awesome

Once again, isn’t it awesome when your devotionals perfectly match up with what God has been laying in your heart already?


Behaviour To Match Your Identity

Scripture Reading: 2nd Corinthians 6:14-7:1

Do not be unequally yoked up with unbelievers – do not make mis-mated alliances with them, or come under a different yoke with them (inconsistent with your faith). For what partnership have right living and right standing with God (righteousness) with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light fellowship with darkness?

What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial (the devil)? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

What agreement can there be between a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

So, come out from among (unbelievers), and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not any unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favour,

And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

Therefore, since these great promises are ours, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles body and spirit, and bring our consecration to completeness in the reverential fear of God.


An American on business in the Far East is not very likely to assimilate Asian culture. Quite the contrary. The food is different; there is a language barrier; the wardrobes are distinct. He is constantly reminded of the dissimilarities. His identity as an American is well established. He acts and thinks like an American precisely because he is one. Understanding your identity in Christ is a pivotal principle for success in combating the world’s influence.

A dramatic transformation occurred when you were saved. You became a “new creature” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17 NASB). You became a citizen of God’s kingdom. You still live in your indigenous culture, with all of its allures, trials, temptations, and charms; but you are no longer the same man or woman.

Living holy or separately (SANCTIFICATION) from the impulses of the world is possible only as you realize the amazing metamorphosis that has transpired within. You are quite obviously still “in the world,” but you are now not “of the world.”

The rationale for rejecting the waywardness of the world is that it doesn’t fit your new identity anymore. You don’t act like an unregenerate person because you are a new person in Christ.

Learning who you are in Christ takes time, complete with failure, for your behaviour to match your identity; but you have a lifelong, resident Teacher, the Holy Spirit, to help you along the way.

Precious heavenly Father, You brought me out of the “Egypt” of sin and set my feet on the road to Your promised land. As I continue on this spiritual journey, help me match my behaviour with my new identity.





I was talking previously about listening last night to a sermon by Pastor Creflo Dollar. He said something very interesting, something I have never heard before, but it made perfect sense and it opened my eyes to a few things.

Pastor Dollar was talking about sexual sins, and how Christians fall into those temptations. He was talking about how God does not want us to have sex outside of marriage, because God does not want us to have to go through the hurts and the pain that those sins cause.

Then he gave a warning to Christians who think it is okay to have sex with another Christian that they are not married to. Pastor Dollar pointed out that we are all members of Christ’s body, belonging to Him. We are, as the Bible implicitly states, “in Him.” And we know that Christ lives in us, and He never leaves us or forsakes us; where we go, He goes too.

So, that being so, if you have sex (outside of a marriage covenant relationship) with a Christian, you are having sex with Jesus. You are having sex with Jesus, and it is against-His-will-sex. That is pretty harsh imagery. If you have non-marital sex with a Christian, you are basically raping Jesus. In the same way, if you as a Christian think it is okay for you to have sex with a non-believer, then you are now putting that person in the position of being a rapist of Jesus – and it is your fault.

Harsh words, harsh imagery, but it is needed in this generation. Too many Christians think they can ignore what God’s Word says, and that things will turn out alright in their lives. We delude ourselves if we think that way. God is angry at the sexual sins of His people, and this sin separates us from God, causes us to lose our way, and makes us completely ineffective in our walks.

Lord, forgive us, show us the way, help us to be willing to do things Your way, the right way, the only way.

sanctified

Just listened to a message by Pastor Creflo Dollar, on Sanctification.

It was all about being separate. About separating ourselves unto God.

As Christians, we get too caught up in the world’s way of thinking about things. God wants us to turn FROM that, and turn TO Him. That is what Sanctification is; turning away from something that is against God, and turning to God.

Christ is returning soon, and most Christians in the western world are busy trying to be like the world around us – we are too wrapped up in the music, the movie stars, the ski trips, the fashions, the cars, the toys, the television programs, the clothes – whatever the world puts in front of our eyes, we grab for it. Our neighbours are going to hell, and we are busy trying to be like them!

We get so caught up in this world, and wanting to be a part of it, that we forget that we are called to be in this world, but not of it. We NEED to be different! If we look and act and live the same as the lost, then the lost will never think to come to us and ask us how they can be like us, because they already are (or seem to be). We need to turn away from the world’s system of thinking about things, and believe what God says. We need to live sanctified lives.

It is a timely message for me.

Also timely, was that Pastor Dollar’s special gift this week, yours for any donation to his ministry, is a book and message on how to pick your mate the Godly way.

Again, I choose to believe that I am meant to have that gift, so I made a small donation. These two things, sanctification (living pure lives, and the holiness of God’s Word and God’s laws), and making sure my next mate is the right one for me, these are the exact two things that God has been working in me the last few weeks. Isn’t God good? Isn’t He amazing?

Yes…yes, He is.

moving on

Players who should/could get moved before the NHL trading deadline...

Guys who should be moved at the trading deadline…

Washington –
(won’t move any big names)

Vancouver –
Cory Schneider, G – they shouldn’t get rid of him, but they probably will.
Taylor Pyatt, W – he is available, because Bernier is younger and does his job better than Taylor does it.

Toronto –
Tomas Kaberle, D – despite what Burke says, this guy is soft and undependable defensively, and Kubina and Schenn are the anchors this team is building around
Dominic Moore, C – this guy wants too much money to stay, and he is related to Steve Moore-‘nuff said!
Nikolai Antropov, RW – Too streaky. Buh-bye!
(by the way, look for Brian Burke to sign Sami Salo and/or Mattias Ohlund this summer!)

Tampa Bay –
Ryan Malone, LW – you gave this guy HOW much money!?!?!
Mark Recchi, RW – help any team on the power play, has Stanley Cup Rings
Gary Roberts, LW – dependable if non-exciting addition to a team’s fourth line, experience galore
Vaclav Prospal, LW – this guy always seems to end up somewhere new every trade deadline…

San Jose –
Kyle McLaren, D – if somebody wants him badly enough, he may be available

St. Louis –
Keith Tkachuk, LW/C – he ain’t gonna get a Stanley Cup in St Louis…

Pittsburgh Penguins –
Hal Gill, D – seems like he just hasn’t had it this year…
Miroslav Satan, RW – if there were offers, they’d listen…

Phoenix Coyotes –
(this team refuses to fire Wayne Gretzky, the worst coach in the league…does anybody really think they will give up on Olli Jokinen after just one season?!?)
Derek Morris, D – available
Stephen Reinprecht, LW/C – available, for the right offer


Philadelphia –
Martin Biron, G – underwhelming goalie is available, but who would want him?
Scottie Upshall, W – available.
James van Riemsdyk, LW – hasn’t even played a game in the NHL, and he is available. Are the Flyers crazy?!!?!

Ottawa –
Jason Spezza, C – available, for an incredible offer.
Martin Gerber, G – available, but nobody is biting on this one…
Chris Neil, RW – gritty forward is available, but injured
Jason Smith, D – may be moved
Antoine Vermette, LW/C – may need a change of scenery

New York Rangers –
Michal Rozsival, D – definitely needs a re-start to his career, somewhere else.
Chris Drury, C – I believe he is available, if the right deal came along.

New York Islanders –
Doug Weight, C – veteran is available
Jeff Tambellini, LW – available. Has yet to show he belongs in the NHL, though.
Mike Sillinger, C – veteran is available

New Jersey –
Patrik Elias, LW – if they could move that salary, they would…

Nashville –
Greg de Vries, D – if they fall out of contention, he should be available
Alexander Radulov, W – just throwing that name out there. If somebody wanted to trade for his rights, I am sure Nashville would at least consider it…

Montreal –
Alex Tanguay, LW – they’d move him…
Georges Laraque, RW – reportedly, he wants out of Montreal…
Sergei Kostitsyn, W – getting away from the scandals in Montreal might be good for the youngster…
Mathieu Dandenault, RW/D – why are so many veterans asking to leave Montreal? What is Carbonneau doing out there?
Ryan O’Byrne, D – humiliated defenseman is available.

Minnesota –
Marc-Andre Bergeron, D – is available.
Niklas Backstrom, G – A strong enough offer (hello, Philly?) would pry him away from Minnesota. Josh Harding is the real deal.
Marian Gaborik, RW – doubt anybody will want him now, when they can wait to see if he is healthy this summer…
Benoit Pouliot, LW/C – doesn’t fit the Wild mould.

Los Angeles –
Tom Preissing, D – is available.
Michal Handzus, C – is available.

Florida –
(sorry, unless an insane offer comes in, like Toronto offering Kaberle, Moore, and a pick, then Bouwmeester isn’t going anywhere – on second thought, maybe he IS going to Toronto…)

Edmonton –
Denis Grebeshkov, D – even though he is hurt, Oilers may look to move him…
Marc Pouliot, C – MacTavish likes him, but does anybody else?
Erik Cole, RW – available for the right offer.
(personally, I’d like to see Edmonton re-acquire Alberta native Jason Smith from Ottawa)

Detroit –
Might pick up a checking forward with experience for a draft pick, but that is it.

Dallas –
Sergei Zubov, D – the injured defenseman might be available.
Sean Avery, F – somebody take him! Anybody? Hello?!?

Columbus –
Pascal Leclaire, G – available, this oft-injured goalie. Any takers?
Rostislav Klesla, D – his time in Columbus may be running out.
Jiri Novotny, C – available.

Colorado –
Ryan Smyth, LW – apparently available, but with his age and salary, I doubt there will be any takers…
Jordan Leopold, D – available.
Ruslan Salei, D – this veteran defenseman would be a good pickup for many a team.
Darcy Tucker, W – available.
Milan Hejduk, RW – available
Tyler Arnason, C – available.
Ian Laperriere, F – reportedly available. This would be a bad move by the Avs…

Chicago –
(Unless they can get a veteran center who can still produce for a few years without having to give up anything, I think they will just stay the course)
Dustin Byfuglien, LW/D – for the right (over)price, this hefty and nasty but streaky player could be yours…

Carolina –
Frantisek Kaberle, D – available
Rod Brind’Amour, C – after his disastrous season, he is available.

Calgary –
(will move nobody of any importance)

Buffalo –
Tim Connolly, C – but only if the offer is a great one…

Boston –
Peter Schaefer, W – Peter Who? Yes, he could be moved.
Manny Fernandez, G – he could be moved, but I would not bet on it.

Atlanta –
Vyacheslav Kozlov, LW – available
Colby Armstrong, W – only for a BIG offer.
Ken Klee, D – veteran is available.
Todd White, C – available.
Jim Slater, C – underachiever is available.
Kari Lehtonen, G – available, oft-injured goalie.

Anaheim –
Chris Pronger, D – available now, but at a steep price. Available again in summertime.

??? Who, me ???

What am I doing right now?

1) Holding on to God of Promise. ("He'll be there for me, too")

2) Resting -
"Jesus, I am resting in the joy of what Thou art,
I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart"

3) Enjoying my video-gaming. Check out my adventures at http://ward-of-gorion.blogspot.com/

truth about sin (devil won't like you reading this)

Both of my devotionals today spoke to me about what God has been placing on my heart recently; the sanctity of God’s Word and God’s laws, and the awful effect sin can have on a Christian.

I present them both here…


A Casual View of Sin

Scripture Reading:
Romans 6:1-7 –
What shall we say to all this? Are we to remain in sin in order that God’s grace (favour and mercy) may multiply and overflow? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him in the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, so we too might habitually live and behave in newness of life. For if we have become one with Him by sharing a death like His, we shall also be one with Him in sharing His resurrection by a new life lived for God. We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that our body, which is the instrument of sin, might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin. For when a man dies he is freed – loosed, delivered – from the power of sin among men.

Most of us have heard how a frog can be boiled to death without any resistance. Placed in a cool pot of water on a cooking surface, the frog remains content and unsuspecting as the heat beneath is increased. His internal temperature rises with the temperature of the water until finally he is boiled alive!

Abraham and Lot were given a choice about the land they would occupy. Lot, seeing the lushness of the Jordan Valley, chose the richness of Sodom while Abraham settled in the land of Canaan.

Greed and lust fuelled Lot’s desires. F. B. Meyer wrote, “The younger man [Lot] chose according to the sight of his eyes. In his judgement he gained everything, but the world is full of Lots – shallow, impulsive, doomed to be revealed by their choice and end.”

Lot never considered the character of the inhabitants of the land. He adopted a casual view of their sin. And in doing so he failed to realize the effect of their presence on his relationship with God.

Have you adopted God’s perspective on sin, or do you have an indifferent attitude toward what is unholy before a holy God? Don’t risk being lulled onto deadly spiritual lethargy by the complacency of our society. God hates sin and calls us to do the same.

Father, I don’t want to treat sin casually. Give me Your divine perspective on sin. Keep me from being lulled into spiritual lethargy by the complacency of the world in which I live. Let me understand – You hate sin, and You have called me to do the same.



For the second devotional of mine today. It was all about the scripture passage and what it was saying to me…

Digesting God’s Word

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 19 –
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork. Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night shows forth knowledge. There is no speech nor spoken word from the stars; their voice is not heard. Yet their voice (in evidence) goes out through all the earth, their sayings to the end of the world. Of the heavens has God made a tent for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run his course. His going forth is from the end of the heavens, and his circuit to the ends of it; and nothing (yes, no one) is hidden from the heat of it. The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the whole person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes. The reverent fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb. Moreover by them is Your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his lapses and errors? Clear me from hidden and unconscious faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then shall I be blameless, and I shall be innocent and clear of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart by acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my firm, impenetrable rock and my redeemer.






Just a couple of things to point out…

Lot chose what LOOKED best. Maybe he assumed that because it looked good, it was God’s blessing to him? Problem is, was he willing to follow God when what God chose for him did NOT look like the best thing? What do we do when we want something, we believe it is good for us, but God refuses to give it to us because He knows best? THAT is where our true character is shown; are we sold-out to God, or slowly being boiled to death by sin?

A casual view of sin is deadly. We must love those who sin, but hate what they do. We hate sin, because God hates sin and tells us to do likewise. Sin destroys. Sin separates. Sin makes fools of us, and kills us spiritually. As bad as it is to have a casual view of our neighbour’s sin, the worst thing is what it says about our hearts. A heart that will not be bothered by somebody else’s sin, is one short step away from not being bothered by our own sin. It is only a fraction of a degree of temperature difference, between being an uncomfortable frog, and a dead one. Remember, nobody can make an excuse for sin, nor can anybody find a way to change God’s mind on sin. Sin is sin is sin, and that is all there is to it.

And this…
“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the whole person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes. The reverent fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb. Moreover by them is Your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward.”
Following God’s will, as laid out in His laws, makes the simple wise, makes us sure, makes us right, rejoices our heart, is pure and bright, enlightens our eyes, is clean, endures for ever, is true, is righteous, is more desirable than gold and far sweeter than fresh honey, and following God’s Word and Scriptures warns us, reminds us, and instructs us, illuminating our path, and there is a great reward in keeping God’s laws.

Having too close of contact with somebody whose sin you are excusing (or excusing your own sin) is a bad thing. Those around you should know that you stand up for God’s Word and God’s laws, and that you hate sin but love people (just as God does). If people around you do not hear this from you, then you are failing in your duties as an ambassador for Christ, you are behaving like a self-indulgent fool rather than as a son or daughter of the King of Kings with a good inheritance.

Being too close to somebody who does not honour God, love God, or seek God, will pull you down. Being in any sort of relationship, whether it be business, personal, or marital, with a person who excuses their own sin, or who pulls you into sin, or who encourages you (or makes it easy for you) to sin yourself or to excuse your sin or their sin or the sin of others, this is wrong, this is a wrong relationship and not one that you should be in. Our relationship with our Father in heaven is our primary relationship, and the one that we must guard above all others.

Sin is wanting things our way, instead of God’s way. Sin is ignoring God’s way, or excusing our own ways of doing things. Sin is choosing our own path, or wilfully disobeying God’s Word. Sin is death, and Christ came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly.

lyrics 4 today

George Strait. Long-time country star.

Yesterday, i got his Ocean Front Property album in the mail.
It immediately made its way into my car stereo. I laughed , I cried, i sang. And, with this song, I sang at the top of my lungs, until my sobs drowned me out...

Hot Burning Flames - by George Strait

She left me almost burned out
I couldn't feel a thing
A walkin' talkin' statue
Afraid to love again
She did everything to kill a flame
But a little spark got through
She'd of got her way , I'd be gone today
If it hadn't been for you

You turned cold gray ashes into
Hot burning flames
I'm alive with love because of you
When you came to light the fire
You knew just what to bring
You turned cold gray ashes into
Hot burning flames

She thought she had me down and out
But at the count of nine
A livin' lovin' angel
Showed up just in time
She thought that I would surely die
Sometimes I wanted to
She had no doubt, The fire was out
But she didn't count on you

You turned cold gray ashes into
Hot burning flames
I'm alive with love because of you
When you came to light the fire
You knew just what to bring
You turned cold gray ashes into
Hot burning flames

You turned cold gray ashes into
Hot burning flames
I'm alive with love because of you
When you came to light the fire
You knew just what to bring
You turned cold gray ashes into
Hot burning flames

You turned cold gray ashes into
Hot burning flames

This is a Test

Take the Survivor's Test here...

http://www.clearspring.com/widgets/49663ddbe1f1df02

I did, and ( no big surprise )I'm a "Believer"!

http://ward-of-gorion.blogspot.com/

Click the above link, to see my newest blog. It's my fan site for the world's best video game, Baldur's Gate, and it's many sequels.

Check back often if you are interested, as I will be updating it often.

i still miss you, buddy

I still miss you, Tobes. You were one of my bestest and most loyal buddies ever. Your purring and kneading melted my heart.

Have a good life, okay buddy?

God willing, we will meet again one day, you and I...

me and my heart

Some people.

Some people out there may read my words here, and come to the conclusion that I am angry, or that I am bitter, or that I am unforgiving, or that I am some sort of ogre (like Shrek, perhaps?).

This is far from the truth, as I merely write what is on my heart, whatever that may be, and most of the time the words here are not directed at any one person in particular. They are just what is on my heart.

I am undergoing revival in my heart and in my life. And I have been doing so for over 30 years.

But lately, the holiness of God is weighing heavy on my mind.

God is holy. His Word is holy. God demands that we be holy. Of course, we cannot be, can we? So, He sends us His Son, to be our sacrifice, to make us holy. God sees the holiness of Jesus when He looks at us.

But, that does not give us the right to knowingly sin. Of course, we do though, don’t we? Yes, we all do.

But you, you and I, we have no excuse. When we stand before God to give an account of our life, the life we led, the words we spoke, the actions we partook in…there is no excuses. Not one excuse will be uttered. We will all, each and every one of us, merely say “Guilty.” And then, those of us who have asked Jesus to reside in our hearts as our Saviour and our Lord, we will shed tears of joy as Jesus steps up beside us and says “The debt is paid.”

Nevertheless, we should strive for holiness in our lives. We should strive to conform to God’s will for us, as laid out in His Word. We should fight against temptation to do wrong, to speak wrong, to feel wrong, to act wrong, we should fight against anything which exalts itself against our Lord and Saviour. Anything that goes against what God’s Word says, we should turn our back on.

Easier said than done, isn’t it? It is hard to resist the pull of sin. It is made even harder, if you struggle with something that you have, time and time again, given in to. But there is no excuse for not trying. We have the Overcomer living within us, and His mighty power flows through our veins. We have the victory; His Word has declared that this is so.

But we do not live like it. Instead, we make mistakes, and then compound our mistakes by making them over and over again. We continually turn up our nose at doing what God asks of us, and then turn around and blame Him when things do not go right. We want control of our own lives, even though they no longer belong to us but to God; so, we wrest control of our own destinies away from God, and ask Him to ride along with us and shower us with blessings at every turn in the road.

We are sick. All of us, we are sick. It is no wonder that we need a Saviour!

I’d write more, but I feel like I am going in circles right now.

What it boils down to, is this. God is holy. His Word is holy, and He (and His Word) are to be obeyed. We ruin our lives when we do not obey Him. And, He allows us to suffer when we disobey Him. We may not suffer punishment, but we will suffer the consequences of our sin, as will our descendants after us.

Hebrews 12:5-16, 25, 28, 29

Have you completely forgotten the divine word of encouragement in which you are addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him; For the Lord corrects and disciplines every one whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. You must submit to and endure correction for discipline. God is dealing with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not thus train and correct and discipline? Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all of God’s children share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons at all. Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded to them and respected them for training us. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so truly live? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them, but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness. For the time being no discipline brings joy but seems grievous and painful, but afterwards it yields peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it – a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness [that is, in conformity to God’s will in purpose, thought and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God]. So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands, and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees, and cut through and make firm and plain and smooth, straight paths for your feet – yes, make them safe and upright and happy paths that go in the right direction – so that the lame and halting limbs may not be put out of joint, but rather may be cured. Strive to live in peace with everybody, and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will ever see the Lord. Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look after one another, to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God’s grace (His unmerited favour and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancour, bitterness, or hatred) shoot forth and cause trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it; That no one may become guilty of sexual vice, or become a profane (godless and sacrilegious) person as Esau did, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.

So see to it that you do not reject Him or refuse to listen to and heed Him Who is speaking to you now. For if the Israelites did not escape when they refused to listen and heed Him Who warned and divinely instructed them here on earth – revealing with heavenly warnings His will – how much less shall we escape if we reject and turn our backs on Him Who cautions and admonishes us from heaven?

Let us therefore, receiving a kingdom that is firm and stable and cannot be shaken, offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship. With modesty and pious care and godly fear and awe; For our God is indeed a consuming fire.

hockey

Here are my predictions for the rest of the NHL season.

In the West, the top 8 teams (those making the playoffs) will be...

1. San Jose
2. Detroit
3. Calgary
4. Chicago
5. Dallas
6. Vancouver
7. Anaheim
8. Minnesota

In the East, the top 8 teams (those making the playoffs) will be...

1. Boston
2. New Jersey
3. Washington
4. Philadelphia
5. Montreal
6. New York Rangers
7. Florida
8. Carolina

In the West, the next 7 teams (in order of finish) will be...

9. Los Angeles
10. Columbus
11. Edmonton
12. Nashville
13. Phoenix
14. Colorado
15. St. Louis

In the East, the next 7 teams (in order of finish) will be...

9. Buffalo
10. Pittsburgh
11. Toronto
12. Ottawa
13. Tampa Bay
14. Atlanta
15. New York Islanders


Last place teams in the NHL...

# 30 - New York Islanders
# 29 - Atlanta
# 28 - St. Louis
# 27 - Tampa Bay
# 26 - Colorado
# 25 - Ottawa
# 24 - Toronto
# 23 - Phoenix
# 22 - Nashville
# 21 - Pittsburgh
# 20 - Edmonton
# 19 - Columbus
# 18 - Los Angeles
# 17 - Buffalo


There you have it. I am sure i will be wrong, but it is fun to guess, isn't it?

TRUTH

The truth lies, not in what I think or say about myself,
But in what God thinks or says about me.

And all else is a lie.

That is why it is so important to me lately, to stand up for God;
because, quite frankly, in this life, nobody else but God will stand up for me.

I have need of only one Judge, only one Lord, only one Saviour.

When I reach the Judgment Seat in heaven, only one person's word about me will matter, and that person is Jesus.

No matter how much i am ridiculed in my life, no matter how many people tell me that i am not a good Christian, no matter how many people turn their backs on me and desert me, no matter how mnay people throw me under the wheels of the bus, no matter how many things are said about me (whether they be blasphemous and untrue, or whether they hurt because there is an element of truth about them) that cut me to the bone and make me wish that i were dead.

No matter how alone i am in life. No matter how many mistakes i make, and how cut up my knees get from falling on them time and time again. No matter how many times i believe in the wrong things, or the wrong people. No matter the pain, the grief, the heart-sickness that i have to endure.

The ONLY thing that matters, is what my God says about me.

That is the only truth that i need. Because that is the only truth that matters, and the only truth that there is.

waiting for you

this is my season.
good things are coming my way.
right, Lord?

coming soon, to a heart near me...

(I've Been Waiting) For A Girl Like You - by Foreigner


So long
I've been looking too hard, I've been waiting too long
Sometimes I don't know what I will find
I only know it's a matter of time
When you love someone
When you love someone

It feels so right, so warm and true
I need to know if you feel it too

Maybe I'm wrong
Won't you tell me if I'm coming on too strong?
This heart of mine has been hurt before
This time I wanna be sure

I've been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
I've been waiting for a girl like you
A love that will survive
I've been waiting for someone new
To make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life

You're so good
When we make love it's understood
It's more than a touch or a word we say
Only in dreams could it be this way
When you love someone
Yeah, really love someone

Now, I know it's right
From the moment I wake up 'til deep in the night
There's nowhere on earth that I'd rather be
Than holding you, tenderly

I've been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
I've been waiting for a girl like you
And a love that will survive
I've been waiting for someone new
To make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life

I've been waiting, waiting for you, ooh
Ooh, I've been waiting
I've been waiting, yeah
I've been waiting for a girl like you
I've been waiting
Won't you come into my life?
My life?

I Won!

Hey There!



There is a Technician at my job-site. He takes the front panels of out-of-comission slot machines, and makes them into works of art (wall hangings) and every month there is a draw and one staff member wins one of these art pieces.



And...I won!



Below find a photo of me with my new "Desperado" artwork.






That is a glass panel from the front of a slot machine, in a distressed wooden frame with real horseshoe nails sticking out of it!


And here I present the lyrics to "Desperado", by The Eagles (perhaps a fitting song for me personally?...)...



"Desperado"

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow

Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet

Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can't get

Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone

Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
You're losin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you, before it's too late

We Should All Be Ashamed

As Christians, as those who call ourselves followers of the Christ and who call ourselves by His name, as the people who claim to be saved only through the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf, who say that Christ lives in us and that our lives are not our own but they belong to Him…

We Should All Be Ashamed.

We have been indoctrinated by our society. We are no longer interested in doing what God wants, we would much rather that God does what we want. We are fat, lazy, and selfish. God must surely be ashamed of us. The fact that He still loves us, just proves that He is God – nobody else who knew as much about us as He does, would have any desire to love us.

We treat God just like the heathen treat Him. We have lost our way, we have forgotten who we are, and we have forgotten (if we ever even knew at all) who God is. When we finally see Him face to face, I think most of us will be surprised. And we will definitely be ashamed; ashamed of how little we respected Him, how little we followed Him, how little we did for Him, how seldom we obeyed Him, how little time we gave to Him at all.

And we call ourselves Christians?!?

We have ignored our sins for too long. The call to plow up our fallow ground has gone unheeded. Instead of striving to truly follow God, we just keep asking God to bless us, and we live for only the blessings of this life. We want to be comfortable. We want to be liked by the world, to be like the world around us, to fit in, but we are striving to fit in with those who have nothing in common with us. How long, Lord? How long will you allow this sinful mindset in Your people to continue? We have become like the Israelites who rejected You.

Lord, forgive us.


Here I will present a story. May it convict each and every one of us. Yes, myself included.


This story is from the first chapter of Max Lucado’s book, In The Grip of Grace. I hope Max does not mind me reprinting it here…




Once there were five sons who lived in a mountain castle with their father. The eldest was an obedient son, but his four younger brothers were rebellious. Their father had warned them of the river, but they had not listened. He had begged them to stay clear of the ban lest they be swept downstream, but the river’s lure was too strong.

Each day the four rebellious brothers ventured closer and closer until one son dared to reach in and feel the waters. “Hold my hand so I won’t fall in,” he said, and his brothers did. But when he touched the water, the current yanked him and the other three into the rapids and rolled them down the river.

Over rocks they bounced, through the channels they roared, on the swells they rode. Their cries for help were lost in the rage of the river. Though they fought to gain their balance, they were powerless against the strength of the current. After hours of struggle, they surrendered to the pull of the river. The waters finally dumped them on the bank in a strange land, in a distant country, in a barren place.

Savage people dwelt in the land. It was not safe like their home.

Cold winds chilled the land. It was not warm like their home.

Rugged mountains marked the land. It was not inviting like their home.

Though they did not know where they were, of one fact they were sure: They were not intended for this place. For a long time the four young sons lay on the bank, stunned at their fall and not knowing where to turn. After some time they gathered their courage and re-entered the waters, hoping to walk upstream. But the current was too strong. They attempted to walk along the river’s edge, but the terrain was too steep. They considered climbing the mountains, but the peaks were too high. Besides, they didn’t know the way.

Finally, they built a fire and sat down. “We shouldn’t have disobeyed our father,” they admitted. “We are a long way from home.”

With the passage of time the sons learned to survive in the strange land. They found nuts for food and killed animals for skins. They determined not to forget their homeland nor abandon hopes of returning. Each day they set about the task of finding food and building shelter. Each evening they built a fire and told stories of their father and older brother. All four sons longed to see them again.

Then, one night, one brother failed to come to the fire. The others found him the next morning in the valley with the savages. He was building a hut of grass and mud. “I’ve grown tired of our talks,” he told them. “What good does it do to remember? Besides, this land isn’t so bad. I will build a great house and settle here.”

“But it isn’t home,” they objected.

“No, but it is if you don’t think of the real one.”

“But what of Father?”

“What of him? He isn’t here. He isn’t near. Am I to spend forever awaiting his arrival? I’m making new friends; I’m learning new ways. If he comes, he comes, but I’m not holding my breath.”

And so the other three left their hut-building brother and walked away. They continued to meet around the fire, speaking of home and dreaming of their return.

Some days later a second brother failed to appear at the campfire. The next morning his siblings found him on a hillside staring at the hut of his brother.

“How disgusting,” he told them as they approached. “Our brother is an utter failure. An insult to our family name. Can you imagine a more despicable deed? Building a hut and forgetting our father?”

“What he’s done is wrong,” agreed the youngest, “But what we did was wrong as well. We disobeyed. We touched the river. We ignored our father’s warnings.”

“Well, we may have made a mistake or two, but compared to the sleaze in the hut, we are saints. Father will dismiss our sin and punish him.”

“Come,” urged his two brothers, “return to the fire with us.”

“No, I think I’ll keep an eye on our brother. Someone needs to keep a record of his wrongs to show Father.”

And so the two returned, leaving one brother building and the other judging.

The remaining two sons stayed near the fire, encouraging each other and speaking of home. The one morning the youngest son awoke to find he was alone. He searched for his brother and found him near the river, stacking rocks.

“It’s no use,” the rock-stacking brother explained as he worked. “Father won’t come for me. I must go to him. I offended him. I insulted him. I failed him. There is only one option. I will build a path back up the river and walk into our father’s presence. Rock upon rock I will stack until I have enough rocks to travel upstream to the castle. When he sees how hard I have worked and how diligent I have been, he will have no choice but to open the door and let me into his house.”

The last brother did not know what to say. He returned to sit by the fire, alone. One morning he heard a familiar voice behind him. “Father has sent me to bring you home.”

The youngest lifted his eyes to see the face of his oldest brother. “You have come for us!” he shouted. For a long time the two embraced.

“And your brothers?” the eldest finally asked.

“One has made a home here. Another is watching him. The third is building a path up the river.”

And so Firstborn set out to find his siblings. He went first to the thatched hut in the valley.

“Go away, stranger!” screamed his brother through the window. “You are not welcome here!”

“I have come to take you home.”

“You have not. You have come to take my mansion.”

“This is no mansion,” Firstborn countered. “This is a hut.”

“It is a mansion! The finest in the lowlands. I built it with my own hands. Now, go away. You cannot have my mansion.”

“Don’t you remember the house of your father?”

“I have no father.”

“You were born in a castle in a distant land where the air is warm and the fruit is plentiful. You disobeyed your father and ended up in this strange land. I have come to take you home.”

The brother peered through the window at Firstborn as if recognizing a face he’d remembered from a dream. But the pause was brief, for suddenly the savages in the house filled the window as well. “Go away, intruder!” they demanded. “This is not your home.”

“You are right,” responded the firstborn son, “but neither is it his.”

The eyes of the two brothers met again. Once more the hut-building brother felt a tug at his heart, but the savages had won his trust. “He just wants your mansion,” they cried. “Send him away!”

And so he did.

Firstborn sought the next brother. He didn’t have to walk far. On the hillside near the hut, within eyesight of the savages, sat the fault-finding son. When he saw Firstborn approaching, he shouted, “How good that you are here to behold the sin of our brother! Are you aware he turned his back on the castle? Are you aware that he never speaks of home? I knew you would come. I have kept careful account of his deeds. Punish him! I will applaud your anger. He deserves it! Deal with the sins of our brother.”

Firstborn spoke softly, “We need to deal with your sins first.”

“My sins?”

“Yes, you disobeyed Father.”

The son smirked and slapped at the air. “My sins are nothing. THERE is the sinner,” he claimed, pointing to the hut. “Let me tell you of the savages who stay there…”

“I’d rather you tell me about yourself.”

“Don’t worry about me. Let me show you who needs help,” he said, running toward the hut. “Come, we’ll peek in the windows. He never sees me. Let’s go together.” The son was at the hut before he noticed that Firstborn hadn’t followed him.

Next, the eldest son walked to the river. There he found the last brother, knee-deep in the water, stacking rocks.

“Father has sent me to take you home.”

The brother never looked up. “I can’t talk now. I must work.”

“Father knows you have fallen. But he will forgive you…”

“He may,” the brother interrupted, struggling to keep his balance against the current, “but I have to get to the castle first. I must build a pathway up the river. First I will show him that I am worthy. Then I will ask for his mercy.”

“He has already given his mercy. I will carry you up the river. You will never be able to build a pathway. The river is too long. The task is too great for your hands. Father sent me to carry you home. I am stronger.”

For the first time the rock-stacking brother looked up. “How dare you speak with such irreverence! My father will not simply forgive. I have sinned. I have sinned greatly! He told us to avoid the river, and we disobeyed. I am a great sinner. I need much work.”

“No, my brother, you don’t need much work. You need much grace. The distance between you and our father’s house is to great. You haven’t enough strength nor the stones to build the road. That is why our father sent me. He wants me to carry you home.”

“Are you saying I can’t do it? Are you saying I’m not strong enough? Look at my work. Look at my rocks. Already I can walk five steps!”

“But you have five million to go!”

The younger brother looked at Firstborn with anger. “I know who you are. You are the voice of evil. You are trying to seduce me from my holy work. Get behind me, you serpent!” He hurled at Firstborn the rock he was about to place in the river.

“Heretic!” screamed the path-builder. “Leave this land. You can’t stop me! I will build this walkway and stand before my father, and he will have to forgive me. I will win his favour. I will earn his mercy.”

Firstborn shook his head. “Favour own is no favour. Mercy earned is no mercy. I implore you, let me carry you up the river.”

The response was another rock. So Firstborn turned and left.

The youngest brother was waiting near the fire when Firstborn returned.

“The others didn’t come?”

“No. One chose to indulge, the other to judge, and the third to work. None fo them chose our father.”

“So they will remain here?”

The eldest brother nodded slowly. “For now.”

“And we will return to Father?” asked the brother.

“Yes.”

“Will he forgive me?”

“Would he have sent me if he wouldn’t?”

And so the younger brother climbed on the back of the Firstborn and began the journey home.



All four brothers heard the same invitation. Each had an opportunity to be carried home by the elder brother. The first said no, choosing a grass hut over his father’s house. The second said no, preferring to analyze the mistakes of his brother rather than admit his own. The third said no, thinking it wiser to make a good impression than an honest confession. And the fourth said yes, choosing gratitude over guilt.

“I’ll indulge myself,” resolves one son.

“I’ll compare myself,” opts another.

I’ll save myself,” determines the third.

“I’ll entrust myself to you,” decides the fourth.

May I ask a vital question? As you read of the brothers, which describes your relationship to God? Have you, like the fourth son, recognized your helplessness to make the journey home alone? Do you take the extended hand of your Father? Are you caught in the grip of his grace?

Or are you like one of the other three sons?

Son 1 : The Hut-Building Hedonist
(Romans 1:18-32)

Strategy – Indulge myself.
Goal – Satisfy my passions.
Description – Fun-lover.
Personality – Laid back.
Self-Analysis – “I may be bad, but so what?”
Theology – Disregard God.
Bumper sticker – “Life is short. Play hard.”
Complaint – I can’t play enough.
Favourite animal – Tomcat.
Spends Time Looking – over the menu at the options.
View of grace – Who, me?
View of sin – No one is guilty.
Work ethic – What I do is my business.
Favourite phrase – Live it up!
Boundaries – If it feels good, do it.
Condition – Bored.
Paul’s Pronouncements – You have no excuse for the things you do.
Key Verse – “God left them and let them go their sinful way” (Romans 1:24)



Son 2: The Fault-Finding Judgementalist
(Romans 2:1-12)

Strategy – Compare myself.
Goal – Monitor my neighbour.
Description – Finger-pointer.
Personality – Stuck-up.
Self-Analysis – “I may be bad, but I’m better than…”
Theology – Distract God.
Bumper sticker – “God’s watching you and so am I.”
Complaint – I can’t see enough.
Favourite animal – Watchdog.
Spends Time Looking – Over the fence at the neighbour.
View of grace – Yes, you!
View of sin – He is guilty.
Work ethic – What you do is my business.
Favourite phrase – Straighten up!
Boundaries – If he feels good, note it.
Condition – Bitter.
Paul’s Pronouncement – You have no authority for the judgements you make.
Key Verse – “If you think you can judge others, you are wrong. When you judge them, you are really yourself guilty because you do the same things they do.” (Romans 2:1)



Son 3: The Rock-Stacking Legalist
(Romans 2:17-3:20)

Strategy – Save myself.
Goal – Measure my merits.
Description – Burden-bearer.
Personality – Stressed-out.
Self-analysis – “I may be bad, but if I work harder…”
Theology – Reimburse God.
Bumper sticker – “I owe, I owe, it’s off to work I go.”
Complaint – I can’t work enough.
Favourite animal – Beaver.
Spends time looking – Over the list of requirements.
View of grace – Not me!
View of sin – I’m always guilty.
Work ethic – What God demands is my business.
Favourite phrase – Get to work!
Boundaries – If it feels good, stop it.
Condition – Weary.
Paul’s Pronouncement – You have no solution for the problem you have.
Key Verse – “…People cannot do any work that will make them right with God.” (Romans 4:5)



Son 4: The Grace-Driven Christian
(Romans 3:21-25)

Strategy – Entrust myself to Christ.
Goal – Know my father.
Description – God-lover.
Personality – Peaceful.
Self-analysis – “I may be bad, but I’m forgiven.”
Theology – Seek God.
Bumper sticker – “I’m not perfect, but I’m forgiven.”
Complaint – I can’t thank Him enough.
Favourite animal – Eagle.
Spends time looking – Over the abundance of God’s blessings.
View of grace – Yes, me.
View of sin – I was guilty.
Work ethic – What God does is my business.
Favourite phrase – Thank you!
Boundaries – If it feels good, examine it.
Condition – Grateful.
Paul’s Pronouncement – You have no reason to fear.
Key Verse – “…those who are right with God will live by trusting Him.” (Romans 1:17)



A hedonist. A judgementalist. A legalist. All occupied with self to the exclusion of their father. Paul addresses these three in the first three chapters of Romans. Let’s look at each one.

The Hut-Building Hedonist
Romans 1:21-32

Can you relate to the hut-builder? He traded his passion for the castle for a love of the lowland. Rather than long for home, he settled for a hut. The aim of his life is pleasure. Such is the definition of hedonism, and such is the practise of this son.

THE HEDONIST navigates his way as if there is no father in his past, present, or future. There may have been, somewhere in the somewhat distant past, a once-upon-a-time father, but as far as the here and now? The son will live without him. There may be, in the far-away future, a father who comes and claims him, but as for today? The son will forge out his life on his own. Rather than seize the future, he’s content to seize the day.

Paul had such a person in mind when he said, “They traded the glory of God who lives forever for the worship of idols made to look like earthly birds, animals, and snakes…They worshiped and served what had been created instead of the God who created these things” (Romans 1:23,25). Hedonists make poor swaps; they trade mansions for huts and their brother for a stranger. They exchange their father’s house for a hillside ghetto and send his son away.

The Fault-Finding Judgementalist
Romans 2:1-11

The approach of the second brother was simple: “Why deal with my mistakes when I can focus on the mistakes of others?”

He is a judgementalist. “I may be bad, but as long as I can find someone worse, I am safe.” He fuels his goodness with the failures of others. He is the self-appointed teacher’s pet in elementary school. He tattles on the sloppy work of others, oblivious to the F on his own paper. He’s the neighbourhood watchdog, passing out citations for people to clean up their act, never noticing the garbage on his own front lawn.

“Come on, God, let me show You the evil deeds of my neighbour,” THE MORALIST invites. But God won’t follow him into the valley. “If you think you can judge others, you are wrong. When you judge them, you are really judging yourself guilty, because you do the same things they do” (Romans 2:1). It’s a shallow ploy, and God won’t fall for it.

The Rock-Stacking Legalist
Romans 2:17-3:20

And then there is the brother in the river. Ahhh, now here is a son we respect. Hard-working. Industrious. Zealous. Intense. Here is a fellow who sees his sin and sets out to resolve it by himself. Surely he is worthy of our applause. Surely he is worthy of our emulation. And, most surely, he is worthy of the father’s mercy. Won’t the father throw open the castle doors when he sees how hard the son has worked to get home?

With no help from the father, THE LEGALIST is tackling the odds and fording the river of failure. Surely, the father will be happy to see him. That is, if the father ever does.

You see, the problem is not the affection of the father but the strength of the river. What sucked the son away from his father’s house was no gentle stream but rather a roaring torrent. Is the son strong enough to build an upriver path to the father’s house?

Doubtful. We certainly can’t. “There is no one who always does what is right, not even one” (Romans 3:10). Oh, but we try. We don’t stack rocks in a river, but we do good deeds on earth.
We think: If I do this, God will accept me.
If I teach this class…and we pick up a rock.
If I go to church…and we put the rock in the stream.
If I give this money…another rock.
If I endure a Max Lucado book…ten big rocks.
If I read my Bible, have the right opinion on the right doctrine, if I join this movement…rock upon rock upon rock.

The problem? You may take five steps, but you have five million to go. The river is too long. What separates us from God is not a shallow stream but a tumbling, cascading, overwhelming river of sin. We stack and stack and stack only to find we can barely keep our footing, much less make progress.

The impact on the rock-stackers is remarkably predictable: either despair or arrogance. They either give up or become stuck-up. They think they’ll never make it, or they think they are the only ones who’ll ever make it. Strange, how two people can look at the same stacked rocks and one hang his head and the other puff out his chest.

Call the condition a religious godlessness. It’s the theme behind Paul’s brazen pronouncement: “We’re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everyone else” (Romans 3:19, The Message Bible).


Godless or Godly?

Quite a trio, don’t you think?

The first, on a barstool.
The second in the judge’s chair.
The third on the church pew.

Though they may appear different, they are very much alike. All are separated from the Father. And none is asking for help. The first indulges his passions, the second monitors his neighbour, and the third measures his merits. Self-satisfaction. Self-justification. Self-salvation. The operative word is SELF. Self-sufficient. “They never give God the time of day” (Romans 3:18 The Message Bible).

Paul’s word for this is godlessness (Romans 1:18 NIV Bible). Godlessness. The word defines itself. A life minus God. Worse than a disdain for God, this is a disregard for God. A disdain at least acknowledges His presence. Godlessness doesn’t. Whereas disdain will lead people to act with irreverence, disregard causes them to act as if God were irrelevant, as if He is not a factor in the journey.

How does God respond to godless living? Not flippantly. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all godlessness and wickedness” (Romans 1:18 NIV Bible). Paul’s main point is not a light one. God is justly angered over the actions of His children.

In Romans, Paul gives us the bad news before he gives the good news. He will eventually tell us that we are all equal candidates for grace, but not before he proves that we are all desperately sinful. We have to see the mess we are in before we can appreciate the God we have. Before presenting the grace of God, we must understand the wrath of God.







I hope that this chapter from the book spoke to whomever may be reading this. God used this book to speak to me many years ago, and it still speaks to me today.

In the story of the river, the four sons were all sons. They were not strangers, not servants; they were sons.

If you are a Christian and you are reading this, please understand – this is a story about those who are Christians, not about the unsaved.

God, prepare our hearts. Forgive us, and heal us.

My Recent Feelings

Okay, so this is going to sound weird.

It sounds weird to me. Even I do not understand what I am going through lately. Yesterday, and then again today…I am SO emotional…

At odd times, something will strike a nerve within me. It is like something causes a bell to go off inside of me, and it reverberates within my heart.

When that happens, I tear up, and I stop whatever I am doing, and just think. I just stop and think about whatever it is that is making me feel this feeling. It may have been a thought, or a line from a movie or tv show. Maybe it is something I read in the Bible. But whatever it is, it always has the same effect.

It moves me. Deeply moves me.

You know what it is? You know what it boils down to?

I do. But it is going to sound weird. After everything that I have gone through, after everything that I have been through, after the year or so that I have had…nobody is going to believe that I am sane. But I know that I am.

God has been working in me mightily. And He still is.

Lately, when I feel so strongly, like I have been lately, I start to believe that God is preparing me to love again.

See…sounds weird, sort of insane like, doesn’t it?

Thing is…I totally, 100% truthfully believe that it is so.

One of the (many) things I have learned in this last year, is that God is in favour of love. God created love, and God is love. The whole Bible is God’s love song to mankind. It is The Great Romance, God searching out and winning to Himself His people that He loves, to take them as His bride.

God is the author of love. God even designed and created romantic love. God is love, and God is a lover.

And, at this point in my life, I want to be a lover, too.

I want to be in love. I want to revel in the beauty of loving somebody else in a romantic sense. But, I am smart enough to know that I do not want just anybody…I want THE ONE that God has for me.

With all that I am feeling and sensing lately, I am hoping that she is near.

Is that so wrong?

What is so wrong, with wanting to be in love? With wanting to be a giver? With wanting to show Christ’s love to another person, every day for the rest of my life?

I have a lot to give. And, one day, hopefully soon, I will begin to give that love to somebody special, somebody whom God has picked out for me to love, and for them to love me too.

That’ll be…cool. The ultimate expression, in life, is love.

Lord…I wait. Expectantly so, because I remember Your promise to me. Thank You.

devotional stuff

From my devotionals on Feb the 4th...

It Can Be Fixed

Her mother worked for days making her a new school dress. Finally it was finished and ready to be worn. Giggling with excitement, she asked if she could wear it the next day. "Yes," was the answer, "but stay off the sliding board during playtime. You already have one torn dress. Let's keep this one nice."

However, playtime proved too tempting. Despite her mother's instructions, she climbed to the top of the slide and began a fast descent. It was then she heard a loud tearing noise. Later that evening, tears filled her mother's eyes as she studied the gaping hole. "It will take some effort, but I believe it can be fixed."

Even as a child, she was shocked at her mother's response. She expected punishment but received grace instead. While climbing into bed the next evening, she noticed the dress, mended and hanging in her closet. An attached note read: "Honey, I love you. Mom."

Maybe you have torn a gaping hole in the side of your life, and you think nothing can mend it. God can and will. He has already attached His note of love to your heart through the death of His Son. If you will listen, you will hear His voice: "(Your name), I love you. Come to Me and I will mend your life and make you whole again."

Heavenly Father, through Jesus You provided the way for me to come with the torn fragments of my life. I wait before You right now. Make me whole again.



A Done Deal

Isaiah 43:25 -
I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

God never ridicules us or makes us feel unworthy. Instead, we read these words of Jesus:

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. (John 15:9)

If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32)

I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)

Love and truth. God is love and the source of all truth. The truth He has for you is the same love He has for His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He gives you this love through His grace and mercy. It is a pure love, not tainted by guilt or obligation.

Regardless of how deep your past transgression may be, God is near to free you with the truth of His Word. Nothing is stronger than His love. When He forgives, He forgets (Ps. 103:12; Isa. 43:25). Once you have confessed sin, there is no need to beg or plead for His forgiveness. It is a done deal!

You can walk freely in the light of His love because He calls you His child. Your life is inscribed within the palm of His hand.

You are the apple of His eye; all of heaven rejoices at the sight of your name written in the Lamb's blood.

O God, thank You for freeing me from sin with the power of Your Word. As I journey down life's road, let me walk freely in the light of Your love. Make me secure in my relationship with You.

new poem posted here

I wrote a new poem, and I posted it here!


http://leplaunpoetree.blogspot.com/2009/02/this-betrayal.html

Thanks again!

explain it 2 me

When you have left me today, you will meet two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelazh, and they will say to you, The donkeys you sought are found, and your father has quit caring about them, and is anxious for you, asking, What shall I do about my son?

Remember this verse, from my blogging a few days ago?

Well, since then, not only have I "gone by Rachel's tomb", but, what I was searching for, what I was searching for, the very thing that I have spent my last 6 or 8 months searching for, God has quit caring about what (or who) I was searching for, and now He is concerned about ME! ME! Isn't that awesome!?!

First, I go by and acknowledge the tomb of those who came before. Next, the search that I have been on comes to an end, and God's care switches from caring for the one I was previously searching for (and praying for so hard all that time), to caring and worrying specifically about me, asking about me, wondering how to help me and bless me.

I love the way that God explains things to me!

Thanx, Lord!

...

I want love. Because love is the big picture.

I want to be loved by somebody, but more than that I just want to love somebody else.

I want to be in love. I want that extreme joy of that passionate yet gentle love feeling.

I want to be with someone, someone whom I am right for and who is right for me, someone who I know right from the start is the right person and somebody who knows right from the start that I am the right person for them as well.

I desire love, because God is love, and because my God so loves me that I am running over with love to give.

I do not want to be an island; I want to be a never-ending party, an eternal family-reunion, a source of peace and joy.

I want to be in love. The kind of love that doesn’t ever end, doesn’t ever fade, but sustains itself through sheer joy.

I want somebody who loves God passionately, whose greatest love, greatest joy, greatest treasure in her life, is her Saviour Jesus Christ.

I want love. Because love is the big picture, the picture that God draws on His easel, using us as His paints.

Lord, give me that love. I deserve it, and You want to give it. Thank You.

Answers

So...what do you do when somebody whom you have previously trusted and befriended, somebody you gave your heart to and whom you prayed for diligently, what do you do when a person such as this decides to attack you unmercifully, wants to tear you down and tear you apart, seeks to end your life and bring about your ruin?

Well, here is what I do.

First, I go to prayer, and I remind myself that I belong to God; He will see me through everything. I bring it to Him, and I trust Him.

Second, I get encouragement from my parents, who remind me that no weapon formed against me shall prosper, that the devil's fiery arrows will be extinguished, and they support me and agree to pray that this attack against me will come to nothing.

Next, I recall a dream that God gave me this last Fall, a dream that is about this very situation, a dream where although destruction tried to rain down on me, it passed close by but did not touch me. In my dream, the attack against me was very loud and noisy, full of much bravado and bluster, but in the end nothing came of it.

Lastly, I do my daily devotions, and come across this passage of scripture that comforted me...

Psalm 63:7-11 -

For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice. My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me. But those who seek and demand my life, to ruin and destroy it, shall themselves be destroyed and go into the lower parts of the earth (into the underworld of the dead). They shall be given over unto the power of the sword; they shall be a prey for foxes and jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; every one who swears by Him [ that is, who binds himself by God's authority, acknowledging His supremacy, and devoting himself to His glory and service alone ], every such one shall glory, for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.


And, in reading further, the 64th Psalm is a word of encouragement to me as well...

Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; guard and preserve my life from the terror of the enemy. Hide me from the secret counsel and conspiracy of the ungodly, from the scheming of evildoers, who whet their tongues like a sword, who aim venomous words like arrows, who shoot from ambush at the blameless; suddenly do they shoot at him, without self-reproach or fear. They encourage themselves in an evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly; they say, Who will discover us? They think out acts of injustice, and say, We have accomplished a well-devised thing; for the inward thought of each one is unsearchable, and his heart is deep. But God will shoot an unexpected arrow at them, and suddenly shall they be wounded. And they will be made to stumble, their own tongue being against them; all who gaze upon them will shake the head and flee away. And all men shall reverently fear and be in awe, and will declare the work of God; for they will wisely consider and acknowledge that it is His doing. The uncompromisingly righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust and take refuge in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory and offer praise.


Thank God! God knows what He is doing, and His power and mercy and love have never failed!