The War Unseen

We strive and wage a war unseen

And through this fight we long to glean

A bit of hope for which we brave

This silent evil whose lies enslave

With cuts and groans and tired hands

We grasp our sword and take our stand

A battle cry we shout the name

Whom others fear and hide in shame

 We shout again and plunge our sword

 A deadly blow to this unholy horde

This mighty name which rights all wrong

 Is uttered now, with love, in song

A melody so rich, so deep

We fall face down and begin to weep

This name that brought such swift defeat

Brings healing now in song so sweet

It rises up and fills the skies

And others hear and turn their eyes

To gaze upon a Father’s face

Full of love, of peace, and grace

For we used to be like those we fight

Until our hearts beheld the light

And from our eyes the scales fell

We drank in deep His living well

 And now to be like Him, whose name

Our dying breath we will proclaim.

"Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire"

Sometimes the thing that I want to say is already eloquently expressed in a beautiful hymn.  Enjoy.

"Prayer is the soul's sincere desire.

Unuttered or expressed,

The motion of a hidden fire

That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,

The falling of a tear,

The upward glancing of an eye,

When none but God is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech

That infant lips can try;

Prayer the sublimest strains that reach

The Majesty on high.

Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice.

Returning from his ways,

While angels in their song rejoice

And cry, "Behold, he prays!"

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,

The Christian's native air.

His watchword at the gates of death; 

He enters heaven with prayer.

O Thou, by whom we come to God,

The Life, the Truth, the Way;

The path of prayer Thyself hast trod:

Lord, teach us how to pray!"

-James Montgomery (1771-1854)

Confessions of a Coff-a-holic

ad·dic·tion

 /əˈdɪkʃən/ Show Spelled[uh-dik-shuhn]

–noun

the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

"Hi, my name is Mike, and I'm addicted to coffee."
"Hi Mike!"

So they say that admitting you have a problem is the first step on that long road to recovery.  I admit that I didn't admit I had a problem.  But then this morning I realized that I have become just another statistic, joining the ranks of those who confess to having a chemical dependency.  


It went like this:


The time was 6a.m.  The place was a men's Bible study.  I had no reason to think anything was going to be out of the ordinary.  Everything seemed as it always did on a typical  Thursday morning.  There was the typical circle of chairs where all the men sat and discussed various topics.  There was the typical greeting from the one we call the "Facilitator."  All was calm; all was right; ALL was about to change...


As I greeted the man I will refer to as Jim(as that is his name), I was blissfully unaware of what was about to be uttered.  I smiled...and then Jim said,


"Is it ok if we don't have coffee this morning? All the coffee pots are gone."


*Cue dramatic music, with a close up to my face*


Of course this was not ok!  Why does "Jim" even think I got up at the crack of dawn?  Doesn't he know how this day is supposed to begin?  To feel that cylindrical paper cup.  To waft the aroma of a beautifully strained, black bean.  To experience the comforting warmth of a beverage so enticing, that if temptation could be tempted, this would be it's kryptonite for sure. I needed to say something.  To let this man know that he was killing happiness personified!  So with righteous anger I turned to Jim, looked him in the eye and said:


"Oh that's fine."


Hi.
I'm Mike.
And I'm addicted to coffee.

 

You sicken me

   

Other than Nathan Lane's big break, I think this commercial illustrates a great truth.   Have you ever noticed that when you feel the worst, everyone wants to have nothing to do with you?  It's true!  Maybe you have experienced a conversation like this:

"How are you?"

"Well, actually I'm feeling sick..."

"What?! (holds up fingers in the shape of an X) Don't come near me!  I don't want to catch it!"

It's interesting that upon our darkest hour of need for care and healing, our family and closest friends treat us as though we have ushered in "Black Death."  

Now to be fair I have been on the receiving end of a sneeze and have not been so gracious.  I mean no one wants to get sick.  But why is it our gut reaction is to put a bell around the neck of someone who is ill and yell, "Leper!"

Perhaps I'm looking at it the wrong way.  Maybe it's incredibly insensitive for a person to even interact with humanity when sick.  We who fall victim to disease should remain in bed enveloped by darkness until released from said anguish.  This would of course prevent outbreak.  Sure the death rate might increase, but at least those of us lucky enough to avoid "the plague" could breath fresh, uncontaminated air.  

WRONG!  

I think the issue here is consideration.  On both ends.  If we considered others above ourselves we might be courteous enough as sick people to keep distance; and as well people treat the other with some compassion.  Is this too much to ask?  Apparently.  

EPIC FAILURE!

"There is but one good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to Him and bad when it turns from Him."-C.S. Lewis

I know that I have been pretty serious  in my blogging as of late...this cannot be helped, it's a serious time.  My life is an emotional roller coaster these days and the only thing that keeps me grounded is Jesus.  This is truth.  If it was up to me, I would be curled up in the fetal position rocking back and forth.  But God is faithful.

So to the topic...


I have noticed that I have a great propensity for evil.  I am "bad to the bone."  Literally.  It's easy to say when things are going great that I "feel" like I'm a good Christian.  "Man I am a Godly guy!  I'm pretty awesome!"  


And then...


EPIC FAILURE!  Truly Epic!  I am humbled very quickly. And whether it be my attitude or my circumstances, I see myself for who I am without Christ.  It's a dark place.  We, as lovers of Jesus, can get caught up in a whirlwind of "being tossed to and fro like a wave."  


I guess I realized that the only good in me is Christ.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Gal. 2:20 

I always have the capacity to make a sinful choice, to believe a lie over truth, to judge someone.  Only God is good.  Someday I will be like Him, but till that day, I need to seek His face, and trust that He is good.

I guess a blog can be a glorified diary.  I posted on my FB music page yesterday, "When stumbling around in the dark, don't forget to turn on the light(hint: the light is God's word)."  I noticed that when I go through a particularly hard time(or day) there is much sorrow and crying out to God...but do I pick up the Bible and fill my mind and heart with truth?  NO!  How ridiculous is that?!  It's right there!  "God help me!"  I say, but do I fill myself with His word and so doing position myself to be changed by Him?  Again no.  This is a window into my "faith-o-meter."  I want God to change my heart without actually seeking Him.  Just pull up to the drive-thru and speak into the clown's face, "Yeah, I'll take some peace, and satisfaction...oh can I get a side of endurance with that?  Thanks!" 

My faith is dead if I don't act on it. I believe this is true when seeking Jesus.  Do I trust Him?   I say I do, but do I pick up The Book that is so easily accessible in our country...for which they now have an app?

I know that tough times come, and I'm not saying that I will never be in despair, or believe a lie, or fall into temptation.  But, I know that the only saving grace is God's goodness and favor in my life.  He IS good.  Hang on to Jesus friend.  Stay close to Him, even in failure! 

Chuck S.

The following is a devotional from Charles Spurgeon.  I hope it encourages you.

"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you." - joh 15:9

"As the Father loves the Son, in the same manner Jesus loves his people. What is that divine method  He loved him without beginning, and thus Jesus loves his members. "I have loved thee with an everlasting love." You can trace the beginning of human affection; you can easily find the beginning of your love to Christ, but his love to us is a stream whose source is hidden in eternity. God the Father loves Jesus without any change. Christian, take this for your comfort, that there is no change in Jesus Christ's love to those who rest in him. Yesterday you were on Tabor's top, and you said, "He loves me:" to-day you are in the valley of humiliation, but he loves you still the same. On the hill Mizar, and among the Hermons, you heard his voice, which spake so sweetly with the turtle-notes of love; and now on the sea, or even in the sea, when all his waves and billows go over you, his heart is faithful to his ancient choice. The Father loves the Son without any end, and thus does the Son love his people. Saint, thou needest not fear the loosing of the silver cord, for his love for thee will never cease. Rest confident that even down to the grave Christ will go with you, and that up again from it he will be your guide to the celestial hills. Moreover, the Father loves the Son without any measure, and the same immeasurable love the Son bestows upon his chosen ones. The whole heart of Christ is dedicated to his people. He "loved us and gave himself for us." His is a love which passeth knowledge. Ah! we have indeed an immutable Saviour, a precious Saviour, one who loves without measure, without change, without beginning, and without end, even as the Father loves him! There is much food here for those who know how to digest it. May the Holy Ghost lead us into its marrow and fatness!"

I shouldn't be writing this...

Well I should be writing an essay for a college application right now, but I am blogging instead.  It seems that the theme of my life lately(and not so lately) has been "His mercies are new every morning."  I write songs about it, I've written poems about it, I've blogged about it, and I've posted videos on my FB page about it...Now, when am I actually going to believe it?!

I realize that we are a sinful group(group referring to all of humanity).  And we are in need of a Savior.  It just so happens that Jesus provided us with saving grace.  We as Christians have little trouble with this...I rarely question my salvation.  But how often do I live as though I have been snatched from doom and destruction?   Hardly ever!   I try to live an honest life.  I hate hypocrisy and "Acting Christian."  Ironically, these are two areas I think I struggle with the most.  I want to actually live what I say I believe.  I say Christ is all and that abiding in Him is everything.  But I find it the most challenging to live this way.  Maybe you understand what I'm saying.  But in any case, the world has enough people living like Hell and saying they belong to Christ.

I believe the key to overcoming this seemingly inevitable lifestyle lies in what I mentioned earlier.  When we open our eyes in the morning.  What is the truth?  The TRUTH is that Jesus has made me clean and new! And the moment we wake up the Enemy of our souls whispers a lie into our ear .  The very second we awaken from the unconsciousness of slumber, he is crouched at our bedside hissing in our ear a dirty lie about our Creator and about who we are and what we've done(or not done).  At the same time, the Holy Spirit of God who lives inside of us affirms His truth.  And we can either fight off Satan or choose to walk in deception.  It is simple...so simple, but so difficult.  Why?  Because it's human nature to believe the lie.  Our flesh wants to do what our Spirit hates.

I want to encourage you my friend that even though it might seem hopeless remember one thing:  GOD'S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU!  This is it!  In our weakness He is strong.  So what needs to happen every single morning?  We wake up realizing that if we don't surrender to God and say "Lord I can't do it!  I don't even want to!  But You are more powerful than my humanity!"

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
      for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs." Matt. 5:3


The question we have to ask ourselves(I have to ask myself) is do I really believe what God says in His word?  Do we?  Because the true test of whether or not we have faith is when we have to put it into practice.  Are we living?  Actually LIVING?  Or simply existing with an identifying belief system.  Trust Jesus! He's worth it!