Waiting upon the Lord...

Waiting upon the Lord is a complicated thing. It is not always sitting on the couch with our hands folded in prayer waiting to hear from the Father. It is not always about patience. It is not always like a dog with a treat on his nose waiting for the ok to eat it. The spiritual truths that the Lord needs us to learn cannot always be learnt in one lesson, or a hundred, but precept upon precept and line upon line, (Isa 28:9-11)

I guess a part of me thinks it should be like the movie "the Matrix." Like when Neo is sitting in the chair and they just push the button for "LOAD" and then next thing he says is, "I know Jujitzu." The Lord cannot always show us the big picture in an instant. Some things need to be absorbed by us, mulled over because we need to understand and sometimes that takes time whether we think so or not.

One way the Lord has dealt with me is to show me the false doctrine first (in a way I believe) before later showing how it is a false doctrine and what truth in particular the false doctrine hides. Any doctrine that is not based on the truth of God's Word is false, and when believed, blinds the mind of those that believe in it. But there are alot of false teachings out there, tiny subtle twistings of God's Word that we automatically take as truth because we have always heard it taught that way and we don't even question it anymore. That is why the Bureans were more noble than those in Thessalonica. They double checked to see if those things being taught were really in the Word or not.

I went to Urgent Care today. I have had some sort of allergic reaction. They put me on steriods for a couple weeks that decrease in potency as you taper off, and also on allergy medicine. I would have been willing to die or be healed before I went to the doctor. For some reason it is God's will that I go this route rather than being healed, which actually hurt my feelings, alot. But there are spiritual lessons to be learned here even now, so I will continue to ask what the will of the Father is and to pray for full healing. I also think more will be revealed when the lab work comes back in the next couple days.

Psa 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Just between me and Him...

Some of the trials and tribulations that I have had on this trip are sortof between me and the Lord. Just meaning they are personal and it would be very difficult to convey on this blog, but still just as profound to me as the other stories here. I still have lots of things to write about but have been in a physical trial the last couple days and not able to post. I have some health issues I need to address the next couple days before I get back on the road. I will try to post some stories I have not had a chance to share with you in the meantime.

Some amazing verses the Lord has shown me to help me during the most fiery trials:

Isa 54:7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
Isa 54:8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
Isa 54:9 For this [is as] the waters of Noah unto me: for [as] I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
Isa 54:10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

There is no pain...

As a wonderful saint has recently reminded me, part of the reason they are called trials and tribulations is that they are always far more difficult than we imagined they would be. I looked up at the www.blueletterbible.org to see if there was a verse for pain in the hands. There was one that was sortof related, Jer. 6:24. But I believe the context is really imnportant for our days and the judgements that will be coming.

Jer 6:22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.
Jer 6:23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they [are] cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
Jer 6:24 We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail.
Jer 6:25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy [and] fear [is] on every side.
Jer 6:26 O daughter of my people, gird [thee] with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, [as for] an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
Jer 6:27 I have set thee [for] a tower [and] a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

It is also important during the times of trials to remember the specific promises of God. Like:

Phl 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ.

and:

Hbr 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Hbr 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Hbr 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Hbr 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Hbr 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Hbr 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness.
Hbr 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Hbr 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Hbr 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Shelter - Ray LaMontangne

Zombie City part 2: Gardiner

I was not really going to go south again, but by a series of circumstances, once again found myself driving through Gardiner. I mentioned it last time when I was talking about Reedsport, but Gardiner is really the one that looks like a serious ghost town. Pictures just cannot adequately convey. Then I saw this from the road. A cemetary that is actually promonantly displayed as you drive past the town. Too ironic.

Rushing around going nowhere...

Everyone drives like a maniac here! I pull over several times an hour in order to let all the crazy drivers past. People all need to just slow down and see the scenery!

Faithful in least

I failed another test yesterday. Remember that it was always the people who worshipped other gods, or stopped being faithful, it was NEVER the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luk 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Luk 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luk 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true [riches]?

There was certain things I was supposed to do on this trip daily, that I had gotten away from. I should be walking in the morning and the evening. (Swimming or some other exercise could be substituted, but some form of exercise should be done morning and evening.) I believe that because I was not being faithful in the little things, when called on to do something specific, I am not listening and I missed an opportunity. Every time I fail, the Lord chastens me, but in order to perfect me. The Lord wants me to be fruitful, but also to obey exactly what He is asking me to do. The Lord is teaching me obedience and the glory will be His. Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace towards me.

When you fail, it is very important not to give up. We will all fall down when we are learning to walk before our Lord. It is the Lord who perfects us. If we are a fruitul tree, the Lord will prune us so that we are more fruitful. Even the Lord Jesus Christ learned obedience through the things He suffered.

1Jo 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
1Jo 2:13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1Jo 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jo 2:16 For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jo 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

So this morning, I got back on track, and asked the Lord to forgive me. After obeying I was greatly inspired for writing on this blog. I stopped and took a long walk at a rest area, where I found this little glade:

I also found a walking stick that was already pre-whittled that was the perfect size for me. Thank you God!