Give Ear

 

Give ear

 

I have certain friends that I have committed to pray for.  A few of them know who they are but a lot of them don’t know I’m praying for them.  A few days ago, one of those friends named Erica just simply posted something on Facebook and it reminded I needed to pray for her and I had been neglecting it.

  Recently I sat with a notebook and wrote out my feelings and it was never really intended to go anywhere else.  Honestly my thoughts get so scrambled and messed up, but I have times where if I don’t get them out my brain gets hung up on the wrong things.  I’ve quoted this before, but Anna Nalick said it best in her song Breathe.

 “2 am and I’m still awake, writing a song if I get all down on paper, it’s no longer inside of me threatening the life it belongs to.  And I feel like I’m naked in front of the crowd, cause these words are my diary screaming out loud.”

  That’s often what it feels like as a writer you simply have to get things out be it on paper or verbally you have to release thoughts.  I prayed a lot before starting this blog because I haven’t done one of these since February and I often feel I don’t have anything to say or a way to encourage people anymore.  But maybe you’re like me and you’ve been through struggles, and you need a friend like mine who just posted something on Facebook and God used it to remind you to pray. I want to take you to Psalm 5 because we need this reminder.  

 

Psalm 5:1-2

 

“Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing.  Listen to my cry for help, my King, and my God, for to you I pray.  In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”  

 

In my opinion 1 Peter 5:7 is still one of the most important verses you can ever memorize.  

 

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”  

 

We need a place to go with our thoughts and we also need to remember God cares for us and those around us.  

 

I’ve been on a journey as of late and if any of you want to pray for me about anything it would be that I find friends to connect with.  Since my divorce I have never felt more alone where I live.  Like I told my counselor I somewhat dread my days off work because all I have is my dog to talk to.  Sure, I’m single I can go anywhere and do anything but for the most part I’m alone and bored.    I have a friend I get to meet for breakfast on Thursday morning.  I meet with my parents sometimes on that day too, but I’ve been kinda bouncing from one church to another because one stopped having Wednesday night services.  I will flat out admit this if I ever get asked to do anything after church with someone, I will probably cry the whole way there just because making a friend would mean that much.  Being alone in a big city and barely knowing anyone is harder than you could ever imagine.  So, if you want to pray for Zac that’s how.  I need Christian friends.  But if you get anything from all this pray and seek God.  

 

Psalm 5 by Carolyn Arends

In Heaven’s eyes by Sheila Walsh 

Spur

 

Spur

 

Most of us at one point have watched a western movie or tv show and are familiar with cowboys wearing spurs to steer a horse to do what they want. I’ve been doing this blog thing for some years now and if you ever see it as a video, I will tell the viewers that my purpose is for them to draw closer to God and find hope in him.  Spur can also be a term to encourage. That’s something I feel called by God to do.  I’m about to share some verses with you and I speak from a lot of personal experience on this.  In Hebrews 10:19-25 it talks about encouraging one another to meet with other Christian believers and to not forsake doing so and to spur or encourage one another.  When my world fell apart, I will admit there was a time I self-destructed.  Church was the absolute last place I wanted to be.  I especially didn’t want to be around people.  It took a lot to get me to interact with others.  But I needed to.   I’m slowly connecting with a local church and getting to know others and when you get hurt like I did it’s hard to do.  Covid kind of messed up people and churches too.  But I’m here telling you to connect with fellow Christians because God calls us to.  Don’t believe me check these verses out.  

 

Hebrews 10:19-25

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God, with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another— and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

 

I will tell you from experience the more devastated a person’s life gets the more they need encouragement.  I have a few friends who have encouraged me, and I needed it more than they ever knew.  So, take this blog as your encouragement to get back to church and connect with the people of God.  I will tell you personally that I can’t be at a church on Sunday morning due to my work schedule and my pastor knows this.  I show up for Wednesday night services and I do my best to be there as often as I can.  

 

People need the Lord by Steve Green

Tell me again by Geoff Moore and the Distance 

Short and to the point

Short and to the point

 

Been working through books in the New Testament lately and sometimes it’s one verse that gets my attention.  This will be one of my shortest blogs ever but maybe someone else needs it.  I spent most of 2023 praying for a sense of purpose and hope.  Early this morning I read this one verse and I needed it. 

 

First Timothy 1:1

“This Letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us Hope.” 

I needed that reminder that God gives us hope and maybe you need it to. 

The other night I was sitting in my easy chair playing video games listening to my mp3 player and I heard this song. I had never really paid attention to the lyrics before but I’m going to share the chorus here with you because there is someone who needs it possibly as much as I did.  This is just spur of the moment I’m off work at the moment and I picked up my Bible and started reading and I truly believe someone else needs this.  This is from the song Carry the Light by Mark Harris. If the name is familiar to some of you it’s because you may have been fans of the group 4 Him. 

“I stand on Your promise
Your love is forever
And I believe with all my heart
You are my one and only Savior
You are the calm when my world falls apart
And to the ends of the earth
And for the rest of my life
I'll carry the light”

 

 

 

Carry the Light by Mark Harris

New Start

 

New start

 

I don’t always have something to say in regard to doing this blog or my fictional stories but I’m slowly getting back to writing.  By the time I get to post this it will be at the start of a new year and we need to start it in the right direction.  I have a friend who greets me with a positive attitude each day about embracing a new day of possibilities.  We need to be like King David and start this new year seeking after God.  I’m going to share with you some verses to get us in the right direction.  

 

Psalm 143:7-10

 

“Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails.  Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit.  Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.  Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you.  Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good spirit lead me on level ground.”

 

A lot of 2023 was me making mistakes and having to get my life back on track and focused back on God.  Let’s start this new year seeking Him and trying to be on the right path.  Pray more, praise God more and read your Bible more.  Draw closer to God’s unfailing love.  Why? Because we all need to.  Pray for your friends.  

 

Once in a lifetime by David Meece

Treasure island by Steven Curtis Chapman 

The Word by Sara Groves 

Not Forsaken

 

Not forsaken 

 

There’s a level of rejection most will never experience the way I and some others who have had a spouse leave them experience.  In all honesty I struggled with feeling like God had forsaken me too.  It causes you to doubt any love.  I had to be reminded of the sovereignty of God and how nothing that happened to me caught God off guard and he still loves me.  There are chapters in the Bible like Psalm 139 and Romans 8 that I run to for comfort when battling those thoughts.  I don’t always get it right, but I try.  If you ever feel forsaken or rejected or unloved seek God.  I’m about to give you a passage of verses to make you take heart.  See at one point I was told to heal in private but let me say this if God can use me to teach or help someone else with what I’ve been through I would rather share it than just keep it to myself.  I’m the least important part of this blog thing it’s all about sharing God’s Word.  But if you need an update of where I’m at with all of that first I’m going to share a poem of where I’m at.  This is something I’m calling Content of Sorts

 

Content of sorts

 

I’m at a place in my life

Physical needs

Are met

Emotional not so much

Happy to be alive

Happy to have family and friends 

So loved by my dog

Simply here

God has given me a day to live

I’m content of sorts

I still long for a relationship 

I can’t make it happen 

But I can 

Be just me

I’m the pro wrestling, video game, comic book fan

Somehow my niece thinks I’m cool

I don’t see it but 

“There’s always another day.”

I live a weird schedule. 

I try to be the best me I can.

I’m just content of sorts.

I’ve battled depression and rejection but today it’s an ok day.

I’m fine with that.  

 

And for those who may feel forsaken I want to remind you what God’s word says about you and me.

 

Psalm 103:8-18

 

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.  He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sin deserves or repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.  As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.  As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.  But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”  

 

If you doubt God’s love or think he has forsaken, keep reading his word.  I’ve had to.  We need his assurances.  

 

"We are loved beyond our ability to comprehend" Jewel

God Loves you and cares for you

Mighty to save by Laura Story

10,000 reasons by Jesus Culture 

Hand on my shoulder by Sandi Patti

By your Side by Tenth Avenue North

My Jesus by Crowder and Anne Wilson

 

 

It is good

 

It is good

 

There was a discussion sometime back at a Bible study group I went to and it never quite happened the way it should have at least in my thoughts.  The discussion was why should we as Christians listen to Christian music?  Logically if you claim to follow Christ you should be praising him.  Your walk with God is a bit off if you don’t.  Trust me, I’ve been there.  I have found it hard to be thankful at times with things I’ve been through.  I’m trying to get better.  My counselor even told me “The goal is to get you praising God once again.”  It’s quite an undertaking for someone trying to give you Godly counseling to get your eyes off yourself and back on to God.  I haven’t been the easiest of patients.  I’m a work in progress.  I’m blogging again which is an achievement.  But speaking of chicken fried steak, at least once a year I see this meme and it’s stupid if you ask me.  “Why do people listen to Christmas music early, because no one has ever really written a good thanksgiving song.”  Here’s the stupidity in this thought.  There are thousands of songs about thankfulness for the Christians.  How about the old hymn Great is thy faithfulness?  If people listen to Christian music, they would realize this.  People of God try and do and should be praising God all year round and not just on one day.  I’ve even blogged before around Christmas that Hark the Herald Angels Sing is a Christmas song that takes you from the birth of Jesus to the resurrection in one song if you listen to all the verses.  So back to my start of this.  Why should a Christian be praising God and listening to Christian music?  I’m going to give you a few short reasons.  Perspective shift.  You get your attention off you and back on to God.  Are you having a bad day?  Praise God with music.  You won’t like it at first, but you need to change your focus.  Been there.  Read the Psalms because 90% of the chapters start with a complaint and then a perspective shift back to God.  Read your Bible you’ll see it’s true.  God can use the lyrics to teach you.  It has happened more times to me than I can count.  God commands us to praise him.  He gives us plenty of reasons to praise him.  You’re still breathing, aren’t you?  That brings me to another stupid meme shared by church people that says.  “It’s Sunday I can’t wait to get my praise on”.  My thoughts with this one have always been.  Why are you waiting to only praise God on Sunday?  What were you doing the rest of the week?  Some of you may complain about stuff that falls under the category of Christian music.  Evaluate the lyrics.  If it doesn’t match up with the Bible, then don’t listen to it.  You don’t have to bash every style of music and artist.  I say that because I’ve been around those types of church people.  I’ve been in those debates, and it pushes some people away.   Not everyone is going to listen to the same type of music you do, so relax.  As long as they are honoring God with their lives that’s what’s important.  For those who want to complain about music styles Larry Norman already addressed this years ago when he asked, “Why should the Devil have all the good music?”  God created music but along the way Satan perverted it.  Again, examine the lyrics against what the Bible says and see if they honor God.  I’m not here blogging for that debate about musical styles been there done that seen too many church people get hung up on the wrong sides of it.  I’ve been personally attacked for listening to stuff with a guitar and drums.  I’ve even been told that one particular musician is the only Biblically correct singer to the point that I refuse to listen to that artist because I disagree with those people’s statement.  God can and does use more than one musician just like he can use us all in unique ways.  Don’t limit what God can use to reach people.  He doesn’t fit in a box.  See those are needless arguments some people get hung up on. With this blog I’m urging you to Praise God.  It’s called encouragement.  Something I’m called to do that I’ve had a hard time doing lately.  

 

Psalm 92:1-5

 

“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.  For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.  How great are your works, O Lord, how profound are your thoughts!”  

 

The first three words answer why we should sing and praise God.  “It is good.”  Boom mic drop!  That was something my parents told my after my life fell apart last year.  “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”  I had said.  My dad told me to do the next right thing.  Praise God.  It made no sense.  Bottom falls out of your life.  Praise God, seek Him.  Some days the hardest thing I do is to pick up my Bible and read it or to put on some Christian music and listen to the words, but I do it.  I’m trying to make better choices each day.  

 

Psalm 100:1 

 

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.”

 

It doesn’t specify what musical instrument you use or genre of music. It just says make a joyful noise unto the Lord.  You don’t even have to sing good.  Praise God! That’s what you’re called to do.  The only thing I’m trying to drive home in all this is we all need to be praising God every day.  When I do these blog things I always leave links to music so you know you have a chance to praise God.  It’s kinda what I’ve been hinting at and talking about this whole time.  It’s not rocket science it really isn’t.  That’s it!  In the wrestling world this would be your “Go home” line of the promo.  Get busy praising God because He deserves it and that’s the next right thing to do.    

 

Made to worship by Chris Tomlin 

Praise the Lord by the Imperials

Sing your praise to the Lord by Rich Mullins 

Turn your eyes by Point of Grace 

Great is thy faithfulness by Carrie Underwood 

He’s got the whole world by Christy Nockels 

 

Help People

 

Help people. 

 

Sometimes you have to remember things that drive and fuel you as a person.  Multiple times in my work life I have seen employees get hired and for some reason or another weird things happen where they get overlooked as far as training.  It’s been happening around me again lately.  I was having a conversation with a friend about this, and it reminded me of the fact that I’m still passionate about helping people.  I don’t have as many people I come in contact with now that I’m single and alone.  Years ago, I had a teacher in college who made me aware of two verses that I will share momentarily.  I strongly believe God has us interacting with the people in our lives.  Recently I have been trying to find a church that will work for me as far as Wednesday night services and I went to one and no one even spoke to me which is sad.  Until you are single and only live with a dog you have no idea how much you miss interaction with others.  I have a pillowcase I bought on Amazon with Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars the Clone Wars on it and it has a quote that I read again recently and I shared it with a friend because it sums me up.  “In my life, when you find people who need your help you help them, no matter what.”  Whether it’s a new trainee at work, a friend, a family member or wait staff at a restaurant.  Be helpful!  Here’s the verses I mentioned.  

 

Galatians 6:9-10

 

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”  

 

I have a restaurant I frequent, and they got busy one day while I was there I asked one of the waitresses.  “Do you want me to go take those menus and put them up for you?”  It can be something simple you do to help someone else.  I help take out the garbage at work and if my dispatcher prints something I go to the printer and get it and hand it to them.  If new trainee needs help, I make sure to help them.  Not everything is about you.  Some people need a small gesture of kindness more than you know I know this because I’m one of those people.  Recently I posted on Facebook that I really needed a bookmark because I was using a plastic disposable knife for a bookmark.  My cousin bought some on Amazon and mailed them to me and another friend who is a librarian said she is sending me some.  My mom recently brought me homemade soup so I wouldn’t have to take boring sandwiches to work.  These are little things that mean so much to me.  I had a friend use a coupon and buy me the energy drinks I like.  I paid her back of course but I appreciated it.  My friend and I both collect different action figures and recently I went to a store and found one he had been searching for, for quite some time and I bought it he came by my house and paid me for it and he was very grateful.  Years ago, I read this series of books, and the main character was given a gift and he had never known friendships or kindness and he was confused.  The friend he was with told him this.  “We do not view friendship as a gift to be repaid.”  It works with kindness to others also.  Don’t worry about needing repayment, be kind because it’s the right thing to do and you make a difference in other people.  There’s someone in your life that God has you near them to show them kindness and you may never realize just how much they need it.  

 

Steven Curtis Chapman said it best in his song called Meant To Be

“You were meant to be touching.

 The lives that you touch.

And meant to be here.

Making this world so much more

Than it would be without you in it.”

 

Help people. Be kind.  We are all dealing with stuff and need kindness shown to us.  

 

Meant to be by Steven Curtis Chapman 

Human by Natalie Grant and Jordin Sparks