At the time of this writing, this is a rather trying time on a very personal level. Ever been there? Ever felt like things just keep going wrong in certain areas no matter how hard you try to make them go right? I mean, you've done everything you know to do as well as you could, but no matter what, it seems that things strike against you and you find yourself on the ground again and again and again.
Why?
That's the question that continues to emerge from the rubble of frustration.
Unfortunately, more often than not, there are no answers to that monumental question. However, there is one thing to understand. That is this: we all have a common enemy and he doesn't ever play or fight fair. He doesn't know the meaning of courtesy or demilitarized zones. His is a "destroy at all costs" mentality. He hates you and me. For those of you who read this and are believers in Jesus, he hates the God you serve. He hates what you were created to do and to become and he wants you to become unproductive in all areas of your life. He fears your success in the Lord and wants you gone. But he's not just after you, he's after the seed you sow. He is after your seed.
Everything we do now is a seed planted into our future and will one day yield a harvest. The question is, "What kind of future are we planting for?" That is determined by the seeds of works and words you sow today. Life is a field, a fertile land, so be careful what you plant in it.
But sometimes when you plant seed in the ground, it just doesn't seem to be yielding anything no matter how you cultivate it. It seems like it's a struggle from the word go. Yet in other places in the field, other seed seems to sprout up with no problem. Why? I don't know. But the thing to remember is that you DID plant the right seed into the RIGHT soil. Therefore, no matter how long it takes, a good farmer will be certain to continue to do what he knows to do and to expect the harvest he has been wanting in due time. It doesn't matter what he feels or sees because he KNOWS how the laws of planting seeds in fertile soil works, and it always works. Therefore, what his emotions scream at him, he has a choice to make: Does he listen to the emotions or cling to the truth?
That's how things are for us. Our emotions scream at us, "Just give up! It's useless! You'll never win! Things will never change! Prayer won't work because it hasn't up to now! You're forsaken and done! You're wasting you time on this or that!" But WHAT DID GOD SAY? What did God say about His own word? "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11. Now, did God say that His word wouldn't come back to Him void if it looks like it's working? No, He said it wouldn't come back to Him void PERIOD. And that includes HIS word that has come forth from YOUR mouth as well. His word is powerful seed planted in the soil of our hearts and released from our mouths. It is not dictated OR intimidated by what we FEEL with our emotions or SEE with our eyes.
I encourage you as I encourage myself with this note: BELIEVE GOD IN SPITE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE.
Be blessed.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Surely You're Kidding!
I received an email this morning from Godtube that just about took my breath away and made my blood boil. It was a story about a mosque being built at Ground Zero in New York. The statement made by the proponent of the building of the mosque said that it would be used as "a bridge for peace between Muslims and Americans." He goes on to say that the people desiring to have the mosque there were outraged at the attack on 9/11 and that is why they are wanting to erect the mosque.
GodTube video
Oh really?? Hmmmmm.
Tell me, where was the outcry from them condemning the attacks on 9/11? Why has it taken 10 years or so for them to surface with an "attempt" to do something about it or make a statement about it? Where is the consideration for and sensitivity towards the families who lost members in the collapse of the buildings on that day? And why now when we have a President who has on different occasions admitted he is a Muslim? Why now when the President has CLEARLY shown a bent toward Muslims and TOTALLY against the foundations upon which this nation was founded? Please understand and let me be clear. There is nothing at all wrong with being Muslim in the sense of being a people group. But there is something totally wrong with setting up what would be considered a monument to the destruction and murder of innocent people. And that is precisely how this edifice would be perceived.
Something is wrong.
Something is wrong when a people group affiliated with another people group responsible for the innocent and unnecessary deaths of thousands who did nothing to provoke it, desires to erect an edifice that represents the very people who committed such crime. What's worse it that something is wrong when some of the people of the land have no problem with it.
But something else is even more wrong.
WHERE IS THE CHURCH? Where are the believers, who have been given the right to bear the name of Jesus, that will stand up against injustice? Where are the intercessors that will join arms and bow the knee to pray for this nation and for the rulership of God to be manifest in our midst? Where is the outcry of the church against the unrighteousness in government? Where is the church that will band together and make their voices known at the voting booths? Are WE really that asleep? Have we REALLY given up our nation because of personal fear? Are we more concerned about offending others above offending God? What are we, the church, doing? Why are we silent.
What has happened to our nation?
Is this the "change" that this nation desires to embrace? Where are the absolutes? Where are the standards? Is there anyone who will put their foot down on solid ground and say, "NO! NOT HERE, NOT NOW, NOT EVER!"? We are a nation of survivors, a nation of people proud to be free. We are a nation that stands up for truth and righteousness. We are a nation founded on a solid and unmovable foundation and liberty fortified and purchased by the blood of countless brave Americans who embody the essence of what this nation stands for.
There was a day when the law meant something. There was a day when a slap in the face like this would NEVER be tolerated, much less given an audience. There was a time when the decisions of leadership in this nation would be immediately contested by a voice so loud, it would have shaken the foundations of the earth and knocked it off of its axis! Where is that voice now? Where are the watchmen on the wall who declare with a loud voice, "NOT ON MY WATCH!"? Where are the proud Americans who would dare to stand up in the face of tyranny and join forces to protect this nation and its inhabitants from enemies both foreign AND domestic? Are we so asleep? Have we changed from being the proud majestic Eagle to the frog boiling in a little water with NO IDEA he will be dead in a matter of minutes?
Here stands one.
This is MY nation and we have power in the polls, in the voting booths, in the media, and in print, and we CANNOT allow our voices to be silent. "Our voices become silent when our hearts become cold." May it not be said of us. May we not sit idly by and watch our nation become a sleeping giant again. Let the sleeping giant sleep no more! Let the mighty warrior be released to do battle against the forces that want to strip us of our God-given identity.
WE ARE AMERICA!
GodTube video
Oh really?? Hmmmmm.
Tell me, where was the outcry from them condemning the attacks on 9/11? Why has it taken 10 years or so for them to surface with an "attempt" to do something about it or make a statement about it? Where is the consideration for and sensitivity towards the families who lost members in the collapse of the buildings on that day? And why now when we have a President who has on different occasions admitted he is a Muslim? Why now when the President has CLEARLY shown a bent toward Muslims and TOTALLY against the foundations upon which this nation was founded? Please understand and let me be clear. There is nothing at all wrong with being Muslim in the sense of being a people group. But there is something totally wrong with setting up what would be considered a monument to the destruction and murder of innocent people. And that is precisely how this edifice would be perceived.
Something is wrong.
Something is wrong when a people group affiliated with another people group responsible for the innocent and unnecessary deaths of thousands who did nothing to provoke it, desires to erect an edifice that represents the very people who committed such crime. What's worse it that something is wrong when some of the people of the land have no problem with it.
But something else is even more wrong.
WHERE IS THE CHURCH? Where are the believers, who have been given the right to bear the name of Jesus, that will stand up against injustice? Where are the intercessors that will join arms and bow the knee to pray for this nation and for the rulership of God to be manifest in our midst? Where is the outcry of the church against the unrighteousness in government? Where is the church that will band together and make their voices known at the voting booths? Are WE really that asleep? Have we REALLY given up our nation because of personal fear? Are we more concerned about offending others above offending God? What are we, the church, doing? Why are we silent.
What has happened to our nation?
Is this the "change" that this nation desires to embrace? Where are the absolutes? Where are the standards? Is there anyone who will put their foot down on solid ground and say, "NO! NOT HERE, NOT NOW, NOT EVER!"? We are a nation of survivors, a nation of people proud to be free. We are a nation that stands up for truth and righteousness. We are a nation founded on a solid and unmovable foundation and liberty fortified and purchased by the blood of countless brave Americans who embody the essence of what this nation stands for.
There was a day when the law meant something. There was a day when a slap in the face like this would NEVER be tolerated, much less given an audience. There was a time when the decisions of leadership in this nation would be immediately contested by a voice so loud, it would have shaken the foundations of the earth and knocked it off of its axis! Where is that voice now? Where are the watchmen on the wall who declare with a loud voice, "NOT ON MY WATCH!"? Where are the proud Americans who would dare to stand up in the face of tyranny and join forces to protect this nation and its inhabitants from enemies both foreign AND domestic? Are we so asleep? Have we changed from being the proud majestic Eagle to the frog boiling in a little water with NO IDEA he will be dead in a matter of minutes?
Here stands one.
This is MY nation and we have power in the polls, in the voting booths, in the media, and in print, and we CANNOT allow our voices to be silent. "Our voices become silent when our hearts become cold." May it not be said of us. May we not sit idly by and watch our nation become a sleeping giant again. Let the sleeping giant sleep no more! Let the mighty warrior be released to do battle against the forces that want to strip us of our God-given identity.
WE ARE AMERICA!
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