Finding a Way

Yesterday was one of those Sabbaths that had it's high and low points. The day started out early, and when I say early, I mean very early. I woke up at 3:27 A.M. and started to prepare the Sabbath School Lesson and then went back to sleep. I guess the question about today that is the most important is: What has God shown me today. Well, that night as I sat in my apartment, there was a knock at the door and it was one of our Bible Study Contacts. She was just visiting, and since we did not know if she would have to work the next day, we went ahead and had the lesson. I was blessed as we went through it. The Lesson talked about the Bible, and how important it is to let the Bible speak for itself and how it was all about Jesus. As I thought about that, and continue to think about it, I'm begginning to wonder about a lot of things. The Bible gives a lot of difficult commands, and the question comes: how are we to keep them? Can we? Many would say: No, it's not possible, but is that what the Bible says? Indeed, with us alone it is impossible, but when we throw our problems onto Jesus, then the picture changes. Instead of it being all of our problems on top of us, they are now put squarely on the shoulders of the Master Himself. He bears our burdens, and makes the impossible come to reality. Jesus is the only way! In fact after the Sermon, Sabbath, I happened to open a beautiful little booklet that had a poem in it by Helen Parker. The words on it, touched my heart.
It said:

He knows our thoughts and
our words, our deeds
Each hour of the day.
He never fails to listen
As we kneel to Him and pray.

And Even when you often feel
Your Prayers are all in vain,
My friend, be still and listen -
You can hear Him call your name.

He will comfort you in trials,
Console you when you're blue;
You'll never walk alone thru life
He's always there for you.

However, instead of experiencing the joy that Jesus wanted me to hear, I listened to the doubts of the enemy, and was discouraged most of the day. As I sit here late tonight, it occurs to me that Jesus has been speaking to me. Sometimes I guess it just takes being still and quiet and reflecting to hear what He has to say. He spoke to me through the book, and through my pastor friend and wife. What a wonderful Savior I have, and so does anyone who wants Him! The verse that best fits this situation, is one that came to mind as I was typing this:

1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you."

Why Do I do it?

I don't know how this happens. Sometimes it just seems like I get so tired that there's nothing left inside of me. No matter what I do, sometimes my feelings simply level off. There's really nothing that can be done to get them to jump back up in the air, but the important thing that I'm starting to learn is to distinguish between faith and feeling. Tonight as I half-lay on the couch typing this, I'm reminded of what Jesus wants from us. He desires us to have raw faith. Sometimes situations and circumstances do not always go the way that we want them to. For instance, look at the story in Mark 3. Jesus has just gotten done talking to the people about what makes them His relative. Let's look at verses 33-35And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? 34And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 35For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

Now notice the one's who are doing His will are those who are around Him who want to hear want He has to say and love being with Him. Here is a key point that stuck out to me here. Sometimes staying with Jesus means that we are going to have to go through less than ideal circumstances. Our feelings may not always be with us holding us up. Sometimes there are circumstances that call for raw faith. This is the time when we claim the promises of God in our lives and hold onto Him. We need to find Him, and hear Him in each and every circumstance that we have to go through.

What are you going through right now? Tell, Jesus, He cares about you and would love to hear from you.

Leaving the Nets!

Today begins a new day of life!! For the first time, in ages, by God's grace I've forsaken the nets! He has set me free to follow Him, and live for Him. I praise His holy Name! :)

The Blog Begins again :)

I have not posted a blog on this website in a long time, and a lot of things have changed, since I have. I now have a daughter to go along with my beautiful wife and another one on the way. I guess when I posted the last blog I thought that I would post again in the not too distant future, but then never did. What a disappointment! However, by God's grace I have once again stumbled on this website. The blog posts that I read encouraged me, that God worked in my past and that He would continue to work.

Now I'm going to talk about what has happened today, because that's what blogs are all about. Today I had someone knock on the door of our apartment who was asking people three questions: Do you believe Jesus is Lord? Do you believe the ten commandments are still relevant today? and finally Do you think that there is a judgement?" I couldn't believe what I read, and all through the day,it seems the whole theme was on stewardship. When we are faithful in the small stuff, God can entrust us with bigger stuff. I recently learned that I might have the opportunity to work as a Bible Worker in Minnesota. I was very happy with the thought of this, but as the days dragged on, I did not hear a reply. However today, God has clearly shown me that He will not entrust me with something that I "think" is bigger, when I can't handle the things He has entrusted me with now. That thought does not discourage me, but encourages me! This tells me that I have a loving Heavenly Father that will not give me something that is bad for me. He knows what is best. The verse that I'm talking about is Luke 16:10 "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." Jesus will not give us something we are going to fail terribly when we put ourselves in His hands. He gives out things as we can handle them! Not only that, but as I read this text another meaning jumped out at me. Jesus is faithful in the small things of our lives just as much as He is in the big areas, and He will not fail us. We only have to look at His track record to know that He loves us with an everlasting love!
Instead of focusing on what we "don't" have, let's focus on what we "do" have and be thankful each and everyday that we have a loving Heavenly Father who cares very much about us, too much to always give us what we want.
In fact, by His Grace, I'm still working at pizza hut! What an amazing God we serve, He truly does all things well!!! :) Happy Sabbath everyone! Always remember that God loves you, and that He is committed to seeing His Work through, until He can look at us and say "Very good" or "Well done" Praise Jesus!