Sunday, April 27, 2014

STRUGGLES AND OUR AWESOME GOD




    I realize that I have committed to write a blog at least once a month and I have been remiss in writing for the last couple of weeks.  I would say that I have been absent and I ask your forgiveness for not writing a blog.  I have attempted several times to write one, but have found it difficult to write.   It is hard to write a blog, being transparent when you are struggling.  We are not struggling with massive health issues like others (although I just found out that have pneumonia), however our struggle is the one that the enemy knows he can attack us with and it causes our hardest struggle and depression. But we serve an Awesome God and we know that He will take care of us.
    Through all of the struggles I have found myself speaking to many who are struggling and through their struggles, I keep telling them that God has a plan, He says that He will not give us more than we can handle, and He promises to take their situations and do more than they could ask or imagine.  And that through all of this, God just wants us to come to Him. This is through prayer, reading His Word, seeking each other and trusting our Lord to come through. 
    It is amazing how we can give advice and yet not take our own advice.  I am still learning. 
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
    This is an amazing verse when you read it as a promise from our Lord.  Just think about this, God has a plan for us to prosper, not to harm us and to give us hope and a future.  A wonderful promise and a guarantee from our Lord!  But a promise that we sometimes, or should I say a lot of the time have a hard time to remember.
    Recently, when talking to a dear brother and friend, he was telling me that their daughter has been diagnosed with a medical problem that will follow her, the rest of her life.  I told him that we must remember that God has a plan and He promises never to give us more than we can handle.  After going back and forth about the plans of God, he told me that “I know we need to thank Him for the hard to swallow stuff.” Amazing lessons of giving the Lord praise in all situations.
    I would like to tell you the story two truly AMAZING GODLY people.  I won’t embarrass them by using their real names, because they are not only amazing but very humble.  So I will just call them John and Marsha. 
    I met John and Marsha some 20 years ago.  At the time of our first meeting, John was a church leader and Marsha was a working Mom and supporter of John.  Over the next 15 years, our paths would cross at meetings and church events. There was nothing really special about our interaction, just basic church stuff.  As this time came and went, little did I know that they would become as intrigue and special to me and my family.  A few years ago, our relationship would take a radical change because of God.  John and Marsha felt God calling them to travel with me and do His work in the Middle East.  That was the beginning of a remarkable road.  I have seen them go through many struggles that would cause many to fall or lose faith. But during the worst bumps in their road, I have seen them gain strength through their walk through Lord.  And through all their bumps, both give honor and praise to the Lord, and they care more about others then themselves.   I remember one time we were doing God’s work and (as most of you know, I tend to burn the candle at both ends) I was basically running on fumes as the mid-week came.  I walked in and Marsha looked at me and told me that I needed to rest, I refused; she told me that I was as white as a ghost, and in her “best motherly voice” told me to go to bed.  It was only 6 pm, but I did. When she moves into the “Mom Mode,” she kinda scares.   I slept for the next 14 hours.  When I awoke, jumping out of bed in a panic; there were John and Marsha, reading their Bibles; telling me all was well and the team was out doing what they were doing. 
    This was the beginning of many times, whether we were serving together overseas, here locally or even just needing encouragement they have been here for us.  They have consistently been more to us than we could ask for, imagine, or even deserve.  And even more important, they are EXAMPLES OF GOD HERE ON EARTH.  Every aspect of their lives are examples of God’s Love and I pray someday I am half the example and servant of God they are.
    The great thing about when we struggle because of life, God is there and He brings people into our lives who teach us the lessons He wants us to learn or remind us of whether they are from remembering to give praise when things are sometimes tough to swallow, or to be examples to others of His Love for us. 
     Thank you again for allowing me to ramble and to speak from my heart.  Please pray for us as we continue to serve the Lord and that He will do immeasurably more than we are asking for or imagine according to His Will.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Commitment and Promises

 
 
COMMITTMENT AND PROMISES
 
 
    It is amazing!  As I was thinking about this edition of the blog, I kept coming back to commitments and promises.   It is a very interesting thought process.  We all make commitments and we all definitely make promises.  The real question is how many of us keep all of them, a majority of them, some of them,  a few of them, or maybe just one or two.  So as I was contemplating this, I wanted to know more what I was writing about.  Commitment is defined as, "a promise to do something or give something."  A promise is defined as, "a statement telling someone that you will definitely do something or that something will definitely happen in the future."  So when you make a statement that you are going to do something, then it becomes a promise, then it becomes a commitment.  In math equation terms, it would look like this:
 
statement to something equals a promise equals commitment
statement = promise = commitment
 
Pretty amazing to put it in terms like that.  The next thing that crossed my mind was, if we are suppose to use Jesus Christ as our example;  "Did Jesus fulfill His commitments?"  Did you know that many believe that there were over 300 prophesies regarding Jesus Christ?  Did you also know that prophesy is defined as, "to state that something is to happen in future, to predict with assurance or knowledge."  Is this not a statement that will equals promises which now becomes commitments?  Below you will find 44 Prophesies of Jesus Christ and the Old Testament reference and the New Testament fulfillment.  As you read them (I know I am asking you now to do something very tough), evaluate yourself and the statements you have made which became promises and then you did not fulfill the commitment.  Then I would challenge you to make right the commitments and promises you made, ask forgiveness and remember that we are all called to become more "Christ-like."  It is tough.  Trust me, I am trying to do what I am asking you to do. 
    One last thought I would like to leave you with.  Our God is FANTASTIC and so FORGIVING.  To quote an song, "put one foot in front of the other and soon you will be walking through the door,"  the door of course is the door to Heaven.  God Bless and Thank you for reading...
 


44 Prophecies Jesus Christ Fulfilled
Prophecies About JesusOld Testament
Scripture
New Testament
Fulfillment
1Messiah would be born of a woman.Genesis 3:15Matthew 1:20
Galatians 4:4
2Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.Micah 5:2Matthew 2:1
Luke 2:4-6
3Messiah would be born of a virgin.Isaiah 7:14Matthew 1:22-23
Luke 1:26-31
4Messiah would come from the line of Abraham.Genesis 12:3
Genesis 22:18
Matthew 1:1
Romans 9:5
5Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac.Genesis 17:19
Genesis 21:12
Luke 3:34
6Messiah would be a descendant of Jacob.Numbers 24:17Matthew 1:2
7Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah.Genesis 49:10Luke 3:33
Hebrews 7:14
8Messiah would be heir to King David's throne.2 Samuel 7:12-13
Isaiah 9:7
Luke 1:32-33
Romans 1:3
9Messiah's throne will be anointed and eternal.Psalm 45:6-7
Daniel 2:44
Luke 1:33
Hebrews 1:8-12
10Messiah would be called Immanuel.Isaiah 7:14Matthew 1:23
11Messiah would spend a season in Egypt.Hosea 11:1Matthew 2:14-15
12A massacre of children would happen at Messiah's birthplace.Jeremiah 31:15Matthew 2:16-18
13A messenger would prepare the way for MessiahIsaiah 40:3-5Luke 3:3-6
14Messiah would be rejected by his own people.Psalm 69:8
Isaiah 53:3
John 1:11
John 7:5
15Messiah would be a prophet.Deuteronomy 18:15Acts 3:20-22
16Messiah would be preceded by Elijah.Malachi 4:5-6Matthew 11:13-14
17Messiah would be declared the Son of God.Psalm 2:7Matthew 3:16-17
18Messiah would be called a Nazarene.Isaiah 11:1Matthew 2:23
19Messiah would bring light to Galilee.Isaiah 9:1-2Matthew 4:13-16
20Messiah would speak in parables.Psalm 78:2-4
Isaiah 6:9-10
Matthew 13:10-15, 34-35
21Messiah would be sent to heal the brokenhearted.Isaiah 61:1-2Luke 4:18-19
22Messiah would be a priest after the order of Melchizedek.Psalm 110:4Hebrews 5:5-6
23Messiah would be called King.Psalm 2:6
Zechariah 9:9
Matthew 27:37
Mark 11:7-11
24Messiah would be praised by little children.Psalm 8:2Matthew 21:16
25Messiah would be betrayed.Psalm 41:9
Zechariah 11:12-13
Luke 22:47-48
Matthew 26:14-16
26Messiah's price money would be used to buy a potter's field.Zechariah 11:12-13Matthew 27:9-10
27Messiah would be falsely accused.Psalm 35:11Mark 14:57-58
28Messiah would be silent before his accusers.Isaiah 53:7Mark 15:4-5
29Messiah would be spat upon and struck.Isaiah 50:6Matthew 26:67
30Messiah would be hated without cause.Psalm 35:19
Psalm 69:4
John 15:24-25
31Messiah would be crucified with criminals.Isaiah 53:12Matthew 27:38
Mark 15:27-28
32Messiah would be given vinegar to drink.Psalm 69:21Matthew 27:34
John 19:28-30
33Messiah's hands and feet would be pierced.Psalm 22:16
Zechariah 12:10
John 20:25-27
34Messiah would be mocked and ridiculed.Psalm 22:7-8Luke 23:35
35Soldiers would gamble for Messiah's garments.Psalm 22:18Luke 23:34
Matthew 27:35-36
36Messiah's bones would not be broken.Exodus 12:46
Psalm 34:20
John 19:33-36
37Messiah would be forsaken by God.Psalm 22:1Matthew 27:46
38Messiah would pray for his enemies.Psalm 109:4Luke 23:34
39Soldiers would pierce Messiah's side.Zechariah 12:10John 19:34
40Messiah would be buried with the rich.Isaiah 53:9Matthew 27:57-60
41Messiah would resurrect from the dead.Psalm 16:10
Psalm 49:15
Matthew 28:2-7
Acts 2:22-32
42Messiah would ascend to heaven.Psalm 24:7-10Mark 16:19
Luke 24:51
43Messiah would be seated at God's right hand.Psalm 68:18
Psalm 110:1
Mark 16:19
Matthew 22:44
44Messiah would be a sacrifice for sin.Isaiah 53:5-12Romans 5:6-8