Nighmares and Dreamscapes

As a kid, I used to have this reoccuring dream that I was lying down in a field looking up at the sky. I would lay there and watch the clouds roll by, making shapes and pictures out of each cloud. I knew the grass was tall because I could always see it while looking up at the coulds. It was as if I was deep in the ground somehow.

Then the worst thing happened; I was gazing at the sky and the grass beside me began to move. Thinking it was the wind, I ignored it. Until a man dove on top of me and began to choke the life out of me. It didn't matter how many times I had this dream, he always took me by surprise.

I'd wake up in a cold sweat, breathing heavy, feeling nauseated. It always took what seemed like forever to fall back asleep and sometimes I didn't go back to sleep at all.

This went on for a long time. I had this dream maybe once or twice a month, sometimes more. However, no matter how many times I had this nightmare, I'd always wake up. It might've gotten to the point where I didn't think I was going to make it, or I may have felt like giving up, but I always woke up.

Nightmares are horrible! A living nightmare is even worse. Sometimes these are referred to as dreamscapes... it's a dream-like sometimes surreal scene one encounters.

I call dreamscapes 'living nightmares'. It's those circumstances that life gives you that make your world feel like a living hell. Torment, in a trance-like state, the enemy has a hold on you and you feel like you can't break free.

If you are in this sort of situation, or just going through something where you need to just break free and feel peace, I invite you to read Ps. 30:5 - "... weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

It doesn't matter how bad your nightmare or how unrelenting your dreamscape, there is joy waiting for you. Your night may be filled with terror, weeping, confusion, and fear; but God did not give us the spirit of fear; but of power, love, and of a sound mind (II Ti. 1:7). That sound mind part is your peace, and God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (I Co. 14:33).

There is hope. You can have peace of mind. You can lay down at night and sleep without fear; for He gives His beloved sleep (Ps. 127:2).

Your peace is through Jesus Christ. He is a loving God and the author of our peace. He can take your nightmare and your dreamscape and turn it around for your good. He will be your strength and refuge. Turn to Him! Trust Him! It's not over for you. There's more to your life than what you're currently going through. He will turn your mourning into dancing, and your sorrow into joy (Ps. 30:11). Just hold onto Him... joy awaits you.

Think about it.

J.H.

Tools of Trade

Every morning I have basically the same routine. It includes the usual getting up, dressed, prayer, brush teeth, etc. Before I leave, I go to my office and grab my bag which includes a laptop, notebooks, pens, files, papers, adapters, keys, an ipad, and more. These are all things I use for my job on a daily basis; the tools of my trade.

I get to work and have even more things I handle. A desktop computer, work books, an array of cords, different adapters for various machines, projectors, miscellaneous computer parts, and the list goes on.

Everyone has their specific tools for all that we do. A carpenter has a tool belt, a teacher has books to teach from, a mechanic has an entire tool box, etc. Each specific tool of our trade enables us to fulfill what we do on a daily basis; what we have spent time, energy, and even money on doing. Our tools aid us in operating in our particular field in which we spend our 40 hours a week.

So what's the point of all this tool-talk here? Am I trying to be the next Bob Vila? No. What I'm going to do is show us some other tools of a trade... His trade.

The majority of people may think of God and automatically think of the Bible as being the tool of trade. Not wrong, but there's more to it than that.

Ephesians tells us to put on the whole armor of God (Ep. 6:11). It goes on to tell us just what that armor is and what we use it against in verses 13:17(NIV). We don't fight against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil authorities that are unseen. So put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to stand strong in battle. After you've done everything you can, stand your ground. Stand with the belt of truth, body armor of right living, shoes of peace from God's Word so you're fully prepared. Then grab the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God.

You see preachers are not the only ones that have to fight against the enemy and use the Word of God to do so. We all have battles. Everyday. Sometimes we may feel like we can't make it, like we should just give up, throw in the towel, quit; asking questions like, "What's the point?" or "Who cares?"

Do not give in to the lies of the enemy! God's Word is telling you to go forward, there is hope, and you have what it takes to make it. The words above are written in red to show that those words are coming directly from the Word of God. You do have what it takes, you can make it, and you will get through!

This is our true trade; His trade. These are the tools for it... truth, righteousness, peace from God's Word to prepare us, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. These tools will never fail us. They'll never get old and worn out. They'll never crash, lose data, or break.

Now I ask, how prepared are you? Do you have truth? Do you have the peace from God's Word? Do you read your Bible? When you begin your preparation for the battle of life, make sure you have your proper tools. Dive deep into God's Word. Being prepared makes a world of difference. Try out II Timothy 2:15 (AKJV) Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Don't quit. Don't give up. You can make it. God handed you the tools to get through it. Are you using the tools of His trade?

Think about it.

J.H.

Smokin Praise

Severe weather always interests me. I keep telling my wife that I could be a storm chaser like on the T.V. show, but I don't think that will happen, especially when she gives me that "don't even think about it" look.

Speaking of severe, weather, I received an alert, via Blackberry weather from the local news station, that there are thunderstorm warnings and tornado watches for my county. This should be an interesting window view.

No sooner had I received this alert, I saw a door open just outside my window in my office. The door was to the offices beside me that share this building. Three women came out the door, quickly went to get under an awning, and began to smoke. I'm sitting here thinking, seriously!? It's pouring outside, there's a tornado warning, and people are going outside, just to smoke!

I've heard people say they smoke when they get stressed, angry, when things get rough, or just need a break. So no matter what it looks like outside, people are going to go out and smoke. In the middle of a storm, literally, people go and kill themselves with each drag.

So if they can take a smoke break, how about I take a praise break!?

Whether our lives are filled with storms or surrounded by circumstances that are out of our control, we should praise the most High! God is worthy!

Don't base your praise and worship on how your day is going or what you're facing in your life. God is worthy no matter what! Psalms says, "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name;"

People are entitled to take breaks on their job. Breaks that damage their body, breaks where they are slowly killing themselves. how much more should we take a praise break to give God glory!?! Praise is good and is good to do. When you praise Him, your spiritual and even physical body improve. Praise strengthens your spirit, soul, mind, and body.

God deserves the glory. Despite your situation, no matter what your circumstance, praise Him! Look at it this way: you're breathing, you have life, you have food, you have shelter, and you always have Jesus!

Despite your circumstances, no matter what your situation, take a praise break. No matter what you're going through, praise your way out of it! Keep going! God has control! No one said it'd be an easy road, but you can praise your way through it!

Think about it.

J.H.

The Day After

Yesterday was Easter. A day to celebrate one of the greatest events in history; Jesus rising from the dead. The grave could not hold Him, He arose just like He said He would do. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the greatest events in history! Not only an event, because the Resurrection lives in us when we die to our sin and rise up in Christ!

Churches, mine included, across the nation were pushing to do everything they could to invite more people than ever to attend their Easter services. We were doing so much to invite the people of our city to come to our special Easter Celebration services; made special invitation cards, put out signs, posted on Twitter and Facebook, and so much more to get the word out about this one service.

So here we are on the day after the Easter services. Does that mean that we stop reaching and pushing to get people to come to our church services?

Today is another opportunity to win the lost, to reach out to our community, to show people God's love and to share His Word.

We went to such great lengths and did so much to get people to come to our Easter services. Now that Easter is over, are we done reaching for the lost? We were all on our best behavior, looked our best, greeters wore extra smiles, we all shook all the hands we could, and showed God's light to our guests, but now that Easter is over, will we continue to make the same effort?

There is still a lost and dying world out there. There are still hungry people searching for something and someone to show them. Matthew has a very familiar verse that says, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations..." I didn't see a timeline in that verse. It doesn't say 'Go teach everyone about God until after Easter.

There is still a lost world that needs to be taught about God and His Word. Just because Easter is over does not mean that we should stop reaching for people and showing God's love.

Like I said, we all made such a huge effort to get people to come to our Easter services. It was all about souls, winning the lost, showing our guests the love of Jesus, etc. Will you continue to make the same effort on the day after Easter? Will you still show the love of Jesus and continue to witness with the Easter effort on the days after?

Think about it.

J.H.

Master's Degree

Last Sunday morning, I was in a church service at the First Apostolic Church in Maryville, TN... as I always am. Standing in the congregation, singing, and offering up praises to the most high God, something caught my attention. Now, please realize, I do not go around looking at people and letting my mind wander off in the distance... not in a church service anyway; but on this particular morning, I noticed something and I could not pull my gaze away from it.

I noticed a man sitting down and looking at a copy of the recently published Apostolic Witness magazine. It was just an ordinary thing. I mean, how many people do you see looking at a magazine? This particular instance, however, was interesting to me. You see, it was not the man looking at the magazine, rather, it was what was on the back of the magazine that caught my eye. I couldn't see the entire page, but at the top was labeled, "Master's Degree."

Immediately my mind started working. Things like, "What's that about?" & "I wonder what is says." began to come in my mind. Later in the day, this thought still had not let go of me. I began to wonder if it was talking about a degree in education, a pedigree of some sort, etc.

You see, I am currently pursuing higher education. My first thought about this page on the magazine was of a Bible College... being as how it was on an Apostolic magazine and all; but throughout the day I began to see it in a new light. What if it was about The Master?

Whether or not the magazine page was about college, pedigree, or something else, I kept thinking of the title, Master's Degree, in a new form.

In any form of education, you must dedicate your time and even sacrifice your desires in order to achieve a degree. How much more should we sacrifice and dedicate our time, efforts, and energy for a greater cause? What if we pursued what the Master intended for our lives?

So many of us, myself included, have tried to earn education, titles, respect, etc. Spending hours in front of a computer or head-first in a book, but for what? A man's approval? Where is God in this picture? Instead of trying to please everyone around us, why not purpose to please Jesus? He is the Master and He is calling us to a higher standard, a higher purpose, a higher... degree.

Friends, the Master is calling us. He wants to bless you and fill your life with joy unspeakable. The Master's Degree is what Jesus wants you to be.

Even as a child, Jesus was found in the temple amongst doctors, teachers, etc. He was teaching them not the other way around. Jesus was educated and purposeful about His Father's business. That is a prime example for us to follow. We should be about our Father's business, sharing God's Word, teaching others about Him, letting everyone know that there is hope, there is a better way, there is love, and God does love you!

When I receive my Master's Degree from a University, I'll basically have a piece of paper saying that I'm educated in a particular field. What I really desire, what I dedicate my life to, is the the Master's reward. His 'degree' will be words filled with power and life; "well done." It's my desire to be with people of like precious faith that have made their way through this life, throw my graduation cap up in the air and enter into glory!

I long to achieve my Master's degree.

J.H.

Change - Yes We Can

Finally, an update. Haven't been on here in a long while. A lot has been going on lately. We're coming up to a date that will surely change our country (as if it hasn't been already). We here of all this change about to happen, things will be different, things will be better, etc. Our newspapers tell us what our president is saying, what democrats are railing republicans about and vice versa. It's all about to change... It's been said since even before the current president was elected... Change. Yes we can!

Ok enough politics. There's lots more that I could say, but lets just leave that alone for now...

However, there does need to be a change. Our states, our country, our world is falling apart. Haiti is covered in Cholera, the streets of France are filled with protesters, death tolls are rising in Afghanistan, Indonesian islands have endured a 7.7 magnitude earthquake, young men are killing in New York because of a different life style lived by another... the list goes on and on.

We need a change. We must have a change in our world. But how can we change the world...?

Simple: Jesus. His love.

How can we show this broken, lost, and dying world that there is hope... true hope...? We must show them Jesus. People need to see Jesus in us. We may be the only form of Jesus, church, or love that some people ever see.

It might seem like an unreachable goal, an impossible task, but it can happen. One day, one step at a time. This world needs Jesus. So where do we start?

Lets change the world... but, we can't change our world unless we change our country. We can't change our country unless we change our state. We can't change our state unless we change our city. We can't change our city unless we change our county. We can't change our county unless we change our neighborhood. We can't change our neighborhood unless we change the street on which we live. We can't change our street unless we change our own home. We can't change our home unless WE CHANGE! We do that through Him!

The point: We can change this world, but it has to start with us individually. We must make a difference and a change in ourselves before we reach out to anyone. For if we are not right, how can we show "right living" to others?

This post may be just to wake us up a little. Is our heart right? Are we really showing God's love to others?

Listen world changers: You want to make a difference and a change... it all starts with you. Get ahold of God like never before. Jesus is the only hope for any change. There's no time to waste. Jesus is soon to return and this world will be no more. The time is now. Take a deep look inside your own heart and into your own life... Are you ready to change the world?

J.H.

Dude, You're Weird

I took a trip to Mississippi for engagement pictures this past weekend. On the way back, I stopped in Nashville for some coffee and to stretch a bit. Got back in the car and was back on my way. Trying to get back to the interstate, I saw a man walking on the sidewalk and he appeared to be shouting something. His hands were raised and from what I understood of his shouts he was saying, "You're my God! You're my God! Thank you! Thank you!" I guess he was just walking down the road praising God. I thought that was pretty cool that someone would praise God without reservation, without caring who's around or who may be staring.

Now to the average person, that man walking down the street would be considered weird or strange. Some crazy dude walking down the street shouting gibberish at the air... Be honest here, what would your first thought be? To be transparent, mine was that he might be in trouble, or crazy. But no matter how strange it appeared to me at first, the fact was that he was a man simply praising God for all He has done.

Personally, I've always been a little different than most. People call me strange, weird, and other names that aren't worth mentioning. However, the difference between me and them is that I'm supposed to be different. It's safe to say that I'm supposed to be weird. My Bible tells me that I'm supposed to come out from among them and be separate (II Cor 6:17). So there's my calling to be different... to be weird. God's Word also tells me that God did not call me to be impure, but to be holy (I Thes 4:7). One more step further is that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance (Ro 11:29). They're irrevocable, they never change, they never expire...

So I'm supposed to be different because it's my calling that never changes or expires. When I separate myself from this world, I become closer to God, and nothing can separate me from Him or His love (Ro 8:38-39).

There are a lot of times that I've walked the opposite way of the world, didn't follow the crowd and I've been called weird, strange, stupid, etc. But the thing is, I'm supposed to be different. I'm a child of God. His Word says to be separate and I am totally cool with following God and not this world. God has too much in store for us to just walk away and be with the IN-crowd, the cool kids, etc. Being separate has benefits that are far better than anything this world could ever give us. Blessings follow people that are holy and separate (Nu 6:24-27).

Some people may see this whole "separate" thing as weird or having no fun, but God called us to be a holy and separate people. Separation is not isolation, but insulation. It's a protection from ungodliness. Being separate... being weird is the coolest thing you could ever do.

J.H.