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Comment by russ allen on March 17, 2011 at 7:32am

Good morning! How are we faithing today? We start our days anew and at least I feel like our walk with God starts today. What I mean is that the past is done and forward is the only directional choice we have. We experience consequences from the past but we can't relive them because what is done is done. Can we make amends? Well sure we can but we cannot change what transpired so why dwell on it? Learn and press on. I talk to and hear about so many people who are just miserable because of circumstances. I do not mean to diminish any one's pain but the reality is what it is and we can choose to wallow in self pity and despair or we can choose to rise above our circumstances looking back down to see the whole scene and then make measured wise decisions related to them. Not always easy is it but what tools do we have for that exercise? The Word and prayer. Any circumstance we face has a principle in the Word that is the answer. Any circumstance that we face affords us the opportunity to converse with our savior. If we allow ourselves to stay buried in our positional circumstances we actually put blinders and possibly even blindfolds on so we cease to see truth and only see anguish. Sure we mourn. Sure we do feel grief and pain for a season but to stay in that position isn't wise and can even bear more pain and anguish than what the circumstance actually brought.

Proverbs 24:34

Do not be envious of evil men,Nor desire to be with them; For their minds devise violence,And their lips talk of trouble.
By wisdom a house is built,And by understanding it is established; 4 And by knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.
A wise man is strong,And a man of knowledge increases power. 6 For by wise guidance you will wage war,And in abundance of counselors there is victory.
Wisdom is too high for a fool,He does not open his mouth in the gate.
He who plans to do evil,Men will call him a schemer.
The devising of folly is sin,And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
If you are slack in the day of distress,Your strength is limited.
Deliver those who are being taken away to death,And those who are staggering to slaughter, O hold them back.
If you say, "See, we did not know this," Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?And does He not know it who keeps your soul?And will He not render to man according to his work?
My son, eat honey, for it is good,Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, And your hope will not be cut off.
Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not destroy his resting place; For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Lest the LORD see it and be displeased, And He turn away His anger from him.
Do not fret because of evildoers,Or be envious of the wicked; For there will be no future for the evil man;The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those who are given to change; For their calamity will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?
These also are sayings of the wise.To show partiality in judgment is not good. He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous," Peoples will curse him, nations will abhor him; But to those who rebuke the wicked will be delight, And a good blessing will come upon them.
He kisses the lips Who gives a right answer.
Prepare your work outside, And make it ready for yourself in the field; Afterwards, then, build your house.
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,And do not deceive with your lips.
Do not say, "Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."
I passed by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense; And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles, Its surface was covered with nettles, And its stone wall was broken down. When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction. "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest," Then your poverty will come as a robber, And your want like an armed man.
NAS

Remember Lauren Russell and family...

Heavenly Father,
Lord we come before you with fret and worry. We come to you with pain and anger. Wash these things away. Open our eyes to truth and wisdom. Grant us courage to act according to your statues. Help us be strong in times like these. Lord we life those who are hurting to you. Comfort and reveal yourself. Lord we ask all these things in your holy and gracious name of Jesus, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:29 AM

Comment by russ allen on March 16, 2011 at 7:17am

Good morning! How are we faithing? I meet a ton of people amongst my travels. I meet people who are tickled to learn more and are genuinely happy. I also meet people who complain when their peanut butter sandwich is uneven. Why are some content and some seem never to be satisfied? I'm convinced that some are not capable of being happy. Why? Their past, their future, their circumstances are being placed before anything else. "Boo hoo, my life isn't perfect and why doesn't God make everything easy?" Really? Can people be that self absorbed? You better believe it and if we are not careful we can become the exact same way. Jesus constantly put others before himself but was not slow to get away and refresh himself with the Father. Jesus recognised that life is a struggle and keeping oneself grounded in God is the only way to maintain the right focus. You have a tough go right now? Remember you ain't alone and nothing, I mean absolutely nothing is to big or too hard for our God. If I am enduring I must remember to learn, whether it's not to repeat a move or to just rely on the grace and strength our Lord provides regardless of circumstances.

Hebrews 6:10-12
For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
NAS

Proverbs 13:4
The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made fat.
NAS

Proverbs 18:9
He also who is slack in his work
Is brother to him who destroys.
NAS

Romans 12:9-13
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
NAS

2 Peter 1:10-11
Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
NAS

remember Turley Richards...remember our troops...remember our emergency workers...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your grace and love that never sways, never forgets and never remembers our mistakes. Lord, grow us with wisdom and love so we can be ambassadors of yours. Lord we lift those people up who do not know you. We ask we have the right words to share that help and not cause pain. Lord we lift those mentioned today, surround them with protection from the enemy and from the things on earth. Lord we honor you. Thank you for your Word that nourishes us, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:13 AM

Comment by russ allen on March 15, 2011 at 7:18am

Great morning! How are you faithing? Pursuing peace with people is not passivity. Trying to live peacefully and avoiding conflict does not mean wimpish behavior or utopian eyes viewing everything as good and evil doesn't exist. Evil does exist and it doesn't like you. Living in peace and pursuing peace is taught as a principle. We need to be keenly aware of how we live and how we act. Reacting in kind when unpeaceful events come at us only perpetuates that unpeacefulness. Recognising what is happening beyond ourselves is how we are able to "love our neighbor as ourselves". Sure we have the right to defend our families and ourselves from danger but squashing stupid attacks on our person because we stand on the principles of God must be done with compassion because we too can be where that attacker is. Some things we let go. Some things we need to correct. Some times we are dead right but nothing is gained by correction at that moment and we may be guilty of turning someones eyes away from God. I can't live with that on me, how about you? The very idea that I would spew correction and cause someone to miss salvation is just a horrible thought. We must remember to be ready to explain our position in Jesus and be wise enough to speak truth if we don't have an answer. Better to say,"I don't know but I'll find out" than to say argument type of responses so we can be right. Man, pursuing righteousness without donning a "look at me" attitude requires dedication and attention to the snares all around us. The enemy is well versed in stroking our ego and that leads to all sorts of sin and pitfalls. Just think and act according to the Word when encountering each day. Before you react to verbal assaults, ask the question,"am I trying to save face or save souls?"

Hebrews 12:14-17

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
NAS

Psalms 119:36-38
Incline my heart to Thy testimonies,
And not to dishonest gain.
Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,
And revive me in Thy ways.
Establish Thy word to Thy servant,
As that which produces reverence for Thee.
NAS

Matthew 16:21-23
From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You." But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
NAS

Remember the Japanese people...remember Bob...remember Ty...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Word that strengthens me. Thank you that we can serve a loving God and that our eternity is set. We try to do and act what is pleasing to you but fail alot and we ask for wisdom and forgiveness. Lord you know our hearts, help us remain strong even in turmoil. Bless the children and help our troops show mercy when they can. Lord we praise your holy name and seek you face, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:15 AM

Comment by russ allen on March 14, 2011 at 7:36am

Good morning! How are we faithing? Arguments. Man, sometimes they are disagreements that are opinion only and sometimes are fact based. I hear arguments over some of the stupidest things. Procedural arguments sometimes are for legitimate purposes and sometimes out of arrogance. We as believers in the blood of Jesus as clearing from the eyes of God our sins, ought not get to deep in arguments over things that have no basis on the grace of God and his love for us. Doctrinal discussions are good for wisdom and understanding as long as they are exchanges of ideas and who's right or wrong isn't the issue. We humans like to be right and no one I have met naturally likes to admit to being incorrect. We also have a very hard time changing our mind about the dogma that has been instilled in us for a long time. I have discovered that I hold fast to things that I am finding out that are not the case at all but just things ingrained from youth. I have also discovered untruths about interpretation of the Word and justifications for actions based on that misinterpretation of the Word. An example that sticks out is an old friend of mine told me about the church his Dad went to refused his tithe because he worked at a distillery and it was booze money therefore evil. What did this behavior based on piousness do to that man? He left the church never to return and his son held the same animosities 40 years later. Thankfully the son listened to the true Word of God and returned to God with forgiveness rather than staying in that resentment. This wisdom led to his conversion and got him right with God before he passed on. We need to be mindful of the effect we have on others when our own dogma negates love and grace. Think about this today.

1 Timothy 6:3-5
If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.
NAS

Romans 16:17-18
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
NAS

Remember the people in Japan...remember Bob Burnsmier who is having eye surgery tomorrow...


Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Word. Lord, we ask you clear our minds of wrong or improper interpretations we harbor. Reveal truth and help us withstand the attacks of the enemy who wants us ineffective and dismayed with life. Lord we ask healings on those who are sick and those who are in pain from actions of others. Guide our paths and help us be keenly aware of our tongues. In Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:32 AM

Comment by russ allen on March 11, 2011 at 7:18am

Good morning! How are we faithing? Distractions. Man, I've had so many this week I can't seem to find time to think. I'm sick thus foggy head, dogs barking, noise, stuff bothering me,(actually they are not that big a deal but still on my mind), restless sleep and getting ordained this Saturday it makes me wonder if it all is purposeful to shift my head off that step or is it just life. This morning I wake to the news of an 8.9 earthquake in Japan. Tsunami warnings, devastation, destruction etc. Are all these mentioned things happening to or for me? Well of course not! Since these things are in front of me they become my concern. Ever been in this position? What to do what to do...Pray is what to do. Lift those who are directly involved up to the Lord God. Decide that Gods paths are way more important than any distraction. Bury our heads in the sand? No! Take care of business but be ever mindful of God's grace on us. Be ever diligent about seeking God regardless of what is in our path. If removing the obstruction is necessary then remove it but do not loose focus on the main thing, Jesus.


Ephesians 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
NAS

Remember Martha Bruner...remember Reda Stucker...remember the people effected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunamis...

Heavenly Father,
We lift those people up who are in despair this day. Lord we ask for grace and wisdom to handle and put into priority the things we face . Lord, thank you for your love for an odd lot like us. Lord we ask for wisdom to see truth. Lord, grab us and open our eyes, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:14 AM

Comment by russ allen on March 10, 2011 at 7:16am

Good morning! How are we faithing? I covet your prayers and urge you to pray for these listed people. Remember Annie Kelly...Melissa Chesnut...Anna Lynn...

1 Thessalonians 5:12-22
But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.
NAS

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your love and grace for us. Lord, we lift those mentioned to you. Heal, equip, sustain them, in Jesus name, amen




Posted by russ allen at 7:13 AM

Comment by russ allen on March 9, 2011 at 7:52am

Good morning! How are we faithing? I have this sinus thing happening and am a little foggy so bear with the thoughts. Unity in the church body is sometimes not present. Whether we sing traditional hymns or contemporary, wear a tie or not, wear a dress or not, start service at 11 or 10, read King James translation or American standard, dance or not, speak tongues or not, lift holy hands or not, these things ought not divide the body. We are God's children and just like kids from Greece or Iceland or America, we are the same body of Jesus the Christ but our flesh look is different. Icelandic Christians are not anymore or less Christian than Russian Christians. The body of Christ must be in unity and not dismiss fellow believers because of things like these. Shouting "amen" in a service or stoically sitting doesn't make or break a body of believers so we all need to focus on Jesus and not on perceived distractions that yes, satan uses against us. Just give this some thought...


Psalms 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
NAS

Jeremiah 32:38-39
"And they shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good, and for the good of their children after them.
NAS

1 Corinthians 1:10
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
KJV

Romans 12:16
Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
NAS

Romans 15:5-6
Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
NAS

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
NAS

Remember Harold Markey...remember Peggy Smith...remember Megan...

Heavenly Father,
Forgive us our own haughtiness that we become cumbersome to fellow believers. Lord we ask for wisdom and strength to seek your face and not be worried about the show every Sunday. Lord we need your touch in our lives. Let us see truth and see your works manifested in and around us. We lift those with heavy hearts and ask vision be restored so they can carry on your work, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:47 A

Comment by russ allen on March 8, 2011 at 1:18pm

yesterday a part of a conversation dealing with a guy named Chris got pasted in the daily prayer. I don't know how or why but my apologies for any confusion.

.

Comment by russ allen on March 8, 2011 at 7:27am

Good morning! How are we faithing this fine day? Reading Romans 7 it becomes obvious what we are up against. Flesh is what gets us in trouble. The Ten Commandments and all the subsequent laws of Moses are still valid and still wise to follow. The thing to remember is we are not judged by those laws anymore. Prior to Messiah, Jesus the Christ, we were under compulsion for salvation to those laws. Now we are under grace and with that grace comes even more responsibility to obey the laws but..but..we now have the Holy Spirit to guide and to occupy that inner man spirit that before was dead but now is alive through Messiah. We now have the right through Jesus to approach the throne of God where before a high priest only could enter the holy of holies. I don't profess to understand why it had to be this way anymore than why a Platypus is on earth but I know what the Word says and the Word says because God is perfect and he loves us is why his son gave all so we could be saved and dwell forever with him. We do have a fight while in this body and this life but we have a recourse to refer to and to depend on, Jesus the Christ for without him, we can't be people of God. Without Jesus it's just a religion and a dogma. Read all of Romans 7, see what this is saying...

Romans 7:22-8:1
For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
NAS

Remember Chris H...remember Anna and her family...remember Mark and Kelly...remember Earl J...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your love and grace that found me. Thank you for your love that is so big you would be willing to give us a choice to be yours or not. Lord we lift those mentioned today and ask for revelation and healing of mind and spirit. Show your glory in a way that it cannot be denied. Lord, thank you for your greatness and thank you for your spirit that gives us utterance when we are at a loss for words. Lord, keep us from hurting others and keep our minds safe from the enemy that seeks to destroy us, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:23 AM

Comment by russ allen on March 7, 2011 at 6:58am

Good morning! How are we faithing this fine monday? The Bible is full of woes and encouragement, predictions and past events, cause and effect. As we explore the Word we are looking for revelation. As we read about historical events and people we should be learning from their mistakes and success's. Just like we as parents want to impart our experiences to our children, the Word teaches from many viewpoints. Luke's gospel is a different view than Mark's. Matthew saw things from a different perspective than John. All are the same events, the same message but just like us, we are different people so the things I pick up, you may or may not. The things that speak immediately to you may not speak to me until I am ready to receive it. This may be due to maturity, background, many reasons so don't be dismayed or feel inferior when someone else sees things you can't. The message is not lost on you or me, just not received that moment. It amazes me how things in the Bible I know but are read again and I see more and more. In this time on earth, things are happening fast. The middle east is twisting and turning daily. Does it mean anything? Is it the end or not? No one can answer that definitively but we do have the Word and we do have reason. Do we put our heads in the sand or run in fear? No! We keep on with our task of reaching the lost, we live as Jesus taught and like the Word says, "let tomorrow worry about tomorrow" because we can't solve anything by worry and fret. Let us be wise and be diligent in the Word daily and set our eyes on God. Look at these words from the Bible and think, don't be alarmed but be aware.

Chris came home hammered, bounced off my truck, he never knew...I watched from my office window...there is big damage to his car and some to my truck, my friend,state cop, wanted to go get him but as a friend he asked me what I wanted, I said let my play this out and I will show him, lower the boom as much as I can and the law gets involved from now on....


Matthew 24:3-14
And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. "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. "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name. "And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another. "And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many. "And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.
NAS

Spark you interest? Go check this out in the Word. Read before and after. Search the scriptures for truth.

Remember Kellynn,Ty, Sam...Mary Lawson...Hallie Tracey...Irene Sharpe...Karen and Scott Sharpe...Brad and Pam MacDonold...Wayne and Lisa Jordan...Jarry and Carol Gast...


Heavenly Father,i Lord we ask the scales from our eyes fall off. We ask we see truth and hear only your words. Lord we lift these people up to you and ask for healing and blessings on them. Show yourself in a way that there is no plausible deniability. Make the Word fly off the pages and sink so deep in our hearts the evil of this world cannot enter. Lord we praise you and worship at your feet because you are God. In Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:55 AM

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