Month: August 2019

I am praying for my fellow American brothers and sisters in El Paso, Texas today.  I am asking the Lord to bring healing and comfort.  I am also asking the Lord to stop the hatred and violence that plagues our nation.  Please join with me in praying for healing and revival for our nation and the world.  We are living in dangerous times and we need to trust in Jesus with all of our hearts.  We must stand firm in His love and not give up!

If you are not familiar with what happened, there was a 21 year old man from Allen, Texas (about 30 miles north of the Dallas/Fort Worth area) who drove down to El Paso yesterday because he wanted to kill Mexican immigrants.  Those are the first reports anyway.  I don’t trust the news, but it looks like he wrote an anti-immigrant rant online before he committed the crime.  What we do know is that he killed 20 people and wounded 26 more.

This is going to be a hot button issue in the news.  If you are not familiar with American geography, El Paso is located at the farthest western edge of Texas right on the border with Mexico.  Juárez, Mexico is literally about 300 feet across the border.  It has been run by the drug cartels for a long time and the people of Juárez suffer from poverty and violence.  We have a friend who grew up in El Paso and she has some stories to tell about the scary crime that goes on along the border.  My wife also went on a mission trip to Juárez to build a house for a family when she was in college and she saw the poverty and suffering firsthand.  There are many American Christian groups who minister to people in Mexico.  Americans and Mexicans do not hate each other as the media tries so desperately to portray.

The left will of course blame Trump for the tragedy in El Paso and continue to say it is his fault and that he is a racist and that protecting the border is racist and on and on they will go.  They will also blame gun owners like me and say it is our fault and that all of us should be rounded up and all guns made illegal.  It is a sad and tired game of politics in this country and none of the left’s blame holds any weight and nobody with a sane mind is listening to their hateful rants.

The fact is people are sinful.  We all are.  We live in a fallen world full of sin, and real evil exists on this earth.  What that man did was sinful and evil and it was of the evil one.  You could ban all the guns in the world and criminals are still going to get guns.  The only thing banning guns does is disarm law abiding people leaving them defenseless against armed criminals.  There would still be crime and murderers would still murder.  The problem is with the fallen state of man on this earth.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 3:23

“He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.  The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”

1 John 3:8

As much as I can’t stand the constant race baiting from the left, we all know there are actual racists out there.  Can I just say, enough with it!  Those divisions of the flesh are straight from the pit of hell!  We were all created by God and we were all fearfully and wonderfully made in our mother’s womb.  It doesn’t matter what color your skin is or what country you are from.  God loves you and He died for you to save your soul!

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Romans 3:22-24

I live in Colorado, which is real close to Texas.  We could drive straight south through New Mexico and be to El Paso (and Mexico for that matter) in about 9 hours.  My sister and her family live in Fort Worth now.  I am all for protecting the border to keep dangerous criminals like the drug cartels and gangs out of our country.  In my experience, most of the folks that come to Colorado from Mexico are just normal families that want a better life with more opportunities.

I grew up working landscaping jobs with a lot of guys from Mexico.  I speak pretty good Spanish, so it was always fun.  The guy who just came to stain our fence was from Mexico.  I spoke with him for a little bit in Spanish just like I would talk with one of my neighbors in English.  He appreciated me telling him “Dios Te Bendiga,” which means God bless you.  Most people don’t have any problem with the folks from Mexico and we have all gotten along just fine for many years.  Colorado has that name because our state was actually first settled by the Spanish.  Mexican and Spanish culture are evident and appreciated throughout Colorado and the entire southwest.

Our country’s southern border has been a volatile political issue since the Alamo and Santa Ana’s subsequent defeat.  Protecting the border of your country is not racist.  I am all for people coming over legally just like my Irish ancestors did when they came through Ellis Island in New York.  We need our borders, they need to be protected, and there needs to be a legal process for immigration.  The new world order (NWO) controllers are desperately trying everything they can to break down every nation’s sovereignty and remove our borders because they want a one world government.

Don’t believe me?  Do some research on the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission, the Bilderberg Group, the Committee of 300, the Club of Rome, the Illuminati (Scottish Rite Freemasons), and the Tavistock Institute and that is just for starters.  Yes, there really are a group of people who serve the evil one and they are actively building a one world government that the anti-Christ will rule during the 7 year Tribulation (the time of Jacob’s trouble).  In order to do that, they cause chaos in our current order, so that all the nations will give up their sovereignty and freedom, lay down their arms, and willingly agree to be absorbed into a totalitarian one world super power.  Their motto is “order out of chaos” and they are deadly serious about achieving their wicked goals.

The attack in El Paso could be a crime committed by a deranged man who has nothing to do with the NWO.  There have also been times where crimes like these are staged by NWO traitors in our own government as a false flag designed to cause more anger and chaos in our country, so that they can take our guns and our rights.  Believe me, they will use this tragedy to attempt to do just that either way.  Do not let them take your freedom, your rights, or your sovereignty!  Do not be tricked into giving up and just walk right into their trap of slavery they have planned for the whole world!  You don’t want to be a part of the evil one’s one world government and you do not ever want his mark (spoken of in Revelation 13:16-18) put on you!  Don’t let them ever put a microchip or any kind of RFID tag on you!  They want to control us all like animals.  Run to Jesus and be free!

I know I have said a lot here, but it needs to be said.  We are in a spiritual war between Heaven and hell and we are seeing it heat up exponentially in our time.  Hold onto Jesus!  Cling to Him!  If you do not know Jesus, now is the time to come to Him.  We need to love the Lord with all of our hearts and love our neighbors as ourselves like Jesus said!  We are in a time when the love of most is growing cold.  Don’t let His love grow cold in you!  Pray for His love to increase and overflow in your hearts for each other and for everyone else just as the Apostle Paul prayed (1 Thessalonians 3:12).  Love each other!  No matter what color or culture we are from, we must love each other!

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Ephesians 6:10-13

I pray Lord that You open the eyes and hearts of every person in this entire world and You reveal Yourself to the nations!  Thank You for dying for us Lord!  Thank You for setting us free!  Pour out Your Holy Spirit on all the families who lost loved ones and all those who were wounded in El Paso.  Please pour out Your Holy Spirit on us all Lord, deliver us from evil, and spread revival through the whole world!

The love, grace, and mercy of Jesus be with us all!

“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40

 

 

This last week has been Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.  Our family loves Shark Week and we record just about every episode we can.  Today I was watching one of the new episodes that I really liked called “Isle of Jaws: Blood Brothers.”  Emmy Award winning cinematographer and conservationist Andy Casagrande goes back to the Isle of Jaws to confirm research he did last year on two Great White shark brothers, and what he discovers is awesome.  The research Andy and his team are doing is crucial to understanding shark behavior, but they do so at great risk to their own souls.  This episode was intense at times and the risks they take made me think about life and death and testing God.

The Isle of Jaws sits 80 miles southeast of the coastal town of Esperance, Australia, and the waters surrounding the island are full of Great White sharks.  Most people would not dare go in those waters even in a cage, let alone dive in open water with the sharks, but Andy and his crew do just that.  When they got out of the cage to film the sharks, I was saying, “Get back in the cage!”  I felt like praying for their protection right in that moment, but of course the show is not live.  I do pray for God to protect them though and I pray they are never attacked by a shark, especially a Great White.

It is so crazy when they get out of the cage!  I am always sitting here thinking, “What are these guys thinking?!  Are they crazy?!  Why can’t they just film the sharks from inside the cage?!”  It makes for good TV and it has us on the edge of our seat holding our breath, but at what cost to the people in the water?  I don’t want people risking their lives to make exciting TV shows.  Human souls are far too precious to be put into danger like that.

At any time Andy and his crew could be killed.  In a flash, with a quick strike, those Great White sharks could kill them.  What is stopping those sharks from killing them?  I say God is protecting them, whether they give Him glory for it or not.  How far is too far and when does research become testing God?  Some might say even being in a protective cage in shark infested waters is testing God.  More might agree that it is testing God when they get out of the cage and swim with the mighty killers in open water.  I would not want to do either, but I definitely would not trust my life to the whims of a Great White!

I see nature for what it is.  Great White sharks eat meat and when we are in their waters, we are meat.  It’s just that simple.  I really can’t stand it when they say sharks don’t eat people.  Sure they do!  As we have learned in this season of Shark Week, there have even been times where sharks are actively hunting people year after year as evidenced by the 22 attacks and 11 deaths in 8 years in the waters surrounding the island of Réunion.

Most of us will never dive with Great White sharks.  Those who do have stared death in the face and I truly hope they consider their eternal souls.  Life and death are not a game.  Most people go about their day without giving a single thought to their soul or what will happen when they die.  Many people take life threatening risks.  Some take risks for research, some for money and fame, and some do it just for fun.  I am not saying live your life in fear.  I had my times taking risks doing things like climbing a 14,000 foot mountain and snowboarding from 12,000 feet.  What I am saying is please consider your soul and what it is worth.

Our souls are so precious to God that He died for us to save us from sin and death!  He does not want us to perish!  He wants all of us to come to repentance and receive His free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus speaking in John 3:16

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

It’s very easy to become caught up in our lives and the busyness of the every day grind.  How often do you stop and consider your soul?  We go to work and come home and watch our shows and the routine can make us numb to the serious reality of mortality that we all face.  Watching people risk their lives swimming with sharks makes for entertaining TV, but let us remember just how fragile the line between life and death truly is.  We will all take our last breath someday and that is nothing to play around with.

The Bible says now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).  Now, not later!  Today is the day, not tomorrow, because we might not get a tomorrow.  Do not become complacent with your soul!  There is a God in Heaven and He loves you and He is offering His salvation to you!  Forgiveness of sins and Heaven are only offered through faith in Jesus and mankind has no other Savior.  God sets before each of us life or death every day.  What will you choose?  I pray with all my heart that you choose life in Jesus Christ!

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12

How do you choose Jesus?  By faith!  As the Apostle Paul said,

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 10:9

Whether you swim with sharks or not, please consider your eternal soul with all of your heart and remember, none of us are immortal.  We will all face our Creator someday and He offers His free gift of salvation to everyone…and that includes you!

Grace and peace to you all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thought I’d let everyone know that our home state of Colorado turned 143 years old today.  Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876 and we have come a real long way since the old gold mining days.  I grew up in this state as a kid in the 80s and I have lived here for almost 34 years of my 41 on earth.  It is a beautiful place to live and raise kids and I hope to see our kids raising children here someday.  To celebrate the Centennial State’s birthday, I figured I would show some of the scripture pins I have made over the last year using photos of Colorado.

Enjoy and please feel free to use these pins on your social media accounts!  Sharing the beauty of God’s Word with the beauty of His creation is always a good match.  God bless you all!

 

Happy Birthday Colorado!

Grace and peace to you all in the Name of Jesus!