Responding To The Call

Psalms 119:1, 119:2 " Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart." I woke this morning to a beautiful cool sunny day.  It was cool enough I had to remind myself it is still July. I spent some time in the word and read the scripture above.  I had some things to do like run to the dump.  Getting rid of some stuff that is no longer needed.  The day brought me back to my days as a teenager.  A time when I was challenged to live according to God's statutes. The pop/rock music of the day was lead by such secular greats as Duran Duran, Talking Heads, and others.  One came to mind...Tears for Fears. I was not a huge fan of any one type of music. I think I listened to just about anything that has a positive message.  There was little if any Christian music to choose from that I was aware of. I had to make the best of what I could get. ...

             H appiness is an experience....                                J oy is a condition.                                                 ~Clint Fleming Psalm 119:111 " I have inherited Your testimonies forever, Fore they are                                           are the joy of my heart." Life brings a plethora of experiences.  Many people equate happ...

1 Peter 5:2-4, 6-11 "2 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care watching over them-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 no lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, ...

Psalm 63:1 "O GOD, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for you, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water." Each day I wake, I make it a point that the first thing I do is read from the Bible.  I use a Bible app on my phone that sends a verse for each day.  This helps guide me to "earnestly" seek God.  I will take the verse and research putting it into context in regards to the chapter and book it came from.  I gain greater understanding and have a greater appreciation for the verse after I do this. Why? Because I spent my time with God and learned more about His desire for me and my desire for Him. Today's verse is from Psalm 63.  The book of Psalms represents an ancient songbook of Israel. There are many writers who have contributed (God inspired) to the book. Psalms gives insight into Israelite worship and the aspects of Hebrew life. The book is divided into types of psalms such as: ·  ...

Light in the dark allows one to see. In scripture, light describes God's truth and darkness describes Satan's lie. I was reading out of the book of 1 John today.  In this book, John describes the characteristics of God, light, love, and life.  I was reminded that these same characteristics should describe those who profess their faith in God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It states if one who professes Christ does not himself abide in Him, or have these characteristics, that he or she is a liar. Wow! Pretty blunt.  I started thinking of the basic purposes of the first responder, to provide light, show love, and provide life. Was that not the heart of the Good Samaritan? Is that not why many first responders do what they do?  Yes! Unfortunately, many who profess Christ intentionally strive to live as Christ, but have been deceived and no longer practice according to God's plan rather practice according to their own plans. In 1 John 5:21 we are warned t...

Explore the word of God with all your heart, you will find truth and be set free (Jer.29:11-13). Ignore it, you will be deceived and held captive by Satan's snare.  Live out the Word of God, you will experience God and be strengthened. Be hearers only, you will become emaciated. ~Clint We must intentionally seek Christ so we will not deceive ourselves or be deceived by others.  The scripture warns us not to lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).  Why would God not want us to do so?  Because our flesh is selfish, and selfishness draws us away from God's desire for us.  The bible also states that when we follow God's plan, He gives us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4). The question is, what does your heart desire?  God's will or your own?  The world is a dark place. God's word is a light upon our path (Psalm 119:105). His light helps to keep you from stumbling. The choice is yours.  What will you decide? 

Isaiah 50:10 " Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on their God."   We live in a society, that without laws, would be in chaos.   Humans need order. I like Jesus's parable of the sheep. We are like lost sheep without order.   Also, order guides us in controlling balance between the good and bad characteristics of ourselves.   Guidelines help keep us in bounds. The question is, which set of guidelines do you or I believe truly provide the best "protection"? As a Christian, identified in Christ, I surrender my will to the will of God. How am I able to do this? I choose to believe.   My belief allows for God to reveal himself not recognized by the "naked" eye.   Naked-void of the Holy Spirit.   My belief allows me to step out of "self control", exemplified by Peter stepping out onto the water, and be guided on th...

The 4th of July is an opportunity for the citizens of the United States to stand as one, in unity and celebrate the founding of our nation. We as believers must recognize God's work in us to stand as one body, not individuals, to "celebrate" His foundation in us. Ephesians 1:8-10 "8 With all wisdom and understanding,9 He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment-to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ." I just came from having an early morning cup of coffee with a brother in Christ. He is involved with a ministry providing Biblical discipleship to men. We discussed the need for unity in the body of Christ to allow continuity in ministry. In public safety, there exists a presence of competition among departments. This competition should not come in the way when there is a need for unity to perfo...