Blessed in my soul....

I'm sure that there are some of you who are anxiously awaiting my series of blogs on " A Modern Day Sodom and Gomorrah" and I am still in prayer about those blogs but I just wanted to share an experience that I had in God today.

I called another brother in Christ today to touch base concerning church on Sunday morning and we both shared how rough of a week we had both had so far this week. So we exchanged a few more words and then said our goodbyes and hung up. But then, in my spirit I felt the unction to pray, so I called him back and said "let's just take five minutes and lift the Lord up in prayer"

So we did. And immediately after we prayed and lifted up the Lord, I felt what I can only call a "release" in my spirit as if the Lord had completely released us from the roughness of the week. I know that when we got off of the phone this time, he was smiling and happy. And the only thing that came to mind was "how simple it is to be simply blessed"

I believe that too many of us as Christians get to wrapped up in receiving a "tangible" blessing. What I mean by that is that we get to caught up in something that we can "feel and touch". So if we ask God to bless us, then we find a $50 dollar bill on the sidewalk does that immediately mean that Lord has then "blessed" us? And for the most part that could very well be the case, but what if you walk down that same sidewalk and didn't find any money? Are you any less blessed than you were before you took that walk? I would have to answer no, because if you put it in perspective. The fact that you are walking is a blessing but if you had to go down that same sidewalk you could still be blessed even if are in a wheelchair or somehow disabled. How you may ask?

Well, the fact that you are ALIVE and amongst the living of this earth is a blessing. For those of you who read this and are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, you know that "absence from the body and present with the Lord" is where we ultimately want to be and can be a definite blessing because we know that we will see our Lord face to face and be in a place where there will be no more pain, no more tears, no sin. etc. The bible says that "The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and adds no sorrow" But what does that mean? Well my interpretation has always been that when the Lord blesses you there should be peace for He is the God of Peace or Jehovah Shalom. Sometimes good things happen to us and God didn't have anything to do with it. Because what happens is that we begin to think that when good things happen that its God but when bad things happen that its the devil. Wrong!

The bible clearly teaches that "the rain falls on the just and the unjust" no one is immune from the trials of life but because we as believers have a merciful God to help us in our time of need we can usually make it through but only on His strength alone. (That's another blogger)....hint, hint. What surprised me the most today is that I was so blessed in my soul, not with anything tangible that I can touch or feel but my soul was just so blessed to pray for my brother in Christ and together we sensed that the Lord had touched us by his Holy Spirit and would help us have a good day because now He had been invited in.....(another blog)

I will end with this scripture...Revelations 3:20 and it declares "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" (NKJV). Today my brother and I heard the voice of God within our collective spirits and he came in and dined with us by His spirit and for the rest of this day, August 24, 2006 we were blessed in our hearts and in our souls......

A Modern Day Sodom and Gomorrah- Pt.1

I'm not sure how many times I have mulled over this particular title to write for this blog but I'm sure that's its been way too many times to count on fingers and toes, that much I am sure. This first part is just what I feel from heart. The subsequent blogs will be much more biblical in nature and filled with experiences from my own life. Actually I am looking forward to these particular series of blogs more than any that I have written except for my testimony which can be found in "A Changed Heart".....Please read at your leisure....

Now on to the blog or blogger if you wish.....This subject has been on my mind for many years because everyday we seem to be coming closer and closer to coming of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The bible tells us that he will "come like a thief in the night". Another scripture that comes to mind tells us that "no man knows the hour" that Jesus will come riding on the clouds to bring his people home to an Almighty and Everlasting God.

With all the problems in Israel and the Middle East, I am again reminded of a scripture that tells us that there will be "wars and rumors of wars"......Does this not sound familiar? I think so.....Ladies and gentleman we are living in the last days on this earth and for those of us who are believers in the Lord, not only do we need to "occupy till He comes" we need to make sure that we are living according to the scriptures. Romans 12:1-2 declares "Be ye not conformed to this world but be ye TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of your MINDS" I see so many negative images. From TV to music to books,etc. You can't seem to find to many if any good family shows on TV anymore. My wife and I often discuss this fact alot. We remember shows like "7th Heaven" (which will be back this fall on the new CW channel, after being CANCELLED on the WB), how many of you remember "Touched by an Angel" and "Promised Land"? We remember when TGIF on a Friday night meant shows like "Family Matters", "Full House", "Perfect Strangers" and who could forget "Boy Meets World"........Now we are attacked with shows that feature shallow women who only think about themselves, gay men who live with a straight women, dysfuntional families with fathers who don't respect their wives and treat their kids with no respect.....I could go on and on and on......

It has come to my attention that we are living in a society much like the evil times described in the Bible. Especially those described in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. From what I had read it was a society where anything goes. There was no respect for God in any way shape of form. But before I delve deeper into this subject I want to pray that God shows me exactly how this particular part of scripture is significant to us today. So I hope that all of you that read this and subsequent blogs will be blessed and informed in the Word of God.

Next: Are we really living in a Modern Day Sodom and Gomorrah?

What if..... a sad day in Columbus

I never imagined when I watched the National Championship game between the University of Miami Hurricanes and The Ohio State Buckeyes in January of 2002, that it would also be the last game of a young and promising running back named Maurice Clarett. The latest in this ongoing saga came this past week as he was caught with 4 loaded guns and wearing a bulletproof vest, all this at 3am in the morning......Mr. Clarett was already preparing for a trial in which he was to answer to charges of a robbery earlier in the year. So much potential, so much promise for an exciting career in the NFL, but the question on everyone's mind is "what happened"?

While I'm not 100% sure of all the details of this young man's life it is so apparent on so many levels that he either looked to the wrong people for guidance or made some very, very bad choices. My guess is a little of both. While finishing his first (and last) year at OSU, it was determined that he had falsely reported that some merchandise had been stolen from his car only to open a can of worms into the possibility of receiving unauthorized money from an unknown source. This was just the beginning of this young man's woes. He unsuccessfully tried to get the NFL to draft him early and was soundly denied. So he sat for a year and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round. But he was then ceremoniously cut by the team. His last and final chance to play football (Arena Football) was squashed this week.

Now he is forced to look to some long time behind bars. The saddest thing is that he was supposedly caught in the same neighborhood as a witness to his current trial for robbery. This will not bode well for him at all, if found to be true. I cannot fathom what he was contemplating nor can I fathom the possibilties of what could have happened had he been able to keep his car from swerving in the road which caught the attention of the police in the first place.

I remember a few years ago doing a Men's bible study in my home. The name of the study was "Choices" and we discussed how every decision that we make has a effect on the lives of those around us. The scriptures tell us "choose this day whom you will serve"......Each day that we awake we have a decision to serve the enemy or our souls or serve the Lord. I remember discussing some other OSU football players who were dismissed from the team for beating someone and attempting to rob them. We also discussed the plight of two young men, one which was named Mr. Basketball in Ohio high school sports and by chance played for Ohio State (hmmm!) decided to rob Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia for his jewelry and $3500 in cash (only God knows why CC was carrying that kind of money, but that's another blog) Of course that still doesn't make it right to rob anyone.

So what if Mr. Clarett was able to accomplish what he set out to do that fateful night? Apparently according to news reports, he had a half a bottle of liquor that he had been drinking so he was definetely not in the greatest frames of mind when he was finally stopped by police. What if he decided not to go the bar and wait for someone to come out and rob them of their valuables? I am a strong believer in the fact that God does intervene in our lives for His purposes. Mr. Clarett probably doesn't realize it, but it was probably God who thwarted his failed attempt to do whatever Satan had put into his mind that night to do. Whether he ever realizes it, remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, God still loves him and wants to save his soul. Unfortunately he will have to pay for his sins, but God can and will forgive him if he decides to accept it. We cannot judge this man, for God will judge him in the end but we can pray that he seeks the forgiveness that only God can provide for God wishes that "no man perishes but has everlasting life.

Next: A Modern Day Sodom and Gomorrah