OPTIMISM IS A CHALLENGE

I am sitting here in Qatar reading about current events in the states  It looks really bad for America and our culture.  The most disparaging thing about this is, that nobody seems to notice what is happening.  I watched a video on the Glenn Beck Show with Rabbi Daniel Lapin that helped me pin point the cause of these issues facing America.  These events are not limited to America they are global.

THE BATTLE
We know the battle is for our own soul.  Our battle can save and solidify others eternity via our fight. 

    "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, 
    against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
    realms."  NIV  Ephesians 6:12

    "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, 
    lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 
    without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
    treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form 
    of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."  NIV 2 Timothy 3:1-5

We believe these things to be true, acting on these beliefs make us Christians. Your acts will decide whether  or not your faith is real or just said.  Many people are going to spend eternity without GOD.  Your faith in a invisible God may determine others destiny.

    "All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy
    of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble
    to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will
    happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
     He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
    They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord
    and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be
    marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our
    testimony to you.  NIV 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

Okay having said all that, who are we (you) to say different?  Our faith is growing, we hold to his truths!  

THE WORK
We have work to do, people to teach, task to be complete, children to raise, wisdom to gain, plans to be hatched, visions to be gained, prayers to pray, people to disciple, people to correct, children to guide, co-workers to lead, church members to encourage, give people hope, laws to erase, people to elect, are you getting TIRED YET, I am!  Very mind numbing and huge challenges.  I can't do all this, can you?

    "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret
    of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty
    or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.  NIV Philippians 4:12,13

I am not sure if I have told you before, but I reah-hea-hea-illy LOVE the book of Philippians!  Sorry for my bad impersonation of Jim Carey.  Seriously, it is imperative that we have God's direction, protection, purposes filling every part of our existence.  If you don't have a vision for your life you will be consumed by the worship of BAAL.  I know, I have been there done THAT!


God gave me a neat example as I prepared a little presentation for the children at the church in Bremerton.  I narrated a Google Earth tour of their homes and my home in Qatar.  The idea was to answer Robbie's question to Kristin (my wife of 22 awesome years, of hills and valleys) "where is Tracey?".  Also, it was to help expand their world, you know cast a vision.  As I was thinking about the content of my presentation to the kids, I was having a hard time remembering some of their names.  Now I know I am getting older but,  I believe God was showing me/us how easy and quick we forget.  Thank-You!  We have to be on our game every moment or we will get obliterated by our surroundings. (BAAL, secularism, life, our desires etc.)  All of us need to continue to pray for direction, wisdom and vision, this is our protection!  We Are HIS disciples and makers of them, just as in the bible!  


    Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know
    the way?”  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
    except through me.  If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, 
    you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be
    enough for us.”  Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among 
    you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show 
    us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The 
    words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, 
    who is doing his work.  Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; 
    or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.  Very truly I tell you, whoever 
    believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these,
    because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father
    may be glorified in the Son.  You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.  
    NIV John 14:6-14

GET IT!

NO TIME TO WASTE!

DON'T BE LAZY, THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY!