GREENE STREET LETTERS: WHEN (NOT IF) THE STORMS COME

Thursday, June 1, 2023

WHEN (NOT IF) THE STORMS COME

Job 38:1 / Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm.....

You and I both know that life is about "storms". Those things that come to that seem to have the power to derail any progress we've made in walking out our relationship with Christ. Your rocking along, singing your favorite worship song or hymn, when suddenly you are blindsided by an event or circumstance.

Maybe you got news that your doctor discovered you had a disease of condition that you didn't realize. Maybe the storm comes through the death of a loved one. The list could go on and on and on, but the bottom line is that as long as we draw breath on this side of heaven, the storms will come. For my part, it seems like they get more frequent as I have gotten older.

The real problem occurs when we take our eyes, thoughts and prayers off of Jesus and turn them toward the storms. When Jesus fades to the rear of our attention and all we can focus on is our condition or what it is we are going through at that moment.

I take great comfort in the verse from Job 38. The simple plain truth that God speaks "out of the storm". He is there. He is at the center of what is trying to draw us away from Him. I do want you to know that this mornings posting is as much for me as anyone else who may read it.

God is there! He does one of two things. #1 - He takes us out of the storm....or #2 - He takes us through the storm. What I have come to realize is that we He takes us through a storm there is something He is trying to show us. To let us know that His word is true and we can rely on Him even when the storm is at its peak and haven't any answers as how to navigate through it. By faith I lay hold of His hand a little tighter during these times. By faith I place my trust in Him that He knows best whatever the outcome may be.

Father....May we grow in you this day. May we listen all the more closely when the winds of our storm are raging, whispering dark enticements to turn away from You. Keep us as we lay ourselves on Your will this day. In Jesus name, Amen.

God on you....

michael b.

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Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Thursday, June 1, 2023

WHEN (NOT IF) THE STORMS COME

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD