Your Plans For Tomorrow

They were sitting there,  at a conference, when my grandfather looked at grandma with a big smile on his face and said, “Mama, I’m going home”; and plop, his face dropped into his soup. They say, grandma just sat there and giggled for a moment, before the reality of it all hit her. Without warning, grandpas body quit and his spirit was in heaven.

I have heard what seems like a million stories over the years, about how he/she was just sitting there, when they didn’t wake up or come home, they were found dead. In perfect physical condition, running everyday; they sat down on the couch and died. Surprise Surprise !!

I remember waking one evening, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, When I heard an almost audible voice, “call 911”. Then POW a horrible pain hit me in the chest and neck. I walked out of my room, looked at my daughter and said, “call 911” . All I remember is the paramedics asking questions I couldn’t answer; I couldn’t talk. It all seemed like a dream… but I also had that still small voice whispering; You are not going to die, not tonight. 

Below you will find today's devotional that inspired all this…

But First:

(James 4:13-17 NLT) "Look here, you people who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." {14} How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone. {15} What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." {16} Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. {17} Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it."

(James 5:1-3 NLT) "Look here, you rich people, weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. {2} Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. {3} Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh in hell. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment."

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Plans of Tomorrow
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Monday, May 13 2013
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." - James 4:14b

A group of workplace believers meet at my office every week for fellowship, study, and prayer. One man attended our group for several years. Jim was well liked and in good health. One Thursday he showed up as usual. The next morning I received a call, "Jim is dead! He died in his easy chair last night!" Jim had no prior problems and there was no indication he was about to go be with the Lord. Naturally, it came as a shock to us all.

Whenever things like this happen close to home, it brings us face to face with our mortality. A friend of mine said he was challenged by someone to do an experiment. He challenged him to live his life for one year as if it were the last year he would live. He responded to the challenge and did as proposed. It changed his life forever. He began to focus on different priorities and people when he viewed life in these terms.

James gives us a perspective on viewing tomorrow.

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that" (James 4:13-15).

Life is fragile. Consider where you are investing your time and energies. Someone once said they had never heard anyone on his deathbed say that he wished he had made more money in his lifetime or he wished he had made a certain deal. Usually it is something like, "I wish I had spent more time with my kids." Ask the Lord to give you His priorities for your life.

Forgiveness…

From: www.presentationministries.com

1) What is forgiveness?

Forgiveness is our decision to accept God's grace to let go of the hurt due to sins committed against us and to express this by acts of mercy and love toward the offender (see Lk 15:20-24).

"Forgiveness is the restoration of freedom to oneself. It is the key held in our own hand to our prison cell" (Pope John Paul II).

2) How often must I forgive?

70 x 7, that is, indefinitely, always (see Mt 18:22).

3) Are there any sins committed against me which I don't have to forgive?

No. The Lord calls us to forgive all sins — even rape, murder, abuse, adultery, etc. We never have the occasion to forgive others for their character, attitude, or motives. We are not to judge these things.

4) When I forgive, am I condoning sin?

No, the Lord forgives all our sins and condones none of them (see Jn 8:11).

5) Must I forgive if the person offending me isn't sorry?

Yes, for-giveness is before-giveness — to give pardon before asked forgiveness or even if never asked forgiveness.

6) Must I forgive if a person continues to hurt me?

Yes. While hanging on the cross, Jesus forgave His enemies even as they continued to spit at Him and blaspheme Him (see Lk 23:34).

7) If I forgive a person, do I stay in an abusive situation?

No. You free yourself to obey God and remove yourself from an abusive situation until it is changed. If you do not forgive, you will often enable others' irresponsible behavior by becoming co-dependent.

8) How do I forgive?

None of us can forgive by our own power. "To err is human, to forgive divine," and we are not divine. However, the Lord promised us His divine power to forgive. Therefore, forgiveness is our decision to accept God's grace to forgive.

9) What if I don't want to forgive?

We should pray and ask the Lord to change our hearts.

10) How quickly must I forgive?

Immediately (Mt 5:25). We're in a self-made jail and at a stand-still in our relationship with God until we forgive.

11) What if I forgive and not forget?

Forgetting offenses against us does not mean we have amnesia but that there is no special sting in us when we remember offenses. If it hurts us to remember offenses against us, either we need healing or have not truly forgiven.

12) How do I forgive myself?

The Bible does not speak of our forgiving ourselves. Not forgiving ourselves is a symptom which will take care of itself if we truly forgive others and receive prayers for healing.

13) What if I don't forgive?

1. We "give the devil a chance to work on" us (see Eph 4:27).

2. We are handed over to the torturers (Mt 18:34). These torturers are such things as fear, loneliness, depression, frustration, anxiety, and self-hatred.

3. We cut ourselves off from receiving forgiveness (Mt 6:12, 15), healing (Sir 28:3), prayer (Mk 11:25), worship (Mt 5:23-24), and Christian community.

4. We lose our appetite for prayer, the Scriptures, the Mass, and Christian fellowship. We become spiritually anorexic.

5. If we persist in unforgiveness, we cut ourselves off from God forever and thereby damn ourselves.

14) How do I know if I have forgiven?

Forgiveness is not a feeling but a decision. Moreover, forgiveness is not only praying for those who have hurt us or treating them politely. We know if we have made the decision to forgive when we show it in acts of love and mercy to those who have offended us. For example, the father of the prodigal son threw his arms around his son, kissed him, gave him gifts, honored him, and celebrated his return (Lk 15:20-24). By God's grace, we must go and do likewise. Even if the persons we need to forgive have died, we should give love and mercy to their family members.

Right now, decide to accept God's grace to forgive all who have sinned against you in any way. Say: "By God's grace, I decide to forgive ___ for ___." Fill in the blanks and repeat this statement until you have forgiven everyone who has ever offended you. Then thank Jesus forever for the miracle of forgiveness.

(For more teachings, order our pamphlet, Unforgiveness is the Cause.)

Nihil obstat: Rev. Edward J. Gratsch, July 29, 1996.
Imprimatur: † Most Rev. Carl K. Moeddel, Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 6, 1996.

The Nihil obstat and Imprimatur are a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free from doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil obstat and Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

The Cost Of Obedience

Has God ever asked you to do something, that lit a fire under you; only to loose or fail? Well… it looked like you had lost or failed, in the eyes and ears of your family, friends or peers.  The emotional and spiritual devastation is amazing…

You were so sure you were doing what God wanted, that you sacrificed everything, gave up a career, or even let that relationship walk away. 

90% of the time, God does not reveal the miracles and victories you uncovered, and lives you touched, while obeying, loosing or failing at a task ordained by God… yet judged by culture, community, the church, family and peers.

Then, like a steam roller, the health, finances or relationships are crushed;  right in front of the world; adding fuel to the condemnation and judgment of others.  It isn’t long before you are getting sick of “You just have to…” whatever.

My favorite is, and its said in many ways…“God is punishing you, so I am stepping away until He has finished, and you are prospering again”.  Oh yes… I’ve been there… and lived it… it is amazing, the horrible things people say, and even make up; after the great fail or loss. At least in their eyes, it is a fail or loss… but great battles and victories were achieved during that time, that no one knows about… yet. 

Then every sort of evil, comes out of the woodwork, to kick you, while you are down. You want to runaway, get away from everyone that knows about this.  But that still small voice says, Stay Put… We are not done yet… But the devil can see the impact you are having, just being there.  He will do everything imaginable to get you to run… heck, your own humanity will start screaming RUN get out of here. I cannot take it anymore…  But the Holy Spirit says STOP… stay put… we are doing far more than you realize. 

Well, I guess I’m suppose to stop there.  Please read on, to the devotion that inspired this… or lit my fire this morning.  

I receive these devotionals on a daily bases, and every once in a while, one jumps out at me; and I am compelled to forward it or repost here. It is usually something that has already been on my mind, and I had not written it down.

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The Cost of Miracles
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Sunday, December 30 2012

"Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit'" (Matt 1:19-21).

There is often a cost associated with a miracle. Mary carried a miracle in her belly. No other woman in history had the distinction of birthing the Son of God. It was a one-time event in history. However, for 30 years she was viewed as a woman who was often judged, shamed by public opinion, rejected by her own, and thought to be an adulteress by her townspeople.

I can only imagine her cries at night, "You are God, you can help them understand I am not an immoral person. I am doing the will of God! Why must I be shamed and judged the same as a prostitute!" God's silence must have been difficult. She would not be accurately viewed for years to come. In many ways, she was called to the same path as Jesus was. He was rejected by His own people too.

Her finance Joseph was going to break off the engagement when he discovered she was pregnant. Had he not had a visitation from an angel, he too would have rejected her. However, he married her and also carried the stigma associated with a pregnancy that most assumed was immoral.

Sometimes we are called to experience rejection for the Son of God living in us. When we carry the cross of Christ, the world and even our families sometimes look at us as though we have a few marbles out of place. Jesus said that He did not come to bring peace. Even our families would judge us and think wrongly of us.

Yes, a miracle often has a cost. But that miracle is the seed for something imperishable. It is the seed of eternity in our hearts.

Divorce - THE TEN STAGES OF GRIEF

 

THE TEN STAGES OF GRIEF

The grief process must be pursued within the heart and cannot be
hurried. It takes a great deal of time; even a year or more. Here is
where a great many get caught on the rebound. They look for someone or something to silence that pain. This always ends up in disaster.

Jumping into another relationship only hides the grief for a little
while. It will surface again and must be dealt with, sooner or later.
Second marriages are destroyed by this process. One or both
parties have not permitted the grieving process to run its course.

This may be the worse pain you have ever had to endure. The death of a relationship (divorce) has been found to be the most stressful and painful experience known. It is not an actual death, where one can finalize the grieving process and they never see the person again. The death of a relationship is as painful as loosing a loved one except
they are still around as a reminder, and fuel negative emotions like
bitterness, Unforgiveness, fear, hate and so on. Naturally this
knowledge will not lessen the pain, or minimize your grief. What it
does do is assist you in giving yourself up to it, giving you courage
in knowing it will one day be over with. Giving yourself up to it
is the only way to start the healing and obtaining a complete healing.

This is where Jesus comes in.
God will walk you through this extremely painful and trying ordeal in
grace and love. He gives a peace that goes beyond anything you can
imagine. Going through this process is a given; you need to complete
it, in order to save your sanity. Responding favorably will cause you
to grow stronger than ever. Either way you will be a new person.
Positive or negative is up to you.

I. Shock
Some never go through a prolonged stage of shock and are able to
express their emotions immediately. Others will say, "I feel numb"
without any real emotional expression. This could be a type of denial
and is very destructive. Eventually it comes out one way or another,
positive or negative. Children will bury their shock, because they do
not want to believe the two people they love and trust the most, hate
one another. It can come out in the form of bedwetting; silence;
diminished appetite; withdrawal; or sleeplessness.

II. Emotional Release
This is where a person begins to feel and hurt. Many people start
here. Grieving in tears is good; possibly the greatest relief, because
tears wash the heart. If a person, particularly a child, isn’t able to
express these emotions, they will manifest in another way, either
physically or emotionally. Unfortunately, many partners blame the
emotional pain children feel on the other partner, which only builds
more unhealthy feelings in the children. The children know better and
it will backfire one day.

Some need to be induced to cry or express themselves. This is
particularly true with men and male children. If this is not expressed
in a controlled way, later on in life it might be expressed in an
uncontrolled way, causing everyone around them to experience their
grief inappropriately. Generally the parent they’re with is blamed for
the pain, because they are viewed as the one that would not allow them to grieve. Here we can see how years later another relationship is destroyed.

In our culture men are not allowed to cry, but it should be
encouraged! Harboring Unforgiveness magnifies everything and delays the recovery process. It numbs the guilt and makes sinning easier, and it fosters bitterness.

III. Preoccupation With The Ex-Partner
Try as you might, you may find yourself preoccupied with thoughts of
the other person; unable to shift your thoughts. This will get better
as time goes on. Thinking negatively through resentment could be very damaging and can cause deep wounds that take forever to heal. It can even destroy future relationships.

Forgiveness is the key. What you do with those feelings will determine the kind of person you become. It will contribute in determining what kind of people your children will become.

Some people feel married for long periods of time after the divorce,
which is normal, because they have bonded. Most even feel an elevated love for the ex-spouse.

IV. Some Symptoms of Physical and Emotional Distress
These symptoms or distresses may come in many forms; in waves, lasting anywhere from several minutes to even an hour or so.

The most common are:
Sleeplessness
Tightness in the throat.
Choking, with shortness of breath.
A need for sighing
Empty hollow feeling in the stomach.
Lack of muscle control (bedwetting)
Digestive disorders
Lack of appetite
Uncontrolled eating.
Hyperactivity

Note: Watch for these symptoms in children and see if they last longer than a few hours.

Associated with the physical distress may be certain emotional
anxieties.

The most common are:

Slight sense of unreality.
Feelings of emotional distance from people (no one cares)
Feeling “shadowy” or very “small”
Panic
Self Destruction
A desire to run away

Feelings like this can cause you to think you’re losing your sanity,
or approaching insanity, but they are all normal. Its how you deal
with them that counts. Children experience the same feelings that
adults do; watch them, especially teenagers. It isn’t uncommon for
children to attempt suicide. Be very careful not to contribute to
their justification for such a thing.

V. Hostility
These feelings can be surprising and inexplicable. They can make you
feel like you’re going insane. Anger may be directed towards the other partner; their lover; the children; family; even God, but this is very normal. It is what you do with the anger that counts.
Understand that the other partner is going to go through this, as well
as the children. Children can “lock up” emotionally and it will come
out in other areas of their lives later on; possibly in their own
marriages. It must be expressed.

VI. Guilt
There is always some sense of guilt in this process; thoughts of,
“could I have done something different?”, or, “its all ‘their’ fault.”
Its tempting to relieve the guilt by converting it to blame, but
remember; two people cannot live together without some hurt being
done. Feeling guilty is normal, but converting it to “blame” is
disastrous. It halts the healing process; stops it dead in its tracks.

VII Depression
Many feel total despair; unbearable loneliness; hopelessness;
detachment. Nothing seems worthwhile. These feelings are far more
intense for those who live alone or have very little family support. A
good support system is extremely important (support groups, church,
clubs, etc.). This type of depression seems awful, but is actually a
part of the healing, and will do a wondrous work within you.

VIII. Withdrawal
Some withdraw from social activities and relationships. Daily routines
are severely disrupted. This is normal but not healthy. It becomes a
place to hide; a fortress of solitude. Once the walls are up they’re
very difficult to penetrate. Most need a lot of encouragement to leave
their solitude.

IX. The Light At the End of the Tunnel
Time and the Holy Spirit will finally produce a better situation.
Suddenly there is light. The dark cloud of gloom dissipates; life
comes back into focus, and you begin to move forward. This only
happens if you have been honest with yourself; only if you’ve resisted
the temptation to take a big mental, emotional, or spiritual step
backwards.

X. Times of Readjustment
There will be moments and seasons where you will feel a touch of the
grief again. I call this a wave. This is very normal and will diminish
as time passes. It is important to express your feelings.

To get to the last two stages, you must experience the first eight,
but people try to avoid the extreme pain of the grieving process and
inflict permanent deep wounds that may never heal. They come out later in the form of bitterness; Unforgiveness, and hate for the ex-partner.

These very same effects manifest in the children. In turn, bitterness;
Unforgiveness and hate become a part of their character. This is very
unfortunate. They learn to hate and run instead of to love and
forgive.

In walking through this process, you will emerge a better person.
Allow it to complete its work and you and your children will grow in
leaps and bounds.

Jesus will be there with you, if you allow Him.
His love and grace will cover you like a warm blanket.

By Greg Ewert / Copyright 1996/All Rights Reserved

The Isolation

I receive these little devotionals form Os Hillman.  Some of them ring out like a big church bell in the night. When I get that urge to repost, I know this message is not for me alone…

The Isolation Chamber
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, October 26 2012

"Be still and know that I am God...." Psalm 46:10

There is a time and place in our walk with God in which He sets us in a place of waiting. It is a place in which all past experiences are of no value. It is a time of such stillness that it can disturb the most faithful if we do not understand that He is the one who has brought us to this place for only a season. It is as if God has placed a wall around us. No new opportunities--simply inactivity.

During these times, God is calling us aside to fashion something new in us. It is an isolation chamber designed to call us to deeper roots of prayer and faith. It is not a comfortable place, especially for a task-driven workplace believer. Our nature cries out, "You must do something," while God is saying, "Be still and know that I am God." You know the signs that you have been brought into this chamber when He has removed many things from your life and you can't seem to change anything. Perhaps you are unemployed. Perhaps you are laid up with an illness.

Most religious people live a very planned and orchestrated life where they know almost everything that will happen. But for people in whom God is performing a deeper work, He brings them into a time of quietness that seems almost eerie. They cannot say what God is doing. They just know that He is doing a work that cannot be explained to themselves or to others.

Has God brought you to a place of being still? Be still and know that He really is God. When this happens, the chamber will open soon after.

Serve Where You Are

By Greg Ewert – March 19, 2012

I cannot count how many times I’ve written and spoke on this subject.

We are all called into service, but not all of us are called into the fulltime five fold ministries.  You would be surprised, at how much you do for God, walking the kids to the bus stop; singing those little worship choruses, as you load the dishwasher; taking that walk in the park.  You would be amazed at how much you change, by moving from point A.. to point B.  And on the job.. Whoa!  if you could see into the spirit realm, you would be shocked at what God is using your presents to do. I hope you enjoy the devotional I placed after this. 

Thank You For Visiting my blog… Greg 

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This Portion is Reprinted With Permission –

This was my Morning devotional, I felt compelled to share it with you.

The Fallacy of Full-Time Christian Work
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Monday, March 19 2012

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." -
Colossians 3:23-24

"I didn't know you were in full-time Christian work," said my close friend as we were driving. "I didn't realize that," she went on. I responded, "Every person who has followed the will of God in their life is in full-time Christian work." God calls some to the mission field, others to be accountants, and others to be advertising executives, and still others to be construction workers. God never made a distinction between sacred and secular. In fact, the Hebrew word avodah is the root word having the same meaning of "work" and "worship." God sees our work as worship.

We have incorrectly elevated the role of the Christian worker to be more holy and committed than the person who is serving in a more secular environment. Yet the call to the secular workplace is as important as any other calling. God has to have His people in every sphere of life. Otherwise, many would never come to know Him because they would be separated from society.

I learned this lesson personally when I sought to go into "full-time" service as a pastor in my late twenties, only to have God thrust me back into the business world unwillingly. This turned out to be the best thing He could have done for me, because it was never His will for me to be a pastor. He knew I was more suited for the workplace.

We are all in missions. Some are called to foreign lands. Some are called to the jungles of the workplace. Wherever you are called, serve the Lord in that place. Let Him demonstrate His power through your life so that others might experience Him through you today and see your vocation as worship to His glory.

 

Thank You !

Unwanted, Abandoned, Or Rejected

This came in my morning devotionals and I felt compelled to share it with you all.  And Thank You, once again for being patient while I updated the website.

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If You're Feeling Unwanted, Abandoned, Or Rejected,
It's Time To Rejoice!

By Rick Renner

And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen.
-1 Corinthians 1:28

Have you ever felt unwanted, abandoned, or rejected? If your answer is yes, I relate to your feelings entirely. There was a time in my life when I felt very inferior to everyone else, even though I had no reason to feel this way.

Because I was sick for a prolonged period of time when I was in junior high school, I missed a great deal of school. I especially felt the pain of this loss when it came to the subject of mathematics. As a result, I missed all the essential elements of mathematics that my fellow students were learning. When I finally returned to school, I was far behind everyone else.

As I started my first algebra class in junior high school, my teacher ridiculed me for not understanding the basic elements of mathematics that everyone else in class seemed to understand. I tried to explain my situation, but she responded by calling me "Stupid." In fact, every day when she called the roll, instead of calling my name, she'd say, "Stupid Renner," and I'd always answer, "Here, Ma'am."

My teacher's words negatively affected my self-image when I was a young junior high student. Other students laughed at me and thought it was funny to call me "Stupid." Outside of class, they started to call me by the same name until, finally, the word "stupid" became my nickname that many of the kids used that school year when they spoke to me. Everywhere I turned at school, people yelled out, "Stupid...hey, Stupid!" I allowed this petty name-calling to create feelings of inferiority in my life that affected me for several years.

Everyone remembers feeling unwanted and rejected at some time or another in his or her life. Some people recover from these experiences; however, the devil has used memories of rejection to keep others in an emotional prison for the rest of their lives. These are the people who never feel wanted and accepted, nor do they feel like they can measure up to other people.

It could be that I'm describing something you have experienced in the past. Perhaps it is a recent event that is still very fresh in your memory.
Personally, I am thankful that what happened to me had no long-term effect on my life; in fact, today I even laugh about it. However, I know many people who were devastated by rejection at some point in their lives and never recovered from it.

I've had many other opportunities to feel rejected since my junior high years. For instance, after my family and I moved to the former Soviet Union in 1991, we poured our whole lives into this land. We invested our monies, energies, and nearly every ounce of our strength into establishing churches, broadcasting the Word on television, and enriching the lives of the people in this region of the world. But time and again I've been shocked by the editorials and newspaper articles that accuse me and our ministry of being criminals, cult leaders, a dangerous sect, and so on.

Regardless of who we are, we all deal with these issues from time to time. Therefore, it is essential that you and I make a decision about how we are going to react when something occurs that makes us feel unwanted, abandoned, or rejected. Personally, I have always turned to First Corinthians 1:28 when I've felt tossed aside by friends, by the world, or even by the Church. This scripture has always been a source of strength to me, for it says, "And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen."

When Paul wrote that verse, he was writing to the Corinthian believers, who were being ostracized and deemed stupid by the unbelieving community in the city of Corinth. The unbelieving citizens didn't understand the Christian faith. But instead of trying to understand, they just decided that Christians were stupid and out of touch with society. In fact, their disdain for Christians was so intense that Paul said they "despised" the Corinthian church.

The word "despised" is the Greek word exoutheneo. This Greek word means to make light of, to despise, to treat with contempt, to disregard, and to neglect. It pictures someone low and detestable whom others perceive as hideous, disgusting, despicable and nauseating. In fact, this word describes a person who is such an outcast and so low in other people's opinions that they don't even consider him worth recognition.

People just want to shut their eyes and pretend this person isn't there - to ignore him and to go their own way. But notice the end of the above verse: It boldly announces that the people whom the world rejects are the very ones whom God has chosen!

First Corinthians 1:28 could be translated:

"God has picked out people who are laughable, and through them He is confounding those who think they are high and mighty. Low-class, second-rate, common, average, run-of-the mill people - those so low that the world doesn't even think they're worth the time of day - these are the ones whom God has chosen."

Have you noticed that the lost and unbelieving world still tries to ignore believers and pretend they're not there? This is nothing new. In the verse above, the Greek tense indicates that the lost world's terrible opinion of Christians will continue to prevail.

In First John 5:19, the Bible explains why the world refuses to acknowledge those of us who are believers: "The whole world lieth in wickedness." As long as the world lies in the grip of wickedness, we may as well accept the fact that the unbelieving world will mock and make fun of us, no matter what we do to try to change their opinion. It's just the way a lost world is going to act!

Rather than let other people affect your self-image and confidence, you need to know who you are in Jesus Christ and hold your head up high. You have no reason to be embarrassed or ashamed. From the beginning of time, the lost world has ridiculed, made fun of, sarcastically accused, and debased the people of God. There is nothing new about this at all.

The devil may try to use your friends, your family, your business associates, or your school teachers to make fun of you and drag you down, but you don't have to let the devil's plan work against you. In times like these, remember that Jesus was also "despised and rejected of men" (Isaiah 53:3).

You are in good company with Jesus! So if the world makes light of you or treats you with contempt - if it disregards, neglects, and overlooks you - take heart! You are exactly the kind of person God wants to use! He has big plans to use you as a demonstration of His almighty power to your friends, to your family, to your business associates, and to the unbelieving world!

Lord, I am so thankful that You chose me! Even though the devil has tried to use people to tell me that I would never be worth anything, You wanted me and sought me out until I finally heard Your voice and surrendered to Your call. I am so grateful that the opinion of the world about me wasn't true. I'm so glad that You pursued me with such a mighty love and that You refused to give up on me. What else can I say to express my heart to You? I can only say, "Thank You, Jesus!"
I pray this in Jesus' name!

Renner Ministries | PO Box 702040 | Tulsa | OK | 74170

Being Community Ready,

by Greg Ewert  November 6, 2011

Are You Community Ready?
In today's economy, thinking about emergency preparedness is low on just about everyone's list, of priorities. Being prepared isn't about the destructive power of an earthquake, flood, tsunami, or tornado; alone.

Being prepared isn't about a giant emergency, its about a sudden unexpected loss of services (electricity, communications, medical, food, transportation ect..)

Its about you and your neighbors being prepared to face the unexpected; things that will affect everyone on your street, building, or cul-de-sac.

This is especially true if you live in a community of people on fixed incomes. One persons hardship can quickly become a community event... one can quickly become two, three, four... and so on. Networking and Sharing are the keys to peace of mind. Sadly, some actually think that their landlord will come to their rescue. They are so institutionalized, and dependent on the housing authority and social services, that they have lost the ability to think and/or plan on their own.

Their landlords are under no obligation to help them in any way, and their landlords have no plans to assist them in organizing for a disaster or helping them afterwards; I know because I asked them.

When preparing, it is a lot easier to not think about a particular natural disaster. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard these words; "Oh sure, I remember Y2K and its all a bunch of hysteria and propaganda". But we have seen the devastation of the mighty hurricanes and tsunamis over the last decade. We have witnessed, for ourselves, the heartache and even death, brought on by those who were not prepared, and thought Uncle Sam or Big Brother was coming to the rescue.

Before Hurricane Katrina, we were told that the mighty FEMA or our military would come to our rescue. We seen it in movies, all over the Internet, and in the news. After Hurricane Katrina, we were told that you need to learn to survive on your own for up to three days. But even that is a stretch. In most cases, federal emergency responders will not arrive for weeks.

In places like the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington, you can't go anywhere without crossing a bridge. And a moderate earthquake will make 90% of the bridges in the Pacific Northwest impassible.

In researching this subject, I asked a lot of people in low income housing, how they were prepared in case of a natural disaster in Oregon. All but a few said they were going to go to a relatives. So I asked them, how many bridges do you cross getting to your relatives? almost everyone had to cross at least three bridges to get to where they think they will be safe.

Odds are, those bridges will not be there after an earthquake.

Some of the people I talk to are pretty well-to-do. What will you do after a big earthquake and how have you prepared. I was amazed at how many have property up in the mountains that were fully stocked and ready for an emergency. Yet they had done little to nothing to prepare to stay where they are. I asked him the same question, how many bridges will you have to cross to get up to your cabin, and how many big trees are along the road? Not a single one of them had thought of that.

When I questioned local emergency responders about what they were going to be doing after a big earthquake, every single one of them responded with...

"I already have a place picked out, where I will take me, my family and my gun, until the chaos is over".

When planning and preparing, it is best to do so as a community, a neighborhood. You will be the first responder in your community, and your community will be your first responder. As we look at the natural disasters of the last few years, here in the United States; we always hear, my neighbor had to dig me out of my house, apartment, or grocery store. It was always, hours, days, or even a week before emergency responders arrived.

Now you consider the amount of damage that will be done over three states, Oregon Washington and California, the responders will be spread really thin. The smaller communities may never see, FEMA or the military come rolling into their community. These people will be told where to go to find emergency help, it's not going to come to them; or you.

Get to know your neighbors, and have a potluck.  Get to know each others skills, needs, what you have as a community.

Thank You All For Visiting

Greg Ewert

Stepping up to the fight

 

As children, the Holy Spirit guards and protects us. Here is where we establish our relationship with God. However, after years of milk and cookies, the sweeter things that draw us near to Him, we are expected to learn how to feed ourselves. We are expected to learn how to prepare a meal, set the table, and serve it to those around us.

Then… There comes the day, when hiding and waiting for God to fight our battle, doesn’t work anymore.  There comes a day when we are expected to fight for what has been placed in our custody. 

I meet people all the time that are being beaten by the Devils cohorts. They retreat to isolation, and they are even held captive, in the many prisons of our enemy. In our walk as believers we are expected, at some point, to grow up, to strap on the armor, and fight.

Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. {12} For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. {13} Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Eph 6:11-13 NLT)

No… God does not expect us to dive into the mix alone; not always.  There are those times we must stand, with our armor and battle face. 

I had a dream, years ago:

I was standing on a big rock, overlooking some blank rolling hills of sand.  I was a Watchman… standing guard over a territory I was responsible for.  Every now and then, something would pop up over one of those little hills, and I would see a fiery dart heading in my direction.  Bang… Bang… Bang… those darts hit my shield; sometimes more than one or two at a time.  The enemy got really good at disguises, and would get pretty darn close before opening fire; POW! they hit my shield hard and yes, a few got by my shield. My armor saved me, but it hurt. 

After a barrage of darts and arrows, I heard something new.  Like a storm off in the distance… a faint roar at first…

It got louder and louder.  I stood tall, up on my toes, looking out over the rolling hills.  With my eyes strained on the horizon, I caught a quick glimpse of something on fire and coming fast.  It was hugging the surface… disappearing behind the hills, only to pop up  again, as it got closer, and closer. 

Suddenly… there it was.  I could see it clearly.  It wasn’t a dart, an arrow, or a spear.  It was a missile, a rocket of some sort. I barely had a second to raise my shield when it hit.  The explosion was deafening, and there was fire and smoke; but I was still standing. 

One by one… several more rockets hit.  They were not hitting my shield every-time. They were hitting the rock I was standing on as well. Then I noticed, just before the rockets hit, the sky filled with arrows. More and more of these arrows and darts were getting past the hills, the rock, and even my armor.  After a while I was on my knees, my shield was battered, burnt, and full of holes.  My armor was smoldering and I was in pain. 

The roar was louder than before and I couldn’t tell which direction it was coming from. I stood up, and scanned the horizon. I spotted one, two, three… There were four rockets coming from four different directions.   I pulled my shield close and in the back of my mind I thought this was the end. 

I closed my eyes and a few seconds later…  BOOM!… A giant cloud of fire, smoke, and fragments went everywhere.  Stunned, I realized I had not felt the impact.  I opened my eyes to see my friends, they were standing all around me, with their shields acting like a wall.  One by one they turned to me and winked.  As the rockets, exploded and air filled with arrows.

It was only a few minutes, but it seemed like hours, before silence and a cool breeze cleared the air.  Hurting, like I never thought possible, my friends tended my wounds. 

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

I tried to keep this story short and have left out a lot of details. One lesson to be learned here is…

Well.. there might be more than one lesson here. 

 

Greg Ewert

The Prison of Un-forgiveness

You have prayed and prayed, yet things are not turning out the way you hoped… And it seems the promises of God do not apply to you. Why!?

The chains, or prison, of Un-forgiveness can hold both people in bondage. By maintaining Un-forgiveness you could bind God’s hands; if that person is in someway a part of your life; and it will inhibit your prayers.

Look at (Matthew 6: 14-15): "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

If You do not release your brothers trespasses, God cannot let go of yours. This takes us to Matthew 18:22-35. Notice that the forgiven servant did not forgive. Because he could not forgive and held another in bondage; in prison; he himself ended up in prison right beside him where he was tortured, until he had forgiven or paid his original debt. The only way he had to pay his debt was to forgive the man that he had not forgiven. The torturer or as some translate it, "the tormentors" are there to discipline us, or even as a punishment to turn us away from our Un-forgiveness.

This does not happen because our heavenly Father is a big bully waiting for His chance to club us. It happens because He loves us. He knows the destructive power of Un-forgiveness and seeks to remove this bondage as quickly as possible. The prison of Un-forgiveness is not a fun place to be; often referred to as Gods Wood Shed. You are constantly tormented by the thoughts of revenge or the uneasiness you must endure every time this person is present, either physically or in thought.

The destructive power of Un-forgiveness is greater than any other violation or sin known to either God or man. When you hold someone in this prison you hold them in bondage to the very thing you seek to see changed in them. You can pray until you are blue in the face and it will not do a bit of good (Mark 11:25).

Forgiveness is An Action Word

Be it forgiveness or Un-forgiveness, we are talking about an action word. While praying and seeking God’s wisdom before writing this, the Holy Spirit kept comparing forgiveness to love. Un-forgiveness is the exact opposite of love; practically its mirror image.

Forgiveness is a verb, in relation to one person forgiving another. It comes from the Greek word “hiemi” meaning to let go, suffer or yield up. A paraphrase would be to let go of or release the offense; or cancel the debt. So, to forgive someone would mean you are releasing them from bondage, thus releasing yourself from bondage, or prison.

Our heavenly Father forgives us "as" or after we have forgiven. After we have forgiven then He can deliver us from the evil one; the tormentor. Until we have forgiven, the tormentors have a legal right to torment us.

Love and Un-forgiveness can be compared to nuclear power. Nuclear power’s negative side would be a bomb. Take that same power and apply it positively and it warms homes and families. It supplies lighting and energy that can run many homes.

Love and Un-forgiveness are equal in power and strength. One can utterly destroy and the other can bring healing and warmth. Love can conquer and wipe away Un-forgiveness. Un-forgiveness can conquer and wipe away love. 

Inhibits Our Prayers

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses." Mark 11:25

Here we see how and why our prayers are inhibited. Have you been standing in faith for something; and never seem to see any results? King David said it better than anyone has ever said it: "Search me, O God, and know my heart;...see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Ps. 139:23-24).

Here we see the heart of David. "Search me..." Have you asked God to search your heart for what might be forgotten or misplaced Un-forgiveness? Could there be a wall between you and the very thing you have been praying for?

Sometimes forgiving is harder than giving up your hand. You would much rather loose your dominant hand than forgive his person for what they have done to you. When it comes to an intimate relationships, the littlest things can hurt deep. The hurt goes so deep it strangles the life (love) out of you.

Forgiveness is not a feeling, It is a decision to write off a debt.

Does forgiving mean you have to trust this person? No it does not. Once trust is broken, it must first be repaired and then earned once again. Forgiving someone is very hard and sometimes begins with the willingness to be willing to forgive. Only God can take you to that point. He can help you reach the point of wanting to forgive, if you ask him. Forgiveness is washing his car... not wanting to run over him with it.

The tiniest acts of love can tear down that Un-forgiveness. Your smallest action of love might start with a little prayer for this person. A little "bless them Lord" pulls the tormentors whip back. Then one day you might wrap your arms around them in total love. God reaches down at this point and He personally removes the tormentors from your lives. The healing is well on its way. Now you can work on the trust again. Some get through this process faster than others.

Are you willing? To be willing?

In Prison Over A Lie

Another point and one that has cropped up more and more is: the person who holds onto Un-forgiveness towards another person for something that was never done.

Are you in prison? Holding onto Un-forgiveness on the grounds of a story you made up to bring validity to your testimony or justification? Are there any stories like this in your life? Did you begin to believe the story yourself? Have you been imprisoned over false testimony; your own?

Exaggeration is all a part of the anger and hurt that goes along with separation and depression. Have you exaggerated; do you have anything that you need to make right, so you can enjoy freedom and peace of mind once again? Do you want to be free?

Repeat this little prayer:

Lord, please forgive my Un-forgiveness.
Help me to forgive and release me and (_________)
from the prison of Un-forgiveness. Bless (_________)
and open a door for me to show your love to (_________)
Thank You Lord for hearing my prayer. Amen.

Thank You For Visiting

Greg Ewert

God… And being prepared

When it comes to being prepared for an emergency event, Christians seem to be the hardest ones to convince.  Getting ready or being prepared is almost an act of heresy and/or hypocrisy; and a denial of ones faith in a lovey dovey god; a god, or image,  that does not exist. 

When we look at all the stories and parables in the bible, or any religious documents written about God through the Holy Spirit, we do not see lovey-dovey anywhere.

Jesus, the son of God, gave us a stern warning:

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." (Mat 10:34-38 NKJV)

Earth, is a temporary situation. Even our scientists have proven, at least 4 extinction level events in human history. Does this mean we all head to the mountains and wait for the next event; to wipe out 95% of all humans on earth?  Of course not !  That is just plain weird. 

Throughout the bible we see how God warned His people, through dreams and the prophets, of upcoming disasters. His people were always told to prepare.  God could have waved his hand and POOF! caused food to fall on his people, but that is not in Gods character on a national level. 

In Genesis 41 we see how God warned Egypt of a severe famine; and told them how to prepare for it.  The story of Joseph is one of my all time favorites.  And it is only one example of how God, through His Holy Sprit, warns His people of upcoming events that will seem devastating to us humans.   Being prepared is always in Gods plan; and it is His will for His people to be prepared.

I find it amazing how people are more concerned about their image, than they are about people.  I am referring to the “faith image”.  When it comes to being prepared for disasters or loss of services, I get the these words thrown at me on a regular basis: “ Where is your faith brother”…  “what will people think of you and your walk in faith, going around telling people to prepare”.  And the only ones to push me away and isolate me are… the christians.  Or those who go to church and call themselves Christians. 

Jesus Followed up the words above with:

He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward. (Mat 10:41-42 NKJV)

And for all you Lovie Dovie people getting your hate mail started.  When was the last time your preacher preached from Matthew 11. 

Then He (Jesus) began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. (Mat 11:20-24 NKJV)

Now that didn’t sound to lovie dovie, did it?
Something to think about. 

Thank You for Joining me Here
Greg Ewert

Stupid - The Pandemic of 2112

There seems to be a pandemic that is spreading across the world as I write this. I look at the headlines this morning and all I can do is shake my head. 

Stupid, seems to have spread at an astronomical rate across the planet.  That's right, a deadly pandemic of stupid.  It's the only word that comes to mind when looking at the choices and decisions people are making right now. 

Have things changed? Or is technology making it possible for us to monitor humanities stupidity in real time.  With the use of technology, something stupid can spread like a deadly virus from a little town in Kansas, to the Kremlin, in just a few seconds.  And then someone grabs the stupid and passes it on. 

What Happened To Common Sense?

These poor young people, as old as 30, using technology to be as stupid as possible, on the Internet, where it will be forever, for anyone to find, for the next 50 years. As long as 5 years ago, I started seeing how people were being denied jobs, for their stupid fun on the internet; and I started to send out the warning.  

It amazes me, how a women, who are looking for a good man, can think she's going to find a “good man”  by posting pictures of her and her girlfriends half dressed and drunk at the local bar or nightclub.  News Flash ladies, good men, will not consider anyone in that picture as a possibility, when it comes to long-term relationships like marriage. 

And the guys are just as bad.  They Get Drunk, take off their shirts, and wrap an AK-47 around themselves… Oh! Wow!  Look! now here is a guy I want to raise my children. 

Lets use some common sense.  You just might grow up one day and/or want to get on a plane.  One day you might have kids, and they will find them old pictures and videos. Or you finally get that one in a lifetime opportunity and guess what…  they are finding those pictures and comments you posted last week-end. 

And should you end up in court for whatever reason, that private account will not be private anymore.

Believe me… one moment of stupid can cost you your dreams.

Thank You For Stopping By

Greg Ewert

Your Social Security

Social Security Broke?

THEY FORGOT TO FIGURE IN THE PEOPLE WHO DIED BEFORE THEY COLLECTED THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY!!!!

WHERE DID THAT MONEY GO????

This was sent to me, I am forwarding it because it does touch a nerve in me.
This is another example of what Rick Perry called "TREASON in high places" !!!

Get angry and pass this on!
Remember, not only did you contribute to Social Security but your employer did too. It totaled 15% of your income before taxes. If you averaged only $30K over your working life, that's close to $220,500.

If you calculate the future value of $4,500 per year (yours & your employer's contribution) at a simple 5% (less than what the govt. pays on the money that it borrows), after 49 years of working you'd have $892,919.98.

If you took out only 3% per year, you'd receive $26,787.60 per year and it would last better than 30 years (until you're 95 if you retire at age 65) and that's with no interest paid on that final amount on deposit! If you bought an annuity and it paid 4% per year, you'd have a lifetime income of $2,976.40 per month.

The folks in Washington have pulled off a bigger Ponzi scheme than Bernie Madhoff ever had.

Entitlement my ass, I paid cash for my social security insurance!!!! Just because they borrowed the money, doesn't make my benefits some kind of charity or handout!!

Congressional benefits ---- free healthcare, outrageous retirement packages, 67 paid holidays, three weeks paid vacation, unlimited paid sick days, now that's welfare, and they have the nerve to call my social security retirement entitlements?

We're "broke" and can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans, Homeless
In the last months we have provided aid to Haiti, Chile, and Turkey.

And now Pakistan......home of bin Laden. Literally, BILLIONS of DOLLARS!!!

Our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do they get any breaks while our government and religious organizations pour Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign Countries!

They call Social Security and Medicare an entitlement even though most of us have been paying for it all our working lives and now when it's time for us to collect, the government is running out of money. Why did the government borrow from it in the first place?

Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries.
Sad isn't it?
99% of people won't have the guts to forward this.
I'm one of the 1% -- I Just Did.

You will not let yourself believe it…

Class Warfare has always been a big problem here locally. So much so, that I believe the more affluent just get pissed off and with-hold helping people they see in need.  I have personally witnessed this in many forms at so many levels. 

Its just the way it is... some have, some have more, and some don't have much at all; when the social ladder is in play.  What’s the big deal ?  It is what it is, and there isn’t anything wrong with the way it is.  Some say its all about greed. I beg to differ.  I have sat at every level of society and from what I can see it is about power.  And power can be achieved at any level of society.  

Most of the money, allocated to the safety net is spent on administration and pensions; not on food stamps or housing. 

The ones that do not have a whole lot, run into the wall of wannabes;  when they try to access the programs set up to help them become self sufficient, and make that self sufficiency sustainable. If they are not playing the game right, a power wannabe looses their file; or pushes the wrong button.  It would seem that, only a chosen few are allowed up and out of the net. 

If the ones that have, want to know where all that tax money is going, they need to look at those that are managing the social service safety net; not the people in it; or the people that need it.  They, the ones pouring money into the system, and/or complaining about how much it costs to keep the safety net open, need to check out both the governmental, and non-profit players in this game. I use the word game, because I have been told countless times, to get with the game or game plan, when I would ask the tough questions. 

I interviewed a few that managed to get free of the net and they offered the following summary, and I’m going to leave out the more horrific things:

The Game:  Knowing the right things to say…

• Heaping praise, publically, on the right people or organization.
• Learning to take a hint, as to when praise would be a good idea…
• Learn the nonprofit language to self sufficiency and sustainability.
• NEVER EVER appear like you will exceed anyone in the process, on your way up and out of the net.
• You must be willing to get dirty. Be willing to be the eyes, ears, and hands, for those who do not want to get dirty.  You could be asked to spy on your neighbors or co-workers. 
• Once out of the net, leave the area as soon as possible; you will be reminded on a regular basis, to offer up praise and worship to those who may have helped you or gave you a break. There will be someone… who will not let you forget that you owe them.

Unfortunately, we have an element of society here in Lane County, that loves the class warfare; and they are not who you think. They are not the ones protesting or writing the editor.  The more the poor cry out from the net, the more powerful they feel.  How very sad… very sad indeed.    

Growing Up

 

Yes, I believe that at some point, believers out grow their church; insofar that they have graduated and are ready to serve in whatever capacity God has raised them up to serve in.  Some are raised up to serve in the church they grew up in, attrition. Someone has to be there to replace those who have gone home, retired, or had to move on.  Yes, God moves people after they are trained and mature enough to stand on there own two feet. 

At some point, believers grow up.  They learn to feed themselves, and even prepare meals for others. Some are not called into the five fold ministries and are there to support the body.  Then there are those who are separated, called out, to walk away from the safety of the church community; climb into the boat, and in faith, carry the anointing and good-news out into the world that they occupy.

As in Jesus day, these are the ones who are often called rebellious, or troublemakers; by the leaders that stopped calling their church a ministry and started calling it a business.  They actually say: "I am more than a pastor, I am a CEO of a million dollar business".  The conferences are no longer a place for county wide church leaders to strategize  how to bring Jesus to the community. Its a brag fest, where numbers are compared. So sad, so very very sad...

I hate saying such things, but they are things that need to be said.  I still believe the church has a very important part in the growing process.  A child left in the wilderness to fend for themselves grows up wild... but an adult can go into the wilderness alone, and build a sanctuary for those who have become lost, and have taken refuge in the dark places; where they become instinct driven, instead of faith driven.

I believe God is sending people out to minister to those who are lost in the wilderness; to guide those who have become confused and wondered out of the light into the darkness; and got lost.  He has raised up a group of people that will search the caves, the bushes, and the grave yards of the mind. To be a fresh anointing in their lives.

Fewer and fewer people are going to their church leaders and asking to be anointed and sent out.  Even if the leaders got weird along the way, there in much power, anointing, in being prayed over publicly, anointed, and sent out by the church leaders; even if the leaders themselves do not understand it, its what Jesus said to do.

That does not mean one cannot leave the church building and go out.  The Grace, and Mercy of God is amazing... and one should look deep into their heart and motives when they venture out, beyond the boundaries of the church parking lot.

Just say'n ... ;-)

Are You Community Ready?

Being Community Ready,
by Greg Ewert

Are You Community Ready?

In today's economy, thinking about emergency preparedness is low on just about everyone's list, of priorities. Being prepared isn't about the destructive power of an earthquake, flood, tsunami, or tornado; alone. Its about you and your neighbors being prepared to face the unexpected; things that will affect everyone on your street, building, or cul-de-sac.

This is especially true if you live in a community of people on fixed incomes. One persons hardship can quickly become a community event... one can quickly become two, three, four... and so on. Networking and Sharing are the keys to peace of mind. Sadly, some actually think that their landlord will come to their rescue. They are so institutionalized, and dependent on the housing authority and social services, that they have lost the ability to think and/or plan on their own. Their landlords are under no obligation to help them in any way, and their landlords have no plans to assist them in organizing for a disaster or helping them afterwards; I asked them.

When preparing, it is a lot easier to not think about a particular natural disaster. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard these words; "Oh sure, I remember Y2K and its all a bunch of hysteria and propaganda". But we have seen the devastation of the mighty hurricanes and tsunamis over the last decade. We have witnessed, for ourselves, the heartache and even death, brought on by those who were not prepared, and thought Uncle Sam or Big Brother was coming to the rescue.

Before Hurricane Katrina, we were told that the mighty FEMA or our military would come to our rescue. We seen it in movies, all over the Internet, and in the news. After Hurricane Katrina, we were told that you need to learn to survive on your own for up to three days. But even that is a stretch. In most cases, federal emergency responders will not arrive for weeks. In places like the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington, you can't go anywhere without crossing a bridge. And a moderate earthquake will make 90% of the bridges in the Pacific Northwest impassible.

In researching this subject, I asked a lot of people in low income housing, how they were prepared in case of a natural disaster in Oregon. All but a few said they were going to go to a relatives. So I asked them, how many bridges do you cross getting to your relatives? almost everyone had to cross at least three bridges to get to where they think they will be safe. Odds are, those bridges will not be there after an earthquake.

Some of the people I talk to are pretty well-to-do. What will you do after a big earthquake and how have you prepared. I was amazed at how many have property up in the mountains that were fully stocked and ready for an emergency. Yet they had done little to nothing to prepare to stay where they are. I asked him the same question, how many bridges will you have to cross to get up to your cabin, and how many big trees are along the road? Not a single one of them had thought of that.

When I questioned local emergency responders about what they were going to be doing after a big earthquake, every single one of them responded with... "I already have a place picked out, where I will take me, my family and my gun, until the chaos is over".

When planning and preparing, it is best to do so as a community, a neighborhood. You will be the first responder in your community, and your community will be your first responder. As we look at the natural disasters of the last few years, here in the United States; we always hear, my neighbor had to dig me out of my house, apartment, or grocery store. It was always, hours, days, or even a week before emergency responders arrived.

Now you consider the amount of damage that will be done over three states, Oregon Washington and California, the responders will be spread really thin. The smaller communities may never see, FEMA or the military come rolling into their community. These people will be told where to go to find emergency help, it's not going to come to them; or you.

Get to know your neighbors, and have a potluck.  Get to know each others skills, needs, what you have as a community.

The Message

 

From blog to blog I see a repeated theme lately.  It’s a word that can be poisonous in many ways; to those who do not have the faith or discernment to know.  It’s a feel good message; that many will latch onto; and ultimately screw up what might be Gods perfect will in their lives. 

I have watched, and since the turn of the century I have noticed that there are fewer and fewer warriors out there; dedicating their lives to Gods perfect will; and willing to suffer whatever; to see that plan fulfilled.

I’m seeing more of: Seek out happiness… Than seek out Gods Perfect plan.   

My mind flashes back through the bible to Mosses, Noah, Joseph, Jonah, David, Jesus, the disciples, and Paul... 

The hardest test I endure is counting the suffering as joy. Knowing that every twinge, tear, or heartache is suffered for a reason; in season; at just the right time; to help us grow from one level to the next. Maybe in preparation for one great moment in time; in all eternity; from glory to glory.

Why does the Bible repeatedly tell us to count our sufferings as joy? 

Because living a dedicated servants life is hard...  Faith alone goes against anything human.  AND... we have an enemy, the devil, that prowls around like a lion; looking for every possible opportunity to destroy us.  And it really sucks sometimes... no... actually…  it sucks all the time.  

Not everyone is called into the five fold ministries; given a label; branded.  And this message may not be for you.   Maybe your purpose is to love and support someone that is called, and has answered that call.  Remember John the Baptist?  He wore animal skins and lived off the land.  He didn’t have … anything…  but what he knew in his heart. 

(Mat 19:29-30 NLT)  "And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life. {30} But many who seem to be important now will be the least important then, and those who are considered least here will be the greatest then."

There is nothing wrong with being happy, or having things… not at all.  However, just because someone does not “have”, does not mean they are evil.

To those who have found the faith, liberty, and freedoms we have in Christ:

(Rom 14:21-22 NLT)  {21} Don't eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another Christian to stumble. {22} You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they know is all right. “

And Then:

(Rom 15:1-7 NLT)  "We may know that these things make no difference, but we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves. We must be considerate of the doubts and fears of those who think these things are wrong. {2} We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord. {3} For even Christ didn't please himself. As the Scriptures say, "Those who insult you are also insulting me." {4} Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises. {5} May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other--each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other. {6} Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. {7} So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified."

Keeping an eye on the quakes

This is not normal:

If you have been paying attention, you will notice that they have changed the legend below, a 2.5 is now the size of a one, a few months ago.

Now let's look At a more detailed map…   

I will blow it up just a little bit ….

Visit: www.communityready.com

Death is not an Option

Inspired on 09/23/2011

This human body has an expiration date. Absolutely nothing we do will change that. No matter how hard we work at it, no matter how hard we try to extend our life here on this earth; when that day comes; it comes.

A healthy survival instinct is good; since we have and enemy that prowls around like a lion, seeking to destroy us. But we can be blessed in knowing that if we fall in the fight, we will awaken in a place where there is no death;  where there is no disease, suffering, or injury… not just for 50, 80, or even 100 years… but for all eternity; forever and always.

Isn’t it wonderful, that death is not an option for those of us that believe.

Do we compromise our eternity to please this dying flesh; do we give in to the longing of living; giving it sweet names, like the bucket list. Just to satisfy those final few years we have left in our earthly freedoms, or lives; in this capsule of flesh and bone?

Or do we start storing up our treasures in heaven, where we will always have them.

The Day Death Didn’t Matter Anymore

After a lifetime in church, we come to that day when we find or recognize our freedoms in Christ (The Anointing) . We look in the mirror, or someone happens by with one, and for the first time we actually see the man, or woman, God has been creating for the last 40 to 50 years.  Gradually we…  you start feeling a stir inside, a longing to leave the nest.

Completely against the laws of organized religion; against everything you learned and believed; you step out of the nest. Or maybe, just maybe, something happened to push you out of the nest.  And maybe, for the first time in your life, you feel your own air under your wings; we come to know as Gods Love, Mercy and Grace; like we have never known it. 

Suddenly the grass seems green’er, and the sky seems blue’er . You realize how free we are in the anointing and grace of God; under the blood Jesus shed for us.

But as Paul wrote, our freedoms may not be the same as others, and we should be very careful, as to not cause a brother or sister to fall… I believe that God, in His love and maybe even extended mercy, is bringing us old warriors and watchmen together; to see each other and connect; outside the usual organized religious forums. He is pressing us to carry His anointing, out of the confines of the church building; to the coffee shops, bike paths, and places our imagination has not even dreamed of yet.

If you are the sort that needs labels. I’m talking about the old fashion disciples, missionaries, prophets and the like… Men and women God has anointed and risen up, and sent out, into the world… into places they could never hope to enter wearing that Sunday suit, Smile, Haircut, and attitude. 

Some will step out of the nest and crash. Some will survive the initial flight, and others will be lifted back into the nest. If you think being a labeled Christian in church is hard, wait until you are out here, a labeled Believer.

Now don’t get all weird with all the semantics, because I’m doing my best to keep this short, a blog, not a book. 

I got my scooter and away I went.  I was headed for the foot bridge behind Valley River Mall; why?  I have no idea .  I hadn't been on the east river bike path yet, and whoa! it is nice.  Right past the Delta Ponds and up river.  This is what I found...

North-west
I thought for sure I took a south picture...

Anyway, here is my scooter. 
 

My Wheels  Believe it or not, its easier to buzz around on this than to try and get in and out of my car.  Anyway... I sat & prayed a while.  Enjoyed the sun... Visited the mall... and zipped home.  Still do not know why I just had to go to that bridge.