Give it to me NOW!!!!!!

 Been on my mind the past couple weeks.


You've probably seen it multiple times, in both infant and adult alike. The case of the "It's MINE, GIVE IT NOW!" 

In the parable of the prodigal son, the youngest son demands of his father this birthright. As it went, his father didn't withhold it  but gave what was asked of him. The son then wasted the inheritance and ended in the depths. The story ends well... and the son is given even more in his humility than in his arrogance.

Many stories: Abraham and Hagar, David and Bathsheba, and Moses.

Each took from God something. A thing which they believe was owed them or they thought God was too slow in his promise (Ishmael's birth)  -Genesis 16:1-12


    I used to believe the saying, "God helps those who help themselves."  What a lie!  God HATES self-sufficiency! Self -Sufficiency  is a  lie from the Adversary!   Ever since the time in the garden, he has been trying to separate us from the provisions of the Almighty.

David talked often of the lengths that The Almighty went to to provide for him. In all of his debauchery, adultery, and murderous nature he was still called a man after God's own heart.


You see..."messing up" is a part of us. He wants us to turn back to Him.


The Almighty, Shepherd, and Bridegroom.


The story of Hosea and Gomer is a great example of God wanting his Bride even though she is the "backslider"

(Isn't amazing that we are taught through [living words] LIVES?!?!?!?!)

For those who haven't read the story, it really is revealing of a piece of the Heart of God.


He brings us back to His side to be : RECEIVERS. 


It shouldn't matter if we know it may be ours...with a promise. We must hold our hands out to receive.

Luke 11:13

He knows the exact time to give us what we need. The Ark is a great example. Imagine if God told Noah only months before the flood?

Pinocchio

 
How real are you?

You'd say that you are right? I mean.. you breathe,eat sleep, and are self aware. You are even aware of God.

re·al, real/ˈrē(ə)l/, /rāˈäl/

 

or

Reality, the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or may be thought to be.

Ok. In our minds we are real...but to God are we? 

Like the story of Pinocchio, do we hope to be real like he did? He even went to the same lengths to be a real boy.

Wow, to think about it, Pinocchio is very much like an allegory of a Christian! 

Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person.Genesis 2:7 

Carved by a woodcarver named Geppetto in a small Italian village, Pinocchio  was created as a wooden puppet, but dreamed of becoming a real boy. 

We often, like the wooden puppet try to take this "turning real" into our own hands. 

We attempt to be Godly and isolate ourselves from sinners. 

Like the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, we can often take the side of that we are more "real" than another a thus we completely miss God. 

Christ is the first real man. The Father created us to be like Him, yet we often choose to have the "strings" of this  world on us...while saying we are free. The enemy wants to try to put a false picture in our heads of the way and some completely lose interest.

We cannot in ourselves ever hope to be real. 

It is a painful journey. Since Adam, our kind has hid from exposing light. When Christ came, he gave us a choice. No longer were we stuck to just live "good" lives, but He made us able to be recreated as REAL beings! It will be a lifelong journey since this body is but a shadow of what is to come. 

Part of me

 A little piece of me:


One of the biggest prayers that I've had for at least the last 5 years... is that my faith would be increased. Reading all the stories of men and women with unshakable faith in the midst of great opposition really inspired this desire. In the beginning, my fervor was like a wildfire. Thus youth provides the flame of passion that must be put under control. This has lead to some of the biggest internal and spiritual battles I'd ever been in my life. Like Peter, Christ shows me daily to trust in His strength and in the mean time, shattering hope in my own.

I've experienced "storms" in my life in which I felt like the disciples while Christ was asleep in the storm. Every-time...without fail  he stills the turmoil. (For those who haven't gathered from my previous posts, I'm a major introvert!) I've literally been to the point of wanting to die! Telling God to strike me down. Yet, through all of my foolishness, He has smiled on me.

I  actually started this blog in a last "ditch" effort to stay on the path. Looking back on my first posts, like journal entries, I thank the Almighty for never walking away. I cannot tell you how  many times I've wanted to.


He's given me so much more than I could ever imagine. Most of my friends are now married, leaving me as one of the only guys who isn't. I often pray that God would really have someone for me... like many my age have.

I'm very grateful that He hasn't though. I wouldn't have changed a thing. He knew what he was doing creating me, giving me the desires, and drawing so near to me. I thought I needed to become a foreign missionary to get close to God (I'm still hoping to get to go,but now I can offer someone!)and cultivate life away from everyone, instead He started right here!

The adventure has been awesome!


God has given me so much. I'm an uncle twice, first niece on the way, and an amazing household that I really am learning to love. It's amazing the learning part. I'm glad that Love is not exhausted!



I'll have to continue more later since I need to get to bed!


May the blessing of The Lover be upon you!

An awesome sermon!

This is a great teaching!

What it is to accept Jesus-A.W Tozer

Young Hero

I've felt really dry the last couple weeks. Which, in turn, makes for a unhappy Ben. Even though I "know" to be still and wait on God, I tend to get depressed. I often ask for help hesitantly, like He is some Father who gets exasperated with his child for asking too many questions and begging for help "too much."


 By the way, the Father has BLESSED me with a young man to show me the right way to be.


 He is constantly asking me questions, even unto midnight. 


My patience level is shown very low, so I can get very short sometimes. 
Until just NOW, I think I've just shrugged it off as a minor thing. 


For me, Jaron shows  two things. He loves being with me, talking about things he wants to do,hanging around me, and asks loads of questions. This in itself is massive. I wish I could have this heart toward God again. In becoming an "adult" I've lost the view of God as a loving Father who LONGS (longs!) to help his children. To hear us when we are in need.  Much like my little hero, he wants us to enjoy coming to him with everything.  


Secondly, Jaron gives me a chance to show Christ. (Though I'm a failure in this so far) I may not be a dad, but I feel honored by the chance to be a man that he looks up to other than his dad.Who is by the way, Benayah...and he is his name sake, A mighty man!


In seeing how short my fuse is, this week has made more of an impact on me. Tonight I finally broke down inside on the way to Teen Challenge.  I admitted my lack of strength to be steady in the faith. I felt utterly miserable. As I began to pray, I felt like a burden had fallen off my shoulders. A peace filled the place where despair once claimed place. To top it off He reminded me it is by HIS strength I am 
kept by, not mine.

2 Corinthians 3:4-6