Best Weekend Of My Life

My response to the most awesome weekend of my life is on my knees before almighty God......Our God Is An Awesome God !

Expect awesome things from an awesome God !

Happy New Year's 2011

Happy New Years ! As you seek the Lord and serve Him in 2011, may he bless you with the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4)

Be Still

I'm subscribed to a blog called 'Heart To HeartWith Holly' and found todays post so awesome I'd thought I'd share it with everyone.

Well since December hit so did winter - last week it was in the 60's and now very cold with a dusting of snow....brrrr. It's also that time of year when we are all so busy....parties, gatherings, decoratinng, shopping. Nothing wrong in and of itself - in fact some of it can be fun. But Holly reminded us that we need to pay heed to Psalm 46:10 'Be still and know that I am God'. Not just to be still in a physical sense (although it's always good to slow down) but much more importantly in a spiritual sense. It is pefectly described in Philippians 4:7 'And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus'

Here is a link to Holly's blog:

http://blog.dayspring.com/2010/12/when-your-heart-feels-hurried.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dayspring%2FaSfH+%28Heart+to+Heart+with+Holley%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail

"Why"

‎"When we're asking "why?", God isn't. He's an eternity ahead of, and behind, everything that happens." Matt Hammit lead singer Sanctus Real

Mosque at Ground Zero - Abraham Lincoln's Perspective

In Rich Nathan's message today he mentioned that 'The Bible is wrongly interpreted when God is reduced to a particular place or nation or thing'. Rich read part of this quote from Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address - in regard specifically to 'trying to tie God to our things or causes'.



"Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether."



With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."



Lincoln had the Civil War in perfect perspective.



What if we apply Lincoln's perspective to the debate regarding the 'Mosque at Ground Zero'?



Let us ever be mindful of Lincoln's words and remember 'with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right' – that 'right' – and everything that we have – everything – comes from Almighty God.

"American III: Solitary Man" Johnny Cash

I love the song "Solitary Man" by Neil Diamond and recently found out that Johnny Cash did a cover of it. It was not available on iTunes so I had to purchase the CD (got a great deal on Amazon) and I was literally blown away. While his vocals appear at times a little weak betraying his age, Johnny more than did justice to "Solitary Man" and all the other tracks (having artists join the effort like Tom Petty and Sheryl Crow)

I found out that Johnny Cash was a believer in Jesus Christ not too long ago. I always thought so but when I read the liner notes I knew for sure – and they blew me away:

"The Master of Life's been good to me. He gives me good health now and helps me continue doing what I love. He has given me strength to face past illnesses, and victory in the face of defeat. He has given me life and joy where others saw oblivion. He has given new purposes to live for. New services to render and old wounds to heal. Life and love go on. Let the music play"

Johnny Cash

August 16, 2000

"American III: Solitary Man" liner notes

Johnny wanted the world to know that "The Master of life's been good to me". Let's do Johnny proud and more importantly Jesus by sharing this message with the world.

And, oh yeah, some awesome music !


http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/c/cashjohnny-american3.shtml

Dear 'X' and Overcoming the Enemy

‘Disciple’ has been one of my favorite Christian rock bands since I heard them live with Kutless a few years ago. Their songs have always resonated with me – both the ‘loud’ and the ‘soft’ – and help draw me to the ultimate source of hope and love – Christ.

I first heard ‘Dear X’ last week and was captured by it immediately. The ‘X’ that is referred to is ‘pain’, ‘shame’, ‘hate’, and ‘anger’. Going through what I went through the past two years I have experienced all of these to one degree or another. But Christ has taken all of these away !

However the enemy of our souls uses all of the tools in his arsenal to dredge up the past and all the ‘stuff’ that goes with it. One of the ‘tools’ that he uses (very effectively at times) is – gasp – other believers. And, unfortunately, I have experienced this.

How do we over come this ? It’s not rocket science but found in James 4:7 ‘Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’ Thank you ‘Disciple’ for pointing that out so well in your brand new song.

It really is that easy.







Disciple Dear X (you Don't Own Me) lyrics

'Dear pain, oh, it's been a long time
Remember when you were holding me tight
I would stay awake with you all night
Dear shame, I was safe in your arms
You were there when it all fell apart
I would get so lost in your beautiful lies
I let you go
But you're still chasing

Go ahead
You're never gonna take me
You can bend
But you're never gonna break me
I was yours
I'm not yours anymore
Oh, you don't own me

Dear hate, I know you're not far
You would wait at the door of my heart
I was amazed at the passion in your cries
Dear anger, you made me so high
You were faithful to show up on time
Such a flame that was burning in your eyes
I let you go
But you're still chasing

Go ahead
You're never gonna take me
You can bend
But you're never gonna break me
I was yours
But I'm not yours anymore
Oh, you don't own me

Go ahead
Put a target on my forehead
You can fire
But you've got no bullet
I was yours
But I'm not yours anymore
Oh, you don't own me

You tempted me to look back
But everything that we had together was a lie

Go ahead
You're never gonna take me
You can bend
But you're never gonna break me
I was yours
But I'm not yours anymore
Oh, you don't own me

Go ahead
Put a target on my forehead
You can fire
But you've got no bullet
I was yours
But I'm not yours anymore
Oh, you don't own me

Go ahead
Put a target on my forehead
You can fire
But you've got no bullet
I was yours
But I'm not yours anymore
Oh, you don't own me'