A word from Mr. Charles Spurgeon…

“Doth not a flight through illimitable plains of the ether of love inflame thy heart and compel thee to delight thyself in the Lord thy God? Surely as we meditate on the love of the Lord, our hearts burn within us and we long to love Him more.”    C.H. Spurgeon

And so, after reading this quote, I am reminded again of why I do what I do. Firstly, it is by His grace. Secondly, it is a great privilege to stand before Him as one of His own. I will try then to keep a constant flame upon my heart by remembering Him in all things and by gratefully thanking Him for all of His benefits. Today I will endeavor to let gratitude be my guide and to let Him enjoy me, His purchased possession.

We need some Pauls…

We desperately need a restoration and revival in the word and in the knowledge of God. We do not believe the goodness of God because we do not remember “His wonderful works to the children of men.” Those who remember the works of the Lord are often the ones who have a real place of worship in their hearts, not contingent on a place of meeting or a particular building or movement. I think one of the reasons Paul pressed so hard in his mission was because he constantly remembered what happened to him on the road to Damascus. It was the same with the Israelites in the times after the Exodus. As long as they remembered the works of YHWH they remained morally, spiritually, and politically upright (generally). Once they forgot the Lord and turned to their own kings and systems it all started going downhill. The writings of the prophets are filled with pleas to remember the Lord. We need people who can remember what the Lord really said He wanted to do with mankind on the earth. We need a revival in the word. We need a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of HIM! He has a purpose and a plan for the earth that eye has not seen and ear has not heard but He has revealed it to us BY HIS SPIRIT. We are in need of men and women who have encountered the Lord to speak up and remember why they were encountered in the first place. We need some more people like Paul, driven by revelation of Jesus. What we really need are people who endeavor to preach nothing but Christ and Christ crucified. Sound good and ideal? Well, we need those who preach it with their lives, not just their words. How’s that for idealistic. Well, Paul and the rest of the apostles did it, unto death at a premature time. Hmm. What am I living for? If it’s possible, I want it. If it’s impossible, I want it.

The Teacher…

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your rememberance all things that I said to you.   John 14:26

This is one of my favorite passages for meditation in the gospel of St. John. I love it and every time I read it my heart is moved. Why did Jesus constantly highlight the work and nature of the Holy Ghost in this gospel. For sure this is the most detailed book in the bible about the person of the Spirit. It just strikes me again as I read this today that the Holy Spirit teaches us and reveals to us the nature of Christ. I encourage us to think about this: the Holy Spirit dwells in us and teaches us of the kingdom of God and of Christ. Let this be for our assurance, He will teach us all things…..ALL THINGS!! Seems to me that our only job in this whole deal is to quiet down ourselves, ask Him to teach us, and then listen to what He wants to say. The way of the kingdom is so simple! It’s almost too simple. Too simple for the wise, rich, powerful, and comfortable. All of creation groans and waits for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed. They will be revealed when they take the word seriously, are taught by the Spirit and live it unashamedly and unreservedly. The multitude that recieved the Spirit at Pentacost had nothing to boast in, they did nothing and had nothing special. What was their qualification for being endued with power? Their qualification was simple, they believed in Jesus to the utmost and they obeyed His command to tarry in prayer, asking for the gift of the Spirit. So it is today, it hasn’t changed. Will we do it? Will we believe it?

Today, the day after yesterday, the day before tomorrow…

Today oh today, how I love you. Yesterday oh yesterday, how I loathe you. Tomorrow oh tomorrow, I do not yet know you and don’t know if I’ll even like you but today oh today, how I love you.   

(written the day after a 3 day fast, just for contexts sake and shortly after the scarfing of a mound of food the night before)

Just a quick lil poem to brightens y’alls moods, maybe, I dunno. Hot bar-b-q!!!!!

Oh, and here is a quick joke from my Grandpa; “You know the name’s of any angels? I do, Hark and Herald!”               bwwwwaaaahhaaaaahaaahhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

Blaaahhhh…

Today, I feel the aforementioned. Goodbye!

War and coming judgment…

Saturday night at about 1:00Am I was getting ready for bed and all of a sudden I had revelation and insight into the affairs taking place in the middle east. This wasn’t like a premeditated thought process because I was tired, ready for bed, and wasn’t really thinking much of anything. The thing came on me in an instant and had emotion to it. I really felt like it was a download from the Lord for such a time as this. I really feel like America is going to be dealt a blow of judgment, obviously. What struck me was what I recieved about how it might come to pass. I just had the sense that Islam is calling forth a holy war in the earth. What I percieved was the rapid movement of forces from the U.S. into the middle east, basically giving Islam what it wants, a war with the west. It’s no shock that they hate us and want to destroy all Christian nations or at least convert them. I know that in the last few years we have picked a fight or rather they picked the fight and we responded, with the powers of the east, i.e. Afghanistan and Iraq and have large amounts of troops there. So, basically what happens if another middle eastern country like, lets say, Iran commits terrorists acts on our soil, do we then go to war with Iran. That would mean more troops and less secure borders here at home. Enter a flood of Islamic forces from Europe, Canada, and Mexico which are all becoming more and more liberal, even as I write. The terror of what this means for our nation is almost overwhelming. I know this sounds like liberal politics but hey, I’m just telling you all what I picked up on. So anyways, I think Muslim nations are more strategic than maybe we care to admit. But, if this is true, we had better wake up and start praying, fasting, and asking God for mercy. Judgment is coming, that much is sure, we aren’t as righteous as we think we are and it’s time for the rending of the heart. We can ask for mercy and He can grant it, but will He?

Until that day, watch and pray - Nate

Tried, tested, tender

I looked and saw a multitude, a generation of heart-renders, young people coming up out of the wilderness. I saw them pierced, tatooed, beaten by the things of the world that they had given themselves to. I saw multitudes, numberless many with bruises and bandages, fighting addiction, fighting all the way. I looked and saw tough exteriors, leather skinned and hardened on the outside, weathered and tried, tested and torn.  Look again I heard! Look deeper, look inside. And so I looked again as tears filled my eyes. Oh they were tender on the inside, crying out for the deepest depths of pure love. As much as they had been hardened on the outside they had also been tenderized at the core. They were addicted still, this time it was pure. They were fighting still, for the freedom of their friends. They were moving together for one thing. They wanted Jesus, and they knew where to find Him for He had shown them………………..at the cross. They loved as much as they had once hated. They had joy for mourning. They were still tatooed and pierced, on the outside yes, but on the inside as well, pierced with love and marked with the ink of God’s mercy. They were many and they were tender, they loved well!!

They who are forgiven much, love much.

My new favorite food…

So, yeah, the twinkie lasagna….amazing! It wasn’t twinkies with meat and red sauce and noodles like i thought it might be cause that’s just nasty. It was actually a layer of twinkies with some chocolate, strawberries, whipped cream and cream cheese. So pretty much I gained like 12 lbs. yesterday, what a beautiful way to kick off the GBF right! Anyways, it was awesome and now I’m fat.

Ha ha ha…….twinkie lasagna!

So I just got done talkin to my dad and he was telling me about my grandpa (the one who always talks about monkies every time we visit, seriously, it never fails, he always mentions monkies). Anywho, we got invited over for a lil b-day dinner to celebrate my brother Luke’s day of being birthed. So my grandpa told my dad we are gonna be having twinkie lasagna……………..and he isn’t joking. He got this twinkie cookbook for christmas and I think this is gonna be the first recipe we have from it. I’m just scared for my poor grandma who has to cook it. I’m not sure what all is in it but it’s gonna be hilarious. I think my grandpa is the funniest person I know, throw in a little twinkie lasagna and some coffee and you get a pretty rockin b-day party. I’ll let you all know how it goes!

What ya got??

Curious to see who some of y’alls favorite authors are seeing as how they are those who influence your thoughts and spark some of your brilliant posts. Gimme your top 5 if you’d be so accommodating. Thanks, I’ll compile a list in a couple o days of top authors in the IHOP world. Asta la vista!