Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Thanks
I don't know if in the blog world over 2,000 page views is a big deal, but for me that is pretty crazy. Since I started Blogging again in October I have hit the 2,000 mark a few days ago. I don't see myself as a good writer. I am pretty much not a good writer. I can preach, teach and talk all day. But thank you to those who are reading this stuff. I would say it is only my family but apparently there are people in other countries reading this. So a big thanks, it gives me something to do. If this blog has encouraged you at all I would love to hear from you. My email is crazyeaches@gmail.com It encourages me to see that people read my blog. I am just a normal guy trying to do the next right thing! Trying to live me like Jesus and less like me!
Keep walking, Peaches
Restored not destroyed
There is times in my life that I feel that I have screwed up so bad that God will never forgive me or that He will never be able to use me again. Growing up I was taught at an early age that there are certain sins that you just never do. And in my mind I thought that if I commit those sins God will not love me. So I have pretty much committed all of "those sins" in my life. Since I am a big sinner and have committed the "big sins" I have been deemed by some as a looser, unfaithful to the Lord, and you name it I have been called that. I was just the other day thinking that man I got divorced and that's a pretty "Big sin" so I must be in trouble.
Well there is good news for me and other people like me. It's called the GRACE of God!! I could just stop witting now, because that is what it is all about, GRACE! But I am going to continue. A few years ago a friend of mine came to my house and gave me a verse to hold onto. I had forgotten about this verse until the other day. It is found in the book of Joel.
Joel 2:25
25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
God will restore me! That is great news. I come to Him confess and repent and I am like new to Him. He unlike me forgets my sin! As you look at the old testament all most all of the great men and women of the Bible screwed up, but God still used them. In the New Testament Peter denied, yes denied Christ three times. But God restored him and He was an important piece for the new Church as you read through the book of Acts. There is no losers in the family of God. There are no second rate Christians. God takes our failers and turns them into victories! And when it comes to sin, sin is sin. We classify sin. We have big sins and small sins. But in God's eyes sin is sin. So has Charlie Daniels says, "Lets make this day count!" Paul tells us to stop looking back and look forward and keep walking!
Well there is good news for me and other people like me. It's called the GRACE of God!! I could just stop witting now, because that is what it is all about, GRACE! But I am going to continue. A few years ago a friend of mine came to my house and gave me a verse to hold onto. I had forgotten about this verse until the other day. It is found in the book of Joel.
Joel 2:25
25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
God will restore me! That is great news. I come to Him confess and repent and I am like new to Him. He unlike me forgets my sin! As you look at the old testament all most all of the great men and women of the Bible screwed up, but God still used them. In the New Testament Peter denied, yes denied Christ three times. But God restored him and He was an important piece for the new Church as you read through the book of Acts. There is no losers in the family of God. There are no second rate Christians. God takes our failers and turns them into victories! And when it comes to sin, sin is sin. We classify sin. We have big sins and small sins. But in God's eyes sin is sin. So has Charlie Daniels says, "Lets make this day count!" Paul tells us to stop looking back and look forward and keep walking!
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Am I willing to stay?
Have you ever gone to a church service where you feel it was all geared toward you? Not that the pastor or the music leader did it on purpose, that God geared the music and the message for you. Well that happened to me today. The Second Hymn of the day:
"Precious Lord, Take My Hand"
"Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, help me stand I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, Thru the storm, thru the night, lead me on to the light Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home."
"When my way grows drear, precious Lord, Linger near When my life is almost gone Hear my cry, Hear my call, hold my hand lest I fall Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me Home"
Talk about a song that I feel like I am living right now! And all the songs had that theme but that one hit me the most. In the sermon the question was asked am I willing to go where the Lord wants me? For me the question is more like am I willing to stay where the Lord wants me? And I never have looked at it that way before. I have heard sermon's like this before and of course Isiah 6:8 was read. The Lord asked Isaiah whom shall I send and Isaiah answered send me. My pastor all so talked about Jonah. And yes Johan was asked to go. He did not want to go and then He was forced to go.
For me the question is am I willing to stay. I came back to Ames to see my kids more. That is not working out so well. So I want to just leave. It has not been easy being here. My health has taken a dive and I have been really lonely. So today loud and clear I heard God ask me, Are you willing to stay in Ames and serve me. And today the answer is yes. I don't know what I am suppose to do here. I don't even know what my purpose in life is any more. But yes Lord use me I am willing!
"Precious Lord, Take My Hand"
"Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, help me stand I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, Thru the storm, thru the night, lead me on to the light Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home."
"When my way grows drear, precious Lord, Linger near When my life is almost gone Hear my cry, Hear my call, hold my hand lest I fall Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me Home"
Talk about a song that I feel like I am living right now! And all the songs had that theme but that one hit me the most. In the sermon the question was asked am I willing to go where the Lord wants me? For me the question is more like am I willing to stay where the Lord wants me? And I never have looked at it that way before. I have heard sermon's like this before and of course Isiah 6:8 was read. The Lord asked Isaiah whom shall I send and Isaiah answered send me. My pastor all so talked about Jonah. And yes Johan was asked to go. He did not want to go and then He was forced to go.
For me the question is am I willing to stay. I came back to Ames to see my kids more. That is not working out so well. So I want to just leave. It has not been easy being here. My health has taken a dive and I have been really lonely. So today loud and clear I heard God ask me, Are you willing to stay in Ames and serve me. And today the answer is yes. I don't know what I am suppose to do here. I don't even know what my purpose in life is any more. But yes Lord use me I am willing!
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Discipline
Suffering can come in different ways. Some suffering is caused by our own stupid actions and sins. Like for me when I went through my divorce. I caused it, but it still hurt and was painful. When I was still drinking I cause a lot of health issues, though I caused it, it was still painful. So when I sin I have consequences to those sins. The bible tells us once we ask for forgiveness God forgives us, but that does not mean the consequences of our sin goes away. Because of my poor choices and sins I am still struggling through the consequences of it. I cant see my kids. That is a huge and hurtful one. But what I tend to do is to forget to lean on Jesus. I might never get to do what I love to do again, but maybe I will. God is a good Father and He disciplines those whom He loves. Not to be a mean and hurtful Father, but a loving Father that uses these things in our lives to bring us back to Him. Pastor Tom Nessbitt use to say that if you don't ever get disciplined by God you might not be one of His. I think the passage below really explains it well! One warning, it would be easy to think that because you are sick or going through something is a result of discipline. Well that is not the case. Sometimes we are sick because we are just sick. God is allowing it in our lives. Or we are going through a tough time because we are just going through a tough time. And God uses those things to mold us and make us better because of it. We usually in our hearts know the difference. Because only us know if we have been sinning which we need discipline for or we have not.
Hebrews 12
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
Hebrews 12
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Encourgment in Suffering
Had my CAT scan on Tuesday. The cat scan showed a hematoma in my groin. And I have some bruised ribs. I see the Doctor this upcoming Tuesday to see what they want to do with the hematoma. I am still in lots of pain. I am getting tired of being hurt and sick. Today I looked up some quotes and bible verses on the topic of pain and suffering. It helps me change my attitude when I read quotes from people who have gone through pain and suffering. And of course I get encouragement from reading the Bible. Maybe you are going through something in your life. If so I hope this can encourage you today!
I am not a theologian or a scholar, but I am very aware of the fact that pain is necessary to all of us. In my own life, I think I can honestly say that out of the deepest pain has come the strongest conviction of the presence of God and the love of God. ~ Elizabeth Elliot
God never allows pain without a purpose in the lives of His children. He never allows Satan, nor circumstances, nor any ill-intending person to afflict us unless He uses that affliction for our good. God never wastes pain. He always causes it to work together for our ultimate good, the good of conforming us more to the likeness of His Son (see Romans 8:28-29). ~ Jerry Bridges
I am certain that I never did grow in grace one-half so much anywhere as I have upon the bed of pain. ~ Charles Spurgeon
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world. C.S. Lewis
God intentionally allows you to go through painful experiences to equip you for ministry to others. Rick Warren
We must never minimize the suffering of another. Scripture’s mandate to us is, “Weep with them that weep.” (Romans 12:15, KJV) Billy Graham
The greatest Christians in history seem to say that their sufferings ended up bringing them the closest to God – so this is the best thing that could happen, not the worst. Peter Kreeft
Don’t give up because the pain is intense right now. Get on with it, and before long you will find that you have a new vision and a new purpose. Stuart Singer
I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us. He does nothing in vain. John Henry Newman
On a wall in his bedroom Charles Spurgeon had a plaque with Isaiah 48:10 on it: “I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” “It is no mean thing to be chosen of God,” he wrote. “God’s choice makes chosen men choice men…We are chosen, not in the palace, but in the furnace. In the furnace, beauty is marred, fashion is destroyed, strength is melted, glory is consumed; yet here eternal love reveals its secrets, and declares its choice. W. Wiersbe
Whenever you meet someone who has really suffered; been limited, gone through things for the Lord, willing to be imprisoned by the Lord, just being satisfied with Him and nothing else, immediately you scent the fragrance. There is a savor of the Lord. Something has been crushed, something has been broken, and there is a resulting odor of sweetness. Watchman Nee2 Corinthians 1:3-7 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
Romans 8:28-29 ESV
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Romans 5:3-5 ESV /
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Isaiah 43:2 ESV
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Psalm 34:19 ESV
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
I am not a theologian or a scholar, but I am very aware of the fact that pain is necessary to all of us. In my own life, I think I can honestly say that out of the deepest pain has come the strongest conviction of the presence of God and the love of God. ~ Elizabeth Elliot
God never allows pain without a purpose in the lives of His children. He never allows Satan, nor circumstances, nor any ill-intending person to afflict us unless He uses that affliction for our good. God never wastes pain. He always causes it to work together for our ultimate good, the good of conforming us more to the likeness of His Son (see Romans 8:28-29). ~ Jerry Bridges
I am certain that I never did grow in grace one-half so much anywhere as I have upon the bed of pain. ~ Charles Spurgeon
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world. C.S. Lewis
God intentionally allows you to go through painful experiences to equip you for ministry to others. Rick Warren
We must never minimize the suffering of another. Scripture’s mandate to us is, “Weep with them that weep.” (Romans 12:15, KJV) Billy Graham
The greatest Christians in history seem to say that their sufferings ended up bringing them the closest to God – so this is the best thing that could happen, not the worst. Peter Kreeft
Don’t give up because the pain is intense right now. Get on with it, and before long you will find that you have a new vision and a new purpose. Stuart Singer
I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us. He does nothing in vain. John Henry Newman
On a wall in his bedroom Charles Spurgeon had a plaque with Isaiah 48:10 on it: “I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” “It is no mean thing to be chosen of God,” he wrote. “God’s choice makes chosen men choice men…We are chosen, not in the palace, but in the furnace. In the furnace, beauty is marred, fashion is destroyed, strength is melted, glory is consumed; yet here eternal love reveals its secrets, and declares its choice. W. Wiersbe
Whenever you meet someone who has really suffered; been limited, gone through things for the Lord, willing to be imprisoned by the Lord, just being satisfied with Him and nothing else, immediately you scent the fragrance. There is a savor of the Lord. Something has been crushed, something has been broken, and there is a resulting odor of sweetness. Watchman Nee2 Corinthians 1:3-7 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
Romans 8:28-29 ESV
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Romans 5:3-5 ESV /
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Isaiah 43:2 ESV
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Psalm 34:19 ESV
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Monday, March 10, 2014
God allows
I try to write in my blog every day, but as you can see that does not always happen. I have been sick for most of my life. You kind of get use to your normal sickness that occusrs. But its those times that are not my normal sickness I get a little scared and frustrated. I don't know how many people that read this blog have struggled with there health much. It gets frustrating being known as the sick person. The scariest thing when dealing with your health is when you hurt and all these other things going on and they don't know what it is. The doctor knows something is wrong he just does not know what it is. Being type one diabetic does not help, when you get sick every one thinks its because you are not doing what you are suppose to do. Some times I do the best I can do and I still get sick. This time I went sledding and got hurt. And when you have something hurt in your body your blood sugars go crazy. I have been basically in bed for a week and a half with pain from my ribs and down. I don't feel like I have much to say the last week or even today.
Since I fight sickness a lot good meaning people try to tell my why I am going through this. I even get told that I don't have enough faith. In the Bible Job went through having his friends try to be wise and tell him whey he was going through his stuff. It must be sin, it must be this or that. Well God is God and he allows certain things to happen in our lives. Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 asks God to remove his thrown in the flesh, he asked three times for it to be removed. God said in response my grace is sufficient when you are weak I am strong.
So this last two weeks or so have been hard. The pain is not going away. I usually don't get scared but I am scared. Unsure what is going on. But I don't believe that God is mad at me or has forsaken me. He is with me and for some reason is allowing me to go through this. I am a normal guy no one special, but what ever I do I want God to have glory. I am sure I will be fine and in a couple of months down the road do something stupid again and hurt myself! But whatever I find out tomorrow may God be glorified!
Since I fight sickness a lot good meaning people try to tell my why I am going through this. I even get told that I don't have enough faith. In the Bible Job went through having his friends try to be wise and tell him whey he was going through his stuff. It must be sin, it must be this or that. Well God is God and he allows certain things to happen in our lives. Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 asks God to remove his thrown in the flesh, he asked three times for it to be removed. God said in response my grace is sufficient when you are weak I am strong.
So this last two weeks or so have been hard. The pain is not going away. I usually don't get scared but I am scared. Unsure what is going on. But I don't believe that God is mad at me or has forsaken me. He is with me and for some reason is allowing me to go through this. I am a normal guy no one special, but what ever I do I want God to have glory. I am sure I will be fine and in a couple of months down the road do something stupid again and hurt myself! But whatever I find out tomorrow may God be glorified!
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Praising God in Suffering
You would think as much as I have been sick in my life I would be use to it. But I still hate being sick. And I am not patient and it all ways takes longer to get better than I would like. Went to my regular doctor yesterday. So I told her about my pulled growing muscle and she agreed that is what it is. I was worried I did something to my hernia again. But it's just a pulled muscle but it really hurts. I don't know why God allows me to get hurt and sick so much but I am sure it is to teach me something. Having type one diabetes is a every day battle. And when I am hurt sugars go up. I have been thinking about what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12. He asked God to take away his thorn in the flesh and God said His grace is sufficient. Paul says when we are weak He is strong.
Days like this I get frustrated and wish I did not have so much crap to deal with. I have type one diabetes, major depression, complications with my stomach due to diabetes and on top of all that I have alcoholism. Today I tried to do a few things and the pain was to much so I had to lay down. It is easy for me to feel sorry for my self. I am bored today and I start thinking no one has visited me no one cares, poor me. That is a BAD attitude. I need to have the attitude of Paul. This thing might last a couple more days so I am going to choose to rest in Him and try to choose joy!
I am going to keep walking
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