Saturday Speculation: Is He To Be Trusted?

I have my moments, that's for sure. 

The other day, I was talking to my mother...bless her saintly heart for always being available to listen to me, even when it's hard for her to hear.  I was complaining about God seemingly just not answering prayers.  I told her I'd been praying for so long about some things and everything was the same.   I said a lot...I was having a few bad days, and I just let it all tumble out.   About the time I was hanging up with Mom, Ole Boy walked in and suggested that I move the car so we could wash it. 

As I was backing the car out, a song I had not heard was on the radio.   I didn't have time to hear it all, so I jotted down what I did hear so that I could "YouTube" it later. 

The part that was playing when I turned on my car:

When You don’t move the mountains 

I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters
I wish I could walk through

When You don’t give the answers

As I cry out to You

I will trust

I will trust

I will trust in You

It touched my heart in such a way that I know God was telling me He understood how I felt and reminded me to trust Him.

I was also reminded of another moment some time ago when God was patient with me:  While I go about my normal daily routine, I talk to God or think about God-things.  One day, in between talking and thinking, the thought popped unbidden to my mind, “It’s hard to trust God when he really does let bad things happen to us.”

Yeah, I've really had that thought.

I am so thankful that He is longsuffering.

Immediately following the thought (and after the gasp that I actually thought that “out loud” in my head) Job’s words came to my mind:

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.

(Job 13:15)

God reminded me that trusting Him involves knowing that rather I live or I die, or what hardships come my way, He is to be trusted. I accept that, and I will strive to walk worthy of my calling, so that "defending my own ways before Him" may not be such a daunting thought.   

All this patience and longsuffering while dealing with me as I question His goodness and faithfulness comes from the Man who died a horrific death on the cross for my sins, when He, Himself, committed not one sin, yet was tempted in all sin and remained sinless.  Just put a chocolate bunny in my face, and I'll give in.   

Lord Jesus, forgive me.   You are worthy, O Lord, You are worthy, faithful, wonderful, merciful, kind, and are definitely to be trusted.

Tuesday's Committed Thoughts

Alabama’s Ten Commandments Amendment:
(Read about it HERE)
I first saw this on some of the news stations that post on Facebook. The comments that followed were expected: “That’s unconstitutional!” “Freedom from/of religion!”



Freedom of Religion? God is not religion. Of all the things God said He was: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace…, He never said, “I am religion.” He is God. He exists, He is in control, and He will do what He wants. It is only because of His great mercy that people walking around in a world-induced stupor thinking they are God’s chosen haven’t been destroyed. He is angry with the wicked every day! (Psalm 7:11)

Those opposed say it will be challenged and overruled again in the supreme court, but the SCOTUS is different this time. They also say that if we let Christians, we have to let devil worshippers erect monuments. The wording of the amendment will probably prevail over that suggestion. Besides, when did “It is written” ever get trumped by the devil?

I cannot even care if this is an unpopular side of the fence. It is exactly what America needs. I hope it takes root in Alabama and spreads all over these United States!

About that world-induced stupor:
Thinking just going to church, being a member of a particular denomination, or just being baptized, is the way to Heaven is like building a chimney of wood to keep warm all winter.

The Lies!
Lies often start out seductive and slow, but when opposed, become loud, obnoxious, and often violent in their attempts to stay on top. The truth is calm, quiet, and often hides. Search for it! When you buy the lies, you give them to your children, and another generation grows up believing what the devil is saying instead of what God is saying.

Christians simply MUST be in the Word of God daily so that we will recognize Truth over the lies of the opposition!

About those Ten Commandments?  

God was serious about that.

Stolen Identity

Who are you?

Too many of God’s children are in the middle of an identity crisis.  It’s not that people have forgotten who they are in Christ…many have never known.  There is a famine of God’s word all across the land, and it is not because it isn’t available, it’s because people are not partaking of the bread of life.  Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35), and John 1 tells us that Jesus is the word, and has been since the beginning.

But we have to read it to truly know who we are! 

Do you know what happens when people don’t know who they are?   They take on a persona that is not who God says they are.  Why do you think there is such an epidemic of men who think they are women and women who think they are men, or why we are having an explosion of homosexuality? 

It’s because satan himself hones in humanity’s self-will and convinces people (even at very early ages) into believing that they are the exact opposite of who God has called them to be and who He says they are.  It’s a complicated case of mistaken identity; complicated because people truly believe lies about themselves.  They grasp those lies with all their might until they totally accept the deception.  It then becomes a case of identity theft. 

To put it as plainly as I can:  The devil twists God’s truths and convinces people that they are who he (satan) says they are instead of who God says they are.   They are perishing from lack of knowledge…the lack of knowledge of who they truly are! 

And it’s not just happening in the world.  It’s going on in the church, in our youth, and even in our own lives.  We (or maybe I should just say “I”) believe we are not worthy to do what God called us to do because of the way we look, or not able to do God’s will in our lives because of our current circumstances or situation.   God has a plan for each and every one of us, and the thing holding us back is a lie…or more specifically when we believe the lie. 

Read God’s word about who you are, and get in your rightful place.  If you have accepted Christ as your savior, you are a legitimate child of the One True God.

John 1:12

…to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.

1 John 3:1

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 

1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

On Calvary’s hill of sorrow
Where sin’s demands were paid,
And rays of hope for tomorrow
Across our path were laid.

I see a crimson stream of blood,
It flows from Calvary,
Its waves which reach the throne of God,
Are sweeping over me.

Tuesday's Thoughts: Welcome to a morning in my head

Great Smoky Mountains...Clingman's Dome, if I am not mistaken.

Some random thoughts zipping through my brain this a.m..

When you do the wrong thing because it is easier, you are choosing a convenience that isn’t always convenient.

The path of least resistance leads to a vast sea.  Resistance builds muscle.  If you’ve done nothing to build muscle, how will you swim the ocean?

Hijacked words don’t mean what they used to…but the rainbow is still God’s promise.

Sometimes your reasonable friends are silent and your unreasonable ones are loud. 

Lawlessness is a scary thing, and too many people are not recognizing it for what it is.  Wake up!  United we stand, divided we fall.  Jesus said so.  (Matt. 12:28)

It is easy to forget how fragile life really is, and how so many things beyond our control can dictate our level of comfort…a drought, a tornado, an earthquake, a terrorist attack…can change lives forever in just a moment.

Sometimes I’m reacting more to the fact that you’re actually telling me that rather than what you're saying.

There are days I hurry home so that I can do nothing...something I can do quite well.

Nobody wants to hear what you have to say because everyone is talking…and some of them are so loud!

When I look at others and judge them a little because they are different from me, I am forgetting that I am different from them…and different from most people.  I remind myself to stop.  Just stop.  I don't have to answer for them.  I have enough things to answer for my own-silly-self.

Would you have ever imagined 20 years ago that everyone’s best buddy would be a hand-held device?

Arguing with strangers about religion or politics…or anything…in social media, forums, chat rooms, etc. accomplishes nothing.   Arguing rarely, if ever, accomplishing anything positive.

Truth makes you mad when it hits you where you live.

What better day to start than today?   It’s the only day in which you can actually live and make choices.   Make some wise ones for yourself.

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