October 22 2015 Can you run with horses?

Today’s reading Act 23, Jeremiah 11&12, and Psalms 97

The Scripture that stood out to me today was Jeremiah 12:5a “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?”

Observation: This Scripture reminded me of 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” And these are showing that God knows there are Challenges ahead of us. There are going to be things set before us that don’t seem possible but he has called us to do it. We need to keep the faith and keep moving forward and finish that race.

Application: We need to prepare for what is to come there are going to be trials and tribulations in our lives. With God, who can stand against us? To prepare for and know if we are running the right race and fighting the right fight we need to stay in the word and seek the Lord. The more time you send in the work and fellowshipping with God and his people the better you will become at overcoming the trials and tribulations of this world. You need to know who to overcome the evil one in Jesus name. Don’t come into a trial without having the full armor of God on.

Prayer: Lord, help us to seek you and use your word to prepare us for the trials that are coming. Help us to run with horses.

October 21 2015 "Who am I"

Today’s Reading was Acts 22 and Jeremiah 9&10

The scripture that stood out to me was Acts 22:27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”

Observations: Paul a Roman Citizen knew the laws and customs of what the government could do to him. Later he attests to the fact that he was born a Roman as the Tribune had bought his way into the citizenship.  Also Paul knew who he was both in relationship to the government and God. As Paul knows who he is in the eyes of the government and God we need to know and understand that we also have a citizenship that is above the common. In Ephesians 1:5 “he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,” This is telling us though Jesus we have been Adopted into the Kingdom of heaven.

Application: We need to accept the gift of that adoption and claim the new citizenship and all the perks that come with. We are to live as citizens of our new home. I have come to like the phrase “Not Of This World” it reminds me that I’m just a sojourner here and just passing though and I nee to keep God and my home as my primary focus.

Pray: Lord, help us to focus on where we are adopted into and there our home is now. You have great blessings in store for each of us and we just need to open ourselves and see you and your kingdom. We thank you for the blessings that you have already poured out on us and say thank you in advance of those on their way.

October 20 2015 What Fruit?

Today’s reading was Acts 21 and Jeremiah 7&8

The Scripture that stuck out to me today was Jeremiah 8:13 When I would gather them, declares the Lord, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from them.

Observation: When I read this if reminded my of when Jesus cursed the fig tree in Matthew 21 “And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.” A plant with no fruit is little use, in Jeremiah 8:13 God is warning his people about not having fruit and the story in Matthew speaks to having the appearance of fruit yet not having any.

Application: Matthew 7:20 Jesus said “Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” We are all known by out fruits. Whether we are producing fruit, not producing fruit, or even producing bad fruit, we will be know not only by the Father but by man. The fruit of man is so easily corrupted and spoiled we need to focus on the Lord and producing His fruit.

Prayer: Lord Help us to seek you Lord so that we may produce good fruit and spread the word though people wanting to know what is making us different.

October 19 2015 Don't be alarmed.

Today’s reading Was Jeremiah 5&6 and Acts 20

The scripture that stuck out to me was Act 20:10b-11 “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.

Observation: After raising Eutychus from the dead Paul had a midnight snack and went back to teaching, he didn’t make a big deal of it or call attention to it, instead said He’s good. I the same way Jesus would do miracles and not draw attention to the fact that it was done.

Application: First and foremost with the Authority and Dominion God has given us we have the ability in Christ’s name to heal and raise people. Second we need to have unyielding faith that is will be done. Third we need to not draw attention to the fact that we did it. It is awesome to see and be apart of a miracle but that we are not here to say look at me or get praised.  Matt 6:5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” I Believe that this applies to great things we are to do in Christ’s name.

Lord help us to have the faith to do what we are called to do and claim the authority and Dominion over this world that you gave us.

October 18th 2015

Today’s reading was Acts 19 and Jeremiah 3&4.

SOAP= Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
If you would like to read along I am reading the first two sections of the OSL reading plan. One day in the future I may start doing all three sections. I just encourage you to get into the Word daily if the word is not being read then how can your spirit connect to God. 

The scripture that popped out to me today was Acts 19:23b “there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.”

My Observation was: I love the way the author of Acts described this riot in Ephesus, “no little disturbance” as we continue to read we find that this Demetrius guy got everyone in an uproar and many of them had no clue what was going on. This entire thing was started by a man afraid of loosing his livelihood because of someone (Paul) was telling people that their gods were not gods. Paul was spreading the good news of grace and forgiveness known then as “The Way” and this was how to be saved and go to heaven.

My application was: we can expect “no little disturbance” if we are doing what God calls us to do. There will be those who will see the truth and fallow The Way and others that will appose us and many who don’t know that they are for or against, and are just there because there is a riot to be apart of.  As writing this I was reminded of a song from 1995 by the artist Carman called R.I.O.T Righteous Invasion of Truth. We are called to start riots by invading this world with the truth of God’s love.

Lord Help us to speak boldly and have the strength to keep speaking out when the world comes against me, help us create a riot for you Lord that can not be contained.

More blessed then I know.

Recently we have started the process of buying a house. When we started we had a list of things that we wanted and started looking for a place and we would find townhouses and condos in our price range we could afford, but we wanted a house a place for your family to grow. Having such a hard time finding something we started thinking maybe we would have to stay in our apartment and deal with the struggle of apartment living for another year. As we struggled we continued to pray for the things we wanted.

As we relinquished our home to God, I happened to find this house in the small town I grew up in. In the pictures it looked to be everything we were looking for and started thinking that this would be to good to be true. The house was a little more then we were thinking. The day I found the house online I drove by the house seeing that it was perfect for our little family I got my wife to contact our realtor so we could go look at the home.

When we came to look we found the pictures did do it justice and the house was everything we expected it to be. We fell in love with this little house and immediately we started praying over this house and the family that lived there as we went and wrote up an offer. The next day they asked for another day because they had promised someone that they could come look at the house. That day we wrote a letter to the sellers letting them know about us and what we would hope to do in this home if the accept our offer and what it would mean to us.

The next day we received a letter in response, accepting our offer and we started the process of getting the inspections and having repairs and things done. Though out this process we found that this family were also believers. One of the first things that we saw that helped us to know that this was God's will for us was a verse we had made pivotal in our wedding was decoratively displayed on the wall by the front door. The verse is Joshua 24:15 "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

We have now been in this home for a few months trying to adjust to new schedules and new bills when my student loan payment increased, other  bills were higher then expected and we didn't know how we were doing to pay our bills when a friend asked if I was interested in a job that would put me in a way back into the industries that I left after going to school. I thought why not I have always enjoyed working with my hands and I have not been enjoying my work after being moved to a position I didn't want.

So just as things got tight enough that I though about reducing how much we give to the church to get by, we resolved to not reduce it and we would figure it out as it comes. The Lord paced this job before me and blessed us with a job where I will be making $3/hour more then what i had been making, cut my driving distance in half, and gave me a schedule that allows me time with my family and more time to serve and fellowship with those around me. On top of these blessings that we can see and measure we also know that he has been making things last longer then normal and protecting us from the evil one.

We are standing with out mouths wide open expecting more and knowing that we can never out give God so as we have been blessed we do our best to bless others. Let us all feed and tend the sheep around us, we are called to be that light to the world, God has given us this home He is welcome here and we want to be sure that his people are welcome as well and not just the saved ones.

October 17 2015 Something new

The Lord has placed a bit of a urging on my heart. This urging is to share the readings I’m going though and what the Lord is speaking to and though me. I recently started taking the second level of an intense discipleship program called OSL (Operation Solid Lives). This program has a reading pain and part of it the strongly encourage you to journal about what you are reading using the SOAP Method.

If you are not familiar with the SOAP method it is taking time to write in but what you are reading. For instance today’s reading was Acts 17 and Jeremiah 1-2 and out of that reading the scripture that spoke to me was Jeremiah 1:7 “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.” This would be your S of SOAP the Scripture that spoke to you today.

Next is the O and the O is your observations about the scripture that the Lord made stand out to you. You can read the same scripture many times and because of the difference in your life sense the last time you read it something different will speak to you.

Today my observation: We all love to quote Jer 1:5 where god says that he knew us before we were formed in our mothers womb, but forget the context of that verse. God was sending Jeremiah out and appointing this kid as a profit to go out and tell people what God said this or that. I that day any age youth were not considered anything or anyone until they became a man.

Next we have the A and A is for application. This is what you feel and hear God telling you as how to incorporate this scripture into your life.  Yes I do believe that you need to test what you are hearing by testing it against other scripture God’s word will never contradict itself therefore if the Holy Spirit give you an application and other scripture uphold that you know its from God and it’s a good application.

Today’s Application: We need to remember that not only that God knew us before we were formed, but also that even as youths ether physically or just in faith we are sent out. We are called to shine the light into the world so that they will know God as well.

Finally the P is for Prayer this is simple write down the pray you have on this situation and what is going on in your life if you like.

Prayer for today: Lord help us to hear your voice, to go and speak to those you tell us. You have called us to speak into the lives of those around us give us the boldness to overcome our objections and share your love.  

What is your Temple made of?

As I was going though my devotions lately I have been going though Numbers and 1 Corinthians. Seeing how God was giving the levites their jobs and how they are to set out and stop according to when the Lord settles his cloud or takes it up. I started looking at back in the time in the wilderness they knew God was there by the cloud and could follow him where ever he would lead. We are to also follow where he leads. Back then they had a cloud or pillar of fire to follow today we have the Holy Spirit to guide us and direct us. I feel looking back that it would be so much easier to follow God knowing that he was there with us each day. 

This cloud or fire would rest upon the tabernacle (that would one day be the temple of the most high God) with the vail separating us from God. It is amazing to see how the Israelites who had God right there and see that his presences and get his words from Moses and the other profits. I know that I have said before that “There is no way I could fall seeing things that they saw.” or even at the trials of Christ “I would not have cried out for the crucifixion of Jesus.”  Maybe we all have said or though those before, thinking we are better then that but I know I am no better then Peter (The Rock) saying “I will never fall away or deny Jesus” then going and saying I don’t know the man. 

Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 3 about how we are now the temple and Christ is the foundation. With Christ as our foundation we can build our temple for the Lord on it. Depending on how we live our our lives and let God be a part of our life will determine the materials we are building with. Paul mentions; gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and straw. He also says that all our temples will be tested with fire. 1 Corinthians 3:14-15 “If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” 

We are to live out our lives for the lord. Just as Peter failed, so too will we. We must learn to pick up the broken pieces take them back to God and let him put us back together. God will help us to heal those wounds and can help us change our straw into gold to better honor him with the temple that we are.  God placed it on my heart when reading these passages in numbers and 1Corinthians, asking; “What is your temple built of?” and “What will it look like once it has been tested with fire?” I am now starting to ask myself am I building a temple worthy of God or am I only getting saved though the fire? 

War is all around us.

At service this week, we had guest speakers and that spoke on how it is so easy to say that, the Spiritual War out there is for the pastors and the supper Godly. As Christians we are called into that war, this war may not be something easily seen or something we thought about when we first found the Lord but we are all in the mist of that war. A war that God has already won, through the death and resurrection of his Son. We are all called to do our part to share God’s love with those around us. As scary as it is we need to open ourselves up to saying "Yes Lord I am here, use me to touch those around me".

God will use you for so many things if you can leave yourself behind and listen to when he says things like “Go talk to that person over there” or “help them” or even “open your house to them.” We all have different gifts that we are to use to share God’s love, find what God has called you to do and continue to listen to those Breezes. Stay in the word, Listen for his calling and direction, Listen when he says go, and say yes even if it seems odd or uncomfortable God will work through you.

We also have to remember that the Spiritual War is being waged even within ourselves. We do things we know are wrong and we don’t do things we aught to. Paul puts it this way in Romans 7:14-20 -the bracketed and italic words are mine just for clarification- being that it can sound like Paul has lost his mind when you first read this.

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I (the spirit) do not understand my own (flesh’s) actions. For I (the flesh) do not do what I (the spirit) want, but I (the flesh) do the very thing I (the spirit) hate. Now if I (the flesh) do what I (the Spirit) do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I (the spirit) who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I (the spirit) have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I (the flesh) do not do the good I (the Spirit) want, but the evil I (the spirit) do not want is what I (the flesh) keep on doing. Now if I (the flesh) do what I (the spirit) do not want, it is no longer I (the spirit) who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

We are at war; we are always going to have opposition to doing what God calls us to do. Some times that opposition comes from within us, and our own fears. I have many times just continued on with what I was doing thinking it was more important that the little voice and breeze that I heard saying go do this or that, speak to this person or that person. We all have that Flesh desire to do what I want and not do what the Holy Spirit calls us to so we can walk though that small gate we are called to.

God's Not Dead! He is working in my life

As I grow deeper in the Lord I find that things I did and things I though I wanted, fade into that past or from my mind. I remember the going to Bible college for a year strait out to high school thinking I knew everything and that I knew I would be a music pastor somewhere. But before leaving for school in another state I had already opened myself to the world. I started to smoke and do things with my girlfriend that I should not do. These distractions helped me follow the wide and easy path of pleasurable things and I didn’t take in what God sent me to Bible college for.

            Going though a discipleship program called Operation Solid Lives, I am reminded of some of the things I thought I knew or just plain didn’t listen to when I should have been. Or maybe its just that teach them in a was that I understand better. Going though the program that includes journaling (something I had tried to do but didn’t know how), praying aloud, and lots of teachings. This level one course is a crash course in gaining a foundation or shoring up one that you already have. 

In going though this program we also take time away from secular media limiting how much the world can speak into our lives and encouraging us to spend more time with God and out families. In limiting this media intake i found there is not much that I am missing. As I continue to seek God and fulfill the guidelines of the program my prayer life in getting better and I am hearing the breeze and not waiting for the 2x4 in my life. Growing and listening to the breeze I have gotten a scared on where God is sending me. 

Back in the days at Bible college I was not listening to God, I was trying to tell God my plan. We all know how that goes. One day at school I was asked about being a preacher or something along those lines and I remember telling the person flat out “That is not me, I will never preach.” God has a way of humbling us that we don’t even notice until we look back at our lives. About two weeks ago I started feeling the urgings that I was should be looking at full-time ministry work. During that time I found and applied for a position with a local church, the scariest part of all that is part of that position is preaching (the one thing I said i would never do). The process they are going though is still working but God has also given me a peace about where I am and that it is in his hands.

I was going though Acts 1 today, and where Peter got up and said “Brothers, the scripture has been fulfilled.” Then goes on to state some of the scripture the related to the fact that they needed to replace Judas that was written in the Psalms. This and all the prophecy in the Old Testament shining a light on Jesus being the Christ shows that God has a plan and his plan is always better then mine. We have this tendency to plan, plot, scheme, and think we know better then God. We need to remember that sending his Son to die on the cross was plain “A” it was talked about all the way back in Moses’ teachings in Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.”

As I seek the ministry that the Lord has for me I pray that I find time to write and continue to share the blessings, the struggles, the revelations of the breeze. Today I had the opportunity to watch God’s not Dead a great movie dedicated to those who struggle to maintain their faith in an academic world that tries to use science to say that there is no God. Always remember Matthew 10:32-33 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.  And Luke 12:48 … Everyone to whom much is given , of much will be required, and from him to whom much is entrusted, they will demand the more. We as Christians are given much by having the knowledge of the Gospel and we have a great responsibility to share it. 

We all have our part to play; God calls each of us to his plan. Even though like in Luke 19:40 He answered “I tell you, if these were to be silent, the very stones would cry out.” God can call the stones to cry out praise to Jesus or spread his word, we are meant to carry that mantle and to share our store of how God touched our lives. When Jesus took our sins on him we are to take his righteousness and live lives worthy of the name Christian.

The Hardship of new life

I am 33 years old man. I don’t know how many men are out there dream of being a father. I am one of them, I remember enjoying working in the nursery at church as a teen and playing with my nieces and nephews as they grew up, now that the oldest is 21 and the youngest is junior or senior in high school, they have all grown up, I still had not become a parent.

God has blessed me with not having that connection to my ex wives or even ex girlfriends. My wife being a few years older then me has been wanting to be a mother for a very long time. We both had been dreaming of the day that we would have a child to raise and teach. Finally yesterday we heard our first baby’s heart beat. As we listened, it sunk in more and more that this is finally real. God blessed us in his timing. One of the funniest things we experienced was when we were first getting married my wife told me and God that she wanted one year as just the two of us and it looks like we will be married about a year and a half when our baby arrives.

During this time I graduated from University and started to look for work during the first few weeks of looking for work all my unemployment runs out and I have no income and I start to worry and start looking for any work out there. At this time we are surviving and continuing to seek God’s plan when it comes to my work, and the dream my wife has to being a stay at home mother.

Through our joyful tears of hearing the new life inside my wife’s body, the doctor explains that we may be further along then we thought and they want to do a few things to determine if we are correct or if we are further along then we think. God works in ways that are so unknown to us some times and the time that God has set for our baby to join our family will be perfect for all the needs that we have in our lives.

We Recently listened to the teachings of Steven Furtick as a guest speaker at Fresh Life Church in Montana, the title of his message was “Don’t stop on six” using the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho to teach that we are to keep taking the steps that God calls us to take even if we don’t see progress. This is the struggle we are in now. You may call it trials, tribulations, or testing’s, but we are continually trying to walk that path each day God has laid before us, in faith we walk even though we don’t see the walls crumbling a little here and a little there as we go.

            As we continue walking we get to the “six” the number of man, six is the point that we can still feel that something we did made an affect on the outcome. But the whole point is having the faith to continue to seven. Seven being the number of completion and that is where God calls us to go. Don’t stop on six, just because you don’t see any progress be faithful and keep it up and one day when you least expect it God will tumble those walls down and there will be break though, chains broken, and captive set free from the bondage that the evil one has convinced you that there is no escape from. There is freedom you, you just have to have the faith to keep following God directions even when it does not make sense.

            God calls us all to use the platforms we have in our lives to share his love, those platforms are made of our life situations. Always praise God in all situations, this does not mean that we have to like what is going, but we can praise God and thank God for what will come from it. Just look at the life of Job I’m sure he didn’t like the situation that he was in but I would not speak against God. We need to do the same, I may not like my current job and it does not pay well or have good insurance, but God has placed me there to serve him by serving others. I may also have a lesson to learn working with the people I do or the people I have to serve.

            I always need the reminder to listen for the breeze and watch out for the 2x4, just like many Christians out there I too can find myself becoming complacent and stop reading the word and keeping my focus where it should be. Don’t stop at six, don’t stop when you think you are done keep going until those walls fall and God wins the battle. Waiting for God to topple the wall is one of the hardest lessons in a New Life with Christ, my dream of becoming a father could have been awesome any time in the last 10 years but God knows when its the right time and with the right people to set you free or give you a blessing you have been crying out for.

It's not my time

It’s not my time or should I say not my timing. God gave me the opportunity to focus on him and my schooling for the final six months of my school career without needing to search for work worry about finances. I had money coming from the unemployment-training program and a lot of free time to work on my classes. This was a great blessing and a test. As I focused on school work enough through that time my time with God started to slip.

First it slipped in I was not spending much time in prayer seeking him asking for forgiveness after a stumble. After a time I even stopped reading my Bible God’s living word, the most tangible way God speaks to us. After Graduating with my BA in early May I found out that my unemployment that I thought would take me until some time in June ran out the moment I finished school. I also found myself not getting up as early as I used to, and half-heartedly listening to some of the readings for the day until one point I just stop. I was not talking with God or reading his word. During this time I watched TV, played video games, and searched for work.

About a week ago I started to get depressed I knew that I was applying for lists of jobs (now days the internet makes it easy to get your information out to employers). I was sending out so many resumes to what I thought God had called me to do, to things I wanted, and things I though would be fun. But the only callbacks I got were for sale jobs that were misrepresented in the job description.

The more I put out there that more it felt that I was unwanted and undeserving of anything that was not just a laborer (the field I wanted out of and had experience in). The more time I spent away from God and watching TV and playing video games the more depressed I got and the more worried I felt about my how are we to pay our bills where are we to live and can we afford to do any of them. With our lease on our apartment being up in June we needed to decide if we were going to move or stay out or even go and take care of a family member.

As I got more depressed, angry, and frustrated that God had not given me this great job that I thought I should have after getting out of school, my wife called me on it. I was not spending time working on my relationship with God, had been neglecting that calling he gave me in writing and sharing these Breezes and 2X4s. Two days ago after I had yelled and cursed at my wife (something I should never do) she point blank asked it I have been in the word and praying. During my job hunt I was not pursuing my relationship with God.

Two days ago I picked up my Bible again started on a new reading plan and talking with God again. He longs to bless us, and give us what we need and some of our hearts desires. After spending time in prayer and study, keeping my trust in that God will provide what we need. I got a call about a job that didn’t seem too far away only about 30 miles so I drove out there in the morning to my interview and evaluation testing. This drive took about an hour driving through a large metropolitan area with lots of traffic. My first thought was depending on my shift this may not be too bad and this is work I can do it may not be something I love but work is work.

During the interview after the evaluation tests I mentioned that the job was a little further out then I thought and depending on the shit would determine if the commute would be worth it. The interviewer perked up and said we have a location closer to where you live doing more tech support stuff if you would be interested. This was defiantly more in my wheelhouse. After driving back almost home I get to the location and go through more evaluations and testing, get my first and second interviews and was offered a job before I left their facility. I start my training on Monday working for a company helping people when they have issues with a product that I love and would whole-heartedly support.

My wife got to be my 2X4 this week and I am happy that she ways she is my partner and when I am week she is strong. Always listen for the Breeze and watch for the 2X4.

What is next?

About six months ago I was laid off from the job that I had been working. God provided everything we have need and even things we have wanted over this last six months as I finished my BA and graduate college. Now that I’m done with school for now, my unemployment is about to run out, our lease on the apartment is about finished and we have to determine, What is next?

Seeking God’s will on some things is easy; we can spend time in his word and seek to emulate Christ and his teachings. When we know God through a personal relationship with him through the Son and Holy Spirit, also through the daily reading of his word. We can know that as long as what we are doing or wanting to do does not go contrary to God’s character or commands in the Bible then we are within God’s will.

The hard and tricky part is knowing God’s will when you have choices between things that are not spelled out in the Bible. At this point we are at, a crossroads seeking direction and trying to listen to where God wants us to go. With an opportunity to continue my education to better prepare me for missions and international business. I sit back and say, “Do I stay and go to school more? Do I stay and work in the business world try to build my résumé so that I can be better prepared to go work and minister to people around the world? And finally do I go and find work were I can minister to the needs of others?"

Each of these options has its pros and cons, and I can see how each could be within God’s will. I know that God will open up the right circumstances if he has a preference to one over another. The hardest part is, because I am someone that plans and tries to schedule their life, God is teaching me reliance. Reliance on him that there is a place to live that we can afford to live in with what ever job I have. Reliance that we will have money for food or gas. Reliance that were are more valuable then the lilies and the birds and he will take care of us. As I look for work where I can use my degree, I also have an open mind to other jobs and the opportunity to go and take the next step in my education.

When seeking God’s will when you have many options, read your Bible, pray, and don’t forget quiet yourself and listen for the breeze before he needs the 2x4.

Easter or Resurection Sunday

I have come to a point in my life that I no longer like "Easter".

It is not the season or the reason we celebrate but what Easter has become. In the US many people have walked away from the reason for the season. Just as Christmas has lost much of the meaning over the last hundred years so has Easter. As time has passed people forget the symbolism behind things. The beauty of the symbol of the dyed egg can be traced back to an early church who would dying eggs red to symbolize the blood of Christ, the egg itself was looked at as a symbol of the tomb of Christ with them being hard and stone like but life comes from within. So many people in the US say, Easter we need bunnies and chicks and pastels and all these fun things instead looking at what are we really needing to look at.

This is why I don't like "Easter," I want to move away from using "Easter" and refer to this celebration as Resurrection Sunday. As Christ's bride we are to point to our bridegroom, we need to take back our celebrations and not let the world corrupt and take meaning from God. As I was finishing up a course on the Gospels as we finish the Lent season and move into the Easter season I am reminded of the sacrifice that Christ made. I have been at many churches that don't spend much time on the last week of Christ's life, many churches look at Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday and and maybe Good Friday and  that is the end of it. I propose that we take back this entire week, I feel that we need to find a way to each day of this Holy week to continually draw more attention to Christ throughout the week and by exploring the different things happening on each day of the week leading up to Christ's crucifixion and spend time looking at how he gave up his life and it was not taken from him. There are so many aspects of his last week of life that we over look and don't give the proper emphasis. This is why I want to move away from the use of Easter and move to a Passion week with a focus on Resurrection Sunday.

It will happen

Three years ago I went through a messy divorce that left me in a financial situation that I had to live without being able to use credit. I lost my home and car to my ex-wife whale she took those things she also promised to pay for them and get my name off them as soon as possible. Thinking that is would be a short process I was ok with it and I said that I would get her name off of the bills I said I would take. For these last three years I was not able to do anything but just make payments on my bills because of my name being on the house and car. Over a year ago when God told me that I needed to go to Mexico and not file bankruptcy we had a peace about the situation and we knew that one-day it would all work out.

Being faithful and going to Mexico the last two years over spring break. God has been faithful to his promise to take care of us. Six to eight months ago I noticed that the car that still had my name on it got sold or refinanced and I no longer had that debt to my name. As I continued to keep paying off my debt and faithfully trying to follow what God wants for me I went to Mexico again after building two homes over three and a half days we also volunteered at Children's Hunger Fund in Sylmar California building 575 food packs that will feed about 2300 people. Just as we were finishing up I got a text from my ex-wife saying she was refinancing the house and that I needed to sign off my interest in the house. Today I am no longer a homeowner or have a car loan. Once I get my debt I brought with me paid off my wife and me will be debt free other then my student loans.

God is faithful to take care of us and bless us. This experience has taught me that happiness blessing are not about the things you have or the money that is in the bank. My largest blessing in my life is my family, both those who are related my bloodline and those that God has adopted and brought together in our churches. I am blessed that I don't have this burden hanging over me and my wife any longer but the blessing is not that I can go put myself in debt but that through this I have seen what I can live without and that what I have is God's and as long as I have it I need to use it to praise, honor, and point to the living God who fulfills my needs.