We Remember You Today and Everyday!

We Remember You Today and Everyday!
I never want to take for granite the freedom I have in the great nation of ours. I praise God that I live in a nation that is protected by soldiers, both men and women, who wake up every morning with just one goal in mind: to fight for freedom. Because of what they do the United States of America remains free. Soldiers spend many days, weeks, months and even years away from their loved ones to meet this goal. There are those who have already laid down their lives for all of us to be able to enjoy this incredible experience called freedom.

The bible says, "There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:13). The love that they have is unfailing, and it is displayed by their bravery and dedication. Our heavenly Father is the author of unfailing love — steadfast love. The psalmist says “Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 143:8).

If you are a soldier or a loved one of a soldier I feel we owe you a debt of gratitude and we honor you all not only today but every day. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do. The sacrifice you all have made gives me the freedom to say thank you!

I pray that you all will be embraced in His strength and love today and always!

RevJayErickson

Letting Go of the Past

Letting Go of the Past

As I look back through the years there are most definitely choices and decisions that I have made that have a lasting effect and consequences.  Some some for the good and others I wish would have never happened.  There are three areas of each of our lives that we all look upon. We all live in the present. We all memories, good and bad some indifferent. We all have a future.

King David is declared to be a man after God's own heart and yet King David in a moment, when he should have been in battle with his men, yield to his fleshly desires and committed adultery with another mans wife.  Not just any man but one of his own mighty men of valour.  This one decision triggered a series of decision King David would later be found in Psalm 51 repenting of.  There were very heavy consequences that effected not only King David but his whole family.  The result of this illicit sexual affair was, as is in every case of adultery, catastrophic! In king David's case it led to deception, murder, rape and civil war; problems which plagued the household of David's family and his kingdom for centuries. But this morning my desire is to share with you the HOPE we have in Jesus. It is when we take the 'DUNG' of our past and give it to the Lord in repentance, confession to God through Jesus, God takes the DUNG PILE of our past and gives us beauty of ashes.(Isaiah 61:3)  You see it is in the ashes of our lives that God takes them and makes them into fertile soil for His will to be done in our lives.  It is in that soil that we become fruitful for the Kingdom of God. 
When King David repented of his Sin in Psalm 51, it was there that God took the ashes of King Davids life and David, according to the scripture, still fulfilled all that God had planned for him.  David was a man after Gods own heart. 
Let me say, this is not an approval for our sin.  This is the Great grace of God and his mercies that are new every morning that make it possible for us to still fulfill the call of God on our lives.  Even when others won't let go of your past, God still will and can use you to fulfill all His will in your life.  Today take King David's posture of repentance and let God have the 'DUNG PILE' of your life and turn your ashes into His beauty in your life.

Pushed to the outside rejected

 Pushed to the outside rejected

Do you ever feel like this?  Have you experienced rejection from even those who love you?  We have all felt like this at one time or another. The pain of rejection by family, loved ones, co-workers and the list goes on.  My personal reality is found in my revelation of Father God's love for me.  Bible tells me that nothing can separate me from His LOVE... THANK GOD!!!  Christ came with a purpose which we find in the book of Isaiah.  Isaiah prophesies about the coming of the Deliverer, the One who is destined to set His people free:

Ask Father God to renew you right now, TODAY!!!  Allow Him to bind up your broken heart, let Him bring you freedom.  Be released from the darkness of despair and let the oil of gladness fill your heart.  Exchange your ashes for beauty.  Be encouraged to know that He understands what you are faced with and that it is His desire to heal you and bring you to a place of restoration.  

Be Blessed this day, 

Rev Jay 

 Isaiah 53:2-3

² He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
   and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
   nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
³ He was despised and rejected by mankind,
   a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
   he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.  "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations" (Is. 61:1-4).