Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke the demons dined
The son has come and you’ve been left behind
You’ve been left behind
You’ve been left behind
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Larry Norman
I Wish We’d All Been Ready lyrics © Ordure Blanc Music
As a kid I loved this song. It was sort of dark and moody and I liked that. As I grew older and the tune gave way to the words I still liked it for it’s powerful meaning, but now as 2022 has been in full swing for five months and we see how much worse things are getting this song breaks my heart, because I see it. I’m not saying Jesus is coming tomorrow or trying to prophesy end times, I am just saying we need to have eyes that are open. You might sound crazy if you mention the word apocalypse, until you are proven right. This might not be it. Jesus might not be returning for another two thousand years for all we know, but I wish we were all ready. I have heard the people call us Christians fanatics and Jesus freaks and other things I can’t say. I get it. We look crazy to some people, we talk about an all powerful God who takes away sin and makes us clean, a God who loves us as we are and is willing to help us be better. We talk about a paradise and a second coming and Heavenly beings. We sound a little crazy. But if you have met Him. Heart to heart, and found a true connection. If you have seen Him do amazing things, if you have been in darkness and then met His perfect light, you know that you aren’t crazy, you know that He is real and what He says is true.
Don’t get discouraged by the bribes and threats of the fallen world around us. Stay strong and continue to follow.
My Poppa who has been an evengelical minister for seventy some years said something really good the other day.
‘Those in the stands will always find criticism in those running the race, but those who have crossed the finish line will cheer you on.’
Those who aren’t aiming for Heaven will always find fault in those who are, but that doesn’t mean that those who are striving toward God are wrong, it means that the people in the stands aren’t running, they don’t understand the race and have nothing better to do then yell at the people who are down on the track sweating it out. But the people who have run the race and are watching from Heaven, they know what it’s like, they understand and are cheering you on. Don’t give up because the guy buying peanuts in row three seat A5 thinks that you should do something differently, is he running? No. So how does he know what you should do?
Look closer at that guy who is challenging you to give up, do you see the sneer and…is his toungue forked? Never doubt that the one telling you to stop being a Jesus Freak is the devil. It doesn’t matter whose voice he uses to dissuade you, it’s the deciver trying to make you give up. So keep going. And when you can’t run, walk, and when you can’t walk, kneel. Jesus is there beside you cheering you on too. I wish we’d all been ready, but just as much I pray that those who are ready don’t give up before the race is won.
Tag: never alone
Friends
I will follow you anywhere. Even past the realms of death to that which lies beyond.
So says a true friend.
I will go through death alone and move through what lies beyond alone for you. So says the truest friend. Jesus.
No matter where we go we are not alone; and for the places where we cannot go, Jesus goes alone without us to fight our battles for us.
Isn’t that an encouraging thought.
Easier would be nice God, just saying
Some days….most days, I wish that God would make things easy. You know? Today I drove into an unassuming ditch. It looked like I would skim the edge of a very small divot leading to a field. The divot was a ditch so deep and so full of snow that suddenly not all four wheels were on the ground anymore. Worse it wasn’t my property. Worse still I was in the middle of no where so CAA would be a pain to try to get out to my trouble spot. So I prayed. Of course. Then tried for about 15mins to get out. Now, in my mind I would pray and walk my truck right out of the hole. Nope. I prayed and then tried and tried and tried until finally my little Holy Spirit nudge said, “call your DAD!” Dad face timed with me. We prayed together and he helped me figure out how to get the truck out. It took almost an hour. A lot of shoving bear claws under tires, backing up as far as it would go and repeating. A bit of shoveling, more prayer, and a 3 point basket cheer when we finally got out.
Was God not there as I struggled? Of course He was.
Why wasn’t He making it easy?
Good question.
I think that sometimes God gives us things that He helps us through. Instead of fixing the problem for us, He helps us fix the problem ourselves, then we learn and grow from our issues and mistakes.
Kind of like my Poppa. I can do so many things that most people probably can’t simply because instead of doing it for me my Poppa always showed me how to do it and had me do it myself. Actually so does my dad. He hands me the skill saw and says ‘cut here, follow this line.’ Saw gets pinched. ‘Here, this is how you get it unstuck without breaking the blade, now you do it.’ That’s how I know how to do things. I believe that God does that too.
“Here, listen to what I am saying and try it this way. Okay, good job, now try again.”
That way, we learn.
Thank God for teaching me, even if that sometimes means making me do things the hard way.
Soldiers
Soldiers
Home is behind, the world is ahead, (J.R.R. Tolkien). I usually see this phrase of this song as a sentence of awe and thrill. Images of camping and wooded trails, tall mountains and pounding waterfalls overtake my mind and I breathe deeply. However that was not the scene around this statement. In the Lord of The Rings masterpiece epic, ( I mean the novels) Pipin sings a song of what would seem to be great adventure, in fact it is a song of war. They left their homes behind and took to war. Trenches and hill tops and beaches. Skies, oceans and forests. Deserts and mountains and jungles. Comfort left behind, loving arms and gentle words long forgotten as feet ache in heavy boots and backs sweat under heavy packs. You almost don’t dare make friends because you don’t know how long you will get to hold to these people around you, but you become family. Our soldiers learned the line Jesus said about true friends, and what Paul said, Rare for a person to lay down their life even for a righteous person; perhaps for a good man one would dare to die for.-Paul ( this is not a direct quote)
Our soldiers dared to die for those they never met. War is UGLY! Suffering and death happen and it is awful! But freedom doesn’t come by hoping for it. We should always honor those who suffered and died, AND those who suffered and live, because our freedom came from their blood. Hate war always, hate our soldiers NEVER! They did not ask for the wars they fought and fight in, but they saw the suffering of the innocent and had the courage to stand up and do something about it. God bless our soldiers! Semper Fi.
I found the cover image on the internet and hope that it is okay that I used it because it is so powerful. My uncle was in Vietnam and this painting reminded me of the few stories that he was able to tell when he got back.
Carrying your sword in hand
I have an author that I used to read a fair bit when I was younger. In the end of one of his books the ships are leaving with all the warriors of the king and one soldier comes running last of all. A soldier who had chosen to never go to war and to simply carry his weapon and claim to be part of the king’s army. In the end the king refused to take the soldier with him to his kingdom because, though he carried a weapon given him by the king, he never used it.
This made me think of God. Do we simply carry God’s gifts and feel that because we have them we are special, the ‘God chose me’ mentality? Are we special if all we do is posses unused gifts? We cannot simply believe in God but not serve Him. Now, I have no authority to say Heaven is out of reach for those who only believe and do not serve, but if God has given you a gift He has done so so that you can use it for HIM. He does not gift us for the sake of our pride. Romans 12:7 if your gift is teaching, teach; if it is serving, serve.
If your gift is being a mom then be the best mom you can possibly be to God’s glory.
If it is construction then construct to God’s glory.
Whatever you do, give your gift back to God. You do not want to simply carry your sword in it’s scabbard and never draw it. Do you polish it so you can admire your reflection or so it is optimal when you go to battle? Be a warrior who carries their sword in hand and is ready to use it. The sword of the Spirit is hungry and ready to be wielded, and if the Spirit is leading you then you are fighting on God’s team. Do not be discouraged, you may be already wielding your sword and not know it. Listen for God’s direction and let the Spirit guide you. Serve God the best way you know how. Further His kingdom as only you can. God gifted you for a reason and He will show you that reason but do not give up on searching for ways to be God’s warrior no matter how small it may seem. You are special and having a gift is a special thing, but being special without using your specialty is a waste. So waste not, find your niche, and fight for God’s kingdom.
Credit to owner for image
Dads
What does the word ‘dad’ mean to you? What is your first thought when you hear someone say father? I think about strength, courage, endurance, sacrifice.
When someone says ‘dad’ I imagine my father. When someone says ‘father’ I imagine God.
God is our father. Why? Why is God not just our boss? Our master? Our king? Our friend? Why is He also our Father? God is our father because He knew we would need a protector, strong arms to run into when we are afraid, strong hands to fend away those who would harm us and courage to not run away from our need. He knew we would need wisdom, knowledge and just general know how for when we are confused or do not know where to turn.
He knew we would need a steadfast and loving heart for when this world crushes ours. God is our Father for every single meaning of the word.
Not everyone has a dad on this earth to run to, but everyone (no matter their age, abilities or needs,) everyone has a father in God.
Dads are our earthly version of Father, to the best of their abilities. Everytime they try, Everytime they help, Everytime they are understanding and protecting and loving, they are being father, just as God intended them to be.
Thank you Fathers for all you are and all you help us to be.
Happy Father’s Day
Please feel free to comment what your dad means to you and to connect him to this site so he can see what you said.
Illogical Miracles
When people think Star Trek (the original) two names come to mind..Kirk and Spock.
As all of you who have watched any of the Star Trek shows or movies know, spock’s race of alien believe fully in logic. In one part of one of the movies, Spock states that miracles do not exist because they are illogical. That made me think. Miracles ARE illogical. If miracles made sense then we could figure out how to do them ourselves. GOD alone can do miracles.
I do believe that God can use people to help Him do miracles, but we cannot do them through our own power. Miracles are miracles because only God can do them, it is miraculous because it makes no sense, it is unexplainable and it is amazing. I love seeing God do crazy things. We Christians call it “wow God moments.”
As my Grandfather says, “But God.”
It was impossible to be healed…but God.
The dream was too far beyond her reach….but God.
The Children of Israel had no way out…but God.
Daniel was in the lion’s den…but God.
The fire was heated 10 times the normal temperature and no one could survive that…..but God.
I am too much of a sinner for God to love me….but God…so loved the world that He gave His one and only son. Too lost to be found? Too hurt to be healed? Too dirty to be cleaned? Too scared? Too weak? Too broken? …..But God.
GOD IS ILLOGICAL! That is just how He operates. If He were logical none of us would stand a chance in this world because He would be limited to what WE could understand.
I adore my God who makes no sense to those who do not know Him. I also love His illogical, wonderful, crazy, insane, awesome miracles. Without them we would have dull, logical lives.
Enough light?
Stormie Omartan wrote a book titled ‘just enough light for the step I’m on.’
The book itself I have not yet read, but the title has clung in my mind.
How often do we go through times like that? Days when we feel like we only have the dull beam of a dying flashlight guiding us, just enough light to see directly in front of us and that is it. We may even feel like that has been our whole lives, just enough, never more, never less. The point of the very dark and invisible path ahead is Faith. Would we need an all knowing God if we were all knowing ourselves? God could have given us a complete outline of what our lives would be but He knew that if we knew all we would go through we couldn’t handle it. Our free will also comes into play here. If God had given us an exact road map the decisions we made ( good or bad) would not have happened because they were not part of our map.
We have only enough light so we step out trusting in God, and even when we fall He catches us and lets us learn from our mistakes.
We would not be people, with thought and choice, if we had an exact path. Yes God has a path for all of us and a destiny and an end result, but a lot of what gets us where we are going is our decisions. It may be a hard road or an easy road depending on our choices. Sometimes we may even not end up where God plans for us to be because our decisions lead us elsewhere, but He allows us to be real and to make our choices without dictation. Jesus directs us. Not controls us, directs. He lets us choose where we will go but He still guides us to keep us safe.
We have just enough light to see the path and to somewhat make out where each path may go when we reach a crossroads.
Walking a dim path with Jesus is the same as if we were walking in brilliant, full sunshine.
Walking a dim path without Jesus is simply a good way to get lost.
When the tears don’t cease
I once said that my guitar has seen less tears than my pillow, my pillow less tears than my dog and my dog far less tears than Jesus, because Jesus sees them all. For some reason we as people get it into our heads that the pain and stress and worn thin feelings we had last week should have been healed and cleared up by this one; That would be nice but that doesn’t always happen.
Last weeks troubles may very well have carried into this week, and you may feel that you have clung so tight for so long to Jesus that you are molded to Him and can never let go.
Bingo. That’s the point. To never let go. That realization is not going to fix your problems but now maybe you see that you have someone to help you through them. I saw a movie where the guy said he regretted letting go of the girl he was in love with so soon because he was enjoying holding her (in a hug). Jesus enjoys holding us; He enjoys taking care of us and I bet He regrets it when we let go of Him too soon, or at all, because He doesn’t want our moments together to end. Our moments do not have to end. If there is a place in our lives we can’t take Jesus with us then it is a place we need to get rid of. But even if we do, and I am sure we all have places we feel Jesus wouldn’t approve of, He would go there with us anyway; this is Jesus friend of sinners remember. Maybe taking Him there with you will help you see how to clean those places up.
Its nice to be able to hold Jesus’ hand no matter where you go or what you do in a day. Its nice to have that support, love and friendship.
Sometimes when you look around and ask “where is God in the midst of this?” He will send you a sign. It may be big or it may be so small that if you closed your eyes at the wrong moment you might have missed it. But it is there. Just a gentle reminder that He is right here in the midst of you and your circumstances. A reminder that He is still holding you up and is still holding your hand.
Jesus, thank you seems a hard word to say at times, but even in the struggles we can be thankful that you are there with us and that you are still God. Amen.
Credit to owner for cover image
What does Jesus say when He prays
What does Jesus say when He prays?
The Bible says Jesus prays for us
and most people I have heard talk about this say that He is praying for our souls. That is probably very true. This week I hit the sea floor and the waves keept shoving me back to the bottom everytime I tried to resurface. In the midst of the drowning I was walking past a painting we have in our house of Jesus praying and it hit me, is He praying for my situation? I suddenly realized that Jesus most likely does not just pray for my soul He probably prays for me. For my problems, for my fears, for my hurts, my needs, my crushing blow days. Jesus probably prays for all of it. So on those nights when it’s 12 am and I still can’t find the words to pray its alright, because Jesus says everything in His prayers that needs to be said. I simply need to support Him with worship.
Jesus. Wow! Thank you for praying for me, for caring that much.
Carried in the cross 