Mood:  sharp

On This Veterans, let us remember the price paid by others, for us to have the freedoms we have in this country and for others around the world....

The Late Peter Marshal U.S. Senate Chaplain said in a prayer to The Lord ....." May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right. "

Many do not realize about the story of courage in battle in the scripture, and King David our forefather in the faith..of his reaction to their loyalty!

The Story 2 Samuel 23:

2 Samuel 23: 

1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.

6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

7 But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:

10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!

16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.

17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

 Give honor to whom honor is due,and to Jesus who has blessed us with them..........Blessings to You this Veterans Day, Brother Timothy 

Mood:  sharp

The Devil's Beatitudes

Mood:  a-ok

I think this a great song, and though it clearly points to the vets, I think it has some deep spiritual tones also . If you know of those that have fought for our rights as citizens....thanks them...they do not hear it enough I am sure!

Mood:  a-ok

Forgiveness.....not a "buzzword" but a "mustword"......

God requires it ....sorry it is what it is.......

Whatever the reason for you incurring the hurt , God has the remedy. It may take time even a lot to come to a point of releasing it into His hands... Even if it does take a lot of  God will teach you from it and make good come out of it when you reach that point. 

Matthew 6:

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Read the whole chapter of Matthew 6 in context it is one that deals with hypocrisy.....so if you look at unforgiveness in that light then it is meaning you are holding a grudge, unforgiving, going around acting so blessed, so holy  and all is well in Muddville....hypocrisy.......

Sometimes it is that way, but other times the hurt is deep within us and it takes the cleansing of the Holy Spirit to point it out to us.....

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts. (esv)

I did not agree with my go-to modern translation God's Word which translated it soul instead of spirit because the hebrew word is "nashamah" spirit or breath,and I think spirit conveys it better. See the clarity comes from Romans:

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

and

Roman 8: 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

In closing since He knows what's inside us He will bring it to our attention, so that we can give it to Him, and get the obstacle moved out of the way. 

Hebrews 12:

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 

God just wants us in a more perfect communion with Him and his children, as you can see above! We are called to humble ourselves in His Hand. Blessings In Him, Brother Timothy

Mood:  a-ok

As I have stated in previous postings at times, that I have learned so much about God's Fatherly relationship with us with through my relationship as a Master to Buster. Buster is my ADHD 75lb. Golden Retriever....and since I am a bit ADD it makes for an interesting combination.....LOL!!!..when I am spending time with him and I drift...he is bouncing all over the place....usually there is never a dull moment.....

Tonight as we walked, he was tugging away, until I straightened him, and then he started to tug again..then after the first near half mile then he settled down ...to the point that he followed in and was a bit worn out when we got home. I have our route strategically set up as if he is not acting right then I quit battling him and just take him home....he knows if he goes home quickly he has done. Yet tonight as we reached past the 1/4 mile mark hes was starting to settle in so I took him for the long walk.....

Buster has an amazing memory...really....we walk in areas we have not walked in for over a year, yet he remembers where every cat lives, though he has not been there in front of that house in a year and looks for them...it is pretty amusing.

Though we are not dogs there is a good illustration in all this of how God deals with us....God keeps going to lead us and we tug and and try to lead ....then we get sent back to the patio of our life..... inactive and knowing we are corrected. Yet when we follow His leading , being submissive to what we know is His will, then His yoke is easy and His burden is light. The journey is very enjoyable and we grow.......

The children of Israel had that same problem which happens with us....they miraculously were delivered from bondage in Egypt yet because of their bucking God's leading they circled Mt. Sinai for forty years..... now they probably were like Buster is in his remembrance towards the cats....every so often they remembered what happened at a certain spot because they had been by there before...yep that's a truth there...they probably wondered how much longer will this keep going on....when will we get to that land He has promised??? Sadly many of the peoples that started out did not make it in..

1 Corinthians 10: 

1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 

Now I am not talking about losing one's salvation....what I am talking about is not being as profitable for God to use us, not bearing the fruit we should. Many of us including myself have missed out on a lot of peace and joy because we forgot! We wanted our way...........

Memory is a good thing...God wants us to remember the lessons we learn, so we follow Him and not make those same mistakes. He works with us. He is perfect in His ways, and His judgement is non arguable. Sometime we see a quick correction and other times it is delayed, yet when you look back and connect the dots so to say you see how far He has brought you, and hopefully how much you have grown....... 

James, Jesus' brother addressed that in encouraging us in our faith walk that we do not forget but to keep our focus.....not to be spiritually ADD so to say.....

James 1:

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,

10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.

11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.and

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.

24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 

 You know when it is all over with I want to be like Buster was tonight, as I post this picture of him...it is just how he is when he has had an enjoyable long walk.......he plops down and I see that tail of his slowly wagging......I want to stand before God one day and say My Lord  Jesus, that was great!....

Blessings To You In Him, Brother Tim!

P.S. The Beauty of God is that He know we are bust dust, and His mercy is enduring, and He is long suffering beyond measure. His grace is so great and wonderful that we can start fresh in a split second if we are truly serious about it, just by asking and accepting His empowerment to change. here is a promise I have camped out on quite a bit in my life, and will stand on again...hopefully not too soon.......

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.