It has been a while

Sorry, no posts in a while. However, as I was reading something this morning and was debating on emailing it out, I felt like I was supposed to post it. I was reading, "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers and the one for today, February the 29th really spoke to me. Here it is:

What Do You Want The Lord to Do for You?
’What do you want Me to do for you?’ He said, ’Lord, that I may receive my sight’ —Luke 18:4

Is there something in your life that not only disturbs you, but makes you a disturbance to others? If so, it is always something you cannot handle yourself. "Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more . . ." ( Luke 18:39 ). Be persistent with your disturbance until you get face to face with the Lord Himself. Don’t deify common sense. To sit calmly by, instead of creating a disturbance, serves only to deify our common sense. When Jesus asks what we want Him to do for us about the incredible problem that is confronting us, remember that He doesn’t work in commonsense ways, but only in supernatural ways.

Look at how we limit the Lord by only remembering what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past. We say, "I always failed there, and I always will." Consequently, we don’t ask for what we want. Instead, we think, "It is ridiculous to ask God to do this." If it is an impossibility, it is the very thing for which we have to ask. If it is not an impossible thing, it is not a real disturbance. And God will do what is absolutely impossible.

This man received his sight. But the most impossible thing for you is to be so closely identified with the Lord that there is literally nothing of your old life remaining. God will do it if you will ask Him. But you have to come to the point of believing Him to be almighty. We find faith by not only believing what Jesus says, but, even more, by trusting Jesus Himself. If we only look at what He says, we will never believe. Once we see Jesus, the impossible things He does in our lives become as natural as breathing. The agony we suffer is only the result of the deliberate shallowness of our own heart. We won’t believe; we won’ t let go by severing the line that secures the boat to the shore— we prefer to worry.

That last sentence is the kicker for me, because it really does describe me. Anytime I get confronted by something that I cannot control, my first reaction is to worry and to doubt and to let unbelief come rushing in.

Lord, please help me today to trust you in all things that I face and to not worry or doubt.

Happy Birthday!

It has been a while since I have blogged - what a fitting day to post. Today is my soul mate's birthday. She truly means the world to me and I know that she is a gift from God. I praise His name for her and I thank Him for her right now.

Happy Birthday Jenn. I love you and I hope today is very special for you!

Thanks

I really appreciate all the prayers for my family. Brooks is doing great - no problems at all with the ears or the adenoids. He was up and running the afternoon after his surgery.

Also, my marathon went well - I finished! That is good I guess. I ran 4:25 and finished 457 out of like 800, so I was pleased. Also the team I run with - Team 413 - we had the best Mercedes Expo we have ever had and there were quite a few shirts on the course - check out the links on the right to visit our website. Thanks again for praying - it really means a lot.

This morning

Good morning. I would like to ask all of you that read this to pray this morning for my son Brooks. He is having his adenoids taken out and tubes put in again. I know this is a very common and easy surgery, but anytime the doctors have to put your child to sleep there is a little fear that creeps in. I would appreciate you lifting him up as well as any of the doctors, nurses, or staff that will be involved. Also please pray that this will take care of all the problems he has been having with ear infections. One other thing; please pray that once he gets up this morning he will understand why he cannot have anything to eat or drink (hard for a 3 year old!).
I really do thank you for taking the time to pray. Have a blessed day!

Great Opportunities

Had a awesome morning yesterday and I did not take the opportunity to post until now. After a great Bible study, I got to work and met with 2 of my brothers here at work. One of the brothers has been going through a lot and we had the privilege to pray with him. The incredible part was knowing that this was a new start for him.

Now I know what I am saying is not rocket science and I know that probably all one people that read my blog already know what I am fixing to say; but, here it is anyway. If you are breathing right now, today is a new day. Right now is a new moment. What are we going to do with it? I am choosing to praise the Lord and to seek out His glory! I was listening to Third Day on the way into work, having a little church, and the song was "Take My Life":

How many times have I turned away
The number is the same as the sand on the shore
But every time You've taken me back
And now I pray You do it once more.

Chorus:
Please take from me my life
When I don't have the strength
to give it away to You Jesus

How many times have I turned away
The number is the same as the stars in the sky
But every time You've taken me back
And now I pray You do it tonight.

I am asking the Lord to please take my life from me right now and to live a life surrendered and sold out to Him today. I hope you will join me!

Tough Decisions

One of my closest brothers, a brother I love dearly, had a very tough decision to make, and he allowed me to be involved in this decision. We took the time to pray over it together and separately and the Lord gave us an answer, one that we both knew came from the Him. Now, why do I put this in a blog? I do this because as we strive to walk with the Lord, and as we try to see more of His glory, this is things we have to do. Pray together and walk together. Build each other up and support each other - this is the Aaron and Hur model.
What is the Aaron and Hur model? Well I am glad you asked! Exodus 17:8-13 states:

8Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim.

9So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."

10Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

11So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.

12But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.

13So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Verse 12 to me is what it is all about. A brother has a need, and he cannot bear it himself, so other brothers come alongside him and help him until he can stand on his own again. We all need to know that we can call on other believers to hold our arms up when we are too tired to continue on the journey or when we have a need that we want someone else to pray over with us. Once we seek the Lord, He will answer; and in the case of my dear brother, the Lord did just that! Praise the Lord!

Prayer

Good morning. I know there are a lot of needs right now. I heard of a family yesterday with a little baby that is not doing well at all and a father that is in his darkest times of faith. I heard of a family that lost a child. I know each of us has needs right now and God wants to hear from us about them. Take the time right now to pray for someone else. It does not have to be long or drawn out and you don't have to have all the right words to say. Just talk to the Lord about someone else right now.

I was listening to a sermon the other day and the pastor talked about the Prayer of St. Patrick. I am going to post it here now:

The Prayer of St. Patrick

"I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
Afar and a near,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation."

Take a look at the bold part. How awesome is that! Let's live like that today. Have a blessed day following the Lord.