Author name: Johnny Hopkins

Go to Hill – Again

Date: 11/12/19

AO: CHOP, Milton DE.

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Imperial Walkers – 20 IC

Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down.  15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats.

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Mosey .5 miles to that darn hill again….:)…

The Thang

Q revisited the beatdown that could not be completed on last Q opportunity.  We started with the exercises originally slated for the descending evolutions of the hill climbing portion of the beatdown….but we decided to start back at 10 instead of 5 where we had left off last time….:)……PAX completed 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10 Merkins & 10 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 9 Burpees, 9 Squats, 9 Merkins, & 9 Big Boys.  Dragon Crawl up & mosey down and complete 8 Burpees, 8 Squats, 8 Merkins, & 8 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 7 Burpees, 7 Squats, 7 Merkins, & 7 Big Boys.  Boo Boo Bear Crawl up the hill and mosey down and complete 6 Burpees, 6 Squats, 6 Merkins & 6 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 5 Burpees, 5 Squats, 5 Merkins, & 5 Big Boys.

Mosey .5 miles back to CHOP

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.

F3 Message 11/12/19

LAST-SECOND VICTORIES
They’re usually some of the most exciting moments in sports: the touchdown or field goal that wins the game with no time left on the clock, that game-winning basket as the final buzzer sounds, or the game-winning home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Whatever the sport, there is nothing like a sudden victory when victory seems out of reach. It makes the fans go ballistic.

It can be really nerve-wracking when you’re behind and time is running out, but it’s really thrilling when a hero pulls it out at the last minute. The longer someone walks with God, the more they come to appreciate Him as the God of the last-second victory, the God of the eleventh hour.

The Bible reveals many names by which God wants us to know Him. One that has meant so much to so many for so long is the name Jehovah-jireh. It means, “The Lord will provide.” You may be facing a need or situation right now where that is literally your only hope – that the Lord will provide. Maybe it’s a job, a friend, the funds, the person, the answer, the house, the healing, or the breakthrough you need.

There is a rock-solid promise in Philippians 4:19 that “God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” God’s supply has nothing to do with what’s happening in the economy, in the news, at work, or in what your resources can do. It’s all about His unlimited “Jesus-account” in heaven, which transcends every limitation earth has.

God sometimes waits a while to meet that need. That’s when we tend to panic, to come up with some desperate way to meet the need on our own, or to abandon our trust in God because we think He’s taking too long. That takes us right out of the will of God and aborts what God was going to do.

It’s in Genesis 22 that God is known as Jehovah-jireh for the very first time. We can learn a lot from how He worked that day for Abraham. Abraham had, by faith, obeyed God’s direction to take the son God had once promised to him, climb Mt. Moriah with him, and sacrifice his son – as God Himself would do one day when Jesus died on the cross.

Believing that God will somehow provide something Abraham can’t imagine, Abraham promises his servants that both he and his son Isaac will return from the mountain. Genesis 22:10 says his faith and obedience went so far that “he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” At the very last moment, God stopped him and showed Abraham a ram, stuck in a thicket, who would be sacrificed instead of his son. The Bible says, “So Abraham called that place, ‘The Lord Will Provide.'” Jehovah-jireh made His move when there was no time left.

Now, about your need. God loves to come through for us when there is absolutely no place else that answer could come from, and there is no time left on the clock. It’s 11:59 and the buzzer is about to sound. God shows up with His provision at a time and in a way that will blow you away, that will give Him all the glory, that will show the people around you the greatness of God, and that will take you to a whole new level of faith and worship.

Have faith in God. God’s last-minute victories are some of the most awesome moments of your life. The greater the need and the later the hour, the more amazing God’s work on your behalf is going to be. Hang in there until the end of the game, because that is when God really does His stuff!

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

The Hill You Say

Date: 10/24/19

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 25 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down.  15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats.

Windmills – 15 IC

Mosey .5 miles to “Holy Freaking Hill”

The Thang

The Super Sheldon Cooper on a “freaking hill” with a few of my friendly animals – Complete 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10 Merkins & 10 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 9 Burpees, 9 Squats, 9 Merkins, & 9 Big Boys.  Crawl Bear up & mosey down and complete 8 Burpees, 8 Squats, 8 Merkins, & 8 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 7 Burpees, 7 Squats, 7 Merkins, & 7 Big Boys.  Inch worm up the hill and mosey down and complete 6 Burpees, 6 Squats, 6 Merkins & 6 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 5 Burpees, 5 Squats, 5 Merkins, & 5 Big Boys.

Time did not allow us to finish, but below are the remaining evolutions as planned.

Dragon Crawl up the hill and mosey down and complete 4 Burpees, 4 Squats, 4 Merkins, & 4 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 3 Burpees, 3 Squats, 3 Merkins, & 3 Big Boys.  Boo Boo Bear Crawl up the hill and mosey down and complete 2 Burpees, 2 Squats, 2 Merkins, & 2 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 1 Burpee, 1 Squat, 1 Merkin, & 1 Big Boy.

Mosey .5 miles back to CHOP

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Welcome to FNG Thomas Bunting a.k.a. Radar.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.  

F3 Message 10/24/19

UCG.org / Beyond Today / Climb Every Mountain

Climb Every Mountain

Posted on Jan 2, 2006 by Robert H Berendt

Robert H Berendt

Pastor, United Church of God

Ambassador grad 1970. Pastor in Canada and Germany retired in 2017. On the Council of UCG-Canada and COE of UCGIA. Wife Valerie is British. Four adult children, 14 grandchildren and 7 great.

Give me mountains to climb and the strength to climb them” was a line I once read. I grew up in the mountains, and although we did not climb in the technical sense of using ropes, pins and other devices, we did spend many hours walking the hills and mountains. The majesty of the peaks makes clear the concept of the grandeur of God the Creator. It is humbling.

Climbing produces many benefits that I’ve found to be helpful: strong legs, building confidence in tackling heights, considering where to place your foot for each step. They are all lessons of good planning and enable the body to become stronger and more physically fit. The sheer exuberance of completing the task makes one want to stand on top of the peak and shout with all of your might.

One of the most important benefits of hiking is pushing yourself beyond what you think are your limits.

In the past, I have taken teenagers and young children for longer hikes in the mountains. I find resistance comes when they get tired and weary. That is normal. One of the most important benefits of hiking is pushing yourself beyond what you think are your limits. Human beings are able to go beyond what they think they can do. The body may be putting a great deal of pressure on the mind to stop, but the mind is able to override the complaints of the body and complete the task. There are lessons learned and character built that will keep you in good stead for a lifetime. One lesson you can learn is knowing when to rest or pause and when to proceed.

The safest place for a ship is a harbor, but ships were not designed for staying in a harbor. You do not become a great sailor by staying in quiet waters. Great sailors learn to be great by facing and conquering the most severe storms and conditions that the sea can give. No one would advocate that a sea captain start his career in the most severe storm. Usually, a person starts out as a helper and assistant. He gains experience during smaller storms and slowly develops the qualities needed to tackle problems with expertise and competence. The same applies to the mountains that we climb in life—whether they are real mountains or the challenges of daily life, physical struggles, emotional or spiritual issues.

A hard trail

Almighty God is very careful about inviting humans to become part of the first fruits and first resurrection. We read in John 6:44 that only God the Father decides whose mind to open. It is not the great of the world that He chooses (1 Corinthians 1:26-27), but those chosen definitely must be able to embark on a hard trail. It is surprising how some seemingly unlikely people have great inner strength. Those chosen will have great rewards that will make the struggle worth every difficult step. It will take all the strength, determination and effort that they are able to put forth along with God’s help to reach the summit. God is a strong helper during all of the struggles, and Jesus Christ intercedes on our behalf.

People who are new to the mountains do not always appreciate the dangers hidden there. They will learn through experience that there is a proper way to climb a mountain.

In Matthew11:12 we are told that forceful men lay hold of the kingdom God offers. Jesus called them “overcomers” in several places in Scripture. The obvious conclusion is that a person will have to look forward and glimpse the wonderful future with such conviction that nothing will deter them from achieving the goal. Hebrews 11 records the suffering of many. In Hebrews 12:3-9 Paul explains that we need to endure hardship as discipline; God is treating us as sons. Hardships are the mountains God has given us to climb. We need to rely on God’s Holy Spirit and use our minds and concentration skills for this daunting task. God will supply what we need, with His only request being that we appreciate what is happening and learn to love His ways. Age and physical abilities are not factors in this spiritual expedition.

Luke 14:28-33 reveals the need to count the cost before embarking on an adventure. We need to know we are able to complete the task. It is certain that no person, by themselves can accomplish this task. They neither know the way nor have the strength. God gives us what we need.

It’s worth the climb

Mountains are climbed one step at a time. There are periods of rest, traversing and planning. Our spiritual mountain gives us similar challenges. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul stated that God only gives us that which we can bear and helps when temptations or hardship come. It is comforting to realize that we are not alone and have a thoughtful Creator who will lift us up.

People who are new to the mountains do not always appreciate the dangers hidden there. They will learn through experience that there is a proper way to climb a mountain. They will find out that the view from the top is breathtaking. This spiritual climb is the only way that leads to eternal life, and it is worth every ounce of expended energy.

It is probably true that most people would rather avoid the strenuous and demanding task of climbing mountains (real or spiritual). Most people avoid pain and suffering. The way God chose for His people is a difficult and narrow path. Jesus Christ felt the loss of many disciples when the way was too difficult (John 6:66). Even His close followers fled in panic when they saw that Jesus was not resisting arrest and torture (Matthew 26:56).

In the end, the reward will be more than worth the struggle. This life is short and full of troubles, whether we choose to follow Jesus Christ or not. This life is physical and temporary. The life we hope for, pray for and suffer for is eternal. God places this hope into the hearts of all people.

Climbing mountains is a great source of joy and satisfaction. How much greater and joyful are God’s mountains when He walks at our side. So then we can pray, “Give me mountains to climb and the strength to climb them.”

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

October 24, 2019

Heck on the “Rumpskin”

Date: 10/12/19

AO: Aegis, Georgetown, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Imperial Walkers – 20 IC

Bolt 45’s – 15 squats to halfway down.   15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats

Windmills – 20 IC

Dips – 20 IC

Mosey .47 miles to the School

The Thang

Super 21 Routine using the five sidewalks at the front of the School – 1 Merkin & 1 Big Boy Sit up, mosey to second sidewalk, 2 Merkins & 2 Big Boy’s mosey to third sidewalk, 3 Merkins & 3 Big Boy’s mosey to fourth sidewalk, 4 merkins & 4 Big Boy’s mosey to fifth sidewalk, 5 merkins & 5 Big Boy’s, reverse sidewalks and repeat until reaching 21 of both.  Equals 231 of each exercise.

Mosey .47 miles back to the Aegis with the Armory as a waypoint.

Stop at the Armory steps and complete Aiken legs – 20 squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges (10 each Leg), 20 split Jacks (10 each Leg).  The twist is that each PAX will take each step up and each step down before performing each exercise.

Captain Therkin – 1 big Boy to 4 American hammers; 5 Merkins .  2 Big Boys to 8 American Hammers; 5 Merkins in ration to 10:40 with 5 Merkins.

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.

F3 Message 10/12/19 – Q spoke about a recent meeting where he had not exercised the best patience and professionalism. In fact, it was quite a flashback to the “old man” that he thought he had left behind. The following word from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries was shared with all attending PAX, but was still ringing in Q’s ear from his recent “Volcanic Eruption”.

Volcano Scars

When you’re angry, you’re probably a lot like a volcano. You erupt, spew out your lava, and often blow away a piece of the other person, if not yourself.

Every one of us carries around parts of us that have been mortally wounded by something someone said to us in anger. They may have forgotten it, but we can’t ever forget it because those create volcano scars. Why do we do this to other people and usually the people we love the most?

Proverbs 12:18 says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword.” That’s the awesome power of our angry, irresponsible words. Proverbs 18:21 says that “The tongue has the power of life and death.” We can say things that make a person feel more alive or that make them feel dead inside. You’ve had it happen to you, haven’t you?

The Bible pays a high tribute to a person who’s under control. Proverbs 16:32 says, “Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.” That’s real manhood.

If you’re tired of erupting and leaving volcano scars on people, maybe it’s time to follow the steps to becoming an extinct volcano:

  1. Confess your anger and your reckless words as the sin that they really are. Bring it to Jesus’ cross and treat it as some of the ugly sin that literally killed our Savior. Then confess it to the victims of your anger.
  2. Don’t let the lava build up; deal with issues right away.
  3. Make yourself listen and ask questions before you speak. James 1:19 says, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” If you listen, you’ll be slower to have anger.
  4. Don’t say anything at all until you’re under control.
  5. Make Jesus Christ the Lord of the raging animal inside you. We’ve all got one. That’s the uncontrollable parts of us that are constant reminders that we need a Savior.

Give it to Him for this new day. If volcanoes could think, maybe they’d think twice about blowing their top. The volcano might reason, “You know, maybe I’ll feel better for a while, but is it worth blowing away a part of myself? Is it worth blowing away a part of a person I love?” Well, when we think about it, we know it’s not worth it. The tongue has the power of life and death and “reckless words pierce like a sword.” Haven’t we left enough volcano scars?

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Heat Treated

Date: 09/28/19

AO: Aegis, Georgetown, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Ballerina Toe Squats – 20 IC

Hairy Rockettes – 20 IC

Windmills – 20 IC

Mosey .47 miles to the School.   

The Thang

Pax completed the Hindenburg BLIMPS routine from the Exicon.  Q had brought this routine in the past during a weekly 45 minute workout, and time did not allow us to finish.  So….we started all over….We modified the sprint portion to a straight line between four light poles that were approx. .02 miles apart. Sprint to pole #1, perform exercise at pole #1, sprint to pole #2, perform exercise, sprint to pole #3, perform exercise.  Then to pole #4, perform exercise.  Plank it up until all PAX are in.  That completes one round.  Reverse directions and perform the second exercise working back through the 4 poles.  Round #1 – 10 Burpees. Round #2 – 20 Lunges (10 each leg).  Round #3 – 30 Imperial Walkers.  Round #4 – 40 Merkins.  Round #5 – 50 Plank Jacks.  Round #6 – 60 Squats.  We modified the merkin round down to 20 at each pole, but picked them back up at 4 waypoints as we moseyed the .47 miles back to the Aegis.

Excellent cherry pie and fellowship (2nd F) was enjoyed at the coffeteria at Baxter Farms immediately following the beatdown. We all love Quattro’s Grandmother, and hope that we get invited back…….Quattro isn’t so bad either as he cuts a very generous slice….:)….

F3 message 09/28/19 –The 3rd F was shared from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries after completing round #4.

Good Wood – #6657

Now, if I said I was going to give you the great secrets of hitting a baseball, I don’t think you’re going to go right out and try them. You’re going to be skeptical, and you should be. But if one of the game’s greatest hitters were to tell you the secret of hitting a baseball, well now you should pay attention.

Pete Rose actually was one of those, and he was once interviewed for an article in Sports Illustrated, and I like the title. It’s called Good Wood. And he said that he liked a heat-treated bat. Now, I didn’t realize this, but he said that you put the bat through an intense heat and that the heat would seal the pores and it actually made the bat hit harder. Well, it worked for him! I guess it’s true, heat-treated bats hit harder. Well, you know something? So do heat-treated people.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Good Wood.”

Now, our word for today from the Word of God is found in Romans 5:3-4, and it talks about, well, heat treating. Here we go. “We, also, rejoice in our sufferings because we know suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope.” Those are curious words. “We rejoice in our suffering?” This doesn’t mean that Christian suffering feels any better than non-Christian suffering. It doesn’t. It feels about the same, whether you’re a Christian or not. But if you’re a believer, pain is just as painful, unemployment is just as demoralizing, and pressure is just as stressful.

But you rejoice, not because it feels better, you rejoice because in Christ, pain has a point. A minus can be made into a plus. Suffering can be made into perseverance, character and hope. Just ask Pete Rose’s bat. He said that heat heals up the holes in the bat and makes it more solid. Well, could it be that the heat that you’re undergoing right now is heat-treating you and the holes in your life are being healed up by it and you’re becoming more solid because of it? The heat you’re feeling is not to burn you up, even though it feels like you might not make it through it. It’s to make you strong; to build into you great perseverance, great character, great hope.

Right now you are in a position to learn more about the resources of God than any person who’s in a comfortable setting. Sure you’d like to be comfortable again. I hope you will be. Sure you’d like this insecurity, this pain to pass. But right now you have a chance to know the resources, and the power, and the grace of God more deeply than you and those around you perhaps have ever known. You are learning, or you can learn, how to wait, how to overcome, how to really, urgently, desperately pray.

Perhaps you’re being forced to close up some of the holes in your life; weaknesses, un-confessed sin, broken relationships that have been called to your attention by this hard time. Things you might not have given attention to any other way. And you can, because of the fire, be forced to deal with the weaknesses that you might otherwise still tolerate. And when you do, you have added a new kind of strength.

The fire turns spiritual wimps into spiritual warriors. So, rejoice as you see what you are becoming or can become through heat-treating, and only through heat-treating. You are becoming a heavy hitter in the hands of Almighty God.

Be encouraged! You’re becoming good wood.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Fired Up

Date: 09/03/19

AO: Chop, Milton De.

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Imperial Walkers – 20 IC

Bolt 45’s – 15 squats to halfway down.   15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats

Windmills – 20 IC

Mosey .4 miles to the Food Lion Shopping Center.   

The Thang

Hindenburg BLIMPS from the Exicon

Modified version of BLIMPS.  Done on a field.  Perform exercise at corner #1, sprint to corner #2, perform exercise, sprint to corner #3, perform exercise.  Then to corner #4, perform exercise, and then go back to corner #1.  Plank it up until all PAX are in.  That completes one round.  Round #1 – 10 Burpees. Round #2 – 20 Lunges each leg.  Round #3 – 30 Imperial Walkers.  Round #4 – 40 Merkins.  Round #5 – 50 Plank Jacks.  Round #6 – 60 Squats.

We completed three rounds due to time constraints.  Each round consists of .16 miles.

Mosey .4 miles back to CHOP. 

Toy Soldier Set.  30 LBC’s, 20 E2K’s, each side, 10 Big Boys. 

PAX finished the beat down strong with 40 merkins OYO

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.

F3 Message 09/03/19 – From Ron Hutchcraft Ministries

Why you Matter So Much to the People You Know – #7856

Monday, February 20, 2017

“You sit there staring at the phone for forty-five minutes. There’s this girl you really want to ask out, but every time you try to pick up the phone to call her, you freeze. Finally, you realize she probably isn’t going to call you, and the phone isn’t going to call her all by itself. So, you punch in her number. Are you still afraid? Yes. But courage is not the absence of fear; it’s the disregard of it! So here goes! Yes, that actually was my life at one time.

That battle with fear must be exponentially greater when there’s a life-or-death situation where you could make a difference. Like the day a commuter flight crashed on takeoff from the Lexington, Kentucky airport. Fifty passengers; only one survived-the co-pilot. He owes his life to three emergency workers who were there as the flames began to engulf the plane. They said the heat from thousands of gallons of flaming jet fuel was almost overwhelming. There was a lot of reason to be afraid. But they went in anyway. One of the workers put it this way: “We just knew we had to get him out of there.” He’s alive today because they did.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Why You Matter So Much to the People You Know.”

If you belong to Jesus Christ, you’ve probably heard sermons about how you’re supposed to “witness” and “share your faith.” Well, research shows that only a small, really small percentage of us Christians ever tell anyone what we know about Jesus Christ. If it’s just “witnessing” or “sharing your faith,” it’s one thing not to do it. If it’s the difference between someone within your reach living or dying, it’s something much bigger. And that’s exactly what it is-life-or-death.

There’s a simple eight-word command in Jude 23. It is our word for today from the Word of God. It captures the urgency of the mission that God has assigned to every believer. Here are your orders and mine: “Snatch others from the fire and save them.” The fire is the awful eternity that awaits anyone you know who doesn’t know your Jesus.

Jesus took the punishment for their sins so they wouldn’t have to, but they have to put their trust in Him. And to do that, they have to understand what Jesus did for them on the cross. And someone’s going to have to tell them about that; someone who knows this Jesus; someone who knows them. You have that information upon which their eternity depends. And because you’re already a part of their life, they’re more likely to listen to you than probably any other Christian on earth.

It’s our fear, isn’t it though, that keeps us from going in for the rescue? What can help you overcome that fear, the fear that’s kept you from telling people you know about your Jesus, maybe over and over again? First, understanding that this really is life-or-death; not just sharing your beliefs with someone.

Without Jesus, the Bible says, they will “be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:9). He doesn’t want that. He died so that wouldn’t have to happen, but they need to know that.

Secondly, you have to realize that fear always goes with rescue; rescue always means risk. It did for Jesus-it does for you. The fear is real, but it doesn’t have to decide what you do. Listen to the words of the man who went into that burning plane, “We just knew we had to get him out of there.”

That’s what will open your mouth. Deciding that whatever you’re risking to tell them about Jesus, it can’t be anywhere near as terrible as what will happen if you don’t tell them. You can’t just leave them lost. You can’t just let them die without a chance. You’re in a position to rescue them.

This isn’t just witnessing. This isn’t just sharing your faith. It’s rescuing the dying. Thank God you were snatched from the fire. Now it’s your turn to “snatch others from the fire and save them.”

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

We Got Your Six-Teen

Date: 08/13/19

AO: Chop, Milton, DE.

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Bolt 45’s – 15 squats to halfway down.   15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats

Windmills – 20 IC

Imperial Walkers – 20 IC

Mosey .5 miles to “Oh Hill No”.   

The Thang

After a 10 count, PAX completed a “Toy Soldier Set” of 50 LBC’s, 30 E2K’s each side, and 20 Big Boys. Extra credit for completing the set on the incline of “Oh Hill No”. Next, we partnered up and completed the Burp Back Mountain routine as per the Exicon, but modified for time. One PAX Nurs up the hill and runs down the hill 5 consecutive times while the other completes burpees AMRAP. The switch was made so all could enjoy the burn.

F3 message – see below  

Mosey .5 miles back to CHOP. 

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers. 

F3 Message 08/13/19 – Calming the Storm with Him Always Watching Your Six

Life is a journey of many trials and tribulations that shape and molds us into the person that we are or that we are to become.  As men, we try and we do find some success in handling many of the smaller life issues on our own.  Sometimes we develop an attitude that we can handle all or most things on our own.  That is until the raging storm comes that is completely out of our control.  We give everything we have on our own and we still aren’t handsome enough, young enough, wealthy enough, smart enough, or strong enough to overcome whatever situation that we may be going through.  We don’t understand why God allows these storms to come, but we gotta trust and believe and have faith that God has a purpose that is far beyond our understanding.  We have to remain steadfast in our faith and Let Go and Let God calm the storms of life that we encounter. He always has our “Six”.  Allow Him to restore us to where He would have us to be, not where we think we should be.  Faith as defined by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website is as follows –“ In the Bible, “faith” means believing in God, and in what Christ has done for us to make our salvation possible–and then committing ourselves to Him.  In other words, faith has two parts to it, and both are equally important. The first part is belief–belief that God exists, and that He loves us and sent His son into the world to save us. Faith isn’t a vague hope that God might exist; it is a definite belief that what the Bible says about Him is true.  The second part of faith is commitment–a definite decision not only to believe in our minds that Christ can save us, but to put our lives into His hands and trust Him alone for our salvation. True faith not only believes Christ can save us, but actually trusts Him to do it.” 

God did not intend for our faith in Him to only be present in the best of times.  He wants us to trust Him with all that we are even when we are facing the fiercest storm or the strongest adversary. He has our “Six”  

Joshua 1:9 New King James Version (NKJV)

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 New King James version (NKJV)

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

Psalms 107:28-31 New King James Version (NKJV)

28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven.
31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

Psalms 9:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You

As defined by the non profit organization “Got Your Six” and gleaned from their website.

“In the military, “got your six” means “I’ve got your back.” The saying originated with World War I fighter pilots referencing the rear of an airplane as the six o’clock position. If you picture yourself at the center of a clock face, the area directly in front of you is twelve o’clock. Six o’clock is what lies behind you. On a battlefield, your “six” is the most vulnerable. So, when someone tells you that they’ve “got your six,” it means they’re watching your back. By extension, that person expects you to have their back as well. “Got your six” is now a ubiquitous term in the military that also highlights the way military members look out for each other.”

Isaiah 58:8 New King James Version (NKJV)

Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

A Friendly 82

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Bolt 45’s – 15 squats to halfway down.   15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Chilcutt Plank Jacks – 15 IC

Windmills – 15 IC

Mosey .5 miles by way of the merkin mile to the school.  Each ¼ mile, all Pax stopped to complete 25 merkins.

The Thang

 Q brought a modified Super 21 beatdown for the hot and humid morning that Summit dubbed “a friendly 82” degrees at 7:00 a.m.  1 Merkin to 1 Big Boy Sit up.  2 Merkins to 2 Big Boy Situps.  3 Merkins to 3 Big Boy Situps, etc., etc., etc.  Since we had excessive heat and humidity, Q elected to start at 21 in descending fashion.  Each merkin/big boy set was followed by 21 prisoner squats.  All Pax completed the round of 21 descending through the round of 16 before taking a break for the third F.  After the message, Pax completed the Super 21 descending through the round of 10.   

Mosey .5 miles back to Aegis.  Pax stopped twice on the return mosey and completed 25 merkins at each stop to complete the merkin mile.

Back at the Aegis, Pax completed the modified Super 21 from the round of 9 descending to the round of 1.

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayer. 

F3 Message 07/20/19 – Q shared from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries in regards to how Jesus, the Cross, and the Bible is being systematically removed or “stolen” from our daily lives because it offends someone. As Christians, we must remain vigilant and defend the One who sacrificed all for us.

Who Stole the Cross? – #6479

Thursday, November 10, 2011

“Somebody stole the cross! Go figure.

Well, I mean that was a news story that got my attention a while back. The missing cross was a six-foot-tall metal structure that was embedded in rock and concrete, and it was perched high up on Sunrise Rock in the Mojave Desert. Veterans actually placed it there to honor those who’ve died fighting for their country. And wow! It’s been there for 75 years—no problem; suddenly—problem. People who didn’t want it there argued against it all the way to the Supreme Court. And for the time being, the Justices said that it could stay. But then somebody just went up there and stole the cross. It’s crazy.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You about “Who Stole the Cross.”

As soon as I heard the story, something much more troubling hit me. The cross has gone missing a lot of places these days; places that matter a lot more to God than some mountainside in the desert. I’ve listened to lots of sermons and Christian radio programs, and sometimes I’ve heard little or nothing about Jesus’ cross. I’ve heard lots of Christian talk about how to have a great marriage, or how to raise your kids, how to manage your money, how to have a good self-image, but somehow they never got to the cross.

I’ve heard some great Bible teaching that was deep and powerful, but the cross was on the margins or not even on the page. We’ll talk a lot about important things like justice for the oppressed, compassion for the poor, and help for families, and God cares about all of them. But we never get to God’s game-changer for a sin-broken planet, and that’s the cross of Christ.

Sadly, I think of lost people I’ve known for a long time and talked to about a lot of things, but somehow I’ve never told them about the cross where Jesus died for them. I suspect I’m not alone. Too often, Christians talk a lot about their church or their faith, but not much about their Savior. Oh, yeah, somebody stole the cross…from our conversations, from our ministries, maybe even from the center of our hearts.

Oh, I know who took it. The one Jesus called “…the thief who comes only to steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10). The devil hates the cross because as the Bible says, “having disarmed the powers and authorities, (Jesus) made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15).

You know, Satan’s death warrant is signed in the blood of Jesus. He knows the power of that cross. The oft-quoted Charles Spurgeon called the cross God’s “magnificent magnet.” And in our word for today from the Word of God in John 12:32, Jesus said this about His cross: “When I am lifted up…I will draw all men to Myself.” No wonder Satan says, “Hey, go ahead. Talk about everything you want. Just don’t mention that cross.” Talk about your church. Talk about your faith. Talk about your family values. Don’t mention the cross! The enemy of our souls knows its power and does whatever it takes to erase the cross from our view.

Now, veterans are outraged that the cross was stolen from that hill. We should be outraged! We’ve allowed Jesus’ cross to be stolen from the center of our hearts, and our ministries, and our conversations. “The message of the cross,” 1 Corinthians 1:18says, “is…the power of God.” I need to be as passionate about elevating that cross as the world and the devil are about eliminating it.

I have the unspeakable privilege of taking a lost friend by the hand and walking with them up a hill the Bible calls Skull Hill, and standing there at the foot of an old rugged cross, and sharing with them the greatest love in the universe. “What He did here, my friend, was for you.” Without that cross, there is no hope…no heaven.”

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Blame it on the Milkshake

Date: 07/04/19

AO: CHOP, Milton, De.

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Plank Jacks – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Ballerina Toe Squats – 20 IC

Mountain Climbers – 20 IC

Windmills – 20 IC

The Thang

Patriot run .5 miles to “Oh Hill No”. 

PAX partnered up for B.O.M.B.’s on the Hill.  One PAX Soldier Crawls (Spiderman Crawl) up the hill and mosey’s back down while his partner completes a series of exercises.  Each team completed a total of 50 burpees, 100 Overhead Claps completed as SSH’s, 150 Merkins, 200 Big Boy Situp’s, and 250 Squats.  However, Q had each PAX carry his own weight and complete half of that total exercise amount before moving on to the next exercise….25 Burpees, 50 Overhead Claps completed as SSH’s, 75 Merkins, 100 Big Boy Situp’s, 125 squats.  A little chatter in regards to the pain station prompted a response by Q to blame it on the milkshake he indulged at the fireworks display last night.

F3 Message – See below

Mosey .5 miles back to CHOP by way of the Patriot Run.

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayer.  Save travels and a shout out to Bovine and Chappie as they were completing a 17.76 mile Ruck during this morning’s beat down. 

F3 Message 07/04/19 – Excerpts were utilized by Q from the re-post below from Christianity Daily as well as Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Happy Independence Day 2017: Bible Verses and Quotes To Reflect On What Freedom Means In America

JUL 02, 2017 07:26 PM EDT

From Christianity Daily.com

Fourth of July marks the moment in history when representatives of a new government uprising signed the Declaration of Independence in the United States on July 4, 1776. The document listed grievances suffered by the U.S. colonies under British monarchy and justified a desire for liberty. It was penned by Thomas Jefferson. Also known as Independence Day, it is an annual holiday that symbolizes freedom. It is celebrated nationwide in 2017 on Tuesday, July 4.

Although declared in 1776, Americans were not delivered from bondage until 1783. The high cost of freedom was paid for in blood, in what historians estimate to be the death of 25,000 American Patriots. It took eight years, four months, and fifteen days of war between America and Great Britain during the American Revolution to be fully attained.

The Oxford dictionary defines freedom as “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.” It is also defined as the “absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government,” and “the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.” Christianity Daily compiled a list of Bible verses and quotes that shed light on the true meaning of freedom.

4 Things the Bible Says About Freedom

By BGEA   •   July 1, 2019   •   Topics: HolidaysLifestyle

By Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

As the United States of America celebrates Independence Day on July 4, it’s worth noting the nation was founded upon the idea that God created human beings to be free. The Declaration of Independence states that people “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

But what is “liberty,” exactly? Is freedom based upon the country where you live, or can it have a deeper meaning?

Here are some key ideas from the Bible about freedom—including how to find true freedom in your life.

1. People have been searching for it for thousands of years.

The quest for freedom is a theme found throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Just three chapters into the story of God’s creation, humanity gave up its freedom by choosing to rebel against God. From that time forward, the perfect freedom God created in the Garden of Eden was gone, and the long-term effects were both physical and spiritual.

The Old Testament of the Bible records how God’s people lost their physical freedom time and again as various empires overtook them (most notably the Egyptians, as recorded in the book of Exodus).

The loss of physical freedom was often tied to spiritual disobedience like worshiping false gods. But time and again, the one true God forgave His people and rescued them. When God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He was foreshadowing the arrival of Jesus Christ, who came to free humanity from sin—the spiritual slavery that leads to death.

Today, many people are living in spiritual slavery without realizing it. They chase false gods of money, success, personal comfort and romantic love—only to realize they still have an emptiness that can’t be filled by any of those things.

>> Everyone worships something. Read Billy Graham’s short answer about the definition of an idol.

2. God’s answer to our loss of freedom has always been Jesus Christ.

When Jesus began his short period of ministry on the earth, He announced He was the One that God’s people had been waiting for since the fall of humanity. He did this by reading a particular passage from the book of Isaiah—a passage his listeners knew was referring to the Messiah, or the Savior of the world.

The words had been written hundreds of years earlier and spoke of a new freedom that was coming in the future. When Jesus stood up to read, He was saying the future had arrived. Liberty would come through Him.

“And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:17-21, emphasis added).

>> Read Billy Graham’s short devotion, “Truth Brings Freedom.”

3. Jesus came to free us from death, sin and anything that enslaves us.

The core message of the Christian faith—the Gospel—is that Jesus Christ rescues us from the slavery of sin and offers true freedom in this life and beyond. This is what Jesus said:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The Good News—the best news ever—is that faith in Jesus frees us from the death we deserve for sinning against God. It frees us from the punishment that would be inflicted upon us at the end of our lives for the evil things we’ve thought and done.

While Christ followers still battle with sin, they are no longer slaves to it. Through the power of Christ, His people can be set free from the bondage of greed, vanity, pride, pornography, addiction, abusive behavior, gluttony, selfishness—and any other sin under the sun. Here’s what Jesus said about the freedom He offers:

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34-36).

>> Watch Billy Graham’s powerful message, “Truth and Freedom,” from his 1969 New York City Crusade.

4. God gives us freedom to choose our own path.

God created human beings, not robots. We don’t have to accept the freedom He offers us through Jesus Christ. He gives each person the free will to accept or reject His salvation. But the Bible warns that hell is a real place where real people end up when they knowingly reject the truth.

Likewise, those who choose Christ are not forced to obey Him at every turn. But God makes it clear: the best life is one that’s devoted to honoring Him. As the Apostle Paul explained to some of the first Christians:

“’All things are lawful for me,’” but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12).

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).

>> What is “the judgment,” and why did Jesus have to die for our sins? Listen to Billy Graham’s message.

Final thoughts on freedom

From cover to cover, God’s Word points to freedom in Christ. And God doesn’t leave us wondering how to grab hold of the freedom He offers. It starts with acknowledging our brokenness—and admitting we are slaves to sin. And it ends with choosing Jesus and following Him daily. Only He can break the bonds of slavery and lead us to true freedom, now and forever.

Choose Jesus today, and find out what true freedom feels like.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

It Ain’t Over

Date: 06/01/19

AO: Aegis, Georgetown, De.

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Chilly Jacks – 15 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down.  15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats.

Mountain Climbers – 15 IC

Windmills – 15 IC

Dips – 15 IC

The Thang

Mosey to County Building Steps.  Each PAX crosses the steps without skipping any steps.

Mosey to Armory steps and completes Aiken legs – 20 squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges (10 each Leg), 20 split Jacks (10 each Leg).  The twist is that each PAX will take each step up and each step down at the Armory before performing each exercise.  Rinse and Repeat.

Mosey to Library and complete the Burp & Merk – Burpee with ascending merkins up to 10.  Each PAX will Bear Crawl to each parking space line (parallel parking spaces) and complete a Burpee with a hand release merkin.  Bear Crawl to the next space and complete a Burpee with two hand release merkins. Bear Crawl to the next space and complete a Burpee with three hand release merkins. You see the pattern now….:)…..Continue until completing a Burpee with ten hand release merkins over the course of 10 parallel parking spaces. @250 ft. 

Mosey to School and complete the bottom feeder/deconstructed toy soldier set exercise.  Crab walk to first sidewalk and complete 50 LBC’s.  Crab walk to second sidewalk and complete 15 E2K’s each side.  Crab walk to third sidewalk and complete 15 E2K’s each side.  Crab walk to fourth sidewalk and complete 20 big boy sit-ups. The overall length of the exercise area was approx. 435 ft.

F3 Message – See below

Mosey back to Aegis.  PAX completed @.9 mile mosey excluding the pain stations.

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, Naming of FNG (Welcome Kaisy !!) and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayer. 

F3 Message 06/01/19

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries

IT AIN’T OVER! – #2581
“Well, some of us had to wait almost 20 years for it – but the 1996 New York Yankees finally won the World Series. Now they had to be the champs to do it – the Atlanta Braves. And after the first two games of the best-of-seven series, I thought the Yankees had gone into a coma – they got creamed. Ah, but that’s when it got exciting – they came back to win next two games. The series was tied at two games apiece, of course – and the then Yankees appeared to doze off again in Game Five – they were behind 6-0! Speaking of dozing off, that’s what at least one Yankee fan did – including the guy I heard buying a newspaper the next day. He saw the headline announcing that the Yankees had come back and won that game 8-6! He grabbed that newspaper, saw the outcome of the game, and then said some things I can’t quote – after which he said, “I can’t believe it! I gave up on them in the seventh inning and went to sleep!” He missed a great victory.

Well, I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “It Ain’t Over!”

Our word for today from the Word of God is a verse we need at least several times a year, I think. Maybe this is one of your days for it and God knew that. Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

God is challenging the mistake we make so often that costs us His best – we give up too soon. Like that sleeping Yankees fan. He looked at the way the game seemed to be going, decided it was as good as over, and he missed a great victory. Well, God doesn’t want you to make that same mistake with something you’ve been hoping for – something that looks like it just isn’t going to happen. You’re tempted to give up. But God is flagging you down to say, “Don’t become weary in doing good – the harvest you’ve hoped for is coming.” Like Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”

The problem is we look at the score right now and lose hope. But on God’s scoreboard, it’s only the third inning, or maybe the sixth or the seventh. But, you may be saying, “There just isn’t enough time for it to happen now,” or “I can’t see any way it could happen now” – be careful. You’re underestimating your all-powerful God – the One who delivered an entire nation from Egypt in one night!

But we tend to assume what the final score will be based on the score in the middle of the game. And that’s when we give up and start taking God’s will detours – we panic, we put together some patchwork solution of our own, we start leaning on our own understanding instead of trusting in the Lord with all our heart, or we just stop hoping, or praying, or working for it.

Which leads me to that wonderful challenge I heard years ago from a seasoned old saint – “Never doubt in the darkness what God has told you in the light.”

Or, don’t give up in the middle of the game, or don’t give up even if it’s near the end of the game. You can’t tell what God is going to do for a wonderful finish to this game. God has a way of hitting a bases loaded, grand slam home run in the bottom of the ninth with two outs – if you don’t give up before that harvest comes! I just hope you don’t miss that grand finish because you gave up on the game too soon!” From Ron Hutchcraft Ministries #2581″

Dawn and I were blessed with the opportunity to share an incredible blessing with a terminally ill seven year old.  He had an inoperable brain tumor.  We attended a Phillies game through a great organization where Dawn coordinated the efforts on the families behalf.  The young man and his family are huge Phillies fans.  The game we attended happened to be the ring ceremony for 2008 World Series champions, but the 2009 Phillies had yet to win.  Down 10 – 3 in the seventh the Phillies put together an improbable rally that included four walked in runs by the Atlanta Braves.  I’ve coached little league teams that haven’t matched that feat.  I’m not convinced that God is a Phillies fan, but I choose to believe that he may have answered a very sick little boys prayers on that day.  We were blessed to have been a part of that special game, and to share in comforting that very brave young man before the Lord took him home. 

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Baker’s Dozen

Date: 05/07/19

AO: Chop, Milton, DE.

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up – Welcome to FNG and Disclaimer Given

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Ballerina Toe Squats – 20 IC

Mountain Climbers – 20 IC

Windmills – 20 IC

The Thang

Mosey to H.O.B. circle – approx. .3 mile

Sheldon Cooper – Pax completes one lap around the circle then completes, 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10 merkins & 10 Big Boys descending to 1 each of each exercise. The circle is approx. .08 tenths of a mile or 400 linear feet/135 yards….but who’s measuring….:)…

F3 Message – see below

Mosey back to CHOP – approx. .3 mile

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, FNG naming (Welcome to Fuzz) and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayer. 

F3 Message 05/07/19

Below are excerpts from the blog site ActiveChristianity.org by Brunstad Christian Church in reference to Forgiveness.

Forgiving others can be really difficult

“Forgiving others is important, but sometimes it can be really difficult to do. Why should I forgive, and how can I do it?

“Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” Matthew 18:21-22.

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15.

Forgiving others who have wronged you, whether for a relatively small thing, or for a seriously damaging act against you, can sometimes seem like an insurmountably difficult thing to do. In some cases it’s a process that really takes time. Yet, the Bible is crystal clear on the necessity of it. And there are no caveats such as “unless,” “if,” or “but.” As in all things, we need to look to our Forerunner, Captain, and Master as our example.

“Father forgive them”

Christ suffered unrighteousness—even cruel unrighteousness. No one could have suffered more unrighteously than Christ. And some of the last words He ever uttered were: “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” Is it easy? No. Is it impossible? “All things are possible to him who believes,” said Jesus. (Mark 9:23) All things.

And when you don’t have the power, when you know that it is not in you to forgive, then you have to find it in Christ. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:12-13. Does forgiving negate the pain you have suffered? Does it reverse the things that have happened to you? Does it mean the person who wronged you doesn’t have to take responsibility for his/her actions? No, but you will be free from the thoughts of hatred and bitterness and the burden they are. Forgiveness is not only done for the sake of the one you are forgiving, but for your own sake, so that you don’t have to live with the burden.

“But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.” Malachi 4:2.

The fact that you forgive someone does not condone what they have done, nor does it by any means make it all right. Trust is not implicit in forgiveness, nor is forgetting obligatory. “Forgive and forget” is not a Biblical quote. It is one thing to be wary and aware, and another thing to hate and resent.

God is righteous

Ideally the one who has harmed you would repent and atone for what they’ve done as well. But make sure your healing is independent of that. You should forgive regardless of their attitude. Their sins are between them and God. It is right for someone to face up to the consequences of their actions according to earthlyRefers to everything of this earth, as opposed to heavenly things. Example: Earthly treasures/heavenly treasures. The earthly things pass away (are temporal), but the heavenly things are eternal. (Matthew 6:19-21;authority and law, and they will also someday stand before God’s face and have to give account for their actions, and God is righteous above all else. But judgment and vengeance belong to God.

It is important to note that forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a choice. Choosing forgiveness will mean that you have to go to God on your knees for the power to forgive. It’s choosing not to let thoughts of hatred rule in your heart. It’s choosing to go to God to find help and comfort instead of dwelling on the past, even when our feelings would rather do anything but. The power we need for this we get from the Holy Spirit. Jesus, “when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.” 1 Peter 2:23.

Draw near to God, and in His love you’ll find everything you need.”

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

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