Thanking the Lord & Looking Forward

I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. -- Phil 3:12-14 (NLT)

I pray & believe that 2010 will be better for you than 2009 was.

Just Because

I am thanking the Lord today.
Why?
No reason, Just Because !!
I know I have many reasons, but for today - I'm just Thankful.

Praise To Jesus

An Email I received from Steve Phifer at The Worship Renewal Center says it all & is so appropriate, especially for the day after Christmas. (I highly recommend visiting his website at http://www.TheWorshipRenewalCenter.com)
The Image of the Invisible God
Colossians 1:15-20 NIV (Adapted SRP)

You, Lord Jesus, are the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For by You all things were created: things in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by You and for You. You are before all things,
and in You all things hold together.

And You are the head of the body, the church; You are the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything You might have the supremacy. For the Father was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in You, and through You to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through Your blood, shed on the cross.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

What a Day !!

What a blessed day as we remembered Jesus' birth!!
All the family was home.

Opened stockings & had fantastic Christmas breakfast/brunch with giving of thanks & reading of the Christmas story.

Exchanged gifts.

Helped with setting table & quick cleanup.

Had delicious & fantastic Christmas dinner with reading of the wise men visiting Jesus & giving their gifts to Him.

Fellow shipped & watched a movie at home.

Now at about 11:30 pm - two in bed & last two soon to be in bed.

Blessed be the Name of our wonderful Lord for not only enriching the lives of Mary & Joseph, but also enriching our lives!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to everyone !! God has shown His Love !!

Thank you Father that You gave your Son Jesus.

Thank you Jesus that You came and completely fulfilled the Father's will.

Thank you Holy Spirit that You showed me the great love of the Father & the Son and that You daily empower me to appreciate the goodness and blessing of the covenant keeping Almighty God !!

A Baby!!

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. (Luke 2:15-16)

So this is the plan? God became a baby? A baby? Someone who is totally helpless. Someone who can't walk or talk. Someone who cannot feed them self and needs to be changed & needs to be cleaned every day. Someone who needs to be completely cared for.

Not only this, but Jesus will grow to be a man who will completely fulfill the will of His father God & because of His faithful & unswerving obedience to His Father, I have been reconciled to Almighty God !!

With God all things are possible !!

Celerate & Thank God !!

Remember not to let all of the distractions get you down this year.

It's true there is a lot of commercialism at this time of year & some people only seem to care about making money, but this doesn't change the fact that God has given us the greatest gift ever imagined!

Maybe the ACLU will continue to attack some people & communities that want to display the true meaning of Christmas (and even wipe out Christmas altogether), but this doesn't change the fact that Jesus was actually born.

Maybe some people don't want to say Merry Christmas because of a fear of offending those who don't celebrate Christmas, but that doesn't change my desire to bless people & show good will to everyone I meet.

So let's celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ & truly thank & praise the Lord for His unspeakable gift to all of mankind!

Have a wonderfully blessed Christmas &may the Love of God shine through everything you do this year!!

He Did It !!

Some have wondered and even disputed if December 25th was the day Jesus was born. But when everything is said and done, it is not important what day He was born, but the fact that He was born. Think of it, The Word actually became flesh. Think of the love and faith that Almighty God demonstrated. Here is the hope of God's desire that He will be some day reconciled to mankind all wrapped up in a little baby. To me, this is one of the most amazing things that ever happened.

May you have a truly wonderful & blessed Christmas this year. To God be all of the Glory!!

I'm Thankful For God's Will For Me

This is great !! <--> 1 Th 5:16 - 18 Says:
Rejoice always, OK, He wants me to always be rejoicing.
pray without ceasing, considering prayer is communicating with God, this really sounds great! He wants me to be in constant communication with Him.
in everything give thanks; this is very reassuring. No matter what circumstance I find myself in, He wants me to still be thankful. This sounds reasonable since everything is subject to change to the will of God.
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Wow!! This is what my Heavenly Father actually wants for me -> rejoicing, communicating and being thankful!

I thank the Lord for His desires for me!!

What a Promise That Has Come To Pass!!

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of [His] government and peace [There will be] no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isa 9:6 -7)

The Lord Knows When You Believe & Rewards

In the fourth chapter of Hebrews, God says His Word is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from His sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Wow! Think about that! Everyone else in the world may think you are crazy to believe what God says, but if you continue to believe His Word, you will see it actually come to pass. Just ask Zacharias, Elizabeth, John the Baptist, Joseph, Mary, or Jesus (to name a few) and they will tell you that God's Word will come to pass if you continue to believe what He says, even if it is in opposition to all known information given to you by your friends and/or enemies. I thank and praise the Lord that he knows everything and gives us His Word to believe and rely upon.

I'm Thankful Mary & Joseph Believed God

I'm thankful that Mary and Joseph believed God's word as delivered through the angel.

Think about it - a pregnant teenager who claims not to have had sexual relations.
Her espoused husband supports her word that they have not been intimate.
Not only this, but Joseph also believes she has not been intimate with anyone else.

Not only is there ongoing evidence that Mary is "with child", but now Joseph is traveling with her back to Bethlehem because of taxes.

(I have traveled with a pregnant woman and I'm so glad she wasn't riding a mule!)

At any rate, Joseph & Mary continued to believe God and Jesus was born!!

I'm Thankful for Those Who Pray For Leaders

I'm thankful for all of those who pray for our leaders. I'm thankful that the Lord's will is accomplished. I exalt Almighty God as the King of Kings & Lord of Lords.

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Ti 2:1-4)

The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, [Like] the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Prov 21.1)

Of Shepherds & Wise Men

Just a thought for today:

It took the wise men (possibly) a couple of years to see Jesus (He was a small child living in a house).
The shepherds saw Jesus the night He was born (He was in swaddling clothes lying in a manger).

Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

Imagine

Feeling bored today? Well it's still a great time to praise the Lord.

Imagine you are a shepherd outside of Bethlehem minding your own business, such as it is. You are doing what you have always done. You don't feel very respected by anyone other than some other shepherds (and this is only every so often). You may even be bored with the same old routine that you must endure day after day after day. You must constantly watch your sheep because they always seem to be getting into trouble. Lets face it, when wild animals aren't trying to devour them, the sheep seem to get into trouble all by themselves as they wander off and get distracted by the simplest of things. You ask yourself from time to time if anything out of the ordinary will ever happen to you or if you will ever see anything the is noteworthy.

Well just wait & see....

I Choose to Trust In the Lord

Some [trust] in chariots,
and some in horses;
But we will remember
the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 20:7

Psalm 150

Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
raise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD!

Thinking of Jesus

As I think of Jesus this year at Christmas, I must proclaim in agreement with Psalm 72:
His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And [men] shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed [be] the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed [be] His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled [with] His glory. Amen and Amen.

Thank Him for His forgiveness

I am so thankful & praise the Lord that, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness". (1 John 1:9)

Starting the Day Praising the Lord

I'm starting the day early praising the Lord! I was just thinking about Is 54:17 --
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.

Blessed be the the Lord who gives us His Word and His Righteousness!!

The Lord Is Good

I'm so grateful that my Father bases His attitude & actions toward me based upon His character instead of mine. His blessings toward me aren't based on my goodness, but on His alone. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

I'm Thankful For Others Who Thank the Lord

Today was really a great day as I reviewed my Facebook page & saw all of the people who were thanking the Lord today. The Lord really is worthy to be thanked & praised all of the time. It is true that the Lord's mercy and lovingkindness endure forever & ever.

George Washington 10/3/1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted' for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have show kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3rd day of October, A.D. 1789.

G. Washington

(http://www.thanksgivingnovember.com/george-washingtons-thanksgiving-proclamation.html)

I'm Still Praising the Lord

I'm still praising the Lord & have been every day. Although I haven't updated this blog for quite a few days, His praise has still been flowing from me. I must admit that at times I have not always been verbal to other people. I have also been singing and 'drumming' in my car as I have been driving to different places (sometimes with praise & worship music blaring from the car speakers and sometimes just me). The Lord is so good and faithful it still just boggles my mind at times. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

His Constant Care

Praise the Lord. This is truly a great day to praise the King of Kings & Lord of Lords. He is still constantly caring for us in everything that we do. He is still watching over us & protecting us. It's amazing to me that He not only planned & executed our rescue from the kingdom of darkness & translated us into the kingdom of light, but He also has provided this in such a way that we never have to go back under Satan's power or authority again. The Lord has provided a deliverance that is so complete & awesome that Satan doesn't even have a chance as long as we walk in the power & authority that has been freely given to us by Almighty God. Think of it - God has made us new creations in Christ Jesus so we are no longer spiritually dead; we are in fellowship with the Father; He has actually poured His life into us; we know the perfect wishes & desires of God through His Word; & we even have the Holy Spirit's guidance in every area of our lives; and let us not forget the power of attorney to use the mighty Name of Jesus!! Wow!! Praise the Lord!!

Still Praising the Lord

What a great day to praise the Lord. Maybe everything hasn't gone your way today, but the Lord is still for you. Maybe you don't feel like you want to praise the Lord because His enemy has be bugging you & you feel like you just can't shake him off, but the Lord's enemies are all still defeated. Maybe you feel like you can't find the Lord today, but He's not lost & He's even closer to you than your very own feelings. I've felt these ways before but it has never stopped the LORD from being faithful to me. As a matter of fact, He has loved & cared for me before I even knew that I needed Him. He had sought me out & had drawn me back to Himself even before I knew I was lost & needed Him. He has always been faithful & moved by compassion for me even when I was 'fickle' at best. Once again I am convinced that it is because of His character, goodness & mercy that I will continue to praise Him. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

He's Beyond My Widest Imagination

I praise the Lord again today. He is still the King of all Kings & Lord of all Lords. It is so amazing to me that He has accomplished His will without being unjust to anyone involved. The Lord is seeing His will come to pass without violating anyone's free will. Though mankind was foolish & believed a lie from the father of lies; though mankind had turned over their authority to God's enemy; and though all of mankind was spiritually dead & could not even communicate with God or had a right to come into His presence without being consumed; the LORD Himself conceived the perfect plan that so confounded His enemies, that there was nothing they could do to stop it. AND the LORD Himself has given His children the authority that Jesus was given to continue to overcome his enemy in the same way that Jesus did!! Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Since He is for us, who can be against us?

Ongoing Fellowship

Praise the Lord for the opportunity to have ongoing fellowship with Him. Not only has the Lord provided a way for mankind to come back to Him. He has also provided the way for continuing fellowship. To top this off, He has even provided a way to restore my fellowship if I have broken it with Him. He continues to draw me to Himself & does so with cords of compassion that He has initiated & that cannot be broken. Blessed be the Name of the Lord God Almighty. Though with man, it was (& is) impossible, with God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. Thanks be for His unbroken, ongoing fellowship.

He's Revealed Himself

I'm still praising the Lord today. The Lord is so awesome that it boggles the mind (if you would sit down and actually try to figure out everything He has done, is doing, & will continue to do). As a matter of fact, the Lord & His attributes are something that really transcend time as we know it. By this I mean that it would absolutely take all of time to begin to even describe the greatness of the Lord. Think about that for a little while - if every nanosecond of time was completely exhausted just thinking about the greatness of God, even when time had 'run out', there would be more about the greatness of the Lord that would need to be considered to cover all of His amazing attributes. To top it off, we wouldn't even know where to begin if He had not taken the action of actually revealing Himself to us through His Word. Think about this - He spoke to mankind Himself (Adam & Eve in the garden); He also sent Jesus so we could look at Him and see what He (God) actually thinks, likes, dislikes, & does; and He has given us His infallible Word in a written form that we can look at, touch, read & understand. All I can say is Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! He has revealed Himself to us & HE is great. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

Still Singin' Praise

Hey, what another great day to praise the Lord. If you saw my entry yesterday, you know I had some problems with my voice. Though I'm not quite back to my tenor voice yet, I'm above the bass range & into the baritone range to sing praises to my Lord. And of course, I'm always able to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. At any rate, the Lord God Almighty is still worthy of all praise, even if I must do so in a raspy voice. So join me today in magnifying the Lord!! Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Daddy Sang Bass, Daddy Sang Tenor

Hey I'm just praising the Lord again today. Normally when I sing, I'll sing tenor; however today I'm singing bass. Yesterday I couldn't sing at all, so things are looking up! Yesterday my physical condition only allowed me to make a joyful noise, but hey, that's enough to still make a sound & still praise Him. Today my voice is a little higher allowing me to at least sing bass to praise my Lord. Maybe tomorrow I'll be back up to my normal tenor voice, but one thing is certain - I'll be praising the Lord, be it a joyful noise, singing bass or singing tenor. He certainly is worthy!!

Seated with Christ

I thank the Lord today because He has been with me all day. Today hasn't gone even close to the way I had it planned. On days like today, I used to say I was 'under the weather', but some of my friends would ask me what I was doing there since I'm supposed to be seated with Christ in the heavenlies. Being seated with Christ is something I cannot deny, because I am in Christ. So even though I feel like I'm 'under the weather', I'm not really there - it just looks that way. My physical symptoms will change & my head will stop hurting eventually, but even right now I am still in Christ & all of may hope is in Him. I am still praising Him for everything He has done for me. Regardless of how I feel or where I may be or not be, I still praise Him. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Praising Him For Prayer

Blessed be the Name of the Lord! I was just thinking today about what a tremendous blessing it is to be able to communicate with Almighty God. He speaks to me through His Word & I know that His Word is supernatural & has within itself the power that makes it come to pass. Not only do I have the privilege of knowing what His thoughts, wishes and desires are, but because He has opened the way for me, I also have the joy of being able to speak with Him & be in His presence at any time. I have an open invitation from Him & can go into His presence whenever I need to interact or communicate with Him. I have the privilege of learning His ways & cooperating with Him to bring His desires to pass. It is so awesome that Almighty God wants to interact & spend time with me. Blessed be the Name of the Lord Who has taken the initiative, made a way, & actively pursues me to be able to communicate with Him on a continuing basis!!

Father God Running

Wow! What an awesome Father God we have! I was thinking back over my childhood recently. Have you ever been in trouble with your father before? Have you ever felt like you were in so much trouble that just thinking about what a punishment may be just sent you into a daze? Have you ever heard those awful words "Just wait till your father gets home?" Have you ever rehearsed what you were going to say to your father when you were in trouble & having that empty, sick feeling that no matter what you said, you were still going to 'get it'? Well, I must admit that I have had these feelings before (more than I care to admit). That's why when I read the story in the Bible that most call "The Prodigal Son", I tend to think of it more like "The Awesomely Merciful Father." Just think about it - this young man had wasted everything that had been given to him & all his 'so called friends' were gone; he was starving to death even though working hard in a job he just hated; & then he came to his right mind & made a decision that he would rather be his father's servant than die. All this time that he was suffering, he didn't know his father had been longingly looking & waiting for him to come back so he could restore fellowship with him. My experience has taught me that this is exactly how Almighty God is toward me. I've learned that when I fail Him & feel like running away or trying to make up some excuse, that He's always there running toward me when I turn to Him for restored fellowship & He always accepts me into His arms. What an awesomely fantastic Father God we all have!!

He Is Love, Bless His Name !

I'm praising the Lord again today. He is still the same & His attitude toward me has not changed. He is still loving me & watching over me. One time I tried to figure out when the Lord actually started loving me. I thought about different things I've done, as well as the things I've been through. I thought about different situations & circumstances I had survived when I surely should have died. I thought about His planning who parents would be to give me the exact genetic makeup that I have. I thought about the many, many different families I lived with who have contributed to my upbringing. I wondered about all the people who must have prayed for me & cared about me. I thought about the individuals the Lord brought across my path & into my life that not only said they cared for me, but actually showed me by their actions & even sacrifices what the very love of Jesus looked like. I came to the conclusion that God has always loved me & has always planned for my well being & my good. He is such a gracious God & He loves me because He actually is love. He has always been love & will never cease to be so. It has nothing at all to do with me & has absolutely everything to do with Himself. So once again I just must say -- Blessed be the awesome & most wonderful Name of the Lord!!

He's True & Just in All of His Ways

I am praising the Lord today thinking about how He is true & just in all of His ways. He is so amazing because He wanted to have fellowship with His creation even after we had made it impossible. He had to find a way to restore fellowship & do it in the correct way. He had to be true & honest & not violate His character. God was working with mankind who had been given a free will & man had already chosen to follow someone else (Satan). Even though Satan had lied about the character of God & mankind had believed him, man was really stuck because he was now spiritually separated from God & had no way of communicating with God unless the Almighty took the initiative to do something. Fortunately for mankind, with God nothing is impossible. And because He continued to be true to His character; because He wanted to demonstrate His Love; and because He did know the proper and just way - He actually put into motion the plan that would not only make the way for mankind to be able to come back to Himself, but did it in such a way that even every single child can understand and put into action. So once again I say with everything that is within me -- Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Because of Who He Is

Blessed be the Name of the Lord. He has been watching over me & protecting me today. His thoughts toward me have been full of compassion. He loves me & has been directing me in what I have done. He has made me aware of His presence although nothing unusual has happened. He has been with me as I have been reading His Word & made that Word truly alive for me. He has brought to my memory other times He has spared my life & protected me in the past. I've had cause to remember His extreme provision & mercy in my life over many years. As a mater of fact, all of my memories of His interactions with me have been good & uplifting. Blessed be His wonderful Name!! I have no reason to think He will ever change & I believe that I will always be in His love & care. And all of this is not because of who I am or what I have one or may ever do; it is all because of who He is. Blessed be the Lord God Almighty!!

Praise Him for His Desires

Praise the Lord! I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit is with me day by day to guide & comfort me in everything that I go through. He reminds me of the things that Jesus has said in the gospels & clarifies the teachings of the Lord. He illuminates the very desires & wishes of Almighty God that are expressed in His Word so I can clearly see what they are. He empowers me to desire to do the very things (God's desires) expressed in God's Word & these very things set me free in every area of my life. I find that as I study, meditate, & agree with God's thoughts & desires that He has expressed so clearly, that those desires actually become mine, too. Though I was once alienated & estranged from God without hope, He has drawn me to Himself with cords of compassion & stays with me & lives through me each day. Blessed be the Name of the Lord! May His desires continue to be done!!

God Is For Us

Blessed be the Name of the Lord! I am so delighted in the Lord. As I think of His awesome power & His wisdom, I am thankful that His ways are higher than man's ways. I am thankful that His plans are better than all of his enemies plans & their attempts to usurp His authority. I praise Him that His Word has within it the power to make each of those individual words come to pass and that none of His words return to Him void of accomplishing their purpose. I am blessed that He has always existed, will always exist, & that time is not issue for Him. Yet, even though He inhabits eternity & is bigger than can be imagined, He also lives within each of His children to guide & protect them. Think of it - He has not been caught by surprise by anything that has ever happened (or may happen). In His goodness & faithful lovingkindness, He has always had solutions to problems before the problems ever existed. He has made a way of escape before we even realized any way was needed. Even now, He is looking out for us & providing for us in every circumstance we may encounter. God is for us! Who can be against us? Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Choosing His News

I praise the Lord because the time of His return is getting so much closer. He could return before I finish this blog update. As I look at what is being reported as going on in the world; what our leaders & other world leaders are reported as doing, it just makes me lift up my eyes to the sky. I used to get discouraged when I watched the news or read the newspaper. It used to bother me when I would receive different stories from friends on my facebook causing me to notice how far things have gone. But then I realized once again that the Lord is still really in control. He has foreseen all of these things happening & has told us in His word that they would happen. But He doesn't stop there because he has provided a way of deliverance for evryone who cares to receive it. So when I have to make a choice between focusing on "the news" or focusing on what He has provided, it's really a 'no-brainer' for me. I choose Him, His word, His way, & His presence.
By the way, He'll be back soon.
Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

To Know Him Is To Praise Him

There are so many reasons to praise the Lord. Sometime when I am contemplating the greatness of the Lord I really begin to feel rather selfish because I notice all of the many, many things that He does are for me. Perhaps one of the most amazing things about God is that He chooses to even let mankind know about Himself at all. After all, if it wasn't for the revelation of God in His Word, no one would know anything of any substance about Him at all. Oh, we would still have a hunger for Him and that gnawing emptiness without really knowing Him. We would realize certain things about His attributes displayed in the world around us that we couldn't really explain or adequately define. However, as far as actually knowing Him or the many attributes of His amazing character, we would be at a complete & total loss. And what a tremendous loss it would be. So today I just want to say one more time, "Praise the Lord!"
Thank You Lord for revealing Yourself to me in Your Word. Thank you for being full of goodness, truth & mercy. Thank you for being able to communicate with spiritually dead people; for paying the price; & making us spiritually alive again so we can truly know You & communicate with You forever and ever. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Praising Him

Praise the Lord. His goodness never ends. It's so good to know that he is with me & watching over me right this minute. Sometimes I tend to really cry out to Him when I feel I'm in trouble or I've done something wrong. I tend to really want His attention when something unexpected comes up. But my situation at this moment doesn't fall into any of these categories. Yet I am still thinking of Him & praising Him right now. The particular need that I have for God is not just His deliverance when I'm in trouble or dealing with an unexpected situation, but it is His presence so I can fellowship with Him. I have a desire to know Him & interact with Him. This is something that never could have occurred if He did not take the initiative, so I praise His glorious Name, since He did everything that was needed so I could know Him. Now He continues to reach out to me & direct me by His Spirit. So it doesn't matter if I'm in trouble or not, I can still know of His love for me & praise Him. Blessed be His Name forever.

He's the Same

He still hasn't changed, so lets praise the Lord!! That's right, He still loves & cares for us. His tender mercies are still over all of His works. Even though we may not always exercise faith in His Name, appreciate His goodness or honor Him by keeping His commands, He still hasn't withdrawn the offer of love & forgiveness available right now through Jesus. Even though we may not feel or understand His continued awesome love for us, He doesn't stop loving. Even though His thoughts are higher than the heavens above the earth, those thoughts are are still good & gracious toward us (even though we can't fathom them).
We might as well face it. HE LOVES US and will not change. He has demonstrated His love even to the degree that He continues to draw us towards Himself that we may receive His mercy & be with Him forever. So lets praise His Name & continue to glorify Him in all that we do. He is certainly worth it!!

Real Praise

Just because you cannot see something doesn't mean it's not real. And some things that are seen would actually be better for you if you couldn't see them. Take air for example. If you can actually see the air (because of smog or pollutants, etc.) it isn't nearly as healthy as if you were in the mountains or the country somewhere with the ability to look for miles not actually seeing anything. This was so clear to me when I was in Japan & had returned from a musical tour on the northern island. As our plane landed on the main island & we were deplaning, I could not only see the air, but I could actually taste the difference in the atmosphere. Believe me, it was no comfort that I could see & taste the air.
I just wanted to share this today because there have been times when I cannot feel or maybe even perceive the Lord, but He is there. And just because I can't see Him with my physical eyes doesn't mean He isn't real. So I choose to praise the Lord all of the time, even though I don't see Him with my eyes or when I don't always necessarily feel He is with me. You know, it's sort of a funny thing because when I take this attitude, I find it isn't too long before I start to sense His presence again. He was really there all of the time & it's great to praise Him when I feel like it & also when I don't feel like it. Have a great day & praise the Lord with me!!

Just Remembering

What another great day to praise the Lord! It's amazing the things that remind me of the Lord & His greatness during the day. I was thinking about this as I was substitute teaching in a carpentry class at the high school today. As I reflected back over my school years & remembered the shop classes I had taken (wood, metal, etc) I can actually recall different jobs I had worked because of the knowledge obtained while in those shop classes. Although I do not work professionally as a carpenter or mason, there were times when the Lord actually provided work for me in the past. Then I thought about Joseph & how he provided for his family and probably also taught Jesus the skill of carpentry. Overall, it was a good day because of this (even though it was kind of nasty outside). I am reminded again & again by small things how great God is & how much He really loves & cares for us in ways that may seem insignificant at the times we are going through them. May His Name be praised forever & may He case you to see something today that causes you to appreciate, love & praise Him in a new way you never have before. Praise the LORD.

Praising Him Together!

What a great time was had today praising the Lord together! I love getting together with my brothers & sisters to praise the wonderful Name of the LORD! At one time in my life I used 'to go to church' just because I had to (especially on Sundays), then I learned that everyone who has accepted Jesus for Who He is and what He has done are really "the church."
-- Think of it, the Lord's church is not any building, it's people.
-- Jesus didn't die for buildings, He died for people!
-- God doesn't make buildings 'new creations', He makes people new creations.
-- He isn't calling buildings unto Himself, He is calling every person unto Himself.
So on mornings like today, when the church assembles together, we can all enjoy His presence, be changed, & magnify Him for Who He really is. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. And besides the group of people that I gathered together with, there were many, many other gatherings all over the planet just to lift up His glorious Name!
I am reminded again & again that it's not about me, but it's all about Him!!
Blessed be the Lord God Almighty!!

Praise Him For His Forgiveness

One of the things I really thank & bless the LORD for is His forgiveness. It's amazing to me how His plan is so great & all encompassing that He has prepared a way for me to be right with Him even after I sin. He has said that if I confess my sin He is faithful & just to forgive my sin & cleanse me from all unrighteousness. One time I heard an older wise man say, "God didn't find out about your sin when you confessed it to Him because he knows everything. When you confessed your sin, that's when you took care of it." This is so true & it's wonderfully amazing! When I sin, I go to my Heavenly Father & take care of the problem. When you think about it, my sin is no longer any of Satan's business because he is no longer the lord of my life (after all, he tries to get me to give up altogether). Jesus is the Lord of my life, so He deals with any sin. When I go to Him & confess what I have done realizing all of my sin(s) were put on Him, ask for forgiveness & believe His Word, my sin is taken care of & I can truly enjoy His presence.
Blessed be the Name of the Lord Who has saved me to the uttermost!!

Birthday Blessings From Above

Well, today is another great day for me to praise the Lord. I really magnify His Name today because of His provision that my son is going to be with me forever in Heaven. Today is Josh's birthday & we will be celebrating. Although I & my wife are responsible for bringing him into this world as an expression of our love, he was still born a sinner like everyone else because of man's fallen nature demonstrated through Adam's rebellion against God. However, because of Josh's acceptance of our Heavenly Father's gracious gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus, Josh will now live forever in communion with Almighty God, too. It is such a joy for me to know that because of God's remarkable plan that not only will I live with in communion with Him forever, but so will Josh, his brother, Ben, and my wonderful (better than I desire) wife Susan be in the presence of our loving Heavenly Father forever & ever. It is my prayer that you, too, will know the joy of your entire family living in God's presence forever. This is certainly His will & pleasure to do for us all. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

New Mercies Every Morning

I am contemplating the goodness and mercy of the Lord again today. I am so grateful that His mercies are new every morning and that His mercies are over all of His works. Where would we be without the mercy of Almighty God? It is certainly not by any good works or actions that I have accomplished that enable me to stand before God or even be able to approach Him. It is only by His goodness and mercy. He is so good and merciful to you and me that He came up with a way to allow us to come back into His presence without being consumed. He has accomplished this in such a way and with such wisdom that all of His enemies could not stop it from coming to pass. His enemies were not knowledgeable enough or powerful enough to really even successfully begin to stop Him! Not only this, but His plan is so amazing and simple that even a child who just believes, trusts and takes God at His Word can experience His mercy, forgiveness, and approach Him to have sweet fellowship. What a truly awesome God He is!! Blessed be the Lord God Almighty!!

Endless Opportunities to Praise Him

It's been a nice morning so far & I am expecting many opportunities to praise the Lord today. Already my wife & I have had a nice breakfast. This was after sneaking a few extra minutes of sleep that she assured me was needed (& of course I agreed). Simple? Yes, but much better than when I was in college & wolfing down a bowl of cereal before rushing off to class. I also spent some time reflecting about yesterday & the conversation I had with the two men who wanted to speak about Jehovah. I began to praise Almighty Gos again as I realized that everything I need has been provided for in His Word, by Jesus, & through the daily guidance of the Holy Spirit. God is loving, merciful and completely righteous & just in all of His ways. He speaks to me clearly by His Word & I do not need any other publications to supplement the clear & complete instructions He has given. On top of this, I am not reliant upon some 'force' to help me out, but I am empowered & assisted every day by the person of the Holy Spirit. As I finish this entry this morning, I am completely confident & contented to continue to praise the the Lord & trust Him & His Word for everything today. Blessed be the Name of the LORD.

An Oppurtunity to Speak Up For Jesus

Praise the Lord. What a morning it has been! This morning I was approached at my home by a couple of men who wanted to have a discussion. After their opening remarks about how bad things are and how wonderful living on this earth could be, I just asked them what they really wanted to talk about. Guess what? They wanted to talk about Jehovah & how great He is! They wanted to talk a little about Jesus and a few other things related to the Bible (their translation). One of the men told me he was trying to figure out what I believed. I told him I believe Jesus is Lord; that Jehovah had raised Him from the dead; & that He paid the ultimate price so I could be reconciled back to God. I told him I believed Jesus claimed to be God & that I believed that He was. After a while, the man indicated that we didn't agree on some major things since he thinks Jesus was created by God & the Holy Spirit was just a force. Now those are some major things! Anyway, since we agreed on what he called some minor things, he may want to speak with me again some time. At any rate, there will probably be another time when I get to proclaim the praise & wonder of Almighty God, Jesus, & the Holy Spirit to this man. So I want to encourage you to keep your eyes & ears open because someone with the potential to bother you may actually open the door for you to glorify God!! Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Praise Him on Mondays

Alright - another day for praising the Lord. To be quite honest, if I were judging when I should praise the Lord based on how a day is going, this Monday morning hasn't been 'up to snuff' and I must admit some Mondays are just like that. However, since I praise Him because of Who He is, it's a great day to praise Him! Come to think of it, this day is subject to change, whereas, He never changes. He is always faithful and He is always here (that is to say - where ever I am). Not only is this day subject to change, it will change. This reminds me of one of what has become one of my favorite expressions in His unchanging Word -> "it came to pass." This may seem to be a strange scripture at first view, but think about it. Whatever is happening now (for me, Monday), it will come to pass.
So if your Monday isn't 'quite up to snuff' just remember that it, too, will "come to pass" and while you are waiting, the Lord God Himself is right here with You and He isn't changing at all. Have some quality time praising the Lord today!!

Let's Join Heaven Today

Well another week is beginning. This is another opportunity to gather together with brothers & sisters as we launch into a new week of praising & worshiping the Lord God Almighty. It's really pretty awesome when you take the time to think about it. At one time, all of mankind was separated from and unable to find the God who is everywhere. We had no idea where He was, how to find Him, or Who He even was. Although we implied He was lost, it was actually we who were totally & completely lost ourselves without even the slightest chance of being found, let alone discovering Him. It was an empty feeling to the extent if someone didn't find or help us in some way, that we were completely without hope or any chance of rescue. Then at exactly the right time, He revealed Himself to us in a way that was so undeniable that we reached out for Him & grasped eternal life in Jesus. We confessed Jesus as Lord, believing in our hearts that God had raised Him from the dead. We not only believed His message, but actually took actions that revealed what was in our heart, such as being baptized, changing our lifestyle & actually telling others about Him! We expressed love, adoration, praise & worship for Him. And now, we will gather ourselves together & join all of heaven in the praise, worship & adoration that only He is worthy to receive. Have a super great day. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

What's In His Name?

For a long, long time now I have endured different acrostics based on my last name: FORD (i.e.: 'Fix Or Repair Daily', or 'Found On Road Dead', etc.). I thought about these ideas and they did not seem accurate or appropriate to me. After all, this is the name my father gave to me. He's responsible for me being alive. If it wasn't for him, I never would have been born (well, along with my Mom). I thought of acrostics like 'Fabulous On Review Day', 'Fastest On Race Day', "Flying On Resurrection Day", or "Fearlessly Overcoming Routed Devils" (etc., etc., I've got more acrostics). You see, I'm not some broken down or dead thing on the road. I'm alive, moving on & raring to go. Especially when I consider another Name that I have been given by My Heavenly Father. He has given all authority in heaven, earth, & under the earth to Jesus. Not only that, but Jesus has given His Own Name to use as I need to. I'm a new creation and I have full right to everything heaven & my Heavenly Father have to offer because of the wonderful Name of Jesus. Come to think of it, the Name of Jesus is the reason the acrostics of "Flying On Resurrection Day" and "Fearlessly Overcoming Routed Devils" are even possible. So what's in His Name? Absolutely everything. Blessed be the Name that is above every name - the Name of Jesus!!!

Praise Him ALL of the Time

He is worthy to be praised at all times! I praise Him today! Now today is a cleaning day. Although we clean things all of the time, there are also some special days for cleaning. The first time the idea of 'cleaning days' really 'hit home' for me was shortly before my oldest son was born when I lived in Michigan. Sue was in her "nesting" time and I was minding my own business doing things in the garage I thought were important when she appeared at the door, looked around the garage and declared, "this place is a pigsty." All of my logical and well reasoned responses including what I thought was the clincher (the baby is not going to sleep in the garage) brought the rejoinder of, "you can clean it or I will." So I assured her I would and convinced her to go back into the house. As I was cleaning, I started thinking about my family that was about to increase in size, I started praising the Lord & even got some music going! I discovered that even 'cleaning days' go better and seem somewhat shorter when I praise the Lord while involved in the task. Who knows, maybe the reason I cleaned the garage so long that day was because I had to at least wait for the praise & worship tape to end before I was done. Wow! The music was bouncing off the garage walls and I was enjoying cleaning!! If you have something unpleasant to do, remember to praise the Lord and see if it doesn't go better and maybe even quicker for you. Have a great day praising Him all of the time and in everything you do!!

Praise Him Because He's Worthy

One of the many, many reasons I praise the Lord is just because He is worthy of my praise. Sometimes because of His goodness, never ending mercy, loving kindness, or faithfulness, I will praise Him. Sometimes I get caught up in thinking of the times He has comforted me, spared my life or healed me of diseases and injuries. Sometimes I am overcome by the joy & love of the family He has provided for me in Sue, Ben, & Josh. Sometimes I think of the body of Christ & many Christian friends, teachers, and pastors I know. Quite honestly, the more I think about the Lord and what He has done for me, the more I praise Him! The more I learn about Him through His Word, the more excited I get because He is truly good and just in every way. On the other hand, if "I" never existed, He is still God. He is still worthy of all praise and honor. It doesn't revolve around me, but everything revolves around Him. I am not the center of everything, the Lord is. However, since "I" do exist & I have learned of Him, I would be a fool not to join all of creation in praising Him. Let's all praise the Lord together, He alone is God. He alone is worthy. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Praise Him by What We Do

I believe we can praise the Lord by what we do everyday. Who knows what the Lord has given you that can be used to really make Him shine? Take these guys who have been at our church for a few days, the Power For Life ministry Team (see their website at - http://www.powerforlifeministries.com/). They are strong, exciting and so full of life that they can hold little kid's attention for long periods of time (not to mention adults, as well). The main thing that stands out to me though is their love for Jesus. The 'Power For Life' that they really exhibit (even more than their physical strength) is the power of Almighty God in each individual who has accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. Remember one of the attributes of God is that He is omnipotent. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Maybe you are not a super strong person, but we are all different & there is something special about you that people will notice and God has you exactly where He wants so people can see God's Glory! So shine on for Jesus!

It's a Great Day to Praise the Lord

Wow! It's a great day to praise the Lord. There's really nothing unusual or extraordinary about today, but the Lord God of the universe is completely above the usual and is definitely extraordinary. There's really nothing extra special about today, but the Lord is extra special in every way and all that He is and all that He does. I'm not really expecting anything different today than what happened yesterday to really set this day apart, but then Jesus is set apart because He is the same yesterday, today and forever. I guess what it actually comes down to is that today is a great day to praise the Lord because of Him. He is a great God and greatly to be praised.
Lets face it - even if this day 'falls apart' and would become a complete blow-out, He is still God. He still loves me. He is still full of compassion and mercy. He still watches over me and cares for me. He still is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And one day (maybe today or just like today) He will truly be seen for Who He is by everyone as we reign with Him for all of eternity!! Praise the Lord!! It's a great day to praise Him.

Praise Him Again For a Father's Heart

I praise the Lord again this morning for His father's heart. I remember a time when my boys were very young and just starting to walk. I had just walked through the front door. My wife was in the kitchen; my youngest son was sitting on the floor playing with some toys; and my oldest son was ‘tracing’ his way along the sofa. When my oldest son heard me come in the house, he turned around and reached for me with a big grin on his face and only made it a few steps toward me before he flopped face forward on the carpet. So what did I do? Did I show anger because my son couldn’t walk or scold him or call out to my wife in disappointment and ask her why she hadn’t yet taught my boy to walk? Of course not! I ran forward and scooped my son up in my arms. After some hugs and kisses, we walked around the room with daddy holding his hands. Then I had both boys in my arms. It was great! If I, as an earthly father, know how to love and care for my children, how much more does my Heavenly Father know how to love and care for me. I’ve learned from my sons that when I fall down when trying to respond to my Heavenly Father, that He is there is pick me up with care and expressed love and walk with me instead of getting angry and being disappointed. Once again, it is apparent that it’s not dependent on me or what I do, but just based upon His graciousness and because He has a father's heart. Blessed be the Lord God Almighty, my daddy.

Praise Him For a Father's Heart

I praise the Lord because He has a father's heart. Not only does He have a father's heart, but I am His child. I really had no idea what a father's heart was before I had children. I noticed the amazing change that came over me when I looked into the eyes of my son and realized I was responsible for bringing him into this world. My outlook on everything changed. I remember one time when I was working at a machine shop on the shift that ended at 11:30 pm. I was so tired and miserable. I was sick, but still working. My wife showed up during my break with some medicine and when I went out to see her and get my medicine, there was my son with her in the car in his own little car seat. He didn't care that my face was blackened with machine coolant oil and that I smelled like a grease-soaked rag, he just looked at me and laughed. I couldn't help but smile and feel better. I told my wife that she and Ben were my reason to be able to work even though I was tired and miserable. This feeling intensified as my second son, Josh was born. I would do anything for my children and a lot of the decisions I have made were shaped by my love for them. I thank the Lord that my Heavenly Father loves me as a father. It is not dependent on me or what I do, but just based upon His graciousness and because He has a father's heart. Blessed be the Lord God Almighty, my daddy.

Praise Him For the New Creation

I had trouble going to sleep last night. I wasn't worried or concerned; or in pain; or anything like this. I had trouble going to sleep because I was so excited. I ended up praying in the Spirit for some time as once again my mind was overcome with the idea that I am actually a new creation in Christ Jesus! I read a remark by a brother in Christ that the same Spirit Who birthed me into the body of Christ is the same Spirit Who conceived Jesus! I started thinking about when I was 'born again' into the body of Christ. Paul talks about the new creation being a species of being that never existed before (in one translation). How did this come about? It was all by the grace of God. It is His plan for me. I couldn't have come up with this idea even on my best day. None of the enemies of God could imagine such an idea and had no inkling of the awesome plans and true greatness of God. Wow!! I didn't deserve or earn the new birth. I just accepted the fact that my Father God did it for me. I accept the fact that Jesus is Lord and I do believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead. Will you join me in this tremendous gift? I'm looking for all of the brothers and sisters I can get. Praise the Lord!!

Praising Him Today!

I have been doing some different things today and thought I would take a break to update "Zamar for life". Though I have been thinking about the Lord & thanking Him off and on this morning - no one knows what I'm thinking about, so I want one more time to put it in print. I praise the Lord with all of my heart, strength, mind, and soul. He alone is God and there is none beside Him. He is good and righteous in all of His ways. I also thank Him for sending Jesus. I thank Jesus for coming. I do believe that Jesus is Lord and that God has raised Him from the dead. Jesus is my substitute and has paid the ultimate price for my salvation. I thank the Holy Spirit for bringing the gospel to me and drawing me to the Lord God Almighty. Blessed be the Name of the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel.

It's Beyond Understanding

I have decided that I will always praise & worship the Lord. Even though there are things I know & understand about the Lord that cause me great joy and excitement, there seem to be other things I just don't understand. I have decided to focus on what is actually known since I can only understand the things of the spirit as He reveals them to me. I have found that if I try to figure out things in my own understanding that I don't know, it tends to 'pull me down' emotionally & who needs that! The Lord is always faithful in that He does show me through the Holy Spirit the things I have trouble understanding. Sometimes when this happens I feel kind of like Dr. Watson (in Sherlock Holmes) when Holmes tells him "everything is simple once it's explained." If everything I currently know about the LORD gives me reason to praise & magnify His wonderful Name, I refuse to let doubt come into my life because of the things He has not yet shown me. You see, God is good. He isn't hiding anything from me. He does not withhold any good thing from me. So as for me, I will praise Him!!

Thank You Lord

I was contemplating this morning on the greatness of God. He came up with a plan to reconcile me back to Himself. His plan was so good and strategically sound that His enemies couldn't see it until it was to late for them to do anything. Jesus actually followed His Father's wishes to the execute the plan at a cost that I will probably never understand or know. Then the Holy Spirit made sure that I knew about the free offer of God's grace by bringing people into my life to show me the love of God.
The Lord God Almighty has literally done everything!
I gladly & wholeheartedly believe that JESUS is LORD and confess with my mouth that God has raised Him from the dead!! I even put this into writing for everyone to see & know of God's greatness and His overwhelming loving kindness. I truly hope to one day see you in heaven as we praise His Name forever!

Not Too Busy To Praise Him !

It's been a busy, busy day & I've been praising the Lord through it. I finally have a moment to sit down at the computer & update "Zamar for life". Since praising the Lord is something that is vocal (or heard), it occurs to me that when we praise the Lord & honor Him in our hearts, that others may not know it at all since they cannot see into our hearts or read our minds. As a matter of fact, no one can read our minds or really know what is deep in our hearts except the Lord Himself. Even Satan cannot read our minds & he has absolutely no way of knowing what we are thinking about unless we open our mouths & let him know. Well, as for me, I want everyone to know that I am thinking about the tremendous greatness of the Lord - so I have this blog and also speak out His praises.
So join me in praising the Lord. He made a way where there was no way. He paid a price that I could not pay. He changed me in the very areas that I could not change. He gave me hope & love when I had none. He gave me new life when I didn't deserve anything at all. He has completely changed me and still continues to work on me to change me into the very exact image of Jesus Himself. Wow!! What great & awesome God!! Blessed be His Name forever & ever!!!

Another Week to Praise Him Together

I'm am really excited about praising the Lord! It's only Monday morning and this week has already started with great times yesterday praising the Lord - in morning I had a great time meeting with some of my brothers & sisters in corporate worship. Then yesterday evening I was with a smaller group at a friend's house as we shared together, prayed, had a meal, learned more about each other & had a great time of fellowship! Already planned for this week is a time of growth & learning on Wednesday night as I will be learning more about refining and setting goals. I used to be more of a 'lone ranger' in my earlier Christian life, but have since learned that living a life for Christ is much, much better when enjoyed with my brothers & sisters in Christ. The scripture about "not forsaking the assembly of yourselves together" is really true in every aspect I can see. I used to believe that scripture just because God had said it in the Word (and this is enough), but now somehow it seems to have 'come alive' in a new way that I had never seen or even felt before. And to think that I will be spending all of eternity with my brothers & sisters as we praise & magnify the Lord! Blessed be the Name of the LORD!

Seems to Good to Be True

Some people think the Bible is a little confusing or hard to understand, but listen to what former US president, Mr. Richard M. Nixon once said. "I hope you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you've heard is not what I meant." Now I’m not really sure what this means. I'm so glad that God doesn't use 'political speak.' God has spoken clearly in His word to let us know that He loves us. Usually if we don’t understand something in the Bible, it is because it sounds too good to be true. However, we should be encouraged that everything in the Bible is true, especially if it sounds too good to be true. The LORD is an amazing merciful and good God that operates so far above and beyond our expectations that it is at times hard to understand - but you can be sure that His word means exactly what it says. Blessed be the Name of the LORD !!

Praise Him No Matter How I Feel

I heard someone one time say, "I feel lower than a snake's belly in a wagon wheel rut." It sounded a little strange & funny when I first heard it, but I knew what he meant. I've felt that way before, you know feeling 'lower than low.' Anyway it's amazing how quickly our feelings can change & how often they can change. That's why it's really hard to trust our feelings alone. I appreciate the Lord so much because He is not ruled by His feelings, because if He was I be be in BIG trouble. I'm sure that His agape love and tender mercies are over all of His works. I am grateful that He is not moved by feelings or things that are changeable, but that He is moved by faith. He is so much better than I desire or could ever earn on my own. So when I feel 'lower than a snake's belly in a wagon wheel rut', I remember it doesn't matter how I 'feel', because He still loves me and cares for me. Blessed be the Name of the LORD!

Praise Him During Tragedy

9/11 – When tragedy strikes any family or nation, I really don’t pretend to understand or know why. I do remember where I was & what I was doing when we were attacked on 9/11/01. Very little work was really done after the attack because everyone was in such shock. I do remember going outside to pray for the president; all the families; & the workers that were involved. Though presidents & administrations have changed, I still pray for them. I thank the Lord for His continued grace and blessings for America. Even though I cannot fully explain or understand why we were attacked, one thing I think about is the story of Job in the Bible - God is all good. He had nothing to do with the attack and everything to do with the deliverance. Besides praying for my country, this also causes me to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Blessed be the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! I will bless Him when I understand & I will bless Him even when I don’t understand. He is LORD!

Delighted

I am so delighted in & with the Lord, especially this morning. 'Delight' is a word I don't think about or use a lot, but it came to mind this morning. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, delight means "a high degree of satisfaction" or "extreme satisfaction." Here's the scene: I want to make my wife some coffee & something warm to eat this morning. Coffee is a 'no-brainer', but what about something warm. I made her melted cheese & Canadian bacon on a toasted piece of french bread. She thanked me & then added an delicious egg to it; only ate half of it & gave the rest back to me. This reminded me of a few of things. (#1) Momma is the best cook in the house & I cannot really be called any type of cook; and (2) He who finds a wife finds a good thing & obtains favor of the Lord! Of course, as I thought of the Lord's favor to me, I very quickly experienced a high degree of satisfaction in Him & His never ending care. It seems interesting to me that the things that cause me to delight in something or someone are many times the 'little things.' This morning I am delighted with my wife & with the all-knowing God who gave her to me. Blessed be the name of the Lord (& with Proverbs 31 in mind - I also bless Susan, my wife).

He Did What I Could Not

This morning I was just reflecting on something really fantastic that has been true for sometime. This was true before I or my parents or grandparents were even born. My reflection then turned into a pondering of this very idea that God Who is the greatest person in all of existence, knows everything, has everything & can do anything at all decided that heaven just would not be the same without me. In essence He would rather die than to live forever without me in heaven. Now, that's awesome!! When you consider there was absolutely nothing at all that I could do to get to be with Him, He took the initiative upon Himself to come up with a plan that was so great that even His worse enemies could not understand it to thwart it. He put His plan into action & Jesus actually paid the ultimate price. Then at the correct time, the Holy Spirit revealed it to me & drew me so I could accept it. In essence, He planned, executed, & informed me of a solution for my problem even before I even knew there was a problem. At exactly the right time Christ died for me. I've accepted this & turned my life over to Him. I will live with Almighty God forever & ever. By the way, there is nothing the His enemies can do to take it away from me. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Praise Him on Both Sides of the Clouds

I remember a time recently when I had to take a flight. The weather was really nasty with low visibility & I noted it seemed very dark for the time of day. I was beginning to wonder where the sun was as I had a chill in my bones & increased pain in my arthritic knees. I must admit my mood was definitely 'down'. However, shortly after we took off & the plane broke through the clouds I had to shade my eyes & partially close my window shade as the sun seemed to shout, "HERE I AM". It was striking to me as I could even feel warmth on my arm as the sunlight was smiling through the partially closed window shade. Then of course I admitted that the sun was always there, even when I was on the ground feeling 'blue'. It sometimes seems, that's how it is with the Lord, too. Our immediate circumstances may seem to make it appear that God is not there, but hey - He is. Even though I cannot always see or sense Him, He is there. It doesn't matter how I feel or what has happened that may seem to block Him from my view. Even if there is a 'cloud cover' of circumstances - He is there! I've decided to praise Him on 'both sides of the clouds'. Blessed be the Name of the LORD!!

Credit Where Credit Is Due

As we celebrate Labor Day today, I checked the US Dept of Labor website (www.dol.gov) that says Labor Day constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. As I read this I could not help but think of the contributions the Lord has made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of my country. I am one of those who still believe that America is the best country that God has blessed this planet with. Even with all of it's problems, both percieved and real, there is no other place I'd rather live and call 'my country.' It is the Lord God Almighty that inspired the earliest people to come here. He is the One Who protected & strengthened our forefathers. He provided for them in every way. Though it's not so popular to say any more, this country is founded on a Judaeo-Christian foundation with the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob; the Lord God Almighty as our ultimate source. While I appreciate what all American workers have done for the well-being of my country, I would be remiss if I did not first of all also acknowledge the One who gives us all the strength, desire, & motivation to be able to work at all. Blessed be the Lord God Almighty! May God continue to bless America.

Everlasting to Everlasting

I was recently thinking about man's quest to understand space & time, light, the universe, as well as when everything came into existence. There are even different theories about what happens to time as things approach the speed of light and what will happen to the universe as time continues into the future. Though there are different theories, the Bible indicates concerning the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, that from everlasting to everlasting You are God. It's clear that whenever 'time' actually did begin - God was already existing and that whenever time ends, He will continue to exist forever. Even concerning 'light' itself, the first book of the Bible records it came into existence when God said "let there be light" and "there was light" (or literally: "light be" and "light was"). Imagine that, when nothing else existed, God was already existing and at some point He said, "light be" and "light was." Light continues to expand or "to be" at 186,000 miles per second. Wow! It is a sure thing that God was "being" before anything else existed & that he will continue "being" after everything we see and wonder about is gone. Blessed be the Name of the Lord! From everlasting to everlasting, You are God!

He's Available Right Now, so Praise Him

I was sitting here wondering at the greatness of the Lord. This happened to come again as I just flipped the computer screen here to update my blog. I had just finished doing some 'daily things' & had turned on the computer & gone to my facebook site. I don't think about this alot, but realized I am in instant communication with anyone who is online at the same time. I am playing three games of scrabble with two of wife's sisters; playing two games of chess with both of my sons & still take time to yak with whoever else may be online at the same time. Well guess what, the Lord is "online" all the time, 24/7 (even in power failures or voltage spikes).
Consider this: The LORD is the highest, most powerful person in existence. He controls everything and is good in all He does. He conquers all enemies who dare to come against Him and at the same time is compassionate and caring towards all! Yet as high as He is in every conceivable way, He is still accessible to you & me at every nanosecond of the day or night. We can communicate with Him literally at any and all times we desire! This is really significant to me that I can communicate with Him whenever I need!! I don't even need an appointment! He's available to you, too. Let's Praise Him.

Ya Can't Change That, So Praise Him!

Have you ever known someone who has really been through a lot? Maybe you have been through a lot of things you just can't comprehend why they happened or figure out 'where things went wrong'. I know I certainly have. Then I think about Paul & all of the 'stuff' he went through. I think about others that I have known and cannot explain why they have gone through various trials. Why do bad things happen to good people? I really honestly cannot say, but this I can say with full confidence and certainty: in all things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The only reason I have this confidence is because of His grace. Wow! the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord! Nothing can separate me from His Love & you just can't change that, so I choose to Praise Him! His love can't be taken from you, why don't you just praise Him with me?

Don't Be Distracted, Praise Him

It's another great day to praise the Lord. I must admit that this morning after my breakfast and letting the dogs out and back in that I made the mistake of turning on the TV to try and catch up on the morning news. I had it on 'in the background' as I was doing some other things. I noticed that I was starting to develop a rather negative attitude. Sure I was still thankful for the Lord and all that He has done for me, but I was developing kind of a 'bluesy feeling'. So I turned off the TV to stop the negative input & remembered the scripture from Proverbs about guarding my heart above all things. What will I focus on today? The negative things that the enemy constantly bombards us with can seem to drown out the goodness of God at times if I let it or I can truly focus on the LORD and His unchanging love for me. Lets face it - God is still God. He is still the King of Kings & Lord of Lords. His mercy has not been withdrawn because of any 'news report'. Jesus is still offering Eternal Life to anyone who desires it. Jesus is still coming again. The Holy Spirit is still teaching us of the words, teachings, and love of Jesus and is still drawing people into God's kingdom. So it's another great day to Praise the Lord!! Have a great day!!

Another Day to Praise Him!

Well it's another great day to praise the Lord. No matter what happens today, it doesn't change the fact that He is still the King of kings & Lord of lords. It doesn't change the fact that Jesus died and rose from the dead to give me eternal life. It doesn't change the fact that the Holy Spirit brought people into my life who would share the gospel or that the Spirit is still with me every day to guide and support me. I am not one who ignores everything around me & lives in some sort of 'la-la-land', but you can't change the facts. The facts of who God is and what has done, is doing, & will continue to do in the future. Is everything going the way I want it? No, but He is still worthy of my praise. Have I reached all of my goals? No, but He is still worthy of my praise. Have I had better days? Yes, and He is still worthy of my praise. So join me today & lift your voice in praise to the only One who is truly worthy of all praise. Blessed be the Lord God Almighty, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! Blessed be Jesus His son who has given us everything we need including eternal life! Blessed be the Spirit of the Living God who leads us into all truth and guides and protects us!!

Praise Him for Quietness

I've been thinking about the greatness of our Lord this morning. He is really truly awesome! For me it is easier to think & meditate on the Lord when things are quieter. I tend to be easily distracted unless hyper focused on something. However, this morning I was doing my absolute best to be quiet as my family was resting. The TV was off, there were no background noises or distractions, the dogs & cats were sleeping (instead of racing around), the temperature outside is a beautiful 71 degrees & I 'realized' how quiet it actually was. It was great!! I felt the presence of the Lord & was truly thankful that He speaks to us in a still & quiet voice. To be honest, I love to see Him manifested in powerful ways such as people being healed, or amazing miracles where He spares peoples lives in ways that point to Him in undeniable interaction. But He is so wonderful & able to communicate with us in a quiet & still way as well. There's a time to be loud & boisterous and there is a time to be quiet.

Praise Him For My Family

It's early in the morning and the sun should be coming up pretty soon. I was thinking about how good God is and I really appreciate the idea He came up with about "family." I love my wife and boys so much. Earlier this morning I fixed some coffee, eggs and toast for Susan as she had to be in early because it's 'truck day.' Last night Ben called me back from Chicago and talked a few minutes. Josh is still resting and he will be helping me out today with some things. I'm so glad he is home from college as he does so many things around here. The cats are settled down, the bird is quiet, and the dogs have had their breakfast and 'done their morning business' outside. I know all this may sound simple and maybe rather mundane, but as my older dog lays next to me on the floor as I type this note of praise to the Lord considering such a great family He has provided for me, I really, really, really bless His name He loves me so much as to come up with the idea of FAMILY. After all, I'm also part of His family because of what Jesus has done.

Praising & Worshipping Together

Wow, what a day. I know some people call Sunday the Lord's Day and may have a temptation to treat every other day as a 'regular' day. I believe that every day belongs to the Lord. It is appropriate to praise and worship Him every single day! However, what is really special to me about Sundays is that this is one time when we can get together with our brothers and sisters to actually praise and worship the LORD together at one time (the same time) and in one place (the same place). It's no wonder the Word of God instructs us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together and even more so as we see the day approaching. Blessed by the Name of the Lord!!

The God Who Is There

As I was thinking about the greatness of God today, I was reminded of one of the redemptive names that He has revealed to us, Jehovah-Shammah (Yahweh-Shammah). This name means "the God Who is There." This is of great comfort to me since my "there" has included several different states in the US, as well as Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Mexico & Canada. During my first 12 years of school, I was in about 14 different schools & I have lived at many more addresses with different families while growing up. What a comfort to know that God was always there, no matter where I was. On top of this, I have the promise from Jesus that He will NEVER leave me or forsake me. Blessed be the Name of the LORD!!

Praise Him for Who He Is

I praise the Lord everyday that He is Who He is. Sometimes I can get wrapped up in the things He has done for me and through me. I think about the times He had provided for me and protected me. I think about the times He has healed me and how He keeps me. I think about the fact that He sent His Son to die for me so I was able to be a new creation & transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Everything that I know about Him causes me to trust Him for what I don't understand, see, or know. But the bottom line is I really praise Him for Who He is. Even if He never provided anything for me, He would still be Almighty God, the covenant keeping God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob!! So praise be to the LORD God of Israel forever & ever!!

Someone Is Praying For You

I praise the Lord every day for His caring, provision and His prompting others to pray for me. You never know who is praying for you. This is clear to me in two examples from my own life. One time when I was in college I received a letter from a family I stayed with while I was growing up. I was told that their youngest son prayed for me by name every night before he goes to bed and he was only a baby when I lived with the family. I also found out recently that someone that I had worked with in the late 70s who wasn't even a Christian at the time we worked together had later become a Christian, was now a minister and had been praying for me for several years. That's amazing to me - one person was a baby and the other wasn't a believer at time I was with them and things changed to the point they were sensitive to Good's leading to pray for me.

Angels

I remember driving home one winter with my wife on a snowy night when the weather took a turn for the worse. Right after we had passed a van on the side of the road, our car started to skid and we ended up off the right side of the road with the car's nose down in a ditch and the car's tail end facing in the direction we were going. A couple of minutes later the lights on the van came on and it came up to where we were. I walked over a talked to the driver who asked if I had a chain & I said I didn't. He produced a chain and asked me if I knew where to connect it to my car so he could pull me back on the road. Since I had no idea where to connect the chain, he did it for me. He proceeded to pull our car back up unto the road. I spoke with him a couple of minutes and asked him why he was sitting by the side of the road since he had already told me that he had no problems, and wasn't checking a map, etc. He unhooked the chain from my car and said he was just waiting. I tried to offer him some money to say thank you, but he refused. By the time we had turned our car around, he was gone. My wife and I took the next exit and stayed at a hotel and continued home the next day. To this day I thank the Lord and wonder if an angel was dispatched just for my wife and me.

Praise Him for His Protection

I remember a time in Japan when I was taking a 2-mile-run during one of our PT times. I was running on base on a route that was laid out on the roads instead of in a gym. I was in the last quarter mile of my run and had just started to pick up my pace and lengthen my stride when all of a sudden I just started running in place. It was one of the most awkward things I have ever done in my life. It was as if I had run into some type of barrier & I could not go forward any more. A brief second later a car that I never saw raced in front of me near an intersection. A couple of seconds later I was able to go forward again & I realized that the Lord had once again spared me at least from serious injury or even possibly had saved my life. Needless to say, the last quarter mile of my run I was singing the praises of God. I still praise Him for His goodness and protection!!

Praise Him for His Protection

While I was in the Army Band in Japan in the late 70s, there was one summer when I used to bike back & forth between bases. I had a 15 speed 27" bike & was easily able to travel as fast as the flow of traffic. I remember one time when I was riding back to Camp Zama when it was raining lightly. I wasn't thinking so much about my ability to stop quickly & was traveling with the flow of traffic at about 35 - 40 mph when all of a sudden a car in he lane in front of me turned on it's left turn signal & turned into a driveway. I remember slamming on my brakes to no avail, trying to turn left away from the car when all of a sudden I found myself standing on a sidewalk on the other side of a low guardrail & I watched my bike go flying under the car that had turned in front of me. Without thinking I took a few steps forward, went to my hands & knees & reached under the car to pull my bike out. I reassured the driver that I was OK and examined myself & my bike finding only a scratched up left pedal as evidence of the accident. Needless to say, I rode that last few miles back to the base very slowly and singing the praises of God for his protection.

Praise Him for His Protection

I remember the only motorcycle accident I have been in very clearly. It was the late 70s when I was in the Army serving in Japan & I was a passenger without a helmet. A friend had picked me up between two military bases and on our way home we found ourselves coming head-on with a car on a one lane road. The driver of the bike hit his brakes and the bike went down. He flew over the handlebars & I ended up flying over his shoulders and rolling some distance ending up on my back under the front bumper of the oncoming car. We shook ourselves off and insured the driver of the car (as best we could) that all OK. That night I noted my right shoe was beat up pretty bad as my leg had temporarily been caught under the bike. The next morning's visit to the hospital revealed no problems as all X-rays were clear and I was uninjured. Praise the Lord for His protection!!

Praise Him for Healing

I remember once when I was in the Army Band in Japan and playing on the unit's basketball team that I was blinded after having had someone stick their finger in my eye. I couldn't see any light or anything. I prayed about it that night and went to bed. The next morning I could see clearly as though nothing had happened. Since there was obvious evidence that something had happened (a bruised eye that was very red and a scab on my eyelid) I went for medical exam & treatment. The doctor who treated me said he didn't believe in healing after I told them I had prayed and he referred me out to a retinal specialist. When I was cleared by the specialist & sent back to the first doctor & was tested again, my vision in the previously blinded eye had continued to improve! Though he said that the eye is an amazing thing that could get better after injury, he wasn't willing to say that it was normal to have such improved vision after having been blinded. The retinal specialist however did believe I had been healed and said he had seen similar things when others had reported they had prayed in the past.

When words will not do

There is a difficulty in trying to express that which is inexpressible. Sometimes when I try to actually put into words how great the Lord is or try to express my love for Him, I find that words fail to fully express my heart or fail to describe how great He really is. At times like these I may pour out my heart through music, specifically by playing my trumpet or flugelhorn or composing some musical arrangement. May you also find new ways of expressing your adoration to the King of Kings & Lord of Lords!

He watches over us

I have recently reconnected in Facebook with some of the people I worked with while I was in the 296th Army Band at Camp Zama, Japan and it brought back some memories. To me the most amazing was how the Lord watched over me while I was in Japan. I remember two times in particular when He saved my life and another time when I was healed overnight after I had been blinded in a basketball game. This caused to realize that He has blessed me and watched over me more than I will ever know. How great is God that He has blessed us so much that we can't even remember it all!!

New Mercy & Faithfulness

What another great day to praise the Lord! His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is mind-blowing. When I consider that the One who knows everything about me including all of my shortcomings; things I have done; and other things that I hope no one will ever find out about - it is awesome to know that He is still faithful and that His mercy covers all of my sins. I am no longer what I once was and I am now a new creation in Christ Jesus!!

He's Always There

Praise the Lord! It's another day that I have to praise the Lord. I was reflecting this morning on the times I was in the Army, been in other countries, been in several states, and the many families that I lived with while growing up. I thought about the various jobs and experiences that I have had. The one thing everything had in common was that the Lord was always with me. He is truly faithful and has never left me. You can surely put your trust in Him. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Praise Him for the daily things

Sometimes when I am contemplating the greatness of our awesome God I tend to focus on supernatural or powerful aspects of His nature, but this morning I was interacting with my wife as she was preparing for a trip, I realized that the greatness of God's love for me in that He has provided me with a wife and two sons. So this morning I praise the Lord not only for who He is and what He does in mighty ways, but also for the everyday things that I sometimes so easily take for granted. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Zamar for life

One of the many Hebrew words for praise in the Bible is the word ZAMAR. Zamar connotes the idea of playing a musical instrument, or literally 'to touch' or 'pluck', 'to touch the strings'. Of all of the ways to praise the Lord, one of the most significant and beautiful is by playing a musical instrument. Sometimes this may be to accompany singers and at other times just by playing unto the Lord without anyone singing at all. Since I am an instrumental musician, I do plan on playing unto the Lord for the rest of my life.

God of Abraham, Issac & Jacob

I have started this blog to glorify the Lord God of heaven, referred to in the Bible as the God of Abraham, Isaac an Jacob. There are many names attributed to Him that reveal His nature and His interaction with all that He has created. Everything that I have seen and everything that I have known teaches me to trust Him more and more and to trust without any reservation.