Standing out in the crowd.

Living by faith, most say they do. But few actually follow through. When they are tested by fire they so easily bow as the crowds do and give in.

There have been men and women through the ages that have stood against the crowd walked through the fire and trusted God. Not all of them came through untouched by the flames. But they all came through with God at their side and went on to bigger and better things

I don't know if you're in the fire now, just came through the fire or are standing at the door of the furnace, but this I know you must decide if you are going to bow down to the god of this world, or trust the God of heaven and earth to see you through.

God is not looking for the crowd He is looking for those who will stand out from the crowd.

Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”  Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.  Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.

Daniel 3:15-27

Do you trust in God's providence?

The providence of God is written on the pages of time, and is displayed ever second of everyday in our lives.

Just as God provided everything for Is real as He led them through the wilderness He does us, our faith may be stretched but do not lose heart, God is faithful always.

Trust in Him and His providence.

God's providence is shaping our lives, and shaping history. We are not at the mercy of a cyclical, happenstance repetition of events or ideologies, moving aimlessly through time and space. Our destiny is not controlled by powerful nations, great men or circumstances. It rests securely and comfortably in the hands of God.

For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this immense wilderness. The Lord your God has been with you this past 40 years, and you have lacked nothing.’ Today I will begin to put the fear and dread of you on the peoples everywhere under heaven. They will hear the report about you, tremble, and be in anguish because of you.’ “Then the Lord said to me, ‘See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land to you. Begin to take possession of it.’ The Lord our God handed him over to us, and we defeated him, his sons, and his whole army. There was no city that was inaccessible to  us, from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the valley, even as far as Gilead. The Lord our God gave everything to us.

Deuteronomy 2:7, 25-25, 31, 33-33, 36

What is your favorite sin?

What is your favorite sin? Is it big or little? Is it doubt, fear, gossip, lying, stealing, anger, lust, murder, pride, oh the list could go on forever.

Each of us are born into a sin nature, but in Christ we are not held there anymore. When we sin we choose to, and each of us are hounded by different sins, yet they all come from the same place, our wicked ways, we choose nothing and no one makes us except our own pride and selfishness.

But scripture is clear, about sin. Being one with Christ we pull Him into our sin, the bible says He who knew no sin became sin, that means every time we sin we are just as responsible for the death of Christ as those who stood and yelled crucify Him.

Knowing this when given the opportunity to make the right choice will you pull Christ with you into your sins for a moment of self seeking pleasure , or will you look to Him for help and ask Him to lead you from temptations and deliver you from evil?

He leaves this up to each of us, we must choose to trust and obey or keep looking the other way when we take Him back to our sins.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

1 Corinthians 6:15

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Galatians 3:27

and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

1 Corinthians 3:23

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Where will your journey take you?

58 days ago God drew me into His word with a hunger to pursue Him deeper. November 25th I prayed and started reading the Bible in Genesis. I have read through His word many times but not with this kind of hunger God has put in me, today I finished reading the Bible again ,5 ballpoint pens later, pages of notes in His word and a deeper understanding and intimate walk with Him have been given to me.

He has woken me every morning by 5:30 am drawn me in and my time has become His.

God is so gracious and good, His plans are far greater than we can imagine. If we will surrender to Him , He will take care of every detail in our lives.

This is something I know first hand.

The word of God is so fulfilling, every word. If you have never read through His word or only part of it you are missing out on who God is.

God is speaking , I pray we all start listening.

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”   “And behold,  I am coming soon.  Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”   “Behold,  I am coming soon,  bringing my recompense with me,  to repay each one for what he has done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”  The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.  He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Revelation 22:6-7, 12-13, 17, 20-21

A work in progress

We are all a work in progress, God is not done with any of us yet for He has a greater purpose than wake, eat, work, rest, repeat.

He has called us to a higher calling to glorify Him and worship Him in all we say and do. To love Him with all our hearts, minds, body and souls, and to love those around us as ourselves.

Now this is not obtainable on our own, so He has put His Holy Spirit in us to accomplish this task.

Start seeking 1st the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and watch what God will do, step out of His way today and walk in obedience and faith and behold His glory.

Let brotherly love continue. Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.  Remember the prisoners, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.  Marriage must be respected by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge immoral people and adulterers.  Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.   Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?  Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by foods, since those involved in them have not benefited.

Hebrews 13:1-9

How well rested are you?

Can you stop doing a project and start later, can you walk away from work for a day, put the phone down, leave it all alone and just rest?

I confess, this is one of my greatest weaknesses, always has been. God is not done with me yet, and is working in me on this.

I heard a sermon the other day about just wasting time with God, then your family and just being still in His presence and letting Him heal us and renew us, this is something I need to do, and I am sure most of us do not do enough of.

Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28–30

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. — Galatians 6:9

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” — Exodus 33:14

You are awesome, O God, in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God! — Psalm 68:35

[God] gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. — Isaiah 40:29–31

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. — Isaiah 41:10

“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint,” says the Lord. — Jeremiah 31:25

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for He grants sleep to those He loves. — Psalm 127:1–2

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy,” says the Lord. — Exodus 20:8–11

[The Lord] makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. — Psalm 23:2–3

Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders. — Deuteronomy 33:12

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest. — Hebrews 4:9–11

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. — Psalm 91:1

Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” — Mark 6:31