Looking Back

It was a good off day yesterday.
Got a lot done in the yard. Flower beds cleaned out. New plants planted. Mulch hauled in and placed.

Last night, Vicki and I went out back to sit. Our conversation moved from one topic to another with great ease. Plans for the weekend.......Keeping the grandkids last weekend. Somehow we found ourselves talking about our growing up years, but unlike other times, this conversation was about the hard parts of our life. Stupid things we had done. Decisions that we had made that, in hind sight, were not too smart. Rough times in our marriage and how God led us through them even if we didn't realize His hand in the situations. Too be honest with you, it wasn't a very uplifting conversation. One thing struck me as odd after we finished. I think it may be a barometer of how we have grown spiritually. There weren't any old emotional baggage that came up as we talked of these things. I didn't feel guilt or shame or insecurity. I knew that God had truly forgiven us of all the dumb things we had done. These times are a part of our collective history as husband and wife, but God removed the emotional traps that would have come with these sins and stupid decisions, so that we could talk honestly and openly about them. To be honest with you, it was kind of refreshing to be able to discuss and share. So it is with the hand of God. His desire is for us to move on or, as the apostle Paul puts it so eloquently, forgetting the past, I strain foward to win the prize of the upward call of Christ.

Verse of the Day:

Matthew 16:15

"But what about you?" he (Jesus) asked. "Who do you say I am?"

Day Off

Yep! It's a day off kind of day.

I mowed the grass yesterday, so that was the major move of the week. When Vicki gets off at noon, we are going to work in the flower beds. Well, actually, she is going to work in the flower beds. I will be the "mule" hauling mulch, moving bags of dirt, etc.....

Last night's Bible study was kind of right on with where a lot of the guys are spiritually in their recovery. Sometimes the mind set is "Well, I've finished the 7 week in house part. I have a job. I am making some money. I am getting passes. I must have arrived. I am healed.
When in fact, they aren't. All of those things are important in bringing stability to your life and a sense of order, but you don't stop working your program. You don't quit following hard after Jesus. Studying his word (not reading but studying). Spending time in prayer. Sharing your story. These are the disciplines that keep us focused.

Verse Of The Day:

Luke 18:13

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Spring Has Sprung

Days are warming up. More guys are spending more time fishing here at Rapha, and we have the appearance of the Bumble Bee. Well, not just one but rather a tradillion of the little fellows. They seem to congregate around the chapel. Hmmmm. Could God be telling us something? Like in Genesis Chapter One where it speaks of the Holy Spirit hovering over the face of the deep? Maybe these bumble bees are a symbol or type to remind us that the Holy Spirit indeed continues to hover over darkness. The chapel isn't a spiritually dark place, but a the guys who come through the door are. Maybe God is encouraging us by reminding us that He is constantly at work, like the bumble bee, to draw all men unto himself. To transfer, through the blood of Jesus, souls from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.

Our lives are reflected in Genesis chapter one by the description given of the earth.

1.) formless

2.) empty

3.) dark

This is the condition sin has us in, but we take heart because.........the Spirit of God is hovering over the face of the deep. God took the chaos of creation and spoke order into it. Just as he does our lives when we are saved. He speaks order into the chaos created by sin.

As we grow in Him, he continues to order our lives by revealing attitudes and behaviors that we need to surrender. Praise God! He is still at work today. His are is not so short that He cannot save nor His ear so dull that He cannot hear.

Verse Of The Day:

Ps. 37:39

The LORD saves the godly. He is their fortress in times of trouble. The LORD helps them, rescuing them from the wicked He save them, and they find shelter in Him.

Howdy! Howdy!

Monday!
Seems as though it rolls around far too often, but that is life.

Mondays are a good day for me. Lot's to do.

I teach the morning classes here at Rapha. Three hour block instruction from the CONQUERING CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY workbook. I try to make the classes interactive and leave a lot of room for discussion. This afternoon, I have a one hour class Bible Study. This one I get to teach whatever God has laid on my heart. I think, if He lets me, I'll be teaching from Genesis Chapter 1. Believe it or not, the act of creation we read about in Genesis is a lot like a life that is moving from addiction to sobriety. I like how God measures days......and the evening and morning were the first day. We do it backwards...moving from light to dark. I think God measures this way to show us that His nature is always to move from spiritual darkness to spiritual light. Cool huh?

We have visitation this weekend and the camp will be jumping. There will be picnics everywhere as the folk's bring in food for their sons and fathers. Pizza, hamburgers, milk shakes will be in plentiful supply. You won't see much chicken since that is a main stay in the diet here at Rapha. I think the weather is going to cooperate and we should have a really good day for a visit.

Don't forget our service. Saturday nights at 7 p.m. here at Rapha.

Verse of the Day:

Hebrews 13:15

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.

Sunday Morning Coming Down

Grandkids spent the weekend with us. It was their parents 10th anniversary, so we decided to help give them a break and let them have a weekend to themselves.
It has been good to have "little feets" going up and down the halls. Sometimes a home can get to quiet.

Last night was the 3rd anniversary of our meetings at Rapha (Actually it will be on the 28th). 3 years ago I preached my last sermon at Gadsden Vineyard and my first message at Rapha on the same day. A lot has happened over these past 3 years. We have seen a lot of faces come and go (and some come back again). We have watched as God worked among us and in each of us to bring about the awakening that leads us to follow hard after him. Our worship team (Debbie Handy, Barry Hooks, Wayne Wimpee and yours truly) continues to pursue God through worship. It isn't always pretty or musically correct but the heart is there and that is what is important.......a heart that wants to worship.

Seth Barber spoke last night from the book of Mark. He spoke about the rich young man who came to Jesus asking what he must do to be saved. In the end, the young man could not do what Jesus asked him to because he loved his lifestyle too much. Seth wanted everyone to see that there is something we hold on to that separates us from God, and it is this "something" that we need to surrender. There were 4 saved, which always excites me. When someone is saved that is like "PAYDAY" with a huge bonus attached.

Next weekend brings us visitation at Rapha along with our Saturday night meeting. As usual, walking out of the chapel last night I was grateful and thankful that God had once again come and did what He does so well.....changes lives. Then I realized that we get to do this again next Saturday. How cool is that?

Verse of the Day:
Proverbes 20:24
A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?

All's Quiet On The Western Front

Saturday: 11:45 a.m.
Preparing to go to lunch. The cooks grilled out today and the smell infiltrated the camp. Guys came pouring out of the dorms to simply go and stand around the grill talking and laughing with the cooks hoping for a "freebie" of lunch to sample. I think the ability to BBQ is a gender, in-born, ability. Each man seems to be an expert on how to grill and what to grill. Each man thinks their sauce and the way they cook is better than everyone else. Maybe we need to have a BBQ cook off out here.

I have been parked in the book of Isaiah for the last week, currently reading in Chapter 7.
One of the commentaries I'm using said that the state of Judah ,as we read in Isaiah, is pretty much the state of our country today. Funny part was this commentator died in 1988 and did not live to see the moral mess we have sunk to here in 2009. The focus of the passage was that God extends his mercy and forgiveness for long periods of time, wishing that the people would repent and return to Him. God does tire of their attitude and at some point will send forth His judgment on the people and the nation. The commentator says that this is where America stands. The call to repent has been sounded and yet our country continues to run after the false idols of society.

He gave 3 steps to a nations downfall:
1.) Religious Apostasy
2.) Moral Awfulness
3.) Political anarchy. this is where the people begin to cry out for a change in the government. Lo and behold we are seeing this in the form of the United States moving from a Democracy to a Socialistic nation. This change being the answer to all our questions.

The commentator I'm reading states that we have a kind of backwards belief in where we think the problems of our nation begin. We believe that our problems begin with the political system and spread to our churches and teachings. No!
5 things that spiral downward in a nations downfall.
1.) The undermining of the sanctity of the home.
2.) Higher taxes
3.) an higher focus on pleasure
4.) Building of great armaments when our greatest enemy is found within ourselves.
5.) Decay of religion, denying the power and fading into a mere form.

I have spent a great deal of time this week praying for the church and its leaders.
We are in need of a revival that will shake us to the very core to wake us up.
Let it rain!
God on you......
mb

Friday Non-Happenings

Friday: Not the last of the week for me, but a good day none the less.

Friday's are a time to prepare for the week end. Finish up the message for the Saturday night meeting. I don't have to prepare one this week as Seth Barber will come and speak tomorrow night.

I have to teach this morning. Van Lockridge usually comes on Friday mornings but can't make it today.

I think I'm to teach from Joshua Chapter one today. A really good chapter that can reflect what moving from addiction to sobriety is like. Of course behind any move has to be the presence and power of Jesus. The Father's Holy Spirit in us guiding and teaching as we move through the day.

The weeks seem to roll by quickly as do the years. Here we are entering into the month of May next week and it just seems like we finished Christmas not long ago. I guess this is the bane of growing older. I accept this and my prayer is that I don't waste what time God has given to me. This does not translate into a lot of useless action and movement but rather in a seeking of God and asking, "What do you want me to do, Lord?"

Verse of the day:

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."