Goodbye 2010

This year has been a struggle. Marked with its fair amount of disappointments even some long periods of depression. However as this year comes to a close I would like to say that I know my God better this year than I did last year. (which is not just cliche') I want to send this year off and begin the new year Praising the Lord. Hear is Russ Taff to end this Year w/ 'Praise the Lord'

And to bring in the new year. 'Mighty to Save' and 'Hosanna' by Hillsong United

I'm Waiting

Life right now is a struggle. Not sure if the car will pass inspection. Or how we are gonna pay electric or rent. But Lord I trust you and I know you will make a way.

I will serve You while I'm waiting. I will worship while I'm waiting

Reminder for Me

re·mind

tr.v. re·mind·ed, re·mind·ing, re·minds

To cause to remember; put in mind: must remind him to call; reminded her of college days.

Psalm 103

Of David.

¹ Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵ The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

¹⁹ The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
²¹ Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
²² Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the LORD, my soul.

Devotions 12/17/2010

I'm Looking to be more consistent in my devotional time. I always fall short But God is so awesome. He longs for us to spend time w/ him . He is so forgiving.

Worship Song

Verse

Matthew 8:23-26 (New Living Translation)

Jesus Calms the Storm

²³ Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. ²⁴ Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

²⁶ Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

I remember hearing this story throughout my childhood in various Sunday

school classes. I can remember thinking "come on guys Jesus is with you. He's got everything under control."

As I've grown and as my family and I have many, almost continual hardships I can relate a lot more to the disciples. We've been in a "Lord Save Us" mentality. And while I've trusted the Lord to a certain extent, I'm realizing that the Lord wants to deepen this trust and do further structuring and building up of his character into me.

So my prayer is that I would stop being afraid of what you are doing. "Jesus you are with me. You've got everything under control." Lord help me to be obedient. Help me to not choose the permissible things, but chose those things that will be profitable for Your Kingdom and for the family that you have entrusted to me. Thank you for never leaving me or forsaking me. I love you.

Psalm 20 1-8

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
² May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
³ May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
⁴ May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.⁵ May we shout for joy over your victory
and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

May the LORD grant all your requests.

⁶ Now this I know: The LORD gives victory to his anointed.He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.
⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
⁸ They are brought to their knees and fall,but we rise up and stand firm.

HOW I'VE BEEN FEELIN' LATELY

This video really says it.

I dont often talk about my weaknesses or my struggles.

been goin through a rough patch lately. God has continued to be faithful.

I've listened to this song few times and I've cried each time

To everyone who has been prayin' for me THANK YOU. God Has used you.

Songs that are blessing me now

I have been unemployed for over a month now. I have been getting a little nervous I must admit. But my hope is in my GOD and HIS promises. ---On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.

I hope they blessed you too. God Bless

looking forward to this movie

Psalm 119:64

The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees.”

Lord I am at a time in my life where you are teaching me so many things. So many hard lessons. How to be a man. How to be a father. How to be a leader in my home. Lord I know your disciplining me and guiding me as a son. Lord I am yours. Take me by the hand, I will follow you. Help me to hear your voice more clearly. You are my shepherd. You are my portion, my inheritance, my deliverer. Teach me to delight evermore in you and in your presence. Thank you for every blessing in my life. If dying on the cross was all you ever did for me, it would have been enough. Help me to be a steward with ALL the things you have placed in my care. Teach me Lord. Your way is perfect. You make beautiful things out of ashes. You are infinitely creative. A master. Mold me into the image of your Son. You are the Amen of my Heart. Because of you it is Well with My Soul.

Psalm 34 (The Message)

I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise.

I live and breathe God;
if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy:

Join me in spreading the news;
together let's get the word out.

God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.

Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.

When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.

God's angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.

Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.

Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.

Come, children, listen closely;
I'll give you a lesson in God worship.

Who out there has a lust for life?
Can't wait each day to come upon beauty?

Guard your tongue from profanity,
and no more lying through your teeth.

Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace—don't let it get away!

God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.

God won't put up with rebels;
he'll cull them from the pack.

Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.

If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there;
if you're kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath.

Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.

He's your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.

The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.

God pays for each slave's freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.

Lord, Teach me to Serve

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left. "But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to Him, "We are able. "He said to them, "My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father." And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (NAS)

I was reading this passage the other morning and it had me thinking of what God has been showing me lately. I've been struggling lately with being contented with being a servant. I have never really minded serving. Most times I like it. My issue has been being contented with serving only. I'm not really ambitious when it comes to a lot of things, but when it comes to the things of God I can be very ambitious. I want to really reach my city, my state, my region with the message of the gospel. I want God to use me to bring millions (yes millions) of people into the kingdom.

I can look at serving as just a means to something else (i.e. till God makes me a leader in a church or till God gives me a "ministry") and while I know God could do those things my motive are not always exactly pure. As sad as it is to say, some of its about me. And I know that dying to self is something that every follower of Christ struggles with but I hate the fact that I want some amount of praises, a little bit of notoriety when the only one who deserves glory it is God.

What the Lord has been showing me is to lay down my ambition. and to serve my family and at the proper time he will put opportunities in front of me. Moreover, at this time serving my family is God's will for my life and is every bit as important as someone who is sharing in front of a church on Sunday morning or some act of Christian ministry. My family is my ministry. Like Paul says in 1 Tim. 3:1-5:

Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) (NIV)

The word manage in the original Greek is the word “proistemi” (pronounced pro-is’-tay-mee) which means to rule or to be over. But also holds the meaning to be a protector or guardian; to give aid. Additionally it means to care for and give attention to.

So before God can use me as in a ministry capacity I need to know how to care for my own family before I can truly care for His body. Moreover if God has chosen for me to not do any of the things that I would like to do, I trust Him. If he wants to use my children to do those things, to God alone be the Glory. Either way. I lay it all down. I love you Lord. I am YOUR servant.