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Comment by russ allen on June 9, 2009 at 7:23am

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 6:48am

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

Comment by russ allen on June 3, 2009 at 7:03am

Good morning! How are we faithing? Such a day when we have lots on our minds. It is easy to concentrate on the item you're thinking about and not so much on God. I have a friend that is going in for surgery today and of course I am concerned yet at peace on the outcome. It seems to be nail biting time because I understand the pain of healing. I am concerned for Josh because he will feel helpless to take Tiffs pain away. It's the waiting at this point. We want to be there for our friends but we know that there really isn't anything we can do physically for them. I lift them to the Master and I know they will be fine in God's will, whatever he has for them. Loving others is hard sometimes and it takes commitment and prayer. We are susceptible to wild thoughts and satan's lies when we get to focused on things and leave God secondary. We all do this and we must train ourselves to come quickly back to the presence of God. How you ask? Be wise in the Word, quick to pray, quick to listen more than speak.

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

Eph 2:3-10
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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

Eph 6:15-18
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
NIV

Remember Tiff that all goes perfectly and she heals quick...remember Josh, strength to do what he needs to do...remember the parents that are praying and working with their kids...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the insight and wisdom of your Word. Lord help us focus on you in all things. Lord we lift Tiff to you. Guide the surgeons and set your healing hand on her. Lord we lift Josh to you. Grant him peace and wisdom so he can be the spiritual leader of his household. Lord thank you for your blessings. Lord surround us with your protection from the enemy. Lord we give you the honor, in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:37 AM

Comment by russ allen on June 2, 2009 at 7:16am

Good morning! How are we faithing? Boy did I get a wake up call in the last 12 hours. Something happened and I was ticked. Partially due to someone elses actions which as it turns out was not intentional. I reacted poorly. I recognised that after awhile and asked forgiveness and prayer but was still ticked. Well after a night of sleep I awoke more upset and worried than ticked. Some of the things I've learned were foggy due to my worry and ticked offness. I am truly sorry for my reactions. I talked to a dear friend about this issue and in 5 minutes time after I asked her to pray the problem was solved. Some may say coincidence but I say exactly what she prayed, happened. Her attitude was pure and loving and mine was focused off God and onto me. Bad move and I repent. These are the things we need to really learn and to quickly recognise so we can learn and move on. Look at these again;

Ps 37:8
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil.
NIV

Eph 4:31-32
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
NAS

Ps 141:33
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
NAS

Phil 2:14-17
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life-in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
NIV

It is such a pain in the rear that we keep relearning the same things again and again. It sure is good to realize that our Father forgives us and is patient, kind and loving cause sometimes, we ain't. You all have a wonderful day and be quick to pray and slow to speak!

Remember Chris Bell and Diane Reed as they work through some issues...

Heavenly Father,
Forgive our transgressions and help us not wallow in self pity and anger. Help us seek you immediately upon turmoil. Lord lift our hearts so we rise above circumstances. Lord we lift Chris and Diane to you, grab hold of Chris and give strength ti Di, in Jesus name amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:56 AM

Comment by Mikaël on June 1, 2009 at 11:29am

a little question for everybody.
How each of You speak about Jesus with others firemen?
Please give me a little testimony.

Comment by russ allen on June 1, 2009 at 7:53am

Great monday morning! How are we faithing? Wonderful weekend, not nearly long enough for the honey do's but a good one anyways! Some conversations and events this weekend took place that showed the love and the grace of our savior. I saw people confess sin in a way that had to have been so difficult to the point of passing out. Of course they didn't but it was bold and brave. It also was obedient to scripture. Our love we have from and to Jesus can be telling in how we react to confessions of sin. We've talked about sin many times and being reminded that sin is sin is important. Nothing you have done is any worse than what I have done or what that guy next to you has done. Yes in this world some sin is more heinous than others and consequences follow while we are here but God sees sin as sin. What is the sin that keeps us out of heaven? Refusing Jesus the Christ as savior. Denying he is who he said he is. So with that in mind, check these out;

James 5:16-20
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
NKJV

1 John 1:9-10
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
NKJV


1 Cor 10:12-13
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
NKJV

See that last one? What you are experiencing is not uncommon. You ain't alone so stand up and know you are loved and forgiven when you ask our Lord. Man, that is reassuring!
Remember Alan Beres for guidance in business ventures...remember each other and the ones you meet that they are struggling too!

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your love and blessings that are available always. Lord we ask for healing of our minds and peace in our souls so when we encounter trials we see you and only you. Lord help us make wise choices so we don't fall for the schemes of the devil and let us not blame everything on him. Lord thank you for a beautiful in Jesus name, amen
Posted by russ allen at 7:10 AM

Comment by russ allen on May 29, 2009 at 7:14am

Good morning! How are we faithing? End of a long tough week but praises to God that we survived. Amazing sometimes when we think about what we have endured and how Jesus' grace got us through. Are you miserable? Are your eyes downcast with heavy burdens of this world? Stand up and be of good cheer even in sadness because God so loved us all that he provided a way of salvation and peace for us. Now not every day will be filled with honey and rainbows and to expect that is foolishness but we do have a God who will stand by us and even carry us in our grief and turmoil. Searching scripture for general wisdom and searching for an answer to whatever is troubling you is always fruitful. You may not get a yes or no answer but you for sure will find God's wisdom contained within. Look at these and see what you get from them. I'll tell you what I get and you may get another truth that I missed ;

Luke 24:1-12
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: " The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'" Then they remembered his words.
When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
NIV

Besides the story of finding Jesus gone after he was entombed, I had always thought it was just Mary Magdalen and Jame's Mom at the tomb. Nope, Joanna and others told the apostles. Maybe not important per se but interesting.

Matt 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
NIV

Scripture about people "working" for salvation. They may do miracles and stuff but if they haven't taken Jesus as savior, admittance to heaven will be refused. Makes you think and be a little introspective about "playing church".

Acts 1:18-20
(With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
"For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms,
"'May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,'
and,
"'May another take his place of leadership.'
NIV

Ewww! But quite interesting. So who cut him down from the tree he hung himself on? I must explore this some more.

Point to this is even if you have read the Word and think it isn't necessary to read every day, you are missing important things and tidbits that bring it to life and make it more interesting. The Holy Spirit can't reveal things and answers in the Word if it isn't read. Points to ponder.

Remember Kellynn Bates...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Word that educates and assures us every time we read it. Thank you for making it living word that we can glean life abundantly. Lord be with John and Christy with the new addition to their family! Baby John is a blessing! Lord, Kellynn is struggling, prop her up and let her know the control is yours and whatever goes down she can rest in you. Lord, protect the kids and g4rant safe passage from this week to next, in Jesus name, Amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:40 AM

Comment by russ allen on May 28, 2009 at 7:27am

Good morning! Another faithing day to learn, share and walk with the Lord! As we meet each days first beam of light, thank God in the morning as soon as your eyes open. Thank God in the evening before they close on another day. Thank God throughout your day because without his grace, you wouldn't even be in this day. Lift your eyes beyond your circumstance and see the majesty, the beauty and the good each day can bring. When bad things happen, remember to look to our savior because he is right there with you. Nothing that is happening to you is uncommon to man. Everything you are going through is not new. Check out the wisdom of Solomon and read proverbs, you will be amazed at how application of that wisdom is still relevant today.

1 Peter 3:8-12
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,
"Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
NIV

These verses in Proverbs stuck out to me today. Think on these.

Prov 4:18-19
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
NIV

Prov 6:16-19
There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
NIV

Interesting...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your wisdom that is above anyone on earth. Lord, open our eyes to folly that destroys. Lord open our eyes to choices that honor you. Lord, open our eyes, we want to see Jesus, in Jesus name we pray, Amen
Posted by russ allen at 6:53 AM

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