True Friends

 

True Friends

“There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” – Pr. 18:24

For some of you, this writing will be troublesome, though it is meant to be encouraging. As with last week, I will be using a song as a springboard. I wrote “God is Not a Child Abuser” many years ago. Read on, and you will get the connection between the scripture and the song.

Here is the chorus:

“God is not a child abuser. He doesn’t send His children to Hell. When we’re His sheep, then we’re His sheep, and with our soul it is well.”

There are all kinds of abuse, and there are untold numbers of victims. Physical abuse, which is disgusting, is visible. Sexual and emotional abuse are not as visible, and a sense of false guilt and fear keeps the abuse bottled up inside. Lord help all of us who have been through such abuse to get it exposed to the light and dealt with. But here’s the point – the abuser is the guilty party, not the victim, and the abuser will never be your friend – a friend would not do such things.

And Jesus wants to be your friend. He really does. He wants to listen to you, care for you, love on you, spend time with you. What you have been through is not God’s fault. Why does He allow such things? None of us know. It is unresolved. But what is resolved is this: God is there with us in the trenches, in the pain. He understands, and He knows what to do to help, if you and I will let Him. Friends will stay with you through it all. Jesus is a friend that will help you.

Whatever your unresolved issue is – abuse, neglect, confusion, pain of body, mind, spirit, broken dreams, hopes, families, heart … whatever it is, Jesus loves you and is waiting for your call. It is possible for friends, family, or others to let us down, but Jesus never will.

Blessings,

Pastor John

From Anger to Freedom – Let it go.

In the next few writings, I am going to use the lyrics to songs that reflect our struggles and our solution to some unresolved issues in our lives. The first song is called “Let it Go” (not the one from the Disney movie “Frozen”!)

“Sometimes, Lord, I get angry at things that happen to me. I don’t think its fair, I feel others don’t care, and my mind is filled with self pity. But anger does not help me get close to You. In fact, it drives us apart. So, now I must ask you, Lord what must I do, with this anger that rests in my heart?”

“May I have it”, says Jesus, with love in His voice. “May I have it?” says Jesus, He gives us that choice. “Let me carry that burden that pulls on your soul. Let me take it so you can be whole.”

The song goes on to say “Lord, what will I do? I will call on Your name. You can have it, dear Jesus, for whatever its worth. Somehow I’ll let go of the past and its hurts. … Here it is. Hear it is. It is Yours!”, and the person in need surrenders that need to Jesus.

And that is where we are when our heart is unresolved, incomplete, hurting, and confused. We are in crisis, in survival mode, and when we are, we need to pour out our hearts to the Lord. Then the tough part, but liberating. When we express the hurt, we need to leave the hurt there at the Lord’s feet and let it all go.

Life is hard. God is good. And we are free to express our hearts and find the peace and freedom that only Jesus can give.

Let it go.

Blessings,

Pastor John

Copyright 2016, John Day

Blocked

Blocked

There are a lot of ways we can feel blocked from making progress in life. We want to move forward with any number of things – projects, career, relationships, finances, health. We want to grow in knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, and in many other areas. All of these are unresolved issues and needs.

These things can get to us, but they don’t have to. In my case, I did let them get to me. I was not able to finish projects that I had started. I would get so far, and then something stopped me from completing the task. There would be so many times when I would get right to the end of the project, and then realize that I left off a part or got the wrong one, or even that I missed a step. Maybe the next day, or next week I would be able to get the job done. So frustrating. It seemed that I had several irons in the fire. It seemed that all those irons were “up in the air” and they just kept landing on my head! I was letting that frustration, those barriers, get the best of me. I needed to learn to perservere and stay with a task.

But worse than the physical or practical barriers that come up are spiritual barriers – being separated from God, and not realizing His grace. This is one barrier that the cross has kicked all the way into eternity, when Jesus died for our sins. This hurdle has been overcome by the blood of Jesus, and the victory is ours to receive and enjoy, to walk in.

Because of the cross, we have access to the Father, and we can tell him where we are blocked and what we need. We can go straight to God because of the blood of Jesus, and that is what Jesus invites us to do.

Jesus said that “in this life you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” Jesus can bring us through to a better place.

When we submit to His power and authority, we can trust the Lord to help us overcome.

If you do not know Jesus, now is the opportunity to ask Him to remove your sin, forgive you, and to block the devil instead of the devil blocking you from knowing Jesus. That is one block that’s got to go.

Let’s start walking in the freedom, power, and grace that Jesus’ offers. Let’s all rest a little deeper and walk a little calmer and stronger with Jesus by our side.

Lane Changes

I don’t like change. I like things to be stable and secure, especially as I get older. Sometimes the changes come way too fast, or at a time you least expect it. This is the dilemma that I have had the past couple of months going back and forth between two towns about 12 miles apart. We were looking for a home while staying with my mother-in-law for a year and a half, after moving from still another location. Needless to say, this caused great confusion, especially when it came to the roads, with different exits, shortcuts, and turn lanes. You get the picture – and I couldn’t get that picture in my head. I couldn’t see it, and I couldn’t remember it. This was definitely an unresolved issue.

Change over time is okay, since there is more time to adjust to it. Sudden change is scary, whether on the road we drive on, or the road of life. Change is inevitable, exciting, scary, and unstable – all at the same time. Maybe you can relate.

Sometimes we have changes in life, and we have to process them. We have to make decisions on what we need to do next, or how we will respond to all these changes. When we have things change, we need help. We either need to continue on the path we are on, change lanes and go a completely different direction or plan, or maybe we just need to make a slight adjustment. We need to find a source to help us.

We can look to ourselves, others, or God and His word to find our help in time of need. Christian, you have a source inside of you to help you. That is obviously Jesus. He is an eternal source, with full power and authority. We also have the scriptures as an excellent source of knowledge and wisdom. Others can help us deal with the lane changes of life, but Jesus is the biggest help. He is a strong place of safety to run to, our rock, and our fortress. Our strong deliverer. You and I need to release the pain and the control over completely to Jesus.

If you do not know Jesus, you have the disadvantage; you’re still on your own – but you don’t have to stay that way. All it takes is your willingness to admit your need, and to turn your life and your issues over to Jesus completely. If you haven’t already, start today by giving your life to Him. If you need help on this, contact me or your local pastor.

Here with you on the journey.

From This Writer’s Heart

From This Writer’s Heart

In this writing, I want to start to introduce you to why I need the unresolved podcast and blog, and why I am doing these weekly writings. I want you to know where I am coming from, and the direction I feel I need to make as I move forward in this adventure.

I am going to get real with you about some of my struggles. I am willing to be vulnerable and let you peek into my heart, not to say “look at me”, but “maybe you can relate.” I want to minister to you and point the way through these types of struggels. Right now, my issues lie with mental focus, caused by stress in my mind, in my heart, and some struggles in body as well. These struggles seem amplified when I think about when they come all at once. The issues are unresolved, and need to be worked through. It is a process.

My goal for 2018 in these writings is twofold. I want to admit, name, and work through blockages from the past and present that are holding me back from knowing and sharing God’s love. The other goal is to help others move beyond their struggles and move into victory, assurance, and peace.

If you are a Christian, I hope these writings minister to you and help you grow closer to Jesus and to all He wants to do in your life. Whatever is holding us back needs to be brought out into the open. Jesus is not a crutch. He is a strong, capable, caring friend. He will help you deal with it all.

If are not a Christian, I pray that you would be challenged to consider a life of commitment to know and grow in Jesus, and consider His claims on your life. I want us all of us to know more of God’s love.

Let’s take this journey together and ultimately gain the victory, joy, and peace on the other side of the struggle. I am here for you if I can help. I know many would say the same thing.

                                                                                                                    Pastor John

Its About Time

 

Take your time, just what’s the hurry?

Why do we always seem to just jump, fret, and worry.

The muscles are keyed up, adrenaline flowing.

We’ll get there quick, but just where are we going?

We rush through relationships, and ignore one another,

not knowing there’s a Friend that sticks closer than a brother.

He wants to come close, but sometimes we don’t let Him.

We have our own plans, Lord”, and we just don’t get Him.

In sickness and sorrow, in joy and in grief,

He opens His arms and says “Come unto me.”

Too Tired to Think

too tired to think

Too Tired to Think

The ideas get mixed up, all tied up in knots,

Feelings and memories and twisted up thoughts.

Things present,

things past,

things inside and out,

When all this combines, it causes great doubt.

In daylight its easier. When tired it gets worse.

Oh Lord, I’m so tired of this song and this verse.

I know that in Jesus, I’m not judged or condemned,

And He’ll led me through it, as I lean strong on Him.

Balloons

Balloons are like people, with bruised, broken hearts.

They long to be filled, with no clue where to start.

They’ve tried in the past with pleasures galore;

but all they drank in left them wanting for more.

If only they knew that hope could be found

in the One who created them, then their hope would be sound.

Broken and bruised, yet loved to the end.

Their hope is in Jesus, who will call them His friend.