call to battle

Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

I have found as I go to prayer God has opened up a new world for me.

He has shown me I am a prayer warrior. The deeper I get into my prayer time the more the warrior / Intercessor comes forth. I see my myself putting on the armor of God described in Ephesians 6. In my minds eye I see myself something like the picture below.

  <------ The picture I found I have not been able to copy to my posts here or on fb.

This is how God has always seen me Strong, powerful, completely unstoppable and victorious. Not because of anything I have done, but because he is in me and I in him.

But until recently I have not seen myself that way.

I once told my church in the house group I saw myself on the front line fighting the devil and his army. I was wearing myself out in the battle and wondering why God wasn’t helping. That God said there is nothing to this battle and when you need me I’ll join in.

I see now I was battling in my own strength. Doing it my own way. There was no power of God in it and I was no threat to any enemy. I don’t need God to join me I need to join Him.

Little by little I see things in a new light.

As I push deeper into prayer I see myself lift up my shield of faith, and wield my sword of the word. I feel him in me and I am unstoppable. He brings my brothers to mind and I run headfirst into battle. It is a bloody affair in my mind the demons swarm around their victims and I cut them to pieces. I resist them and they flee. I reach down and pick up my fallen comrades. I pour living water from my overflowing cup to refresh them. I apply the healing blood of Jesus to their wounds.

I long to take up position by my fellow soldiers but we don’t seem to understand how to fight as a unit. We have been on the defense needlessly for so long we don’t know offense anymore. We have let the enemy scatter us. But we are changing I can feel it. we are waking up. we know we are victorious and are starting to act like it. So……..

Take up your Armor! take up your Sword!

Be Strong Because you are strong!

Fight my brothers Fight!

Watch each others backs. Defend the ground your brother holds. Press into the battle!

And you will see God move like you have never seen before.

I have read the following verses a hundred time before. I have always focused on my condition, my armor, every time I have missed verse 18. It is a call to battle for your brothers in Christ A call I have never heard like I do know.

Ephesians chapter 6:10-18 message bible:

10-12And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

13-18Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.



Ephesians chapter 6:10-18 New Kings James Bible:

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[c] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Well Hello there friend.

Little bit like good ol Rip Van Wrinkle huh.

Well It's a new year I've lost track of time with this blog.

I wonder how my friends on-line are doing.

I wonder if they know I still pray for them.

A tale you say?

Well My love just turned 34 which means I'll be 34 shortly.

I have a verse for you today my friend.

Hebrews 4:12 as best I remember it from the new living translation.

The word of god is full of living power.
Sharper than the sharpest knife.
Piercing deep into our innermost thoughts and desires.
revealing us for who we really are.

I was thinking the other day about why don't we like to read the Bible as much as we should.

Then I was given this verse to memorize.

We don't like to look at ourselves and see how dirty we are in a mirror.
and that's just what the Bible is, a mirror to show us how dirty we really are.

How much we really need Jesus.

Sometime when I read it. I get so focused on the dirt that I forget I've been cleaned.

My friend I've been worrying about what God's will is for my life and I've been so busy being busy for him. That I've missed him.

I heard the other day somewhere.

Stop trying to figure out God's will for your life and just find God.

And that's what I've been trying to do lately.

Just to trust him and to be a little closer to him everyday.

It's not much of a tale today I'm afraid.

But can I ask?

Have you found Him?

or perhaps you're running in circles trying to figure it out.

He's waiting for you today only trust him

that's all I can say.

A busy tale

Been so busy lately,

Church camp has come and gone.

I missed my friends commenting on my blog.

but what a month.......................

To be there at camp.

To pray with a young person at the moment they receive Jesus in their life.

What a blessing!!!!!!!!!

Where will you send me Lord?

As Bob asked is there more to me than Hvac?

Here I am Lord Send Me.

Tale of reflection

Sometimes my friend as I lay in bed I can't sleep.

The days event's roll through my head and I feel the need to type my thoughts away.

What's that?

No, It was not a bad day.

On the contrary it was a good day.

A young couple at our Church were married today.

We had the pleasure to be of service to them.

How do you be of service you ask?

Well my love had the blessing of making the cake, and it was well done to say the least.



Not only did we get to build the cake, but we got to serve it to the guests.

Then we stayed and helped clean the church after the wedding was over.

Boasting you say?

Nay perish the thought!

It's just that I find such a simple pleasure in doing for others those simple things that mean so much.

I laugh and smile inside as I think about how we made tears of joy appear on the bride's face.

She and my love had planned the cake with much detail.

When the time came to make it. The stands to set it on she had picked out were not to be rented anywhere in town.

So we sent her after a disposable cheap stand while we went out and bought the ones she wanted to surprise her with.

How much did that cost you ask?

Service without cost means little I'd say.

And well the tears of appreciation and joy were priceless.

The cake was our gift to the bride and groom.

The stands were my simple way of blessing my Wife and the Bride.

But I reflect on our wedding as I type.

That lovely young girl with the head full of curls after many dates and special times together said yes to my proposal of marriage.

It was a simple wedding with colors of peach and light blue.

An old dear friend of her's played the organ.

Friends and family were all there.

My Bride hunted for a dress she found in a J.C. Penny's magazine that she just had to have.

It was the one and none other would do.

But no store was it to be found in locally so she went four hours away to a bigger town.

Her mom said on that trip, "I don't care how much it costs we are coming back with a dress!"

So at an outlet for Penny's in the bigger town she found it!

Her dress the one in the magazine!

I kid you not.

There was only one mind you, and it was exactly her size.

God is so good isn't he?

How's that?

Yes it was a nice dress, not terribly expensive less than two hundred dollars if I remember correctly.

She look absolutely amazing in it as she came down the aisle.

I wore the same old suit I always wore.

Simple you say?

Yes it was, we did not go through a great expense.

Yet thirteen years later we are still just as married as any couple who spent thousands of dollars on their wedding.

We've been to two weddings in the last couple of weeks, and as I listen to the vows being made I think about those I said so long ago.

I ponder those I should be doing better at keeping.

But then I smile at the knowledge that our love is standing the test of time.

Through bad times and good.

Through joy and sorrow.

It is ever growing, ever changing,

but always there.

Sigh......

We are getting older, though not out of the prime of our life by any means.

But our babies are far from babies now.

I'm starting to show a little gray at the temples, she's getting thinner on top.

This life like a puff of smoke here then gone........

but I have faith that our love will be there till our Lord calls us home.

Bounce back curls

Tales of love have their ups and downs as I was saying before.

And ours was up and down from the moment we started.

My aunt got it in her head she could pick out a girl for me the notion!

Well I'd show her!

The first stupid thing I did for my love or rather to my love follows.

My aunt had arranged for us to meet at a youth group get together.

I was drawn to the cute curly headed girl who flirted with me.

But the next day I asked my aunt to ask her for her blond friends phone number. Who I had no real interest in.

Stupid you say?

Yes, I know but I couldn't have my aunt thinking she was right about who I liked.

The request came back with a um, she's got a boyfriend statement.

So I asked my aunt to ask if I could call her instead.
You know Go with a good solid pick up line.
Like if your friend won't go out with me will you?

For some odd reason she said yes even though I had done pretty much the same thing the exchange student had done to me.

So I called my love and asked her out on a date. She agreed to go out with me.

The carnival was in town we went out and rode some rides.

Funny to see two people on a date who were not familiar enough with each other to hold hands.
But had the rides pushing us closer together.

I can remember riding one of those things that spin you around. When we went to get on the operator stopped me and put her to the side that had her being pushed up next to me.

I remember spinning with her being pushed up next to me. Our hands on the silver bar next to each other but not hand in hand. A couple of kids both on pretty much their first real date not sure of what to expect or what to do. Both interested in the other but shy and unsure.

When we were done at the carnival we walked back to the car which I had parked liked everybody else blocking other people in.

There stood a police man who gave me a lecture on being courteous to others and watching how I parked next time. He could have given me a ticket but he didn't. I felt like and idiot here I was trying to impress this girl and here I had went and done another dumb thing.

Where did we go for dinner?

You're laughing at me aren't you?
You know how picky I am.

Well I took her out to the local Taco Bell. Funny thing is I didn't really eat Mexican food back then, but that's where she said she wanted to go.

So we go there and she gave her order to the clerk and I think I got a Dr. Pepper.

We went and sat down after getting her food, and I watched her eat. She was insecure because she was eating so much more than me. I being insecure because I was trying to not show how much of a picky eater I was by not ordering things instead of just having them take off the stuff I didn't like.

Later we'd laugh about it. She said she felt like a pig because she had dinner and I just had a drink.

Another thing we'd laugh about.
My mother forbid me to drive on the main roads, and told me to take the little side and back roads in town.
Well my love who had grown up in town drove on the main roads, and was wondering where in the world I was going and what my intentions were that first date.

It's a wonder she ever went out with me again.
But that girl just like her curls would bounce back time and time again.

A tale of curls.

It was the year I turned seventeen I had been looking for love and had meet rejection from several young women.

Several? You say?

Okay you could count them on one hand maybe two.

Before approaching any young women I would always ask for God's guidance. That if she was the one it would just work out. If she wasn't that we would go our ways quickly.

The most recent rejection a foreign exchange student from Australia. Who would be willing to go with me to the Jr. Prom if her first choice fell through.

My Aunt was dating or had married a man involved in youth ministry.
And upon hearing of my search she recommended I come meet a young lady named Paula that was in their youth group.

Great a blind date, just what I needed.
My aunt said we both enjoyed the Beach Boy's music, but the funny thing is there was no great love of the group from either of us I don't think either one of us had a cassette tape from them.

Did I go you ask?

Well, she was from a different school and I had been turned down by the girls I took interet in at my school so I went.

Where?

It was a youth party at their Church.
I pulled up to the Church and no one was there.

Then these two girls pulled up in a little blue MGB convertible.
They left just as quick as they had come.

Rejected again was the thought that crossed my mind.

Well the adults and other kids showed up, the girls came back and we got started.
Can't say I remember too much.
Except the two girls the one I was there to meet was slightly overweight. Not so much that one would call her fat but she wasn't skinny like me or her blond haired friend either.

Her hair?

Dark brown with curls.
I remember the curls the most, but she had a glow about her,
A sparkle in her eyes, and I liked the way she laughed.
The youth minister would sit on her legs and tickle her knees and make her laugh.

Sat Behind them during the show or message or movie or whatever it was I don't remember.
My Aunt who was seated beside me behind the two young ladies had the nerve to reach up and playfully pull on one of those dark curls. Then she blamed it on me! The nerve, I was the quite shy type I didn't do things like that!

What's that?

Yes I would have played with those curls had I had the nerve.

Perhaps it's in memory of that night, but from time to time I delicately capture a curl on the back of my love's neck and gently slide it between my thumb and index finger till they slide off the end of the curl. If I do it just right I send a shiver down her spine and can make her whole body shake for a second or two.
I love to do that.

What's that? Was she interested in me?

I believe she was flirting her heart out all night.

And as I said before Love is full of hills and valleys of it's own.
As we stood there on that hill top together each one noticeably interested in the other.
I reached over and shoved her off the hill top.

You Didn't!! You say?

Oh, but I did.

And I will tell you about it next time my friend.

A step in the right direction.

To answer a question form a previous entry, yes I would be missed.

Love is a tale of hills and valleys all of it's own.

Tis a tale I tried to start several times with little success.

Twas during my seventeenth year that I would come to meet the love of my life.

It was three or four years after becoming a Christian.

What's that you say?

It should not surprise you to hear that I call myself a follower of Christ.

I see,.......
My earlier entries left some room for doubt did they?

It's good for you to ask such questions my friend.

Let me ask a question or two of you as well.

Does being a Christian make me less of a man?
Do I not feel, love, hope, cry as other men?

Why be a Christian then?

Because Jesus Shows me how to hope and love better than I ever could on my own.
With him to guide me. I climb to the taller hill tops, and navigate the deepest valleys.

He is there in my greatest joy, and He's there at my deepest sorrow.
You see He has already read my story and knows how each tale ends.

On with the tale you say?

Where was I?

Not as bad as it seems

I suppose I should clarify something least my friends that find me think me suicidal or just crazy.
One should not write when one is a little down I suppose.
I love to write. It's just the words don't come easy sometimes.
I love life both it's hills and valleys. It's just sometimes when I'm waiting for that next hill top. I get lost in the valley.

What's that you say?
A Tale?
I did promise that didn't I?

Shall I share a bit about my life then?

Not a Tale you say?

What is life but a series of tales woven together to make a complete story?

Granted not a tale like that of King or President.
Just a common man Living life as best a man can.

What's that you say more upbeat than the previous entries?

Well that's not something I can promise.

You see life has it's hills and valleys you see....

Yes, yes quite right a hill top then.

Still can't get those thoughts going.

Check mark another thing I can't keep up with.
Depression seems to come and go seem to have a better month this month.
I'm older this month.