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experiences

Working Through The Hurt

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THE WORD

I John 4:7, 11, and 12 – Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

There are many guarantees that life tries to give but it can never promise that you will never be hurt. Trust me, if anyone knows this it would be me. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I have finally realized through trials throughout my life and in the past year that I will be hurt sometimes but I always have the comfort of God to move on. We must all choose to move forward regardless of what we are dealing with. We read in the word of God about that comforter and I am so glad it is real. In times when I am down and count all my mistakes, the comfort of the Holy Spirit comes to encourage me.

Do not be disappointed when people let you down; for at some point they always do. The only constant that we have that can help us in our time of hurt is God! He can heal the broken hearted and place forgiveness within you that you never thought you could possess. You will be able to stand and fight on another day! I wish I could say that the church you attend is always going to see when you are hurt, but sometimes it will be missed. Remember that the presence of God will stick to you closer than a brother and will be whatever you need in your life. It WILL fill the empty voids that you feel inside! This breaks my heart to write as a minister but it should remind us that there should never be an opportunity slip by where we can perform outreach for hurting people. The next time you are at church may be the last time to do it. I just hope and pray in the times ahead of us that we learn to come together regardless of our differences and remember the true meaning of being “fishers of men”!

PUT INTO PRACTICE

When you recognize someone that is hurting from a situation, offer to pray with them. I am challenging you to call on the comforter to help in ways we cannot do ourselves!

Open Your Eyes And See

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I’m always looking for something of a great metaphor to compare my life to. I’ve heard many comparisons to how fast that life goes. There was only one that really stood out to me:

Life is totally like a roller coaster. You start out with no idea how anything is going to go, and before you know it, you are already through the first part of the ride, wishing you could go back to your childhood. And as the ride of life goes on, you start going around curves and quick jumps up and down you have never faced, seeing temptations and feeling new things for the very first time. And before you know it, your teenage years through high school are over.

The ride keeps on getting more and more exciting, leading you to want to get to the next part quicker, graduating college and finding that first job. Even perhaps finding the love of your life and starting a family. Then you run into the ups and downs that don’t make you feel as good. In fact, life gets so hard that all we want to do is shut our eyes and hope that the next part isn’t as bad as the hill we just came up and down.

Now we’ve been on the ride for a while, so now we think that we know what is ahead of us based on all the spins that we’ve already made, we grow wise from all of our prior experiences that we have dealt with so far. But before you know it, eventually something hits you; you now realize that just as quick as the ride started, and all the fun that it was, that you can now see the end of the ride in sight.

And as for everyone, the ride finally comes to an end, with people all around you, watching how you handled the ride, observing just how well you took it. And just like that, the next generation is on board and ready to take off on the same journey, not really realizing what’s ahead.

When I think about all of this, it makes me realize, that no matter how fast my ride of life is going, that if I let God be a part of it, I have that security for my soul. That no matter what ups or downs are in front of me, that I will be content with my life, and knowing that when my ride is over, that there will be a even better place to go, with far more beyond my own imagination.

This all brings me back to a scripture. I’m posting the whole thing, and letting you read for yourself, to find how it speaks to you:

Psalm 139:

1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Are You Ready For An Update?

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It’s good to be back writing on the HOG blog once again! lol! We might as well give it a catchy name everyone loves, so there you go!

Sometimes it is hard to allow technology to capture how good that God has actually been in our ministry. The places we have been have been just as much of a blessing to us. We have learned many things a long the way, and even though we have grew up and had many experiences, we always learn something new.

The Lord God is wonderful. Simply put. The singing seems to only get better, even when we get more tired. The ministering that we do in spoken word and truth seems to be more magnified, even when we feel more and more weary from the journeys that we take. And though we know there are more ahead of us, we know that there is more strength to be had, and more blessings to give to others. For we do not stand as a group to get a pat on the back, but to hold our hand out and help to pick others up in need.

I hope the day comes that we all become strong enough to obtain and retain that power from on high, that when people see all of us that carry Christ within us, they KNOW beyond all doubt, and that we have NO fear of come what may.

Thanks to all of the past churches for the wonderful fellowship, the wonderful food, and the wonderful experiences! We can’t wait to see you again! Be sure to stay tuned. We are in the works for some new news! I’ll stay on it, I promise!

Being Established

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Some start to return to the true fellowship God has ordained for His people, but some have a hard time getting free of what they have experienced, but not all do get out.

There are all kinds of people that are out there:

1. Those who are so involved, they are absorbed into it to the point where their “faith” will never be shaken

2. Those who leave because they have been hurt or damaged and consider true Christianity a farce and leave it altogether

3. Those who come out of it immediately because the light of God’s word and conviction by the Holy Spirit is so clear

4. Those that will come out of it, but struggle to get rid of the oppression and experiences and feelings

Am I Established In The Right?

Many believers who have stepped onto the road of deception have all had thoughts or doubts about what they were doing, having thoughts like “Something seems wrong” or “I am not sure“.

1 John 1:5-7

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

What is around me? Is it something of God?

It may have looked like light, but it was darkness. It may have looked like truth, but it was a lie. It may have looked like God and His workings, but it wasn’t. It was darkness, and Jesus said,

Matthew 6:23

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Why can’t I let things just stay this way?

This is an important area of repentance and a turning to the word of God.

2 Corinthians 6:14-17

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you

Where do I go from here? What do I do?

His forgiveness is readily available. It is the heart of the individual that limits to what extent God can work to fully restore them. God wants to ESTABLISH you again in His truth and He has the total power to do so if you will return to the faith you once followed:

God desires to establish you again according to His gospel through your obedience:

Romans 16:25-26

25 Now to him that is of power to STABLISH YOU ACCORDING TO my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

God wants to establish you in holiness by ridding you of the deceptions:

1 Thessalonians 3:13

13 To the end HE MAY STABLISH YOUR HEARTS UNBLAMEABLE IN HOLINESS before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

God wants to establish you in good works once again and deliver you:

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
17 Comfort your hearts, and STABLISH YOU IN EVERY GOOD WORD AND WORK.

The Lord will establish you and deliver you from those who have not faith around you:

2 Thessalonians 3:1-4

1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, WHO SHALL STABLISH YOU, and keep you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.

Come Without Cost

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Matthew 26:56

[56] But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

John 7:5

[5] For neither did his brethren believe in him.

John 1:10-11

[10] He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
[11] He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

One of the worst emotions and experiences that anyone can face is rejection. Rejecting is simply defined as someone “refusing to accept”. We all face is in our everyday lives. And to me, it’s one of the worst things that we will ever deal with. Why is it that way? I think it is because each and every one of us want to win the approval of everyone around us. We want everyone to be pleased with us. The sad fact though is that we will never win that battle, and yet spend our lives trying to win it.

As we go through some verses as shown above, there were different instances in the scriptures where Christ was rejected by his friends, kindred, nation, and even the world. And as it was indicated in the last moments in his life, Rejection was one of the main factors that led to Christ’s death. People did not want to accept him as he was being the son of God. People were content then with what they thought was acceptable, therefore rejecting the concept of Christ bringing new life to the world. Despite rejection, Christ still promised us: the holy spirit, to answer our prayer, to draw all men unto him, to receive all who come, to give rest, to confess us before the father, and MOST importantly, to come again! All of this within itself should be enough for me to be able to face a little rejection from others in my life.

You might be reading this and saying to yourself, “I am constantly rejected. No one will accept me for who I am”. I was in that very position. Let me remind you of a scripture.

John 6:37

[37] All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Reading this was SUCH a blessing to me. I then realized a lot of things at that point. Regardless of mistakes, success, popularity, possessions, how much you hate how bad things are, hopelessness, desperation, YOU ARE NOT REJECTED!!!

We all have a place with God. God is the only presence in this world that you can come to without facing rejection. I’m reminded of a verse:

Isaiah 55:1

[1] Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

To me there are two things that stand out:

Without money = without possessions

Without price = without cost

I know this seems way out there, but stay with me. How can you buy anything without money or price. If it has no price, there is no need for money. You see Jesus paid this cost so that we could come without it. If you are living life with a broken heart from all the rejection, you are not alone! You can come without cost and find peace in your life once and for all. I felt really led to go ahead and write this today for anyone facing rejection like I did in my childhood years and sometimes even now.