3 short points

The service starts when “church time” is over.

 No games here, no clever quotes or cliche sayings,

just 3 points for us & 3 points from God.

No preachin’, no big long wordy sermon…

Ready? Don’t blink, don’t shut your brains off or you’ll miss it.

Read 2 Chronicles 7:14 –

and My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves, and pray and seek (crave, require as a necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear [them] from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 CHRONICLES 7:14 AMP

http://bible.com/1588/2ch.7.14.AMP

3 poins for us

1. humble ourselves
2. pray and seek
3. turn

God’s part, 3 points from God, results-

then I will

1.  hear 
2. forgive
3.  heal

Amen. Keep His Word written, stamped, on our hearts. 

Go with God.

Short background & surrounding verses-

God appeared to Solomon that very night and said, “I accept your prayer; yes, I have chosen this place as a temple for sacrifice, a house of worship. If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I’ll be there ready for you: I’ll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health. From now on I’m alert day and night to the prayers offered at this place. Believe me, I’ve chosen and sanctified this Temple that you have built: My Name is stamped on it forever; my eyes are on it and my heart in it always. As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I’ve set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I’ll back your kingly rule over Israel—make it a sure thing on a sure foundation. The same covenant guarantee I gave to David your father I’m giving to you, namely, ‘You can count on always having a descendant on Israel’s throne.’
2 Chronicles 7:12‭-‬18 MSG

http://bible.com/97/2ch.7.12-18.MSG

Triumph In Tragedy (Eric Westover)

My name is Eric Westover. I’m a below-elbow amputee. I lost my arm 15 years ago this May secondary to a work injury and an incurable disease called RSD(now called CRPS II). I live with severe chronic pain every day. My pain starts at an 11 and goes to a 50, it never stops, it never takes a break, it’s with me 24/7/365.

In 2002 when my hand and arm started acting up,

 I had no idea the path God would put me on. 

After multiple failed surgeries, total loss of function, and incredibly severe pain, I knew there was only one choice left. And that was to amputate my hand and forearm. 

While it was a difficult and heart wrenching decision, I knew that God was with me and I needed to step out in Faith and let Him have this, no matter what happened. And so I did….

My work comp insurance denied my request to amputate, even though I had the best doctors in the world at The Mayo Clinic backing me up.

 I had to fight. And I did, for 14 months. And during that time I lost everything. 

I lost my house, my business, and had to sell everything I owned. And I had to move in with my parents at the age of 32. 

I was discouraged, depressed, and hurting.

It was not easy nor fun, but with God’s grace I made it through.
On May 13, 2004 we amputated my Right hand and forearm. And I’ve NEVER looked back…….
Losing my arm was THE BIGGEST BLESSING God ever gave me!!! So many things happened to me BECAUSE I lost my arm that would’ve NEVER happened had I not lost my arm. 

God opened SO MANY doors for me and I just had to walk through them.
I just recently retired as the Goalie for the U.S. National Amputee Soccer Team. I played for 8 years traveling the world and representing my country. I now work with a great nonprofit called 

NubAbility Athletics

 who works with limb different kids through sports. That’s ALL God!!

I just received a new prosthetic, pictured below. 

On it is the inscription for Ephesians 6: 11-17, my favorite verses, which say to Put on the armor of God every day and fight. 

I love that I can now wear my Faith on my sleeve and that God gives me the opportunity to glorify Him through something that most others look at as a tragedy.

Thanks for letting me share. God Bless!!!!

✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒

Thank you Eric for your vulnerability in sharing this. May we all remember that our pain is no indication of God’s presence. 

Let’s all be living proof of God’s handy work, especially in times of pain, trials, temptations & down right tragedy.

What we see & experience as aweful are things God can turn into awesome.

For Christ sake, beetle

The Knot Prayer

Fair Fight or Not, Still Gonna Fight

The Apostle Paul, under the influence of God’s Spirit wrote,

The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! 

The world doesn’t fight fair. 

But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will.

 The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. 

We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.

 Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
2 Corinthians 10:3‭-‬6 MSG

http://bible.com/97/2co.10.3-6.MSG

The world doesn’t fight fair. 

But we don’t live or fight our battles that way. We’ll fight but not the way the world fights.

 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 upon 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

Fight Back (by D&K band): 

EXTRA- 

On May 9, 1912, going on 107 years ago, The Salvation Army’s founder, General William Booth gave his final, most distinguished address to a packed crowd of 7,000 Salvationists at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Booth’s final words sum up the heart of The Salvation Army’s mission and vision and his own 60-year ministry:

“While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while 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 poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight, I’ll fight to the very end!”

My Art

Doodling during class, or church actually helped me listen better. I never imagined it would help relax my mind and bring focus but it really does.

Now I dabble in doodling to help take my mind off chronic pain & put it someplace else.

I have a page here in my blod dedicated to my different forms of art: https://tombeetlebailey.wordpress.com/stories-poems-and-art/

In this post I wanna capture some of my smaller pieces. Most, if not all, I give away so I want to use this as a place to look back at some things I’ve done.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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Morning Fog

There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure. Otherwise how will we find our way? Or know when we play the fool? Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work; Then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin. These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and pray. Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, O God, my Altar-Rock, God, Priest-of-My-Altar.
Psalm 19:11‭-‬14 MSG

http://bible.com/97/psa.19.11-14.MSG

Headline (Florida Man)

As humans it is common for us to misunderstand & sometimes be misunderstood.

Understand this, as I recently searched “Florida Man” headline, I came across some weird, mucked up shtuff!

Here are some examples when God has been pulled into or even blamed, or given false credit for some people’s personal misbehavior.

These are actual headlines from newspapers, believe it or not.

​Florida Man Threatens to Kill Man With ‘Kindness,’ Uses Machete Named ‘Kindness’

Florida Man Who Drove Ferrari Into Water Said, ‘Jesus Told Him To’

Rattlesnake-carrying Florida Man Claims to be ‘Agent of God’

What state are these men from? Florida? No, they live in the state of confusion!

Although aware of my own humanity & human behavior around me I choose to not forcus on human nature but rather I’ll keep putting my focus on The Supernatural God, praying as King David prayed,

“This is what makes you so great, Master God ! There is none like you, no God but you, nothing to compare with what we’ve heard with our own ears. And who is like your people, like Israel, a nation unique in the earth, whom God set out to redeem for himself (and became most famous for it), performing great and fearsome acts, throwing out nations and their gods left and right as you saved your people from Egypt? You established for yourself a people—your very own Israel!—your people permanently. And you, God , became their God.”

2 Samuel 7:22‭-‬24 MSG

http://bible.com/97/2sa.7.22-24.MSG

DcTalk song “Supernatural”

https://youtu.be/W3MSiKBYRlM

Say it with Music (Love, Love, Love by Sidewalk Prophets)

It goes deeper than just religion

Realer that reality television
Truer than the pages of a fairytale
It’ll happily ever never fail

It’s better than your good intentions
A lot more honest than a politician
It’s worth more than the money in your pocket
It won’t back down, no one can stop it

Love love love
Love love love
Love love love
Goes that far
Love love love
Love love love
So love love love
With all your heart

You can find it where the children play
It’s in the coffee shops and the alley ways
You can see it in the stars above
And when you think you can’t, you can with love

So take it out to the weak and lonely
Take it out to the outcasts too
Give it away to the tired weary
When you give it away, it comes back to you

Love love love
Love love love
Love love love
Goes that far
Love love love
Love love love
So love love love
With all your heart

Read about a man who came in to this world
Loving every man, woman, boy and girl
Hung out with some folks that would make you stare
Saying come as you are, you’re welcome here

Spent His life with the least of these
Died on a cross between two thieves
And on the third day the stone rolled away
He beat back death so we could say

Love love love
Love love love
Love love love
Goes that far
Love love love
Love love love
So love love love
With all your heart

It’s a great big hug for all those haters
Even broke through the dark side of Darth Vader
It’s like the air we breathe, we all need it
Oh, yeah
Even Chuck Norris can’t defeat it

Love love love
Love love love
Love love love
Goes that far
Love love love
Love love love
So love love love
With all your heart

Songwriters: Ben Mcdonald / David Frey / David Douglas Frey / Matthew West / Matthew Joseph West

Love, Love, Love lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

Music:

https://youtu.be/XVUpmdCH8MI

A Man Named Job With 1 Job

I’m always amazed when I read the book of “Job”, not necessarily by all the harsh thing suffered by Job but, by how he kept his faith in God even when his “would be godly” friends told Job it was his fault for all that suffering.

 It is the end result, not the manure that caused the growth that I focus on.

Perhaps the greatest part from God’s word is at the end of the book…

Job answered God : “I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. 

You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’

 I admit it. I was the one. 

I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. 

You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’ 

I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.”
Job 42:1‭-‬6 MSG

http://bible.com/97/job.42.1-6.MSG

When it comes down to living in this life I believe that we have 1 Job, like Job, and that is to simply put our lives in God’s hands.

When you get to know true, faithful believers you’ll see the common bond, that as we trust Him fully we can rest assure that He will show us a clear picture; even if that picture seems blurry right now, eventually we are able to see He has a plan and will bring everything into focus.

Here is a New Testament verse to cling to:

Song, “Carry The Cross” by Degarmo & Key 

Lyrics: 

Carry the Cross Lyrics

Would you dare to walk upon the water
Would you dare to step into the fire
Would you give away your wealth
Would you risk your very health
Would you sacrifice your heart’s desire
Children of faith say yes
They give their very best
Carry the cross
Dare to follow in his footsteps
Carry the cross
Choose the path of most resistance
Heaven’s the home of the brave
Through Christ they conquer the grave
Carry the cross

Will you make your bed among the lions
Will you yield your heart and bare his cross
Will you gladly sacrifice, just to gain eternal life
Will you count it gain to suffer loss
Children of faith know how
To conquer in His power

Suana Effect

In a Suana you sit & wait, allowing  the environment to change you. 

There is a verse from God warning & advising us, “don’t conform to this world but BE TRANSFORMED.”

Consider with me for a moment, how that transformation can be allowed to take place simply by the environment we are in. 

I recommend, no matter where you are, to allow your mind to go to that place. Wander into that environment where you acknowledge God’s presence is all around you.

 I find time alone with Christ extremely helpful. The greatest thing is that, now matter where I am, He is there! I don’t need internet connection, an electrical hook up, to face a certain direction or to literally get down on my knees. He is not hindered by walls, clouds or our meager means of communication. I call to Him without a spoken word, just allow my thoughts to be read and a smile comes to my face as He reminds me that He has been before me, behind me, by my side & inside of my heart, my soul the whole time.

Then, when in the community & company of others i try to let His Holy Spirit, that i’ve surrendered to & allowed (simply asked) to fill me, overflow into whatever environment i am in.

I’m still amazed that this happens all by just asking God The Father, through what God The Son has done, to allow God The Spirit to fill me.

My child, my child why are you striving? You can’t add one thing to what’s been done for you. I did it all when I was dieing.

Rest in your faith My peace will come to you. -Jesus

(From song by Keith Green arrangement by Phil Laeger below)
Amen! 

https://youtu.be/OGFtIL4Zm1Q