Tag: Storms

A Friday Prayer

A Morning Prayer. ~OC

Dear God, I pray that you would give us the boldness to speak out against hate, especially when we see it in our churches, communities and homes.

Dear God, I pray that you would give us the humility to admit where we have chosen the way of the world over the path of Christ.

Dear God, I pray that you would encourage us to step away from behind the glowing shield of our screens to have real conversations in which we look into the eyes of another, witnessing the image of God that dwells within them.

Dear God, I pray that you would remind us that time is a precious gift that should not be wasted on things that divide us, but instead we would use the gift of time to encourage and build people up. To be our neighbors biggest cheerleader instead of their judge and jury.

Dear God, I pray you would teach us to live with a heart of service. Teach us to live with less so that everyone has enough.

Dear God, I pray you will move in your Church. I want her to thrive. I pray 2025 will be a year of repentance and revival for the American church.

Today, I pray you will join me in lifting up these prayers? Amen

0

Unique and Beautiful Gift

Today’s a new day! I was reminded this week that having people who love you well—who listen, who pray, who weep, and who laugh with you— is a unique and beautiful gift that should never be taken for granted. ~OC

0

Facing Challenges

Good Morning! I do not have a date for when I wrote the following. But as I looked it over, I thought it was relevant to what so many of us are facing today. ~OC

Today’s a new day! There will be times in our lives that we will face challenges in life.

There will be times when we see blatant disregard for God’s Word even within the Christian community.

There will be a time when some Christians will choose political power over the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There will be a time when Christians will be put in a position to stand for what’s right or choose to be guided by the allure of power.

There will be a time when Christians will need to step up for what’s right. Even if that means standing alone.

Sometimes, we will find ourselves in situations where we will need to decide if we will obey God or “follow the crowd”. Our decision will either glorify God or give the enemies of God an opportunity to scorn Him. It is very important to stand for what you believe in (especially if your conviction is coming from what God has clearly said); even when others have a different opinion or thought.

It Takes Courage

The truth is, standing alone requires courage.

It is important to know that courage is not the absence of fear; it is confidence in something or someone greater than the emotions of fear.

To stand alone, one must have confidence that obedience to God and His word will ultimately result in a superior outcome. We can always stand alone for truth, if we have this confidence in God and His Word.

Standing alone can definitely be hard, but certainly not impossible.

There are several examples of people in the Bible who towed this path.

In Hebrews 11:7, we see where Noah chose to believe God. God told Noah about bad things that would happen. Nobody could see what would happen, but Noah believed God’s message. He was careful to do exactly what God told him. He built a large ship to save his family. As a result of his faith, Noah showed that everyone else in the world was wrong. Noah himself became one of those people that God accepted as right with him.

Just imagine. It was only Noah and his family on God’s side against all of the naysayers on the other side.

But Noah did it. And if he did it, then we can too.

God’s Word Is Our Fortress:

When it comes to standing for what one believes in, it all starts and ends with what the Lord is saying – either through His revealed word or His spoken word directly to us.

God’s Word is the believer’s most powerful weapon against evil and it is his most potent fortress when it comes to standing alone.

Scripture is no doubt a deep source of strength. It has been my anchor in overwhelming situations that have required me to stand alone. I am a living, breathing testimony that standing alone with God is the best because you will always win.

Remember that when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, He defeated Satan by quoting the Scriptures. In His response to the enemy’s first temptation, Jesus emphasized the necessity of knowing God’s Word, pointing out that our need for God’s Word is even more critical than our need for physical sustenance.

“But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ~Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬

We must know the Word of God in order to stand alone for truth.

You Are Not Alone

When you are standing for what God says – which you have come to believe in, it may seem like you are all alone. But the truth is, you are never truly alone because God is standing with you. He promised to never leave us (Isaiah 43:1-5; Matthew 28:20)

Knowing this, we need to always turn to God for the grace and strength to face whatever may come.

Stand Strong! God is with us. I pray the following scriptures will give you hope:

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. ~1 Corinthians 16:13

Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you. ~Deuteronomy 31:6

Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have placed my trust and found refuge. ~Psalms 16:1

This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” ~ Jeremiah 7:23

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” ~Isaiah 41:10

Dear God, we have chosen to obey you by standing alone for the truth, please help us to be courageous. Grant us grace and strength to face whatever may come and at the end Lord, please give us victory to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

0

Hope

Here is a morning prayer for Monday 2/10/25. Have a beautiful day! ~OC

Dear God, you are the hope for this world. Today, I pray you meet us in the darkness of our despair and speak a word of hope over our anxious hearts. Give us the strength to faithfully wait for your promises for our lives and to find hope in our hour of need. We pray all of this in the name of the One who is the true hope and love of this world. Amen!

0

Not From God

Today’s a new day! This is not the America that so many men and women gave their lives for. But sadly, this is the type of hate that so many Americans voted for and support. I must remember that God is still in control. I know that can be hard to believe as we see everything that’s happening in our nation, but nothing we’re seeing right now is from God. This is all man made. Dear God, please help us. ~OC

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna190446

0

Takeaways

Good Morning! Here is another entry from “The Lost Writings of OC.” This is from 2021.

Today’s a new day! It has been my experience that God uses what seems to be our weakest moments to propel us to the next chapter in His plan and purpose in our lives.

During this crazy beautiful health journey, God has given me the strength and motivation to take steps forward each day. Here are three takeaways.

1). Pray – This is sadly usually the last resort. We as believers usually pray; however, we pray after we have done everything that we can do in our own strength. In Matthew 6:33, it says seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Go to Him, talk with Him and invite Him into your situation.

2). Listen – Over the years, I have spent a ton of time telling God what my next steps are, and sometimes I picture Him looking at me, shaking His head and saying… “Are you done yet?” I have historically been terrible at this. I’ve wanted my relationship with God to be very transactional. However, I have learned over time that this isn’t how He tends to work. We must lean in and listen. I also try to write in my journal what I feel God is speaking to me at the time and what the next steps are in my situation that I am struggling with. Pausing to write has been a very important way for me to allow God to work in my life.

3). Act – What if we truly walked out the Scriptures that look good on a t-shirt or bumper sticker, such as Matthew 19:26…with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. What would happen if we lived with the mindset of “do the next right thing?” Today, just take one step forward. Just a small applicable steps in the right direction allows roots to take hold, grow and build a strong foundation rooted in God.

I am not sure what season you might be walking through right now. It could be something as small as what cereal to buy, or it could be some huge life-altering situation that you just don’t know what to do with. Give them to God and let His strength shine in these moments. I know that this is counterculture but remember another promise from Scripture in Matthew 11:28-29…

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

0

Project 2025…The Truth

Today’s a new day! For those that will question me on this post, did you read it? I did. Every page. This isn’t some liberal propaganda. This was written and produced by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Everything we see the current administration doing is from this playbook. This playbook is not in the best interest for all Americans. Of course you would know that if you actually read the book, but many will choose not to because of their political and religious beliefs. ~OC

0

Dear Christian,

Hello again. I am loving going through old journals and finding these writings that I have entitled “The Lost Letters of OC.” I wrote this back in 2019.

Dear Christian Brothers and Sisters,

I have wanted to write this letter for a long time, but I wasn’t sure it would do any good. Like you, I’m on my own journey.

I have been frustrated because it feels like Christians have stopped listening to the needs of others, unless it fits their agenda. Do you really care what non- Christians or people from other faiths really think or care about ? Do you truly care about your neighbor or coworker that feels like their life is filled with roadblocks? How about the neighbor who is struggling to just pay their bills? How about that neighbor who votes differently than you?

You talk about truth and the Bible in such a way that it seems like you’re shoving your faith down people’s throats. You often judge those around you. What you believe in appears more important than what the scriptures have to say. You make living out the Christian faith seem like an impossible task. I doubt anyone including other Christians could ever measure up to your standards.

To be honest, your religion seems to make you angry all the time. It’s a real downer when you continuously point out everything you find to be wrong in this world. You seem so against everything, it’s hard to believe you could really have anyone’s best interest in mind. Your complaints don’t exactly inspire anyone to give their life to Christ.

Dear Christians, stop rolling out this angry type of religion, and ask that neighbor or coworker about their life. People want to know you truly care about them. People are looking for Christians to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Life is tough. Some people are feeling empty and lonely. They’re feeling excluded by a group of people who should be making them feel loved and welcomed. So when you say, “Jesus is the answer,” your words ring hollow. People do not want to want hang around people who are always judging them or trying to set them straight.

What people really want to know is if you care about them as a human being. They need real friends who stand by them when they’re alone, afraid, or hurt. If you want to influence people, just act like a decent, kind and caring person.

Your Brother in Christ,

~OC

0

Welcome to February 2025

Welcome to February 2025! Several people have inquired about my health the past few days, so here is a quick update.

My body continues to slow down. I am sleeping the majority of the day the last few months. The doctors believe based on some recent infections, my neurological issues have gotten much worse. Harder for me to get around these days. This past Monday, doctors believe I had a small TIA (mini stroke). Thankfully I was not hospitalized. Sadly, my dementia is further along than first thought. Of course that could have been caused by the multiple infections and procedures I had towards the end of last year. The doctors have decided with the complex headaches and further risk for a stroke, that it’s not a good idea for me to be driving. I must agree. So this past Monday, we sold one of our cars and are happy with the one car we have.

I do not look at this as a sad time in my journey. I choose to look at all the amazing opportunities that are still in front of me. So I will continue to wake up every morning with gratitude in my heart and give God thanks for another day of life. Physically and Mentally, life is much harder these days, but honestly I would not trade my life and all of the beautiful moments I have experienced and will continue to experience. Laura and I are at peace.

My prayer for each of you, is that you will embrace every moment of everyday and find some sunshine among the clouds. ~OC

0

Beware

I wrote the following several years ago, but I believe it’s just as important today as it was when I first wrote it.

Today’s a new day! Dear Christian Community, the wolf is in our midst today and is barely disguised and yet many well-intentioned, faithful followers of Jesus continue to be deceived. Even to this day, after a mountain of evidence and even as the wolfish features glare beyond transparency, too many Christian leaders continue to do the unthinkable: to cover their eyes. They deny the presence of the wolf before them, some even doubling down on the impossible and imagined sheep-like credentials of this false idol. Enough. The shepherds of God’s flock must speak out, or they will continue to lead themselves, their flock, and perhaps even the country itself, straight into the wolf’s mouth. ~OC

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑