Listening Faithfully - A periodical inspired reflection based on the words and promises of God.

The All-Consuming Passions of Mankind pt.1

The Differences between Love and Hate

In this first installment we will explore man’s definition of love, and in that the two all-consuming passions that utterly take us over and blind our reason forcing us to do both heroic and barbaric things to others depending on whether we feel love or hate for them. In reality there is a very fine line between love and hate and in our brain there is virtually no difference between them. That I know is a shocking statement in and of itself, but never the less this strange and scary construct has been scientifically proven to be true. But before we go there let’s begin with scripture and then apply man’s definitions we have created for these two all-consuming emotions. Let’s examine them biblically first then move into science.

8 “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.” ~ 1 Peter 3:8-9

The Perfect Example of Love

The simple message carried throughout the Middle East and into Europe in the decades after the death of Christ by His disciples was a very basic one, “Love one another.” The absolute “Love” of God or “Agape Love” was the example and is today the hardest to achieve. I have to think that God would not have shown us such a perfect love if we as mortals could not attain it and in that we look to Jesus who throughout all the hateful things others did to him and others he loved never once acted out with anything in his heart other than this agape love of Gods. So with that said we can extrapolate this purest of all love is attainable and should be our starting point in our search for the true definition of what Jesus really meant by;

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34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” ~ John 13:34

Love Defined

It has been long debated what love is, how we should love, what love looks like, how to handle heartbreak, and the strong emotion love overwhelms us with. We have undoubtedly struggled with this concept we call love and in our rational mind love makes us do things which makes no sense to our personal well-being but rather fulfills a basic need all people are born with from the start. This struggle all people contend with in both their personal and professional lives is further complicated with our struggle to understand an equally overwhelming emotion known as hate. Hate presents the same questions as does love and it appears as strongly in our hearts as does love. One could even argue that hate is loves evil twin who twists loves goodness into a pool of unrecognizable film of darkness. Therefore, love is an emotion which is equal to hate, and the line which divides them is much thinner than we could have ever imagined. It boggles the mind how love could be at the root of a hateful act, and vice-versa, how hate could ever be linked to love. In an attempt to explore this paradox we must first start with the modern definition of love;

Love is defined as –

A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
Sexual passion or desire.
A person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.
(Used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?
A love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour.
Sexual intercourse; copulation. ~ Found online at http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/love

First Form of Love

Each of the seven definitions covers a huge realm of emotions, feelings, and actions that are linked to other emotions that help to build this intense feeling of love. An example of this is found in the first definition: a profoundly “tender” – (the word “tender” is different than the word love and is uniquely described as being: weak, immature, easily moved, soft, young, delicate, not strong or hardy, and or gentle. ~ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tender ). This word “tender” must then be viewed as nothing more than a supporting feeling of love linked in our actions for or against others while always playing a minor role in the background.

Example: I can argue in a “tender” way and thus be perceived as not being strong or weak on the argument. I can console another person “tenderly”, and thus be perceived as being soft and delicate. I can have a crush on another person and thus be perceived as being young or immature in my actions towards them, even biased when compared to others. None of which equals the emotion of love, but are qualities found in love. I could easily argue with my girlfriend or wife in a tender way so as not to hurt their feelings, I could console them softly, and act childish in my actions in private and when defending them become very bias because of my love for her. This extends to our children and other family members. We say this is love but in reality it is the expression of love in its weakest or mildest form.

So being “tender” is the first act of showing a growing emotion for another person and consequently the step to becoming vulnerable and complete exposed. It is proceeded by the second definition of love: a feeling of warm personal attachment – (here again we now are part of something bigger than ourselves and this most basic of emotions fulfills a primal need programmed into every person on earth by our creator – the need to belong. ~ http://listeningfaithfullyblog.com/2009/04/18/reflections-1-a-real-relationship-with-god-relationships-series/ )

In this first ever blog posting of Listening Faithfully I try to point out how we are hot-wired from the start by God in order that these emotions should guide us to serve our Lord emphatically. However, the love that manipulates our choices and decisions are profoundly linked to first becoming willingly subdued to the strong over powering emotion of love. Therefore, the first sign of this would be to do something for someone else that in reality you would not have otherwise done and in this your actions are “tender”, others may perceive you as being silly or weak and even soft. This perception can be both good and bad and carry with it a diverse volume of consequences, both unintended and intended.

Example: The irrational act of giving flowers or presents to a person you’re infatuated with without knowing their true feelings for you first – spending money you probably should have kept – defending a person even if it puts you in a weaker position with others – and my personal favorite, the games we play with ourselves when trying to justify these actions either to ourselves or others who have called us out on it. However intense the act of being “tender” is in our own mind we are in reality sending signals out to the world like a probe in search of love – to test if this new connection will fulfill our most basic needs of belonging.

The Evolution of Love

Again, in all of this love is becoming stronger, our actions more manipulated, our ability to reason is more compromised, and this wonderful all-consuming emotion drives further into our heart and mind as it progresses into the next more powerful definition of love – that being: sexual passion or desire. In this stage of love we as human-beings are able to express the deepest of emotions – the power to share without fear of being compromised – the need of confession is realized as is the bond between two people is thus born into it’s infancy not unlike an impenetrable bridge made of iron and concrete. Sadly many people confuse the pleasures of this stage of love with the act of having sex which is a primal effort to pass ones genes on so as to insure the survival of one’s own lineage. In this confusion of feelings love becomes the act of having sex rather than the tenderness of giving flowers, or the soft manner we hold each other’s hand, or even the ability to argue softly with love in our voices. These pleasures are then lost as our bodies begin to crave carnal pleasure and our mind and emotions become detached from the true purposes of love. Therefore, what some would call love is in reality a sin and an abomination in the eyes of God. For no other reason is there so many divorces and children born out of wedlock. For no other reason is there the crimes of passion we see played out nightly in the news, and the broken hearts of children who are left wondering why their parents are absent in their lives. ~ For a deeper explanation Click Here

On the other hand when these emotions are handled in a mature responsible way with dignity and respect do we see the miracle of God in the faces of our children, is there the foundations drilled deep that support a whole productive and balanced family unit, and in this do we see couples love and honor each other until death do they part. But even this outcome is dependent fully on the trick of our minds and emotions that love weaves that allows us to do things we would not otherwise do with not clear benefits to ourselves but yet greatly benefits others around us. In this more complete definition offered by the bible do we find the root of love and also it evil twin – that of hate.

With that firmly rooted in your mind, I am always called back to the biblical definition of love – a definition where love is defined in a broader and more diverse way; one that goes far beyond the online dictionaries we have at our fingertips today and which I have quoted from in this posting.

“4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

With this universal standard we can begin to understand what love really is and how powerful it can be. We begin to fully view the greatest gift of all and how it manipulates our thinking, alters our actions, and provokes both heroic and barbaric deeds. We literally scratch the surface of this gift given to us by God and yet just start to uncover the deepest consequences it holds for all man-kind.

Amen

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Invitation To Pray: Prayer for the Sons and Daughters of Man

Prayer for the Son’s and Daughters of Man

4 “O God, you have declared me perfect in your eyes; you have always cared for me in my distress; now hear me as I call again. Have mercy on me. Hear my prayer. 2 The Lord God asks, ‘Sons of men, will you forever turn my glory into shame by worshiping these silly idols, when every claim that’s made for them is false?’ 3 Mark this well: The Lord has set apart the redeemed for himself. Therefore, He will listen to me and answer when I call to Him. 4 Stand before the Lord in awe, and do not sin against Him. Lie quietly upon your bed in silent meditation. 5 Put your trust in the Lord, and offer Him pleasing sacrifices. 6 Many say that God will never help us. Prove them wrong, O Lord, by letting the light of your face shine down upon us. 7 Yes, the gladness you have given me is far greater than their joys at harvest time as they gaze at their bountiful crops. 8 I will lie down in peace and sleep, for though I am alone, O Lord, you will keep me safe.” ~ Psalm 4: 1-8

~ Pray Silently ~

Dear Lord, O’ God, how I tremble before you, how I fall to my face and pray with such excitement. You hear my words before I can utter them and you answer my fears with resounding love and grace. I hear your voice in my heart; I feel your presence working throughout my body even unto my very bones. I so long for the silence within each day so I may spend it with you My Lord, My God. O’ How I fall into your arms through meditation as I lay still at night. O’ Lord, My God, I hear your voice calling out to me and I hear what you say, the questions you ask that I am afraid to answer for many of them lovingly convict me in my sin. I hear the might in your voice and feel your absolute authority over all your people; your child. I feel you chase away the evil which would attach itself to my heart; O’ Lord I am relaxed within your divine salvation. With this I testify to you my God, I know you work your will through me and I ask you to do the same for all your children. O’ Lord, My God, I beg of you to hear my prayer – baptize your elect with the Holy Spirit, Anoint our heads with your kiss, confirm your love with ever lasting peace, and forgive the sons and daughters of man. Reassure their mind, heart, and soul that faith in you is never lost, let them feel you as I do, let them know your sacraments lead to a positive change, and that this is your holy invitation to come home to your everlasting grace. I ask of you O’ Lord, My God to enable your children to once again believe. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen ~ Brian Stark (2014, Jan. 18)

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Invitation to Pray: Prayer When in Distress

Prayer When in Distress

3 A psalm of David when he fled from his son Absalom

“O Lord, so many are against me. So many seek to harm me. I have so many enemies. 2 So many say that God will never help me. 3 But Lord, you are my shield, my glory, and my only hope. You alone can lift my head, now bowed in shame. 4 I cried out to the Lord, and he heard me from his Temple in Jerusalem. 5 Then I lay down and slept in peace and woke up safely, for the Lord was watching over me. 6 And now, although ten thousand enemies surround me on every side, I am not afraid. 7 I will cry to him, ‘Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God!’ And he will slap them in the face, insulting them and breaking off their teeth. 8 For salvation comes from God. What joys he gives to all his people.” ~ Psalm 3:1-8

~ Pray Silently ~

Oh Lord, it is to you that I pray. It is to you I hang all of my hopes and fears upon, for it is only you who truly knows my heart. Lord, I call out to you as my redeemer; as my savior; for you have never left me when everyone else has abandoned me. Oh Lord, I know you see my struggles, my hardships, and all my difficulties I have endured. I know you have been there with me because I can feel you every moment of every day. Though my head is bowed, and I am weak from the fight, I have your assurance I will prevail. Though there are many who would bring me low, I have your promise that in that hour you will lift me high upon your shoulders. You will keep watch over me when I sleep and vanquish all who would come after me in the darkest of night. Oh my Lord, My God, with these truths I have no reason to fear or be in any distress, for you are with me and I am with you. For you give me your divine peace and holy security and it is through this I know I am truly saved. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen ~ Brian Stark (2014, Jan. 16)

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Invitation to Pray – Prayer for our Nation!

Prayer for our Nation!

2 “What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord! How strange that men should try to outwit God! 2 For a summit conference of the nations has been called to plot against the Lord and his Messiah, Christ the King. 3 ‘Come, let us break his chains,’ they say, ‘and free ourselves from all this slavery to God.’ 4 But God in heaven merely laughs! He is amused by all their puny plans. 5 And then in fierce fury he rebukes them and fills them with fear. 6 For the Lord declares, ‘This is the King of my choice, and I have enthroned him in Jerusalem, my holy city.’ 7 His chosen one replies, ‘I will reveal the everlasting purposes of God, for the Lord has said to me, ‘You are my Son. This is your Coronation Day. Today I am giving you your glory.’” 8 ‘Only ask and I will give you all the nations of the world. 9 Rule them with an iron rod; smash them like clay pots!’ 10 O kings and rulers of the earth, listen while there is time. 11 Serve the Lord with reverent fear; rejoice with trembling. 12 Fall down before his Son and kiss his feet before his anger is roused and you perish. I am warning you—his wrath will soon begin. But oh, the joys of those who put their trust in him!'” ~ Psalms 2:1-12

~ Pray Silently ~

Oh’ Lord God in heaven; you who are the mighty one, I pray for your mercy, your wisdom, your forgiveness. Give your mighty hand rest against this Earth, against our leaders who have fallen into idleness and confusion. Touch their heart with love infusing them for all time with compassion for your children who are sick, hungry, tired, and weak. Show them their path is not righteous and holds no promise without your blessing, please Oh Lord, bring not your wrath to their plans but show them the blueprint of your mighty justice. Lord my God, lift up those leaders who hold your name in reverence, bless all they do in your name, help them lead as your will provides it, and show them ever lasting love and glory. Lord I ask for forgiveness against all my sins as I am a sinner who prays for other sinners.

Lord, I know your words are mighty, I know your ways are not mine, but I ask for your grace against my bones who you created, mold, and hold up against all adversity.

In these ways do I ask for you, Oh Lord, to hold together all your children, hold together all the weary, and hold in your hands all of us, giving your divine grace to everyone who asks especially our leaders… as we are all your children. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen ~ Brian Stark (2014, Jan. 14)

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Invitation to Pray – Pray For Strength

Pray For Strength

1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers: 2 But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; And on his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The wicked are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous; But the way of the wicked shall perish.” ~ Psalms 1:1-6

~ Pray Silently ~

Oh’ Lord God in heaven hold my hands as they tremble, calm my mind as it struggles with doubt, bestill my heart for it will not relent, Oh’ God renew my faith. Lord, I ask you – the one who knows all things, the one who knows my troubles and tribulations, the one who knows best the next course I should travel, Oh’ My God, My Savior, I pray that you might renew my strength. Oh’ Lord in heaven, take me past these people of wickedness, these people of selfishness, these people who are so blind with sin, Lord My God I beg you to deliver me from this place and shield me forever with your love, might, and mercy so that I might know peace. I pray not for an easy life, but that of the will to endure this difficult path which tho has called me to travel. Oh’ my Lord give me strength. In this I pray, Amen ~ Brian Stark (2014, Jan. 13)

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2013 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 3,900 times in 2013. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 3 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Refelction 1: The Divine Spark

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” ~ Jeremiah 1:5

The Divine Spark

God declares through Jeremiah how He knew him, and in turn how God knows all of us before we are born. God consecrates everyone of us, from Adam and Eve to you and me; he kisses us on the forehead and whispers the words that bind us with our everlasting souls, for it is God who ultimately gives life and blesses you. If you look hard enough you will begin to see in the eyes of your children; especially when they are little, that blessing of Gods. You can see the spark of life which God gave and which makes our children so happy, always putting a smile on their faces and a laughter to their voice, that my friends comes directly from God. As a parent I witnessed this miracle, and I fought so hard to preserve these wonderful laughs, smiles, and kisses my daughter would shower my face with daily; always knowing that someday they would end as life caught up to her. I tried to keep her innocent because as her father I was sworn by God to protect her, that and admittedly I hate change, and there was always this threat of change on the horizon. As a parent we watch our children grow and become smarter and then they become independent. As painful as this process is this too comes from God. It happened to your parents and their parents before them and so on from the first to the last parent this is the natural order of things. We are bystanders to the growth and development of our children because let’s face it, there will be things your children will learn that you did not teach nor agree with but they learned it anyway. As a teacher I see those unwanted teachings that our children glen from other children and or from the violent video games they play, the songs they listen too, to the very movies and T.V. shows they watch every single night. I see some parents who become lax in their responsibilities and stop teaching God in their house and or stop attending Church, and this accumulates into some parents who actually stop teaching the Bible as their own personal faith wains. In those cases if as parents we stop teaching God then we inadvertently stop teaching such things as respect, honesty, and morality that is at this moment so absent in all the other modern media and thus if we don’t teach these things to our children then how can we say before God we lived up to our responsibilities in raising them? How can we possibly expect our children to be respectful to us and others, to be honest, to be and lead a moral life? Thus, if we cannot expect these things from our children then why would we expect others to treat us with dignity, honor, and show compassion and love? Thus, when God Himself asks each one of us on judgement day to explain how we did or did not protect our children, I pray you can give awesome examples of how you personally protected his divine spark within your offspring.

Modern Day Examples

The perfect example of how godless our society has become can be found in the United States Congress who for the past two – three years has gone after our democratically elected President, tried to end his signature law that has and will prove over time to benefit millions of Americans by trying at all costs to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. Some even tried to “Shut Down” the Federal Government costing Americans $14861.0 billion and are prepared to try this radical tactic again! What about those States who refuse to expand Medicaid? Do they have the best interest of all Americans at heart? What about those who have passes laws to suppress the African American Vote, the Female Vote? Who’s best interest are they truly serving? These same lawmakers claim a 20 year war on poverty but fail to count all the years from President Johnson to this day all the Republican Presidents and Representatives who tried to end those policies which hurt millions of Americans through such reckless and thoughtless actions as President Ronald Wilson Reagan’s fabled and failed, “Trickle Down Economics”, policy. Indeed it did trickle down; for the wealthiest of Americans grew richer and the poorest of Americans grew poorer, and the fabled Middle Class disappeared! In fact according to Zach Anderson who wrote, “Clearly we do not live in a representative democracy if the majority of people wants something and yet congressional votes portray the opposite of those desires.”, (August 8, 2012, Policy Mic), and I agree completely! I think the one comment that was made in public by North Dakota, Republican Congressman, Kevin Cramer who voted; ” to deny food to 1.8 million low-income seniors and people in low-income working families, 170,000 veterans, 210,000 children would lose school breakfasts and lunches in 2014″, (Jason Easley, Saturday, September, 21st, 2013, 7:05 pm, Politicus USA), which sums up this humanities issue, or crises which is caused when the Bible and it’s teachings is not taught properly in the home, instead we manufacture idle representatives who misquote the Bible by saying what Mr. Cramer had the never to say in defense of his reprehensible vote, “’If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” This is the very passage in the Bible he is attempting to quoted,

“Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.” ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:10

Here is the full passage: 10 “For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.”

2 Thessalonians 3: 10 if read in it’s full context is talking about idleness which is a sin. As I have always taught on this blog to read the full passage and to also read the two passages before and after so that the passage one wants to quote is understood in it’s full context. Thus, here is the full reading as I teach it;

7 “For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.” ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12

Thus, as an example we need to do our best and not be idle, not take for granted, not deny anyone the right to live comfortably when they are unable to provide for themselves as Jesus states very clearly as he wanted us to imitate him to the letter!

36 “I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” ~ Matthew 25:36

So I here command the Congress to heed the following:

11 “For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.” ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:11

Because if they don’t this is what will happen:

40 “And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'” ~ Matthew 25:40-43

~ The Truth Shall Set You Free ~

It makes me angry that our Representatives would misquote the Holy Book to justify their idleness, (sin), in not doing their jobs! It makes me angry when they deny God’s children food, deny the elderly who worked all their lives and then call them lazy, it makes me angry when veterans who answered our nations call, sacrificed their life and limb and who deserve to be feed, clothed, and taken care of mental as well as physically and then have our Government call them lazy! It makes me angry when our Representatives who are not doing the work they where elected to do in representing our best interest and then misquote the Bible taking out of context God’s message to mankind, thus sending lower-income working families further into poverty! Where is it that these people can be found to be undeserving or lazy? I say to you these people are on the right hand of God and shall be saved and those who vote in congress to dismantle this great country, misquote God’s very message, and deny the needy then you shall suffer long with Satan as you have already hardened your hearts and sold your soul!

The same can be said for those parents who do not protect your children and who do not preach or teach the values which this country was founded upon, and the rights God gave all men to know Him! For you have deprived your children of the promise and fruits of Heaven and of God’s undeniable singular truth!

22 “Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” ~ Romans 21: 22-25

By allowing our children to see perversions on T.V. or music award shows where Miley Ray Cyrus, (and she’s not the only one), is exhibiting immoral behaviors, or movies where men sleep with men, and women sleep with women, to actually condone such behavior then as a parent you have stopping protecting your child or children, stopping protecting your family as well as yourself and have sold them a lie.

26 “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” ~ Romans 21: 26-32

Defiling the Divine Spark

It makes me angry that some of us would vote to change our moral teaching to suit those who work such evil! For they twist and misrepresent the very words which would give them salvation, and instead exchange these blessings to make our children thing evil thoughts, and to practice evil deeds as they, our children, are impressionable, who need our protection and love; but whom also are looking to their parents to imitate; looking to their parents to learn how to act, how to live, how to love, how treat others, how to believe, and even how to function as a moral person. If you do not believe that the teachings of God in under attack then you are sadly mistaken! You only need to look at America’s divorce rate as reported by Enrichment Journal on the divorce rate in America:

The divorce rate in America for first marriage is 41%
The divorce rate in America for second marriage is 60%
The divorce rate in America for third marriage is 73%

If you do not believe that this spark of life that God gave freely is being defiled then you are sadly mistaken! You only have to look at all the fatherless homes in America ,

43% of US children live without their father [US Department of Census]
90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes. [US D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census]
80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes. [Criminal Justice & Behaviour, Vol 14, pp. 403-26, 1978]
71% of pregnant teenagers lack a father. [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services press release, Friday, March 26, 1999]
63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes. [US D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census]
85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes. [Center for Disease Control]

If you do not believe our very freedoms are being stripped from us then you are sadly mistaken! You only have to look at how our officials punish others for not supporting their views; you only have to look at the lies our Representatives are spewing, our Governors are vomiting, our Governments are try it’s best to sell to the masses by allowing laws to take affect that are morally wicked, and attempting to destroy those laws which give aid to the needy!

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Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians. – Read More!
What’s wrong with letting same-sex couples legally “marry?” – Read More!

I say to you my friends then you are sadly mistaken! The very words of God are under attack, just as our values, morality, beliefs, and that precious spark that God gave to all of us is also under attack! If you don’t believe me then look at the 2013 chart of Americans abortions;

5 “And Jesus began to say unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray. 6 Many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and shall lead many astray. 7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not troubled: these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be earthquakes in divers places; there shall be famines: these things are the beginning of travail. 9 But take ye heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in synagogues shall ye be beaten; and before governors and kings shall ye stand for my sake, for a testimony unto them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached unto all the nations. 11 And when they lead you to judgment, and deliver you up, be not anxious beforehand what ye shall speak: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. 13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 14 But when ye see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not (let him that readeth understand), then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains: 15 and let him that is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out his house: 16 and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak. 17 But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that it be not in the winter. 19 For those days shall be tribulation, such as there hath not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never shall be. 20 And except the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days. 21 And then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ; or, Lo, there; believe it not: 22 for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But take ye heed: behold, I have told you all things beforehand. 24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 and the stars shall be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken. 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send forth the angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 28 Now from the fig tree learn this parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh; 29 even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, until all these things be accomplished. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” ~ Mark 13:5-31

Therefore, I say to you I wish no ill on anyone, but rather wish to show the truth as the truth and the light as the light so as no one shall be confused, so that everyone who wanted to be among the elect can be saved.

Amen,

If you liked this Reflection on The Divine Spark … please leave a comment. Also please “LIKE” and “SHARE” this post with others.

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Special Posting: Facebook Year in Review 2013

7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”~ 2 Timothy 4:7

Though I am still writing, still fighting the good fight, still standing-up for those who cannot stand-up for themselves, here in this posting I celebrate with you the good fight fought this past year. Just as Apostle Paul was reflecting back on his life, his accomplishments, I will do the same here in. So this past year here is a list of the posts I have posted for your educational and spiritual growth.

Special Reflections:

1) 2012 in Review

2) Special Reflection: Sin Series e-Book Release

3) Special Prayer Request: Remembering Leslie Frankenheimer

4) Special Posting: THANK YOU LMU!

5) Special Easter Post 2013

6) Special Post: Congratulations My Ascension Students!

7) Special Post: Father’s Day

8) Special Reflection – Prayer for Syria

9) Special Prayer Request: Leona Liget

10) Special Posting: 68th Birthday

11) Special Reflection: 2014 Educational Enrichment Program (EEP)

What You Can Expect From Life – Series

12) Reflection I: What You Can Expect From Life: According to Anger; pt 1

13) Reflection 2: What You Can Expect From Life: According to Belief; pt 2

14) Reflection 3: What You Can Expect From Life: According to Charity; pt 3

15) Reflection 4: What You Can Expect From Life: According to Death; pt 4

16) Reflection 5: What You Can Expect From Life: According to Enemies; pt 5

17) Reflection 6: What You Can Expect From Life: According to Faith; pt 6

18) Reflection 7: What You Can Expect From Life: According to GOSSIP

19) Reflection 8: What You Can Expect From Life: According to GUILT

20) Reflection 9: What You Can Expect From Life: According to HONESTY

21) Reflection 10: What You Can Expect From Life: According to JOY

22) Reflection 11: What You Can Expect From Life: According to LAZINESS

23) Reflection 12: What You Can Expect From Life: According to MARRIAGE

Family – Series

24) Reflection 1: Family of God pt1

25) What Schools Need pt 1: Things to Consider Before You Buy

26) Reflection 2: Family of God – Broken Home, Broken Child

27) Reflection 3: Family of God – Kingdom of God

28) Reflection 4: Family of God – Saving Relationships

29) Reflection 5: Family of God – Economy of God

30) Reflection 6: Family of God – Family of Love

What God Is… Series

31) Reflection 1- What God’s Love is…

32) Reflection 2: God’s Mindset…

33) Reflection 3: God’s Thanksgiving…

In all there has been three major new series’s of blogs added to an extensive list spanning back to 2009. Starting with, “WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM LIFE SERIES” is by far the biggest individual series I personally have written. Where as the, “FAMILY SERIES” was short but packed with powerful tools for families to grow and to stay together and to warship God as a singular family unit. I truly hope these blog posting have enriched your life. Ending this year was the, “WHAT GOD IS… SERIES”, a truly inspired series of blogs that came straight out of the mouths of children, most specifically from my students who asked me this very question in class and though I only have three Reflections written know that my own spiritual growth has been stretched in ways I could have never personally imagined and I am still doing research to bring to you and my students the best Reflections yet within this Series… so there is defiantly more to come in 2014 as it relates to “WHAT GOD IS… SERIES”. In addition each year I do a host of Special Reflections, which are posts that deal with specific topics not related to any of the Series I was writing at the time. Starting with Prayer Requests, I have to say this year was the most Prayers I have been personally asked to make public to you, the Listening Faithfully Community. I want to report that in the majority of the prayers published good things have happened for those we have prayed for. Rounding out the year in all 33 posts published our reader base has grown to 20 devoted – repeat followers who have signed up to be notified when new posts become available, and countless others who have yet to sign up and make themselves known. I encourage everyone to sign-up and follow and interact through the various resources found here within our growing community of fans and supporters. With that said, to my two special groups of followers thank you for all your support because I write for you, I write because of you. Listening Faithfully is Officially 4 years old… and you can now buy the T’Shirts Celebrating our 5th Year 2014-15 by clicking [HERE]!

FACEBOOK

FACEBOOK IN REVIEW

As you can imagine Facebook is a huge part of this ministry and I will say to you it is a very effective tool in getting out the message and bringing the words of God to those who need it all around the world. Listening Faithfully Blog has been on Facebook since 2011 and each year we have grown and received more likes doubling in volume each year, in 2013 alone we received a total of 46 new likes and 26 new friends. However, the Listening Faithfully Community is where you can get the most recent news and spiritual writing and this has grown as well. At this point I would like to invite you to our Listing Faithfully Community Page and please “LIKE and SHARE” all the content to as many people you know! Again, Listening Faithfully Community will serve as the hub for all straight forward communications to all members of Listening Faithfully moving forward. There is also a Listening Faithfully Book Store and I hope you all make use of it in the near future as this is where you can find Bibles for both Kindle, and or any e-reader you use and is also where the Listening Faithfully – The Sin Series can be purchase from Amazon for $7.99.

Below is the links to the Fan Page and the Members sign up.

To view our Facebook page and our Listening Faithfully Community Fan Page please FOR FREE click here. [Celebrating 5 Years]

To become a follower of our fan page FOR FREE click here [ Listening Faithfully Community – Become a member now!]

LANGUAGE ARTS

I ask you this question… “What is a ministry without a language?” The answer… a there is no ministry in the world that does not use the English Language to some extent. How can people communicate and spread the message of God without using Language? Simply put… you can’t. Each year as a teacher within the Los Angeles Archdiocesan schools I see two alarming trends that is nation wide. The first is that our inner city schools regardless of affiliation are suffering economically. Second I have found that schools where parents are wealthy and pay high tuition their children are the only ones being given the economic advantage. I was recently yelled at online from a person who had read my posting asking for help in supplying Language Arts books to my students as I had linked that with what Pope Francis has said about the economic differences between the wealthy and the poor and the disappearing middle class worldwide. All I was asking for in that post was for your financial support… Each book cost about $15.00. I want to buy 30 of these books. All money I receive from this fund raiser goes to support the English Language Curriculum at my school… Ascension Catholic School, Located in Los Angeles. So when I make the claim I support inner city students this is the truth… I teach and have taught in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for 10 years. Listening Faithfully is not affiliated with Ascension or the Catholic Church, rather I teach there and need these book for my students. Now… think about this carefully…. if through this blog and this fund raiser more money than what is needed then how many more children would be served by your kindness? I tell you hundreds as I am affiliated with many schools, with many children who need your help. Every dollar raised will go to help my inner city children by giving them the economic advantage of the English Language! This is something I do year round, but this is not the only thing I have done to help people in general. 2009-10 helped fund a house for a Philippine family who was living in a shack! 2005-2012 Taught and raised thousands for the Ascension Technology Team… the last three years students took home computers that had been donated and they restored. Help support Listening Faithfully Celebrate 5 years of service by buying a T’Shirt that cost $23.00 which equals 1 1/2 books per child in need. It’s a no brainier. As for that individual who yelled at me online for asking… “What is a ministry that never asks it’s community to pitch in and help form time to time?” Here is a sample of our good work done within the Technology Team from a former student Ruby:

Please click the following link to support this fund raiser today! [T-shirts for Language Arts Books for Kids] I want to thank you in advance for your support!

The Cause for All Parents!

Part of Listening Faithfully’s mission is to educate, as stated above, but the second half of our mission is to spread the word of God. Part of that mission is helping those who cannot help themselves. There is a specific illness in our world and it is very political and controversial. I have written about it many times because I have been personally affected by it in my own personal life. This illness is woven from greed and embraced by our Family Court System not just here in the United States but in many other countries around the world. Because this system seeks to drain parents of their resources, to separate, and to destroy their family by creating strife, while supporting those parents who lie and cheat and manipulate the system for their own selfish wants and desires. To this end the Court is now against God, our laws are now against God. “What God would condone of giving one parent all the power and influence and allow that parent to alienate the other biological parent?” This is a war on Families, on the very fabric which a biblical family is formed and which grows. What court should ever have the power to rip your child away from you without cause? According to the Bible there is no court that should ever have such power over the family! I say that, I write that because God gave to both Father and Mother the responsibilities of raising their own children! Different responsibilities – Yes – but Equal in the eyes of God! That is what the Family Courts are against and in doing so they have defiling God by defiling the Families! By robbing them of their right to be parents! Such is the case with my friend Joseph… The court for no reason gave Joseph’s wife the right to move away to a foreign country. How is Joseph ever going to see let alone raise his only child? Joseph is not a drug addict, he is not a drunk, he doesn’t cheat people of their money, he doesn’t peddle anything illegal, he has never served time, and he never cheated on his wife… which is more than we can say about her. And yet Joseph’s non-American wife got an American Judge to give her the right to legally steal Joseph’s only child from him. How is that even possible? Well this is not only possible but the norm in America and is what 90% of fathers are facing when going to court. We need to stop this… As Christians we need to stop this behavior and end Alienation forever by making it illegal! Please visit Joseph’s fundraiser and donate today…. Lets reunite him with his daughter today.

I have made a personal pledge to give Joseph $5.00 every paycheck I receive and that’s saying a lot because my ex-wife has taken 50% of my earning through child support on a child who was a year and a half away from becoming 18 at the time. Won’t you also help Joseph bring his daughter home?

Click Here to help our brother Joseph!

Amen and God Bless,

If you liked this Special Reflection on The 2014 Educational Enrichment Program! … please leave a comment. Also please “LIKE” and “SHARE” this post with others.

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Special Reflection: 2014 Educational Enrichment Program (EEP)

17 “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.” ~ Proverbs 19:17

I want to start out today’s reflection expressing in great detail of why I am so grateful to our Lord. As you read all I ask is for you to think of all the way you are also grateful to the Lord. Then put yourself in the shoes of my 5th grade students who are underprivileged living in the heart of Los Angeles and many of them do not see their parents very often because they are working to makes ends meet. In a few instances some of my student’s parents have been or are in jail for various reasons, not withstanding there are also a few parents who are present and make time for their children; but needless to say those parents are very few and far between. So when I tell you these children need every advantage I am not lying to you nor am I making any of these things up, rather I am being forthright with you and need your help this Christmas Season. Please visit our website and buy your T’Shirt Today! https://www.booster.com/listeningfaithfully

God Is Our Constant Companion

God has been so gracious to me personally this year, because there has been so many trials and tribulations Satan has put me through. The first trial has been living without seeing my daughters face or hearing my daughters voice for over a year as my ex-wife won a move-away and took my daughter 800 miles north to San Francisco. There has been no communication because my daughter and I largely because my ex-wife prohibits my daughter from making contact, so all I get is one text every holiday from my daughters iPhone. Technically, I get visitation but have no money to travel to see my daughter, even though that was precisely the thing my ex-wife promised the judge that she would make happen by buying a monthly flight for my daughter to Los Angles to see me: as she makes 4 times the income I make as a teacher. In addition to these things my ex-wife after 16 1/2 years filed for child support after she and I agreed to wave it back in 2003, not to mention she also stole $645.00 dollars from my Chase Bank account in 2012 which forced me to be late on rent and later because of that was forced to move from my apartment after 7 years of being on time. It is no lie I have had to file for Bank Bankruptcy as the bills I incurred fighting for my parental rights in court which ended with the judge refusing to obey the law and order my ex-wife to pay legal fees; end result I had no other recourse no other options available to me. I have also suffered massive car troubles after ten years of owning my truck it finally needed over $3500.00 worth of repairs. But through all of these things God has been with me, He has helped me endure the long cold lonely nights, and He alone files my heart with such love that my heart over flows with it and I have to write and share it in every way I can using the gifts He has bestowed upon me. It would be easy to sit here and write and complain about these trials I have faced, but I tell you they have made me stronger, wiser, more capable, more crafty, more in-love with God, because through it all this year has been about adapting and overcoming. God has given me the strength to know the things I can change and the wisdom to know the things I can not change, He has granted me mercy with reuniting me with a friend lost in those horrible struggles with my ex-wife which stretched from 1996-2013. I have regained a friendship that I thought was forever gone and which I so desperately needed. God has put angels in my path that have helped me over come those struggles with my ex-wife, my daughter, my friendships, family, contributors, and now lastly my truck. God has given me eagles wings to sore high above all these troubles and to be able to look past the darkness of these events and move past them. God has given me angels who have provided ways to maintain some level of lively-hood despite 1/2 of my income now goes to my ex-wife out of her shear hatred and spite for me, which is not in our daughters best interest. God has given to me a mother who has almost died three times within the past four years, and He has given her the strength to keep going even though her lungs no-longer produce the oxygen she needs as she struggles with COPD. God has given to me a father who is deaf, but who finds ways to bring a smile to my face by building me various wooden objects he has pored his love into with me in his thoughts. God has given me a sister who every day of her life has used it to help young men who are incarcerated to find their way and become a success in our unforgiving society. God has also given unto our family a new baby who is filled with all the love a child can hold and her smiles and voice remind me of better days I had with my own daughter, and better days I will yet have. So “Yes”, God has been my constant companion! It would be easy to sit and moan about my many losses that I have suffered through this past year, but for every loss I have suffered God has opened the door and has given unto me a magnificent victory within His love, mercy, and kindness by allowing the many angels to intercede and lift me up when Satan has knocked me down. Please visit our website and buy your T’Shirt Today! https://www.booster.com/listeningfaithfully

25 “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” ~ Proverbs 11:25

Just as I have been lifted up most of my time is spent with children who I fight for, who I love with all my heart, and who on my own I could never give them the resources they so desperately need. My school does not have the money to purchase new Hardcover English textbooks or new work-books for the students to write in and learn from which supports the new curriculum’s the State and Federal Governments are now enforcing. As a school we have now begun cutting back on printing out worksheets and the purchasing of ink for our various printers. The economic times we are now facing has hit private schools extremely hard and all the families they serve, and it is our children who suffer the consequence for the few greedy people who seem to ignore this growing divide between rich and poor. This economy is a man-made problem, and Pope Frances had it right when he, “attacked unfettered capitalism as ‘a new tyranny’, urging global leaders to fight poverty and growing inequality in the first major work he has authored alone as pontiff.” ~ Holland, Joshua, (Nov. 26, 2013), The Poverty Line: Pope Francis Calls Unfettered Capitalism ‘Tyranny’, http://billmoyers.com. Pope Frances sees what is a sin against mankind, he has stated very clearly the problem, and the injustice of not fixing something we have created that forces millions into a different kind of slavery, that born of our own sinful economic greed! So it is that I am reaching out with a heavy heart, but one also filled with love and hope to you today and ask that you may find it with in your heart to become a supporter of Listening Faithfully by purchasing one T’Shirt that will show your pride in both this website, but also your support for education. My students need their little angels this holiday season helping them just as I have been so blessed with in my own personal struggles. Please visit our website and buy your T’Shirt Today! https://www.booster.com/listeningfaithfully

2014 Educational Enrichment Program!:

42 “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” ~ Matthew 5:42

You click the following link below and purchase one T’Shirt, or as many as you would like. The money raised then goes to purchase the Sadlier; Level Blue; Vocabulary Workshop paper-covered work books for my students. Within two weeks of the ending of this Christmas and News Years campaign you will receive the T’Shirt and can call yourselves an official supporter of Listening Faithfully and of Education. I will also have a private page here on this website just for you as I am kicking off the Sin Serious 2014 Revisited ~ An invaluable resource that highlights the Seven Deadly Sins as they apply to us in our modern day lives. Below is scanned copies of Unit 2 From the Sadlier Workbook that will be purchase for the students with your help. Again I ask you to please visit our website and buy your T’Shirt Today!https://www.booster.com/listeningfaithfully

Please Support Listening Faithfully Blog Language Arts Book Drive!

Sadlier Preview: Click Here! http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/1fff8ae8#/1fff8ae8/10

Show your Listening Faithfully pride and help us reach our goal! Together we will raise over $10,000 to directly support inner city students with brand new Language Arts Books published by Sadleir if we sell 1000 shirts. How awesome is that?! What a great way to help spread the wealth of Christ while celebrating our 5^th year online reflecting on the word of God! Help show your support of Pope Frances’s which has so eloquently been outlined while also helping our students overcome this sinful poverty; be that little angle of God today! Book Drive will end within the first week of January 2014 so please hurry and be the first to show your support. In addition your shirts will be delivered to you within 2-weeks of the campaign closing – guaranteed! Please visit our website and buy your T’Shirt Today! https://www.booster.com/listeningfaithfully

This initiative is sponsored by the Listening Faithfully Blog 2014 (EEP) Language Arts Book Drive!

Thank you in advance to all of our supporters!

Extra Special Request:

I have a friend, his name is Joseph. He lives in San Diego and his ex-wife seven weeks ago stole his daughter and fled the country. He asks a simple question that I would like our Justice System to answer: “What would you do if your one and only child was taken from you, without prior notice, and whisked away to a foreign country?” I would like our judges held accountable for giving one parent more rights than another based on sex or money! This false notion that children need their mothers more than their fathers is archaic at best and if you read the Bible at all you will find that God gave to Fathers and Mothers different but equal responsibilities to their children. I repeat…. FATHERS ARE NOT NATURES BANK! Our justice system is sick and in need of repair – reform; whatever you want to call it! But that won’t happen until every American…. every parent and non-parent stands up and forces our Federal and States Governments to stop Alienation of Affection of a Minor Child! In the mean time I ask you to help my friend Joseph by visiting his website and giving whatever you can afford. Let’s bring his daughter Dani back home!

Click Here to help our brother Joseph!

Amen and God Bless,

If you liked this Special Reflection on The 2014 Educational Enrichment Program! … please leave a comment. Also please “LIKE” and “SHARE” this post with others.

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Reflection 3: God's Thanksgiving…

The Many Things to be Thankful For!

2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 3 For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods. ~ Psalm 95:2-3

Everything around us both in nature and in this man-made world of technology I find God within it, the true and only source, the brilliant artist which made and planned every aspect of everything we see, hear, touch, and interact with, for God is in everything. We live such blessed lives with all our modern conveniences and toys we take for granted. We often times look to our technology and wonder how we ever survived without it and if truth be told there will come a day when all this that we cherish shall pass away, but God will remain. Every living person on earth today has so much to be thankful for, we have so many things which we take for granted and yet through it all God still loves us and there is still only one way to God and that is through Jesus Christ his only son. I say these things knowing that you all know this and that you will most likely think.. ‘yeah…yeah…blah blah.’ but I hope you take time to see Thanksgiving from Gods perspective this holiday season. See God knows the next great invention on the horizon, He is aware of our dependence upon technology and I know He smiles each time He hears a person confess how they could never live without it. But, I also know He might just be asking all us each time we make that small confession, ‘What about me? Where do I fit in?’ I say that because it used to be a no brainier of where God fit into our lives. It used to be an exciting experience to dress up and go to church and hear the message told in an unsuspecting heart warming way that tickled the imagination. I remember a time when life was a lot less commercialized and the mystery of God was on the tips of everyone’s tongues as everything in nature was still an exciting mystery of awe and wonder. Back then it was easy to relate these marvelous works to God, it was easy to bow before our creator and give him thanks, sing songs, and rejoice in his greatness as the one true God. But I fear for our souls in this remarkable age of technology that we just might have found a way to not give glory to God, but yet start to see ourselves as the creator and begin to give homage to our things forgetting God entirely. This I say to you because life is about so much more than things and gadgets, but rather it is and always has been about that search, that walk, that personal time spent alone with God in the silence of complete and utter communion. So if there is anything I am grateful for it would have to be that God has never left my side, that he has always taken care of me, and He alone is still that mystery of wonder and awe. That my friends is the true secret of life lived within the realm of God’s love. I am so grateful that God has given to me the things that He has and that He alone has made everything in my life possible, from my family and friends who have enrich my life in the precise way they have and I can only hope I have done the same for them. I am so grateful that God gave me life, that he gave to me the ability to write and express what is in my heart so completely. He has taken care of ever need and taken away all my fear and hurt in the bad things which I face filling my heart with love, forgiveness, and understanding. It is with these confessions I hold up to God, give him thanks this Thanksgiving because I know it was a want on His behalf to do these things. I know that God was not obligated, nor had to do anything for me but He instead chose to do so. His love is so replete with grace that His will is to spread love throughout the entire world, and if there is any singular thing we all have to be thankful for it is that pure agape love of God! So, I humble myself and acknowledge that the technology which allows me to communicate with all of you was made possible by God. I know this because he has given to me the time to write, made available to me the many different computers I have used in all the various locations in the world I have written from, and most importantly the audience which reads and grows and shares each post. He has given all these things to me, to share with you, for God alone made the technology possible. In a real tangible way God gave to me, sharing His message through me much like I use the computer as a tool. Therefore, we are all tools of the one true living God, and that is the highest honor anyone could ever have, and yes it is a reason to be thankful for, it is the main reason we all should give glory to God.

What I Own… Belongs to God!

11″ While you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,” ~ 2 Corinthians 9:11-12

Call me lazy… but I own nothing in this world, for I rent everything! I can say that I own my car but God gave me the ability to keep it for a specific period of time and one day he will take it from me. But in this God always gives to me something better in return. So from this perspective none of us own anything. To say that you own the things in your life would mean that there is nothing which could take it away from you and my friends that is simply not the truth… that is not reality. It is only proper to say that God owns everything and allows us to hold his possessions for a period of time… in effect we all rent from God! Thus, when God gives you a tool that helps tell a story of moral significance, or a mode of transportation that will deliver you to His people, or the words to use when your mind is blank is in affect God using you as His divine tool for His divine purpose. In every instance you have been made whole and in that service not only has your needs been meet but so has the needs of the many, all of which causes great thanksgiving to God! For to simply to say yes is in a real way glorifying God and thus bringing you closer to your true purpose in this life. Be not dis-hardened for God also is thankful to you for your service and in this he gives to you His abundant love. To be in the service of God is the only true service we where made for, to love God and to be loved by God. In conclusion we don’t own anything, but yet everything belongs to God first! We are thankful to Him for His generosity, kindness, mercy, grace, and love in allowing us to be enriched by all the experiences of His stuff… i.e. technology, cars, brick houses instead of caves, and the dinner we eat, tot he family we eat that dinner with. It all belonged to God first and He loves us so much that He has made us part of His experience.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and may your Holiday Season be filled with Gods Love.

Did You Know?

Presented by the History Channel

Amen,

If you liked this Reflection on God’s Thanksgiving… please leave a comment. Also please “LIKE” and “SHARE” this post with others.

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HELP SUPPORT LISTENING FAITHFULLY BLOG BY MAKING ALL YOUR ONLINE PURCHASES THROUGH OUR WEB STORE! CLICK HERE. As a special token of appreciation please accept a free downloadable gift from me to you: FREE BIBLE