Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

"When the Bombs Break Right Outside My Door..."

Once again, I find myself in place where I realize that I must rely/count on God. I consider myself a person who has a pretty strong faith in God. I am defiantly an optimist in that I believe that God ALWAYS has my best interest in mind. There are times that this belief/certainty is strained however. It is never because of anything that God does or doesn't do. He is always the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. 

Last night I was teaching at youth group and I spoke very briefly about the lie that Eve & Adam (who was standing next to Eve throughout her conversation with the enemy) believed spoken by Satan.
Genesis 3: 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
In other words the devil was saying "God doesn't really care about you, he doesn't really care about your situation, God doesn't want what's best for you... God is withholding HIS best from you..." Adam and Eve bought hook line and sinker... Unfortunately, I do the same thing today...

I am currently looking for work in youth ministry field (either secular or with a church) and I have been to a number interview and sent my resume to even more places. I know that God has a place in mind for me and I know that He will never withhold HIS best for me. Even though I "know" this there are times that I fall for that same lie that my forefather and mother fell for in the perfect garden that God created all those years ago. 


I was having a hard time today and began to question God and if He was still there? I felt like Martha and Mary (Lazarus' sisters)... John 11:21 
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 
Essentially, Martha (Mary says the same thing a few verses later) were saying to Jesus... This (Lazarus' death) is your fault! Don't you care about us? Where were you? Why didn't you come to his rescue?!!?!?

Well, little did they know that Jesus is the Resurrection and Life and HE WAS ABOUT TO PUT ON SHOW....  

On my way home from work today I was listening John Mark McMillan's new album titled "Borderland" (if you haven't heard it I highly recommend it) and I was listening to a song called "Counting On" here are the lyrics to song... I am seriously in love with the lyrics and message of the song. Well done Mr. McMillan
COUNTING ON by John Mark McMillan 

When the night stops pushing up the day
When the miles drop me on the open planes
When I’ve lost grace with the lady of the dawn

You’re what I’m counting on
You’re what I’m counting on

Where the hounds run
Track me in my sleep
When I can’t trust the company I keep
When I’ve push passed the point of pressing on
You’re what I’m counting on
You’re what I’m counting on

I’m throwing stones
Up at your window
I’m casting shadows
Upon your door

Where the bombs break
Right outside my door
And I can’t shake the onset of my wars
When the stakes are raised
We hold the hand we’ve drawn
You’re what I’m counting on

I’m throwing stones
Up at your window
I’m casting shadows
Upon your door

Here in Maryland (much like most of country) we have had a rough and long winter. However, last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the DC Cherry Blossom Festival. Guess what happened this year? The flowers came out, green leaves sprouted on the trees, and SPRING finally sprung...  I believe this was God's way of saying... I AM more faithful than Spring, I AM more faithful than the sunrise. I AM more reliable the dawn... I am learning to live by faith and I am waiting for THE SHOW!!!! "Do your work Lord! Be honored in all my comings and goings. Show YOURSELF strong in my life... I will WAIT on you. Amen."










Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Sunrise or Sunset?

" Early in the morning I'd like to rise and spend a little time in quiet, creeping through the shutters falling on my wife, the sun is calling me to shine... Early in the morning, time still flies. Minutes, hours, lost as treasures. My tiny baby's breathing deeper every day, soon she'll leave her crib forever." (Early in the Morning by Andrew Osenga)
When I was a freshmen in Bible College a couple friends of mine and I got up early in the morning to watch the sunrise and we spent the rest of the cold upstate NY spring day, playing and not having a care in the world. We ended the day watching the sunset. Honestly, it was one the best days of my life. I will never forget it!

Well, this past Friday night and Saturday morning I was able to do it again expect it was backwards. First the sunset and the sunrise... This kinda got me thinking about a couple questions. Am I a sunrise or sunset kinda person? Not am I night owl or morning dove. That is easy... I am completely 100% a night owl.

What I mean is...

with a sunrise comes this kinda of expectancy or hope of God doing something great. Almost like you are looking forward to amazing things that God is going to do throughout the day. I kinda think sunrises are full of hope.

with a sunset comes an opportunity to see God's faithfulness, how and where He came through. I kinda think sunsets are full of faith or for reinsurance of our faith.

In the song that I quoted... The author ends the song with these beautiful words...
"so let us not take this granted, let us not waste the second hand.
But let your love rage like a lion and let your heart break like a lamb"
I know that I should be both full of Hope and Faith... God, please help me!
I hope you enjoy these photos. I took them of St. Mary's Lake on University of Notre Dame Campus...