The Three Reasons

It's the question everyone wants answered.

'Why are we here on earth? What's the purpose of life?'

To claim to know the answer, from God's perspective, would be me subscribing to a level of arrogance I simply refuse to do, but I'll tell you the three reasons I believe we live.

God wanted fellowship. Sure God has angels, of many ranks, to fellowship with, and we know angels have free will (see Lucifer), but for a reason we'll never know this side of Heaven, He wanted something more. He wanted a creation, made in His image, who would begin with a clean slate. What greater love is there than one that is CHOSEN? You see none of us 'have' to love God and Jesus . . . we all have the choice of whether to or not.

Before Adam fell prey to the serpent in the garden of Eden, God walked with Adam and Eve, He talked with them, he taught them, he loved them. Can you imagine what that must've been like?! The Creator of the Universe physically walking beside you and talking with you and although that was enough for them, the serpent was crafty and for one split second they let their guard down, entertained the temptation of the Tree of Knowledge and fell into disobedience.

Their choice changed things. God no longer physically walks with us, at least not where we can see Him, but His craving to fellowship and know us has not changed one iota! Jesus dying on the cross was the Great Reconciliation of us back to the Father . . . it was the ultimate in a long history of 'making up.'

Just like He wanted to spend time with Adam and Eve, and have them know Him, He wants to know us and have us know Him!

I've heard it said life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. I believe the moments we feel most alive are simply gifts from God. Moments so exhilirating we can't put them into words-- the times we laugh so much our stomachs hurt, or smile so big our cheeks feel stuck, our moments of achievement, our moments of education, our moments of sadness, our moments of failure, I believe are all presents. Without the bitter taste of defeat, would we fully appreciate the sweet taste of victory? Without the moments of pain, would we depend on God? Without doubt, would we turn to faith?

He loves us so much-- He allows us to have these special moments . . . warm embraces from the Father Himself. To see a beautiful sunset, feel the sun on our skin, see the radiant white snowflakes fall from the sky, to look into your child's eyes for the first time, to feel grains of sand between your feet, to be on the receiving end of that warm smile, soft touch, or kind word is to experience His love! To see your kid score a touchdown, win the race, make the game-winning shot or watch him hit a home run are all great, but the gift is not found in their performance, but in the simple fact you are sharing in that moment with them by watching them play!

Nature was created by God not just so the animals could have habitats, but as one of the most beautiful gifts this life can afford. The breaking waves reflect God's power and yet the ocean, when it's calm, also reflects His gentleness and peace. Trees bow down to their Creator when the wind blows. The wind itself blows throughout the earth, serving as a constant reminder He is with us. Rain falls, so while we may not be able to see Him, we can feel Him. The leaves change colors to serve as an example of how we should live-- though different in colors we are nonetheless beautiful and can co-exist with the same harmony of the trees.

ALL FOR HIS UNSURPASSABLE GLORY

I believe we are put here on earth to do one thing-- REFLECT God's glory. Each one of us are given gifts and talents. . . not just SOME of us. ALL OF US! And while the gifts and talents may be as different as the ones who possess them, the reason why they were given to us was for the same reason-- to give God glory!

One of my favorite scriptures is 2nd Cor. 4:7
'We have been made jars of clay, so everyone will see the unsurpassable power and glory belongs to God . . . not us!'

In my opinion, one of the most despicable things we can do is to use these gifts and talents for our OWN gain. To do so is idolatry. You can quote all the Scripture you want, and talk to the Lord without ceasing, but if you make your gifts, talents and life about YOU and not about the Father-- you need to check your heart!

That's not me saying that-- look what He says!

'I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.' Isaiah 42:8.

They are meant to further the Kingdom . . . for everyone who sees them in action to say, 'Isn't the Lord great!?' Not so they can say, 'Isn't he or she great!?'

I know He could've chosen anyone to give the talents and gifts He has given me, so I'm learning how to show Him I am grateful for Him choosing me! I am trying to multiply them ALL for His glory! The pursuit of Him and to reflect His glory are the only things that matter. He, and His Kingdom, is the only thing that's real! Everything else is counterfeit.

I am not humble only because I know it's the right thing to do in God's eyes (Proverbs 25:6 and James 4:6), but rather because I know where my gifts, talents and very life come from . . . from above, 'Every good and perfect gifts comes from above.' James 1:17.

I strive to walk in humility and in gratitude because of that with the knowledge just as quickly as He has so freely given me these things, He can allow them to be taken.

Where's the Love?

The final reason we're here on earth is through Love (Jesus) pointing others to our Love!

I can't imagine how the Lord God Almighty must feel to see beautiful gifts and talents being used as idols . . . and as tools of destruction. . . to see gifts meant to reflect His glory and bring the beholder closer to Him being used as reasons to treat others like they're not even worthy of their time much less of their kindness. We all have issues with sin, but the way we treat others is the most elementary one to correct and it comes down to four letters-- LOVE!

The Bible clearly states this in many places, including the Matthew 7:12, which is known as the Golden Rule.
'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'

'You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders, and all of you clothe yourselves in humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.'
(1st Peter 5:5-6)

'And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humily, gentleness and patience.' (Colossians 3:12)

Being famous, having tons of money or big-time status does not mean you are better than anyone; it just means God has given you more so that you can can do more for the Kingdom with it! Take a look at Luke 12:48, 'To whom much is given, much is required.'

Agape love, the way we are called to love our fellow man, is a love without expectation. It's loving because He first loved us . . . truly altruisticly! When you put another's needs and wants in front of your own, embracing being a servant, that's when you have loved as God wants us to love. When you give, not out of an overflow of what you have, but out of faith that God (Jehovah Jireh) will make provision for you, so although you don't have 'it' to give now you give anyway; that's when you are being the arms and feet of Christ.

Does the way you love bring people closer to the Lord and does the love and joy you share cause unbelievers to want to experience that same type of joy and love through accepting Jesus as their Savior because they want it too?

We all have one life, and three reasons for that life, how will you live yours today?

Chasing after the Wind

OK, raise your hand . . . how many of you would run after a poisonous snake?

Anyone?

Hmmm . . . what about charging a lion?

Nobody?

Ooh, I got one. . . how many of you would run toward a bear?

I know what you're thinking, 'He's crazy!' Am I? We chase, no relentlessly pursue, things that are hazardous ALL the time . . . things that are dangerous to our well-being-- our spiritual well-being, thus harmful to our lives!

Let the Chase Begin

We pursue sex, money, power, respect, the opposite sex, status.  Pursue, pursue, pursue . . . chase, chase, chase until our feet get tired, but guess what? They don't! That's how the devil works. He knows there is just one piece left to complete our puzzle.  ONLY one puzzle piece remains one that will make us happy, give us joy and bring us peace. So while we look for it, Satan empties another box, pieces that don't even go to the puzzle, pouring the pieces onto the floor so we will quit searching for the one we need-- the One that COMPLETES our puzzle.

But something happens when we see all the pieces litter the floor of our lives, we try to make MANY fit the space they were never intended for. Sex, money, power, respect, the opposite sex status etc. NONE of those things are bad if used in the proper way. The problem is we are never satisfied!

God made us that way. The only dilemma of our thirst for more is it was given to us as a precious gift not so we could lust after things that, at best, can only bring temporary happiness. The gift is meant to be utilized in the way of Psalm 42:1, in that as the deer longeth for the water so our souls longeth after Thee (God), but surprise, surprise the devil corrupts and distorts it where we are longing after ANYTHING but Him and the innate instinct, when not used in the right context, actually becomes a bad thing! That's what the devil does . . . he takes Truth and sprinkles just enough of a lie onto it to seem like it's still truth. He takes something intended for our good and uses it against us.

Back to the puzzle, here's the kicker! While we frantically, and stubbornly, try to press these puzzle pieces in, we have the missing piece that DOES fit in our other hand. . . it's been there all along!

That piece is JESUS.

TRUE WISDOM

King Solomon calls ALL of it a 'chasing after the wind.' I will speak for myself in saying that I have been, and still am at times, a wind-chaser! 'Yet when I had seen all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Nothing was gained under the sun.' Ecclesiastes 1:11. This was not a successful merchant, fisherman or tradesman, this was the king . . . a king so materially rich, Bill Gates, Oprah, Michael Jordan and Warren Buffett are in envy of. I'll let the gravity of those words fall on you and I pray while they do the scales will be removed off your eyes.

Not only was he King, but he was the wealthiest . . . he had concubines (women galore), had a palace (the likes of which will never be seen again this side of Heaven), he had power, had the people's respect and diamonds and jewels Zales could only dream of!

Or what about, 'I have seen all the things done under the sun, all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.' Eccl. 1:14. Or what about  (See Eccl. 1:12-18.)

Solomon's eyes were opened to pursuing ANYTHING other than God Almighty is counterfeit, is not lasting and is ultimately not as meaningful as the Great Pursuit!

It's Time to Fix our Buckets!

Friends, how could we not be frustrated, depressed, sad, discontent with our lives? How many of us are wind-chasers? We have a bucket that we desperately try to fill. The only problem with our buckets is it has a hole in it! Yet instead of taking the time, energy, effort and humility needed for God to fix our buckets, we just keep trying to fill it. That, my brothers and sisters, is being human (remember we were all born sinners) but it is also INSANITY! Pure foolishness.

We watch hamsters and think how stupid they are for running in a circle and never getting anywhere. Yet, there is only a small remnant of believers who have remembered the puzzle piece is right there in their hand, who have gotten their buckets fixed and who have gotten off the treadmill. So, I ask-- how are we any different?

How do we get our buckets fixed? It's a process. I've heard, 'You don't come to Jesus ALL cleaned up, you come to Jesus to get ALL cleaned up,' and it's the truth. As a believer and follower of Christ, you are always on the gurney (surgery table). God, our Creator, is taking out of us things that hinder us and putting into us the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and I truly believe this surgery does not end until our earthly missions are over and we are in His presence either via death or at the Second Coming!

What's success?

The world views success as who has the biggest mansion, the nicest car, the best job, the best body, the most money in their bank account, who has the sexiest, most beautiful spouse, the smartest and most well-behaved kids. Those all equal status and status = success in our eyes. Yet, while many measure success with 000,000,000s, God measures success kind of like a golf's tournament Closest to the Pin competition, who can get the closest to another 0 . . . Zero selfishness and zero sin. Who can live, love, laugh and give ALL, and ONLY, through His strength and Him dwelling in them and for His glory!

Who walks in John 3:30-- more Jesus in their lives and less of themselves. Who is obedient? Who fights the fight daily by yielding themselves to Him and letting the Lord guide their paths? (Proverbs 3:5-6) Who shares Jesus and plants seeds of eternal life in non-believers? (Matt. 9:37)  Who delights in being just a clay jar (2nd Cor. 4:7), who worships Him, walks in gratitude (Psalm 63:3-4) and loves people in such a way they lead them to Him through their actions and treatment of others.

The danger of chasing is a double-edged sword unless you are pursuing Jesus, you either never catch all those other things or even worse you do, which WITHOUT Him IS deadly!

'What good does it do to gain the world, but lose your very soul in the process?' Mark 8:36

If you have EVERYTHING this life can afford yet do not have Jesus, you have NOTHING.

Thank you Jesus

Jesus, King Yeshua, I just want to tell You thank You!

When I deserved, and still deserve death . . . you instead gave me life. You extend mercy, grace, forgiveness and love to me every single day. Before I even ask for it, it's available to me. Your unconditional love amazes me! That of which I don't deserve and that of which I so eagerly throw away, you STILL so freely give!!

You died on the cross even though you knew all the ways I would turn my back on you during my earth mission. That is mind-blowing to me! How can I wrap my mind around a God who loves me so much He gave up His only child?!?

The very One who made it all with His breath is the One who dwells inside of me. How can that be when at best, I've been unworthy and at worst, I'm a miserable wretch? Lord, I just wanted to tell You how much I love You!! I want Sunday to happen every single day and every single hour in my heart and in my Spirit. I want my heart full of gratitude to serve as my worship to You and the way You love others, through me, to be my praise.

Let my smile shine like the Son, reflecting your glory, let my words bring forth life, my hands be a tangible reminder God is with them and my eyes shine with the hope You have given me!

Who am I that You would walk with me? Who am I that You would want to know me? Who am I that You pick me up and carry me when I am tired, when I fall down or when I throw myself down on the ground, pouting and throwing a tantrum because I don't understand or trust YOUR plan? I could use every single breath, of all the days passing through this dark world, declaring Your love and it would NEVER be enough!

You saved me! You not only died for me, but You forget my sin as soon as I confess it. You don't see how dirty, and destestable I am, you see me as being beautiful, WORTHY and clothed in radiance!! How can I not be amazed Father? Though you knew I would deny you day after day and had the knowledge I would say, 'No, I was not with Jesus. Who is this man you speak of,' You do the exact opposite. At my worst, when I rebel or when I am at rock bottom, You not only say, 'I know him,' but you call me Your son. :o)

People forgive me for smiling so much, but you would smile too if You knew exactly where He has brought me from! If you have seen the way He has made provision for me and the way He shows me daily how much I am loved. If you heard the sweet whispers He has spoken to my heart . . . or felt the warmth of His strong embrace, imparting a peace I never thought was possible wash over me like the sweetest wave, custom-made to fit me and only me. Only just like with waves, they are not just for me . . . but anyone humble and trusting enough to get in the water! Then you would smile too!

Jesus though you know I fail You, You still commission the angels to watch over me. You still protect me from the devil and his henchmen far more fiercely than we would even defend our own children. You guide me, You teach me, You hold me, You talk to me, You let me know how much I mean to You!

You . . . the Creator of the Universe! My mind, my soul, my heart, my mouth cries out in praise!! You meet my needs before I even know I have them and sometimes block my dreams because You know I can't handle them yet or because they wouldn't bring me the most joy . . . not because You are punishing me.

I see SO many people who have far more riches than I'll ever have who have it all EXCEPT You-- they may have a version of You and their lives are certainly coated in Your touch, but they don't TRULY know You. If they did, they wouldn't worship themselves or mistreat others. They would seek Your face and NOT just Your hand-- Your hand is marvelous, but Your Face is the MARVEL!! Yes, they have it ALL, but ALL they have is NOTHING. A void, a bucket with a hole in it that they try to desperately fill with anything they can find and yet nothing works.

I see myself and know there are FAR greater people than me-- they should have the talent You've given me, the gifts You've bestowed, they should have the food You feed me, the roof over my head, the car I drive, the job I do and because of that, I walk in immeasurable gratitude although to the naked eye, by worldly standards, I don't have much at all.

I don't have much money, but I am RICH in the things that matter! I can't even take credit for that . . . it's ALL You-- You come before all things and in You ALL things hold together! From breathing to good works to accomplishments I may achieve, I take NONE of the glory for ANY of it. You're the wires holding me up. I can't 'fly' without You!

Nothing fancy. No flowery language . . . no adorned words . . . just gratefulness from the very depths of my being. Thank You! Thank You while some freak out because the end of this world is upon us, I do not fear, I do not worry for the end of this life only ushers me into Your presence. I will trust in You . . . from the rising of the sun to its going down, You will be my Hope, my Best Friend, my Rescuer, my Strong Tower and Place of Refuge!

You have made me a new man . . . a new creation and I ask every single day while I'm here to turn me into a new wineskin, so You can pour New Wine, Yourself, into me. I walk with GREAT hope and with unfaltering expectancy knowing this life can NEVER bring an obstacle that together I can't overcome through faith . . . for when I can't, I simply KNOW you CAN!!

Thank you King of Kings and Lord of Lords~ every knee shall bow and EVERY tongue WILL confess one day. I thank You for me that is every single day I live.

This Seat's Taken!

Ever feel frustrated?
Ever feel not good enough?
Ever feel like there has to be more to life than this!
Ever wonder why you it seems like as soon as you get focused, you're right back to searching for clarity?
Ever wonder why you feel the need to keep up with the Jones?'

It all comes down to one reason . . . as Christians we have amnesia or maybe it's because we are TOO polite. How? Simple, the one thing we MUST say and remember is, 'This seat's taken!'

See there is a chair, a throne if you will, in your heart, in my heart and there is ONLY ONE Entity who should sit on it. . . Jesus Christ.  The problem is, as believers we have the WORST case of amnesia. Either we have forgotten the seat is taken or we are too polite to pipe up and say, 'This seat's taken!' We not only don't say it to other people, we won't even say it to ourselves in our own spirit.

There is a reason why the Bible tells us 'we must guard the good deposit in our hearts and with the help of the Holy Spirit protect its precious truth.' (2nd Timothy 1:14). In other words, we must learn to say, 'This seat's taken!'

We let way too many things take lordship over our lives: our husband, our wife, our job, our girlfriend, our boyfriend, our money, our family, our reputation and many more. Those are good things, but if we kick Yeshua (Jesus' name in Hebrew) off the throne of our hearts in favor of any of those, we are committing idolatry.

And God's Word is very clear about idolatry. 'Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be their's.' (Jonah 2:8). Or 1st Samuel 12:21, which says, 'Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are worthless!'

We kick Jesus off His throne far too many times and then curiously, and ironically, wonder why where our joy went! Why am I not happy? Why am I frustrated? Why am I not content? The dangerous thing is. . .

Where the Danger Lies

While it's a dangerous enough thing to rob God of His glory, thus, in essence, telling Him something is better, the dangerous thing is when we take sin and make it an idol. When we do that, it becomes a foothold and once Satan gets a foothold, he will soon get a stronghold. What do strongholds become? ADDICTIONS! Think about it. If it's a bad thing for good things to become idols, what is it when BAD things become idols?

Pick lust over Christ enough and sexual sin will wreak havoc in your life! It will run rampant.
Choose alcohol over the Lord enough and sooner than later you find yourself an alcoholic, wondering how you got to this place! Pick the love of money over Him and you will find yourself never satisfied always chasing after the next dollar that with itself will ONLY bring frustration! Pick your job and will always be hungry for status not for knowing Your worth in Him!

What's scary is many of our idols are not things we would think of. . . maybe it's love of a particular sport, movies, music or social media. These things are NOT BAD, but if you give it lordship over your life, they become bad! There are many who exalt people, who have been given exceptional gifts and talents, onto unrealistic pedestals . . . thrones they were never meant to sit on.

There is nothing wrong with being a 'fan' of a favorite athlete, singer or star, but why look to a 'star' when you can look to THE Star . . . the very Creator of the person you look up to! How foolish we ARE! Our adversary is SO slick, he takes good things and turns them into bad things . . . then will just as craftily take bad things and WRECK our lives with them! Through idols he will destroy our intimacy with Christ and leave us so discontent we won't know which way is up.

I'm NOT Casting Stones, but Give Him the Glory!

I have had, and still have, idols in my life. While it may be difficult, in our frail humanity, to completely eliminate them . . . the key is being able to address them and through HIS strength giving Him His seat back!

Our God is a jealous God-- not in a stalker, hiding in your bushes, sort of way . . . but He wants YOU. Your gifts, talents, heart and very life. He wants your attention, your time and your affection. And I think a GREAT adage to keep in mind is this-- Just as quickly as He has given you ALL of it, He can allow any one thing or ALL of it to be taken, so that He gets His seat back! The Lord does not take things away from us because He is a spoiled brat or because He desires to punish us . . . He does it because He LOVES us so much that He knows NOTHING can fill us like Him.

Walk with gratitude, quit walking in judgment, love one another, share His joy and hope with them. Stop acting like you have amnesia . . . We deserved, and still do deserve, death and yet He gave life-- let that be our latest memory and let us extend grace and forgiveness to others instead of the condemnation we so eagerly tend to extend.

Christians often times condemn others for the very thing God delivered them from! Talk about a bad memory! We must cut out this deadly case of amnesia!!

Hear that? That's God knocking on the door of your heart. Feel that? That's Him tapping you on your shoulder. He wants His seat back.

'I am the Lord; that is my name! I will NOT give MY glory to another or my praise to idols!' (Isaiah 42:8).

See that Distraction? No I was Distracted!

We live in a time where technology grows faster than a teenager and social media pops up like zits on their faces. There is MySpace (well kind of), Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumbler, 4Square, GetGlue etc. Seems like every six months a new one pops up.

There are computers, cell phones, computers in cell phones, TVs, Playstations, Xboxes, DVD players, stereos and about anything 'i', you and I can imagine-- iPads, iPhones and iPods. Ever thought to wonder why? Is it man using their God-given ingenuity, creativity and the natural evolution or is there something bigger going on?

The New Slavery

On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln freed all slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation-- a measure that thankfully changed our world for the better! But many remain in shackles, and while it has nothing to do with the color of our skin, it has everything to do with originator of slavery.

Who is that? None other than Satan, the fallen angel Lucifer, the Father of Lies and Ultimate Deceiver. How? What's the No. 1, but least thought of, distraction that keeps us from Jesus and our families? Technology.

Instead of throwing off everything that hinders us and riveting our eyes on Jesus, like Hebrews 12:1 implores us to do, we often times willingly put our shackles on and stop running. Who becomes our new master? Bingo, the Devil himself! No, I'm NOT comparing technology to the heinous, dispicable and evil act of slavery . . . I'm not even saying it is completely bad, but we don't see the distraction because we're too busy being distracted!

We don't notice the forest for the trees.

Don't believe we are in bondage? When is the last time you've gone an entire day without your cell phone? GASP! Many of you shuddered at the very question and propostion. Exactly. . . bondage!


This Isn't the 1950s!

Golly gee, you mean the computer, the phone and iPod are bad? Well shucks, you sound like one of those 'Jesus freaks' to me! None of it is bad, but wouldn't it be swell if we quit letting Satan run rampant in our lives through something that on the surface appears so innocent?

I know in my own life I've been guilty of running to him and begging for my shackles. I couldn't get on the computer fast enough, for hours at a time, and I would be lying if I said I shun modern-day gadgets, but what I've grown more conscious of is, I MUST find balance in using them. I remain a work in progress.

In the 50s, it was common for a family to sit down and have a meal together. No TV, no phone, no distractions . . . just each other. Conversation, laughter and validation were the iPhones, TVs and computers of their day. They fellowshipped, they enjoyed each other's company, they made each other feel important for that hour. It was a special time.

After dinner, they would gather around the TV and catch America Band Stand or listen to the radio, but for that hour parents and children had each other's undivided attention!

And now? We rarely eat dinner together and if we do it's guaranteed at least one person at the table has their cell phone out! Am I judging? FAR FROM IT! In fact, I used to be the world's worst! My Dad, my Mom and my sister made me aware of it and now I'm working on it. Rarely do I have my cell phone out at family dinners, during family time in general and when I'm spending time with my girlfriend and kids.

WATCH THIS VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLb0KG6Umlw

Satan hates REAL relationships, but LOVES Distractions

The last thing our adversary wants is relationships. He detests us having a relationship with our God, so he encourages us to do ANYTHING but. He gets us B.U.S.Y.-- Being Under Satan's Yoke. A lot of this busyness is found no farther than our fingertips-- technology. See if the Devil can keep us distant from Jesus, isolate us, he can then pounce on us with frustration, sadness, depression and feelings of being discontent.

He first gets us isolated from our Shepherd (Jesus), pulls us away so we can longer hear His voice, causes us to separate from the flock (our family and other Christians) then gets us stuck in a thicket. I'm sure, by now, you can guess the thicket. What happens when we're stuck? He either kills us or nothing at all. In the thicket, he uses our natural tendency of doubt against us, manipulates our fickle hearts and the aforementioned feelings take over from there. We are miserable!

Finding Balance

The Lord asked Moses in Numbers 11:23 if His arms were too short? Do we believe God's arms are too short to help us find balance? Here are some suggestions on how to not find ourselves in the thicket.

Read the Bible.
Pray often~ talk to God.
Hear His voice (John 10:4 and 5) 'His sheep follow Him because they know His voice, but will never follow a stranger because they do not recognize his voice.'
Spend time with our families.
Validate our loved ones.
Cut back on the time you spend on our modern-day marvels.
Put away your phone during meals and 'quality' time.
Use your gadgets against Satan~ tell of God's love through Social Media. (Psalm 63:3 and 4).
Fast from things that have taken over lordship of your life. . . for hours or days.
Pick a day where you do not use your cell phone or computer.
Show the peope you are with, they are worth more (in that moment) than the person on the other end of that phone!

God will arm you with strength (Psalm 18:32). Do not fear for He will help you (Isaiah 41:10) and just go run your race in such a way as to win the prize (1 Cor. 9:24) straight to Jesus. Just put your cell phone down before you do.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep ~ the SequeL

Now I lay me my faithful Lord
Of all the blessings this life can afford

Knowing You is simply the best
With gratitude as my pillow, I lay down to rest

I fell today, but You helped me get back up
Asking tomorrow that You fill my cup

Keep me safe from Satan's dart
& I ask You Jesus to touch my heart

May my words be soft, but my actions be loud
And each day Father help me make You proud!

John Mark Brooks
Copyright Sept. 14, 2012

Cross by the Road

There's a cross by the road, but it doesn't tell the whole story
A beautiful life came to a close and damn the end was gory

Two wooden sticks mark the end of your earth's journey
Once you were so alive then stiff carried off on a gurney

Your number was called before your time- at least that's what is said
Years pass, like cars on the road, but I still can't believe you're dead

Yeah that cross by the road makes me pause as I start to reflect
So many laughs, so many smiles, so many memories I'll protect

What was supposed to be a quick trip turned out to be your trip to the sky
And we're all left with broken hearts and tears while we ask the Lord why?

God simply allowed this conclusion for reasons we'll never know on earth
Because God had a special plan for you from the moment of your birth

I look at the cross by the road and think that could've been me not you
And think of the many days I give away though my days may be a few

I see other crosses by the road and I think of their family's tears, grief and pain
Trying to figure out why, is like counting grains of sand, it'll just drive you insane

But just like the cross 2000 years ago it took an ugly end for Jesus to make my life new
I don't remember twisted metal or shattered dreams, I just look at the cross and remember you!

John Mark Brooks
Copyright August 10, 2012

~Dedicated in loving memory and tribute to Jonathan David Brookins, my childhood best friend, and my little sister Karson Victoria Carroll~ I carry your dreams with me like a backpack and each day is like a trip to school. . . I pray I learn much on my journey and that I do not remain a fool.