The Sharp Axe

Part 2, … So I enrolled in one of their Bible School classes.   When I had completed it, they had a graduation ceremony for us. At the ceremony, we each received a certificate. Each certificate had a different award type. The church’s leadership team, who were also our teachers, chose to acknowledge every individual with awards based upon the student’s classroom performance. Each award had a Biblical name and a related scripture printed on it. When it came time for me to receive mine, I was surprised and delighted to know that I received the “Paul Award”. The related scripture was, and has been, my favorite and what I’ve based my life-story on. The scripture is, Phil 4:9-10 "that I might know Him, and the power of His resurrection". But the part that personally has been my Christian experience for over 30 years has been what follows afterwards … "and the fellowship of His sufferings". That, dear friends and family has, been my "thorn in the flesh". We, a

I wrote this letter below to one of my mentors who’s also a dear friend. I’m so glad God brings people together to share in our struggles and rejoice in our victories. So this thought crossed my mind, “Hmm, this would probably make a good blog posting ;) It’s silly how my mind works sometimes. So I’m sharing with a dual purpose: One to help me get my thoughts out there, and two by sharing, maybe it’ll help someone see that no matter what life throws against us, If we’re trusting and believing in God, He’ll make it all work out for the good, Rom 8:28 Always remember this…The pain does have a purpose! In Him, Al   I was sharing with someone about some of the personal and constant struggles I’ve been experiencing with someone I’ve been friends with a long time. I told her how my friend and I been having a difficult time understanding and relating to each other. The two of us haven’t been connecting with each other and our frustrations with each other have been driving us further apa

LET ME TELL YOU A SECRET. MANY PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THAT WHILE I APPEAR AS A OUTGOING AND SOCIAL INDIVIDUAL, IN REALITY, I’M AN INTROVERT. FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS I ENJOY BEING BY MYSELF MORE THAN BEING WITH PEOPLE. THAT’S ACTUALLY ONLY A HALF TRUTH. I CAN, NEED AND THRIVE ON SOCIAL CONTACT. BUT I ALWAYS GET RECHARGED AND DRAW STRENGTH FROM DOING THINGS LIKE READING, WRITING, AND MY FAVORITE, STUDYING. BASICALLY I’M A SUPER SOCIAL NERD! I HAVE MANY FIELDS OF STUDY, SOME SURPRISING SO. FOR EXAMPLE, I AM A HUGE HISTORY FAN. MY SPECIALTY IS KNOWING TRIVIA ABOUT EVERY WAR OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. I KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE WEAPONS AND VEHICLES USED, AS WELL AS THE MAJOR PERSONALITIES INVOLVED. I KNOW PLENTY ABOUT TROOP MOVEMENTS, AND THE STRATEGIC PLANS THEY USED. YOU’D THINK THAT I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO WEST POINT OR ANNAPOLIS AFTER HS, OR AT LEAST ENROLLED IN THE MILITARY. SADLY NEITHER THING HAPPENED TO ME. I ALWAYS BELIEVED SOMEDAY ALL OF THIS “KNOWLEDGE” WILL BE USED FOR SO

                                                                                                     4/3/11 Today, it was finally nice enough to go for a bike ride. So forgoing my normal workout routine, I jumped onto my bike and started riding around the neighborhood. The first thing that happened was my legs started getting tired. But since they’re my most developed muscles, I felt I could push myself and ride even further than usual. So I shifted gears and pedaled forward. It was exciting. I rode farther than I ever had. I gained a greater perspective of my neighborhood than I had previously. When I got home I was totally spent. But it was a good starting ride and I felt great about my progress. These are some things I’ve learned about my experience. One, it felt good when I broke through my old barriers, even though it meant me expending a greater effort and it wasn’t always comfortable. Two, I’ve learned I can always excel if I’m determined to do more than I’ve ever had. Three

SIN BINDS BODIES AND BLINDS TRUTH SIN BEGUILES BELIEF AND BETRAYS TRUST SIN A SLITHERING SERPENT THAT SLIDES THROUGH YOUR SOUL AND ENTANGLES YOUR EMOTIONS. SIN A STRANGLING SPIRIT THAT CRUSHES YOUR CONSCIOUS CONTROL. SIN SEEMS COMFORTING LIKE BEING WRAPPED IN A WARM BLANKET, BUT IS REALLY A CONTROLLING CLOAK THAT CAPTURES YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS. SIN IS A DEMONIC DECEPTION THAT MASTERS YOUR MIND AND MOTIVATES YOUR MOODS. RIGHTEOUSNESS DELIVERS FROM DEATH AND DESTROYS THE DECEIVER. RIGHTEOUSNESS LIBERATES FROM THE CAPTIVITY AND CONTROL OF THE POWERS OF PERDITION. RIGHTEOUSNESS VALIDATES VICTORY AND TEACHES TRUTHFULNESS AND TRUST RIGHTEOUSNESS REDEEMS FROM THE CURSE AND REMOVES RIGHTEOUSNESS REVEALS TRUTH AND TRIUMPHS OVER TORMENT RIGHTEOUSNESS ILLUMINATES THE DARKNESS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS GOD CONSCIOUSNESS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS REVEALED IN A POWERFUL PERSONA

24  Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.  25  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.  Hebrews 10:24-25 I believe and support that it’s important to be connected to a local church body. LONE GUNS ARE USUALLY FOUND SHOT DEAD AND LYING FACE DOWN IN DRY GULCH VALLEY That is quite the statement, isn’t it? But what does it mean? Let’s explore it together. I have watched a lot of western movies, and they have always fascinated me. What life must have been like in the Wild West. Living life by your wits alone. Six shooters and bows and arrows, wild horses, cattle ranchers, prospectors looking for gold. Home settlers looking to start a better life. And always the hero of the story, the wily veteran armed with a gun. It was either a masked man like the Lone Ranger, a local secret security agent like James West, an outlaw like Josey Wales