Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard

A faith journey is a lifelong process of discovery and defining what faith means to you. It can also be described as a journey of thanksgiving and praise, and a time of depending on God. Some say that faith is a journey that involves different stages or seasons, and that it's normal to experience struggles and disappointment along the way. Others say that faith is something that can be understood and defined, and that the journey of faith is a process of defining what faith means for you personally. A faith journey can involve: Connecting with God: Some say that scripture is a place to encounter God and grow your faith. Defining faith: Some say that you must walk your own path to determine what faith means to you. Expressing faith: Some say that faith can be expressed in many different ways. Learning about faith: Some say that it's important to understand the multiple meanings of faith, and how it relates to events in the past, present, and future. Hosted by Rev. Kenn Blanchard

He is Risen. Happy Easter. #20 04/20/2025

He is Risen. Happy Easter. #20 Matthew 27:32-56 32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. 33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, 34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. 35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. 36 And sitting down they watched him there; 37 And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews. 38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. 39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. 48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. 50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. 55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: 56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children. /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/36232790

Trust God (ep. 19) 04/13/2025

Hoping Rather Than Having Faith - Episode 18 04/06/2025

Meditate on His Word for Salvation 03/30/2025

From Healing to Wholeness: Moving Forward in Faith - Luke 17:11 -19 (episode 16) 03/23/2025

The Irritant in Your Life - episode 15 03/16/2025

You will have Tribulation - John 16:33 03/09/2025

Altar call #13 02/23/2025

Can you show some compassion for the grieving? Romans 12:15 02/16/2025

Be Purposeful / Intentional with your faith's journey. 02/09/2025

The Struggle is Real, Pt 2 - Trust 02/02/2025

Struggle is Real, part 1 - episode 9 01/26/2025

What is a dead church? Episode 8 01/19/2025

What Are You Fishing For? 01/12/2025

What Are You Fishing For? What Are You Fishing For? Men pleasers- Ephesians 6:6 Not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; Gold/wealth- Matthew 23:17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? Treasures-Proverbs 10:2 - Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. Lust of the flesh- Galatians 5:16 - This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Earthly accolades, wealth, something of value, women, men, Luke 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Ecclesiastes 5:19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work--this is a gift of God. Ephesians 2:3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. Luke 12: 29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. What’s in your tackle box? I love to fish. If I fish in freshwater, I take a smaller rod and lighter line. I use artificial bait that looks like a bug or edible thing to a fish that might find its way by accident into the water. In saltwater, I have to go heavier. Anything is possible but I am not capable of anything so I have to moderate. Jesus mission was misunderstood. Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. Who is He fighting? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. John 18:36 The Sword: For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Job threw up the phrase that some people have ascribed to. Job 34:4 Let's decide for ourselves what is right and agree among ourselves as to what is good, That is straight up PRIDE and arrogance Charles Haddon Spurgeon said “DEAR FRIENDS, it is never wise to dispute with God. Let a man strive with his fellow, but not with his Maker. If we must discuss any point, let it be with imperfect beings like ourselves, but not with the infallible and infinitely wise God; for, in most of our discussions, these questions wilt come back to us, "Should it be according to thy mind? Art thou master? Is everyone to be subordinate to thee?" I am going to speak, this evening, to those who have a quarrel with God concerning the way of salvation. Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 46: 1900 What’s in your tackle box? “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God…” Ephesians 4:11-13 Is all you are catching is hell? You might want to change your bait. You might want to change your tackle. You might want to mend your nets. Simon Peter, and Andrew had already joined him, now he was asking the sons of Zebadee. Matthew 4:21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. James and John, quit fishing for the wrong thing. So what are you fishing for? Nets were used back in this time for everything. I am fishing for the people with a mind for God. I am fishing for the hurt and the lost people of God. I am fishing for the one. The mini, not the mega. I am not fishing for attention, recognition, accolades, or compliments. I am fishing to bring families back together. To bring wives back to their husbands, husbands back to Christ. I am fishing to bring parents back to parenting. I am fishing to let young men, be men. I am fishing to make old men wiser, revered and loved again. I am fishing to put you back in right order with God. And I will do it by hook or by crook. Fishing hook or shepherds crook. Only you can bring back your crazy kids. Pastor can’t do it. if you kids have strayed, its your fault, own up to it, and minister there first. Oops, just lost some folks. You were with me until I went there. Deuteronomy 32:46 And he said to them, Set your hearts to all the words which I testify among you this day, which you shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. Ephesians 6:4 And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord So what are you fishing for? (4 points) Fishing requires patience. It requires the right equipment. It requires commitment. It requires knowledge. Patience (Rom 5:4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation Equipment -That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Tim 3:17) Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:12 Commitment Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Knowledge A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. (Proverbs 14:6) Wisdom and knowledge are granted unto you; and I will give you riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before you, neither shall there any after you have the like. 2 Chron 1:12 Mark 1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. thanks, Kenn that link: /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/34819985

You ought to ALWAYS pray. (Episode 6) 01/05/2025

You ought to ALWAYS pray. (Episode 6) And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; The sin of not praying. Prayer is communication with God. Jesus told us to always pray. You can tell a spiritual contender from a pretender by their prayer. The Spirit knows spirit. There are people that stand up in church and start TALKING but they are not praying. There are people that in their minds they are praying but their words are not going further than a few feet in front of their mouths. How do you NOT do that? Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. First, you focus on the greatness of God rather than the greatness of the problem. A good prayer starts off with thanksgiving. Giving thanks for the greatness of God. Praising Him for being God. There are many gods in this world. Make sure you do as Jesus did when he said “Our Father which art in heaven” (King James Version). Be specific. This prayer is actually more about who God is than anything else. Great prayers always are. When you focus, putting your spiritual aim on the Kingdom of God. And take your eyes off the world, you can see. Secondly, pray God's words back to Him. That is why David said “this words have I hid in my heart” You have to learn the words of the Bible for yourself. No priest, preacher or clergy person is needed to pray for you. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5 The concept of confession of sin to a priest is nowhere taught in Scripture. First, the New Testament does not teach that there are to be priests in the New Covenant. Instead, the New Testament teaches that all believers are priests. describes believers as a “holy priesthood” and a “royal priesthood.” and both describe believers as “a kingdom and priests.” In the Old Covenant, the faithful had to approach God through the priests. The priests were mediators between the people and God. The priests offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. That is no longer necessary. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can now approach God’s throne with boldness (). The temple veil tearing in two at Jesus’ death was symbolic of the dividing wall between God and humanity being destroyed. We can approach God directly, ourselves, without the use of a human mediator. Why? Because Jesus Christ is our great High Priest (; ), and the only mediator between us and God (). The New Testament teaches that there are to be elders (1 Timothy 3), deacons (1 Timothy 3), bishops (), and pastors () – but not priests. And this is why many people have become disillusioned with God or their faith has been shattered. They have relied upon infallible man to pray for them or to. And don’t just repeat the same prayer. Repeating the Lord’s prayer is a vain repetition. The Bible says not to do that. We have adults still saying “now I lay me down to sleep”. When are you going to grow up from that? The early believers actually prayed God's promises and God's words right back to Him. We should pray on His promises, too. Thirdly, pray specifically for your response to the situation. Consider the model prayer meeting in Acts 4:24. The powerful council that had arranged for Jesus' crucifixion has now ordered Jesus' disciples to shut up about Jesus or else. Peter and John reported this to the believers a very volatile situation. Here was their response. "When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. 'Sovereign Lord,' they said, 'You made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through Your servant David: 'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?' Indeed, Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against Your holy servant Jesus. They did what Your power and will had decided beforehand. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness. Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs...'" Now, here's the result of their prayer: "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the Word of God boldly." Here you go: powerful prayer - explosive results. Let's pray like that if you want to get results like that. We can learn some of the secrets of dynamite prayer from how these early believers prayed under life-threatening pressure. Here’s the recap: First, you focus on the greatness of God rather than the greatness of the problem. This prayer is actually more about who God is than anything else. Great prayers always are. Secondly, pray God's words back to Him. The early believers actually prayed God's promises and God's words right back to Him. We should pray on His promises, too. Thirdly, pray specifically for your response to the situation. They prayed for boldness. The situation isn't what will decide this. It will be how you choose to respond to the situation. Finally, pray for things only God could do - boldness when you feel like running - miracles to show people God's glory. Frankly, our prayers are often so small, so predictable, so unworthy of the great God with whom we're talking. When you pray to a very big God for very big things, beginning with big things to happen in you, prepare for something explosive to happen. That will be the sound of your God blowing the lid off things! You see, I am not a just a preacher of the Gospel. I didn’t learn this in school. I learned this in life. I am a recipient of God’s blessings. I’m jaded. You can’t impress me because I know God. You can say anything you’ve done that I won’t give him credit for. I know the author and finisher of my faith. You know it is a sin not to pray. You can’t represent God as an ambassador without a prayer life. You can’t really be a real officer of a church without a prayer life. Don’t fool yourself. And don’t surround yourself with other fools that agree with you. Practice makes saints. guitar-for-hire.com blackmanwithagun.com Love you, Kenn /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/34720660

5- Why are we never satisfied? 12/29/2024

Christmas is Forgiving 12/22/2024

Christmas is Forgiving Please forgive the audio on this episode. Colossians 3:13 "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive". For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matt 1:23 Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. / He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, / and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” ... James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Ephesians 2:8: The gift of God is a gift that we can't earn or deserve John 3:5–8; 6:63; Romans 8:10; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 2 Corinthians 3:6: The gift of God is a new life that comes from the Holy Spirit Romans 5:15; 6:23; Revelation 22:17: The gift of God is free 2 Corinthians 9:14–15: The apostle Paul says that the gift of God is too wonderful for words Luke 23:34 "And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”". Acts 3:19 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord". Luke 6:36-37 "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven". • Matthew 18:21-22 Jesus says that there ought to be no limit on the number of times that one should forgive another so long as the offender repents and asks for forgiveness. /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/34566670

Testimony and Trust 12/15/2024

Testimony and Trust Answer for last week['s quesiton of the week: John 3. This week the question of the week is: What is the relationship between Paul's teaching and James' teaching about faith and works? This week, I want to help the helpers. You that have a testimony. You that have worked in ministry and you that has a desire to do so. Take it from me, sometimes we fail as disciples of Christ because even though our hearts are in the right place, our mouth is not connected. We say the wrong thing. I am just trying to help someone on your faith journey. Have you ever taken a martial art? Karate, kung fu, BJJ? Depending on your ability and school it may take you a little while to get your first belt, sash or stripe. You with me so far? One of the things that happens to you really quick is you learn how much you don’t know. How foolish would it for a white belt to spar with a black belt in karate? For those that don’t know, you only are taught basic blocks, stances and punches and kicks at that level. The black belt on the other hand is more experienced and has more tools in his arsenal that you do. But we go off to help people fast without realizing we don’t know all that is going on. You ever heard someone quote to you Philippians 4:6-7 with a big old smile, and you wanted to hit them with a one of those three stooges cream pies? King James Version 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. Sounds good. But It comes down to trust. Maybe you never felt like that. But personally, Christians can get on your nerves when you are going through tough times. Although the word of God is legit and true, how you receive it to apply is different. Why is it that we are so eager to fight a demon with no training? We have a little bit of Scripture and we want to apply that to every situation. I know you mean well, but so do those folks that come knock on your door to give you Watchtower tracks. Here’s a few tips for making your witness better. Take that scripture and put in your own words that is applicable to the situation. That will take some thought. That will take some maturity. That will slow your roll and allow you to listen which is usually needed more than a memorized Masoretic Hebrew text from the canon, referring to the holy bible. If you really want to help your buddy remind them that they have to trust God. Now would be a good time to testify to a situation you had. Side bar. Testimonies Testimonies are important for several reasons, especially within a faith journey context: 1. **Personal Connection**: Sharing personal experiences helps others relate to your journey and see how faith has impacted your life. It makes abstract beliefs more tangible and relatable¹. 2. **Encouragement and Hope**: Hearing how others have overcome challenges through their faith can provide encouragement and hope to those facing similar struggles. It reassures them that they are not alone². 3. **Strengthening Faith**: Testimonies can strengthen the faith of both the speaker and the listeners. Sharing your story can remind you of God's faithfulness and inspire others to trust in Him more deeply². 4. **Evangelism**: Testimonies are powerful tools for evangelism. They can open doors for conversations about faith and provide a non-confrontational way to share the gospel³. 5. **Building Community**: Sharing testimonies fosters a sense of community and support within a congregation or group. It helps build deeper connections as people share their personal journeys and support one another¹. 6. **Authenticity**: A genuine testimony reflects the authenticity of one's faith. It shows how faith influences daily life, decisions, and actions, making it more credible and impactful. A lot of time what we hear in church is not any of what I just said. What you want to do my friend is inspire on this faith journey is to trust GOD. Trusting God in Difficult Times: Use the story of Job or Psalm 23 to illustrate how faith can sustain us through life’s challenges. Highlight how trusting God can bring peace and strength even in the darkest moments. Faith Over Fear: Focus on the story of Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35-41). Discuss how faith in God’s power and presence can help us overcome fear and anxiety. Trusting God’s Plan: Use the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) to show how God’s plan can unfold in unexpected ways. Emphasize the importance of patience and trust in God’s timing. Trusting God in the Lion’s Den: Reflect on Daniel’s unwavering faith in God when faced with the lions’ den (Daniel 6). Discuss how trust in God can give us courage to stand firm in our beliefs. Trusting God with Our Future: Use Proverbs 3:5-6 to encourage the congregation to trust in God’s guidance and wisdom for their future decisions and plans. Trusting God in a Crisis: Share the story of Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:22-33). Highlight how keeping our focus on Jesus can help us navigate through crises. Trusting God in Everyday Life: Discuss how we can trust God in our daily routines and decisions. Use examples from the New Testament, such as the faith of the centurion (Matthew 8:5-13). Trusting God When We Don’t Understand: Use the story of Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22) to illustrate the importance of trusting God even when His plans don’t make OK, what happened on my trip to Missouri. It was awesome. I got to do what the Lord called me to do. I was hosted by a beautiful couple of old friends. They blessed me ten fold. I got a chance to meet some of Gods people that have a real testimony as they are overcoming addictions and life choices. They were on fire for the Lord. And I got a chance to rest, eat well, be loved on my some children, that I introduced lil spoon. And be a guest preacher at another church. Where I shared some personal stuff you know already. Awesome sauce. /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/34447495

What Did Jonah Learn? Episode 2 12/08/2024

What Did Jonah Learn? Episode 2 Mother Teresa said, be faithful in small things because it is in that your strength lies. You are listening to Faith Journey and I am your host Kenn Blanchard. I hope I didn’t shock you too much with our change last week. It was all of a sudden for some. Missed a few episodes and then BAM what happened? I know. Its like that sometimes. What did you miss? If you don’t know I can’t call it. This week, I want to talk about the journey of a prophet that didn’t want to go to a big city and give bad news. It was kinda like when you are doing the right thing and finally got your act together and the Lord wants you to testify, witness, preach, sing, visit, feed, basically work. And sometimes, you haven’t got yourself together yet, you are waiting for something and the Lord says move. You second guess Him. You pretend you didn’t hear Him. You hope you didn’t hear Him. You even convince yourself you didn’t hear HIM. In your Faith journey your mileage may vary. God however does not change. He is the real deal. The only consistency in our lives. His values don’t change with the culture. He doesn’t deviate from his nature, His Word, or His Will for us. At the time of the release of this episode I am Missouri. I got the opportunity to preach in at Union Grove Freewill Baptist Church in Norwood, Missouri. I believe I was sent there. I will find out why when I am there. How I got there was as sudden as the change of this podcast. More on that later. The question of the week is Where would you find the story of Nicodemus? And the answer to last weeks question for those that found it in the show notes is John 2. I missed saying it on last weeks episode but posted it in the show notes. Ah haaaa. Bonus points if you saw it there. Get your bible and find the Old Testament book of Jonah. While I was studying this minor prophet’s journey, I pictured that he was swallowed by a Grouper. They are pretty big fish that can gulp down their prey and 2000 years ago, it was probably as large as minivan. The big city that Jonah had to go to was called Nineveh. It was somewhere near Mosul, in modern day Iraq. This story is interesting. In far more ways that the fish story. Jonah, first didn’t want to go, then he basically wanted to commit suicide, the Lord wasn’t having it, then he got his mind right, did what he was supposed to do and then got mad at God when the people did right. He was hoping they would not and get destroyed. He wanted God to still slap them. I see a lot of Jonah in other people. But it doesn’t end there. God had to still talk to Jonah like a spoiled child later and show him something. Jonah’s journey was more than spending three days and nights in the belly of great fish. Your journey is bigger than the predicament you are in. your situation, your sin, your short coming, your frustrations. God is not finished with you yet. IF He didn’t quit on you, why are you selling yourself short? Why are you giving up? Why are you settling? Why have you stopped praying? Why have you stopped believing in faith? Voltaire said faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe. Prayer Bad music. Love you, Kenn /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/34295180

Changing the podcast name and more to Faith Journey Podcast 12/01/2024

Don’t quit till you win. 11/24/2024

Don’t quit till you win. Frederick Douglass is quoted as saying without struggle there is no progress. Question of the Week: Where would you find the story of Jesus turning water into wine? You know that to get muscles you have to stress out the muscles so that they grow. Our faith is like that too. You will not know that you have any faith until you have been tested with the portion God has given you. As your faith grows, so does your work outs. Or trials. We would like to stay as kids with a Childs problems and concerns but we all have to adult, we all have to grow. We all have to die. So between the cradle and the grave there is this thing called life. It is nice if you can get to 70 and some do but not everybody. And along that journey stuff happens. Stuff happens to Christians, to good people, to faithful people. Remember that being a child of God does not give you diplomatic immunity. You will still have issues. You will still have weaknesses you will still be you. The challenge is to grow in the place you have been planted. Sometimes it’s a good season. Sometimes it a drought. Some seasons in your life eat bovine excrement, but it is what it is. Sometimes God feels like He is right in your face, and sometimes you wonder where in the world did He go. I’m drowning here…. Are you hearing me. The body that God made, us, is a miracle in itself, it can take a lot of punishment, but at the same time, can be snuffed out like a candle. And then there is the thing we all go through too. Getting older. Depending on your mileage, you might be starting to wonder “is this all there is to life.” Or maybe you are passed that point. If you are please share your thoughts with us. some call it a midlife crisis if they even know that is what it is. You just mad, confused, sad, you are grieving basically for the lost time. Lost youth, loss of how things used to be, you thought you should be further or farther along than this. You start thinking you are missing out, and the world loves that. They got answers for you the good folks don’t share. You can drink more, party more, dance more, buy more, have more sex with someone, anyone, all the pleasures of the flesh. And you are justified right? You are running out of time. I want to live. YOLO, they say. Solomon, king Solomon, that at the time of the biblical writing was mega rich. He had everything you buy at the time plus all the fleshy stuff and he said in the Old Testament. Ecclesiastes 1 all is vanity the vanity Solomon spoke of could just as easily be translated "emptiness," "futility," "meaningless," or "nothingness." Solomon was saying, "There is nothing on this earth that will satisfy us completely: no thing, no pleasure, or no relationship." Aint that a kick in the head? And you thought it was just you. Remember I said you can get used to anything? Even negtives. If you stay depressed too long your body. Will change. You may put on weight, metabolism will slow, you can wish yourself to death. You won’t feel like doing anything. You will hinder the creation of the those endorphins. You’ll smoke more, drink more coffee, anything to legally hype yourself up, and give yourself ulcers, or worse. Well, if you are going through a tough time right now. The only thing you can control really is how you are dealing with it. Your money might be funny, your take home can’t take you across the street, you are lonely in a house of 30 kids, your spouse has checked out, or sick, maybe you are physically, sexually, emotionally, lonely, Maybe none of that is your issue, maybe you just feeling like crap. You got some health issues yourself, you are grieving your used to be time, or maybe you have to buyers remorse, you bought into some foolishness and currently stuck with the choices you made. Whatever it is, Change. You are not a tree. You can choose to stop, choose to not be sad, choose to not cry, although crying is good sometimes, but you can choose not to wallow in the pig sty you are in. Let’s say you live in a pig pen. You ever seen where hogs are? Its nasty. Let’s say you can’t get out of there right now. What you can do metaphorically is clean up your area. Make blocks out of the mud, defend your piece of the sty. Claim your space. Even if it is in your head. Protect your sanity. And do something. CHANGE. Means not allowing stuff to stay the same. Change how you react, change how you appear. Your mileage may vary… but your goal is to survive until you see an opening to escape, survive until the season is over, survive until the thing is gone, but you can’t improve without a plan. Plan, do, create, make, design, use the thing God blessed you with, get rid of the distractions, the stuff you know isn’t good for you. Choose. Speak life to your situation. While you have breath you have a chance and a choice. The enemy will be there to remind you of what you are not. What you are missing. He will use people to say and do things to dissuade you. Crush your spirit. Rise above it. Why. Because you are being tested, shaped molded and changed to be more like the person God wants you to be. Your example will help someone else cope with their struggle. We are not alone. You are not all by yourself. Someone knows exactly what it feel like to be you. They made it out, and so can you. If you don’t quit you will win too. If you don’t surrender, you will survive. Sometimes a parent has to be silent to let their children figure something out for themselves. Right? You can hinder growth if you do too much for your kids. Right. Alcohol on a wound hurts a little but if you don’t disinfect the wound it can get infected. Sometimes you have to break a bone to reset it. Sometimes you have to pull a tooth to save a jaw, sometimes love hurts. Not domestic abuse or sexual fetish stuff but Godly love. I can’t stand Romans 8:28; but its true. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 1 Corinthians 13:12 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. I don’t know how you found this podcast but I am glad you did. I don’t preach every week at my best friends church I attend. I play my guitar. I struggle with all the things I mentioned earlier and some I didn’t say. HAPPY THANKSGIVING. [email protected] /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/34120501