4th

so i tried to send a fourth of July post from my phone after i had set up mobile blogging and if u saw the post u know it did not work. i took it down because it was all jumbled nonsense. the just of the post was how we need to remember our root's. i know that like most other holidays the fourth has become more about the parties, the fireworks, and bbq's then it is about the day it's self and what it really stands for. i happen to love the United States of America. i love our history of great men fighting for freedom, and fighting against all that is wrong in world. i hate the idea that we might be the generation that is remembered for losing what so many men died for. we have already turned so far from their ideals. i believe we can take our country back and hand down to our children what was given to us, but only by the grace of God.

God is Good All The Time!!!!

God is good all the time. he is trust worthy and faithful when we are not. he is strong when i am weak, and so he does carry me by his precious Grace. this past winter was a very dark time for me in just about every way possible. my life outside of church, my life in church and any other point that has just about anything to do with me in anyway was bad. i was struggling just to stay afloat.
But why?
i had no real clue who God was and so i could not tell what was what. when your vision of God is so far off i think everything you learn about him is just a bit off to the left. i had way to much head knowledge, not all good, not all right (and it never will be)but what was worse yet i had no application of it. i never took time to ask God who are you, what do you want from me, and so on... i have asked those questions now and im still working on who God is. i know I shall be working on that one for all of forever (praise him for that), for i can think of no better thing to do with ones time then to spend it in the study of God. i think it is most important to have a God entranced vision of all things. for once i take my eyes off of how God relates to everything i may be putting my hands to; i run the risk of doing that thing in my own strength or worse yet trusting in the strength of some other thing and committing spiritual fornication. this is just how i have lived my first two years of Christianity. it almost crushed me. the burden of walking in ones own strength is one that is to grievous to be borne. God has moved me from the city to a small town, from a job i hated to a job i love, and has been most gracious in opening doors for me to minister to other Christians as well as evangelize to the lost. yes, God is good all the time. no, not just when things are good. for had he not let me stay in the fire i would never have learned the things i have. i must love and glory in him when things are grand, And not only so, but glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

A.P.T.A.T.

this is acronym that i came across while listening to john piper, ( my new most favoritest preacher by a long shot!!! ). this is a way to find the water fall of Gods grace. when you find yourself in some toil of life, or you can not break the bonds of a certain sin. what then is a child of
God to do. we can hide it and go on acting like all is well as we slowly die more and more inside, no? ok... then maybe we can read a promise in Gods word, name it and claim it. then change nothing just sit back and wait for God to break our bands of wickedness, no? i don't like those options either. so how then do we seek help from God in our daily life? a.p.t.a.t. thats how! we first admit what it is we are up to. 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. then we pray to our Saviour, Act 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. next we trust that the God of the universe who abounds in mercy and grace will give it us, Psa 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. next Piper says to act, thats right get up and move!! you have to change something about what your doing or you will just keep doing it. the praying and trusting are so when you do act, God will have given you the strength to do it, Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. last but most definitely not least we thank our God and saviour for the new out pouring of Grace in out lives!!1Ch 29:13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

so we, admit, pray, trust, act, thank.

hope this helps.

by his grace,
i am,
in Christ : Dave