Not unnoticed

 

Not unnoticed

          We all have struggles and problems in our lives.  Some of you know I have been without work for a good two months now.  I’ve even learned things about that work situation that have left me more frustrated.  I’ve cried a lot.  I’ve sat on the bed praying just wishing tears would fall down my face and they didn’t.  If you’ve been in these type of situations God sees it.  You can turn to Him!  Jesus cried in the Garden before his crucifixion.  I’ve turned to God a lot during all of this.  I’m not the type of person who wants to just do nothing.  I want to provide for my wife and dog and take care of us, so it frustrates me.  God sees your pain and your tears.  I want to show you something powerful that King David said of God.  I think it’s a promise we all need to see and remember. 

Psalm 56:8

          “You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book.” 

          Think about that let it sink in.  Every single tear you have ever shed God knows about them and keeps a record of them.  And yet we still find ourselves struggling to trust Him….. That’s a deep thought! 

          There is good news.  I will be starting a new job soon.  But that’s just my news.  You came to the blog for your own bit of hope.  So how about I leave you with these promises. 

 

 

Psalm 59:16

          “But as for me, I will sing about your power.  Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.  For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.

 

1 Peter 5:8

          “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

          A few days back I started getting stressed out and Marion and I were talking to my dad on the phone, and he asked a lot of questions about the situation.  Then he said “Aren’t you the one who always talks about there being hope?”  Then he pointed me to these next verses.

Proverbs 3:5-6

          “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

 

I want to conclude with some lyrics from the song Come to Me by Geoff Moore and the Distance because I think we all need them.  Some of you know I pattern the blogs a lot like a pro wrestling promo.  You have your intro, main points you’re trying to get across and then the go home line.  This is about to be your go home line. 

 

             “When you feel like an island in a raging storm 

No matter what your fear says

Jesus will never leave you alone

He sees, He hears, and He feels your pain

He will not pass you by

Hear him now as He calls you by name

Come to me 

Come to me 

When you are weary

When you are wandering 

Come to me, come to me 

Cast your cares upon The One 

Whose yoke is easy 

And whose burden is light “

 

 

 

 

He by Jars of Clay

Trust in the Lord by Girls of Grace

His Eyes by Steven Curtis Chapman

Come to me By Geoff Moore and the Distance

Sparrows by Cory Asbury

Give Back Principle

 

Give Back principle

 

          In the pro wrestling sports entertainment industry, there is a principle of giving back.  For those not familiar let me try to explain.  When a new wrestler is learning the art, they must learn from the older generation of stars.  It is an art because those men and women put their bodies on the line to put on a show for the entertainment of the fans.  Yes, there is a predetermined ending to the match but what they do tells a story in each match and with promos.  What I mean by giving back is this: the older more established wrestler sells what are called bumps and moves to make the younger star look good.  He or she may also give them advice.  It is like a parent teaching a child or a martial artist teaching a fighter who is learning.   One day I won’t be around to do this blog, but I hope that I will have passed onto someone else hope found in God’s word and encourage them to share his word.  Growing up I got to watch as my dad developed into a pastor and he had a few mentors.  I had a few as well and people who encouraged me to start doing this life group as a blog.  See I endeavor to give back to those around me and encourage them.  I have a simple goal.  If just one person draws closer to God and finds hope in him because of something I shared, then I have accomplished what I set out to do.  That is not to say that I, Zac have everything all together because that’s not true at all I’m a mess, but I can encourage people and point them back to God.

Ephesians 5:15-20

          “So be careful how you live.  Don’t live like fools but like those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.  Don’t act thoughtlessly but understand what the Lord wants you to do.  Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life.  Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

          The believer in Christ is called to encourage others.   

 

 

 

Hebrews 10:23-25

          “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.  Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”

 

If you have a way to help and encourage others I urge you to pursue that.  You may be the one encouraging voice someone needs and God can use you. 

 

 

 

The Flame passes on by Whiteheart

Light a candle by Whiteheart

Heart to God and a Hand to man by GeoffMoore and the Distance

When all is said and Done by Geoff Mooreand the Distance

 

Hope to share

 

Hope to share

          The Batcave blog has a theme of hope found in God’s word.  I have a few passages I want to share this week. 

Psalm 55:16-19

          “But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me.  Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.  He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me though many still oppose me.  God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them.  For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God.”

 

Psalm 55:22

          “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.  He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”

Psalm 52:8-9

          “But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.  I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.  I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done.  I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people.   

Psalm 59:16-17

          “But as for me, I will sing about your power.  Each Morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.  For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.  O my strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. 

 

Psalm 62:5-8

          “Let all that I am quietly wait before God for all my hope is in him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.  My victory and honor come from God alone.  He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.  O, my people, trust in Him at all times.  Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge. 

 

Something happened last week I made the blog a public video on Facebook so people other than just my friends could watch it.  The blog video went from being viewed about 16 times to 98.  I often say this if you show up to read or watch this blog I’m the least important part of it.  God is the main focus.  It belongs to him.  I simply show up and share what He lays on my heart.  See sharing a blog online and making God’s word the focus doesn’t make much sense because I don’t know who reads or watches it but I want to share truth that I know because I make mistakes and I have sought hope myself and I know it can be found in God.  I know when I share his word it will go reach others because of what this next passage says.

Isaiah 55:8-11

          “’My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts.’ Says the Lord.  ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the Heavens are higher than the earth so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.  The rain and the snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth.  They cause the grain to grow producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.  It is the same with my word I send it out and it always produces fruit.  It will accomplish all I want it to and prosper everywhere I send it.’” 

          There have been people in church that have told me to limit this only to a small group but Jesus called us to share the gospel to the uttermost part of the earth.  I made a commitment to do a blog with the focus of sharing hope found in God’s word so the watcher or reader would draw closer to God and that has been my prayer for this.  The people your life affects God has called you to share his love with.

          Matt. 28: 19-20):
And Jesus said to them, "Go
Therefore and make disciples of all nations
Baptizing them in the name of the Father
And the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Teaching them to observe
All that I have commanded you
And lo, I am with you always
Even to the end of the age
I am with you always
Even to the end of the age"

When we say what we say
We've gotta face the nation
We gotta show a dyin' world
The power of love
When we say what we say
We've gotta face the nation
How will they ever know
If they don't see it in us

 

 

Face the Nation by 4 Him

People Need the Lord bySteven Green

Until the Whole world hears by Casting Crowns

Meant to be by Steven CurtisChapman

 

 

Who you represent

 

Who you represent

          As some of you know I work both as a security guard and for Favor delivering food and groceries.  Marion has become my Navigator as we deliver stuff. This past week we got to deliver groceries to this lady and normally all deliveries are to be contactless.  Well we got to this lady’s apartment and two things caught my attention as I walked up with my arm’s loaded down with bags.  The first thing was a wheelchair ramp.  Then she opened the door and there was a reason for that ramp.  We’re supposed to leave the groceries on the doorstep and go but if I did she wouldn’t be able to open the screen door to even get them.  She asked me if I was allowed to bring them in for her.  Allowed or not I didn’t care I was going to help her as much as I could, I came in and set down the bags and we talked as I made multiple trips to the car.  There’s a phrase you learn when you work for Favor as well as being a guard and that is “Remember who you represent.”  The Christian group Newsong has this song called We Wear His Name and the chorus says this. 

“We wear His name

The Name above all Names

We wear His name

In a world that’s lost in hopelessness

We are called to be the Light

We Wear His name”

Then I want to direct you to the chorus of the song If We’re His by Lisa Bevill

“If we’re His, truly his

Then his love will flow right through us

To the heart of every need

If we’re his, truly His

We give of ourselves unselfishly.”

See I didn’t have to help the lady but I did.  I mentioned a second thing I noticed and that was an American flag folded into a triangle in a frame and that was something that hit me hard because she had someone in her family that served our country.  I come from a family where I have a dad, two, grandads and an uncle and brother-in-law who all served in the American armed forces.  She knew what it was like to remember who she represented.  The Christian represents the love of Jesus Christ.  I want to end this with two verses and they have a special meaning to me because I had a reading teacher in college and I found out she was a Christian and I took my Bible to her and asked her to sign it and she left these very appropriate verses referenced there. 

Galatians 6:9-10

          “So, Let’s not get tired of doing what is good.  At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.  Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.”

 

 

If we’re His by Lisa Bevill

We Wear his Name by Newsong

Just Reach out by Petra

Through his Eyes by 4Him