Wave walking

His calm carries me over crashing waves.

Suddenly I'm sinking,

“LORD SAVE ME!”

“HELP!”

How do we hold on when there is nothing to hold on to?

I'm sure the answer is we don't.

It is You that is holding us.

Jesus, I'm sure Peter thought like this as You told him to come to You. Did You call the others too? If so, only he got out of the boat. His faith filled action moved him. But only You Jesus saved him.

I have friend's Lord that have no safety nets out, no life jackets on, and no floaties available. Be their life preserver.  

Spiritual Blessings

Following Christ, I am blessed in and with every spiritual blessing, and they come from the heavenly world. I've belonged to Christ from the world’s inception and I am chosen to be holy and blameless. I was adopted long ago, not because of what I had or had not done, but because of what Jesus did. It pleased the Father to do this; it was good in His sight.

The Father gave us/me grace because of His Son, the One (Jesus). Jesus blood freed us from our sin. His rich grace He pours out to give us great wisdom and understanding. His wisdom shows the Fathers plan about Jesus work at the cross of history. The Father planned this before all time, and we were part of that plan. Jesus, the LORD OF Lords, will rule over all. There are no unbelievers in death. In the fullness of time, history will be complete; Jesus will then rule.

The amazing thing is: we who believe will reign with Him. He chose us before it all started. We were chosen to hope in Christ and to bring Him praise for all eternity. You who believe in Christ work are chosen too. As we believed the message of truth, the Father sealed us with His Holy Spirit. We are marked as God’s own and someday in death or rapture; we will see His promise completed.

Soon, we will see Jesus at the right hand of our Father. He is far above any ruler past, present, or future. He is above all physical and spiritual rulers or little gods of any age. The Father placed Jesus in the position and all things are under His rule. Jesus rules as head over the church and we the church are His body. The church is filled with Christ, and He is our fulfillment.

We/I forget these things from time to time. His word reminds us. Read Ephesians 1, it tells it better than I.

Manifest

Holy is God over creation!

His love endures,

His mercies are forever, and His goodness is for all!

Holy is His name, for He gives us joy!

Holy is His name, for He gives grace.

Holy is His name, for He is peace.

Thank Him, for the love of God is manifest in Jesus!
Thank Him, for the Father sent His Son for us!


In Him I will rejoice forever. Jesus! God's love, walked in human flesh to know our pain, struggles, temptations, and ultimately to forgive our sin.


²¹ At one time my heart was sad 
      and my spirit was bitter. 
 ²² I didn't have any sense. I didn't know anything. 
      I acted like a wild animal toward you. 
 ²³ But I am always with you. 
      You hold me by my right hand. 
 ²⁴ You give me wise advice to guide me. 
      And when I die, you will take me away 
      into the glory of heaven. 
 ²⁵ I don't have anyone in heaven but you. 
      I don't want anything on earth besides you. 
 ²⁶ My body and my heart may grow weak. 
      God, you give strength to my heart. 
      You are everything I will ever need. 
 ²⁷ Those who don't want anything to do with you will die. 
      You destroy all those who aren't faithful to you. 
 ²⁸ But I am close to you. And that's good. 
      Lord and King, I have made you my place of safety. 
      I will talk about everything you have done.
Psalm 73:21-28 NIRV

Piled Rocks

I passed by a pile rocks on the side of the road today. In an out of the way place, on a hill overlooking the Sacramento Valley, there they stand. A rock pile? Why? Well, I set them up several months back to remember an event of change that took place on that very spot. Few if any, would know their meaning.  Yet, this little pile of stones was simple evidence of God working in my soul. This heap of rocks helps me remember crossing a threshold in my life; they stand as a memorial. They are an outward memory of a battle won.

Several small stones are placed on one large stone. The large bed-rock stone is symbolic of the rock and foundation of my life, which is Christ. He is my foundation and salvation, both here in this life and for all eternity. His holy power which raised Him from the dead, is also the same power that enables me to move through a pain filled existence without addicting chemicals to control the pain.

As Israel was about to move from their 40 years of wandering the desert, God instructed Joshua to set up a pile of 12 rocks (one for each tribe). One pile of rocks lays by the banks of the Jordan river, near Jericho. Yet, one pile is in the midst of the river, where they crossed on dry ground. God still sees the one in the river.

Our Father sees our misery. He sees our pain. He knows when things are hard for us. He knows when we need to remember. When doctor's tell you that you just have to live with something, or go about altered, know that there is a great physician who created all. He still sees and cares.

The Night Psalm

The summer night songs have just begun.

Though it's two months early, you can hear it in the wind.

It's a little night psalm-it's just an overture of praise.

The crickets get it all started, in a great chant, they squeak and sing.

In jumps the frog and toad, a rib-bet and croak they go.

Off in the distance, coyotes bring in the harmony, Ohoooo!

The geese are a little off time, but they add a quack or two.

Then it's the clicking echo of the bats, they're more than a few!

Just sit back and sip it in.

Because they all know their places.

They all know their time.

The creatures all know this tune; it was written for them before there was dawn. Even before the first dusk, God gave their lessons. It's now played back in the night psalm. Yes, they sing to their Maker. The creatures all know how to praise their God: The Maker of all space and the God before all time.

Now, yes it's the stars that light the show.

But, it's for Him they glow.

The conductor is of course our God.

And, it's a song that sings His praise.

So, be reminded to thank Him! Be reminded to praise!

Break the Mold

The world will try and squeeze us into it's mold, if we let it.

We can be Christians, yet quite carnal. Just look at the Corinthians.

We can dress, act, and look much like the world, if we're not careful.

We can use the same entertainment, music, and movies too, but why do we?

.

If we are going down the wide path, it isn't His.

If we are just going with the flow down stream, maybe were going the wrong direction?

If salt has lost its saltiness, what's it good for?

However, we are called to be a peculiar loving people

We are called to conform to the image of Christ: the original loving, suffering servant.

Fixed on the Prize

Fixed on the prize, I push, press, and strive.
To do any less, would be less. May I become less, so that He will be more.
He is both our author and perfecter of our faith. Jesus is more.

He is the "more" I seek.
He is the "more" I wish to be.
He is the "more" I will be.

May He be glorified in that which is, but, especially in that which will be!

Wrestled In the Night

I wrestled in the night, I tossed and turned then gave up and got out of bed. I read of Your love for me, and even Your help for me. Like David or Asaph of old, I grew weary, but my eyes were kept from closing.

Does God forget to be merciful? Asaph asked this question long ago. Of course He doesn't. Yet, it's easy to lay blame at the Masters feet, when our feelings don't align with His truth. We forget even Jesus went through sleepless nights. We forget Jesus was a man well acquainted with sorrow and grief. We forget He carried a burden of weight. We forget He stumbled under the weight of that cross and another helped bear the load.

We as brothers and sisters are to bear each others burden. Yet, if we are left alone, we oft' just groan. Father, hold the load for me. Help me lay my cares at Your feet. Your mercy and grace abound, so let me sleep. Be that friend Lord that sticks "closer than a brother."  

Loving God's Way?

Are we loving God's way?

If my patience runs out, it isn't Gods.

If my kindness ends, it's not love.

When I envy, boast, or act proud, God's love is disallowed.

When I dishonor you, I've miss out on His love.

When I'm self-seeking, I've missed out again.

When my anger is aroused in a moment, once again His love's not showing.

But, if I keep no records of your wrongs, His love is glowing.

If I hate evil and love truth, His love will be showing.

If I'm always protecting, trusting, hoping, and persevering His supernatural love is growing and flowing.

We can't fake this kind of love, it's supernatural and it 's from above.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

I Cor 13:4-7 NIV

Faiths Worth

Hold out for hope,

Faith gives hope,

It's our assurance of the unseen.

Faith formed the universe at His command,

and, by faith we believe You exist God.

By faith we know You will reward us one day.

By faith You justified the heroes off old.

With their faith You did the miraculous:

conceived children, beyond the age of possibility

brought Your people through the Red Sea

revived their dead

Shut mouths of lions

slew mighty warriors

over threw kingdoms

Yet, none of them received the fulfilled promise, they wait for us, and together we will walk into the perfection of Heaven together.

Keep me faithful, to get there:

11Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
13 if we are faithless,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.

2 Tim 2:11-13 NIV

Trust in You

When I'm tired and don't understand,

          help me not to lean on my own understanding.

When I'm hurting and find no relief,

          help me not to lean on my own understanding.

When nothing makes sense,

          help me not to lean on my own understanding.

When doctors and science cannot help,

          help me not to lean on my own understanding.

In all my thoughts and all my ways, help me to acknowledge You.

For You know my thoughts and ways, and You even know the end of my days.

Comfort my anxious ways O LORD, and help me to trust in You.

Morning Sky

Art in the morning sky sings forth Your praise!


My God created this! O how I praise Him and His Son.


Breaking dawn, sings out His glory!


How good to be His child.


Let Israel and the church praise Him!


Praise the LORD, for He is good!

The Garden

In the garden, You asked, to take a pass.

In the garden, You asked, “Father, just let it pass.”

In the garden, You asked, “a different cup? Father, let is pass.”

Emotional strain, ate through Your veins

Blood drenched sweat, mixed in Your tears

In anguish, He prayed

In earnest, He prayed

It's the crosses battle, before He was nailed down

It's the crosses victory and we hear of it's echoes forward before it began

Jesus' prayer seals the believers fate, “not my will, but yours be done.”

Though divine, He knelt and prayed.

Jesus wielded prayer as our mighty warrior.

He slew the enemy right in his tracks.

Our battles won, not in public discussion, or courts of appeal.

Our battles won, in private confession, with bent heart and knee.

3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor 10:3-5 NIV

Contemplation

Holy God, heaven's Your throne, may we keep it in view.
The earth's Your stool, let it not be ruled by the fool.

Father, our nation turns farther and farther away from You.
Our hearts are cold and filled with abominable sin, so we confess it.
Both we and our fathers forsook You, and though You've blessed, we turn our back on Your jewel.
We've ignored Your Son and stopped loving Your treasure, Israel
Forgive us, for Your name sake.
Father, though we don't deserve it, keep us still.
Make our nation that City on a Hill.

Relight our fire for You LORD!
Jesus, in Your most holy name.
Father forgive our nations trespasses, and help us forgive each other their trespasses .

Walk In The Ripples Of Faith

Walk in the ripples of faith.

Walking beyond our reason, we see faith.

Walking beyond our logic, we see faith.

Walking beyond our comfort zone, we see faith.

At some point Solomon's wisdom fades and our LORDS invades.

Will you trust Him at His word?

What if His word cost you, and you are going to hurt?

What if counting the cost, it is the great cost?

     -------------------------------------------------------------

Jim Elliot .
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."

Give us faith enhanced sight Father, to see and do Your work at hand.

Satan's Fear

O heaven sing, all life rejoice

The pinnacle of time has meet its king

Though in the grave, He paved the way

Though hammered down, He did not stay

O heaven sing, our King is near

O earth rejoice, Eden once lost, bids now--He is near

Though Satan jeered, it was all  that he feared

God's Sorrow

Flushed by tears, they are wiped away
Drained by pain, it begins to fade


Distant memories ride through my mind
Times were once easier, but they disappear


Life's course, laid out a line
Life's disruption, stopped it on a dime


Who could make it all make sense?
Who could look past despair?
Who is well acquainted with grief?
Who suffered long?


           ...He has no form or comeliness;

And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
³ He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.  
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; 
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

⁴ Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;  
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.  
⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,  
And by His stripes we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray;  
We have turned, every one, to his own way;  
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isa 53:2b-6 NKJV


Jesus takes our sorrow and makes it joy.
To Him glory! For He take all our toil.

I Can't Resist

Drawn to Him, I cannot resist
He pulls, tugs, and pricks my heart
Why would you ever resist?


We resist out of condemnation, but He declares, "There is now no condemnation..."
We are not condemned.


Even if we resist and our sin becomes greater, we are not condemned.
Faithful and just, He forgives our confessed sin. Yes, He forgives our sin.


He draws us out
He gently tugs
He simply, kindly loves


Our Savior comes Himself, to ask if we love Him?
Though our love lacks and is incomplete, He forgives.


Then He simply asks, "if you love Me, feed My sheep."

Faith, Hope,& Love

Faith enlighten life.
Faith commends the unseen.
Faith's our evidence, not just some dream.


Hope holds out life.
Hope hangs on tight.
Hope handles all life's strife.

Love took on our broken history.
Love's made manifest: Jesus the Son of God, became flesh and dwelt with us.
Love's mystery, reached out for me.

Remember that faith and hope are alive! These gifts for our time will soon fade. Faith is not needed when we see _________. 
Hope is not needed when _________ is revealed for all to see.
Love will always remain.

Praise His majesty, the King of Kings and LORD of Lords! amen