HIDE THOU ME!

The words to this song really speak to me!   Sometimes I feel discouraged!!  And I think my work is in vane!  I'm tempted oft to murmur, to grumble and complain! 

Why, when the CREATOR of the Universe is my father, do I complain because I have a few worldly problems?  I tend to get my eyes off of the PRIZE and starting focusing on the problem!!  I need to focus on HIM and HIS blessings!  

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev5tqgvYlEA

Where did all of this come from?

When one thinks of how this ALL began, one has to consider that GOD allowed, permitted, desired a RELATIONSHIP with humans so that we can give HIM glory!! HIS design of man is so complex that doctors have no concrete evidence of how our “BODIES” work. When my younger sister was in the hospital 15 year ago, one of her doctors was trying to explain to me how she could have 23 biopsies come back NEGATIVE and yet they were convinced she still had GASTRIC CARCINOMA or Stomach Cancer. Her response was “Mr. Nelson, that is why we call this practicing medicine.....we don't have it all figured out yet!” I thought that was a cop out at the time, but we will NEVER figure it out! Scripture says in Psalms 139:4 that we are “fearfully and wonderfully” made. GOD made us so delicately that doctors and scientists have no idea what causes cancer, or any number of other diseases.

One only has to listen to Louie Giglio and his talk on LAMININ to realize how uniquely we are created. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0-NPPIeeRk) Realizing that JESUS CHRIST is the “GLUE” that holds everything together is not something that one can file away with everything else one has learned since the 1st grade science class. Colossians 1:15-17 gives a pretty clear indication of where/how “ALL THINGS” came to be and how everything holds together.

I realize the skeptics say there is no GOD and that is fine. But our loving GOD allows me to choose to believe and them to choose to not believe............ and choices DO HAVE CONSEQUENCES!

WARNING!!

While mad is not what I am feeling, it is with a sense DISDAIN that I find myself in.  Today I came across this post on the internet.  It is out in the open for all to see, so our leaders in Washington D.C. can see it!  We must learn from history.  GOD is NOT playing games with the American people!  HE allowed the children of Israel and Judah to be destroyed and HE can sure allow the USA to be destroyed!  Folks, we have been warned!

The Book of 2 Kings

2 Kings continues the story of the nations of Israel and Judah. It is a history book, from the Old Testament of the Bible. In these history books, the Bible contains many important lessons for us today (2 Timothy 3:16).
2 Kings describes how the kings of these nations refused to obey God's law. The kings and their people did not respect God. Instead, they served evil gods. And the behaviour of the people was very wicked. However, there were a few people who truly served God. And God sent his servants (called "the prophets") to warn the evil people.
But the nations of Israel and Judah would not obey the words of the prophets. God allowed enemy nations to attack. These nations destroyed Israel and (later) Judah. And the soldiers took the inhabitants of Israel and Judah to distant countries. But God still cared about the people from Israel and Judah.

Where we have gone wrong.

From a post of mine a few days ago....

"The SAD thing is that MOST Americans do not realize that the problem is NOT President Obama or his failed policies or ideas! The problem is, we the people have turned our backs on GOD! Until we realize that the USA is great only because GOD allows us to be great, WE ARE DOOMED FOR FAILURE!!"

The human race in America needs to come to the realization that our GOD is a jealous GOD.  HE will NOT continue to be drug through the mud as we are doing.  We can blame the leaders of our country all we want, but scripture says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) that "If MY PEOPLE, which are called by MY NAME, shall humble themselves, and PRAY, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

We all have our own lives to live, our own problems to face, our own challenges to overcome.  But until we come to the realization that our only hope is to put our FAITH back in Almighty GOD then we are going to be lacking in our country. 

I was speaking with a friend of mine yesterday and he reminded me that our problems started as a nation when we started trusting in our MONEY and STRENGTH and not the ONE who blessed us with our wealth and POWER! 

GOD IN HEAVEN, grant us mercy where we as a nation have turned our eyes to the blessings you have blessed us with instead of keeping our eyes on YOU!

WHAT DID YOU SAY!!!

About five years ago, I experienced a medical condition that caused me to be put into a "Drug Induced" coma for a number of days.  When I came out of the coma, my brain was slow to react.  My "word recall" was "NOT RECALLING"!  Even now, I cannot find the word that I would prefer to use in a situation.  Frustration has never been so great as knowing what point you want to get across, but not being able to find the words to communicate it!

Through this ordeal though, one GOOD thing has developed.  I have become a LOT more deliberate with what I say and KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT more.  I am sure my wife would argue that I am not "deliberate" enough! 

Proverbs 18:21 says "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."  They say that the tongue is the most powerful muscle in the body per square inch.  But, the damage that can be done with one's tongue cannot be measured.  We must give thoughtful consideration to what comes out of our mouth.  Luke 6:45 tells us you paint a picture of what is in your heart when you speak.  Make sure that people are seeing JESUS when they see you speak!

DOOR MAT THEOLOGY!

The sermon last night at my church was delivered by our Associate Pastor.  A tool used of GOD is someone who is totally dependent on HIM for the results.  I appreciate him being willing to be used of The LORD!

While speaking to us, the term "DOOR MAT THEOLOGY" was used by our Pastor.  Door Mat Theology is the premise of being used BY HIM to GLORIFY HIM!  The main thing is for GOD to get GLORY out of a situation even if we have to be used as a DOOR MAT for that to happen.  We should never use the DOOR MAT THEOLOGY to abase or make someone small!  Door Mat Theology is a self administered does of medicine.

As previously stated in another post, being from poverty,  it is hard for me to debase myself and LET people be more than me.  It is like giving up something you have worked hard for and letting someone get away with getting one over on you.  I have to be reminded that it is not I who they are getting something over on!  I am dead in Christ!  It is Christ who they are dealing with.

Sometimes I have to go back to my funeral and remind myself that I am dead!  I mess SO much up when I try to "COME BACK TO LIFE"  and run the show!  Galatians 2:19-20   "For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Can the U.S. fight poverty with policy?

I saw this posted on Facebook and I had to stop and ponder the magnitude of the question. Can the U.S. Government give enough money to eradicate poverty completely? The answer is not simply a yes or no.

The government can appropriate monies to assist people in need and help them through difficult times. But I am not convinced the government can be a replacement for a brother helping another when there is a need. Jesus directs us assist the poor. In Luke 14 HE tells us to invite them to eat with us when we have a FEAST. YET, in Mark 14 he tells people to make sure they have their priorities in order. HE says that we will “ALWAYS” have the poor with us. Could it be that some want the Government or the RICH to do what GOD has instructed “US” (not the U.S.) to do?

Could it be that, in an effort to do what is perceived as good, the government has tried to do what it can not? Sometimes “We try to be more than what GOD intended for us to be.” A pastor friend of mine shared that with me almost a year ago and never does it ring more true. We can not make the poor's problem's go away by giving them money. “The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but the rich has many friends.” Proverbs 14:20. Your poverty is a RUT that only you can decide how long you stay in. CHOICES we make have inevitable consequences.

Scripture is infallible. Being rich and being poor is subjective. To a Millionnaire, I am poor. To a Billionaire, I am a peasant. To a person living in POVERTY, I am rich! My mom and dad divorced when I was four years old. My dad moved to Canada and did not pay any child support. My mom was left to raise three children on her own. For a while, we lived in a house with no running water in the bathroom. We did not stay in poverty because we had a desire to do better.

I believe the desire to do better is part of what makes a person a success. You may not ever have a billion dollars but IF you still have the desire to do better, to improve, then you are achieving something. The children of Israel watched when GOD parted the Red Sea for them. HE did not carry them across the Sea! HE even dried the land for them, but THEY had to walk across the dry land.

Being in POVERTY when I was four years old did not mean I was there forever. I am not where I need to be yet. I have a DESIRE to be better! But, if the government tries to assure that POVERTY stricken people will not stay in poverty, then it will be like trying to make the children of Israel WALK across the RED SEA. You have to WANT to succeed in life! If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got!!