The Swimming Axehead

When the storm came

And the boat was tossed

The men inside

feared all was lost

The wind whistled loudly

and the waves, they crashed high

The men watched the storm

and knew they would die

But asleep in the boat

was the answer they’d need

Though the dark of the storm

was all they could see

Why doesn’t He care

that the storm crashes in

How can He sleep

when our world’s at its end

How soon we forget

Just WHO’S in our boat

Or the times He’s stepped in

and restored all our hope

For our storms, like theirs

must surrender it’s will

When our Savior whispers

Peace, be still.

I hope my little poem finds you blessed, well and sanctified.

Greg

Some people are looking for the perfect church before submit to the Gospel and dedicate their life to God

Consider this:

Jesus had twelve full-time congregants in his earthly flock.

They were far from perfect.

One had anger management issues and cut a man’s ear off
He also denied that he knew Jesus three times in a row

Two wanted to sit next to His Throne and above everyone else.

One was a doubter. They all doubted sometimes. Feared and doubted.

All of them slept when they should’ve been praying.

And one of them betrayed him unto death.

Not really what you’d call perfect.

So stop looking upon the failures of the people in the church, even though they are plenty.
Fix your eyes on Jesus, it’s His church, let Him do the maintenance and upkeep.

Only He knows how to raise the sun, start the rain, and unfold the rose. Trust in Him.

Hope you are blessed

Greg

No one followed Jesus because He had slick hair, bleached teeth, good skin, a Rolex, or a Benz.
No one ever rode on his private jet or visited His mansion or mega-church campus.
No one followed Him into Jerusalem or cried Hosanna because He had a kick’n band or an awesome light show.

They followed Him because He spoke to their soul, He’s words answered questions that only their hearts were asking.
Because He healed the empty spot in their spirit and satisfied the hunger that had gone unfilled until they truly encountered the Master.
That is the recipe, that is the way that the world, our world, will be evangelized.
Expose them to the real Jesus, the one that walked among the people and looked them in the eye, that loved them in their sin, but lead them away from and saved them from it.
Anything else WILL NOT do!

Short but I hope you are blessed.

Greg

Over the many years of my Christian walk I’ve had the privilege of being pastored by several men that I admire greatly and hold in very high esteem. Being very careful not to touch God’s Anointed, I want to point out a key word in that previous sentence, the word “men”.  Man, in its singular form, is a flawed creature, born in sin shapen in iniquity. Born behind an 8-Ball so to speak, having the burden of our species’ sins placed upon us at conception.  Coming into the world with a debt of sin that can only be washed away by the Blood of God’s Spotless Lamb. 

Men will always be men, subject to failures and mistakes as everyone is. Pastors, preachers, teachers, song leaders, ushers, deacons, you name it are all people and people fall down. 

The thing that allows us to stand upright, by God’s design is balance. Without balance we are awkward, clumsy, battered, bruised or even dead.  Balance to function completely in an upright position is a separating factor between humans and most animals.  Opposable thumbs and the capacity for abstract thought are a couple other defining factors as well, but I digress.
Balance is important.
Chemically there is a fine line between inert and explosive, grape juice and wine, life and death.
Balance is foundational to survival.  Part of our survival will be in realizing that we are flawed, but also in forgiveness, and allowing ourselves and others a chance at redemption. Don’t be so quick to write yourself off, and don’t give up on a leader who doesn’t always measure meet your expectations. Balance.

Oxygen in our atmosphere is the perfect blend for carbon based lifeforms. 20.8% of the air you breathe in is oxygen. Below 19.5% and you’ll notice your breathing become more labored and a list of other symptoms ending with death if the level is low enough. Above 23.5 you’ll feel nauseous, your vision can change, eventually leading to rapidly accelerating combustion or an explosive atmosphere. Balance.

Now, let me say that there is no such thing as being too close to God. We can never serve Him too much or even partially become worthy of His Love.

We can fall way short in our devotion and we can also become so dogmatic in our expectations, usually of others that, in our opinions, no one can be saved. Balance.

The Bible is true, of no private interpretation, and is the complete field guide for getting out of this world alive.
It doesn’t need my defense, it doesn’t really need my explanation and it certainly doesn’t need my input. Mankind has been given all the knowledge needed to please God and survive. Balance.

Balance is the whole gospel, not the convenient gospel, not your abridged or expanded gospel. It’s the whole gospel, no more, no less. Balance.

I often say that God’s plan does not require my understanding to be successful, only my participation.

In todays troubling world of uncertainty and confusion we must learn to balance what’s in our heads with what’s in our hearts. As Christians we are always working, striving toward a spiritual goal. That goal requires us to depart this world for the next. At the same time we struggle in our minds with fear, worry, doubt, and on and on I could go. Our spirit knows that we must eventually go beyond the present to win, but our minds can only grasp what we’ve seen and know. Our homework assignment is to learn to Balance our mind and spirit in the Holy Ghost. Train our thoughts through prayer to understand that we are binary creatures, temporal fleshly, but eternal spirit.

Christians have been preparing their hearts for the return of Jesus ever since He ascended. Watching and waiting, looking toward the eastern sky and occasionally saying, Even so, Come Lord Jesus.
We’ve read the back of the Book, and though I’m not sure anyone fully understands how God will wrap this dispensation up, we know that it’s going to happen. and seems imminent.

We know our Spirits, our souls must be right, and our ears tuned to listen.
But what most of us have failed to do is prepare our minds.
On Sunday, we listen to the Preacher talk about the last days. We amen, and we think, in our momentary enthusiasm, that we are on board. But then, Monday! Life goes back to the living, and we focus on feeding our kids and paying the light bill and our mind betrays the blessing God wants to pour through our Spirit.

All our efforts revert to the present world and the struggles that it involves. We sing the Christian song of the day and try to look like a real Christian to everyone else, while on the inside, we are scared to death and shaking in our shoes.
Afraid that our way of life might change and become hard or even illegal.
Afraid we’ll lose something that’s temporary in the first place.

King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, “vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” One translation uses the words “meaningless! meaningless! everything is meaningless.” another uses the word “futility.”
Yet, that’s the basket we insist on putting our hopes and dreams in.

Our fears and doubts are founded in this physical world, and as long as our aspirations are here as well, we’ll never find peace or joy in the Holy Ghost.

We, and by that I mean ME, (and some of you as well) have become so attached to this world that we are scared of anything else.
If these days have taught us anything, it should be that this life is not fair, it’s fickle, it’s short, and not to be trusted.

I’ve been angry about the state of affairs in the U.S. I’ve wanted to take matters into my own hands. I wanted to be in D.C. yesterday, showing my support for President Trump. God placed Him there and God allowed him to be removed.
God’s plans will be fulfilled.

As angry as I’ve been, even speaking out more than I should have, God had been constant, steadfast, and faithful and has reminded me that He is all that matters. Loving Him, serving Him, praising, and worshiping Him.
My Spirit sings, “Take this whole world, but give me Jesus.”
I have to work on getting my head to say the same thing.

I believe the Church is going to see revival. Individually we have the potential of seeing revival, but it will take some effort on our part, changing our mindset a little or maybe a lot and loving Jesus is the key!
My beliefs are probably strange, but I believe we MUST Love Him more than ourselves, more than our families, more than the idea of Heaven. Much more than a stable economy and a good living, a good car or even nice clothes. More than anything we’ve been taught and enough to surrender everything except HIM, even if the reward does not exist.
Going to Church, not to get something, but to pour ourselves out to GOD! Going to our own sanctuary every day, developing the mindset of prayfulness.
Giving Thanks Always, in All things.
These concepts seem foreign to some of us, but they are straight from God’s Holy word.

Yes, it seems bad out there, full of darkness; the Bible calls these days “Perilous,” but it also teaches us to be the light. We can’t be that light with fear and doubt and anger within us.

So now, I repent of my mulligrubbing and doubt, of allowing the enemy to bring fear into my life!
Lord, I believe Help Thou my unbelief.

Let’s turn off the news and turn our Hearts and minds to Jesus, the Author, and Finisher of our Faith.

God Bless you Richly,
Please share these messages if you think they are of benefit and keep us in your prayers as well.
Greg

I’m not a writer, but I enjoy stringing words together on a page. Sometimes I believe them to be inspired; other times, it’s just my own “creative” outlet and somewhat therapeutic.
Over the past few months, I’ve been working on a story. It’s a fictional tale, with a little history and some Biblical principles woven in. I’ve been distracted and haven’t written anything in a few weeks. A few days ago, I decided I’d better write a few paragraphs. As I penned the words, trying to keep it interesting and accurate to the storyline, I decided to change a few things. I added a few details and tried to give my main character a little more humanity. As I worked on maintaining the whole, it occurred to me that I’m the one writing this story, its mine, and I can change it to suit me. If I don’t like the way it’s flowing, I can change the character’s trajectory, and until it’s out of my hands, I can even go back and change his history. I am the author of this story.

Earlier that day, I’d been fretting over some decisions that Cindy and I have to make soon. Fairly big decisions, and I felt, just for a few minutes, that I was boxed in, with no options, no way of escape. It seemed that the decisions were carved in stone, and I’d have to learn to live with them.
To be clear, the decisions ahead of us are not life or death and could be good for us, but certainly not to plan. It’s the uncertainty of it all that way, causing my worries.
I am a man and prone to fret a little, forgive my humanity.
During my mini melt-down, God quickened to my mind a recently answered prayer and how He had worked that situation out so quickly and precisely on time. I started thanking God for answering that prayer, for the encouragement, and for continuing to love and bless me even when I’m unlovable and undeserving of His goodness.
A few minutes later, I checked my phone and had found a voicemail, and while it wasn’t “The Answer”, it was a confirmation that all my worries were for naught. God is in control, and the sky hasn’t fallen.

So as I was writing later that day, these two instances came together. The character from my story and my worrying intersected in my head, and I realized that I am the character in a story and the Author and Finisher, Jesus Christ, still holds the quill. My story still belongs to Him, and He is in control of every minute detail. He knew the twist in my story and had a confirmation waiting. He knows my yesterday, my today, and my forever. As soon as I took my eyes off the storm and placed them where they belong, He let me see the light at the end of that tunnel.
Revelations 12:11 tells us that they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their Testimony.
Never underestimate the power of a testimony. Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of God. There’s power in the Blood, and there’s power in Testimony, sometimes even testifying to yourself.

God is in control, not Washington DC, not Congress, nor the Supreme Court, not even Donald Trump. Only the Almighty God, the God that made Heaven and Earth is in control.
He is the Author of your story; let Him write it.

God bless you richly,
Greg

Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Throughout my Christian life, I’ve read through the Bible numerous times. I haven’t counted, but I’ve written margin notes, including dates and locations, and, in some instances, either a phrase or some significant event. I’ve used a Full Life Study Bible through most of my ministry and as my devotional Bible as well. In those margins, there are entries from several countries as well as from home. Several journeys through that old Book, over several years, cataloged side by side in those margins.
I’ve just had to retire that Bible, as it is coming apart, and I don’t want to lose those records.

Anyway, as I’ve read those three verses many times, I’ve always thought of being given over to a reprobate mind as an individual thing. In the same respect that Salvation is an individual thing. And I suppose I still believe it to be a personal occurrence, between one person and God.

But a few days ago I was watching a protest or rally of some sort on social media, and I listened to the demands of the protesters, the ridiculousness of the demands seemed as though they were being made as a joke. I thought to myself that no one, of a sound mind, could actually believe these words. How could not one, or ten, but thousands of people believe something or a collective set of ideas that are so ridiculous? Surely they couldn’t all be so blind.
Even so-called religious leaders standing for ideas that are entirely anti-Bible, anti-God. Not condemning violence, but instead supporting it and also supporting the breaking of laws and destruction of society.
The question came into my mind, are these people all reprobate. Have they remained separated from God so long, and by such a great distance that He has turned their minds to foolishness? And not only foolishness but now believing that they are doing a righteous work.  I am no one’s judge, thankfully, but what other justification could be made for this level of rebellion against everything good. What other explanation is there for so many bowing to the radical agendas of hate and destruction. How could so many be so confused, so lost in their thinking?

It seems hopeless if you are looking with the eye of the flesh. It’s a lesson in futility and frustration if you are leaning on your own strengths to make it better.
But then I’m reminded that the Word is forever settled, God’s plan is forever settled. I believe that we are the generation upon whom the ends of the world have come.  It scares most of us to think that, but should it?  If we’ve been paying attention, this is what we’ve been preparing for.

With the Word of God as our guide, we can be victorious.
Jesus is not a way to Heaven, a way to Victory.
JESUS IS the ONLY WAY to Heaven, the ONLY way to Victory.
When my mind starts telling me things that are contrary to God’s Word, my only options are to go to The Word for guidance, to my knees in Repentance, Praise, Worship, and Thanksgiving, and away from the Table in fasting, to put my flesh under subjection.

Prayer changes things
Fasting changes me
Nothing changes God

Look passed the troubles and into God’s purpose.
God has not brought us to this place to abandon us, but He also hasn’t brought us here to sit down.
Keep spreading the Gospel.
Jesus has taken His Church out into the highways and hedges because He wants us in the highways and hedges preaching and compelling them to come in.

There may be a reprobate spirit loose in the world, but God’s work is not done, or we would not be here.  Don’t look down, don’t give in, Hold on and Stand, We are Right where He wants us!

God Bless you, richly.
Greg

“Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”
Luke 12:27

“When I think of the Goodness of Jesus
and all He has done for me,
my soul cries out Hallelujah
Praise God for Saving me.”

I want to reassure you today that You are on God’s mind. He hasn’t forgotten you or forsaken you. Life on earth was never meant to be comfortable or permanent. But it doesn’t always have to be miserable.

….The joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10

Consider the fowls of the air…..
Consider the Lilies……

I believe that God is doing a work like never before. Moving us from our comfort zones, making us trust in Him in a way that we never have.
We’ve gotten used to going to our boxes, singing our three songs, placating our consciences, and returning to our lives of scraping out an existence in spite of God.
He gets visitation rights on Sunday and maybe Wednesday if we’re not too tired. And We, I’ve gotten comfortable with that.
God wants us to live IN HIM and HIM in us. Not trying to sound harsh or appear that I believe we have all failed, I don’t think that at all.
God has and is doing a work.
I believe this is God saying to his church, “Move up a little closer” as the old Happy Goodmans song says.

I also believe it is a preparation time for the next phase of life in Him.
We are being forced to look at our existence differently.
Where is God in all this?
Where does God want to be in all this?
Where we are taking Him now, or where are we allowing Him to take us?
Out into the Highways and the hedges?
Shouting His name, proclaiming His truth from the Rooftops?
Maybe this is about putting the church back where It was in the Book of Acts.
Where was it, where was the Church after Acts chapter 2?
It was Door to Door, in houses, and on the street.
Not waiting on the world to come to it, but taking the whole Gospel to the world.

Now is our appointed time! This is the hour.
We have to put God’s will ahead of our own and let God be God.

If He feeds the sparrows and dresses the lilies, how much more does He have in store for those He calls His Children.
Let God Bless! Let God lead, let God move you to where He wants you.

God Bless you richly

Greg

There’s the old, cliched, Native American proverb about the two dogs or wolves fighting within each of us. The one that will ultimately win is the one that we feed the most.

The Bible tells us that we can not serve two masters, that we will end up loving one and hating the other.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

But as I sit, somewhat detached from the real world, my only connection through the internet and social media.  I’m about as socially isolated as I can be without being on an island talking to a soccer ball.
I see a world in contrast and confusion. A world with many different perspectives and ideas. A world divided! I’ve always been a people watcher, so actions will carry more weight with me than words or a thousand I love yous, or I’m sorry.

The world has conflicting spirits pulling in different directions, just as the individual does. The world around us is a battlefield, spiritual in nature and not always visible to the naked eye, but as real and as life and death as any battle ever.

We are they, upon whom the end of the world has come, plain and simple. The difference between God’s children and the world is that we’ve read the back of the book. Our God is Victorious, not will be, not could or can be, OUR GOD IS Victorious.

The evil one will use every tool he can to disrupt and destroy. Mathew chapter 24 tells us this about today, that nation shall rise against nation. In the original text, the word used was ethnos, not nation, so basically ethnic group against ethnic group, not necessarily country against country, but people against people.  What do we see on the streets of the world today? People dividing themselves by skin tone.

A friend of mine, who happens to be of a darker skin pigment than me, referred to himself as a black man in one of our conversations.  I asked him what color is he really, is he actually black, or is he brown in color.  He agreed that his actual skin tone was brown.  So I then asked him what color my skin is; is it genuinely white, or is it more of a tan or beige?  It was a lighthearted conversation but carried a valid message.  We are two different shades of the same color.  We came from two different societal worlds, have a lot of differences, don’t agree with each other on many things, but agree on so many more. We like the same kind of food, I like it a little spicier than he does, and we have many similar hobbies and interests.  We like to laugh, we love our families, and we are friends.  Evil causes division, evil perpetuates it today, but we don’t have to let it in our lives.

The battle between black and white is not the real battle, it’s a mask used to push for the collapse of everything good and holy. The real battle is a spiritual one. Good and Evil.  We will not win by bowing down, by making concessions, by lowering our standards or convictions or by compromising God’s word.  We don’t have the authority to do that anyway.  You are aligned with God’s Word, or you stand against it, no in-between.
And though I believe it is our utmost duty as citizens to vote and support Biblical principles in the political sphere, this battle will not be won through politics.
The Psalmist said in Psalms 121, “My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”

Psalms 121
1. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
3. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep

So I caution myself and you as well, to not be caught up in the political battle of the day. Lift your eyes above it, wait upon the Lord, which made the Heaven and the Earth stand for His purpose, for Right and See the Salvation of the Lord.  God is Good, His mercy endureth for ever, and He IS Victorious!

As a word of encouragement, I want to share this thought, nothing new, something ancient, from the beginning, actually.
Most people want to compare Good and Evil as equal forces, the two dogs within us, but they are not equal.
First of All, without the Holy Spirit within you, the battle is already decided.
Next, Jesus and the devil are not equal. They do not have the same level of power or authority.  Lucifer is a created being, a fallen angel, with certain powers and abilities as granted him by his Creator. His pride and arrogance caused him to assume himself a higher office than his rightful station and caused his fall.
According to Colossians chapter 1, Jesus created all things.
Jesus is All God and the Image of the Invisible God.

Colossians 1: 16
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

So in that context, Jesus created everything in the Heavens, which includes Lucifer.
In my humble opinion, there’s no way to accurately make a comparison between Jesus and the devil, there is NO comparison.
But to try to put it into perspective, imagine if you showed up for a tee-ball game to find your four-year-old would be playing against the Houston Astros and forced to use American League Baseball rules.   And that doesn’t fairly represent the stacked-ness of the deck.  God is Victorious Period.
My job is to Trust in God, keep my eyes upon Him, Praise Him, Love Him, Listen to Him, Study His Word, Live a committed Life and Be the Best Fisher of Men that I can be.
Let God sort out the details.
When confusion and doubt come in, as they always do, Default to God is Good and Victorious and stay faithful to God.
If you are beaten down and feel defeated as if the enemy has you in a pit and is shoveling dirt onto you. First, you’re not alone, I’ve been there myself….recently! Cry out to Jesus! And start speaking Micah 7:8 forcibly, and I feel the Holy Ghost all over me as I write this.

“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.”

I’m a child of the Most High God, and through Him, I am Victorious!

God Bless You richly, Pray one for another and lift each other up.
If you find this to be an encouragement, please share.

Greg