in comes to sin we have a tendency to create a hierarchy saying I’m not as bad as that person because I have not done this or that. in God’s eyes Sin is Sin, and Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We all have sinned I am just as guilty as a murderer or as some who has committed adultery. God gave us a way out and that is through the blood of Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sin and gave us the opportunity to be adopted into God’s family as his sons and daughters. 

During these last 17 years I walked away from God, and was called back. I had two marriages fail and end. Then in the last 7 years God back in touch with me and I got a bachelors in Leadership and Ministry I married a Godly woman who help remind me that God has a plan for me, and have become a Father to two wonderful children. I have also seen demons cast out and friends and family healed, have been healed myself. God is trying to reach each of us, He has a plan for each of us and wants to see us walk in it. 

Get off My soapbox!!!!

Wikipedia says: A soapbox is a raised platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject. The term originates from the days when speakers would elevate themselves by standing on a wooden crate originally used for shipment of soap or other dry goods from a manufacturer to a retail store.

It has been my experience that these soapboxes come in many sizes and shapes. I guess this is because our opinions and views are as varied as the vegetation around the world. I know that the times I have gotten on a soapbox it has not been the most intelligent thing for me to do. Over the last few weeks maybe even months God has been speaking to me about things I didn’t think were things. 

During one of my daily readings, that at times are not so daily, a couple passages jumped out at me. First was Proverbs 18:7, “A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.” At this I thought, “Am I that fool?” Then we came to Proverbs 19:1, “Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.” There are times where I will rant and rave about something, A political view, beliefs, or even a good movie. As I look back at those rants and those time I didn’t think and I just jumped atop that soapbox most of them I was the fool. 

The main reason I know I was the fool was because I can look back and see not only was I atop that soapbox it had some of the biggest holes in it and/or, what I was ranting about was a giant arrow pointing at me and how big of a fool I was. We all have soapboxes but we all also have platforms and microphones to share God’s love to the world. We each have a unique view and story of how God got us to where we are, and he is not done with us yet. 

As I struggled with the idea that I have been being a fool and ranting about things that are unimportant or using my soapbox to try to get some sort of personal gain. I think or even tell others that I am an educated intelligent man, but I realize that in my intelligence I was being an idiot. I was that fool, God brought back to me Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” 

I feel that God is calling me and maybe us all to get off our soapboxes, throw them in the fire, and climb onto the podium he has set up for us and step up to the microphone. We all have something to say and God has someone for you to say it to. 

I know how true this can be at times. I grew up in the church and walked away some in my early to mid 20’s. I got involved in drugs and alcohol and the seedier side of Mid-evil reenactments. After my second divorce the first thing I heard from God was to return to Bible College. As I started school again I met my wife, she is a wonderful spirit filled woman. Together we found a church where we both flourished, and I started to see God’s hand moving around me. 

One Friday morning at our church’s mens prayer meeting during prayer I hear (not audibly) that I need to go and pray for my aunt. I had heard from my family that a few days prior she had been diagnosed with lymphoma, there was lots of fear and anxiety around this. After hearing that I needed to go I cut my day at work short talked to my dad and aunt, then my dad and I drove nearly 200 Miles and about 3 hours up to my aunt’s home. 

After a visit and dinner with my aunt and cousin we spent some time in prayer and laying on of hands. As we finish my aunt said that she felt something going through her body. A week later she sends a photo of the biopsy location on her arm. When we arrived up there it was red and irritated, looking like the evil cancer can be, but that picture only a few days later was completely healed and looked as if it had been no more then a scratch. A week or so goes by and she goes in for a follow up PET scan and the doctors could not find the cancer that had been the diagnoses vexing the family. 

 God didn’t send some preacher who has all these miracles under his belt. God asked this guy to go 3 hours pray for his aunt. My faith was increased just by allowing myself to listen and hear God saying go and if she had not been healed in this way I think my faith would have still increased but in this healing God has started the softening the heart of those who are in the sphere of influence of those who experienced or saw it. Just as the blind man said after being asked about Jesus healing his blindness John 9:25, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” We are only asked to share what God has done in your life. 

Let us get off our own boxes and speak of God’s love.

Miracles Happen even to the least of us.

I have been in church most of my life I spent time running from God in different ways and different times. About 6 years ago God drew me back, during these past few years God has done some amazing things in my life. I felt lead to return to school, in witch I was able to get my Bachelors. God lead me to a woman who has changed my life and encouraged me though the years of school and the ups and downs of employment.

For several years I have had some discomfort and shortness of breath, that I thought was just getting older and the fact that I am an ex-smoker. After seeing something odd on a chest x-ray for pneumonia I was ordered a CT. About 6 months ago I had a consultation with my Doctor about my CT scan from last week to discover I had a Bochdalek hernia. This type of hernia is a Birth Defect and has a relatively high infant Mortality rate and is almost never found in adults except in post mortem examinations. After consulting with a few other doctors there was no clear consensus on if it was the Bochdalek or a more common type but no matter the kind of hernia I had been living with it for many years even since childhood being I have had issues breathing when running even when I was a child now that I really look back. When I met with the surgeon they told me that I would need to loose 25LB so that it would reduce some of the risk factors in the surgery.

Recently when attending a Men’s Retreat my church puts on every year, on Saturday during the evening session there was a call for people needing healing. There was a large group of men who came to the alter for healing. During the worship and prayer time after the healings happened, I could feel something moving or changing in my gut. I was skeptically optimistic, being that I was raised in a church where miracles and healings are not talked about much if at all. Over the next few days I started paying attention to things as I went about doing the cleanup at the retreat and coming home. On the Monday following the retreat I was sitting on the floor putting shoes on one of my children and I didn’t have the breathing issue I normally did, at that point I told my wife “I think I was healed.” After work that day having dinner at my parents house we were playing in the back and I picked up my son and ran around the yard, something I had never been able to do, if I was carrying anything I wad get winded to the point I would have to stop and sometime would put me into a coughing fit that would make it even harder to breath.

Miracles happen every day, little ones like the sun rising for another day. On that day God though the hands of men some I know well and others only in passing gathered around me and many other men praying for healing. I know in my heart and in how I feel that this hernia has been sealed and everything is now working into it’s proper place. I am working on still loosing the 25LB so that when I go to the doctor they can take another scan and see there is no issue and have irrefutable proof that God is a healing God and a miracle working God, and ALL His Promises Are YES and AMEN.

April 30, 2018 Cursed be

Reading: Galatians 2 and Deuteronomy 25-27

Scripture: Deuteronomy 27:15-26, "'Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.' And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.' "'Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"'Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor's landmark.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"'Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"'Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"'Cursed be anyone who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered his father's nakedness.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"'Cursed be anyone who lies with any kind of animal.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"'Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"'Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"'Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"'Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"'Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

Thoughts: The evil one has not changed his bait since the garden, I continually hear about how things are getting worse, and maybe they are getting worse all that time and we are on the verge of the return of Christ. If that be the case I say, “Come Lord Jesus this is not my home.” Here in Deuteronomy this list of curses that Moses laid out for the children if Israel look a lot like things going on today. I could be wrong but I think that if these things needed to be called out at this time saying they are cursed acts then I think they were prevalent enough to need to be addressed. Yes God has forgiven us and covered our sins with the Blood Of Jesus but that dose not mean that there will not be consequences. In those times where we turn our backs on God and seek after things of the world like many or the things on that list of curses or anything that takes our focus off of our father in heaven, we need to turn back to him and seek him again.

Prayer: Father God, you are so wonderful and amazing. I thank you for the great gifts you pour out on us each day. I thank you for the provisions that you give us and the blessings that you pour out on us each day. I thank for the Holy Spirit who works in us to help us to know you more. I ask that you pour out your Spirit on us more each day.

April 2, 2018 Straw and stone

Reading: 1 Corinthians 3 and Numbers 8-10

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:12-13, Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

Thoughts: I have remembered this passage before in conversation and had used it as a illustration not remembering that it was a passage from the Word. How we were talking about it was once we become followers of Christ we have this firm foundation and the things we do in our walk are what each of our bricks are made. I know that there are some straw bricks built into my structure but I also know that there are some precious ones in there. I struggle with the thoughts of if I have put more straw or more stones. I know that threw God’s grace and love some of those things I thought were straw are stones and hold fast and some of the things I just thought of as stones or pillars in my life could be as precious as the finest gem. We will all one day face the fire that will reveal what is behind the beautiful facade that we used to hide all the straw bricks in our lives.

Prayer: Father I am in awe of how you work in our lives and the fact that you can use even me. I thank you for your daily provisions and the blessings that you pour out on us each day. I pray that I hear your voice and the direction for my day that you have for me and that I follow through adding another stone that you can make precious. 

March 26, 2018 His steadfast Love endures Forever

Reading: John 17, Leviticus 27, and Psalm 136

Scripture: Pslam 136  for His steadfast Love endures Forever

Thoughts: During the reading this morning I was after having nearly a month where I was listing to the word but not dwelling on it or letting it soak into me this entire Psalm hit a cord with me. I was in another one of my times where God got placed on the back burner. He was knocking and wanting to pour more blessings into my life and into my family and I was sitting there going through the motions of being a “good Christian” I went to church I served in the ministries that I had volunteered for and made myself as presentable to the world as I could. The Holy Spirit has been tugging on me for a few days maybe weeks and this morning going over this Psalm and how the writer was inspired to remind us how much God loves us and the things he took his people through. When we look at the miracles He did for his chosen people then and the miracles he has done in my life how can I not say, “His Steadfast Love Endures Forever!”

Prayer: Father you are so wonderful and your steadfast love does endure far beyond my understanding. I thank you for my family and the blessing it is to have them in my life. I thank you for the fellowship in my local church and the presence you have with us there. I ask you help me to keep in mind your love and share it with those around me. 

Here is a Link to the passage being sung in Hebrew that I though was cool to hear. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ixvBlSOFUA

February 27, 2018 Gimmy gimmy gimmy

Reading: Romans 6, Exodus 20, and Psalm 119:1-48

Scripture: Exodus 20:17, "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

Thoughts: There have been many times where I though I’m a good person I keep the Ten Commandments, as I continue to do things that don’t honor God. Coveting your neighbor’s things I feel is one of the easiest things to fall into. Murder, adultery, theft those take a little more actions to do but to covet someone’s things, that is all in our head. I a liken it where Jesus said Hating is like murder in your heart or lusting is adultery in the heart. Being covetous is like stealing in our heart and this is so prominent in our society today even within the church. We see someone’s new car, house, or whatever and we go “I want I want I want” like my three year old is fond of doing. It is one thing to be motivated to better ones self or save to get something you would like but we have to be careful that we don’t start becoming to focused on those things because that may become a god to us. 

Prayer: Father you are so wonderful, you provide my needs and take care of all things. I thank you for your daily provisions and the blessings each day I don’t deserve. I thank you that you have entrusted me with my family. I ask that you help me to focus on the blessings and those things you have given me and not the things that others have. 

February 26, 2018 I Think I Can, I Think I Can...

Reading: Romans 5, Exodus 18-19 and Psalm 19

Scripture: Exodus 18:18, You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. 

Thoughts: I know that as a Man I want to do things on my own, I don’t know if it is a Macho thing to prove how strong I am or if it is pride or trust thing. Maybe it is not a man thing but a human thing being that being in solitude for a long time is not good for us. As Moses was judging every issue that was coming up in the nation of Israel God told him through Jethro if you keep going this way you will get burnt out. We are told to delegate and spread the work around no matter if it is in our professional life, spiritual life, or at home, one person can’t do it alone. That is why in when God set up marriage in Genesis he said it is not good for man to be alone. 

Prayer: Father I thank you that from the beginning you knew that we should not be alone and gave us someone to do life with. I thank you that you provide all I need and more blessings us beyond what I thought. I thank you for my family and those around me whom I do life with. I ask that we all help carry one another’s burdens, and cast them at the feet of the Son who said, “Come to me all who are heavy burden”  

February 13, 2018 Where, you want me to go Where?????

Reading: Acts 20 and Genesis 42-43

Scripture: Acts 20:23, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

Thoughts: I don’t know about anyone else but I don’t like pain. I do what I can to avoid it and to keep myself in getting hurt. If I was told by God go this way but as you go there is going to be lots of pain, I admit it, I would have a lot of second thoughts about going that way. I feel that there are so many people who get the misinformation that once you become a christian that all the problems will go away. I have heard it put this way “Life is a series of emotions. Life is a mountain after a valley. A wife to feed, a husband to clothe, children to raise, a boss to put up with, car notes, taxes, April 15th. Life is life.” - Mark Lowry Open Heart Surgery  God has called is into abundant Life and with the definition of life by Mark Christian Life is not for the faint of heart.

Prayer: Father I thank you fo the strength to get through each day. I thank you for the provisions and blessings you give us every day. I ask for the strength to follow the light that you are shining on the path before me. 

February 12, 2018 I said what???

Reading: Acts 19 and Genesis 41

Scripture: Genesis 41:9, Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "I remember my offenses today.

Thoughts: I don’t know how many times I have forgotten that I said that I would do something and remember at a later time. I feel that when it comes to things we promise God we are tempted into getting ourselves so busy and distracted that we don’t think about God or the promises we make. I know that we have all had those times where we have told God if you get me out of this I will read my Bible every day or I will be in church every week. Also the enemy is doing everything he can in this culture and this day to diminish what it means to promise. The “Yah yah I promise” culture is so prevalent these days I know I have even done that sort of thing. Help us to mean what we say and truly say what we mean.

Prayer: Father I thank you for your opportunities to read and marinate in your word. I thank you for your Son and the sacrifice he made. I thank you for the opportunities to touch those around me. I thank you for the provisions and the blessing you have for us each day. I ask that you help me to remember my promises and to fulfill this in proper time.

February 11, 2018 DETOUR

Reading: Acts 18 and Genesis 39-40

Scripture: Genesis 39:20, And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.

Thoughts: I don’t know how many times I thought I heard one thing and got excited started doing what I though I needed to prepare for that thing, and as I was going about it BOOM something from left field (or what I thought was left field). When we get a direction from God and we think it is going to be this easy path to where we thought God told us to go. So many times God’s path for us is a wibbly wobbly path that God has for us to help us to become the person we need to be. 

Prayer: Father, I thank you for this path even though I don’t understand the path or the reasons for the detours that come up. I thank you for your daily provisions and the blessing you pour out each day. I ask for discernment on seeing the next step in the path. 

February 10, 2018 You want me to go Where????

Reading: Acts 17 and Genesis 37-38

Scripture: Genesis 37:11, And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

Thoughts: There are times when my wife and I thought we heard from God, “I have this plan for you.” Now it has been 3-4 years after hearing that and we are still doing that same thing we have been doing for the last 3-4 years. We are trying to listen and look for the next step, but we have not moved forward toward what we thought we were going to do. Even though Joseph’s dream seemed ridiculous and out there, God placed it on Jacob’s heart to remember what he said. I know there is a plan and I struggle with not knowing where it leads and when we are going to get there but I feel like I am trusting God and watching fro the next step. 

Prayer: Father, I thank you for having a plan for my life and I thank you for being that light for each step. I thank you for the provisions for each day and the blessings that you pour out on us. I thank you for my family and the direction you have pointed us in. I ask that I have the trust and faith to take the next step as you show it to me. 

February 9, 2018 Escappe' funny that spelled just like Escape

Reading: Acts 16 and Genesis 36

Scripture: Acts 16:28, But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."

Thought: Disclaimer: I am not advocation for people to stay in abusive relationships, I was in one for a time and had to get out. With that said, our normal response to seeing a way out of a captivity or prison would be to run to that exit. I know that I would run from that captivity, but God some times give us the grace to stay and worship him. As Paul and Silas were worshiping with the other prisoners everything opened up and everyone could have run, but they had the grace and foresight to stay and that made all the difference to the message of God. When we find Joy in the Lord and worship him in the mist of those storms that will come our story shines and point others to God. Just as the jailer did people will see that Joy and strength within you and they will come and ask how can I get what you have. Many years ago I was working and Going to school full time and I lost my Job at first I was thinking, “what is going on” but I soon found that through legislations I could finish my degree and collect my unemployment without looking for work as long as I submitted my grades from time to time. I found great Joy in focusing on my family and schooling for that time. Instead of doing what I had always done in the past of finding a job ASAP I was able to relax and enjoy school. 

Prayer: Father I thank you for giving us grace and mercy. I thank you for the ability to stay when we should stay and giving a nudge when we should go. I thank you for your provisions and blessings each day and the family you have given to me. I ask for the wisdom to see those times to stay and time to go. 

February 8, 2018 Its on like Donkey Kong!!!!

Reading: Acts 15 and Genesis 34-35

Scripture: Genesis 34:31, But they said, "Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?"

Thoughts: As I was reading this I was thinking about my sister who is about 8 years older then I am, I was never able to protect her due to our age difference and they direction she took her life. I think if I had a younger sister I may have, I also want to model for my son to want to stand up for women and family. I want my wife and daughter to not be treated in ways they ought not to be. Our job as men is to Love them, and DC Talk said it best “Love is a Verb” 

Prayer: Father I thank you for the place in your presence. I thank you for the provisions and blessings you have for this day. I thank you for my family and place them in your hands. I ask that I act properly to Love my wife and children the way you love them. 

February 7, 2018 I don't remember????

Reading: Acts 14 and Genesis 32-33

Scripture: Genesis 33:17, But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

Thoughts: After all the issues with his Father-in-law and worrying about how his brother whom he stole his birthright and his blessings from. Jacob found his brother accepting and wanting to bring him back into the family. So he goes to another place to build his house. This make me think Jacob is still afraid that his brother is going to just snap and come get him because of what he did to him. I know there have been time where the evil one has brought back to my mind something to condemn me or try to get me to fall back into that stronghold. I have to remember that God has called me and in my acceptance of that Gift of God though the Death and Resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, All my past and future sins and mistakes have been washed away. I the book The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning, he tells a story about a woman who is having visions of Jesus and a Preset said to ask him the next time she saw him what he confessed in his last confession. When she contacted him she told him Jesus’ reply of “I don’t remember.” We so often remember things we did or thought and ether think that is too big to be forgiven or if I remember then God must. We must listen to those simple words “I don’t remember” 

Prayer: Father I thank you for wiping the slate clean and washing me whiter then snow. I thank you for the people you place in my lives and the family that you allow me to steward. I thank you for the daily provisions and the blessings you have in store for me each day. I place my family in your hands and ask for the help to release the hold these memories have and know that you don’t remember.