A Great Cloud

Last night some friends and I went to a hockey game.  Our local team the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were playing the St. John's Ice-Caps.  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton ,or baby Pens, as they are often called are the minor league affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

From the opening face-off the game was pretty intense.  What hockey game is not?

The Ice-Caps play an aggressive style of hockey and i was not sure the Pens could match it.  Why?  I have been to a few of their games and sometimes their style of play is not such.  They to my suprise matched the intensity and the first period was exciting.  I had no hopes that they could keep it up.  Boy was I wrong!  With the first period ending in a 1-1 score, the crowd was on the edge of their seats.  

Could we expect more of the same in the second period?  Tune in to find out.

Less than a minute into the second period the Pens scored to take a 2-1 lead.  The crowd goes wild.  On the screen above us a noise meter was displayed encouraging the hometown fans to make some noise.  They did, believe me.  The stadium began to shake from it all.  With the crowd firmly behind them and the score in their favor, the Pens picked up the pace offensively and defensively.   

As i take all of this in, Hebrews 12:1 came into my mind.  It says "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, and run with endurance the race that is set before us."

From the seats next to the ice to the seats up near the rafters, all were involved in the game.  Not one person either a WBS fan or a STJ fan, was sitting idle.

That is what I get from Hebrews 12:1.  No one in that great cloud of heavenly saints is sitting idle as we here are living our daily lives as children of God.  Think about this for a moment.  

Adam, Eve, Moses, Abraham, Enoch, Noah, Job, Jonah, Daniel, David, Jonathan, Saul, Asa, Joshua, Mariam, Anna, Sarah, Deborah, Gideon, Samson, Ezekiel, Caleb, Benjamin, Joseph, Hannah, Samuel, Nathan, Peter, James, Mary, Mark, Lydia, the prison jailer, Titus, Philemon, Timothy, Priscilla, Aquila, even those who are unnamed, and so many other's are up in heaven rooting for us to endure the trials of daily living but for a little longer.  

Although the game was 5-1 in the second period, it was not over.  The crowd was letting the home team know they are with them and if they can only endure the last 20+ minutes of the game then the desired results will be in their grasps.  VICTORY!!!!

That too is our goal as followers of Jesus Christ, victory.  We have the victory because of the Cross of Calvary, but we are not at the end of our race (our lives).  Work still needs to be done.  Souls needed to be added daily to the kingdom of heaven.  That great cloud of witness is our crowd shouting and screaming and stomping their feet for our benefit.  We cannot see them, but the Word of God tells us they are there.  Who amongst us cannot find that extra mojo to keep going?  Sure, we get tired and frustrated at the constant attacks of the enemy.  At times is seems as if the enemy will overcome us and we will stumble along the way but, but, but " be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33b).  Victory is assured.

In our physical exsistence we cannot have that kind of assurance all the time.  Life has too many variables. However, spritually, we can.  There is only One and His name is Jesus.

I leave you with this from Matthew 24:13 " But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

We know the outcome of our faith.  It has been foretold in centuries past.

The Penguins did not know the outcome of their efforts until the final horn sounded.

When we as born again believers of Christ hear that final trumpet then our victory will be complete.

God bless.

 

Whenever I am afraid, 

I will trust in You.

In God (I will praise His word,

In God I have put my trust;

I will not fear.

What can flesh do to me?

In God (I will praise His word),

In the LORD (I will praise His word).

In God I have put my trust;

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

Psalm 56: 3-4, 10-11

How Did You Do It?

"Good morning."

"Good morning." I replied.

"Where are you headed?"

"Home."  I said.

"Home!"  He said with great emphasis as he spread his hands out before himself.  

There on the ground between us lay 3 clear garbage bags and two folding lounge chairs. 

"This is my home."  

(Prior to meeting this young man, I had been out walking for almost two hours, trying to get an errand done.  My mood was none-the-less unpleasant.)

His words received my full attention.  I turned to face him squarely and listen to his story.  

"As you can see I am homeless."

"Yes.  I was there myself some time ago."

"My name is Smoky."

"Hello Smoky.  My name is Darryl."

Smoky, details his life from the previous seven years.  Because of the subject matter and those involved, I will not repeat portions of his story.  However, I will tell you, I walked away weeping.

"I'm from this area (northeast Pennsylvania).  I have family here.  My mother stays right over there. So I am not totally alone."

"So why not stay with your family?"

"Truthfully I can.  IF I wanted to.  But I don't.  My mother has done so much for me these past few years and I do not want to burden her."  

Smoky's honesty is refreshing.  Usually when I talk to someone homeless I get a laundry list of wrongs against them, perpetrated by family members.  Smoky however lays the blame at his own feet.

I can see him getting antsy, so I tell him a short form version of my story.

"I myself was homeless for two years.  I slept in abandoned buildings, on park benches, wherever I could find a place to lay my head.  Or was allowed to."

Smoky looks at me and shakes his head.

"Two years?"

"Yes, for two years."

"How did you do it?  It's only been a couple of months for me."

"The grace of God and much prayer."

"I pray and it does help."

"The situation was not easy but God helped me get through it and now I am doing good."

"I know I am going to get through this, because I have a plan.  The uncertainty is difficult to deal with.  But I trust God."  

At this point another gentleman joins us and he suspiciously looks at me as Smoky and I finish our conversation.  He too is homeless.  

"The hardest part is there are no places for the homeless people to goto.  There are no shelters, or housing or anything.  We are on our own."  

How well do I know it.  People see the homeless and assume the worst.  Drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc.  Whatever their mind conjurs us must be the reason for their current predicament.  Not always true.  Economic reasons like loss of a job, downturn in the housing market, unforseen medical emergency, death of a loved one, etc.  The list goes on and on.  

Before departing I pray and we encourage one another.  

As I stand on the corner waiting for traffic to pass by I think to myself  "How did I make it?"

Easy answer.  The faithfulness of a God whom I never really knew in that dark season in my life.  

God says in His word "I will never leave you nor forsake you.  I am with you always."

Promises. Promises. Promises.

Until I rededicated my life to God and began to read His word, those promises were unknown to me. 

Yet, through it all He remained by my side. 

A million what-if's can pass in my mind but there is never a doubt God will always be ther for me.

Seasons come and seasons go. But God never changes.

God bless

Be Still, My Soul--4

"From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I."  Psalm 61:2

Abraham.  Moses.  Joshua.  Elijah.  Deborah.  Anna.  Simon.  Priscilla.  Lazarus.  On and on and on. 

Many throughout the scriptures have suffered for the faith and have experienced great hardships.

The name of Jesus was forbidden.  He was nailed to a cross and died and was buried.  End of story.

Maybe their story, those who did not believe.

He was nailed to a cross and died and was buried.  But three days later He arose from the grave.

The story continues, for those who believed.

God promises is His word to never leave us or forsake us.  This especially so during our trials and tribulations as believers and messengers of the gospel message of salvation.  

For the past few days I have had the pleasure of talking to someone about Jesus and what His salvation is and means.  The young lady with whom I am talking was near tears, well she actually cried, when I told her "death is the end of any chance we have to make a decision for Christ.  After that we are judged."

Silence filled the time and her look told me she was not happy with what I said.  In my spirit I was screaming "now is the accepted time."  However, I did not want to push.  I often want them to say yes and be done with it.  Too often I get questions and what if's, but few decisions for eternal salvation.

Frustration sets in and I have to quiet my soul because the work is not being done by me  or in me.  The Holy Spirit is at work in that person and I need to step out of the way.

"Pray" says the voice inside me.  I obey and have not stopped yet.  

My mind recalls the middle portion of the first verse of "Be Still, My Soul"

Leave to the God to order and provide

In every change He faithful will remain

Be still, my soul

Peace, followed by repentance guide my heart's desire.  Thy will be done LORD not mine.

Trust in the Lord.

Trust in His Word.

Pray without ceasing.

God bless.

Be Still, My Soul--3

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."      John 14:27 (Jesus speaking)

Allow me to go forward by going backwards.  

God was always a part of my life seeing as how my mother was always praying for me.  I as a child and a young adult, had very little time for God.

I will not get into my early, pre-salvation life, 'tis very boring.  

One day I was at the end of my rope and the walls were closing in.  I was a very angry and frustrated teen.  Why?  That answer eludes me still to this day.  Although our eternal enemy may have had a hand in it.  

For many years my mother quoted this scripture to me from First Chronicles 28:9 "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and a willing mind: for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if you forsake Him, He will cast thee off forever."

Laying on my bed one night after another fitfull and trying day, tears streaming down my face I cried out to this God in whom I never truly had time for.  Here is what I said.

"God, if You are real and You can hear me, tell me why am I so angry all the time?

Why don't I have peace?  Please God take away this anger and give me peace."

I fell asleep soon after not entirely sure if that prayer would be answered.  

Much like David said to Solomon, and my mother to me, seeking after God was my only means to finding peace and not being cast off forever.

The following morning i awakened to the inner peace I had soooooo long sought after, but never knew existed.  That was when God became real to me.  My soul had been quieted.  

V.1 Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side; bear patiently the cross of grief and pain

      leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change He faithful will remain. 

      Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly friend thro' thorny ways leads to a joyful end.   

My soul does rest in the Lord.  That first verse speaks of a life as a child of the King.  Before I knew Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I did not know how faithful He was and could be.  But now!  I see His faithfulness everyday.  Let me end with this verse from the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 11:28 "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

If you want peace, go to the Peacemaker

If you want healing, go to the Healer

If you want joy, go to the One who can take away your sorrows

If you are weary, go to the One who can give you strength

Come to the Cross of Calvary

It is there where YOU will find an all-sufficient God who can meet all of YOUR needs

Come humbly, come crying, come bowed down, come in need, come empty, come burdened.  

Just come.

Jesus is there to greet you with arms wide open.

God bless.

 

Be Still, My Soul--2

One day while looking for something to do I turned on the radio and listened to the announcer as he finished a short on the life of Eric Liddell.  Forgive me because the name did not ring an immediate bell. 

In closing, the radio personality mentioned the movie Chariots of Fire, then recognition set in.

This dummy (me), pulled up on his smart phone the wikipedia on Eric Liddell.  Several minutes and a few tears later I had finished the miniture byline on Eric Henry Liddell.  I was speechless.  

His life was one of total devotion and commitment to his God.  His death, if i may say, started me on this present journey. 

(Please bear with me as I try to put my thoughts down.  I am feeling the emotions of the moment.)

Eric Liddell was in a Japanese internment camp when he died.  Mr. Liddell died of a brain tumor.  

Hours before he passed over into glory, he passed a note to a nurse in the hospital to pass along to the band playing outside in the yard.  Eric Liddell requested that they play the song Be Still, My Soul.

Having never heard of it, i pulled my hymnal and suprise, suprise it was there listed, at #16.  All of you will notice that as the opening post to this series of blogs i am working on now. 

Between 3-4 hours after the playing of this song Eric Henry Liddell slipped into a coma and passed away.  He was 43 years old.  From that moment on i have been on a mission to find a more comprehensive book on his life.  

As i read the scriptures i notice that once a person surrenders their life to God and commit to doing His will, an unshakeable peace fills them.  More often than not, our enemy Satan comes along during our weak seasons and brings with him turmoil and unrest.  During those times we can draw strength from the One who lives within us, knows us and cares for us and find peace and rest from all of our circumstances.  

Eric Liddell may or may not have known he was about to die.  But despite the conditions in which he found himself in and the harsh realities of life at that moment, he still knew whom his God was and  

found peace.

God bless.

Be Still, My Soul--1

For the past several weeks I have been reading books on followers of Jesus Christ whose personal testimonies have made quite profound statements.

Not just their words, but their actions and how they lived.  

An example I can give is Jim Elliot.  Jim Elliot was one of five missionaries killed by the Auca indians in the 1950's.  It was his testimony that inspired me to look into the lives of others who have died or been persecuted for their faith.  Prior to that, the only exsposure i have had was the men and women in the bible itself.  

Now, I am in pursuit of books that will open my eyes to the stories of Amy Carmichael, Corrie Ten Boom, Hudson Taylor and others who comprise the modern day "Hall of Heroes".  

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was another man of faith who gave his life to push forward the cause of God without regard for his own life.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, was a German theologian, who faught the Nazi regime and their designs of a government run church, at first.  Bonhoeffer also saw where this path was going.  First a government controlled church, next total governemt control of the people and its industries.  Mr. Bonhoeffer, later realized that he must be more proactive in his opposition to Hitler and his ideals.

Acts 8:1 Now Saul was consenting to his death (Stephen).  At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Great trials and tribulations caused the early church to go out into other areas and share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Looking at the history of the Christianity, persecutions have been hand-in-hand with the message.  Still today we as the church, collectively, and born again believers, individually, face daily attacks.  

My point is this.  I have neglected this part of...how can i say this?  The continuing story of church history (i tried).  These men and women have displayed a resolve that is not seen in many followers today.  I am not saying it is not there in today's Christians but their stories are very compelling to me and I want to know them better.

I sense that an area of my faith will be touched by the stories i read AND, AND I will be greatly encouraged to be more bold in my faith and in my commitment to the MOST HIGH GOD.  

What a wonderful journey i am about to embark on.

God bless