Are you a Cretian?

Do you find yourself letting your faith slip? Slipping enough to allow someone to twist the gospel just enough to be in opposition to the truth, but still make you believe it to be feasible? Are you a Cretian from the days after Christ had ascended…when Paul wrote his letter to Titus?

We need to be vigilant about sticking to the truth of God’s word. We need to rebuke those who teach anything but the true, unadulterated word of our Lord.

For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Titus 1:10‭-‬16 NKJV

Beware of the false teachers of the world. They are trying to draw you away from what you know to be true, to be light, and into the darkness of the world.

Don’t be a Cretian, be a banner carrier for God’s truth, for God’s word.

God bless

A song for the struggles

Dead Man

By We As Human

We As Human lyrics are property and copyright of their owners. “Dead Man” lyrics provided for educational purposes and personal use only.
Copyright © 2000-2019 AZLyrics.com

A thought before bed tonight…

I have spent the better part of two days at the lake, with a group of men that I like to believe I can count as friends. The younger members of the group, are the men who served alongside my son while deployed in Afghanistan. The two other gentlemen are both dedicated to giving back to this group of “boys” by offering them a weekend to gather, reminiscing about their experiences, and unplugging from the struggles of everyday life. I am grateful to have been able to participate in this experience several times over the past eight years.

I returned home this evening, and on my drive this verse kept coming to my heart:

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
John 15:13 NKJV

Whether or not they are/were actively Christian or not, the did, and still do, live this verse for their “band of brothers”. I know that if it came down to it, they all would sacrifice themselves for any one of the others.

My heart is overwhelmed with pride for being accepted by this group, and also with love for this group of men and what they stand for.

I pray that God will bless them all, and continue to watch over them through the rest of their lives. I also pray that they always have each other’s backs.

I look forward to our next gathering of the 2-28.

God bless

Let these lyrics sink in

Undo
Performed by: Rush of Fools

I’ve been here before

Now, here I am again
Standing at the door
Praying You’ll let me back in

To label me

A prodigal would be
Only scratching the surface
Of who I’ve been known to be
Turn me around, pick me up
Undo what I’ve become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, I need Your help
I can’t do this myself
You’re the only one
Who can undo what I’ve become
I focused on the score
But I could never win
Trying to ignore
A life of hiding my sin
To label me
A hypocrite would be
Only scratching the surface
Of who I’ve been known to be
Turn me around, pick me up
Undo what I’ve become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, I need Your help
I can’t do this myself
You’re the only one
Who can undo what I’ve become
Make every step lead me back to
The sovereign way that You
Turn me around, pick me up
Undo what I’ve become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, I need Your help
I can’t do this myself
You’re the only one who can undo
You are the only one who can undo
You’re the only one who can undo
What I’ve become

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Bjork Gudmundsdottir / Thomas Knak
Undo lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group

Song of the Day

We Fall Apart

by We As Human

The worlds on fire but we’re all smiling

Though it’s all our fault
But life is short so we resort to laughing through it all

It’s the battle within the good and the sin

With both sides standing strong
It’s the permanent scars
How broken we are
It’s the things that hurt us all
But isn’t it beautiful
The way we fall apart
It’s magical and tragic all the ways we break our hearts
So unpredictable
We’re comfortably miserable
We think we’re invincible
Completely unbreakable
And maybe we are
Isn’t it beautiful
The way we all fall apart
You’re a liar but I’m a coward so I can’t throw a stone
We’re so imperfect but so worth it because we’re not alone
It’s the wars that we wage, the lives that we take
For better or for worse
It’s the lion we cage, the love and the rage
That keeps us wanting more
But isn’t it beautiful
The way we fall apart
It’s magical and tragic all the ways we break our hearts
So unpredictable
We’re comfortably miserable
We think we’re invincible
Completely unbreakable
And maybe we are
But isn’t it beautiful
The way we all fall apart
The world is dark but all it takes
your love to spark
To set my heart on fire once again
But isn’t it beautiful
The way we fall apart
Isn’t it beautiful
oh, isn’t it wonderful
The way we fall apart
It’s magical and tragic all the ways we break our hearts
So unpredictable
We’re comfortably miserable
We think we’re invincible
Completely unbreakable
And maybe we are
But isn’t it beautiful
The way we all fall apart
Isn’t it beautiful
The way we fall apart

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Justin Cordle / Scott C. Stevens
We Fall Apart lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Psalm 31:17-24

Today I asked God to speak to me through His word, and this is the message I received:

17 Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You;

Let the wicked be ashamed;
Let them be silent in the grave.
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence,
Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

19 Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!
20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion
From the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord,
For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!
22 For I said in my haste,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried out to You.

23 Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
24 Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.

God loves me, and forgives me, even though I continue to let Him down. I can take comfort knowing this truth. He will never turn His back on me for falling short of perfection. What’s more is He doesn’t want me to beat myself up for my shortcomings. He wants me to pick myself up, dust myself off, and keep trying. He sent His son Jesus to be my savior from myself, and I can take solace in Him.

How awesome is that…and how humbling.

God bless you

I heard this song last night

As you can tell I am into music… I feel like God uses music to speak to me. Many times I have been feeling a certain way, and a song comes on the radio that speaks to my soul, specifically related to that feeling.

One that note, I bring you this latest song that did just that…

Maybe It’s Okay

If I didn’t know what it hurt like to be broken
Then how would I know what it feels like to be whole
If I didn’t know what it cost like to be rejected
Then I wouldn’t know that Your love coming home

Maybe it’s ok if I’m not ok

‘Cause the One who holds the world is holding onto me
Maybe it’s all right if I’m not all right
‘Cause the One who holds the stars is holding my whole life
If I didn’t know what it look like to be dirty
Then I wouldn’t know what it feels like to be clean
And if all of my shame hadn’t drove me to hide in the shadows
Then I wouldn’t know the beauty of being free
Maybe it’s ok if I’m not ok
‘Cause the One who holds the world is holding onto me
Maybe it’s all right if I’m not all right
‘Cause the One who holds the stars is holding my whole life
Father, let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done
Here in my heart as in Heaven
Father, let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done
Here in my heart as in Heaven, oh!
Maybe it’s ok if I’m not ok
‘Cause the One who holds the world is holding onto me
Maybe it’s all right if I’m not all right
‘Cause the One who holds the stars is holding my whole life
Now I’m alive in You
The best that I deserved
Now I’m alive and I can see You in everything
Maybe it’s ok if I’m not ok
Songwriters: Jonathan Lindley Smith / Bryan Fowler / Darren Mulligan

Maybe It’s Ok lyrics © Dayspring Music LLC, So Essential Tunes

This song popped into my head this morning

El shaddai, el shaddai,

El-elyon na adonia,
Age to age you’re still the same,
By the power of the name.
El shaddai, el shaddai,
Erkamka na adonai,
We will praise and lift you high,
El shaddai.
Through your love and through the ram,
You saved the son of abraham;
Through the power of your hand,
Turned the sea into dry land.
To the outcast on her knees,
You were the God who really sees,
And by your might,
You set your children free.
El shaddai, el shaddai,
El-elyon na adonia,
Age to age you’re still the same,
By the power of the name.
El shaddai, el shaddai,
Erkamka na adonai,
We will praise and lift you high,
El shaddai.
Through the years you’ve made it clear,
That the time of christ was near,
Though the people couldn’t see
What messiah ought to be.
Though your word contained the plan,
They just could not understand
Your most awesome work was done
Through the frailty of your son.
El shaddai, el shaddai,
El-elyon na adonai,
Age to age you’re still the same,
By the power of the name.
El shaddai, el shaddai,
Erkamka na adonai,
I will praise yo ’till I die,
El shaddai.
El shaddai, el shaddai,
El-elyon na adonai,
Age to age you’re still the same,
By the power of the name.
El shaddai, el shaddai,
Erkamka na adonai,
I will praise you ’till I die.
El shaddai.

Songwriters: Michael J. Card / John W Thompson

El Shaddai lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc