Archive for the ‘Inspirational’ Category

Commander of the Army of the LORD

Posted: February 12, 2024 in Inspirational
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I hope this one gets you excited!… Have you ever read these 3 verses before In Joshua?

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied, “but as Commander of the Army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.   Joshua 5:13-15

Unlike my usual approach, I believe it’s important to begin this blog by acknowledging that some of you may be unfamiliar with these verses. So let me set the stage;

Israel is about to go to war with one of the most disturbing, detestable, and disgusting groups of people that ever lived on this earth. The residents of Jericho’s sin had reached what God called “its full measure” which meant that after giving them ample time to repent, He was done with them. Their punishment…would be death by Israelite. 

So picture in your mind, thousands of men screaming and banging their weapons together, raising their fists and shouting as loud as they could. Both sides faced each other only in this instance, the warriors of Jericho stood very comfortably on the inside of the largest and impenetrable fortress of its time. Archaeologists confirm the walls of Jericho stood 30 feet high and get this, 20 feet thick.

How, on God’s green earth could an Israelite force, or for that matter, any force, assail an army behind walls that could not be breached? Enter God and His plan which was very different than what you and I would have done…but it worked. 

But the reason I write this post today is to call your attention to someone who came to this fight before it started. Did you pick that up in verse 14? I call your attention to the “Commander of the Armies of the Lord” Have you heard of this guy before? Did you know there was a Commander for the Armies of God? Can you imagine what this warrior from Heaven looked like? Guys, that is another blog altogether. But, here is my question to you, why was this Commander, with his seniority in Heaven, present at this battle?

Please hear my words guys because there is no conjecture here. This Commander was at this battle for one reason… besides the physical war happening between Israel and the men of Jericho, God’s armies were doing battle with the forces of Satan. All of this chaos was happening at the same time and the reason I mention this today is simply to point out that God did not desert his people. He sent His forces to war right alongside the Israelites to ensure victory during a battle unlike any other.

But I must bring this story back down to you and me, Let me remind you that God is doing the very same thing now in all of our lives. PLEASE remember that Spiritual forces are fighting for you and at the very same time, different evil forces are fighting against you. Yes…this is true. There is a battle going on for your individual soul. I have written about this many times in past blogs but when I get to illustrate God’s action by showing you who is sent to defend you, I just think that is incredibly encouraging and I hope you find that to be true as well.

Remember, you are NOT alone in your battle. God will send the Commander of the Armies of the Lord along with the legions of Angels to keep you safe. They are still on duty…

Until next time Guys-

Hope is NOT a Strategy…

Posted: January 29, 2024 in Inspirational
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Over the last few years, we have seen this phrase trotted out constantly in the media through political campaigns as a reminder that the idea of Hope is actually a bad idea. Why? Because Hope should not be counted on as something that will happen. But, if this were true, then why would anyone feel good about hope in the first place? 

Today, I hope to change your mind about this topic because if your hope strategy is actually Biblical Hope, then it is by far the best strategy any of us can count on or put our faith in.

One of the most powerful emotions we can experience as humans is the feeling of Hope. I have experienced this personally as I am sure most of you have too. To go through a situation that is painful or difficult at whatever level, grief or loss or something, and to come out of that ordeal with a solid Hope for the future is a feeling that is hard to describe. Hope not only makes you feel better, but it also makes you feel better also. What I mean is…Hope is healthier for your body because when you are full of hope, you are not full of stress. 

Think about this; Hope and Stress do not peacefully coexist in the same body.

I am writing about Hope today because, by its very nature, Hope concerns the future and when I watch the news, the future looks to be very disconcerting. Yet Hope involves so much more than just a desire or a wish for something better in the next week, month, or year. If you haven’t already noticed, I wanted to introduce you to a different kind of Hope and one that is a far more solid version. 

Yep…you guessed it, Biblical Hope. Here are two hope verse examples below:

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose Hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. Psalms 33:18-19

Then you will know that I am the Lord, those who hope in me will not be disappointed. Isa 49:23b

Can you imagine hoping for something and not being disappointed? This is what I mean… Biblical Hope is a whole different level of Hope because it consists of assurance of the heart and firm confidence about the future of things on this earth. Why? Because these “things” are based on God’s promises. 

In other words, Biblical Hope is inseparably linked to a Firm Faith and a strong confident trust in God.  These all work together to provide you with a foundation that cannot be shaken. You can be navigating the largest and most difficult situation you thought possible, but because of Biblical Hope…everything changes. I am not blowing smoke here. Biblical Hope can feel physical and can provide the foothold you need to make it to your next step…and the one after that.

Guys…I cannot emphasize enough how many promises are made in the Bible that are mentioned for no other reason than to give you and me HOPE. God didn’t leave you on an island called Earth without a lifeboat. He filled up an entire book with reasons why you should hang on and not give in to whatever tidal wave you think is coming.

Bottom line for you and me…Hope is, without a doubt, a strategy if your Hope is in Him…

Until next time Guys-

The Temptation of Jesus

Posted: January 2, 2024 in Inspirational
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Before Christ began His 3-year ministry on earth, he was led by the Holy Spirit out into the Desert where He was subjected to temptation from Satan. This lasted 40 days and during that time,  Jesus did not eat. 

I don’t know about you, but I am confident I would not last even a few days without sustenance before pure weakness set in… but Jesus did it. I want to remind you that at this point, He was just like any other man, which means His body would have started to break down due to a lack of nourishment just like yours and mine would.

Compounding that fact, was that He was being subjected to temptation from Satan, who was and is, the Prince of this World, which made this entire ordeal even more difficult. But, let me be clear, this encounter was not by accident. Christ did not go to the desert to hide but rather He was led to this confrontation by God. Why?, Because as Erwin Lutzer states in his book, God’s Devil, “God wanted to prove that Christ would win in the very arena of temptation where Adam failed”.

In case this fact slipped your mind, Jesus already knew Satan. How? Because He created him. Lucifer, as was his name, was one of the highest-ranking angels ever. He led worship in Heaven and had a direct connection with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. However, evil was found to be in his heart so God cast him out of Heaven along with one-third of the angels he had corrupted. 

Today, I wanted to take a couple of minutes to add some color to these “temptation” events and try and bring the supernatural perspective that the Bible only tells us in 2D. What Satan presented to Christ would have been truly amazing and frankly would have blown you and me away.

Temptation #1

And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” Matt 4:3

First of all, Christ could have turned the stones into bread in a second. In fact, He basically did the same miracle just a few weeks later when He fed the 5,000 but, we know Satan does not play fair. As Lutzer states, “The essence of this temptation was to show the needs of the body are more important than the needs of the soul.” This was low-hanging fruit and he knew Jesus was hungry, famished, and even starving. But Christ saw through his plan and would not give Satan the disobedience he wanted.

Temptation #2

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone”. Matt 4:6

This temptation is far more sinister because if Christ quotes scripture, then so does Satan. Lucifer knows the scripture better than you and I. But think about this, Satan quotes scripture to entice Christ into sinning. He literally tried to hamstring Christ by using scripture against Him.

Next, consider this; Satan somehow takes or carries Christ to the apex of the temple in Jerusalem…using his demon power. We know that Christ would NOT have allowed him to do this without His consent. 

Thirdly, do not be misdirected here. Satan was deliberately trying to misuse God’s word just as he will do with you. Are you ready for when you hear the word of God used in the wrong way? Can you discern the difference? Remember when I mentioned this temptation is the most sinister by far?

Finally, Christ simply responded, “DO NOT put your Lord God to the test”. Christ did not fall into the trap that Satan set. He wanted Christ to choose sin even while pointing to a verse and Christ would not.

Let me remind you of Martin Luther’s words from many years ago when he said, “The devil is God’s devil. We have forgotten that only when we know who God is can we know who the devil is. Blessed are those who are convinced that the prince of this world has become a slave to the Prince of Peace.“

Temptation #3

The devil led him up to a high mountain and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Matt 4:8-9

Again, Christ is taken or carried up to a very high mountain on earth using the demon power of Satan. In an instant, He is shown all of the Kingdoms of the world. Think about that for a second. Christ witnessed Rome in all of its splendor or Ancient Greece or Egypt with the Pyramids. Consider the amazing supernatural experience of ALL these kingdoms displayed to Him at the same time.

Now, I realize that these are earthly kingdoms and NOT Heavenly ones but the sheer power of this should not escape you. Why did Satan do this? It was his last act of power with Christ. He was providing Christ a “shortcut to the kingdom”. He was offering all the authority of the world if He, Jesus Christ, would bow down and worship him.

As we know, Christ did not deviate from the will of God and told Satan to go pound sand. Sorry, that was my paraphrasing. He told him that “you shall worship the Lord your God and him only you shall serve”.

This Case is Closed…

What is the point of writing and sharing this post today? You and I can follow the very same example that Christ set for us by refuting and resisting the enemy using God’s word. Frankly, that is exactly what God wants us to do with it but with one caveat…you must know God’s word well enough to discern when it isn’t… 

That is my challenge to you today-

Until next time Guys-

Lutzer, Erwin. (2015) God’s Devil, Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

Breakfast for Dinner

Posted: June 27, 2023 in Inspirational
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I came across this simple story recently and couldn’t help but think how this could apply to all of us men out there… we all can agree…sometimes life doesn’t go the way we want it to but our reaction can be the key to how the ones we care about think about us… 

I have no idea who wrote this and would love to give the credit to who did but we can all still enjoy it just the same…

And so the story goes…

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make “breakfast for dinner” every now and then and we were ok with that for us. I remember one night in particular though when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned biscuits in front of my Dad and I remember waiting to see if anyone would notice.

Instead of reacting, my Dad simply reached for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit and he ate every bit of that thing…never making a face or uttering a word. 

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my Father for burning the biscuits. And I’ll never forget what he said, “Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then.” 
 
Later that night, I went to hug my Dad good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. I remember him wrapping me in his arms and saying, “Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she’s very tired, and besides…a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone”…

As I’ve grown older, I’ve often thought about that night because I have found that life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I’m not the best at many things; I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else but what I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept one another’s faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and long-lasting relationship…or family. 

 That is my prayer for you today…that you will learn to look at life differently by taking the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and laying them at the feet of God. Because frankly, in the end, Jesus is the only one who can give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn’t a deal-breaker…

“Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket – keep it in your own.”

So, please pass me a biscuit, and yeah, the burned one will be just fine.

Until next time guys…

This man they call JESUS

Posted: April 8, 2023 in Inspirational
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He was the GREATEST man in history 

He, who had no servants yet they called Him MASTER

He, who had no degree, yet they called Him a TEACHER

He, who was not a Doctor, and He had no medicines, yet they called Him a HEALER

He, who had no army, and no military experience, yet Kings feared HIM

He, who had won no military battles, yet He conquered the world

He, who committed no crime, yet they crucified Him

He, who was buried in a tomb, and He was resurrected, and yet HE LIVES TODAY

HE LIVES TODAY

YES…HE STILL LIVES TODAY

Happy Easter to you 

Happy Resurrection Day

Your Attitude determines your Altitude

Posted: March 24, 2023 in Inspirational
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Personal stories always seem to affect me especially when I see ones about people who change other people because of their actions. I really like that. I found one of those stories that I want to share with you. 

This one is on a topic that sometimes I struggle with personally which is my attitude. It is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to choose…good mood or bad mood? Well actually…when things are good… the good mood is easy but when things are not so good…maintaining that good mood is VERY difficult and that is why I share this post with you…

 Because YOU GET TO CHOOSE your ATTITUDE…Enjoy…

Michael is the kind of guy who can drive you crazy because he is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, “If I were any better, I would be twins!” This guy was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of their situation.

Seeing his style every day really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, “I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?” Michael replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or…you can choose to be in a bad mood. For me, I choose to be in a good mood.” 

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to either be a victim or…I can choose to learn from it…I simply choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or…I can point out the positive side of life. In every circumstance I come across, I choose to take the positive side of life.

“Yeah right, it’s not that easy,” I protested. “Actually yes it is,” Michael said. “Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation you face is a choice and you get to choose how you react to those situations. You are the one who chooses how people will affect your mood. 

You either choose to be in a good mood or in a bad mood. The bottom line: It’s your choice how you live your life and not anyone else”

I reflected on what Michael said and soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch but I would often think about him when I made a choice in my own life rather than reacting to it. 

Several years later, I found out that Michael was involved in a very serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was finally released from the hospital with steel rods being surgically placed in his back.

I saw Michael about six months after the accident and when I asked him how he was, he replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins…Wanna see my scars?” I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. 

“The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be-born daughter,” Michael replied. “Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or…I could choose to die…I chose to live.”

“Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” I asked. Michael continued, “…the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine but when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read ‘he’s a dead man’. I knew I needed to take action.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,” said Michael. “She asked if I was allergic to anything.

‘Yes, I replied.’

The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled,

‘Gravity'”

Over their laughter, I told them, 

“I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.”

Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude…I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday and you are still alive and functioning. Remember…when you trust in Him…You have a reason to hope.

I truly pray you will make the right choice…but in case you forget, choose attitude.

Until next time guys…

Perseverance

Posted: March 12, 2023 in Inspirational
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I was walking through our facility recently and noticed an employee really struggling with a machine he was trying to operate. This guy was working hard, sweating, and really under some pressure but what I found strange was that his boss was nowhere to be found. As I surveyed the area closely, my eye came across his supervisor far off in a corner…almost hidden. When I went to see what he was doing, he told me he had his eye on this guy from a distance and he wanted to see how this young man would handle this equipment problem on his own. 

I turned around and looked back at the employee again with his head underneath the machine trying desperately to get the equipment to run right and then I looked back at the supervisor…Clearly, he noticed the look on my face and he said, “this is the kind of problem that can produce perseverance in someone”. I said, “perseverance?” where did that come from?” He said, “I have been doing this a long time…

In my younger days, I would run right over right and help the newbies every time they needed help…but I learned over time, this method really didn’t help them…What they needed was to persevere through the problem until they figured out the solution on their own, then they became the kind of operator we wanted working here”. I said, “Very impressive…and I agree with you”. But of course, that got me thinking about his lesson to this young man. So I went to the dictionary and I found the word; perseverance:

The continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

I know the word and I use the word but when I saw what it meant, I was kind of shocked. Perseverance was the word that was meant for this Iron Sharpens Iron blog audience…this is the foundation we are built upon because perseverance is exactly what God wants Christian men to have…

A little fortitude…a little toughness and a whole lot of perseverance.

Even more importantly, God has something to say on this subject and I found the scripture to back this up for us:

Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

So now it makes perfect sense right? Do you remember that poor guy at the beginning of my post that was struggling to get that piece of equipment to run? Well ultimately… he was successful and that success has made him a better employee…all because of the simple test his boss put him through…but I will point out one key point here…

HE DID NOT GIVE UP…He kept at it, even though it was hard…

And that is why God tells us that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. He already knew before you were made all of the various predicaments you were going to find yourself in that ultimately would be opportunities to show that you can “get up off of the mat” when you are knocked down. So don’t just lay there…get up!

If you are a Christian, you will be tested. If you are tested, then hang in there because you just read a few lines ago that this same testing and adversity will produce a character quality that is huge for you…perseverance…

Because when you finally achieve the ability to “Keep on, keeping on”…in other words, perseverance. God will truly look down from heaven and smile at you…why?

Because He understands everything YOU went through to get there and He admires the person you became as a result…

Let me leave you with this verse:

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

Until next time guys…

Can I Really have all that I need?

Posted: March 5, 2023 in Inspirational
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The Lord is my Shepherd, I have all that I need. Psalms 23:1

I have read the 23rd Psalm thousands of times throughout my life and can even recite it from memory. It is so burned into my brain from so many years of reading and hearing it over and over that, I almost don’t hear it anymore…if that makes sense.

Repetition and too much of any one thing can do that to you, right? Well, that isn’t supposed to happen to scripture. But it had until today…and all it took was a version change. A different perspective that seemed to change the angle just slightly…or…just enough to wack me over the head.

As I said, I have heard the words, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” my whole life. That is the verse. Period. Until today. When I heard it very loud and very clear, again for the first time.

How about this one; The Lord is my Shepherd, I have all that I need.

I HAVE ALL THAT I NEED. 

I can honestly say I have never said that because I never believed those words applied to me. WHY? Because I don’t think I DO have all I need. Does anyone really ever have all they need? But that is precisely what David meant when he wrote those words. He truly had All that he needed. He was content.

So what did he mean?

Here is what I can tell you. David was not referring to his stuff. Things like cars, houses, and vacations. He was talking about his contentment with his God. Let me reword it again:

BECAUSE THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I DO NOT NEED ANYTHING

David recognized that in this state of humility with God, our God, it was and IS possible to not need anything. Can you imagine that? You see because we Christians are so immersed in a society where people believe they can never get enough…that honestly, it is very easy to drift over to that way of thinking. Over time, we become what we do not want to…which is believing we don’t HAVE what we THINK we need…or as reworded below:

EVEN THOUGH THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, HE CAN’T GET ME WHAT I NEED

It is important to recognize this condition above for what it is: That it is NOT from God but rather from the Enemy. Our job then is to resist and to work to become content in our circumstances no matter what they are. It is not easy. Frankly, it is crazy hard…especially if you are not happy with where you are in your life.

The writer of Hebrews put it this way:

Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

Let me put it another way:

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 1 Timothy 6:6

Although it is a very true statement, “You can’t take it with you” the Bible implores you and me to lay up our treasures in Heaven so that your time spent here on this earth can be more like what David said…where you have all you need.

Simply put, if you are focused on the “stuff” you don’t have, then you are not focused on Him.

My intent today with this short post is to remind you that if you seek Him, you will find Him which leads you to a place where you can be content in your life, right where you are. Then you can say with conviction…that you really do have all that you need.

Until next time guys-

Business as Usual…

Posted: November 8, 2021 in Inspirational
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In my lifetime, starting with the Vietnam War and moving through contemporary wars like Desert Storm and the War in Afghanistan, there is one fact that has always amazed me; even though the United States was actively engaged in a war with US troops being deployed daily, and every night we were glued to the news to see what happened on that day… MY daily routine went on as usual. I still went to work and carried on with my family’s daily “normal” all the while battles were being waged by my country.  

In other words, compared to many of our own relatives not 80 years ago in WW2, when their lives were changed to warfare literally, overnight. That was when most everyone…and I mean everyone, was participating in something having to do with the war…YET, in my experience… in contemporary America…I was pretty much business as usual.

What is my point? To me, it is hard to believe something like a war could be happening but only for some of us. Now here is a crazy question; what if there was a war was happening on US soil? What if the State of California was attacked and the battle was waging there? Do you think the people in maybe Iowa or Tennessee would be business as usual? How close does the activity have to be for us to change from our routine and no longer be, business as usual?

Stay with me…

Let me be more specific to help clarify my point further. Do you remember Noah? He was the guy that built an Ark in the middle of his property for one reason; Because God told him to. If you recall, there wasn’t really a precedent for a building project like this because there had never been enough rain before…But Noah just obeyed. 

Every person who ever read this Bible passage has hypothesized that Noah’s neighbors probably thought he was out of his mind. They would see him every day just building away and could not figure out what he was doing. BUT then…there were the others that NEVER knew Noah and never knew what hit them. 

You see, Noah’s neighbors, like you and me, we’re all going about their daily routines. They were perceptive enough to notice something was happening because Noah was very busy…but they were unaware of what was REALLY happening…until the flood came…

They were Business as Usual too…

Here is how Christ described Noah’s neighbors in Matthew 24:

For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Guys, my point is simply this…you, me, your family, your boss, your gym partner…everyone on this planet is business as usual. That is what we do. Many of us are affected by COVID. This means how we work or not work is altered, but we always adapt and keep moving forward because we have to take care of our families, right?

Being, “Business as Usual” is not wrong unless you miss what the scripture above is saying; 

…so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

If we are so focused on JUST this life and only what we have to do, then, YES, you will be surprised on that day when He returns…and I don’t want that for you.

All I am saying is don’t forget to pay attention, to remember, to be aware… of what is going on around you, BE READY, don’t be JUST, Business as usual. Keep your eyes on the eternal prize for you and your family…

Honestly, I don’t have a calendar to update you when He is coming back because frankly, that would defeat the purpose don’t you think? The Bible is very clear that no one knows when Chris will return…only God. All I know is that I was guided to this passage as a reminder to you that (so will be the coming of the Son of Man) is written in His word and we MUST remember. 

As I’ve said, being busy isn’t a problem unless it causes you to forget what THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT TO REMEMBER IS…

HE IS COMING BACK…

Until next time guys-

Is it so Hard to simply…Believe?

Posted: December 5, 2020 in Inspirational
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I know that a great deal has been written about Abraham, the patriarch of the Old Testament, and honestly far more than I could ever begin to convey in a single blog post. The same thing can be said about how many times you or I have heard someone speak about Abraham in our lifetimes. He is not only important to the Christian faith, but also to Muslims as well because he was the father of Ismael, who as mentioned in Genesis 16:12 below, was against everyone.

This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; he will live at odds with all his brothers.

Interesting verse, isn’t it? But let’s get back to Abraham because he does something in his life that caused God to award him with the status that I know all of us would give anything to have. God saw something very different in Abraham that gave Him confidence in knowing that He could start over with the Jewish nation. Abraham was special in the eyes of God and that has always struck me…what made him different? What did he do that would cause the Creator to think in his mind, “that is my guy”? “He is the one I am going to work with” “I am gambling on him”.

When you read about Abraham you can see right away that he is a doer. He is a man of action when the situation calls for this. He wrestled with God over the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He rescued his nephew Lot and his family when they were captured. But what I found most interesting about the story of Abraham is that “doing” is not what caused God to find so intriguing about him…it was Abrahams “believing” that actually moved God. In fact, the verse in the center of this post is what made me write this in the first place is in Genesis:

Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:12

Think about that for a moment…for the very first time in the Bible, we see faith and righteousness mentioned together. Why is this so important? Because of this statement:

By Abraham just simply believing in God…down deep in his heart, God gave him a right standing or a “different” standing with Him.

Abraham’s heart was turned toward God in an enduring trust, obedience, and submissive relationship. Because of that rock-solid belief, it changed his status with the Creator of this universe. Abraham didn’t conquer the greatest army in the world or climb the highest mountain…all he did was believe, and that belief caused his position with God…to be BETTER.

Guys, in almost every post I have ever written here on IronManStrength, I have expressed the fact that living in this world, as a Christian, is not an easy road. I don’t say that to depress you, I say it to encourage you because of the amazing journey we are all on together.

What I find extremely encouraging about the story of Abraham is the fact that even though what he saw in front of him was contrary to what God told him…He still believed. Here was a guy who was told his offspring would outnumber the stars and this would all begin with his very own son… he was over 100 years old and his wife was a ripe young 95…but, guess what? He still believed…

Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”  He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then the Lord said to him, “So shall your offspring be. Genesis 15: 4-5

Guys, hear me out for a second…how does this really apply to you? How does the story of some old guy who lived over 2000 years ago make a difference to any of us right now? It’s simple really…

Abraham had problems – we have problems

Abraham had struggles – we have struggles

Abraham had family issues – all of us have family issues

God spoke to Abraham – God can speak to us

The difference:

ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD

Not lip service…but real belief…that is truly what it comes down to guys…actual belief that God can do what He says He can. 

When you believe God can be trusted…your relationship with Him changes. When you are obedient and submissive toward God and do not allow arrogance inside all of us to show through…things will change.

I encourage you to take your own belief to the next level by trusting God.

Establish a “right standing” with Him…

Do you Believe it?

Until next time guys…

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