Happy Thanksgiving!

Emily said I need to start this thing back up, so here it goes...

I had a good Thanksgiving this year. It was a pretty busy day. I woke up bright and early around 10:30, then laid around the house till I went to the folks place around 2. It looks like Amanda is turning into a cook. She made 6 pumpkin pies, chocolate fudge, and a Peach cobbler. i ate too much dinner, so I'll have to stop by tomorrow to try out desert, lol! It was a good afternoon of Hanging out with the folks, and watching hunting videos.... One of these days, I'll need to go muley hunting, lol!

I went out to Two Rivers for church, and preacher brought a message about being thankful. Thankful for our salvation, our family, our church... If a feller were to just stop and think, every one of us are so blessed, its not even funny. Its definitely something to remember!

I do have a few prayer requests that I'd like prayer for if ya get a free minute or two.
1, I only have about 2 days of work left this winter, and I'll be needing work pretty bad before too long. 2, because money is tight, I am thinking about selling the dodge. yes, it gets good mpg, but selling it would free up a good chunk of money. 3, I need prayer for where God wants me church wise. It is something that's been on my mind most of the summer. I cant wait for Cliff and Phyllis to get back so I can seek their counsel. 4, I need prayer for my personal relationship with God. It has been a bad summer spiritually, and i need to get back where I belong.

That's about all for now, guess I better get into my devotions again so I can try to post something that might be of some use to someone.

Oh, one more thing.... Does anyone know how I can learn how to type? This key board is a whole lot bigger than my Iphone, lol!

nope, haven't been on here much. I've been reading OBC's devotion every morning on the way to the gym. They have been a huge blessing. the past day and a half has been pretty rough. got into an online arguement over something stupid. The end result was that person completly regretting the day they met me, as well as being being cut off from someone that I counted as my best friend just a couple of months ago. this growing up stuff isnt as much fun as it looked. Right, wrong or otherwise, what's done is done. I'm just not handling it near as well as I should. Then this morning, I got an email from someone I met less than aweek ago saying that they could no longer talk. Didn't give a reason other than to say, they couldn't say why, cause it would come out wrong, whatever that means. Idk how i get into these messes, and I sure as heck can't figure out how to get out of them, or avoid them in the future.

What a week

Well, I just finished a 32 hour seminar that dealt with everything from basic salvation to conquering habits, to meditating on scripture, to personal requirements for marriage as well as the requirements of a potential mate, to disciplining kids, and everything in between. This is the 3rd time I've gone through this seminar, and by far the most convicting. It's amazing how you can listen to the exact same thing several times, and every time, God will point out different things that you need to work on. Right from the start, I knew God was going to show me some really deep stuff, because Satan has been attacking me in every area you can imagine all week. Sometimes he won and without fail, the sessions that night where on the exact same topic. The 2 biggest things that I got out of this week (supported by many other things that were taught, and i need to work on) are conquering habits, and courtship/marriage.

Conquering Sinful Habits:
For the past 9 years or so, I have had a bad habit that I have tried to overcome many times over the years with no success. Although I had been through this seminar 2 times before, i was never willing to put forth the effort required to overcome it. Over the past several months, I have gotten a glimpse how much damage it can bring to me, as well as the people around me; and I am now willing to take the steps necessary to overcome the power of sin.

1. Learn why past efforts have failed
A. The futility of our fleshly efforts, Romans 8:13
B. The defeat of double mindedness (wanting to hate the sin and overcome it, but still secretly
wanting to enjoy it), James 1:6-8
C. The ignorance of how to live in Christ, Romans 8:1
D. The foolishness of fleshly provisions (willing having available, or being around temptations),
Romans 13:14
E. The shortsightedness of secrecy (we need to confess and be accountable for our actions),
Proverbs 28:13

2. Learn what it means to be in Christ
A. Levi paid tithes in Abraham (when our forefathers do good, we benefit), Hebrews 7:9-10
B. We sinned in Adam (when our forefathers sinned, so did we, and will suffer the
consequences), Romans 5:12
C. We are in Christ at salvation, Romans 6
D. What Christ did, we did as part of him (victory over sin)

3. Learn how to turn our position 'in Christ' into daily experience
A. Achieved by the 'hearing of faith,' Galatians 3:2,5
B. Ask for wisdom and revelation, Ephesians 1:17-20
C. Faith is trusting God's word, not human reasoning, Hebrews 11:1
D. God promised Abraham a son, Romans 4:17-24
E. God declares Christians are dead to sin (are we gonna believe God, or our own reasoning?),
Romans 6:2
F. If a lie oft told is finally believed, how much more the truth, though it sounds imposable?
G. Our victory is already won in Christ, Romans 6:1-7, Romans 8:1-15
H. We turn this truth into reality by 'reckoning' it so, and by yielding to God's spirit

4. Seven steps to 'reckon' ourselves dead to sin
A. Engraft Romans 6 and Romans 8:1-15 into your soul, James 1:21
B. Meditate on those passages day and night
I. Put it in the first person
II. Name the sin
C. Compare the law of sin to the law of gravity (just because we get saved, doesn't make the
'pull' of sin go away), Romans 7:21-24, Romans 8:1-2
D. Make no provision for fleshly lusts Romans 13:14
E. Picture yourself dead to the power and appeal of sin, Rom 6:6, Gal 2:20, Col 3:3
F. Be accountable for daily victory
I. Use the power of shame to conquer temptation
G. Recognise and obey the Scriptural promptings of the Holy Spirit

5. Learn how to yield to God
A. Spiritual Prompting (idea)
B. Visualization
C. Decision
D. Yielding of self, Romans 21:1
E. Yielding of members daily, Romans 6:13

6. Expect God to confirm our need for him (Love), Phil 3:7-11, Rom 7:22-24

Live just one day at a time, and stay focused on victory for that day. Don't put the extra load of tomorrow's temptations on you today.

Courtship/ Marriage:

Nine qualities I need to have to be ready for a relationship.:

1. I need to be a genuine believer (with an active, growing relationship with God)
2. I need to have self acceptance
3. I need to be under my God given authorities
4. I must have a clear conscience (no hidden sins or past sins that haven't been dealt with)
5. I need to know how to yield my rights
6. I need to have moral freedom
7. I need to know God's purpose for my life (how can we expect to find a help-meet, if we don't know what we need help with?)
8. I need to have financial freedom (how can I support a family if I'm buried in debt, with no place to live?)
9. I need to be in harmony with the members of my family (how can I love my wife, if I don't get along with my sisters? how I treat my mom and sisters, is how I will treat my wife)

These are also the qualities I should look for in a potential wife.

I need to develop a relationship with her dad. What qualities does she admire in him? Do I have the same qualities? If not, what do I have to do to develop those qualities? We should only pursue marriage, if it is clear that we can be more affective for God married, rather than single. We need to go to sleep to the idea of marriage, and focus on whatever God wants us to be doing 100%. God will wake me up when he has ready for me, and me for her.

There are things that I need to work on,things that will not change overnight. As much As I want to, I can't put a face on the person, or a date on the time that God has planned for me. Every time I do, I end up ruining a friendship that never should have been ruined. If i would just let God work out his perfect plan, I will be so much better off. Right now, I only have about half of the qualities that I need. To get involved in a relationship at this point would be nothing short of selfish and greedy. I pray that God would get me a double portion of grace, that I may be prepared for whoever God has for me as soon as possible.

God's Principle of Design

Tonight was the first night of Bill Gothard's IBLP Basic Seminar. It's been a long time since I've been through it. There is so much material, it's hard to remember half of it! Tonight we went through the principle of design. God made each of us exactly how he wants us, and we need to be thankful for that. not a whole lot to talk about tonight, but it was still a very good lesson. Tomorrow night is the principle of Authority.

When trying your hardest isn't good enough.

Today was my first day back in Fairbanks. I gotta admit that this is one of the last places I wanted to be this morning. One thing that I've really been worrying about (notice I said 'worrying,' not 'praying') is that I would either stop growing or worse, slide backwards; because I did not think there was a church that I could grow from in town. Boy was I wrong! Tonight, i went to Bible Baptist Church, and sat through a sermon that God had to have planned just for me! Brother Leon Groff taught a message on why we don't grow, even when we are doing everything we can think of to grow, and draw closer to God.
The problem is that we are trying to hold ourselves to God's standards on our own. No matter how hard we try on our own, we will never be able to hold ourselves to God's standard. Isaiah 64:6 says '...all our righteousness are as filthy rags...'
What we need to do, is humble ourselves, admit that we cannot grow on our own, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us closer to God. Brother Groff used personal relationships as an example. If we are interested in someone and want to grow closer to them, we naturally look for things we can do to make that person happy, and to please them. As we start doing things that make that person happy, we naturally grow closer, and the relationship gets stronger and stronger. The closer we get, the more things we can do for that person. The same is true with God. As we start doing little things that please God, we will grow closer to him, and we will naturally starting getting closer to where he wants us. This message was a huge encouragement to me, because it is exactly what I have been struggling with over the last couple of months. I've been trying to grow, but I wasn't seeing the results that I thought I should be seeing. I am so thankful for God's faithfulness! I has proven that if I trust him, and go where ever he leads, he will take care of me both Spiritually, and Physically. God is so good!!!!

The flesh or the spirit?

Galatians 6:7-10 -Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Tonight, Pastor Mike taught us a great lesson that we will live according to what side of us we feed more. People can see by our lifestyle whether we are feeding our flesh more, or our Spirit. Often we say that we want to be close to God and grow spiritually, but we continue to feed our flesh. We naturally want to feed our flesh, and it is not natural to feed our Spirit. It's hard to feed our Spirit, and it takes a long time to get the results we are looking for. Most of us treat getting 'into shape' spiritually just like we treat getting into shape physically. We go at it all out for a week or two, maybe even a month; but when we don't see big enough results fast enough, we get discouraged and quit. Romans 12:2 says 'And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. We should never be done growing spiritually. It should be a constant process that continues throughout our whole life. Every day we should be transforming our lives in every area to be closer to where he wants us to be. No, it isn't easy. it is something we need to purpose in our hearts, and stick with it no matter what our flesh tries to tell us. Hebrews 11:25 says 'Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.' Giving in to the flesh is easy, and it gives you an instant reward. Feeding the spirit is hard, and it takes a long time before you reap your reward; but when you do, it is so worth it!

Someone said, 'Ten years from now, we will be where our devotions are today.' That is why it is so important to stay focused on God, and continue to pray, read God's word and have daily devotions, and memorize Scripture. Even when we don't think it is doing any good, and we really want to quit, if we are diligent, we will reap the rewards. He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

This lesson was a huge encouragement to me. Since I have gotten serious about growing close to God, and following his will, I have found myself getting frustrated because I wasn't seeing any results. I need to remember that it is a constant process, and thank God that he will always be there to help me when I get discouraged.

Hebrews 12:1-2 is a really encouraging challenge. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2 Corinthians 9:6 - But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Mr Anderson quoted this verse in church tonight, and it really got my attention. It's a good verse that I can apply to both my physical life and my spiritual life.

The more effort I put into everyday life, the more i will get out of it. the harder I work, the more I will get done. The more hours i work, the more I will get paid. The more I give back to God, the more he will bless me with. Financially, I have really been struggling this past year in particular. I worked 12-15hours, 6 days a week all summer, but no matter how hard I worked, I could never keep it in the bank. If I wasn't breaking my truck, something else was happening that I had to spend it on. I've had several people tell me that God was trying to tell me to get rid of my truck, but as I look back on this past year, I have realized what the problem is. i have not been faithful in my tithes and offerings. How can I expect God to bless my labor, if I am not giving it back to him? I need to turn focus from from trying to get money for my own benefit, and focus on asking God what he wants me to do with what he has already given me.

Spiritually, the more I seek God, the more he will bless me. i cannot expect to grow in leaps and bounds if i am not seeking him all day, every day. I need to have God, his word, and his will in my thoughts and in my actions all day all.

Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.'

Hebrews 11:6 'But without faith it is imposable to please him:for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.'

My prayer is that I will seek God with my whole heart, thoughout every single day.