Thanks

Recently, as you know, we have gone through some difficult financial situations. We are still facing them somewhat. I know and believe with everything in me that God always provides whatever you need. I am thankful to God that He has provided all our needs and know that He will continue to do so in the future.

Saying that, I would also like to thank my mother. She has been extremely instrumental in God providing for us. She has gone above and beyond providing our needs. She has also made it possible for improvements in our yard making it more comfortable and pleasing to the eye. Eventhough at times, life can be difficult, God uses others and their unique circumstances to help in times of difficulties.

I also am thankful for the new roof and driveway the owner of the house we live in has provided as well. This also has made our yard more pleasing to the eye. His graciousness is greatly appreciated. We know that God also has used the owner's unique circumstances to provide these things as well.

I am thankful for the many prayers from family and friends regarding the lack of work we had during the winter months. The phone is ringing again and if it be God's will, we will once again be back on track with our business. I know that God is also using our customer's to provide our needs as well.

I know things look down at times especially in this economy and with all that is going on in our world. But, I also know if you look up and focus on things above that God is faithful. He never leaves or forsakes you. He is always with you and able to carry you through.

Praying

I have prayed constantly for my friend in the previous post. I have prayed when I rose in the morning, when I've been busy about my work, when I eat lunch, when I'm doing errands, when I cooking dinner for my family, before and after my study time and when I lie down at night. I have prayed with tears for this friend. I have been sorrowful for the friend but more than that my tears have been for the hurt I know God must have had for the position my friend was taking. It was hard to hear my friend say those harsh words but it was harder to know that if those words hurt me to the core, how much more they must have hurt God. After all God has done for me and my family, I couldn't bare to hear that someone would turn from him.

After all of my praying and crying, I was happy to know that my friend returned to Church on Sunday and is still planning to carry out their duties they had already planned. Though feeling wounded and let down somewhat in their circumstances it is good to see that they are continuing to run the race they began. I know they may not be walking on their own right now because God is carrying them through. This alone is comfort to me to know that when we fall, God still cares enough to not let go and keep us afloat.

I do know that my friend feels embarrased because of their earlier statement. But, if they are encouraged and feel loved and given just a little help they will be alright. We all get embarrassed by our lack of faith at times. My comfort in that is, God shows his strength in our weakness. We are not alone.

What To Do?

What do you do when someone you love and care about deeply stands up and says they are done with God because they have been wronged. Yes I can truly say they were wronged. My response would have to be:

I understand you have been wronged and I agree with you on that point. However, making such a bold statement doesn't end the matter. Just because you feel that God has hurt you because of circumstances doesn't mean he is done with you. He is still the one in control and the decision of whether or not things are done between you and God is in his control not yours. I believe that such a statement would mean you will probably be feeling his presence even more...and maybe not in such a favorable manner. If you are so weak in faith that you can't take what circumstances comes at you with God on your side, then I seriously doubt that you can take circumstances better without him on your side.

I still believe that all things work for the good for those who love him. People can make mistakes to hurt you personally, financially and in all manners of ways but we have to remember that God gave man free will to choose to do things the right way or the hurtful way. God can't interfer with free will. If someone hurt you in any manner it is not because of anything God did, it was simply because they exercised their free will and chose the wrong way. But we have to forgive them. Not blame God. If we don't forgive them and blame God, we are exercising our free will also in the wrong way as the one who hurt you did. That fact alone should give compassion and forgiveness for the one who hurt you.

Please let me know any comments you have about the matter of what to tell others in this circumstance.

Joy

I have to praise God for the joy, happiness, contentment and peace He has brought into my life. There are a lot of things going on in our life that we could worry about.. some major things. But, I am greatful that through reading scripture and studying and spending time with God, He brings all things into perspective. Staying focused on Him instead of the other things of life makes life so much happier. I am thankful also that I can go to God in prayer and speak to Him as my closest friend. Knowing that He will not only listen, but hear with an understanding far better than I can speak with words. I just wanted to voice my thankfulness for His faithfulness.

Spring Is Here

Spring is here. I love this time of the year. It's a time of awakening for the trees, flowers, grass. The birds sing outside my window, squirrels scamper about the yard, rabbits are playing in the early morning, and if you're fortunate you may catch a few deer playing tag in the field. All of these things seem to bring forth new energy and life from people as well. Neighbors working in their yards, cookouts, picnics, softball games, children playing in the yards. All creation seems to rejoice in the renewal of life this time of the year.

This is a quite a contract from the cold, dismal winter days when everyone stays inside and no one is visible to others except for their needed trips to the store and to work or school. But, now it is spring. Everywhere you go there will be others crowding to do as much as they can while the weather is so beautiful.

As I've already said, I love this time of the year. Not just for the reasons I listed above. There are other reasons as well. It reminds me that God gave me new life as well. Just as the birds and the squirrels I love watching so much this time of the year, it is the best opportunity I have as well to let the joy of salvation show for all who are out and about. It gives more opportunity for conversations to enable me to tell others what Christ has done for me.

Just as the rabbits, birds and squirrels that are so showing their joy for this time of renewal, we too as believers in Christ should show the joy he has given us. We should shine as bright as we can. Just as the trees and flowers show the difference the change in the season has made to them, we should be able to show the difference Christ has made in our lives evident to all at their first glance.

Christian Rights

I want to know your thoughts about the new amendment being introduced to congress this week on the Hate Crime law. If it is true that now you can be prosecuted for simply preaching the gospel, in a non-violent manner, and receive a charge of conspiracy to commit a hate crime, we are all in danger of the prosecution of up to 5 years. Any pastor, Sunday school teacher, Bible study teacher, or street preaching about sin could be targeted under this amendment. I urge everyone to contact your representatives and the White House concerning this amendment and let them know you do not want this amendment to pass. We only have a few days before the vote. Will you raise your voice or stay silent?

I have difficulty understanding why there is no amendment to declare hate crimes against Christians when we are targeted as a group as well. Maybe we should push congress for such an amendment for our protection.

Faith or Experience?

I had a conversation earlier today trying to explain what faith is. It was difficult. Any discussion on this subject is welcome. I was basically asked the question, "It is hard for me to depend God will fix the problems in my life. He hasn't shown me anything so far to show me the way out of my situation. How can I have faith when I haven't seen answers to my prayers? I pray everyday for answers." The problems in this instance are financial difficulties in case you were wondering.

The only response I could think of was, faith is the substance of things hoped for and not of things seen. If you see the solutions to problems, it is not faith in God, but rather experience. Even when we experience something we have trouble believing and trusting in it. The Israelites saw (experienced) God's miracles of being freed, the parting of the Red Sea, the cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night, manna being provided for food and so on. Eventhough they saw (experienced) all these things they still turned away from God and built idols to worship, griped, grumbled, and complained. That's what human's do.

Faith is more than experiencing something. It is hard to explain to others what faith is. Most of us go to bed everynight not thinking about or worrying that when we get up the next morning if the sun will rise. It is just a given to most of us. Yes we experience it over and over again. I don't believe this confidence in the sun to rise is faith however. I believe that we have confidence in the sun rising daily because we are involved with what it brings. We wait for the sun to rise to start our day. We set our clocks by it. We schedule activities by it such as going to the pool for a swim, working in our yard, or simple things like visiting others at times. We wouldn't want to show up at someone's house at 3:00 am and explain we were there to visit at that time because we didn't know if the sun were coming up at it's regular time or not.

I believe if we invest our time around God's word in such a way as we do other things, such as the sun rising and setting, and become involved with what God tells us in the Bible, and schedule ourselves around God's Word, we will have more confidence in what it says and in the process increase our faith. We have to practice, make a conscious decision to live how it says we should live, and discipline ourselves to obey God. We schedule and obey so many things. We schedule time for rest, for play, for television shows, for dinner, for vacations, for doctor appointments. We obey our work schedules, school schedules, sports rules, etc. How can it be that we struggle with scheduling time with God and obeying him?

We must get to the point where we believe God has a purpose for everything that happens to us and to be content with the situations we are in... to be able to trust in him... without having to wonder or worry if he will answer us. We must have faith that he will, without doubting, no matter what. We must believe that his plan is perfect, no matter what our circumstances.

Honor God in all that you do. In your time, in your committment, in your words, in your life both public and private, and in your actions. God is faithful. It is not possible for God to have a faulty plan for your life. You may not see it. It may not be what you would rather have. But his perfect plan is there for you. If you believe, trust and obey him, he will not let you down. He is always with you.

Again, I encourage you to leave your comments as to what faith is to you.