EVERY NEED

My God, who has plenty of very good things for us because of Christ Jesus, will supply everything for you. By Christ, God will give to you everything that you need. Philippians 4:19 EASY 

I've had a crappy year. I mean majorly depressing. Troubled relationships. Job stress. Congregation stagnation just to name a few.

While trying to fight spiritually after midnight I came across a familiar scripture. I've read it and quoted it for years. I feel stupid confessing that I truly, never fully applied this scripture.

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."   Philippians 4:19 KJV

That scripture right there was reintroduced to me by God. I've always applied this scripture to things meaning physical or financial things. While I do have needs in those areas, my current, year long needs are of the Spiritual variety.

Now when I pray about my depression, troubled relationships, job stress, growth stagnation, and other issues I'll be adding this scripture to the prayer.

The definition of the word all is, ALL!!!!!

One translation says "everything". Another says, "fulfill every need".

No matter how you word it, the fact is, there is no category excluded from this promise.

If you're reading this, pray for me and my every need.

SLC

When God is Dealing WithYou

As an individual often called on to give advice to others, I have experienced the conviction that

comes with advising on a subject that I haven't mastered. Giving good advice is one thing, but having the strength and boldness, from situation to situation to follow that advice is something else. When it comes to a call from God, I have experienced encouraging someone else to go forward, while I myself was in neutral or reverse.

When I look at Jonah and his futile attempt to outrun God, I relearn some things.

1. When God is dealing with you, you'll run from the call since you know you can't run from God. Jonah paid to ride a boat away from where he was supposed to be going. He got further away from a place, but but further away from his calling. To put it best, you can run but you can't hide.
2. When God is dealing with you even your disobedience is fruitful. After Jonah got tossed from the boat, men that weren't thinking about God before, feared God and offered sacrifices (Jonah 1:16). I've seen people disobey their way to prison only to end up having an effective prison ministry. What the devil means for evil God uses for good.
3. When God is dealing with you he’ll bring you back to the beginning so you can get it right. The fish didn't spit Jonah up in the land he was running from. That would be like forcing Jonah to obey, but God wants us to willingly obey so Jonah is placed 3 days away from the place he was supposed to be and God called him a second time. This time, Jonah obeyed.

Jonah is a short book so please read it and let me know your thoughts.

Peace, SLC

Don't Take It Personal

1 Samuel 8:7 CEB

The Lord answered Samuel, "Comply with the people’s request—everything they ask of you—because they haven’t rejected you. No, they’ve rejected me as king over them."

No, this has nothing to do with Jermaine Jackson's song. This is about the frustration that accompanies trying to help someone more than they want to help themselves. Maybe you've been where they are and your trying to keep them from making the same mistake, but no matter how hard you try, they ignore you. I've been there recently, and it's tough to watch someone you love head towards a calamity.

Eventually, I was able to find peace and rest in God's words to Samuel. If what I have to give is from God, then it's him being rejected, not me. My responsibility is to continue to love, and to be there when the fall occurs. Being offended, and staying offended will only make it more difficult to help them in the future.

They've made their choice, and I've made mine.

Joshua 24:15 CEB

..... choose today whom you will serve...... But my family and I will serve the Lord

Sometimes it’s About Your Reaction

Spiritual attacks are commonplace in the life of Christians; at least those Christians that are actually trying to play an active role in the body of Christ. The majority of these attacks are what I would call indirect attacks. Maybe the enemy can’t torment an individual by invading their thoughts directly, but they can ind someone with access to the individual; someone who has the individual’s ear, and use them to indirectly attack the Christian. This indirect attack can come through a boss, co-worker, parent, child, spouse, or any other relationship.

Inevitably or at least initially, the attacked person will focus on the person that attacked them and not the spirit that attacked them. For this reason, they will respond to the person that attacked them and not the spirit that attacked them. When this happens, the enemy has achieved his goal. Often the enemy can get more than he intended out of a single attack based on all the subsequent attacks. Ultimately it is your reaction that determines whether or not a spiritual attack is effective.  

Moses faced such an attack in Numbers chapter 20. Earlier the chapter mentions the people’s rebellion against Moses due to the lack of water in the wilderness so Moses was probably frustrated. His feelings were probably hurt. The people were tired and thirsty. Physical challenges like thirst, hunger, and fatigue often precipitate spiritual attacks. In verse 8, Moses was instructed to “speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock”. (NLT) Moses, in his response to the indirect spiritual attack attempted through the people said, “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” He then struck the rock two times and God mercifully brought forth water in spite of Moses not following the specific instruction to speak. Moses reaction to this indirect spiritual attack resulted in him dying without actually stepping foot into the Promised Land.

If there is one area in my life where I can definitely improve it is in recognizing spiritual attacks sooner and not just jump into “they’re getting on my nerves”, or “they hurt my feelings”. If I can see the spiritual attack sooner, I can reply to the person that the enemy is using in a way that will protect me and in that instance keep them from being used any further. Instead of giving them a piece of my mind, I’ll try to remember that, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”. Proverbs 15:1 If I can keep my reaction in check, I can stop that attack.

Moving On Up!

Some time ago, I heard the quote above. It was misquoted by Madea. At the time, it was funny, but times have changed and I am now forced to believe what has been shown to me. Most importantly however, I must recognize that it was God that made the reveal for my own protection, and any hurt is directly related to growing pains. As I have navigated this healing journey two scriptures have come to mind.

1 Samuel 16:1 (KJV)

16 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

God asked a question and gave the answer. How long will you mourn (cry, weep) was the question. After announcing his decision he told Samuel to get up and go. In other words, your mourning period is over, because while you’re mourning over what was, you’re missing out on an exciting new beginning. He went on to say, “I have provided”. Wow!!!! Excessive time spent mourning over what God rejected is time not spent moving towards what he has provided. Finally, I realize that I have to elevate my priorities by heeding the words of Paul found in Colossians.

…….. focus on the things that are above-where Christ holds the highest position. Colossians 3:1b (GOD'S WORD Translation)

Samuel still loved Saul, but God was calling Samuel onward and upward. If you’re in a similar place or know someone that’s mourning what was, encourage them to focus on what God has for them next. I promise you and them, He Has Already Provided.

SLC

WHO - WHERE - WHEN - WHAT

2 Samuel 11 - 1 In the spring, when the kings normally went out to war, 

David sent out Joab, his servants, and all the Israelites. They destroyed the Ammonites and attacked the city of Rabbah.

But David stayed in Jerusalem.

2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof 

3 So David sent his servants to find out who she was. A servant answered, “That woman is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam. She is the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”

4 So David sent messengers to bring Bathsheba to him. When she came to him, he had sexual relations with her. (Now Bathsheba had purified herself from her monthly period.) Then she went back to her house. 

5 But Bathsheba became pregnant and sent word to David, saying,

“I am pregnant.”

Later David tried to get her husband drunk and send him home to have sex with his wife. This would of course cause the husband to think the baby was his. Unfortunately for David her husband did not go home but in an act of dedication, he slept outside David’s castle with the other officers. In desperation, David had her husband killed and eventually married the woman. This act turned David’s life upside down for an extended period of time. While thinking about this situation I thought about some basic questions that I should ask of myself and of others on a regular basis. Here are the questions and David’s answers.

QUESTION	DAVID’S ANSWER	YOUR ANSWER
WHO AM I	King David
WHERE AM I	At Home
WHERE SHOULD I BE	“when the kings normally went out to war”
WHEN SHOULD I BE THERE	Now
WHAT ARE YOU DOING	Abusing my authority

While there are more questions that can be raised from this particular portion of scripture, the answers to these questions can go a long way in determining what the answers will be when you answer them again in six months. If the answer to where are you and where should you be are not the same now, then without an acceleration plan being implemented now, those answers will not be the same in six months. Anyway I hope to spend a lot more time sharing via this blog this year in an effort to reconcile the difference between where I am, and where I should be. Join me. SLC

WE DON'T DIE - WE MULTIPLY!

IF ITS TRUE FOR BE BE'S KIDS........

Have you ever found yourself in a miserable job situation? Have you ever said to yourself, “It wasn’t always like this”? Have you ever found yourself dealing with people that seemed determined to kill you? I don’t mean physically kill you. I mean the people Jesus spoke of when he said, “be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell”. (Matthew 10:28).  That is the type of situation the Israelites found themselves in Exodus chapter 1.

At the end of the book of Genesis they came into town on the coattails of Joseph’s favor and everything was fine; for a season. But over some years the Joseph’s generation and the king with whom they had favor were gone. The new man in charge was intimidated by the growth of the Israelites. Yep. Some people in your life will be uncomfortable with your growth. They’ll actually be intimidated by it. Pharaoh was so afraid he decided to do something about it.

9 And he said to his people, See, the people of Israel are greater in number and in power than we are: 10 Let us take care for fear that their numbers may become even greater, and if there is a war, they may be joined with those who are against us, and make an attack on us, and go up out of the land. 11 So they put overseers of forced work over them, in order to make their strength less by the weight of their work. And they made store-towns for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses. Exodus 1:9-11

The King James says that he put taskmasters over them to afflict them. Afflict meant to put down, brow beat, mishandle, or humiliate. All because of their growth. While the growth in these verses may be numerical, the same thing happens when some people are intimidated by your Spiritual growth. They try to humiliate, embarrass, or brow beat you. They try to stunt your growth. They also try to bring death to your dreams and the call of God for your life. They try to kill your soul.

For a bit of encouragement all you have to do is check out verse 12. It doesn’t say that the affliction does not come. In fact it does come and increasingly so. But check out your              I mean the Israelite's response.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. Exodus 1:12

That’s right. They didn’t die, they multiplied. Not only did they multiply, but they grew as well. Sometimes you can’t do anything about the haters and brow beaters in your life, but you can let the hate, motivate. Let it inspire you to grow in your relationship with God and multiply your Godly influence over those that realize that fighting against you is a losing battle. As Joseph said to his brothers, what they meant for evil, God meant for good. So the same affliction designed to take you out will take you up, cause we don’t die, we MULTIPLY.

Learning To Commend - My Easter Lesson

The last expressions of Jesus Christ are commonly preached at good Friday services around the world. I have heard many of these messages, but I can’t remember any of them. Probably because I could not relate. Well that has changed for me. While there is still no sermon I can related to, there is a condition I can vaguely relate too. That condition is the condition of individual helplessness. I am at a point in a particular battle, where I am totally self helpless and powerless. I believe that is the condition Jesus was in when he spoke these words;

“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: 

and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Luke 23:46b” KJV

"Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands! And with those words he breathed his last.” NLT

"Father, I place my life in your hands!" Then he breathed his last. The Message

Jesus fully understood what he was called to do but in the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed that this cup, this calling could pass from him. Somehow he summoned the strength he needed and said never the less, not my will, but yours be done. As I struggled with certain issues I got to a point where I wanted to negatively quit. There is indeed a proper way to quit, but I wanted to quit on some aspects of my calling. I literally wanted to throw up my hands and say I can’t do this anymore. I wanted to say, to hell with all of this, but that is like saying instead of fighting for Heavenly results, I’ll give in to the enemy and hellish results. That’s the wrong way to quit.

The right way is to finally realize that you have exhausted all of your earthly options, and you need to quit trying to be the superhero. There are some situations (battles), the effects of which you see with your natural eye, that are not natural they are spiritual. For me it took a while (and I’m still not sure I’m completely there) to quit my self-influenced efforts, and quit, by commending my situation to God. The word commend means to deposit, as you would money into a savings account. In the best scenarios, interest causes an increase of your original investment. Jesus invested his Spirit to God, and was not disappointed for God Raised Him from the dead. The souls that have been added to the Church since then are the interest on that initial investment.

My situation requires a resurrection but nothing nearly as complex as rolling away a multi-ton stone. Pray for me, and join me in commending situations to the care of God. I promise you will receive an awesome return on that investment.

Love y‘all

SLC

Learning To Wait.......Again.

Isaiah 40:30-31 () 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary;they shall walk and not faint. #Bible http://j.mp/fAhj6B

Peace Peace

In preparing for last nights Bible Study, while also dealing with my own spiritual battles, I decided that the topic would be peace. You know that priceless entity that you can’t buy, drink, or sex into existence. I know. I’ve tried. I’ve failed. After receiving the topic, I received this scripture.

Isaiah 26:3 (King James Version)

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee.

After that I decided that I wanted to get a little deep and find the definition for the words perfect and peace. I mean, I already knew that usually the word perfect in the Bible means complete, but I was curious so I opened E-sword and then went to the Bible with numerical references to the original Hebrew. Yeah y’all SLC was trying to get super deep for this study. Well what a surprise when I found that the words in Hebrew were the same. They both meant completeness, soundness, welfare, and safety. It was originally written "keep in peace peace". I was stumped. But then I thought about the hell I’ve been through and realized that although as a Christian I have peace all the time, God loves me, Jesus loves me, I’m going to Heaven, I love the Lawd He heard my cry, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on,.........

All that religion isn’t enough. I’ve been looking for more than that common peace, but I been looking for the type of peace that enables me to stop feeling anxiety about the things I cannot control. I’ve been looking for that type of peace that confuses people that think I should be crazier than I am. I’ve been looking for that protective force field of peace that refuses to let any thoughts permeate my mind that are not related to the goal of………..peace.

I’m going to have peace. Well actually, I’m going to have peace peace. A double scoop of peace. I’m going to focus on what God can do, not on what I can’t do. I’m going to focus on the most stable Being I have ever had the pleasure of being in a relationship with.

Lin, if you’re reading this, I’m going to have that peace peace that enables me to fight off my anxiety attacks that you wrote about so well I though you had peeked into my mind.

Miz, I’m looking for the type of peace peace that……..Does The Body Good.

Pray for me.
Pray for Peace.

Peace Peace

SLC

Peace

Answers to last weeks question and, the Sunday Musings of Miz, bought to my remembrance the following:

Peace I leave with you,

My peace I give unto you:

Not as the world giveth,

give I unto you. John 14:27a

Moan and Keith mentioned a peace that can not be purchased, a peace that comforts you in spite of what’s happening in your life, while Miz’s Sunday Musings painted a picture of a scene that only God could create in Georgia, Carolina, Maryland, California, Philly, and New York, all on the same day. Peace is a place of escape that I find hard to describe. Try as I might I can’t really define it, but when I’m there in that place. I know it and never want to leave.

Well meaning people may try to offer peace but they often end up doing more to pull you from peace; like the woman who approached a widow at the funeral of her husband that said, “Don’t worry chil’, God’s gonna send you another husband”. She should have held her piece. People are often astonished at ones ability to have peace during the most trying circumstances, not understanding that at that time you not only have Peace, but more importantly Peace (God) has you.

Thanks for the boost family.

QUESTION

I know it's been a long time since I've posted, and I miss y'all terribly although I continue to lurk around your blogs. I have come out of hiding to ask you question that was asked of me earlier.

Is it wrong to pray for someone's healing, but prepare yourself for their possible demise. My friend was wondering if they were insulting God by asking him to heal their 80 plus year old relative while also trying to not be blindsided if they pass. The person was asking about their father.

I told them to always ask for what they want. And when they wake up the next morning, tell God thanks whether they received what they asked for or not. I said a few more things also, but I want to hear from my blog family.

So please, give me your answer.

Thanks,
SLC

With You Always

On the same day I submitted the previous post, I found myself surrounded but astoundingly alone. I was stranded on an island of depression and as much as I thought I had in common with those around me, they were powerless to reach me, since they were powerless to understand. The next morning while driving to work, I was playing through songs on my phone and came across this blessing that I hope to minister tomorrow. It was a timely blessing (and reminder) for me and I hope it is for you as well.

I Love Y'all
SLC 


With You Always

Lead Me From Me To You

I was making the mistake last night of having a conversation with myself. While that may not be bad all the time, last night it was. I was thinking about the lease on a building, my classes, the increased workload on my job, the roof, the oil change, Elijah’s graduation, my class reunion, and my desire to relocate to Georgia. SLC and I were talking about some of these things; primarily those that need to be taken care of this week. I told myself, “You can handle it. You’re just overwhelmed.” I immediately heard Psalm 61:2; the second part that says, “When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

Just between you and I, I’m a pretty smart guy. I am very resourceful. Need something fixed? I can do it, even if I have never done it before. I’m a man’s man. I don’t like taking about what’s broke, I like fixing it. This smartadicity (new word I just made up) is my biggest problem, and it was my biggest problem last night.

I mean if I am overwhelmed obviously all my intelligence and resourcefulness is not enough to get me the peace I need. Telling me I can handle it was a somewhat delusional statement when made without acknowledging my dependence on God. In fact I am now convinced God allows some crap to take place things not too work out as planned when my smart self plans without praying and acknowledging him.

So as I hear this familiar scripture again, for the first time, I think I understand it a little bit better.

It starts, “From the end of the earth I will cry to You”, meaning know matter where I go, or how high I get I will always acknowledge your role in getting me there and keeping me there.

Next it says, “When my heart is overwhelmed”. Heart actually means and includes mind, so as smart as I think I am, I will reach a point of mental futility equivalent to brain freeze, which can lead to mental and physical exhaustion.

Finally, “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I”. Jesus said to Simon, “thou art Peter”. Peter means small stone. Thou art ___________, a small stone. Then Jesus said, “Upon this Rock I will build my church.” This rock is not a small stone, but a Bedrock or a large foundational stone that you can build on.

So when my small stone of a mind has exhausted all of its resources, remind and lead me to the ultimate source of all peace; the foundation upon which my faith, hope and life is built.

Now I know what they meant when I was a child when they said, “You know Too Much”.

Thank God now I know Him.

See y’all real soon.

PRESS!

I love blogging, sharing, and the Word of God; in reverse order. But as anyone reading this can tell, the blogging aspect of my sharing has been woefully neglected. There’s a reason for that, but there are no excuses. I am married……with four kids……active in ministry…..trying to resurrect or pursue a more active role in music……and I am trying to complete a degree in information technology with a concentration in database administration. Oh yeah, I work for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. These are what occupy major chunks of my 25 hour days. But still, I have know excuses.

When I started blogging with Perspective, it was a way to get a vent while doing something I enjoy, writing, and interacting with people beyond facebook shenanigans. Eventually I started this blog and somehow, whenever people went to my profile, Search Me Lord (SML) is what was listed first. I could blame that on blogger’s tendency to do the unexplainable, but I prefer to blame God.

While perspective is just that, my perspective on current events, Search Me Lord is GOD’s perspective often times of me and by extension others that can identify with some of what I may …… excuse me…. what God may be dealing with me about. This blog is an extension of a call on my life, not a habit. It is a part of who I am based on the will of God not me. When I think of all the things I know I should be doing, I think of Myles Munroe's trip past a cemetery. He was driving and God said, "most of them never became who I called them to be". Ouch!

So there should be a minimum of two relevant posts per month on SML. No junk postings, just so I can say I posted something. Posts like the one I never wrote for Easter titled “Don’t waste it. Celebrating the resurrection but living an un-resurrected life.” Or the post that I never wrote titled, “SHUT UP. Learning How to Argue From Jesus’ Example” (I choose to hear nothing, and I make no reply. For I am waiting for you, O LORD. You must answer for me, O Lord my God. Psalms 38:14-15). I have a blogger friend (not you) that really needs to stop validating haters with her constant rebuttals. (But Jesus held his peace Matthew 26:63a)

This is a calling I can no longer neglect, so it’s time for me to press through all of my (in)valid reasons for complacency. See y’all real soon.

SLC

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

WHAT WILL YOUR PRISON PRODUCE?

Some of the best advice I have ever received came from an inmate. I don’t know about you, but I have known some people to go into prison a hell raise and come out a priest, a preacher, the Dalai Lama, monks. Although I have never spent any time behind bars, I know there have been times, and there are times where I feel like a prisoner. A prisoner of circumstance. On these occasions, I turn to the writings of my favorite inmate Paul.

He tells me stuff like;

Romans 8:31......... "If God be for us, who can be against us?

Colossians 3:2............ "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:23.......... "Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,...

Romans 8:18............ "...consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Romans 8:37............ "Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Philippians 4:13................"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Ironically Paul wrote many of his letters from prison, producing the majority of the New Testament in less than ideal conditions. He allowed his ministry and his growth to prosper in spite of where he was.

Hopefully, the next time I find myself feeling imprisoned by circumstances and the things I have to do now, to pave the way for the things I want to do now, I’m going to take some cues from Paul and make sure my prison produces something that’ll prayerfully bless someone else as Paul has blessed me.

Waiting for parole,

SLC

Keep Reading

When I received this email today I read the first line and thought, "I don't want to hear this". Then I heard it's exactly what you need to hear. Have you ever had that experience before? I knew I had to keep reading even if only because I wanted to stay in my mood. The last thing I need to do is hold on tighter to my funk than to my faith. Y'all pray for me.

Love y'all

SLC

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns -- February 26, 2010

Beloved, refuse to allow discontentment to encroach on your thoughts, for it most certainly has its roots in bitterness of soul and will make a place for the enemy to work against you. Contentment comes from a position of faith and trusting that I am for you and not against you; that I care for you. Take comfort in knowing that I am with you. Set your sights higher than the

temporary things of the earth. Look heavenly, and renew yourself in the hope of my promises, says the Lord.

2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Edify

Thursday night I went to Lowes for some vertical blinds. It was one of the most valuable trips I had taken in a long time. With the start of the school year and the day-to-day drama of raising four boys (ages 12, 11, and 4) and one 9 year old woman, life has been good. But life, even when good can be a little draining. My trip to Lowes resulted in me being edified. I checked the dictionary but I think my definition is good enough.

Edify – build up

That’s it. The whole thing. When I get a few 100 more words I’ll publish the SLC Dictionary but for now this one word is it. My edification had been coming through blogs like yours, but sometimes that life thing doesn’t give me the time to stop and check in with my blog family. But Thursday night at Lowes I ran into Eric and his wife of 22 years. I met Eric 20 years ago when I though he was radical, crazy, and to be avoided. When I saw him I was hesitant to speak since I wasn’t sure if he was still the combustible individual I once knew. Much to my surprise he had changed. Much to my benefit he was full of Godly wisdom and without me complaining about any of the trivial issues that had drained me, his conversation edified me. It strengthened me and pulled me out of a three day funk; much to the delight of my immediate family. I can say I should not have needed that encounter but then I would have to ask the question, why am I in the Body of Christ? If a part of my body aches, another part of my body, usually my hand takes care of it. In the same way, when I am down, another member of the Body edifies me.

So with that, I’d like to say thanks to Eric, and thanks to whoever is reading this. Something you have posted on your blog, or some comment you have made here has had a greater impact on my world then you will ever know. I pray that I can fight a little harder next time, but if not God will send someone to Lowes, or send to one of your blogs to get the edification I need. And prayerfully, I’ll be able to do the same for some of you.

Thanks for edifying me.

SLC (Inspired by Feels like home…) Thank Sis. I needed that…..

Can You Hear Me Now

I recently read something about the noise involved in writing. Specifically anything that interfered with the receiver clearly hearing and understanding what was written. I immediately thought about my relationship with God and the noises that life can throw at you. I also thought of the cell phone commercial where the guy did everything he could do to try and get a clear signal, while he kept asking, "can you hear me now?"

When life gets hectic there is nothing like being able to hide away with God in prayer. Especially the kind of prayer in which I keep my mouth shut for most of it.

My example:

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a
solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)

A little voluntary solitary confinement does a person good.

Love y'all.
SLC

ONCE AND FOR ALL - JESUS

The death he died, he died to sin ONCE AND FOR ALL; but the life he lives, he lives to God. - Romans 6:10

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins ONCE AND FOR ALL when he offered himself. - Hebrews 7:27

He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place ONCE AND FOR ALL by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. - Hebrews 9:12

Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared ONCE AND FOR ALL at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. - Hebrews 9:26

Christ's Sacrifice ONCE AND FOR ALL The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. - Hebrews 10:1

If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed ONCE AND FOR ALL, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. - Hebrews 10:2

And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE AND FOR ALL. - Hebrews 10:10

For Christ died for sins ONCE AND FOR ALL, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, - 1 Peter 3:18

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was ONCE AND FOR ALL entrusted to the saints. - Jude 1:3