RantandRave

Elaina

2007-09-17T23:45:00.000-04:00

The video is not great!

I know I know I know

2007-08-13T15:41:00.000-04:00

So I have really stunk on this the past two months. But I have been incredibly busy lately and just haven't devoted the time and effort to this as i had hope to . I will be back in a couple of weeks.

Isaiah 49:1-7

2007-06-22T10:39:00.000-04:00

1 Listen to me, you islands;
hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the LORD called me;
from my birth he has made mention of my name.

2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow
and concealed me in his quiver.

3 He said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor."

4 But I said, "I have labored to no purpose;
I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing.
Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand,
and my reward is with my God."

5 And now the LORD says—
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD
and my God has been my strength-

6 he says:
"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

7 This is what the LORD says—
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
"Kings will see you and rise up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

This really spoke to my heart in these days. I am in the midst of trying to write a poem or song referring to this passage of scripture. Stay tune!

Devotions and Prayer

2007-06-05T13:08:00.001-04:00

This is a hot topic among Christians.

Couple of questions:

What do you do for devotions?
Is it a planned time?
Do you use organized materials(ie devotion book)?
If married do you do devotions together? Do you pray together?

It is important that we are in the Word of God, that we allow the Word of God to become worked into the very fabric of who we are as individuals living our lives for Jesus Christ. The Bible is not there just to read like an ordinary book, glancing over the words, skipping words, phrases, meanings. But the Word of God is God given, breathed, meant to study over, to infect our minds, apply it to our sinful hearts and minds, lived out in our everyday goings.

I believe that it is equally important that we are in prayer with God. I always struggle over what prayer is to be, to look like. Some often use it as a sounding board to vent frustration, anger, confusion, and still others just use it as a giveme list of things that they must have and need. I must confess that I have used prayer in my own life as all of the above. But over the last few weeks I have mulled over something that my Grandmother used to say, "I don't pray, I just talk to God!" How do you pray? Is it only in the heat of the moment? We should be about talking to God. We should praise God each day that God chooses to breathe life into our dry bones as Ezekiel says. Giving God glory for allowing the pleasure of this Earth that was created by Him, and ultimately we are responsible for.

God is Good and we should be about living out His Word and we should be about talking to Him giving Him glory and honor only due to Him.

Rise Up

2007-05-09T09:59:00.000-04:00

I wake to a day of
hopelessness and pain.
I look to the end before the
day even starts.
No matter what this day
holds, I will

I will rise up to the glory,
I will rise up to the honor,
I will rise up to the hope,
of Jesus.

I walk through my life
living with shame and guilt.
Each moment held together
by careful thought.
With all of this

I lay my head down hoping
for a better day tomorrow.
Thoughts run through me
in ways no one can explain.
As my eyes drift and droop
I will

Bridge:
The devil can not hold me down
There are better days ahead
Because of you, because of
you, I will rise up

(I have been going through an interesting part of my life right now. But above all things, there is Jesus Christ. My Savior and My Lord. There are better days ahead. Please tell me what you think, any comments are welcome)

This is Cool!

2007-05-03T23:41:00.000-04:00

Call me weird but this is like one of the coolest things I have ever seen!

Today is the Day

2007-05-02T11:31:00.000-04:00

Today is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it!

I say this as the welcome every week in our church service. I always try and really look at the words and what they are truly trying to say.

This the day, meaning today, right now the next 24 hrs, the next minute, second, hour is made by the Lord. God gives us each an opportunity to praise and lift up his name each day. When we lay our head down to sleep we are trusting the Lord to breathe life back into these dry bones to wake us up. Each day that we wake up is a gift from the Lord in which we should cherish. We should rejoice in it and be glad that we have the opportunity to worship the Lord who gave us this day.

Take today to worship the Lord and be glad in this day!

Living Holy Lives for a Holy God

2007-04-24T14:26:00.001-04:00

So I have been wondering about this statement for quite a while. I type this phrase into Google and received no direct hits. But anyways I have been pondering this statement on how we as God's children should live our lives as we take part in our daily activities.

The word "holy" appears 532 times from Genesis to Revelation, so one can guess that "holy" is a big deal for God. Holy is being dedicated or devoted to the service of God, both man and thing. The Bible has several areas marked off "as/is Holy". The ground is holy, the Sabbath is holy, the priests' room, the law is holy, and etc.

Above all of these things, out of 532 times holy is mentioned in the Bible, about 75% of the time it is in reference to the Lord God is Holy. There can be no doubt about it, God is holy. God our maker, govenor and preserver of our faith is Holy.

And as God's children, he calls us to be holy. There are several different verses in the Bible in which God has told to "Be Holy" "Be Holy for I am Holy" is the common verse in which is said given any situation in which we are called to be Holy. This exact phrase is mention several different time within the Bible. We are called to higher standards, We are called to God's standards of holiness.

Holiness is a battle. It is a battle against the devil and everything that he wants for our lives. Pain, agony, guilt, shame, these are what Satan would have for us if we chose to not to battle him. But as I have said Holiness is a battle. A confessing Christian is one who has the Holy Spirit with him to fight the battle against the evil one. As Brengle says, "It is not a fight against ourselves after we are sanctified, for Paul expressly declares that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12—Helps To Holiness)

In our everyday ventures, we should seek to bring glory to God, from which holiness will be seen. As we seek to live our lives for God, we should seek to bring the Fruits of Holy Spirit with us. Make it apart of our DNA, for after all we are made in the image God. So it is already there in our DNA, but I believe that most of us have lost it, lost the art of the Fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 says, "But the spiritual nature produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There are no laws against things like that.Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their corrupt nature along with its passions and desires. If we live by our spiritual nature, then our lives need to conform to our spiritual nature. We should live by our spiritual nature.

God calls us to live holy lives for a Holy God. Holiness is what we should long for, is is what we should seek, then we will be able to bring light to the darkness of the world. The light of Jesus Christ, the Savior of our lives.

2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

Are fighting against the darkness? Are we looking for the light that will bring all darkness to light in our own lives?

(Just something that has been weighing heavily on my mind)

Amazing!

2007-04-18T23:41:00.000-04:00

Wow! Two blogs in two days is like some kinda record for me. I can not keep up with Commissioner Knaggs, what a committed fellow he is. God Bless him.

Well I have toiled and snared at the idea of placing a photo of Elaina on the old blog but here goes. Please notice the hair. Definately daddy's hair.
I can't begin to understand God's goodness to Susanne and I with the addition of Elaina to our family. She is now 3.2 wks old and loving life. She is still trying to figure what the heck mommy and daddy are doing, but she is having fun none the less.
Please if you are reading this pray for Elaina

Wow!

2007-04-09T11:30:00.000-04:00

Well I have not posted in about a month, life has drastically change for Susanne and I. On March 18 I watched as this woman, my wife, gave birth to our baby girl Elaina Wray. Susanne was awesome even more awesome that words can describe. I watched as the Susanne pushed and pushed until our baby entered the world, full of beauty and hair.

I stood next to Susanne as the nurses handed Elaina Wray over to Susanne, I looked and realized that these were the two most important girls in my life. I saw Susanne crying, Elaina crying, and yes myself crying of this blessing from God, was given to us healthy and awake.

Elaina now just over three weeks old and full of spunk and personality. She has her Daddy's (just getting used to that) hair, messed up and spikey. I have never been in a situation where someone relys on someone else so much than with Elaina. The past three weeks, in order to live, she relys on us to feed her, to keep her safe. That is an awesome responsibility of myself and Susanne.

God bless Elaina Wray and God bless her parents as they are figuring out what they heck they are doing. God has chosen to form and create her, and has given us the responsibility to raise her according to His ways.

I promise I will have some pictures later.

Leadership

2007-03-08T09:27:00.000-05:00

I have been contemplating what leadership means, what is encompassed in the word leadership, and ultmately what are leadership's ultimate goals. I have been placed in a leadership position by The Salvation Army and I believe ultimately by God. I have been here just over 8 months, are things better, are they worst, and are they the same? These are the questions that keep rolling around in mind. I am trying to figure this out, maybe I will not ever figure it out.

But...

Last couple of weeks it seems that everything has been going wrong. Everywhere I turn there is another problem, another issue, to solve to to deal with . I just don't understand what seems to be going wrong. Is it me? Is it ministry (leadership) style?

When things ultimately go wrong, I always end up blaming myself. I always placed the blame on my shoulders, on decisions that I have made, and on my own consequence as a whole. Am I the one to blame?

Not sure what else to write, other than there is going to be a drastic change in my life in the next couple of weeks with the arrival of my daughter. And my thinking goes to if I am having problems with my understanding of leadership right now in this place, what is going to happen say in April when Elaina comes?

I have been relying on Joshua 1:6 "Be strong and courageous because you will lead these people..." I pray for strength and courage.

But know it is your turn to comment.
What makes a good leader?
What gifts must a leader possess?
How do you address problems that come your way?

Hope

2007-03-02T15:48:00.000-05:00

Hope for a brand new day
in which we can say
my God, "How Great thou art".

Hope in which we can to our part
to bring about salvation
to God's wonderful creation.

Hope for the coming one
who is the only Son
of our great and glorious God.

Hope is that we are the odd
to go against the grain of society
so that we ultimately practice sobriety.

Hope is that as God has a place
for us , he sheds His grace
upon us in this hour of need.

Hope is for which we beg, we plead
for the Savior's voice to say
that this is the day.

Been wondering about the hope for which we should have for the coming day of our Savior Lord and King Jesus Christ. For that is the day that He will bring about salvation to the His creation. I hope you are blessed in reading. Please comment and tell your thougths. Blessings

Totally Depraved

2007-02-16T17:30:00.000-05:00

We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency but, by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness; and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God. Salvation Army Doctrine #5

Do we live in this world as Christians and actually believe that we justly exposed to the wrath of God?

Something I have been dealing with for quite a while in my own life. Even as a believers, do we honestly believe that we are to answer to God for everything that we have done on this earth against God. Seriously think about, when we sin and mean blantantly sin do we think about the consequences that we face if we do not truly repent and ask for forgiveness. We usually forget about the repenting part of the equation. Forgiveness is one thing and most of us doing a really good job at asking for it, but I believe as Christians we have lost the art of repentence. Repentence is the only hope of deliverance. Repentance is a deeply sorrowful remorseful action that should follow after asking for forgiveness. There is humbleness in remorse and repentence.

Our concepts of what is right and what is wrong are so screwed up that we don't know which way is up and which way is down. Sin is sin and I think that we have to understand what are the consequenses for our action. (No this is not a hell, fire and brimstone sermon) But how can we continue to follow the teachings of the Bible and of Christ if we ultimately reject the essence of the what is being said and taught.

Now don't get me wrong, I am guilty as this, as anyone else.

Just something to think about it. I'm not finished just tired.

Jesus

2007-01-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

You are Lord
You are Savior
You are Messiah
You are our King

Jesus, my friend
You are the light of the world
A light that leads the way
for tomorrow.
Jesus my friend

You are the Way
You are the Truth
You are the One
You are our Word

Jesus, my friend
You are the restorer of sight.
Sight that opens the eyes
of men.
Jesus my friend

Confusion

2006-11-15T10:45:00.000-05:00

These days are filled with mass confusion, uncertianty, and utter disaray. Everyone in our society is worried about tomorrow, next week, and the next decade. We fill our minds and hearts with all that is wrong with the world, take upon our shoulders and eventually are drudged farther and farther into the ground with worries and pains.

I have the opportunity to talked to people everyday about their worries, concerns, and their petitions, the problems that come up whether by their own consequence or by hapenstance (wrong time, wrong place). This opportunity has both blessed me and concerned me. The blessings have come with the fact that I can give my testimony and share the love of Christ with them. The concern has come with the fact that there are people out their struggling with the idea of faith and belief. That with all their concerns and worries, they believe that there is no one in their lives to uplift them.

We are in the Christmas Season, people I believe more than ever they are looking for a reason to celebrate the season. They are looking beyond Santa, Gifts, decorations, etc. They are looking to give them backup, to put faith in, to trust beyond the human trust, they are looking for Christ.

I believe that people are beyond trying to trust and put faith in people, including Christians. People are let down everyday by people. I believe words in these days are not going to get the work done when it comes to people coming to grips with the idea that they need Christ. They want to see real people with real problems handling them in a way that is God honoring and God glorifying. Handling situations with real world consequences, but looking at their lives in the perspective that God has it all plan out, and yes they will pay the human consequences and ask for forgiveness from God, but they don't live in the now, they live accordingly with God's plan for their lives.

Christmas is so much more than all the materials things that we hand out every year. Christmas a year long holiday where we celebrate Jesus Christ.

I have been working on this for a little while and will continue to work on this. Please feel free to comment if you wish.

Its a Girl

2006-11-02T10:54:00.000-05:00

How fantastic we are having a girl. What an awesome joy and pure exhilaration Susanne and I experience in seeing our little girl for the first time. As the doctor stated, 'She is perfect' meaning everything is the right size and she is acting as normal as she can for being born 'Geracia'
It was so cool to see her hands opening and closing making a fist. Doing somersaults inside the womb. Towards the end of the ultrasound, we actually saw her place her hand on her forehead, as if she had enough of all of this.

We believe we have a name for her and we about 98% sure that her name will be:

Elaina Wray Geracia

We had heard this name from one of our teens at the Corps and the middle name is Susanne's maiden name. We like it.

God has knitted together our little girl, and I pray as she has about 4 more months of growing, that Susanne and I can prepare our own hearts and minds to be able to raise a child under the grace of God. And to teach her that she is one of God's children.

What an awesome privilege and responsibility God has blessed us with!

Everything

2006-10-23T19:17:00.000-04:00

Thy Holiness
Thy Radiance
Thy Glory Divine
Thy One who Saves

You are my All in all
in which defines my existence.
Your names on which I call
I utter boldy and in reverence.
Jesus Christ, on the altar sprawl
I offer my sacrifice with joyance

Thy Savior
Thy Kingdom Come
Thy Awesome One
Thy Only Hope

Thy Jehovah
Thy Most High
Thy Deliver
Thy Redeemer

I not sure how this came together, have been thinking about the names and expressions that we use to express our relationship with Jesus Christ. If you read this, think about your own relationship with Christ, how do you express what he means to you.

Life

2006-10-06T13:52:00.000-04:00

I had a scary dream last night. Basically this dream was leading up to my death, and what would happen afterwards regarding family, friends, and etc. I woke wondering about my life, wondering about how I have lived up this this very moment as I am communicating with seemingly the unknown. I wondered about how I have affected the world for Christ. Have I been to reserved with opportunities that I believe that the Holy Spirit gives everyday? Am I so worried about how people will react to me, instead of concentrating on the fact that with the strength of the Holy Spirit I could by being who God has created me to be, lead this person to a real and authentic relationship with Jesus Christ?

Now I am not old, in the scheme of life but next year I turn 30. And according to statistics, I have lived a third of my life. What will I do with the remaining two thirds? Will I full on, losing myself in the realms of my own existence, or will I stay on course for the life that Christ has called me to live? Leading people, growing relationships with people, that they ultimately see God's grace shown through the life of Christ.

These are the thoughts that have been permeating my sub-conscious as of late. But I want to ask you, How have you lived your life to this very moments as you read these words? Are you lost in your own existence or are you answer the path that God has laid out for your life?

Just thoughts, read, analyze, ponder, comment. But leave living your life for Christ.

Joy

2006-09-15T11:19:00.000-04:00

What joy there is
in this heart of mine.
God has blest me with this,
these days are only Thine.

------>>>>

2006-08-30T18:46:00.000-04:00

I have some people wondering how to respond to my blogs. Well, if you like to respond, click on the number beside the title and you can respond there.

Thanks

In Distress

2006-08-29T13:49:00.000-04:00

Everyday I seek after You
and I wait for your grace.
I know there is victory
in this battle I face.
Arrow after arrow I dodge
to escape the berrage.

You are my Victor, my Knight
that saves this heart of mine.

Crave

2006-08-07T10:43:00.000-04:00

Do you ever think that you are alright in the state of salvation that you are in at this moment? I think that some people think that it is alright to have a stagnant salvation.

We are fine just where we are, everything is going great. But are we in a rut, lost in our own salvation? This is a question that has been running through my mind in the last couple of days.

Ever see the image in amovie where the person is standing still and everything is rushing by them. I believe that we are not meant to stand still in our salvation. We are to be constantly growing more and more.

1 Peter 2:2-3 says "Like newborn babies, crave spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation..." We need to grow in our salvation, grow in our love and devotion to Him.

Last couple weeks, I have been speaking of the desperation that we as Christians must have for Christ our Saviour. Deperation for Christ, for the lost, and our salvation which is only found in Christ Jesus.

We must crave! Are you craving today? Leave me a comment as to how you feel about anything that I have written.

Days Gone By

2006-07-28T08:58:00.000-04:00

Where do our days go?
They are so fleeding
and we lose track of them.

Is there time in our day?
We wonder why we have no time
to spend time with God.
And yet we plan our day
without time set apart for Him.

In my entire life, I have never seen days fly as quick as they do for The Salvation Army. It seems you start your day, with a list of "To Dos" and you get one done and suddenly the day is over and it is 5pm.

Now we have all heard the expression "Today fly fast", but it is interesting to note that seconds, minutes, hours, and days are the constant. We are the ones who move maybe a little faster than we should.

Do you take time to enjoy your day? Or are you so caught up in the busyness of that particular day, that it passes you by?

Sleeping Giant

2006-07-21T09:46:00.000-04:00

Well we have bought a puppy today. She is not as exciting as I thought she would be. She really just sleeps and occasionally poops and pees. But she is adorable isn't she. We are so excited to have here we picked her up yesterday. In fact at this very moment she is sleeping my office.

I was really hoping for her to be jumping and playing with a frisbee or something. But she really just puddles around the house sniffing out everything she can find. I think that she misses her family. She left a brother and a mom. So I think that she is trying to pick up their scent.

We are so excited to bring her home and make her a part of our family. Her name is Savvy. Susanne named her.

On the banks

2006-07-12T15:38:00.000-04:00

So I am a Salvation Army officer. I have been appointed as the Corps Officer of the Milford Massachusetts Salvation Army. What an awesome responsiblity.

Lately I have been feeling like Joshua. Standing on the banks of the Jordan River looking over at the promise land. I believe that God has placed my wife and I here as He did Joshua.

This corps has had great leadership before us. They like Moses have led us here. But know they are gone and we are here. I have been reading alot about Joshua and found that He was appointed by God to continue the leadership that his predecessor Moses had.

So I am feeling a little like Joshua probably would be feeling. How can I possibly compare to the prior leadership. Why are these people going to listen me, the new guy? These are questions that have been running through my mind lately.

I am know that God knew what Joshua was thinking as He knows what we are thinking today. And God goes on to tell Joshua "Be strong and courageous becuase you will lead these people..." This gives me comfort to know that if God was with Joshua, then He is with me also, as I fulfil the role in which he has placed me in.

Have you ever read scripture that just spoke to your particular situation? has it comforted you?

Just curious!!

Faith

2006-06-25T13:13:00.000-04:00

"Be present in your Faith"

Just curious what you think about this phrase?

Real Faith

2006-06-22T16:27:00.000-04:00

I was reading through a bunch of old devotionals that I had wrote as a youth pastor. In one of these devotionals I said,

"Real Faith, is stepping up to the plate and knocking out of the park. Real Faith is breaking a 30 yard run for a touchdown."

I once said this to a bunch of teens at a youth retreat a couple of years ago. I wonder today if I believe this today. I am torn on two levels.

Is real faith the big homerun or the long run for the touchdown? Is real faith going all out in our in our encounters with those who don't believe? Are we to be aggressive and always seek a conversion in every conversation we have with people?

But on a whole different level is it the base hits or the one or two yard run that moves you closer to the ultimate goal? Are we just to have conversations with people in which we talk about daily life and how we react to it as a Christians? Hoping to show them Christ rather than telling them unless of course they ask.

The second series of thinking is from a book I'm reading called aka "Lost" This is a book that is making me wonder about how we do evangelism.

So I wonder what you think, should we be all out in telling people about Jesus Christ leading them to Him? Or should we just be ourselves and have normal conversations hoping to lead them to Christ eventually leading them through our actions?

Let me know what you think.

Visionaries

2006-06-04T22:30:00.000-04:00

We look toward the future,
a future without eyes to see.

We know things are not sure,
but we rest and rely only in Thee.

We watch the days unfold,
days in which we use only for You.

Our vision, as being bold,
boasting in the One, the True.

In 7 days, the session of the Eastern Territory School for Officer Training will commission as Salvation Army officers. What an awesome privilege to be call by God to be such. Please continue to pray for us, as we prepare our hearts and minds in the coming days.

Calling

2006-06-02T00:34:00.000-04:00

In just about 8 days, I will begin the call that God has placed on my life. I belive that at an early age I was called to be Salvation Army officer. I accepted this call and entered into the Salvation Army Training School. Fully prepareed for what God would show as it pertains to this call for my life. But as the days approach a thought is slowly penetrating my consciousness.

Well in a few short days I will be commissioned as a Salvation Army officer(pastor). I believe wholeheartly that God has given this call on my life. But as the days pass and slowly become hours before commissioning, I am questioning, not the call on my life, but the ability in which I am able to fulfill this call.

Everyday I learn what is meant to be a Salvation Army officer, and I am challenged. Challenged to obey the call YES, but challenged even more that God would entrust me with this very specific calling for my life. I find myself in these coming days, with thoughts of inadequateness for this call. Thoughts that I, might be able to accept, engage, and fulfil this call is weighing heavily on my heart today.

But I wonder today, do you know the call that God has placed on your life? And if you do, what are your thoughts about how you are fulfilling this call. This is just something that has been on my mind and heart as of late. Please comment.

Wonder

2006-05-27T18:02:00.000-04:00

I wonder about what
the future hold for me.
Will I be happy
about the fact I'm free?
Free to live the life,
the life which is in Jesus
My life, the days I live
as He above see us.
Am I living the life
that is fruitful to Him?

I wonder to wonder about
what He thinks of us.
Are we as His created
treating the earth as He trust?
The Earth for His Glory
created and made for us.
Do we treat it as
it is though?
The Earth, how we treat it
is ultimately how we treat
God's Kingdom.

(Not sure, please comment)

Identity

2006-05-23T00:35:00.000-04:00

I often wonder about the identity of the church. What it is supposed to look like? What is to be incorporated into it? Many people have blogged about this topic as did one of my friends Tim has commented on it also, as well as a mess of other people.

Are we today representing Christ? I believe that in each of us is the Church, and how we choose to express the identity of Christ revealed to us, is church. We are constantly examining what church should be and what it should not be. But we need to remember that we are the church of Christ. We are apart of the body of Christ, each and everyone of us. In order to function as apart of the body, we must be unity with the rest of the body. 1 Corinthians 12 So I wonder by discrediting or criticizing other parts of the church, are we not ourselves, as a part of the body of Christ.

There is a part of me in which says, that unless you are doing your part, you have no place examining another part of the body. Its about action. But also, is it really our place to look down or to criticize the way another part of the body worships or portrays their mission as a part of the whole.

This weekend I had the blessed opportunity to attend Youth Councils in the Swoneky Division (South West Ohio, North East Kentucky-Just in case). And Major Wayne Maynor said something that struck me odd. He said to a bunch of youth-I hope I quote correctly- "Just because they sing from the songbook-doesn't mean they are wrong, just means thats how they worship God. Just because they like brass band music for worship, doesn't mean they are wrong, just means thats how they worship God. Just because you like rap music, doesn't mean you are wrong, just means thats how you worship God." Major Maynor went on with these kinda phrases for a while and at the end he said, "Everyone is a unique child of God, who was created to worship God according to their identity."

I pray that in the uniqueness in which God has crafted me, I praise Him and worship Him in my identity and as the part of the larger body of Christ.

(This is definately a rant and rave, but something I have been thinking about lately)

Fire

2006-05-07T00:54:00.000-04:00

Set ablaze the fire
In my heart oh, Spirit of God
Let my thoughts be your kindling
Use them to produce the fire in my heart

Rekindle my spirit
Ignite my heart
Holy Ghost fire
Let my soul be your start

Burn up every trace of sin
Create a fire of passion
for the lost and rejected
Your fire sets everything ablaze

Really been thinking about fire on all levels. The Holy Ghost fire, what it is and what it does. Also the difference between the fire that we need and plead for against the fire that we reject and depised in Hell. Would be really interested to hear your thoughts on both of these topics and/or the writing here on fire.

The Bible

2006-05-04T15:46:00.000-04:00

Well I was sitting in class an heard a wonderful quote about the Bible that I wanted to share with you.

"The Bible is useless if we are not going to discover the mission for which it has for the world inside."

Holiness

2006-05-01T00:54:00.000-04:00

What is holiness? Is it just about being good, doing the right thing in the right situations?

This weekend General Bramwell Tillsley lead us in a wonderful uplifting of the Holy Spirit and what it meant to be holy in the eyes of God. General Tillsley has a way about him and a common sense that I think is matched by no one in explaining holiness. God has gifted him in a way, in which he can take the most complicated questions concerning holiness and make it seem so simple.

On Friday morning the General spoke of Abiding. Abiding in Christ Jesus, basically obeying Jesus. What an awesome outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Friday night was a awesome display of unity I believe between the cadets of the SFOT and the retired officers community. We met together being ages and years of service apart but had one common theme among us, the love we have the Jesus.

Holiness is being holy, being saved through and through. Holiness in its completeness can not be obtained I believe, but it is to be sought after on a hourly basis (at least in my case). God calls us to be holy, Leviticus 11:45 , God expects us to be holy.

Holiness is a hard idea to grapple with at least in my mind. Living every moment of the day, with the thoughts of God to make my decisions. What an awesome task at hand. God wants us to transform our minds to think like Him. To have thoughts, make decisions, and choose actions based on the glorification of our Lord.

I make mistakes everyday and sometimes they are mistakes that I don't realize and sometimes they are just moronic mistakes that I wish never happen but they do. But God calls us to be better, to live a life that is holy. Hebrews 12:14

General Tillsley taught a wonderful chorus today. I would like to share this with you.

Here I am so unworthy of the blood
Unworthy of the blood that sets me free
Here I am so unworthy of the blood
But yet it flowed for me.

Jesus died, God calls us to be holy. An easy equation in my mind. I write now and tell you that I love Jesus Christ supremely above all things.

(Thoughts are mine, Please feel free to comment.)

Comments

2006-04-23T23:21:00.000-04:00

Sorry folks, with this new template my comments seem to be no showing up. I am sorry for any inconvience that this may cause you, if you have commented. I hope I fixed it now. Please comment for test!!

Salvation

2006-04-20T12:57:00.000-04:00

On that day when the Glorious One will appear, there will ones who shout with accalmation. The ones who have waited all their lives for this moment in time to happen. They will be wisked away to the place where their Saviour lives in the Eternal glory of Heaven. They know their Lord has appeared for the salvation of the ones and for the salvation of the earth in which He has created from His hands. O Happy Day when this day comes before us, those who have suffered for the cause of Christ, those who have lived their lives according to the faith, those who have dedicated their thoughts to the ways of Christ.

On that day when the Glorious One will appear, there will ones who shout with cries of pain and anguish. The ones who have wasted their lives not thinking of this moment in time. They will be left here for the one who has tempted and tormented them at the place of eternal damnation of Hell. They know the thoughts and actions they have done, which have brought them to this point of their lives. O Sad Day, when this day comes before us, those who walked freely with thought, those who lived their lives according to their own selfishness, those who have dedicated their lives to themsleves.

How are you affecting the people that may be in the second paragraph? Are you doing anything to bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? I believe that our goal as Christians is to spread the Word of God and to bring people to Jesus. There will be a day when this all will happen in an instance. What are you doing to bring about the salvation of men and women and to bring about the salvation of the world in which God has created for us?

Please comment!!

New Diggs

2006-04-17T20:01:00.000-04:00

Well I have been meaning to change the look of the place for some time now. Hope you like what you see and read here. Please always feel free to comment on anything that you might read on this site.

Washed

2006-04-14T22:39:00.000-04:00

Washed in His Blood
Washed in His Blood
I want to be clean
I want to be clean by Jesus
O, precious Lord wash me
White as Snow

Hoping for a Vision

2006-04-12T23:53:00.000-04:00

Walking down the road
Seeming like no one is here
Wondering if theres hope
I will walk this path all alone
When all is gone

Chorus
Jesus, you are my vision
Open our eyes to the lost
Draw us to the hungry
Lead us on to the dying
That we may draw them to the your side

I need more than I have
This life in which I survive
My body is empty inside
Another dark day is ahead
Where must I go

Days have gone by
More than often wasted
What is there to live for
My life has been broken
What do I have

O to have the fire,
That I might be able to save
Fighting to carry the flag
Of the hungry, lost, and dying!

(Well I have been inspired to come up with some lyrics for a song. Hoping fine tune it alittle bit. Give feedback or ideas. Thanks.)

Sometimes

2006-04-11T13:16:00.000-04:00

There are good and bad days, we all know as humans. We are humans. I have been studying Romans and Paul as of late. I think that I have looked Romans 7 a bunch of times and yet not until the last couples days that I realize that Paul, more than anyone (except Jesus of course) understands what is going on in my life.

Romans 7:15-25 (MSG)
"For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different."

Have you ever been at your wick's end? Do you struggle with some sin in your life in which you have no control over it, no matter how hard you try? Paul understood this, granted we do not know the sin in which he struggle or if he was just referring to the people in whcih he was speaking to, but Paul understood. Friends, please do not be concern for me or my salvation, but there are things in my life for which I have no control or any sort of understanding.

As Paul says "Who will rescue me?" I know that Jesus will, but I feel as though I can only ask for forgiveness so many times, I feel like a fake after thirty times asking. I plead, I cry, I beg, for repentness, but yet I still sin again.

I don't know and certainly don't have a clue at this point in my journey with this area of my life.

Lillian Kelly

2006-04-07T19:52:00.000-04:00

Well I haven't been here in a while and I have been kinda dreading this blog for some time now. I praise the Lord that my Gram was a saved woman which makes her passing bearable. I know that she is in a better place praising her Savior and her Lord.

I had the opportunity and priviledge to conduct the funeral, which is one of the hardest things I have ever done. At first when my mother asked me if I could do it, I immediately said no way. But after some coaching from some officer friends of mine, I decided to do it. What an awesome priviledge that I will never soon forget.

Lillian Kelly was an awesome lady that called Jesus her personal Savior. She was a woman in which all of us should try to live up to. She was a woman who was married to a wonderful man named Walter. She was a woman who raised five wonderful children whom she loved and cared for. She was a woman who single-handedly held together the Kelly clan. She was a woman who had 19 grandchildren and 9 great-children who are her pride and joy. She was a woman who worked her entire life in service to others. Lillian, Lil, Mrs. Kelly, Mom, Gram, whatever we called her, we respected her for who she was and how she lived her life.

I thank God for the awesome lady that He placed in my path as my Grandmother.

Blessings

2006-02-25T14:15:00.000-05:00

Over the past week I have come to a realization. There are more important things in life than the little things that we worry ourselves about. We as humans tend to look at things in increments, we look at life as it happens. I just wonder if this is the proper way to look at life.

We know that God looks at our lives at the whole spectrum. Granted God does know what is going to happen and we don't, but we can look at our lives in the same manner. God has our best interests at mind, he wants the best for us. Lately I have been wondering why we worry about the little things. Why do we worry about the things that are the non-essentials of life?

Why do I bring this point up now? Well I think that we get caught up in oursleves. We get tied in the things that we can do rather than the awesome things that God can accomplish through us. We tend to get tied up in the things that we have, rather than fact of how we are blessed by God.

Last night I had the opportunity to hear Pastor Jim Cymbala from the Brooklyn Tabernacle speak last night. He said something that struck me and picked at my heart. He said, "Why are we jealous about the fact that God choose to bless someone else?" It's true no matter we choose to think about it. We always worry about what someone else can do and what they have done. I mean seriously God has bless them whether it be what they accomplish or the gifts that God gives to them.

God blesses us in tremendous way in which we never realize. Take time this week to realize the blessings of God. Don't worry about what others can do and realize the fact that God has blessed you. We are a community of believers, how can we use the gifts that God has given to each one of us to benefit the community in which we live. Think about it.

(Really just something for me to think about, but feel free)

Community

2006-02-14T22:02:00.000-05:00

As I look out at the next few months, I can see remarkable changes in my life that are going to occur. One is I will leave this amazing community that is the SFOT. And two is I will enter a new community in which I have no clue about. I am going to have to trust in God more than ever relying on Him for every possible thing.

Leaving the Training School and this awesome community. I have built a network of support around me. This support system is basically what I can lean on when I need to. I have friends here that I can talk to and not have them judge me, but still be honest and firm with me. It is the thing that I will miss the most of the training school experience. This is an amazing community in which is so surreal in some regards and so real in others.

Entering into an environment that I know nothing about scares the daylights out of me. I will need to trust in God more than ever. I believe that God will send me where He wants me to be and where He wants me to serve. But I am scare about the entering process(if that makes sense). There is an established community in place and I will need to find a way to enter this community and become apart of it. Scary.

God everyday is making me more and more aware of things that I need to work on to be an effective Salvation Army officer. But as I learn more and more, I realize that no matter how much learn, I still will not be ready or able without a realization that I am nothing and can do nothing effective without the help Christ in everything that I do.

Pray for me as God continues to reveal.

SUPER BOWL CHAMPS

2006-02-05T22:36:00.000-05:00

This is so great!!!!! I was 2 the last time Pittsburgh won a Super Bowl.

Salvation

2006-02-01T23:07:00.000-05:00

We believe in salvation
This is our declaration
Christ for the world wide
Only in Him will we bide

We believe in salvation
Even for men with no direction
Christ will be their guide
And we the saved at their side

We believe in salvation
This is our only ambition
Christ in whom they confide
Unsaved men to decide

We have Salvation
Lost souls we envision
Christ, in which God provide
To save the world wide

I'm not sure how this really came out. I tend to write and let you decide. I did use William Booth's quote "We believe in salvation". I thank you Larry for challenging me to think outside myself. Thanks. Please comment

Nothing

2006-01-30T00:08:00.000-05:00

Christ is only who saves
When it seems like I can bear no more
Walking through the life that is
Why must I feel the pain?
It is me standing in the rain
Nothing more to say but its His
Jesus is my open door
Even when I am in among the waves

Nothing to say, nothing to do
I know that you can hear me when I cry
My pain, my thought, and my hurt
Jesus, my Savior from sin.
You are the one for whom I rest in.
You breathe life when I was dirt
You listen to me when I sigh
All I can be is for you

Would love some constructive criticism on this and any other of my poems or thoughts. I have been trying to work on different styles. Please feel free to comment. Thanks

GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-01-22T18:36:00.000-05:00

HERE WE GO STEELERS
HERE WE GO
PITTSBURGH'S GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL

Broken

2006-01-20T19:58:00.000-05:00

Lord, we call on your name
Push us pass our limits
Use us for your glory
Give us your mission for our lives
Send us out in your name

Broken
I am broken
Broken
We are broken
Broken only for you

Filter

2006-01-07T01:51:00.000-05:00

I went to see a movie tonight and realize the impact of the images that we let into our minds and subsequently into our hearts. But do not cast stones when I say that I saw "Hostel". (By the way, please do not see this movie) Do you really think about the things and images that you allow to enter your hearts and minds? As I sat there and watch this barrage of horrible images, how is this glorifying God in anyway at all?

I had a friend who saw a movie recently and had the courage to walk out on it. I on the other hand, had little or no inclination to leave this movie. But as I sit here telling you this, I wonder why didn't I leave the movie? These images are now stuck in my mind and heart.

God created our minds to be powerful tools for us to solely glorify Him. But instead I think that we allow these horrible images and sounds into our minds. Our brains are powerful, and can recall images almost immediately. So what images are you recalling and are they solely being used to glorify God.

Yes, this is a soapbox of mine. But aren't all blogs really. I think that we are very good at making excuses for the movies we watch. I am guilty of it, I love to watch movies and TV shows. It is entertainment and we enjoy a good movie here or there. But the excuses we make for these movies are sometimes just excuses. There needs to be a filter in our minds and hearts, and that filter is the Holy Spirit. Think about the movies that you own, how many of them glorify God or glorify us as a sinful person? Something to think about.

Impact

2006-01-05T18:17:00.000-05:00

Lately I have been progressively thinking about the people who have impacted me the most over the span of my lifetime. I chose to write them down here not to give any in particular notority, but to challenge you to write down the people have impacted you in some way or another. There are people on my list that have passed away, and people who are still living, but all in the same they have impacted me. I do encourage you to write down somewhere the people who have impacted your life.

Donald (2)
Paul
Susanne
Lillian
Renee
June
Glenn
Jim
Stan
Kevin
Larry
Mark
Harriet
Jean
Grace
Fair
Kenneth
Bryan
Gordon

This is a small but very important list for me. I really encourage you to do this and pray for these people as they impact other lives.

Fire

2005-12-18T22:19:00.000-05:00

Psalm 5

2005-11-23T20:34:00.000-05:00

Lord hear my crys
Let them fall on your ears
I know you listen
As I lay my sighs at your feet

Oh Lord hear my voice
Hear me when I cry
For I take refuge in you
And let me sing forever

Only by your mercy
I can enter your house
And bow before you
Lead me on Oh Lord

In the morning
I wake to your presence
And as I wait for you
Let me ever sing for Joy

This Psalm has been rolling around in my head for sometime. I've felt as though I have changed the words about a dozen times or so. I hope that you are blessed.

Scandalous Grace

2005-11-09T20:57:00.000-05:00

Is there such a thing?
Ponder this just for a monent.
You don't always get what you deserve.
If you did, you would be dead.
Grace abounded for ME!
Why of Why would I be
if grace did not abound for me?

Is grace scandalous?
I heard this phrase the
other day and was taken back.

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Eph 4:7

I am still wrapping my head around this phrase. I ask that if you read this, please reply.

Scandalous Grace is there such a thing?

Fall On Me

2005-10-30T21:17:00.000-05:00

I wonder at my God
One who is mighty and strong
I wonder at my Lord
One who protects and secures
I wonder at the Spirit of God
One who guides and directs

Fall on Me
Fall on me
Fall on me
Oh Blessed Trinty

I wonder at my Creator
One who creates and makes
I wonder at my King
One who leads and reigns
I wonder at the Holy Spirit
One who convicts and assures

Days

2005-10-10T15:15:00.000-04:00

The days meet me.
What to do with them?
Where to take them?
I have no clue,
but I do know.
I will use them
to praise the Lord.

Prayer

2005-09-30T21:47:00.000-04:00

Praying has always been a hard thing for me. I don't know if it is the time it takes, or laziness of myself. But lately, the Holy Spirit has been challenging me as of late to pray every morning and every evening. We know this prayer, but today I was inspired to write it in my own words. Well here goes:

God our Father
How great is your name,
that I may see your kingdom.
May each day be supplied by you.
Please oh Lord, forgive me for my stupidity,
Please let me forgive those who hurt me.
Let me not be tempted to sin against you,
protect us from the one who deceives.
For God will forgive you, if you forgive others.

Amen

Not sure, just inspired today. Please comment

Stories of a Grandchild (pt.2) Hope

2005-09-17T00:19:00.000-04:00

Growing up, my mother supported us well enough to have food on the table and a roof over our heads. Mom seemed always to be just behind the monthly bills but enough to be okay. Mom always seemed to be able to give us a couple of extra dollars here and there every once in a while. As a child I lived a life that some could complain about, some could blame, but I, live a life of thinking about tommorow.

You, see everything that I just told you was because of my grandmother. I came to find out many years in my late teens that my grandmother was always giving my mother money to help out. My grandmother was supporting my mother. But why didn't I notice these "transactions" going on. Well, my grandmother insisted that my mom never say that it was here giving the money. That it was my Mom. What a revelation?

Now this is not at a knock on my mother, a great and strong woman in her own right. But a complement, to the tenacity of my grandmother. My grandmother is an awesome woman that is getting beat by cancer at the moment. I ask that you pray for her comfort, her strength, and her hope.

2005-09-11T21:03:00.000-04:00

Dark clouds come each passing day
They stay and bother you for a while
You look at them to see if they will stay
They seem to follow every single mile

God Creator
Control my clouds
Jesus Lord
Take my doubts
Spirit Holy
Lead my path

Last Month

2005-09-08T23:43:00.000-04:00

So this month has been pretty hectic to say the least. I went to Australia to visit Susanne's family and friends. It was really awesome to see all of them and just to hang out on vacation. Sydney is such an awesome place to visit. Everytime I go there it seems to get better and better. This time we had a camera and took about 110 photos in two weeks(crazy). This photo was taken on our last night in the city. God is so awesome.

Also, we are back at the Salvation Army Training College. An awesome honor it is to be called to be a Salvation Army Officers. A new year, a new session, a awesome year to be in God's light.

I know that I haven't been blogging, but I'm back now and hopefully going to try and blog once a week. Hope to see your comments.

Have you been touch by God lately?

Stories of a Grandchild

2005-08-16T19:01:00.000-04:00

In the next few weeks I will be bringing you stories from my childhood as a grandchild of Lillian Kelly. You see my Grandma is quite sick and seems only to be getting worse. I am not good at the grief thing, this is the only way to vent my emotions. So here goes:

My grandma has always been a source of hospitality. She has always opened her home to anyone and everyone. Well one day I pushed that hospitality to the limit of craziness.

I was working at Camp Allegheny in Pennsylvania. During my camp years I was always inclined to bring people home to stay with me on camp breaks. Well, this camp break was no different. When I last talked to my grandma, there were 10 people coming to stay, and even my grandma thought they were not going to fit in her house.

As we were leaving for staff break I found that 5 people had no where to go for the break. So I invited them to come with us without informing my grandma. Showing up with 15 people plus myself would take my grandma's house to the limit and probably have it be bursting at the seams.

Well we showed up at the house and my grandma greeted us at the door. What a suprise when I showed up with 15 people. My grandma didn't bat an eyelash, she greeted them all with a smile and pure delight.

You should have seen the sleeping arrangements. We had people sleeping on chairs and couches, people sleeping in corners with backs against the walls. We had 4 people sleeping in an area that should allow 2 to sleep comfortably. It was amazing! My grandma is amazing.

The next morning gram had breakfast cooked for everyone. And not just cereal and toast, but bacon, sausage, and eggs. She had even gone out to the supermarket and bought enough coldcuts to feed an army, for lunch.

My gram amazed me that day and has continued to amazed me in fighting with cancer. She has been battling cancer for 7 years now and has not stop fighting. Cancer has now spread to her pelvis and her spinal cord. And yet she still fights on!

Drawn

2005-08-14T07:39:00.000-04:00

To the spring of life
To be overflowing with joy
To the peace of you
To be one of the few

To the Christ
To the Savior
To the Lord
To the Cross
I am drawn

To the glory of God
To be at your side
To the one that is love
To be a life that is claimed

To the fire of the Spirit
To be on fire for you
To the lost and dying
To be kneeling at your feet

Pray

2005-08-07T06:01:00.000-04:00

Please pray for me as I travel to Australia today. Feel a little nervous.

Pure Joy

2005-08-03T11:15:00.000-04:00

What joy has filled my soul
to bless the name of Christ.
I can see the people in the streets
knowing all will bow at your feet.

Oh, to see your face
pure joy embraced.
Christ, my Savior, my Lord
my all is placed

Mountains, seas, and hills
my life is truly filled.
I wonder at your beauty
displayed throughout creation.

The joy that is my life
can only be your Spirit.
Moving, working, using
my life is yours.

Over the course of 8 weeks so many things have happen in my life. And they can only be expressed this way. The joy that is in my life is overflowing. I can not believe that God would bless in such a way.

May you bless God today.

Stretch of Imagination

2005-07-27T10:40:00.000-04:00

Last night I woke up quite a few times with dreams of real sins that I have committed against God. They frightened me beyond anything I have ever experienced. I woke up in puddles of sweat and began shaking uncontrollably. I found myself praying for forgiveness.

Forgiveness is an interesting concept of the human mind. We as humans were created in the image of God, so this means that forgiveness is in our DNA. I think that forgiveness today, has become a stretch of our imagination. Do we truly forgive and forget?

Forgiveness has become a cliche. It has become to easy to say and pass over. The concept of forgiveness has become a passing thought. Forgive and forget for humans has turn to forgive at the moment and remember when needed. How easy is it for us as humans to remember the faults of others against us?

God is awesome in forgiving and forgetting forever. Holiness is a sense of being like God in attitude and action. May we be like God in our forgiveness of others.

Where are you?

2005-07-22T14:53:00.000-04:00

It's amazing to just be cruising the web and suddenly and very unexpectly jump on to a old friends site. Reading through the many blogs, I had a sense of relieve that this friend was ok. And doing God's work in another country.

It's amazing how old friends can cross our paths and you can feel a sense of the Holy Spirit guiding you to that particular person or person's site. It is truly amazing how God works.

Lately I have been diving into my past memories box with pictures, emails, and letters from friends that I hadn't heard from in a while. It's amazing the thoughts and memories that rush back to you when you see an old friend's picture. Their voice, their particular way of doing things, and their personality.

It's amazing how our minds work. God truly created our bodies to be able to rely on past thoughts and memories to get us through a particular day or hour.

God is amazing!

Will the real Salvation Army please stand up?

2005-07-14T10:40:00.000-04:00

"While women weep as they do now, I'll fight; while little children go hungry as they do now, I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl on the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight, I'll fight to the very end!" William Booth

Are we now the Army that I believe William Booth set us out to be?

(Please reply)

The Battle

2005-07-08T16:03:00.000-04:00

It never ends
the constant battle
In which is happening in my soul.
What more can I do?
I have resign to give up the fight.
wave the white flag, lay down my sword.

I have tried for weeks to win
the battle in my life.
I am finding no end
to what haunts my everyday.
The battle wages on and on
with no end in sight.

What will happen
in this fight for my life?
Do I need to retreat to
fight another day?
I can not fight this battle
on my own.
But who will?

Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Only You

2005-07-07T18:10:00.000-04:00

Jesus, for you I live or die
Christ, the only sacrifice
Jesus, for you I only strive
Christ, I live my life

The only one I need
The only one to me
The only one to lead
The only one to see

Only you can see me
For who I strive to be
Only you can guide
For you are only I bide

Great Words from Brengle

2005-06-27T22:29:00.000-04:00

This appeared in Brengle's diary:

"If I appear great in their eyes, the Lord is most graciously helping me to see how absolutely nothing I am without Him, and helping me to kepp little in my own eyes. He does use me. But I am so concerned that He use me and that it is not of me the work is done.The axe connot boast of the trees it has cut down. It could do nothing but for the woodsman. He made it, he sharpened it, and he used it. The moment he throws it aside, it becomes only old iron. O that I may never lose sight of this."

Interesting

2005-06-24T15:01:00.000-04:00

"My concern is not whether God is on our side.
My great concern is to be on God's side." -Abraham Lincoln

Please feel free to comment on this quote.

Action!

2005-06-24T09:13:00.000-04:00

I few months ago I attended the Kensico Memorial Service and read this on Samuel Logan Brengle's tombstone. I thought it was awesome, but thought provoking.

"I will go on...and sing Hallelujah!"

When life or people get you down, when it is easier to complain than to do something, think of this quote. Why complain, when there is action.

Uncharted

2005-06-22T11:44:00.000-04:00

My mind is racing to the thought of nothing
So distracted and confused
Why must I continue this way?
On a course bound for nowwhere.
Tossed in the waters, hit by the waves.
My life is a boat with an uncharted course.

Thinking I know the way,
but lost in the darkness.
Not knowing the way,
I'm so off course,
Not sure if I find my way.

Confused by the waters,
I know theres a course.
I have read the map.
The map is clear at sometimes
and unclear at others.

I see a lighthouse,
should find my way there.

(Not sure where this came from.)

Me

2005-05-27T21:06:00.000-04:00

Pray for Me!!!

Sin

2005-05-13T00:05:00.000-04:00

An interesting conversation has been running through my mind over the past week. A conversation that I had with a friend last week about sin.

What is sin?

According to my friend and I, sin is relative to us as humans. One man's sin is another man's enjoyment. Take my church, we believe that smoking and drinking are wrong and sinful. And yes, so do I, believe that our bodies are God's temple, where his Spirit lives in us. We should not contaminate our bodies with such vile elements.

But as a church we choose to ignore that fact that a good percentage of our leaders are extremely overweight. Is not gluttony a sin? We eat at fast food restaurants, we are constantly on the go and need to get food fast.

What about our day of rest? As pastors are we enjoying the day of rest that God provided? Life as a pastor is extremely busy. We need a Sunday, whether it is on Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday does not matter.

So is sin relative? Of course it is to us finite humans. It is in our DNA to make judgements about one sin and praises of another(because we enjoy edulging ourselves).

But to God, sin is a sin. No excuses. God loves us and has put these safeguards in for a reason. For myself, I choose to call sins, "safeguards" put in place by God. If we sin, we are no longer safe.

We need to be careful how we judge one another according to each other's sins.

Get the 2x4 out of your eye. (paraphrase of Matthew 7:3b)

Interesting

2005-05-10T23:52:00.000-04:00

"Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell." C.T. Studd

Souls

2005-05-03T20:58:00.000-04:00

(Ongoing Work)(Please comment suggestion in lyrics)

Some men's ambition is art.
Some men's ambition is fame.
Some men's ambition is gold.
My ambition is the souls of men.
"William Booth"

O to have the fire,
That I might save the dying.
Fighting to carry the flag
Of the hungry, lost, and crying!

Lord, we are here
to be used by you!
Use us, O Lord
we are wanting you!

Yo le alabaré Señor

2005-04-30T05:45:00.000-04:00

Yo le alabaré Señor
O, It’s amazing what praising can do, Amen?
But are we praising Him enough to be worthy of such love

It’s amazing to read the Psalms and realize the way that David praises God.

David in almost every chapter is praising the God of heaven of earth in a way that I think we should learn from.

Be confident and praise your God.

Psalm 9:1-2 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Psalm 146:2 I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Psalm 34:1 I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.

Psalm 52:9 I will praise you forever for what you have done;
in your name I will hope, for your name is good.
I will praise you in the presence of your saints.

Psalm 63:4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

Psalm 69:30 I will praise God's name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.

But praise should be continually be on our lips to the God that has supplied all of our needs. We are all here for a purpose, We need to stay postive, and continually keep the negative things away from us.

Psalm 71:8 (Everyone) My mouth is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor all day long. Psalm 71:8

I pray that when things get hard, that you remember this verse

The Way to Begin

2005-04-28T15:08:00.000-04:00

Krystal Meyers

Dear God
Its me again down here,
Don't want to sound insincere,
I'm lost, some times are so unclear,
What can you do, I'm feeling so far from you,
Frustrated irritated disconnected from it all,
The wieght of the world, has push me to the wall,
I surrender2x

To you I'm giving in, come take me, save me,
I want to start again, I'll open my broken heart,
Cause I'll reach the end, and you are the way to begin...
I've seen a million smiles living in denial,
I don't want to live like that,
Where nothings real, I hate how its to feel,
Frustrated irritated disconnected from it all,
I'm brakin', I'm achin', for something beautiful,
Surrender2x

To you I give in, come take me, save me,
I want to start ahain,
I'll open my broken heart,
Cause I'll reach the end,
And you are the way to begin,

All the riches in this world,
Couldn't fill this great big hole
It takes so much more,
Only you can take me, you can make me,
Home....

It's not the end this is the beginnig,
surrender2x

To you I give in,
Come take me, save me,
I want to start again, I'll open my broken heart,
Cause I'll reach the end, and you are the way to begin,
Surrender2x

Its not the end this is the beginning,
Surrender2x
its not the end this is the beginning,
Surrender2x
its not the end this is the beginning,
Surrender2x
Its not the end this is the beginning,

Use Me

2005-04-27T23:06:00.000-04:00

For your plans
For your purpose
For your goodness

Use me, Lord
Use me, Lord
May I be your instrument

Revolution

2005-04-26T20:24:00.000-04:00

"Many do not recognize the fact as they ought, that Satan has got men fast asleep in sin and that it is his great device to keep them so. He does not care what we do if he can do that. We may sing songs about the sweet by and by, preach sermons and say prayers until doomsday, and he will never concern himself about us, if we don't wake anybody up. But if we awake the sleeping sinner he will gnash on us with his teeth. This is our work - to wake people up."
-Catherine Booth "Mother of The Salvation Army"

Are we waking them up?

I'm afraid that sometimes the opposite might be happening. I believe that we are getting so caught up in the busyness of the work-that we are causing people to sleep. This is my opinion, but I know personally that I am not doing all that I should to reach the people of this world.

We need to do whatever we can to reach the sleeping and WAKE them up!!

We need to wake up to better and more persistent ways to wake them up!!!

This work is hard and busy but there is much more than everything we think it is. We need to get out of the office and be progressive in reaching people for His sake.

We need to lead a revolution. Get our people to think outside the church. There are people sleeping on our doorsteps and yet we open the door and walk by them. Wake them up and show them Jesus. There are people sleeping in the houses next to our corps, go to their house and wake them up! There are people coming into our corps sleeping, shake them and wake them, let them know about Jesus.

There are people all around us and we need to wake them up to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We need a revival in The Salvation Army. Pray for a revival of the Holy Spirt upon this church.

"'Not called!' did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world."
-William Booth "Founder of The Salvation Army"

Ironic

2005-04-24T23:24:00.000-04:00

Do we deserve the "things" we have? Do we "need" them? How ironic?

It is very ironic to think of all the things that we have and yet they do not completely change what we want. You see there is always more to get and more to want. But are we focusing all of our energies on them.

I write this, speaking to myself.

We need to be content with God has given us. If you look in Philippians Paul is saying the same thing in chapter 4:11-12 (NCV), “I am not telling you this because I need anything. I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have and with everything that happens. I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens, when I have enough to eat or when I go hungry, when I have more than I need and when I do not have enough.” Now this is the important part of what Paul says, in verse 13 “I can do all things THROUGH Christ, because He gives me strength.”

There was a time in my life where my mother didn’t eat because she had to feed her kids. I know what it is not to have the things you need, notice I didn’t say want.

I know what is like to get kicked out of your house because your family can not pay the rent. I know what it is like to look into your mother face and see her try and explain to you why there is no Christmas for you this year.

You see we want things to better ourselves. God wants to better His Kingdom using us. God has brought me from that poverty to a richness I can not believe. And that is not a material richness but a spiritual richness. I have much more than I could have ever believed.

And that is because as Paul puts it, “I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens” and the key to that secret for me is constantly relying on Philippians 4:13 “I can do ALL things through Christ, because He gives me strength.”

God has provided this place and all that goes with it, for the glory of him, not the comfort of us. Let us learn the secret of contentment, and let the Glory of God be seen through our actions and our words. Let it be an attitude of the heart and may you be content with God’s blessing.

And this is a lesson that I constantly need to be learning everyday.

BE CONTENT

Today

2005-04-22T23:57:00.000-04:00

Let me be holy, holy
Let me be holy, holy
To be righteous in your sight

Holy is what I want to be
To be holy in your sight
To be led by your light

Let me be holy, holy
Let me be holy, holy
Holy is truly what I want

1 Peter 1:15 (New Living Translation)
But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God--who chose you to be his children--is holy.

Today

2005-04-21T23:15:00.000-04:00

As millennial Salvationists, we do not by any means have the attacks and complete degradation that the early Salvationists faced. The early Salvationist had to face a barrage of different attacks, not only by the common folk but also through the local magistrates and sheriffs. But think of it, with all of these attacks, the army still managed to grow and expound beyond anything that William Booth could have hoped.

Early Salvationist had to fight against the very thing that put in place to protect them and give the right to freedom. In various shires around England, the actors participated in the persecution of Salvationists were no convicted or the charges were thrown out. Even to the fact of violence against women Salvationists, these attackers were let off with nominal fines and slaps on the wrist. Such as the case with three men who disturbed a Salvation Army meeting because the leader of that meeting was “a female minister.” These three men were let off with a nominal fine, a slap on the wrist. Not only were the attackers not being prosecuted, but Salvationists were being charged and sentenced.
Salvationists were actually being charged with crimes in the early years of the Army. One particular instance is a Captain Lock who was sentenced because she knelt to pray in a large open area. She and four others were jailed for a period of three days and as a result of this jailing, Captain Lock subsequently died eighteen months later.
Many early Salvationist were fined or jailed for such things as conducting an open-air, preaching in an open area, and playing an instrument. Not all these violations happen in England, but as Ireland and Scotland, such cases were arising.
In May of 1885, William Booth announced that no fewer than 600 Salvationist were placed in prison. These Salvationist were in defense of their right to preach salvation to all people.

In the early days of The Salvation Army, there was heavy opposition to their cause. There were organized mobs that had banded to together for the soul purpose to defeat the Army and their mission. One such organized mob was commonly named “The Skeleton Army”
“The Skeleton Army” was certainly organized to carry out their destruction. This mob was organized to very core with a flag, gazettes, and a motto, “Be just and fear not”. They met together and learned the music of the songs that the Army were singing, but fashioned their own words to fit their cause.
The Army did not fight with fists, but fought with their prayers. Their prayers won, Charles Jefferies, second in command of “The Skeleton Army” was saved. He was saved, due in large part to the watchnight service that was led all night. The next morning Jefferies, was saved. As a result, that evening thirty of his compatriots were led to the Lord that night.
Skeleton armies began to spread throughout the country of England. But without fail, the police force chose to ignore the happenings of these armies.

The Salvation Army in those early years was tough. But the Army pressed on, and continued to fight for men’s souls, especially those trying to persecute them. May we have the same vigor as those early Salvationists for men’s souls and may we have more success without the persecution.

Today

2005-04-11T23:49:00.000-04:00

What does it mean to be holy?
Is there an actual concept of design?
Many may say that it is the acts of goodness
in which we are holy.
But I often question the acts of goodness.
Are they for personal gain, to reflect the light
of goodness upon yourself?

Who am I to question the state of anyone's
personal holiness?
I can barely hold together the gathering of my own.
It amazes me to look at a group of people and know that
there should be some state of holiness among them, yet
when the nitty-gritty comes, when pressure is put to them,
the very nature of humanness crawls
out at it's most vilious state.

I often ponder on what God must be thinking of us
here on his greatest creation of Earth.
Is there any sense of approvalness on His part?
Does he look upon us with favor?

God is all-knowing and that scares me more than anything else.
Truly think about it for one second.
God knows all your thoughts, all your desires,
and all your so hidden secrets.

And you know that if any of these thoughts, desires, and hidden
secrets were to escape your mind and be put to light. You would be
casted from the society that you have worked so hard to be apart.

BUT, with everything that God knows about you. And believe me
He knows everything.

He still wants you.
He still cares for you.
He still watches you.
And most importantly,
He still LOVES you.

Oh happy day
Oh happy day
Oh happy happy day;
Oh happy day
When Jesus washed
Oh when he washed
When Jesus washed
He washed my sins away!

Today

2005-03-30T22:55:00.000-05:00

Who am I
By: Casting Crowns

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You're

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with
love and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

Today

2005-03-21T16:04:00.000-05:00

Best Week Ever!!

Well maybe not that far, but had a fantastic week! Went to Brooklyn, never been to Brooklyn on purpose. We had the fabulous opportunity to spend a week ministering to the people of Brooklyn Bay Ridge. God Blessed us tremendously!

Today

2005-03-09T21:52:00.000-05:00

Lead Me

Lord, lead me
Lord, lead me down the path
Lord, lead me
Lord, lead me to your presence
Lead me
Lead me to your feet
You are the aim of my soul

Today

2005-03-01T17:23:00.000-05:00

Take It Away
I walk carelessly through the pain
Not thinking how much it hurts
Sharp, unrelently stabs to my heart
Asking myself when will this stop
Why does this continue
When It can be brought to a halt
Take It away, Take It Away
Do what You want
My pain is now yours
I don't want my life
Jesus do what you will

Today

2005-02-27T10:45:00.000-05:00

Faith is never present until it is tested

(Not sure if i read this, or my own little nugget)

Today

2005-02-25T12:33:00.000-05:00

All I need

I look to you, the only one
I look to you, O Lord
I see you upon your Holy throne
And I bow before you
I lay it all down at your feet
All I want is you, Jesus
All I need is you, Jesus

Today

2005-02-24T15:26:00.000-05:00

This place is crazy.
So surreal but so real.
Just like the world
But it wouldn't seem
Aren't we suppose to be different
How much the same.

To come and hope for more
But to seem that there is less
How refreshing to see it is such a mess
What to hope for?
What to gain?

All for Jesus
We continue to say
But would you give it all
If he was to ask for it today

My hope is not in the world
Or in this place
Only in Christ can it be safe
He is the only way
My Savior, my all,
I will walk this path not alone.

Today

2005-02-21T14:35:00.000-05:00

Lots of work to do
Feel as though I should be working so,
I sit here and blog to you all
Wasting time away from the day,
well I might as well say,
That lets have fun and go and play.

Today

2005-02-18T11:27:00.000-05:00

Everything

O does the cross I see
Why would You do this for me?
I wonder at the sight of your face
And yet I stand in this place
At thy feet I will fall
Why did you die for us all?
My sin, in which, has cause
You such pain
Let me not take that in vain

We give you everything O Lord.
We lay it all at your feet.
We want nothing but You.
You are the only one, the only one.
We lay ourselves upon your alter.

Today

2005-02-13T22:59:00.000-05:00

Day begin llike any other Sunday, we were off to Flemington, NJ to lead the Morning Worship meeting. Sunday school was kinda boring not really much to it, but I give praise to them for trying. Worship was awesom I really could see that God was moving in an awesome way.

We went out to dinner again. I really have tried to press the fact that we don't need to go out to dinner every Sunday after church but we do. I feel we are wasting the money that God gaive to use for other things. The conversation was awesome though. We got on the subject of communion and baptizism. Very good discussion. Are we really praciticing communion everday at every meal? Do we need a reminder every once in a while? These are questions that we tried to answer.

We drove an hour back from Flemington. Got home and decided that I needed to watch some golf. I love golf. Can't wait for it to get nice out to go play in all my free time as a student. Well I leave you still working on my sermon, all most done though.

Today

2005-02-12T18:05:00.000-05:00

Well, this is my first blog ever. Heard lots about them. Right at this moment I am entered in Seminary. Lately it's been abit harder than I thought it would be. Right now at the moment I should be typing out a sermon, but I can't wrap my brain around this. Getting a bit stressed with a sermon due on Monday and a book report due on Tuesday. I usually work better under pressure but today is a little different for some reason.

February has been a really hard month. My wife's grandmother died, my mom is getting sued for $9000, and now my wife's wisdom teeth are coming in. Not to mention all the assignments that i have to catch up on.

I know God has a plan for me, but lately I feel as though a ton of bricks have landed on my back and they are getting abit to heavy to drag. Well off to my sermon I go.