I Refuse to Turn Away

I know life can be tough even to the point of questioning God's love for us just like Naomi did.  But if you refuse to leave  your faith in Jesus as LORD and savior of your life, He will bless you.  He has a plan greater than your imagination and more powerful than any trial and struggle you have, are, and even will face.  His plan not only includes blessing you, it also includes using your life to leave a legacy for our families future!  

As for me, in my darkest trials and struggles I refused to walk away. I have chosen the way of Ruth and because if it I can testify that I am a blessed man.  

The picture is me leading my oldest daughter down the isle so that I could marry her to the man God chose for her life.  It was also my first wedding to officiate.  

Ruth 1:16-17 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

Happy 4th of July, in Jesus name!

Here in the good ole USA it is the Fourth of July, Independence Day!  The day we celebrate the Declaration in Independence.  This is the holiday that we Americans celebrate freedom!  A freedom that simply is not found in any other nation.  But not complete freedom. 

As a Christian, from a country founded on Christian freedom I see a new freedom arising.  I call it censored freedom.  As Christians we are losing our rights in America to express and live out openly the faith we have in Jesus Christ.  Sure we have the right to be Christians or any other faith we desire, but we are becoming more and more censored almost to the point that we can only be Christians in our homes and churches.  Faith lived outside the walls of our homes and churches is now considered harassment and religious intolerance. 

I am proud to be an American and living in the USA, but even more so I am proud to be a bible believing Jesus Christ following totally surrendered set free Christian. 

You see Jesus Christ didn't just set me free from some nation, like America was set free from Great Britain.  Jesus Christ set me free from the wages of my sin. He has set me free from the bondage to guilt and shame from my past.  He has set me free from my mistakes.  I am free from my own worse enemy, me.  I am free to live with Christ in me.  I am free from doubts and weaknesses.  I am free from addiction and depression. I am free from bitterness and brokenness.  By His stripes and victory over death I have been set free!

There is no greater freedom found in no other country than freedom from deaths reign that Jesus Christ the son of the living God has offered you and me.  Are looking for this kind of freedom?  If so, you can have it as well by accepting Jesus Christ as lord and savior in your life, by believing in His death and resurrection, and confessing Him as Lord over your life.  He is already standing at the door of your heart and knocking to come in.  Accept His invitation to come into your life and become not just a believer, but a follower of Jesus Christ today. 

Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Where are you God?

Where are you God?

In the book of Judges Gideon asks the LORD; "Why has all this happened to us, why have you abandoned us?"  At first, it sounds like a good question.  Don't we all want to know why things happen and where God has gone? Especially when we are suffering.  The interesting thing, the LORD does not answer his question.

I do not think that Gideon asked a stupid question, but I do think he asked an ignorant question.  I believe the only stupid question is the one not asked.  I also believe that not every question needs to be answered by the person the question is posed to.  There are times when we already know the answer.  I kind of think this was the case with Gideon's question.  I imagine Gideon posing the big question and the LORD giving him the "look". You know the look your patents give you when you asked a question that you already knew the answer to.  Questions like "Hey mom can I jump off the roof onto the trampoline and bounce into a triple flip and land in the kiddie pool?"  Obviously you would already know the answer to that question.  There are times with my kids I would respond, "What do you think my answer is?"  It never failed they would say, "I know…."

The simple truth, the Israelites already knew the answer to Gideon's question If they realized it or not.  The problem is they had become blinded by ignorance and foolishness.  The LORD warned them numerous times to not corrupt themselves by adopting the practices of the other nations.  Nations that did not recognize or worship the one true God.  Basically God said; "Do not give in to the sinful ways of the world.  If you do, I will turn you over to it and you will suffer by your choices."  I bet most knew the answer and realized how ignorant and foolish they had been. 

Each time the Israelites realized how foolish they had been and the reasons why the humbled themselves and turned back to God's way. .  Each time God was faithful to send a judge that was anointed by the spirit of God to rescue the Israelites and lead them out of their foolish ignorant ways. They knew what they had done.  God delivered them by sending a leader to show them the way back to God.  Each time they returned to the LORD, they had to destroy the enemy, purge their lives of evil and follow God's will and plan.

Have you been asking the same question as Gideon?  If so, could it be the answer is the same for you as it was for him?  It was not God who abandoned or left you or the Israelites.  The problem was their choice to adopt and practice the sinful ways of the world.    They chose to not follow God according to His desires, instructions and will.  Just like the Israelites, the choice is ours as well.  Fortunately, we do not need a judge; God has given us Jesus instead.  He will never leave or forsake us.  He will always guide us down the path of righteousness.  A path that always leads to experiencing God and His perfect love.