Do You Trust God?

“May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise; then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word.”  
                                                                                                     – Psalm 119:41-42

 

They will always challenge your faith.  There will be no end to the ridicule and taunting, because you have demonstrated something others refuse to accept.  Live your life in full representation of the love instilled in you by God the Father.  I was 15 the first time someone actually told me that there was no God and I was foolish for believing in something I couldn’t see or touch.  This person’s premise was that he could not believe in something that wasn’t visible.  His impression was that Christianity was nothing more than a crutch for those who were weak, and struggling with their own independence.  He did not need anyone or anything else to make him feel good, it was completely his own wisdom and strength that would get him through this life.  I responded simply that he was right, I am weak and I can’t do it alone.  I pointed out to him that there is no way for me to experience eternal life without Christ Jesus death on the cross, and resurrection.  He challenged the existence of eternity as fodder.  There is no proof that eternity exists, this life is all there is and then we die; was his postulation.  To which I replied, then why are you here bothering me, if I’m going to die and you’re going to die and that’s it, why do you care how I live my life?  For that matter, why are we even alive? 

There is no real purpose for this life, why not end it now?  You see (I continued) if our lives mean nothing, than there is no hope for justice or reason for love or compassion or helping others.  Life has no value.  Your life, my life, the hungry child in Africa, the senile person in the nursing home – none of it matters.  In your position we are nothing but a waste of matter, breathing air and watching the clock tick/tock until we die.  The God I believe in has instilled in me a promise that there is more than this life.  There is more than what we see with our eyes and through a belief, faith and trust in His Son, we can experience that one day.  I have something to wake for each day, the ability to share His love with another in hopes that they will one day experience it as well.  When you wake up each morning, it’s just another day of breathing air.  I’ll keep believing in God, you can choose what you want to do tomorrow when you wake up.  With that he called me foolish and walked away.

God’s promises are our strength.  We trust that He will follow through, just as He has every time in the past.  Is there proof that Christ walked the earth?  No; there is no tomb, no pictures, no videos or DVD.  There are no eye witnesses that CNN can interview who can testify to His life.  There are countless promises from God the Father though, and every one of them are more credible than the trials and reports that have been published trying to prove His non-existence.  I trust in God’s promises for salvation, for grace and for eternal life.  Do you?

© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
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An Immeasurable Love

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“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.”  – Psalm 139:17-18

It can be smaller than 1/16^th mm.  Look at the period of the last sentence, and realize that it is approximately 1/10^th mm in diameter.  It is visible to nearly every eye.  You can hold over a million of these in the palm of your hand, and yet it feels as if nothing were there at all.  As we know, atoms make up every particle on earth.  Yet, there are billions of atoms in one of these.

What is this thing I’m talking about?

Sand – a simple grain of sand.  Man has tried to manufacture synthetic sand for the masonry and construction industry, but realized the only way to create it was to artificially create erosion of rock and granite.  The sand industry in the world is nearly $100 billion / year.  Used for construction, reef, sandblasting, paint, motar, water containment, play-yards, etc. but, must originate from a God originated and created element.  Deserts, ocean floors, beaches, riverbeds, dunes, backyards, city parks, and so on.  Sand is everywhere in one form or another and it could be said covers the entire earth, from the origination recorded in Genesis 1:9-10; “Then God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear’; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good”.

Have you built a sand castle, or ever held sand in your hand?

If so, you are touching an original element from God the Father.  It’s not a building, a sidewalk, a road, a water bottle, a steering wheel, a door handle, a cellphone, a glass, a computer keyboard, or any other man-made device (most of which include sand).  But, rather it was created by God.  In a 3” diameter circle of sand, held in your hand there are over a million grains of sand.  Now, look at any beach and as far as you can see, there are an uncountable volume of sand grain.  Then think of the Sahara Desert, or the Mohave Desert, or even the Big Bear Sand dunes and try to fathom the amount of sand particles.  I think you get the picture.  The volume of sand on this earth is certainly immeasurable and beyond comprehension, yet, God the Father created all of it in a moment.

David compared his own thought’s of God to this vast unmeasurable number.  “How precious are Your thoughts to me, oh God.  How great is the sum of them (thoughts)…more than the grains of sand…”  Thoughts of God are with you at every moment.  You cannot put a finite number in that place.  Whether conscious or not, your soul is reaching to God at all times.  Your brain is constantly thinking and relating to God’s thoughts – morality, right/wrong, good/evil, loving others, helping others, and seeking connection to something bigger.  He created you, just as He created every grain of sand and has a purpose for each of you.  You alone are capable of fulfilling this purpose, and it is greater than anything else you have set as your goal and objective.  He is not limited by the extent of what you see as an obstacle.  He alone can create sand particles in the trillions of trillions, beyond measure, and at the same time create a purpose for you to influence this world.

Understand your importance to God.  You are valuable, you are treasured, you are at the right place and capable of what He has planned for you.  Step into it, and trust that the Creator knew exactly what He was doing when He created you.  Just like man cannot create sand equal to the original, those individuals you have surrounded yourself with cannot give you a purpose worthy of Him.  No, only He can do that.  Now is the time to take on the purpose He has set for you, through faith, trust and desire to serve Him alone.

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Is It Just an Act

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“I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.”  – Psalm 22:22
 

It’s easy to stand in church on Sunday and raise your hands to praise the Lord.  There’s a comfort in knowing that everyone else in the building believes the same thing you do, more or less.  Certainly they are all at a different maturity level in their faith and some are just there to support their spouse, but for the most part we find comfort in being around other Christians.  Whether you are serving in the church or helping in the nursery or sitting in the pew, there is an openness and acceptance to being in the presence of God once you have entered the building.  What is it though, that makes us become reverent when we walk into a church that is not present when we are walking into the office, the school, Wal-Mart or McDonalds? 

You do realize, I’m sure it goes without saying, that God is omniscient and omnipresent, right?  The same God that you worship and pray to on Sunday morning is sitting at your table on Tuesday night, and in the office on Wednesday morning.  At noon on Sunday God shouldn’t change into an afterthought in our hearts and minds.  Just because we are not in the presence of other believers and the comfort of the stained glass sanctuary, God is still God and deserves all of your praise, glory and reverence.  You can’t fear Him and connect with Him while the Pastor stands in the pulpit and then forget His sovereignty and authority as you leave for school the next day. 

What will it take for you to make God part of your everyday life?  Perhaps you, like most of us, are comfortable in only spending a few hours a week with Him and then going back to your own plan throughout the week.  God demands more from us, as Christians.  We claim it boldly in the comfort of our church, I’m asking you to take a bigger stand in your life and let God walk you through every day as you seek to serve Him rather than yourself.
 
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Back in the Mitten

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“Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. Luke 4:24

Going home is such an awesome feeling for most people, especially for those of us that live a considerable distance away.  People say that absence makes a heart grow fonder, and I for one can attest to the truth of that statement.  My family is from Michigan, but in 1992 I left to chase dreams and success elsewhere.  First in Florida, than Massachusetts, and for the last 22 years in Texas.  I’ve raised my children in Texas (3 were born here), which officially makes me a Texan by assimilation, rather than native. 

I will always bleed blue though.  My home will always be Michigan, and every time I return it’s sweet to reminisce on days gone by. My little home town has changed, but not changed dramatically since I was a child, riding my bicycle on these streets.  Flying into Detroit, my instincts take over and the habit of driving home kicks in.  I don’t even think about where to turn or where the police might sit (yep, they still sit in the same spots), but rather the car seems to know the way.

I love the opportunity to visit with my friends and family, many of you reading this blog, and I can’t help but think of our Lord and His return to Nazareth.  He grew up there, ran the streets, played with the other Jewish boys, studied the art of carpentry, maybe even flirted with cute girls down the street, and chased puppies around the village.  When He began his ministry though, Nazareth became a memory.  For the next three years, He wandered from city to city and village to village, preaching, performing miracles, and sharing the love of the Father.  We hear of Him visiting Capernaum, Bethany, Canon, Jerusalem, Jericho, Bethlehem, Mount of Olives, Sea of Galilee, and Golan Heights, but never again of Nazareth.

He was able to separate His emotions and childhood memories from His purpose in this life.  Was He sad, when He thought of His mother, His brothers, His father?  Did they remain in Nazareth?  We don’t know a great amount of details on any of that from scripture, but Christ was 100% Man and 100% God at the same time.  I have to imagine He had to have moments of human emotion.  His purpose though took priority, and He went about the Father’s business.  We ought be doing the same. 

Our connections with friends and family provide joy in our lives.  We rely on the love and cherish the memories, and look forward to the future together.  But, we have a purpose from God above, which may or may not have anything to do with them.  Don’t let this world get in the way of serving God to your fullest.  Always keep in mind that it is Him we live for and His eternity we are pursuing.  It’s so good to be back in the mitten (Michigan) and with my friends and family again.  Now I ask myself what the Lord will have me do while I’m here.
 
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Sittin on Top of the World

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“neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:39

One of my favorite verses.  I just referenced this on Monday this week, but wanted to take this opportunity to share another thought with you on just how incredible God’s love is for those of us on this planet.  As our Creator, He gave us a spectacularly precise sphere to live upon.  Set at a perfect distance from the sun, at the exact angle to ensure gravitational pull, and rotation, and protected by an amazing atmosphere to protect the inhabitants of this small planet from interstellar radiation.  But, even on this amazing globe, the creative genius continues.

Absolute darkness surrounds the submarine at just past 1000 meters.  Pressure causes the iron bands to compress and the rivets to stretch.  Creaking and groaning are heard throughout the vessel as it continues its downward trek.  The single person on board manages the controls to guide the mission past the depths where the Titanic came to rest, past the average depth of the world’s oceans at 4600 meters.  The descent continues another 6298 meters farther to the deepest known part of the world – the Mariana Trench (off the coast of Guam).  The pilot of the submarine was director, James Cameron, the second person to reach the depths of the earth.  In 1960 Jacques Piccard designed and manned a submersible to the depths of 10,900 meters in the Mariana Trench.

The opposite extreme is Mount Everest, in the Himalayan Mountains between Nepal and Tibet.  This beautiful, glorious mountain rises 8,850 meters above sea level.  Sir Edmund Hillary first reached the summit in 1953 and there have been well over 4000 people who have attempted to reach the summit since.  Only 660 have been successful (as of a 2010 report), and over 120 people have lost their lives in the attempt.  Completely opposite of the Mariana Trench, the summit of Everest is the closest man can be to the light of the Sun, stars or moon.  Man’s fascination remains unchanged to reach the heights of the world to stake their claim to “Be on top of the world”.

This range of 19,884 meters (64,462 feet) represent the book ends of man’s dimensions on this earth.  Unlike traveling north or south where your direction of travel will change at the apex, there is no limit to the East / West travel around this sphere we call earth, for it continues on and on in either direction.  In Psalm 103:12, David reminds us, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”  There is no distance, no place on this earth or in space where we have traveled beyond the reach of God’s mercy, forgiveness and grace. His loved transcends all time and space and covers the greatest or the least of sin.

Many of you may believe that you have sunk too far for God to save you, or you feel unworthy of His love.  You couldn’t be farther from the truth.  God’s loving grace overcomes all sin and redeems all of mankind if we are willing to believe in the death, resurrection and sacrifice He provided through His Son – Jesus Christ.  You don’t need to sink to the depths of the Mariana Trench before looking up for God’s hand, nor do you need to climb to the top of the world at Mount Everest; you simply need to kneel right where you are and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. 
 
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Wait for It…..

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“Why do you make me look at injustice?  Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?  Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.” – Habakkuk 1:3

If I were God….

Really?  Do you really believe you can answer problems in today’s world more effectively than the Creator?  Certainly we are faced with unquestionable unrighteousness, debauchery, blasphemy, and intentional rebellion in today’s world.  Reading this scripture today though, I am reminded that Habakkuk had the same concerns in his day.  We are not unique in history.  Man has always battled against the control, the love, and the grace of God the Father, in pursuit of their own pleasure and “independence”.  It’s more evident today because of our social media, communications capabilities, and addiction to the superficial “likes” of those around us.  In reality, it’s always been this way, we simply found a way to celebrate it.

“God, where are you?  Why aren’t you stepping into the corruptness of our society and delivering justice to those who inflict evil on the world?”  Sound familiar?  Has this thought ever crossed your mind in the middle of watching the evening news or reading the daily diatribe of injustice on social media and happening all over the world.  One could easily take a position that God is absent, not interested or even worse non-existent.  Why doesn’t He defend Himself against the unrighteous, as in the days of old?  Have you ever asked yourself though, “Does God need to defend Himself?”

The Lord answers Habakkuk in chapter 2:3, “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”  God is sovereign and we are to trust in His timing, His plan and His reign over all creation.  Nothing goes by without His knowing, and the evil that is in the world today will be brought to justice in due time.  Those that seek His love, His grace and mercy will find it; and those who chose to pursue their own gods and their own righteousness will be dealt with on His watch.  We are to trust in Him, and continue to do His work while we are able.  Keep in mind what we are told in 2 Peter 3:9, “…Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”   If God loves you enough to deliver you from the pit of hell, He actually loves your neighbor just as much.  And He loves that self-entitled, spoiled brat that whines on CNN or FoxNews or MSNBC just as much.  We need to come to the conclusion that you and I are not special in the eternal realm, but rather, we have simply chosen the righteous path.  We should be loving, caring and helping those who are not, so that they can also enjoy in the eternal freedom we are promised.  So ask yourself, who is my neighbor?  Because, in God’s eyes you have 7.3 billion neighbors, and the majority of them are not of the same mindset as you.  I believe we better get busy about sharing His love.


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Nothing

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39

 

The morning sun was just peaking over the horizon as he rolled over.   The first thing he noticed was that he was not in his bedroom.  It took a moment or two for him to recall what had happened and how he had ended up in this place.  His vision was very blurred, and breathing was difficult because a tube was coming from his mouth and taped to his cheek.  Despite his attempts to move his body, he couldn’t.  It’s as if his muscles couldn’t react to his brains commands.  Through his squinting eyes he saw the IV bag hanging and tubes connected to his arm, wires connected to his forehead and a myriad of machines with numbers, making beeping sounds.  He noticed that his chest and abdomen were wrapped in white bandages, and there was a large circle of red and black right in the center of the bandages.  Suddenly his mind began recalling what happened.  As the memories began to fill his mind from the night before, a pain overtook him and he felt himself drifting back into a state of unconsciousness.

His mind did not stop though.  He felt as if he were floating above his physical body and looking down upon himself.  He saw the hospital bed, the equipment and monitors, the blood stained bandages and his mother in the corner crying.  Then his eyes were captured by the tattoos covering his arms and shoulders.  The naked nymph that he had gotten in Mexico, the skull and cross bones, the knife blade dripping blood, the snake wrapping around the shoulder, the tattoo of the gun and bullet entering through the eye of a child.  The tattoos caused his mind to roll through his life history.  Small glimpses from his youth through today began to fill his vision in his unconscious state.  The life of partying, drugs and violence; the people he had hurt, the pain he had caused others all began to be revealed to him.  He saw all the women he had used and abused.  He saw the children now addicted to crack cocaine because he sold them their first joint.  He saw his mother’s tears as he slapped her and slammed his bedroom door in her face when he was just a boy himself.  He saw his dad taking his own life in their bathroom at home.  Then he saw himself as a small boy playing baseball and riding his new bicycle after school.  He saw his best friend and he laughing and playing with Hot wheels and GI Joes.  The sky was blue, the sun was bright and the grass was green as he saw himself learning how to ride a tricycle.

Suddenly, his eyes moved to the machine in the corner the beeps were slowing and the line had very few bars on the screen.  Something was happening as he looked at his body in that bed.  His chest was barely rising and falling any longer.  A bright flash of light and he was back in his dream like state.  He saw himself as a twelve year old boy walking down the aisle in church.  He recalled the large cross with Jesus hanging at the front of the sanctuary as he made his way down the long aisle toward the minister standing by his dad’s coffin.  As he touched the hard cold wood, he felt a hand on his shoulder.  Looking up it was Jesus Christ looking down into his eyes, with more love than he had ever felt before.  He said four simple words, “I’ll always love you.” 

A blur flashed before the man’s eyes and he was now standing in the same church, except the church was empty, dark and cold.  His eyes lifted to see the cross on the wall, Christ hanging there still.  In his vision, the man began weeping bitterly at the choices he had made in life since the last time he knelt on these steps.  Then a hand was on his shoulder and looking up, Christ stood before him, looking down upon him with incredible love.  “I’ll always love you.”, He whispered.  The man raised his arms showing his tattoos and scars from the needles and from the time he tried to take his life.  “But Jesus you don’t understand the things I’ve done, and people I’ve hurt”, the man cried out.  “I LOVE YOU.”, Jesus replied.  “No.  I raped that girl and I stole that woman’s purse.  I was in prison for shooting that kid in a fight.  I robbed the liquor store and beat that old man.  I haven’t stepped foot in this church in 20 years.”, the man argued back.  “I LOVE YOU.”, Jesus replied, and then raised the man to his feet and embraced him.  The man saw his own arms as Jesus lifted him and they were wiped clean, the tattoos were gone as was the bandages. 

“Nothing you do can separate you from Me and My love for you.”, Jesus said as He placed a kiss upon the man’s forehead.  He was swept away through the blurry darkness back to the hospital room and then total darkness.  His eyes opened once again, blurry looking up at the ceiling and the tubes and wires coming from his body.  Shifting his eyes to the side, he saw the monitors and the line was normal once again.  There were two doctors saying he’s stable now.  He saw his mother standing by his bed.  Her hand touching his face as tears flowed from her eyes, she smiled and said, “Welcome back.  We thought we lost you.”

---------------------------

You may feel that you have done terrible things in your life up to this point.  I want you to know that despite those choices, those actions, God’s love for you has never changed.  He loved you when you were born just as much as He loves you now.  His love is unchanging and just when you think you’re beyond His grace, He will lift you up, clean off the past and carry you forward to a new day.  Perhaps today is that day for you to receive His offering of grace and love.  If so, please pray this prayer with me, and invite Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior today.


Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
I come before you this day as a sinner.  I ask Your forgiveness for my sinful ways and I turn away from that life.  I lay my sins at Your feet and acknowledge that You are my salvation.  I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord of my life.  I recognize that He lived, He died and He rose again on the 3^rd day, to take away my sins and by His blood my sins are washed clean.  I give my life to You to use and bring glory and honor to You in all that I do.  Transform me from my sinful ways and cover me with Your grace forever more.  Thank You for dying for me to receive eternal life with You one day.  Amen 

If you prayed this prayer, I believe you are born again as a new creation in Jesus Christ.  Please seek out and join a church in your local community to continue your growth as a child of God Almighty.






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Managing Your Time

“ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” – James 4:14

What are you doing this weekend?  Going to the beach, taking Mom out for a nice dinner (don’t forget Mother’s day is Sunday), going to the kids soccer game, mowing the lawn, working, studying for finals or just relaxing with a good book.  These are typical answers you might get if you went out onto the street today and asked this question to random people passing by.  All of us have plans for tomorrow, the next day and even out through the next few weeks.  Some plan a year in advance or multiple years in advance when big things are coming on the horizon.  Yet, few of us will acknowledge the fact that we truly don’t control any of it.  We can lay out plans and even put them into our day-timer, but what happens when something unexpected happens. 

You plan a weekend birthday party at the park, invite 20 kids, hire a clown and setup a bouncy house and even pony rides.  Everything is ready and the excitement is building.  Your 5 year old is thrilled out of her mind to have such an awesome party.  You wake up on Saturday morning to a heavy fog.  By 9 AM it has turned to a light mist and the clouds are getting darker.  The wind is getting more fierce and the heavy rain starts around 10:30 just as you were planning to head to the park.  Gail force winds begin to blow, trees are actually falling in the front yard and one falls right across the drive way, blocking your ability to leave.  Your child comes bounding down the stairs, dressed in her favorite party dress.  What are you going to say to her? 

This is an extreme, of course, but a demonstration that we are not in control.  As organized, scheduled and dedicated we are to making sure that things run smoothly in our life, it truly is something we manage, not something we control.  In all of time, the 90 to 120 years you spend on this planet are but a blip on the radar.  I use this analogy.  Stretch a rope from Houston, Texas to the moon and back again.  As you look down at the beginning end of the rope you see an ant crawling from the dirt onto the rope.  The length of that ant’s body represents the amount of time you are alive on this earth.  The rest of the length of rope represents the amount of time you will spend in eternity – either hell or heaven. 

You see the comparison?  We focus so much on our time here, when in reality it is nothing compared to our time in the here-after.  We should be living every moment of every day on this earth focusing on where we are going, rather than where we are.  This means reaching the world for God and enhancing His Kingdom on this earth through our actions and spreading His love, peace, mercy and grace.  We know the things that God asks, yet we choose not to do these things, because we are focused on our plans and not His.  Face it, we allow our schedule to determine our ability to do the will of God.  In essence we are putting Him second or third in our priority list in life, except on Sunday mornings – right?  God’s rightful place is at the top of the list and if we indeed planned our day, week, month and year around His plan first and then our plan, don’t you believe your life would be very different than it is today?  Think this through today, and ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing with your time.

ACTION: 86,400 seconds in a day.  That’s all you get.  How many will you give to God’s work? Even if you followed the biblical principal of tithing you would give 2 hrs and 24 mins (8,620 seconds) to God.  Are you?  Will you?  Could you squeeze Him in there each day somehow?  If not, what is more important in your daily schedule than God?  Perhaps that is the problem.






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The Ultimate Sacrifice

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” – 1 John 3:16

His little eyes were brown as they looked up at the doctor.  He wasn’t afraid anymore, because he knew in his heart that he would be holding Jesus hand very soon.  The accident had occurred earlier in the day and small town of less than a thousand people all knew of the dire situation within a few hours.  The man involved in the accident was in critical condition and the doctors and ER staff were doing all they could to, but it wasn’t looking promising.  People began gathering at the hospital to provide moral support, and as the young family pulled into the parking lot a line was wrapping around the building.  As they walked toward the building the young boy asked the simple question, “What are y’all doing in that line?”  One elderly woman in line said matter of factly, “Why, we’re giving blood to save Mr. Stanton.”  The boy proceeded to the end of the line, which made his parents proud, so they followed and stood with him.

The doctor was walking down the line of people standing there asking a few questions of each person, and one by one they were all leaving the line.  Finally, he came to the boy.  Looking up at the parents he asked, “Do you know what his blood type is?”  The mother answered, “It’s ‘O’ negative.”  This got a optimistic response from the doctor, who replied, “He’s the only one in this whole line with O negative and that’s exactly what we need.”  The mother looked at her boy, the doctor looked at him as well and asked, “Do you want to give blood to save Mr. Stanton.”  Without a moment of hesitation the boy looked up to the doctor and said “Yes”  Then he looked to his Mom and Dad, and with a small tear on his cheek he handed them his stuffed giraffe and said, “Mom – give this to Betsy when she’s older, and tell her I love her and I’ll see her in heaven.”  To which the mother broke down in tears and hugged her small boy, while the dad and doctor stood there amazed at this young boy’s compassion and willingness to die for another person to live.  They calmly explained to the boy that he wouldn’t die, but it was just a procedure to take a little bit of blood from him and give it to Mr. Stanton.

Jesus Christ, when asked to take on the sins of the world, and die for these sins; said to the Father – “Yes, I will die for them.”  With unbelievable and profound love for people he had never even met, He took upon Himself the sins of all mankind and became our sacrifice.  Let this story be an example for you to hold onto as you consider just how much God loves you.

Prayer:
Loving Father,
Your grace is sufficient for all of our sins and in Your word You have promised that we will one day join You in Your kingdom because Jesus was willing to die in our place.  Help us to never take this unbelievable gift for granted, but in turn use it on this earth to expand Your glory and honor.  We lift all praise to you and Your Son and long for the days where we walk side by side within Your Kingdom.  In Your name we pray – Amen




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Is Anyone There?

“But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” – Micah 7:7

There are times when I look at my son and ask myself if indeed he is deaf.  He will be playing with his phone or Xbox, when his mother or I ask him to do something.  He doesn’t move or even acknowledge our comment.  He’s so into his game that our voices simply become background noise.  It’s not that he’s ignoring us, or doesn’t hear us, but he is intent on where he is and what he is doing.  The opposite is just as true though.  There are times when I am on the phone and he will come up to me and ask me a simple question or want to tell me something that he has accomplished.  If the call happens to be a business related conversation, my initial reaction is to double my focus on the phone call at hand rather than the request from my son.

How many times do you lift your prayers to God the Father and feel that He is just not hearing you?  There are times when I am pleading with the Lord for an answer to something in my life, and it seems as though the phone is off the hook and He’s just not hearing me.  It couldn’t be farther from the truth though.  God hears every word that comes from my mouth, my mind and my heart.  He knows it before I have said it.  My pain, my anguish, my disappointment and my joy are all known to God without me uttering a single word.  For you see God is omniscient (all-knowing).  This is not something we can grasp, but it is something we must be able to trust.

There are times when for one reason or another God, in His glory and sovereignty chooses to allow us to struggle despite our cries for help.  In these times we have the opportunity to draw closer to God, rely even more on Him and come to realize just how much we need Him in this life.  God, if He so chooses, could answer every prayer, every request with the answer we want to hear.  In doing so though, we find ourselves directing the path of our life.  This is contradictory to what God is looking for.  He wants us to give up our plan and follow His plan for life.  We have no ability to see the complete impact of the things we ask for in prayer.  There are times when we want God to solve a problem for us, but in doing so it may cause other problems or other circumstances as a chain reaction.  God sees the whole picture.  From the day of conception to the day of resurrection to our eternal life with Him in heaven, He sees the entire spectrum.  We look at life one day at a time, perhaps a week or a month at a time in our day planner, while He looks at our earthly life as a small spec on the eternal life He has planned for us.

When you are in the quiet period and it seems as though God has placed you in time out, you need to step back and realize that He is God and He knows all things.  He hears your cry and understands your situation more than even you do.  We must have faith that He will work it out in due time to His plan not to ours.  The closer we are too God, the more aligned these paths become.  We must remain focused on the end game and less on the day to day worries.  Jesus Christ will return and in that day all of our prayers will be answered.  Life will be new and God will be glorified in heaven and on earth.

I strongly recommend this Michael W. Smith song: Agnus Dei
“Alleluia, Alleluia – for the Lord God Almighty Reigns
Alleluia – Holy, Holy – Are You Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, Worthy is the Lamb
You are Holy.”


Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You are our King and our Lord.  Through You all things come to pass and all things work for Your good.  We lift up our worries, concerns and transgressions to You to feel Your grace upon our heart.  Thank You for Your mercy and Your love through all of my struggles.  I trust in You and I believe that You will see me through the valley’s of my life. Praise be to You in all things.  In Your name we pray – Amen



© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
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Looking into the Crystal Ball

“Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”  So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son” – Ruth 4:12-13

Throughout time God has been involved in the little things of romance and love.  If you have experienced love in your life, consider where God’s hand has been in it?  What brought the two of you together?  I look at my own love story and see the patience of the Lord in it.  I first met my wife after a high school dance.  She was the date of my best friend (Paul) and after the dance a group of us went to a local restaurant for cokes and to hang out.  During that event, Lisa spilled an entire coke down the front of my only suit.  Unbelievably apologetic she and I had our first real conversation, after all she was there with Paul.

Our second encounter came during a Volleyball game.  My girlfriend was on the high school team, and they were playing at another school about 30 minutes from our home town.  I called up Paul to go with me.  He showed up and Lisa was with him, so I piled into the back seat.  We made it to the game late and had missed the first set of the match, in which my girlfriend was playing.  She didn’t play in the second set, and as the third set was beginning I watched as she took the floor with her team.  Just then Paul leaned down and whispered in my ear, “We gotta leave, Lisa has a curfew of 9 o’clock and she can’t be late.”  Seriously?  I’m just about to watch my girlfriend play volleyball and we have to leave because his girlfriend has a curfew.  Imagine the look I got from my girlfriend as she watched me and my best friend walk out of the gymnasium that night.

Skip ahead 2 years.  Paul swings by to hang out on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in June, 1985.  We hop in his car and cruise through town a few times listening to Credence Clearwater Revival and the Beachboys cassette tapes, when he pulls into Lisa’s driveway.  I give him a curious look, “What’s up?” He and Lisa hadn’t been dating for a few years, but had remained friends all along.  “I just want to stop in and say hi.  No big deal.”   Well, he was my ride and I had nothing better going on that day.  We went inside and exchanged hello’s with Lisa and her friend, before they proceeded down the hall, leaving Paul and I sitting at the kitchen table drinking Mountain Dew.  When they came out, you could say the rest is history.  Lisa was stunning when she came back down the hallway.  Paul recommended we all pile in his car and hang out for the day. 

From that night; June 29, 1985, Lisa and I have been together.  We were married 2 years later, and God has blessed us with 5 incredible children, two awesome sons-in-law and 5 beautiful grand children over the last 34 years.  Did God have all of this in mind when Lisa spilled coke on my new suit after that Christmas dance in 1982?  Does Paul realize that he was part of God’s incredible plan of creating this wonderful family who live for the Lord? 

God’s hand was definitely in the marriage of Boaz and Ruth.  Ruth was born a Moabite, a natural enemy to the Israelites of that time.  She married into the Israeli family of Naomi.  An accident took the lives of her husband, as well as her Father-in-law (Naomi’s husband).  This left Naomi and Ruth widows together.  Tragic as this was, God had a plan.  Because she was not Israeli, Ruth was not obligated to remain with Naomi.  She chose to though, out of love and compassion for this woman who had become like a mother to her.  Ruth traveled with Naomi back to Bethlehem, her home-town.  There, through the work of God’s hand and Namoi’s persuasion Ruth meets Boaz.  In due time they receive the blessing to be married and God’s plan begins to take shape.  For you see, from this couple came a son named Obed.  In Matthew 1 and in Luke 3 we see the following lineage laid out for us: “Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.”

From a Moabite woman, widowed at a young age, with a heart and compassion for serving the needs of her mother-in-law; God brought forth the grand-father of King David.  From King David we are unbelievably blessed as a people who serve God the Father.  Through his lineage came the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and our eternal salvation.  As a widow, she felt lost and alone and needed the companionship of Naomi.  As a mother, she set in motion the events that would forever change the world.  All unbeknownst to her, but all within the Sovereign planning of the Lord.  As you look at the one you love today, realize that God brought you together for a purpose to change the world.  You may not ever live to see the result, but great things will happen for those that are within His will.

 

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We do not always see Your ways unfold before us.  We are blind by emotions and feelings that cloud our perspective.  Yet in the midst of our confusion and chaos or emotion, Your finger is at work.  You bring two people together for Your purpose and change the world, because it is within Your will to do so.  Bless us in our relationships and bless the Mothers as they raise strong Godly children in today’s world.  In Your name we pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
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Fighting for Freedom

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It with your friends

“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.”  – Galatians 5:1

What than are you doing with this freedom?  We look around ourselves and claim that we are free from slavery and the bondage of being controlled by another, but are you really convinced that this is true?  There is no doubt that we enjoy freedom’s in this life that were not available to our ancestors, but the opposite is also true.  We are led to believe that we are free to do what we want, say what we want, act the way we want and live the way we want as long as we do not hurt others in doing so.  If

you ask most people on the street, they would say they are completely free to choose their path in life.  I would agree with them, by this world’s terminology we experience freedom in the eyes of those around us, based on our actions and words.  But, having said this, you must also then agree that in this societal freedom we have allowed ourselves to become enslaved by the world’s desires and thereby relinquished the freedom that was given to us through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

Before the internet era, the digital era, or the communication era we were a society built on trust, integrity and the good of all mankind.  We have become a society focused on self interests, open tolerance and blurred priorities as we claim more freedom.  We have lowered our standards to the least common denominator and accept it as freedom of choice.  The boundaries of truth and justice have become so weak that freedom has no real meaning any longer.  What are you free from?  Yes, we are free from the control of other individuals on your choices in life, but where is that in line with the freedom that God promises in His word.

Let’s reflect for a moment on the quality of a person’s spiritual life in today’s society verse the quality of spiritual life in say 1959.  Sixty years have passed by, and based on man’s freedom of choice and tolerance: homosexuality is at an all-time high, pornography is rampant throughout all forms of media, abortions are commonplace, divorce is no longer the last resort, but has become one of the first options when strife enters a marriage, violent crimes and hate crimes are on the rise, respect for one's elders has become a thing of the past and the most harmful of all – those that claim Jesus Christ as the One and only way to eternal life have decreased  dramatically.  As we claim our freedom from the control of others we have also separated ourselves from the control of the Father.

Christ’s death on the cross was to provide you spiritual freedom from this world.  To give you the strength, a purpose and meaning beyond the evil that exists in life.  The freedom of knowing that there is One greater than this world, greater than the evil that tempts us daily to succumb to the freedom of self-centeredness.  The addictions we suffer when we are bound by societies open tolerance are actually enslaving us from experiencing the love, grace, and freedom promised by God alone.  You cannot have both the truth of God and the tolerance lauded by this world.  There is a benchmark that we are to be held accountable too, and it is not the least common denominator of tolerating everything and everyone’s choices in life.  The benchmark is the life of Jesus Christ, and the righteousness that is granted through His death.  Strive for truth, resist the tolerance that society has claimed as freedom of choice, for it is not free at all in the end when justice will reign from above.  Every choice, every decision has an impact on the eternal soul of each of us.  You should seek the freedom from this world’s control and fully embrace the freedom found in allowing God to control your choices.

Here Comes the Judge

"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” – Matthew 7:2
In this society we are all fixated on a live and let live mentality.  If another person’s actions do not directly impact me, no harm.  This feeling of tolerance has engrained in our thinking that we are not to challenge someone on their actions.  The word teaches us not to judge others, for we will also be judged (Matthew 7:1; Luke 6:37; Romans 14:10), but it is important that we look below the words on the page and understand the meaning in the usage of the words.

The word judge is one of those words that has so many definitions it can be confusing to the context by which it is used.  There are at least 15 different definitions for the single word judge.  From the Greek word, krino, we are led to multiple definitions as well which range from decision, discernment, to approve, to call into question, to rule or govern, to be of opinion and to separate as in judgment.  We are often times quick to jump to the final 3 definitions when we feel others are condemning our actions.  Yet there are several instances in the scriptures where it actually calls Christians to judge one another with grace and love to help each other on the path of righteousness.

In this way we are not judging for salvation’s sake, or in an attempt to replace God’s judgment on mankind.  The Bible is clear that God the Father, and His Son, are the only rightful judge of man’s eternal destination.  We are not to apply judgment on one another’s eternity, for we have not authority in doing so.  This does not mean though that we are not to apply discernment in others actions, and form opinions on the righteousness of others actions according to His Word.  It is not within our place to chastise, correct or condemn another’s actions, but I believe it is certainly appropriate to confront someone when necessary.

In this manner the Bible is also clear.  In Matthew 7:3-5, we find Jesus explaining to us that we are not in a position to confront another in any specific area of unrighteousness if we likewise are guilty in this same area.  We must look within ourselves, and be under self-control before we can effectively help a brother or sister through their struggles.  The Holy Spirit will act, within each of us, as judge on the righteousness of our own behavior.  As a part of God the Father, He has the full authority to do this.  You know right from wrong inherently, not just because the law tells you so.  This self awareness of your righteous behavior is your own methodology of judging yourself.  You need to be aware of your unrighteous behavior and deal with that in resolving it between you and God.  Then, and only then do you have the right to bring forth an opinion on other’s in this area. 

Tolerance in today’s world has become the norm, but it is not Biblical.  We are called to abide in Him and help one another.  Providing guidance and advice to another must be done cautiously with the love and grace of the Father, not with condemnation.  The intent should be to help them become stronger followers of Jesus Christ and in doing so strengthen the overall Kingdom.  There is a delicate line between providing loving support and advice and chastising condemnation.  I strongly suggest that you are fully within God’s direction and leadership when you choose to confront another individual on a situation.  The Word of the Lord is your strength and must be used as the checks and balance during these encounters.

Walk with the Lord and learn to apply loving advice to His children, as you would to your own.

Prayer:
Father Almighty,
Thank You for Your Word.  Thank You that it might live within our hearts and minds, and that it may become alive through us.  Help us to be discerning in this world of ours and to stand up for the truth we find in Your Word.  Strengthen us, oh Lord, to overcome our unrighteousness that we might in turn be used by You for helping others.  Give us Your peace and understanding to deal with the backlash from society when we have offended.  We seek Your glory and give all honor to You.  In Your name we pray – Amen


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Heaven or Hell – You Choose?

“Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” – 2 Timothy 2:25

It has been said that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” but I am going to change on of those words and state, “Truth is in the eye of the beholder.”  Some research (The Bible Society) indicates that over 6 Billion copies of the Holy Bible have been sold since 1816, and that was when their study was completed in the 1990’s.  This doesn’t include any instances of online bibles or software bibles that have been purchased.  As two people on different sides of the world read the bible in their native language are they discovering the same truth that is intended to be revealed?

Imagine you came upon a railroad crossing. The gate came down just as you come up to the tracks.  Stopping before the gate you looked to see the lights of the train in the distance, approaching at a relatively slow state.  As it proceeded through the intersection, the rumbling and wind could be felt, even though it was going so slow.  All of you in the car start counting the number of train cars that passed through the intersection.  Some in the car were bored with the counting and after 35 or so dropped off, but your daughter and you keep counting to yourselves quietly as the train seemed to go on forever.  As the last car was pulled through the intersection, she blurts out 114 cars – to which you answer “No, 112 cars”.  Both of you just observed the exact same train pass by less than 15 feet in front of you, yet come away with different answers.  Both undoubtedly believe your answer to be the correct one.  After all, both had carefully counted every single car that passed by.  Each thought carefully, avoided distractions and stuck with it, only to end with different results.

People are reading the same bible today, cover to cover, and walking away with different conclusions.  Each believing without a doubt that their opinion is the truth and that the others must be wrong.  We attempt to avoid distractions and focus on learning from God, yet still in many cases our answers are wrong.  Nothing in the Bible is wrong.  I believe it to be the Holy inspired word of God laid down on paper and printed for me to use as a tool to learn from and draw closer to Him.  Others look at the same book and think it is a history book, a fairy tale and a nice read.  Some look at the Holy Bible as a set of rules for those that lived thousands of years ago and irrelevant in today’s world.  Then there are those that believe it is a door stop, or nothing more than another book in their library right next to the Quran, The Book of Mormon, Bhagavad-Gita, Jonathon Livingston Seagull and books on spells and incantations.  Everyone has an opinion on what is written upon the pages of the Holy Bible and those opinions differ significantly from person to person.

One truth I draw from the Bible is that God’s love is available to everyone.  It is not restricted or hidden away from some, but freely given for all men to partake in.  Yet there are those who vehemently despise this love and what it stands for and without reserve seek out the opportunities to destroy the belief in this God of love.  The question must then be asked, does God love those who hate and despise Him, as much as He loves those who love Him in return?  I can only answer this in the manner by which I have learned from His scriptures, (2 Peter 3:9); “…He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”. 

Jesus Christ came and took the sins of ALL mankind upon the cross and to the grave.  This alone tells us that every single soul, every single person ever born has the ability to choose Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, despite their unrighteousness and hateful acts.  Those who do not believe in the Bible, or Jesus Christ are given this same opportunity, but refuse it to be the truth.  In doing so, have set their path for eternal separation from God the Father.  There is evil in this world and those that conduct themselves in evil have chosen to remain blind to the truth revealed in God’s scriptures.  They have chosen to pursue other means by which to achieve eternal life rather than believing in the Word of God as that truth.  These are people that we should be praying for.  Pray that God might remove the scales from their eyes, just as He did with Saul on the road to Damascus.  Join me today in lifting up the lost in this world, that they should find Jesus Christ before their time has drawn to a close.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We lift up the lost and broken to You today.  We ask that Your hand of salvation be upon their heart and that Your wisdom be placed within their mind so that they might come to know You in a personal way.  Pour out Your love upon this world in a manner which exemplifies Your greatness amongst all of the universe and Your glory for all to see.  You are our Lord and Savior and in You only, do we trust for our eternal salvation.  In Your name we pray – Amen.





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