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Comment by russ allen on May 7, 2010 at 7:21am

Good morning! How are we faithing? Knowing God is not a matter of speaking the right words. Knowing God is not a matter of acting pious. Knowing God is not praying for a certain amount of time or in a certain place. Knowing God is a matter of relationship with him. Knowing God is a matter of loving him because he first loved you as you are. Knowing God is realizing his grace for you is complete and his love for you so huge that in order that he can connect with you he had to send his son for the connection to him. I don't know why it is that way or how this whole spiritual thing with God is designed but I do know what it is. We are searching for truth and genuine love from everything in the world and all we find is heartache and pain. We keep waiting for utopia to appear and are depressed when it doesn't. It's time to face reality and get up off our keesters and enjoy and show that love that would cause a God to send his son so he could be with you. Lets start by letting religion be what it is. A family of like minded believers who's mission is to prop each other up to live as God wants us to, full of joy, peace, and a sense of contentment in the love that transcends time and this world. Do you want this? Jesus the Christ is how this happens.

Rom 3:19-26
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished- he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
NIV

Rom 5:9-11
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
NIV

Remember Mothers Day Sunday...remember Tiffany Duvall...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for you love that saved someone as lost as me. Forgive my sins and cleans my heart. Speak to me constantly and open my mind to your scriptures. Whatever is true and real, open the eyes of my heart. Let me receive your blessings. Teach me to love as you do. Show me wisdom and courage to walk upright and holy. Bless those people hurting. In Jesus name. amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:59 AM

Comment by russ allen on May 6, 2010 at 7:23am

Great morning! How are we faithing? We tend to treat Jesus as a way of getting what we want and when we don't we get it we start to doubt. Look, our level of maturity in God's Word and in life in general can dictate what and how we ask. The Word says to ask for anything in Jesus name and it will be given. Ah but read some more.

John 14:12-14
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
NIV


Do you see that? We will do greater things than Jesus. In his name we ask and he will do. Don't you think that is about the work of the Lord and not a Mercedes? Read on...

John 15:16-17
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.
NIV

Jesus chose us. Jesus wants us to grow, to learn, to love. He knows what we have need of. He also knows our desires.

John 16:22-24
So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
NIV

Our desires can be short lived. What we desire, if given, could destroy us or our relationship with God. God sees alot further down the life line than we do so trusting in his will is prudent. Go ahead and ask him for everything but like a Father does, he is always looking out for you and what is best. Get your Bible out and cross reference these scriptures and learn for yourself. God will speak to you if we humbly and earnestly seek his will and not justification for our desires...


Remember Damian Phillips...remember Pam Perkins...Remember Becky Towle-Martin...please remember Ed Sewell as he deals with his loss...remember Patricia Sewell too...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Word that teaches and assures us. Lord we lift these people up to you and ask for healing and comfort for them. Help them see you and your will. Lord, help us not be doubtful but reassure us you are looking out for us for that is our real desire but we keep battling this flesh and bones. Lord we lift our leaders up to you. Our bosses and our government need your hand on them, in Jesus name amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:47 AM

Comment by russ allen on May 5, 2010 at 7:33am

Good morning! How are we faithing? I am so amazed at all God has created even though when sin came into the world it changed everything. Turned it upside down as it were. Do you do this; stare at the birds, observe the big wood bees and bumble bees, watch feral critters, look at clouds and their shapes, watch in awe at the waterfalls coming out of the rock walls. I could go on and on at what we see every day and what we don't see. Yesterday I was checking on people because we are like 10' above flood level here in Frankfort and I was reminded that God said he would never destroy the world again with water. While looking and speaking to those effected by this rising water I tried to imagine how the people in Noah's time reacted as the waters continued to rise. I thank God that through his son we have his presence with us all the time. Because of his son we don't have to be in temples made by hands to be near him. Through his son we can observe the good and the bad in this world and speak of them right then and there and he hears and attends to us. As our shepherd he is concerned with every little thought and event in each of our lives. That is sometimes hard to even fathom but if he knows the number of hairs on our heads like the Word says, all this other stuff is in his hands also. To me when I observe and enjoy or even get scared at things in this creation, makes lying down at night a peaceful thing and not a loathsome act filled with fear and trembling because my God is right there as I drift off praying...

Ps 139:5-10
You hem me in--behind and before;you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there;if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn,if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,your right hand will hold me fast.
NIV

Acts 17:24-31
"The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things; and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said,' For we also are His offspring.' "Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. "
NAS

Remember John Braun...remember Clancy Brazier...remember Lori Jays Mom...remember Lilia Burgos...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your creation. Thank you for the revelation of your son. Lord, help us remember your Word in everything we do and see. Help us understand what is needed and what is happening with the events around us. We want to see the heart of the people we meet and not the surface. We want to be a help not a hindrance to them. Lord, guide our paths with wisdom and courage. Lord, we lift our service men and women, past and present. Thank you Lord, in Jesus name we praise and pray to you, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:00 AM

Comment by russ allen on May 4, 2010 at 7:19am

Good morning! How are you faithing today? Has this week started as a burden? Do you feel overwhelmed already? Looky here folks,I don't want to throw a bunch of cliche's out but really, it could be worse. A friend was bummed when a flat tire occurred but looking on the up side, she may have avoided a crash further down the road. I've had that happen to me. Another friend told me of a time his motorcycle, which was in tip top shape, shut off while he was riding home. It wouldn't start for a time and when it finally did, he got home to find out his grandpa had passed away during that breakdown. He to this day says he wasn't suppose to witness that death. I'm not saying to be happy go lucky but to seek something bigger than your circumstances. This, whatever that has befallen you, may be a teachable moment and if you are crabbing or crying over the spilled milk you may miss the critter that showed up to lap it up. Positive thinking is not just "everything is beautiful" thinking but taking the lumps with an attitude of learning and a view from other than the hurt. After the initial waa waa, stop and think about the circumstance and what you are suppose to learn. Look around and pay attention to things beyond your immediate woes. I picture myself behind a huge tree sometimes but always am able to peek around it to see what is beyond this obstacle so then I can say"ah, ok Lord, teach me, keep my mind clear and open to your will". Then there's those times I can't see a thing because of the fog of the situation and then I have to trust something bigger is taking place and I just don't see it and that is cool too. How do you see things?

1 Thess 5:1-11
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
NIV

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for things that take place in our lives. Open our eyes to truth and what we need to learn and to glean from events. Lord we want to be lights for your greatness but we get mired in this worlds woes. Help us focus where we need to focus and to have the mindset of learning rather than pity parties. Lord we lift those hurting today and those who are struggling with their circumstances. Grant us the wisdom that sets our minds at peace. In Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:45 AM

Comment by russ allen on May 3, 2010 at 7:33am

Good morning! How are we faithing? My mind works rather strangely. I watch people and ask questions in my head and then look for answers while praying and singing a song. While this is going on I notice the year car that drove by and hear conversations around me. Gee I need coffee. How we actually learn varies from person to person. What grabs your attention and sets a course for your day is not the same as mine. What reaches you may not reach me today. You may be much more mature in the Lord than me or not. If you study the Word and listen to God's teaching for you, remember that someone else may be learning another lesson and us not understanding why they can't see what is plain to us is a form of judging that we should not get into. When we meet and greet we really ought to have a standing procedure of saying a quick prayer for that person. Nothing eloquent but something that lifts them up. Being in tune with the Holy Spirit's promptings is how this exercise in faith works. Pray every day before you get going to see God's work and to see God's path for you. Let God be concerned for that other guy. Let your eyes be on God and not on others deeds.


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

Matt 7:7-8
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
NIV

Remember Paul Griffin...Joe Bailey...Danny and the kids...


Heavenly Father,
We praise your holy name! We ask for wisdom and understanding of the others we meet. Help us be bold and yet aware of their needs and state of mind. Lord, we want to show you and to present your love. Help us do that with a clear mind and with the right motive in our heart. Forgive us when we fail. In Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:01 AM

Comment by Michael Brittain on May 1, 2010 at 11:32am

HELLO FELLOW CHRISTIAN FIREFIGHTERS!!! I have got GREAT News! Since I've been on this site I have seen a Many of you (including myself) asking about stickers, patches, etc with the Christian Firefighter Association's logo. Well, yesterday I was looking for some Tets for my new helmet (Bullard UST-6), particularly with a cross and I found a place that offered (Free of Charge) to make custom Tets and stickers. I emailed them about this and they asked me for the pic or file so I sent them our Maltese Cross and in less than an our he sent me an email back with the link for the custom Tet and sticker on his web site. The Tet is only $1.95! and the sticker is only $4.95 for a 4" sticker (for the back window of your vehicle)!!!!

So I wanted to share this with ya'll as I've already bought several of each!!! I hope ya'll All enjoy and are able to get these. I would MUCH Rather have our Maltese Cross Tet on the back of my helmet than skulls.

The Sticker in 4" or 5" http://www.shielddecals.com/custom-1.html
The Tet http://www.helmettets.com/custom-designs.html

Have a VERY Blessed and Safe Weekend Ya'll!

In Faith,

Michael Brittain
Jersey Village Fire Department

Comment by russ allen on April 30, 2010 at 7:11am

Good morning!! How are we faithing? Comparing ones self to another is so wrong on so many levels. Do you know the inner turmoil or grief of that person? Do you have any control on their circumstances? Does your opinion of their life really matter? Have you walked a mile in their shoes? These questions do not justify their actions but they sure do explain them so if you don't have the answers, you are in no position to judge those actions. Don't get me wrong, certain things are wrong regardless but looking beyond the action to the inner man is what the Word says to do. I caught myself recently,(wall-mart), noticing behaviors and slang usage that made me shake my head. Here's the problem, judgement. Weird or odd to me as those people seemed, who am I to judge? By applying those before mentioned questions one pretty quickly looks past the outer and asks God for wisdom on the inner. Taking the time to engage people and learning to see past tangible things we start to see what God sees. A person in need of a savior and also realizing they are looking at me like I did them. I must look funny to them also! I enjoy laughter and I thank those people for it. I only hope I gave them a scream too!

James 4:11-12
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you-who are you to judge your neighbor?
NIV

Rom 2:1-4
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?
NIV

Remember to pray for people. They need it, we need it. Remember Brent and Sheree on their nuptials...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Word. Thank you for enlightening us on truth. Lord, help us not judge but enjoy other people and help us see past the outer to the inner. May we be a blessing for others so you can be presented. Bless our actions today and keep us safe from the dark forces. Lord we love and honor you in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:45 AM

Comment by Michael Brittain on April 29, 2010 at 9:03am

Russ, As Always your words this morning were so re-energizing to my heart. Your daily word is appreciated So Very Much!

I want to lift up a fellow brother who lost his fight to Lymphoma, but I am confident God won the Battle for his Spirit. His name is Randy Surratt of Station 19 Houston Fire Department. Randy was 35 with a wife and two young children daughter 9 and son 7. My Captain of Suppression at Jersey Village is also a Captain at Station 19 and had worked with Randy for years (Randy had been with HFD for 10 years.) and he said that Randy was an outstanding individual, who put the safety of the public first and truly lived the life of a hero.

Please include him with your prayer requests as he did not effect the lives of a few around him but has spurred a heartfelt uniting of the city of Houston, TX.

Thank you very much.

In Faith,

Michael

Comment by russ allen on April 29, 2010 at 7:59am

Good morning! How are we faithing? So many things going on in my head right now it's tough to sort them all out. I'm seeing lots of things around me. People are struggling with physical things. People are struggling with spiritual things. People are sick, injured, depressed, searching, lost, have given up, have started to think none of this is worth anything. I'm here to tell you that it isn't all lost. It isn't futile. You will heal. We have access to the Lord our God who knows everything. That means that we can trust him to allow and to do things that will benefit us. We probably wont see it immediately but we have to trust it is so. I can trust because I can look at the past and when I took control and when I asked God to take control and look at the outcomes. Jesus promised a river of overflowing spiritual life if we just seek him. As you go through this day, remember our savior with everything you do. Concentrate on his wisdom and the Holy Spirits promptings. Wonder if it is of God? Ask if what you hear is contrary to the Word. Be real and don't let rationalization of wants cloud true judgement. Look here at this promise;

John 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
NIV

Read Ezekiel 47...

Remember Jennae...remember Savannah and Shelby...remember Tommy Conquest...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your wisdom and grace. Lord we ask for the Holy Spirit to flood our minds with living water that just soaks everything we touch or do. Let your holiness shine through so bright that it cannot be mistaken but for anything other than what it is. Lord we beseech the to come set your spirit like a dove on us. Show us all we need to know, heal our sickness and ailments that hinder our doing your will. Lord we thank you in advance for miracles that baffle everyone, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:19 AM

Comment by David "slick" Rivers on April 28, 2010 at 9:33pm

Thanks Russ.....I really needed to hear those words tonite....God bless you bro....

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