Forgeting our Master

In times of suffering and pain we tend to look up. We turn our face to God. Even those who do not know God tend to raise their heads up and weep upon a God that they do not believe in or believe in but do not abide in. In these times sometimes I wonder why God does not just keep us there. Being a God Jealous for our love you would think he would keep us in a humble and suffering state so that we might love him more, speak to him more and pray to him more.

Yet God does not keep us in this state. Maybe for some he does but for most they move on from Glory to Glory many times forgeting their Master. That God becomes a mere background and stop beat before eating, a quick prayer in the morning. A Blessing before eating food in prayer that he will bless the food and make it healthy for our bodies. Or a quick popcorn prayer at night or in the car. Either way slowly dwindling into a mere background of life and not being the forground of what we stand for.

This has always puzzled me. Even in my own action that we suffer for a given time and then are restored maybe even blessed greatly and for a short while we are happy blessed. We might even be verbally exhaltive of his name but slowly the desire to serve dwindles once again. Is it that we live from one GLory to the next. In expectation like a child of when the next candy bar will come? I have questioned this myself. Why is it when we ask the Lord to bless us with something that many times we use that one thing that we desired and asked and longed for to take us further from God. We want more free time. So we get that free time and when given the choice we schedule it on a Sunday. We pray for more monies and when the offering Bag come no more goes in. We ask for a promotion and then suddenly God is not as important. It makes you wonder sometimes why God answers prayers at all.

It to many extents shows the sacraficial nature of God. That he sometimes does what we want in desire to show us truly what we need. In forgeting our master we find that peace is hard to attain. In all the glory of finances or even free time. What good is that time if our hearts, our bodies and souls Hold God a near last on our list of actions and only a first or close second in our words. It is puzzleing. It ranks into the catagory of things I will ask the Lord Jesus when I am in heaven.

Like a Child

Recently while fishing with my daughter I caught another revelation that I am posting today. It is on the ideal of Salvation. The Altar call. While fishing I felt God speak to me about him being a God of Now. That in sitting sometimes on our hands after service or in our calling that he does not call us so that we might come later. He calls so that we might come now. He gave me the ideal of a child and how many times very inexperienced and lacking in tribulation we might be. That as children many times that experience does not qualify us for his Kingdom. That as a child inexperienced and unknowing is what Jesus points out as being the most prevalant trait of his children.

For example you might feel that God wants to use you. Yet you cannot read your Bible. Or you cannot pray. Perhaps you do not know Gods ways or you have trouble in worship. Perhaps you even have difficulty just feeling CLose to god. In sitting on your knees you might feel as if your prayers are going into the air. Perhaps you have a desire for God yet all the confusion of this world and their ideals of what or who God is has dishearted you from your journey to see his face. Fear not for God has called the inexperienced in him. The unknowing. The ones that lack knowledge. The ones who are afraid and scared. If that is you God has called you. If you feel as if all your pain is too much for him to work with. Your sin is to great from him to forgive you from. Then you are like a child. As many of us are. Many many times. This is where God wants you. Once you know it all. Then you might as well be God. But some things are kept a mystery for a reason. So that Jesus might be Lord of our lives. Also so that we might remain as children. Reliant and trusting in our Heavenly father in Heaven

Picture of the Day

This image resonated inside me. Perhaps because of my past. But more so in seeing young punks worship God. I have to say that my self am humbled by seeing this. Account it for what you will. If someone is being saved. If someone indeed is accepting and heartfelt worshiping God with all their Hearts. What a breathtaking thing to see and of course experience. I believe that this time God is calling the "Youth"

The Youth, The strong, the compassionate, the passionate, the versatile, the refined by the flames youth. Enduring in their pains, suffering and falling many times flat on their face. Sky Rocketing themselves through a life that most people have to live for long periods before realizing their fate. These guys and girls have met with the worst and seen the face of evil sometime before even their late 20's. They can either accept it or reject it. But they most definitely have seen it. Given a full spectrum of what the world has to offer. The Youth of this generation have learnt that faith in things can lead you in different directions. Gods Light can show us where not to tread. Even before I was saved I see in 20/20 hindsight where I have been given GREAT! Mercy and Love. Why not the church as well?

In the store fronts, in the alleyways. Waking up from a long sleep from the party before will they see the foggy yet impressionist face of Jesus. Clearly we can all point fingers but are we perfect we might not wear leather jackets, poke metal spikes through our nose or paint our hair. But in truth we have all sinned.

My prayer is for the Youth. This evening. That the youth would find Salvation, vision, path, purpose, value, fervor, grace, mercy, understanding, compassion and retain their originality while keeping clear the understanding of Christ Jesus and his commands to his children and the clear breath in his word. That they might endear to his word and have the fervor and zeal that they had when doing the things of the past as they have in their near future.

The Youth is Found. By Who is the Question. As Parents where have we led them in our actions..Our words...Our decisions. I pray that I might lead my child though she might be colorful, with zeal and originality.

There is no need to create a NEW brand of Christianity. The best Christianity is that of the disciples who followed Jesus. For this was when TRUE Christianity was envisioned and formed. In the Books of Acts we see the Formation of the Idea. That the mere idea it was not but a pattern for the world and the church to follow if they so seeked Salvation.

In all of this our lives must not be compromised by what we think is right or wrong but what the word of God says. Many of us as people make issues where there is none.
If God can move and it does not take our control. Yet he chose, He Calls, Who are we to say they won't be Punks, politicians, Rock Stars, Actors, Murderers, thieves, Dogs of Men and Women turned to Jesus, anyone. Yet at the Gate they may find that some new guard Dogs are in lie waiting to "devour" them. Let's pray it is not the church.

Because if I was the Lord God. The Father in Heaven. I doubt highly I would be too happy with those Guard dogs for keeping out my children in the cold dark world.

- LFJ

Check out the New York Times Article about this picture
Click Here to check out the Article

Unfailing

In a place where we feel like sometimes we are not heard or we cannot be touched by God for something we have done or said are we given a love. Unfailing love that does not equate to the defintion of Love that this world knows of. FOr the Love I speak of goes beyond church, beyond religious symbols, even songs. There is no word that can incompass his love and his power. There is no name nor word I know that can describe his greatness.

In this I am confound. Confound that there is no other. Noone or nothing like the Lord Jesus. His peace, his love, his power. Unfailing. In all of this a great catacism of intellectual jargon is broken. The simplistic love of God is endearing. He loves those who did not know him. And Died for those who did not know him. He took the burden of our sins, our life our destiny. He held it. Then took those sins and conquered them in hell to rise and be the savior of all of mankind.

In essence without him. There is no hope. THere is no light. How greatful that I am. How thankful I am of his love. For even when the church, the people or friends have let you down God is forever more. His Love Endures Forever...

You can't Go Wrong. God Loves, He Forgives, He Saves ...Without finding fault in those who love trust and believe in his precious Son Jesus.

Sunsets and Sushi

WOW



THis is the Album

THis album regenerates the ideal of worship as a genere and makes Worship. What it is.
The Words and Him. Ingenuis Mediation on the Lord. As in the repetitive words. His is Holy. He is Worthy. These words imminate worship and adoration for the creator. THis album is fun and you can loose yourself in it.

I wanted to post something informative for the average Joe. Here it is. If you like Techno. If you like worship. If your looking for something new. Check out this Experiement in Musical Deconstruction.

Where is My Comfort

I sit many times thinking about daily issues, things that need to be done. People that need to be spoken to. Dreams that need to accomplished. I am a highly driven and passionate person. Like many I have the daily worries of life. Making bills, providing some sort of income. Making adjustments for others, Balancing social, family and well pretty much life encompassed and I found no better way of comfort in my daily (sometimes drudge) then to sit back. Step back a few paces and allow myself room to breath, and absorb my reason for being here on this planet.

While sipping a cup of coffee the taste flows through my mouth in jolts of intoxicated caffene through my feeble yet youthful body. Look for another entrancing idea, subject or other verbally provactive yet bibically sound argument or observation. In this finding complete solice in knowing that I can not do more that what I am capable of. And of this I surely have found no limit. Seems daily I raise the bar but forget I never set it to begin with.

So like most with the daily, worries, passions and wondering if indeed I am fullfilling my abilies as a human to fill the space of time in which I have been given full reign of for the moment that I have been allowed to breath the air the so intoxicates me with desire, need, want like all others.

There has to be found some kind of balance in it all. A Balance that gives a freedom to overcome instead of drone. Or to investigate instead of procrastinate all my given abilites, actions and potentional progressive options in this thing called life.

I am intentionally speaking in my emphatic long lost words of bobbing and weaving to illustrate a great and momentous point in my life. The time came in realizing my orgin of comfort.

So Where is my comfort?
Hmmm funny I should suggest even a reason to have comfort when in fact most of my discomforts have been caused by unrealistic, improper, untimely, rash decisions. My comfort has not been found in the opposite of wither of those decriptive issues of life and decision making. In otherwords timely decision and unrash decisions do not always mean comfort. The key is far deeper. Simpler but deeper.

So again? Where does my comfort come from.

Lets first take some things that I use or have used to induce some level of comfort and I am sure other at one time considered to be a comfort for others.

A Nap: Many times when napping I am only reminded of 2 very distrubing things.
1. I just slept away time that could have been used for something potentially good.
2. I am going to have twice the amount of things to do when I wake up

Reading A Book:
1. Reading is Good. But in my decision to many times read about alarming and interesting stuff. I find myself at a level of worry that I was not in prior to reading that article. So can I ask is Chocolate good or bad for you? Reason being I believe this whole situation might change my position and stake in stocks for Chocolate in the commodites market.

Taking A Drive:
1. Studies show the more your drive. The higher probability of an accident. 35 % of those accidents possibly being fatal.
2. How can I be absolute for sure my brakes are always going to work?

I can go on but a result from all of this you can see is that regardless of what we do. We as people can find something either negative or highly probable in a realistic way of an event or situation or tragedy occuring in our cognative and crital thinking nature.

In all my time I have never felt the great comfort of God as I do now. In my brain sometimes it is hard to concieve the comfort that God has given me when there should not have been any. Please understand in my writing of this entry I have two very independant ideas I am trying to present.

1. Our humanity as it stands saved or unsaved.
2. The possible comfort that God brings to all of those he loves. saved or unsaved.

In writing to exhibit not just a jest for the Lord Jesus but in examining a far more inimate detail of the property of comfort that comes from the Holy Spirit.

Ultimatly like trying to expain the taste of Big Mac (Big Mac not being my first choice but everyone knows what a Big Mac is - so I will use it for this illustration)
to someone who has never had one is essentially a shallow yet effective explaination of what it is to know God and Trust him in your every day situations.

Some might say it is illogical. But riddle me this? WHat is illogical is an event or choice that is nullified before even being sought out. Imagine making a decision or stance on a movie before even viewing it. These are the same arguments that come from the unbelieving person and the saved. So is it to their result some level of doom inquired because of their unfaitfulness or ignorance. The Only ignorance is when man takes it upon himself to judge others when God is the soul judge of man. CAn we advise, explain, rebuke or correct. Yes we can were there is given biblical need to correct error. But None of these make us higher or better than others. This is a fact so often forgotten. Christians are Sinners. Are Sinful. This misconception leads others to believe that a christian who has sinned had back slidden or worse is not Christian at all.

The Comfort is derived from the ability to know and awknowledge that though inquiring minds of this nation and world. People of great importance. Of fame, mind and reason. The biggest and greatest minds. The most profound of all speakers. The richest of any or all men. Can not know or contain the knowledge that God knows. And Jesus gave me through his death direct connection to my father in heaven to teach me, instruct me and direct me in my life is I so choose it. How powerful and comforting is that?

BUllet Points (always fun - not poetic but fun and illustrative
Comfort from God
1. Comes From Prayer
2. Comes From Reading his Word
3. Comes From Intimate Worship unto him for the soul reason of knowing him more (not comfort)
4. Comes from Understanding and Applying God WIll in our Lives.

Essentially we come to complete understanding of God NEVER. Yes God is Unfathomable. The greatest fact of this observation is a constant search will not weild an indefinate conclusion but a endless possibility of more doors, more keys more mysteries of God be unlocked and known through a close and personal relationship with him.

Amen!