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Comment by russ allen on June 12, 2009 at 7:39am

Great morning! Slept wrong, shoulder stiff, neck hurts but whatever. Tis a great day to worship and walk in the Lord! Something that has come up lately that needs addressing. We gotta stop pointing fingers and chastising people for the sake of the chastisement! Who benefits when we point out sins with condescending attitudes and "holier than tho" demeanor? No one does. Does that make you feel better when you do that? That is another issue altogether. Do you have to cut down someone to make yourself feel better? More important? Less of a sinner? Those are miss guided attitudes. We all are sinners and we all need God. No where does it say stealing is worse than gossip. No where in the Word are told it's OK to tell a little lie but we better not drink a beer. There are consequences for some sins that are bigger than others but the sin is still a sin. We all do things unintentionally that we discover later were wrong and that is when we repent. Yes we are to tell fellow believers when we walk outside of the truth but we are commanded to do it in love. Nothing is gained but belittling or cutting someone off at the knees in front of others. Here's an example;

John 8:1-11
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. And the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" And they were saying this, testing Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst. And straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" And she said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more."]
NAS

I love that because IN love, Jesus forgave. With grace she became forgiven. Then men that walked away were convicted and realized their own failings and compassion permeated their souls. Look at this and think about in love we are to help and not hinder someone from coming to Jesus;

James 5:19-20
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
NIV

1 Tim 4:16
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
NIV

Prov 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,and he who wins souls is wise.
NIV

Gal 6:1-5
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.
NIV

Man, convicting are those verses. Think on these and pray the wisdom sets in your heart permanently.

Heavenly Father,
Lord, thank you for thew conviction to tell others of your love. Lord, help us not be condescending or judgemental when we do these things. Lord give us a heart that want to help you heal others. Lord we praise you and thank you for the love you have for us even though we don't deserve it, guide us this day, in Jesus name, Amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:04 AM

Comment by russ allen on June 11, 2009 at 7:58am

Good morning! How are we faithing today? I don't know about you but I sometimes get butt hurt when people say rotten things. Sometimes they are innocent and sometimes they are purposeful. I have discovered that if I care about that person it really cuts to the marrow. If I don't care for them, and please follow this thinking as it is not an indication of no concern but not part of the inner circle of friends and family, it rolls off as I shake my head. The ones closest to us hurt us the hardest. We all do things to others and they do things to us. When they hurt we all pout a little but we must not dwell on that sentiment. The quicker we forgive, the quicker we lift them up to God, the quicker we seek wisdom is all the quicker we understand the source. Sometimes people are just mean and sometimes they are fed up with things and you catch the brunt of their frustration. Doesn't make it right but it makes it understandable. Sometimes that "I hear you" compassion breaks that pit they are in and snaps them back to where they ought to be. Not that we agree with them but that we look past that flagrant action to root cause. We ought not be quick to label others as jerks because they lash out. If after all these thing you find they are indeed jerks, well, pray, be wise around them and don't let them interfere with your walk or cause you to sin.

Eccl 7:20-22
There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.
Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you- for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
NIV

James 3:22
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
NIV

James 3:13-16
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
NIV

Gal 6:1-5
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.
NIV

Remember Christopher Bell...remember Bob Burnsmier...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your righteousness and wisdom that teaches us how to live. Lord we lift those up who are hurting inside and lash out at us. Lord forgive them when they harm us and help us see truth in all that we face. Lord, protect the children from evil. Lord we praise you for your saving grace that is given freely to us all. Help us realize it is available and never changing, in Jesus name, Amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:01 AM

Comment by russ allen on June 10, 2009 at 7:28am

amen and prayers sent

Comment by russ allen on June 10, 2009 at 7:26am

Good morning! How are we faithing? It is interesting how we can be enticed to do things we typically wouldn't choose to do. If you think about it, sin is appealing, if it were not, we most likely would find it easy to resist. We all goof up. We all sin. It is a given that no one is perfect and we can't even attain that but does that mean we throw caution to the wind and give in to sin? Of course not. Being pious and looking holy isn't even the goal because if we are honest, that is a front that appears holy thus it is a lie which is....sinning. Come on, stop trying to look good. Stop telling others how good you are. Stop worrying about how we look and do what is right because it is right. No praises, no admiration, no atta boys. Yes we do get those praises and pats on the back from our close friends but that is encouragement to continue and not the reward for the deed. Look at these and really explore with an introspective mindset;

Rom 12:3-8
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
NIV

Wow! Interesting that we all have a role and none are more important than the other for we all need each...

Rom 7:21-25
So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!
NIV

Boy ain't this the truth...Remember to pray for protection because even Jesus told the Apostles to do the same!

Luke 11:4
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'"
NIV

Luke 22:39-41
Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation."
NIV

Remember Thomas Allan...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the love and grace you give us. Lord help us see truth and not be uppity. Lord we ask for wisdom to see truth and to discern the spirits of truth. Lord help us know your will and grant us alertness and strength to perform your will. Lord we ask for healing for Thomas. Let this be nothing. Lord protect us from evil, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:03 AM

Comment by Mark A. Duell on June 9, 2009 at 4:13pm

Bulldozer, Remember who is in charge, remember who is in control. Turn it all over to Him. "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let your endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4).

I know your saying how can I consider this joy? It's not saying take joy in your your fathers pain and illness, but take joy in knowing that if you rely on Him for the strength, comfort and peace along w/Him handling the situation with your dad, you will grow and be thankful for this trial. Rely on the prayers being lifted up for you and your father.

Is your father saved? I pray that he is. Tell your father that others are praying for him that don't even know him. We all share a common bond besides firefighting, its Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

I will hold you both up in prayer this evening brother. Stay Strong and keep looking up.

Comment by Bulldozer on June 9, 2009 at 12:42pm

To all my Brothers and Sisters.
I am asking for prayer for my Father. He is not doing so good anymore and his health is getting very bad. He is having problems with his heart, lungs, neck, back, and now his liver. He has Upper Respiratory Disease, General Disk Disease in his lower back, crushed disk in his neck and the Doctor fused from disk 2 to disk 7 and put a medal plate and 7 screws in his neck, and now his Liver is messing up. Some people say that there is no way he should be alive, but he is still here and fighting to stay alive.
What is so hard about the hole thing is that, His not only my Father but my mentor, teacher, and a Brother Firefighter. So I am having a hard time dealing with everything. I am asking for prayer to help my Family and I to be able to deal with it all. And any advice is welcome and thankful.


Be safe and God bless Bulldozer

Comment by russ allen on June 9, 2009 at 7:24am

Good morning! How are we faithing? I want to share some things that I believe we all face. We all encounter people we don't like. We all see things we can't believe we saw. We hear things that just make our skin crawl. We watch the news in disbelief of the stupidity contained. We look at the other driver that cut us off and wonder what they are thinking or are they even thinking at all? We get frustrated with our kids when they do exactly what we just warned them about. So how do you react? Are you quick to forgive? Are you one that raves and flies off the handle or are you on the receiving end of such actions? Some throw their hands up and walk away and some forgive over and over and keep taking the abuse. I believe neither is the correct response and here is why.

Luke 17:3-4
"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."
NIV

A repentant heart deserves our kindness and forgiveness. Likewise we should be quick to repent and not hide nor ignore our known sins.

Matt 18:15-17
"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
NIV

This is good because it is possible that someone may not be aware he has sin against you. They may not have a clue they've stepped on you. The benefit of a doubt here. If he still wont see his fault, walk away. The abuse ends after this.

Matt 18:21-35
Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not (wherewith) to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took (him) by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest. So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.
ASV

Do unto others in this lesson. God has forgiven us so why should we not do the same? Likewise the abuse shown above did not go unpunished.

Eph 2:8-10
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
NIV

Grace is why we get better. Grace is why we can hold our heads up and press on. Works are a result of this grace, not a way to achieve it.

Remember our kids new to old...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for showing wisdom in your Word. Lord thank you for your blessings you give every day. Lord, forgive us and help us do the same. Lord, open our eyes to truth and abuse and grant us the courage to do what we need to do, forgive this writer of his sins, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:45 AM

Comment by russ allen on June 8, 2009 at 7:17am

Good morning! How are we faithing? Lets analyze some passages and discuss what is meant. Lets apply them and not treat them as platitudes. I have seen as I'm sure you have, "speak but no do", all over our lives. We encounter this daily and it can be frustrating. Read this;

Eph 4:29-32
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
NIV

Caught yourself spewing vile things in anger or just because? Is this in accordance with Jesus and his teachings? Nope. Just because it's true or deserved doesn't mean it's beneficial. If lashing out creates animosities, what's the point? You feel better? Not really. That is self serving and a deeper seated problem in you is present.
Grieving the Holy Spirit with condemnation, slander, outbursts of anger that lead people from God to wrath towards you is benefiting no one but the enemy. Why would I lash out for lashing outs sake? Not smart or profitable.
The rage and anger you may carry is real. The feelings you carry when stepped on can get out of control to the point you say, do or even think vile things. It would be better to be silent, remove yourself, to let it out with God and ask him to gather your self and your thoughts before you act. Go somewhere and let it out. Talk to your father in heaven. Ask for calmness and wisdom. It works.
Above all, forgive. Now being kind in the face of a raving nut job may not be easy and physical protection sometimes is necessary but show that compassion Jesus showed for you. Why is this person doing what they are doing? Are they in turmoil over something or just a butt? The answer leads to your physical location changing and the quickness for prayer. We should all be quick to pray, quick to forgive and quick to react holy. Be wise and observant so you can maintain control of yourself when you want to lash out. Sometimes chastisement is warranted and sometimes an arm on the shoulder calms more storms than retorts. Think about these things this week and ask God to guide your tongue and your actions.
Remember Rex Miller as he talks to the Docs...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the wisdom in your Word that opens our eyes to how we are to behave. Lord we get angry but we do not intend to be unholy or sin with our anger. Lord help us see truth and put the words in our speech so you are glorified, they are healed and we are not guilty of the same things they are. Lord we lift Rex up to you, heal and open his eyes to your ways. Show him your light in a way he cannot deny! Lord gather our thoughts so we do not dwell on things we cannot control. In Jesus name, Amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:32 AM

Comment by russ allen on June 5, 2009 at 6:49am

Good morning! How are we faithing? My monitor is junk. It has taken leave of reality. If I didn't know better I would think IT had taken some LSD. Please forgive any typing, composition etc this morning because I can only see part of what I'm doing.
I went to a revival last night to see a friend of mine preach. Let me tell you, I ain't no preacher! This guy is anointed of God! Funny thing is he is just like he preaches all the time, just quieter! His message was on faith and where we put our faith and trust. We've talked about it here many times and it never gets old to be encouraged to trust and obey God. When you accept Jesus as savior, that part is over in that you don't have to earn anything else. Salvation is won, death is defeated so now we can grow in wisdom and learn the ways God wants us to from now on. Getting saved and stopping the learning process is sad. People miss out on the joy that is available because the keep the salvation to themselves. Now I'm not saying you'll have to preach or go to some distant continent as a missionary what I'm telling you is your eternity starts when you accept salvation so the promises of God begin that second, not after you die physically. It's tough to fathom that when we are living in the natural. Look at trhese and think on them;

1 John 2:1-2
2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
NIV
James 1:22-25
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does.
NIV
Rom 12:19-21
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. NIV
Prov 19:11
11 A man's wisdom gives him patience;it is to his glory to overlook an offense. NIV
Prov 14:29
29 A patient man has great understanding,but a quick-tempered man displays folly. NIV

Ps 4:44 In your anger do not sin;when you are on your beds,search your hearts and be silent.
NIV


Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Word and the wisdom contained. Lord we ask for peace and understanding when we hear and when we read you Word. Make it like a fire in our hearts that burns so intensely we want more and more. Lord we lift those traveling that they have safe trips full of your joy. We lift Laurie Garman in her grief, touch her and comfort her. We lift Bob Burnsmier to you, grab his mind and clear out the cobwebs and bring to remembrance the Word he gets from church. Lord bless this writer. Lord we lift each other up and ask to be keenly aware of needs we encounter, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:22 AM

Comment by russ allen on June 4, 2009 at 7:20am

Good morning! How are we faithing this fine day? Boy has this been a funky, odd week for me. Oh wait, Tiff's surgery went well, Josh is babysitting for a few days, Praise the Lord! This week I've discovered things about myself and by sharing I hope it helps you. Anger. Got ticked over things that didn't really warrant being ticked. Did I sin in my anger? Yes, I cussed twice and repented soon after. Mainly because they didn't come out like when you hit your thumb with a hammer but on purpose. Anger can cause your mental status to change. We are not talking righteous indignation but anger over crap that happens to you. It culminated yesterday late afternoon when everything caved in. Trying to keep promises, things break, nothing works right, muggy so sweat in the eyes, pants sticking to you and falling down due to old mans butt. Felt the anger stir and didn't stop and pray or ask help immediately. "I got this and nothings gonna stop me from finishing these tasks". Sound familiar? Task oriented and stubborn. When reason came around I shook my head at how idiotic I reacted and by saying idiotic it's because I knew better. Anger can be such a huge stumbling block if we don't condition ourselves to pause and ask for help. Look at these;

1 John 5:13-15
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him.
NIV

be quick to ask for help from the Savior!

1 Peter 5:8-9
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
NIV

I am not saying,"the devil made me do it", I am saying I did the sinning, satan is laughing because he is saying,"some christian you are, I didn't even have to step in, you did it on your own", then again, he may have tossed something in the path.

Eph 4:25-28
"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
NIV

Here is where the rubber meets the road. Fuming into escalation opens yourself up to all sorts of bad choices and thinking.

James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
NIV

Here's where that pause and quick prayer is necessary

John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
NIV

Gee whiz man, he told us these things would happen and we keep trying to handle things alone

2 Tim 3:12-13
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
NIV

That is so we can be alert, checking everything to scripture. Is a fit scriptural? Not hardly. Is cussing inanimate objects profitable? No, in fact it's a little nuts! Think about your reaction to things that tick you off today. Be honest and seek to modify wrong behavior , you know how now.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for revealing sin in our lives and answers in your Word how to fix them. Lord thank you for the success of Tiff's surgery. Be with Josh and her during the healing. Lord thank you for your blessing. Lord be with Jerry tonight as he brings your message to many, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:46 AM

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