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Comment by russ allen on December 9, 2010 at 9:28am

Good morning! How are we faithing? I have run into alot of things this year and much as of late. It is so interesting that when one is removed from a situation it becomes clearer as to what is happening. While in the midst of struggles and jubilation we can lose sight of the bigger picture that Jesus is messiah and he loves us enough to have endured all we have and will endure so we can come out the other side of all this. Not to to wax to philosophical but when we are able to pause and reflect we need to realize nothing is new under the sun, it's just new to us. With this knowledge we can approach the things we face, good or bad, with a new found peace from the master and an assurance inside that we are not alone and withdrawing inward only hurts and not helps ourselves and others. Think about that...

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
To everything there is a season,A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,And a time to die;
A time to plant,And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,And a time to heal;
A time to break down,And a time to build up;
A time to weep,And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,And a time to lose;A time to keep,And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,And a time to sew;A time to keep silence,And a time to speak;
A time to love,And a time to hate;A time of war,And a time of peace.
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor — it is the gift of God.
I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;
And God requires an account of what is past.
NKJV

Remember Liz Byrd...remember Barb Adams...remember Jennifer Rucker...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your wisdom we get from the Word. Lord we ask for vision and courage to face life. Lord we understand in our heads sometimes but battle the matter. Lord we praise and worship you. Lord be with those mentioned and those who need you unbeknownst to us. in Your holy name Jesus, amen
Posted by russ allen at 9:24 AM

Comment by russ allen on December 8, 2010 at 10:26am

Hey all, we have some fire service guys in need of prayer right now! Larry House, Chief of Monterey Ky...Butch McCutchen family...Kevin Cleveland...

Heavenly Father,
We come before you this day with hearts for those mentioned. Lord we are lifting the families to you. Bless and comfort them in their hour of need. Lord we stand on your Word daily to sustain us, thank you for you grace and love in Jesus name, amen

Comment by russ allen on December 7, 2010 at 7:58am

Good morning! How are we faithing? I want to apologise for my absence the last few days. Work and this bug I have has got in the way of sound study that is worthy of passing on. I do enjoy and look forward to doing this and it bothers me when I can't. I ask for prayers this day for Michelle Barns...Carolann Glass and family...Emmy Bell...Garrett and Michelle Cler and family...and for me, 2nd sickness in one month and this one bites.

Psalms 146:5-9

How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God;
Who made heaven and earth,
The sea and all that is in them;
Who keeps faith forever;
Who executes justice for the oppressed;
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free.
The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous;
The LORD protects the strangers;
He supports the fatherless and the widow;
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
NAS

I wish to encourage you who are struggling with the things in this world. Our bodies betray us. Other people step on us. We see things we wish we hadn't and say things we wish we could take back. You are not alone my friends so go to our savior and rest in his grace. He has already forgiven you and loves you so lift your head and press on.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for comfort in times of stress. We ask you to guide and touch those who seek your face. We also lift those mentioned to you because of the pain they are enduring. Lord, grant peace and wisdom to us who seek you. Bless those less fortunate than us and help us realize you are with us through these trials. Help us maintain objectivity when all seems bleak. We honor and praise your holy name and it is in Jesus name we beseech you this day, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:51 AM

Comment by russ allen on December 2, 2010 at 7:09am

Good morning! How are we faithing? An encouraging study this Psalm 91 is. We are seeing references and words used to show vast things in life that in the flesh are overwhelming but in reality are but dust to be blown away by our Lord. "Ten thousand" is used to represent a huge number or rather more than is even imagined. In the Greek myriad may be a better translation but the feeling of the message is clear. We need not be afraid of what happens because we know from the Word that our salvation has already come. Yes stuff happens in the flesh but our souls have already entered eternity because of the salvation of Jesus. We actually see the reward of the wicked...just look around at what certain behavior begats. It's so strange that the human race continues to make the same mistakes over and over and yet never wants to admit the temporary pleasant behaviors can bring destruction to ones self. Not being judgemental just watching for cause and effect. How can we ignore the truth? Twist it as they may, like the media on political stuff as of late, but the truth will always be the truth. Reality doesn't change just because we wish. We can cloud or refuse to face issues but they still are. Here's the thing today, be confident in your salvation. Expect miracles. Stand on God's promises as if they are already done, because they are. When you don't see things "your way", step back and check cause and effect because hey, we all stumble but the one who keeps the same path even when shown error is whooping there own tail and that is selfishness personify.

Psalms 91:7-8
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
KJV

Proverbs 3:25-26
Do not be afraid of sudden fear,
Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;
For the LORD will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.
NAS

Hebrews 2:1-3
For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?
NAS

Remember the troops...remember our leaders...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your grace and patience with us. Lord we ask for wisdom so we do not cause pain but show your love to a dying world. Lord we ask that you remove the scales that blind us. Reveal your love in such a way we cannot deny or miss it. We ask for comfort for those who are homeless and destitute. Open doors to shelter and jobs. Lord we try to walk your path but the potholes trip us up and we are sorry. Fill those holes with your grace so we don't fall in them. In Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:07 AM

Comment by russ allen on December 1, 2010 at 7:59am

Good morning! How are we faithing? There is a whole lot of encouragement in the Psalms and definitely in the one we are looking at this week. Our strength is not in ourselves or our position. Those things can be used of God and our accomplishments are indeed a blessing but without out God in the forefront of our days we will fall eventually and be trampled into dust. Is your achievements of any importance to you after you are gone? Abe Lincolns legacy lives on but does it matter to him now? Nope. Think about this, the only legacy that survives is the one that leads others to Christ. All the fears, worries, struggles of this world are nothing when we are gone. The worldly things we fear disappear when our time is done and the only thing that lives on is our salvation and the others that we show Jesus to. This does not mean you must be a pulpit preaching evangelist but a living sacrifice for Jesus that others see him in us and therefore find that same salvation. Jesus promises to walk with us through everything so why do we fret over being killed or lacking or anything for that matter? Take these words from the bible to heart because apart from them, life really does get hard and you will not rise above without them.

Psalms 91:5-6
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
KJV

Isaiah 43:2
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
NAS

Matthew 24:6-7
"And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
NAS

Remember Sammy as she travels...remember Joshua Barlow...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your steadfast presence in our lives. Lord we ask for a vision every day that we can stand knowing you are our support and strength. Help us be confident and an image of your love and grace regardless of the things we face. We stand on your Word that you will protect our souls forever. Take us, use us for your glory. Protect those mentioned and let them see you in their lives. In Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:57 AM

Comment by russ allen on November 30, 2010 at 6:38am

Good morning! How are we faithing? Continuing on with our look at Psalm 91 we see the confidence that comes from God so we need not fear. Do things scare you? Of course they do. My wife can walk up behind me sometimes and say boo...the ceiling I go. Fear is more dread and trepidation and that my friends is not of God any more than self condemnation. God provides healthy fear in the form of warnings just like he provides conviction with love and peace. Our Father is the author of a helping word and a shoulder to lean on so we can reach out to good rather than succumb to evil. Does he discipline? Of course! We as parents ourselves realize the value of discipline in our children or they'll run amuck. We must learn to seek God in everything and not some mystical tyrannical being but the true God who loves us and wants us to grow in the image of his son. Something as simple as a helping hand we offer to someone who is nobody to us personally but we help because it's the right thing to do and we do it with no respecter of person or what we might get from it. We need not fear of reprisals or ridicule when we step on faith and act as the Word teaches because it isn't about you or me. It is about God so if you are rejected or your words are, it's God they are rejecting. Now we also must have a gentle spirit and one who is looking to teach and show God's attributes, not ours. Walk today and as a challenge, rebuke the fear that may come over you when prompted to reach out of your comfort zone to one who may be grinding that last nerve but is enduring things just like we do but may not have the peace of the savior to support them. Think about that view...


Psalms 91:5
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
KJV

Psalms 46:3
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.
NAS

Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
NAS

Matthew 8:26
And He said to them, "Why are you timid, you men of little faith?" Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and it became perfectly calm.
NAS

Hebrews 13:6
so that we confidently say,
"The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What shall man do to me?"
NAS


Our confidence is in the Lord. If our confidence is in ourselves only, we will fail, we will fall and we will miss opportunities for reflecting our savior.


Remember Tim Taylor...remember Debbie Rippa and family...remember Earl Jones...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your wisdom and blessings. Forgive us for our many sins. Help us lead by example. Let others see you and let us not be stumbling blocks. Help us not inflict pain. Lord we seek your wisdom and do stand on your Word as the only real enduring truth. Bless our steps and take our headaches away, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:36 AM

Comment by russ allen on November 29, 2010 at 7:12am

Good morning! How are we faithing? I know that you all have faced things and I have had my share of trials and guess what? There will be many more. The Word did not promise perfect life and abundance the whole time you reside on this earth. The fact is the Word does tell us there will be all sorts of things that are hard on earth but we do have a protector and a place for rest and comfort. By keeping our eyes on God and not focusing on whatever besieges you, you become more resilient to the infractions against you. As believers we need to remember what is promised in the Word and where our protection is. We may fall in the middle of a catastrophe due to many reasons and lots of times not of our own doing at all but we can take comfort in knowing we can call on God for help. The Word will indeed sustain you even when things get dicey. God will carry you when the times are rough, all one must do is trust and seek him with the reassurance from the Word that this will pass and gee whiz, if it kills you, you'll be with the Father anyways so why get down over things so temporary? Yes it may hurt, yes it can be real hard but in the end does the trial matter or our response? Equipping yourself with the Word so when these things come you soar to the other side and nothing sticks to you is where those promises prove true.

Psalms 91:4

He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
NAS

Mark 13:30-32
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
NAS

2 Samuel 22:31
"As for God, His way is blameless;
The word of the LORD is tested;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
NAS

Remember Jonna...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Word that reassures us. Lord we ask for protection from the dark forces around us. Help us see what is real and what is illusion. Help us seek you first when we deal with life. Lord we lift those who are facing calamity. Show yourself and grant that peace so they know you got their back and are shielding their front. In Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:08 AM

Comment by russ allen on November 24, 2010 at 6:46am

Good morning! How are we faithing? Continuing with Psalm 91, when you"feel" like the world is closing in, everything is falling down around you or you just feel whooped, we need to remember that God has not left those who seek him. Our physical feelings can fool us in this matter. The Word being true and everlasting, this being the first thing we must stand on, tells us that we are under protection. Do things happen? Of course they do! We are physically in a fallen sin filled world therefore we are exposed to those things but we have a source of peace and eternal protection. We must run fast to our savior at all times. You don't stand in the open during a thunderstorm do you? You walk on the side walk and not down the yellow line right? Open your eyes and see the divine protection we have when we seek the master and his ways...even when contrary to worldly views...he does not wish tragedy or hurt on his children but just like a child who gets hurt, we learn what and what not to do. We learn to rely and give ourselves freely at all times to our savior. If he gave all on the cross, why would he tell us he'll do this or that and then not do it?

Psalms 91:3
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper,
And from the deadly pestilence.
NAS

How does a trap work? Bait. Something enticing attracts what ever is being sought. The enemy seeks us and uses all kinds of bait. Sin and folly looks real good, feels real good...only temporarily.

Amos 3:5
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it?
NAS

So we must pray and be diligent about what we say and do, not because we are saved by those good works but because they can cause pain and even cause someone else to miss Jesus. This is our prayer;

Psalms 141:9-10
Keep me from the jaws of the trap which they have set for me,
And from the snares of those who do iniquity.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I pass by safely.
NAS

And a promise;

Isaiah 43:2
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
NAS

Heavenly Father,
Some of us are truly struggling Lord. We ask for comfort and wisdom to deal with these things. Teach us to rely on you regardless of the circumstances surrounding us. Thank you for your sacrifice and love for us. Lord, open the scriptures and help us drink them deep down so we can stand up to anything tossed our way. We love and honor you and in Jesus name we pray, amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:44 AM

Comment by russ allen on November 23, 2010 at 6:29am

Good morning! How are we faithing? In these times of struggle and trouble, where do you turn? Do you turn inward? Do you believe what you see more than what God says? I understand it is hard to focus while under duress but we must train our minds for those times when we are not under duress. We must settle issues before hand in order to deal with rough days. Haven't done that and you are in the midst of stuff? As we study through Psalm 91 we will see where our strength and protection lies. Looky here;

Psalms 91:1-2
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!"
NAS

So lets look at where to start. Lets look at those verses with this application in mind. First;

1 John 4:15-16
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
NAS

That is where the shelter starts. In Jesus. Our sanctuary. Before one can be protected from the rain, one must enter shelter and where is our shelter? It is in the Lord so first, recognise Jesus and his place. Make him the center for your thought process and your heart. There are lots of promises in the Word for us who abide in his arms and we will explore them over the days to come. Get this down first!

Romans 10:8-10
But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"-- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
NAS

1 John 4:2-3
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
NAS

So in order to weather the coming storms of life we must rest in the truth of Jesus as the Christ. Sit back and ponder this wisdom from the Word. Our salvation is in Jesus. Don't think so? Look around at the world, doesn't take a smart person to see where it's headed...

remember Nik and Josh and Micah, Dom and Isaiah...remember the other expecting Moms and their families...remember the children who don't have loving parents...

Heavenly Father,
Open our eyes to your Word. Search our hearts and show your love for us. Lord we lift those who are struggling today. Lord we ask for peace that is just unexplainable. Pour your love on those hurting and pour it on those who are not. Lord we honor you and do seek your will. Give us courage and strength to stand for what's right. We thank you in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:27 AM

Comment by russ allen on November 22, 2010 at 7:03am

Good morning! How are we faithing? It is interesting that we remember the pain and not the outcome. We remember the sad times and not the good times that resulted from the pain. This ought not be. We can compound out current pain if we fail to remember past victories. An example was an operation I had years ago. The pain of healing was awful but now I've enjoyed years without pain and discomfort. It was worth it even though during the healing I did have my doubts. Taking the time to look ahead with past victories in mind made enduring that pain tolerable. I've had financial rough times and when we stuck to a plan, pay day came and we succeeded. The temporary sacrifice and pain sucked but we knew we would be better. Sometimes any good out of a situation is completely hid because the pain is so severe but we have to focus on what is good and gracious and not the temporary. We must remind ourselves that it does get better because lets face it, nothing that is or has happened to us is new, it is only new to us therefore, we are able to see that this current affliction has been and will again be overcome. This view must be cultivated during the good times so when we encounter the bad, we survive with lessons learned and a renewed faith in our Lord. He promised to never leave nor forsake us so with that confidence, embrace the current affliction with thanksgiving because when you emerge from the other side you will be stronger and in a position to render aid to the next person who walks the same path.

Proverbs 3:25-26

Do not be afraid of sudden fear,
Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;
For the LORD will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.
NAS

John 14:1-3
"Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
NAS

Isaiah 41:10
'Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
NAS

Psalms 46:1-3
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.
NAS

remember Nikki and Josh and their new baby boy...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your love and devotion to us. Thank you for your strength when we are weak. Lord Father, help us remember the victories when we face adversity. Help us focus on you and not the pain. Speak to us and make the letters dance off the pages of your Word. Lord we praise and honor you. Forgive us , in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:00 AM

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