Day 6 and 7
Mood:  down
Topic: A little tougher

Days 6 and 7 were a bit more challanging.  I think being home and just sitting around a bit more caused me to be a little more Hungry and irritable.  I think I know what God is trying to do right now.  He has said "Lets just go for a walk and have a chat.  I want to get to know you better and I want you to know me better."  I am looking forward to this, but it scares me at the same time.

 

God, continue to keep me and guide me.  Open me ears and heart to you.  comfort me when I feel like I can not keep going.  Give me grace.

 

nEWTon

Day 5
Mood:  hungry
Now Playing: Flyleaf

Day 5, God has been showing me what love is.  He is leading me to Books that show me his love and what love is supposed to look like that I give. It seems like the end of this is an eternity away.

 

Lord continue to give me strength to finish this

 

nEWTon

Lead me beside still waters
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: jason upton
Topic: Use me
Yesterday while at work I had the privilege of talk in length to a co-worker about what I believed and why. I find this interesting because I got a word from someone a few months ago, and they said that many would come to know Christ because of me. I found that interesting because I have yet to see th first. Not to say this person fell down and gave their life to Christ at that moment, but that God used me to plant a seed or water a seed that was already there. I get great joy out of these conversations with non-believers, I can't even explain it.

There are lots of days when I feel that I am not worthy to even carry the message of Christ, much less tell someone else about it. Yet God still uses me anyway.


Thank you Lord for seeing what I can do for you and not what I have done against you. Thank you for using me in spite of the way I feel about me. Thank you for being faithful when I am not.
I love you with my life.


Have a blessed day,
nEWTon

Jesus love me this I know
Mood:  cool
Topic: What do I know!!?
I have been having these feelings/revelations over the past few weeks of the intense love that Christ has for me. I have always known that he loves me in my heart but, I have never fully known the severity of that love. How deep is it? It is a feeling that is almost overwhelming. God has given me these revelations in small increments, I believe, so it will not totally overwhelm me. I feel as if I am being primed for something, prepared to fully know the love of Christ.

Do I really love Christ enough that I would endure what the disciples endured? I would like to think so, and I believe I would stand on His Word if the time came. But, do I show it in my life? I see good fruit coming from my walk, but it is not a plentiful as it should be. Christ is preparing me for that harvest.

Lord continue to show me the depth of your love, so real that I cannot live a moment without it. So real that I cannot function without it. So real I cannot help but show it, tell it, live it.


Have a blessed day,
nEWTon

Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: nada
Topic: sweet summer rain
JAMES 2:12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
JAMES 5:20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

In thinking about these scriptures, I realize something. We tend to judge others and condemn them when God has forgiven them. We exclude them when God welcomes them. We shun them when God Loves them.

Mercy triumphs over judgment. If it wasn’t for this, we would all be condemned. Christ death granted us mercy, denying that to others is denying Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and is not showing the true love of Christ. We all sin, yet we are not sinners, because Christ has taken away our sins, yet if we did not have mercy and grace, we would be sinners, and be forever condemned. That is the difference between those who know Christ, and those who do not. So why is it that no one can seem to tell the difference? What are we doing wrong, or worse yet, what are not doing right. If we were doing the work of God, then James 5:20 wouldn’t be work at all, it would just happen. How awesome would that be?

Have a blessed day,
nEWTon

Husbands and Fathers take heed
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: The whisper of a printer in the background
Topic: Come on Dad
I have been thinking for the past few days about something. What is the responsibility of a husband to his wife and family? The bible says that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. Also, fathers are commanded not to frustrate your children.

What does it mean for a husband to love their wife like Christ loved the church. To me it means showing it, like in small things. Doing the dishes while she is out, vacuuming, doing laundry etc… It also means showing her the love of Christ. In that we are servants to those we lead. Not forceful to a point of being a dictator and have to have our own way, no matter what. Leading requires you to listen to others or it is not leading, it is being a dictator. Being a leader does not make us better, smarter, more insightful, or more spiritual than another, it only means that God have given you a gift to organize, delegate, and execute something in order to get it done.

A revelation (not profound) just hit me. A good leader LISTENS. I needed that.

As a father, listening to my children is even more of a challenge. Leading them is not easy either. It is easy to get into a mode were you are commanding rather than leading (it easier to do). But, this way is not as effective. You can cause your children to fear you, rather than respect you, they are also less likely to open up to you. You need those opportunities to be able to present the gospel to them. We as fathers are responsible for the spiritual nurturing of our household. That is a huge scary deal to me.

Jesus never made anyone do anything they did not want to do. What makes us think we should. His followers followed because of his heart, and because they wanted to. We need to emulate him in order to attract others.


Have a blessed day,
nEWTon

Mood:  cheeky
Now Playing: Freedom by Jason Upton and Casting Crowns
Topic: Seeing 20/20
Hebrews 12: 1-3

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I think today is the first day in a few, that I can actually write something and feel that it would be worth something.

The scripture above said to me. The enemy is constantly looking for ways to serarate us from each other. Unity is a powerful tool against him. We become so focussed on us and what we think and not how the Father thinks that, we allow satan to drive a wedge into our relationships. We just need to focus on Jesus and his Holiness and he will show us what to do.

I think it is so amazing that I/we forget this so often, get into situations where, even if we are right, we are wrong. By that I mean that we disregard the relatioship in order to beat home a point that is far less important.

Today is a beautiful day and I hope you are blessed in it,

nEWTon

We are all friends
Mood:  down
Now Playing: nothin really
In having a discussion the other day with some fellow believers, we entered into a discussion in which we disagreed. With the ensuing discussion points were made by all parties based on the Truth. It now seems that a small division has appeared in our once smooth, small group. I find myself now struggling with the idea that maybe it was not a good idea to have had these discussions in the first place, which is ironic because I will be the first to tell you the conflict in relationships is a good thing. It seems that the enemy (either my flesh or satan) is telling me that people are upset or hurt by what has happened. Scripture clearly says that Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. I hope that all involved will understand that none of us was trying to hurt the other.


Have a blessed day,
nEWTon

A man walks into a bar.
You would think he would have saw it.

Mood:  silly
Topic: Life, why so long
A friend at work sent this to me, I thought it was funny.

On the first day, God created the dog and said:

"Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."



The dog said:

"That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

So God agreed.

______________________________________________________

On the second day, God created the monkey and said:

"Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span."



The monkey said:

"Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?"

And God agreed.

______________________________________________________

On the third day, God created the cow and said:

"You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years."



The cow said:

"That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

And again, God agreed.

______________________________________________________



On the fourth day, God created man and said:

"Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."



But man said:

"Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

______________________________________________________



So that is why during the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. Then, the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And finally, the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.



Life has now been explained to you.

nEWTon

Lead me not into temptation
Mood:  on fire
Now Playing: Jason Upton (pick a song)
Topic: Lead with a soft hand
Hebrews 5: 1-3
1Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

This is an interesting scripture, especially for those of us called to be leaders. Leading people requires more than just a calling. We are to be submissive to the Spirit and gentle to those that we are leading. Gentleness is essential, meaning that if we are hard handed with those under us, they will not be responsive to the leadership, nor will they see Christ.

We also have to be careful, since leaders are also weak, that we do not think ourselves above those we lead. It is always wise to listen to those around you, since you do not know everything or see everything. Disregarding what others say and leaning on your own knowledge and understanding, is not of God. The Bible says it is good to have Godly counsel. Also, others can reveal things to us that would not otherwise be revealed. If what others are saying is of God, you will know in your spirit.

Synopsis: Leaders, listen to those around you, you don’t know everything, be gentle to those under you.

Have a blessed day,
nEWTon