old friends

lo and behold I found out an old friend lives in my town. now this old friend knew me quite well prior to returning to God. she and I used to work together at a restaurant and did many things I am not proud of, nor willing to post.

the first thing the devil did was try to get me to return my thoughts to my past. once the Saviour defeated those thoughts, the devil launched into another immoral act. he said, well at least you can masterbate to memories. NO! Romans 12:1 tells us our body, including the mind, is a temple of the Lord.

this was the final giant from my past for God to defeat. it reminds me of David being used by God to smite Goliath in I Samuel 17. what is interesting is that David took 5 smooths stones. now no doubt he believed that God could kill him with just one, but Goliath had 4 brothers. only several years later did David and his mighty men defeat the remaining giants, II Samuel 21:22.

I can honestly say that God has cleaned me up - from the inside out. it is humbling to know that God has extended grace, provided mercy, and in lovingkindness has cleaned up this sinner. then on top of that has led me in His path. Psalm 25:8 tells us that God will teach sinners in the way. David was all too familiar with God's classroom as am I. but the coolest part is that God is willing to teach sinners if the sinner is willing to be taught. it just has to be in His time and in His way.

Under Grace

Just try to measure east to west
Or to the oceans lowest depth
You'll find no record of my past
You'll find my Savior’s righteousness

Under grace my guilt is gone
The chief accuser lost the war
The record of my sins erased
Its buried deep under grace

I could not meet the laws demands
But God in mercy had a plan
His Son's own blood my sins erased
My pardon now reads under grace

Under grace my guilt is gone
The chief accuser lost the war
The record of my sins erased
Its buried deep under grace

The record of my sins erased
And it's buried deep under grace
And it's buried deep under grace

hello, I am a tree & I am fat

Psalm 92:13 & 14, "Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall be fat and flourishing:"

I’ve never been through a 12-step program of any kind, thank God, but I understand the concept. the individual seeking help chooses to enroll in the selected program in hopes of overcoming their addiction or problem. God on the other hand has a different kind of program called the 24-7-365-life program. the concept is much harder to understand, and many people choose not to enlist as it involves a total life commitment. odd because every Christian is enrolled whether they want to be or not.

this 24-7-365 program has only one guideline: complete obedience to the Heavenly Father. the best part about the guideline is Jesus Christ Himself helps you follow that rule! the reason why? He wants you to become fat. yes, fat. rolly polly, plump and juicy, busting at the seams, enormous kind of fat that only He can appreciate.

how does this become accomplished? you get planted. yes, planted. every Christian is a tree planted somewhere in God’s garden. Psalm 1:3, "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season." if you choose to soak up the Son, you grow. if you choose not to, you whither away.

the why of becoming planted? to bear fruit (John 15:8), i.e.: win souls. you see a fat tree bears much fruit – hence being known as a fat tree. the more you soak up the Son, the fatter you become. the fatter you become, the more fruit you bear. the more fruit you bear, the more you need to soak up the Son. vicious cycle yet one that the Father delights to see.

I say all this to bring you to the whole reason to become fat: glory. yes, glory. glory to the Heavenly Father; who in His grace and mercy chose to save your soul from the eternal flame. you in turn must be used to win souls for Him. there is no use of having a skinny tree around. no shade. no shelter. no fruit.

oh may my boughs droop with fruit. oh may I become a fat tree!

escape to the mountain

once upon a time I was given the directive to “escape to the mountain” by God. now this mountain He directed me to was in full-time Christian service. first as a missionary then to preach. little did I know then that God would; 1. get me to the mountain, 2. get me up the mountain, 3. get me on top of the mountain, 4. keep me in the mountain and 5. get His glory for doing number's 1-4 as He rightfully should.

I take this line from Genesis 19:17, “And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” see Lot had everything going for him; he was nephew to Abraham, was blessed with money and possessions, and had seen God work and move in his Uncle's life. yet he desired the plains of Jordan (Gen. 13:10).

after all that God had blessed him with, after all that God had graciously done for him and after all that God had allowed him to see what His mighty hand could do; Lot still wanted more... the plains. yep, me to a “T”. but this is the good part! God still loved Lot, ie: me, as He mercifully pulled him out of Sodom (Gen. 19:16). He was not obligated. Lot, ie: me, should have been consumed as he put himself in that position. but no. God in His love, grace and mercy bestowed upon Lot, ie: me, something he was of by no means worthy.

His calling is once more in the same order and to the same positions.

God, as you want me on that mountain and not in the plains, please, get me to that mountain. I trust you. I submit to you. In my own strength I cannot accomplish this endeavor as there must not be any “I”. It can only be You.
Your Will. Your Service. Your Glory.