Thus the Lord , the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this CUP of the wine of WRATH, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.” “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, disaster is going forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth!
Jeremiah 25:15‭-‬16‭,

Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the “CUP of his WRATH”, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the cup of staggering. There is none to guide her among all the sons she has borne; there is none to take her by the hand among all the sons she has brought up. These two things have happened to you— who will console you?— devastation and destruction, famine and sword; who will comfort you?
Isaiah 51:17‭-‬19 ESV

And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. “Are YOU ABLE TO DRINK THE CUP THAT I AM TO DRINK?” ……..
Matt 20 v. 20, 21

Gods WRATH was satisfied through Jesus His Son drinking the Wrath that God displayed in the O.T., the old covenant. Think about the book of Leviticus, all the offerings that had to be made, perfectly to the Priest, to be layed on the alter for atonement for sin….JESUS drank the CUP of Gods wrath over sin, for me……Jesus stepped in and hid me from Gods wrath….Gods cup of Wrath i believe was and is Satisfied……my thoughts for today.

The impossible has happened. The thing you dreaded the most is closing in on you, your ability to control the present is slipping away from your grips. If “i” could only “do” “this,” that would have never happened. If “He” or “She” would have only done, or said “this” or “that,” then life would have been good, or at least, better.

Sometimes life has a way of creeping up on us, and it brings with it pain, and sorrow. It may also offer shackles to wear, as its slave, such as adversity, addictions, disease, natural climate events, storms of life.

The canvas I’ve described has a dark backdrop. I heard a famous artist once described the secrete to his masterpiece art, paintings, was that he always used a dark canvas. He said the dark backdrop brings out the colors of the brush in a majestic way.

God often uses a dark canvas to display our beauty most clearly. God sometimes uses the impossible, to bring out great possibilities. The Bible is full of impossible circumstances at the beginning, to bring out, something beautiful.

Have you ever felt like things were so dark, you just didn’t measure up for the task? Perhaps, you felt like your position was one of despair?

Luke 18 v 27, And he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

Could it be that God uses the backdrop of pain, and hurt, to create beauty? In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, the writer expresses, that of exchanging “Beauty for ashes,” isn’t that what God does for us daily?

The things in our lives that been reduced to ashes, God will exchange, or redeem it for His purposes, once given over to Him.

Read : The Old Testament book of Job.    The circumstances Job faced were astronomical, yet Job trusted God thru the troubles he endured. Someone once said when you can’t track God, you have to trust Him. Thats so difficult to do at times. Everything within you wants to run away from the dark canvas, but there is a powerful presence within you that strengthens you to stand when you have no desire too. He makes the difference in the moment. He makes a difference in life. – Jesus.

Blessings to you this new year.

Good Afternoon, Its been a while since I have posted, sorry for the absence.  I wanted just to share some notes I took during a sermon I heard a couple of weeks ago.  There are many references to Jesus commissioning his followers to respond to His invitation to share His teachings.  Jesus’s invitations are often, subtle, and to the point.  His challenge for His followers was simple “GO,” with one prerequisite in mind, “Do not carry any thing with you.”  Once i thought about, why the challenge to take nothing with you, it then made since.  If I carried a necessity with me, it might become a crutch, something to depend on, or a comfort to lean on, instead of trusting in  the full sufficiency of Jesus and his directive.  The sufficiency of Jesus  will fill anything, we allow him to occupy.  I once heard a preacher say, Whatever you give the Lord, he will fill it.  If you give him five minutes, he will fill it, If you give him five hours, or five months he will fill it, because his sufficiency is enough.  Read Luke 12 v 22 – 34.        2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Luke 22 v 35 – 38 :  Overview -The Lord sent out his guys and when they looked back to reflect, they lacked nothing

2 Peter 1 v 3 : According to His divine power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.  K.J.V.

Luke 10 v 1 – 12 : Overview-  Jesus sent out 70 people, same initiative to the 70, take nothing with you, just go.

Are we able to be interrupted?  Or do we stage a revolt, and say this is my space, time, stuff, don’t interrupt my…. 

Luke 9 v 51 – 56 : The Samaritans didn’t receive the 12.  Jesus reminds the 12 of their mission.

The sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, are two bodies of water that relate to Israel.  One is vibrant and alive, and one is dead.  The difference is one has water coming in, and going out.  The Dead Seas has only water coming in, without on outlet.  Its is dead.  We need to be an outlet for Jesus, and we will be more alive than ever before.  Don’t allow the things of this world, that you claim, as owner of,  interfere with the places Jesus wants you to travel to.  Travel Light, Jesus is all you Need.

Have a blessed Week.  Thanks for stopping by.

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Have you been in the gym lately?  Well, I can’t say that i have, lately, in which i have good excuses, really i do?  Now it seems like something important always steps in front of my intentions of going to the gym to work out, especially in the warmer months of the year.  I am usually one of the many dedicated new years revolutionist headed there on January 2nd. of any year, and I’m lucky to make it past March.   With that being said, I remember some years ago I had visited a gym that I use to exercise at, years prior, and as I was walking across the weight room area, I looked into the mirror, that same mirror,  I looked at years ago and I saw a different person than I was accustomed to looking at from times past.  I was a few pounds lighter, and a few wrinkles less in my face the last time I saw my reflection in these mirrors.  Its funny I see the same person every day, as I look into  the mirror at home, but looking into the mirror of a place that I haven’t seen in years produced a change.

Reflections, often remind me of what gets our attention.  In the fire service we have turn out gear that has refection tape on our coat and pants.  When we test fire hydrants we wear a reflector vest.  The fire truck has reflector tape that corresponds with the paint on all four sides of the truck.   These reflectors remind people that we are there.  When its dark outside and lights shine on these reflectors, it reminds people that someone or some object is there.

Jesus said that we are the light of the world, a city set on a hill.  Most city’s that are on a hill or mountain can be seen at night for many miles.  We should be the same way.  We should be reflecting the light of Jesus for everyone to see.  When we read the Bible we should reflect what we have absorbed for others to see.  We need more reflectors in the world today, not judges.  When someone falls into sin or make a mistake, we often judge them by our standards.  We to often should judge less and reflect more.  More of Jesus.

Matthew 5 :13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.…

Have a Great Week!!!  Reflect Jesus!!!

Information Notice:

Fellowship of Christian Firefighters inaugural fellowship –

You are invited to meet with us at Wilson Bank and Trust 3110 Memorial Boulevard (Osborne and Memorial) on Tuesday March 8th 2016 at 6 p.m. Wilson bank has a banquet room upstairs we will meet in. It will be a time of fellowship, devotion, and encouragement. Any questions call Clay Estes, Jammie Bigelow, Joe Bell, or Lee Douglas.

Thank you. Have a safe day.

Have you ever felt like your life didn’t matter to God?  Maybe your life seems to be surrounded  by activity that day by day is draining the life out of you.  We often become a product of what drives us, and often we fall into a circus of events that holds us hostage with seemingly no way out.  It doesn’t have to stay this way.  God wants to deliver us.

God wanted to take the slaves in Egypt, and allow them to become a “Kingdom of Priest,” God told Moses that these slaves, out of all the Nations , would be My treasured possession…..Ex.19 v 5 & 6.

I’m glad God loves the people captured by circumstances out of their control. I’m glad God has a plan for the captured, caught, those calling for change, in a world that is a vacuum for their vulnerabilities…..God is awesome in power, and may we release His power today, by saying “Holy Spirit, you are welcome here today, you are welcome here in my house….Have your way with me, have your way with me today, have your way with me….Here is the keys to my house, Holy Spirit, here is they keys to my closets, my rooms Holy Spirit, here are my belongings, I’m giving them to you, have your way with me Holy Spirit…..We are, or have been, all slaves in the flesh, God is calling us to be His Holy Nation….to abandon the shackles of pride, and receive the humility of being His prized possession…

Have a great day!!!

Happy Thanksgiving! This is a day filled with grace and love as we meet with our families and share God’s goodness of this past year.

When I think of Thanksgiving I can’t help but think about grace. Grace was once spoken of as God’s riches at Christ’s expense. Grace is something that we have to take care of.  We have to nurture grace the same as nurturing a little child. If we take care of grace, then in return, grace would take care of us in our hour of need.

Bitterness would love to steal the grace of God,  which He has given to each one of us. Unwanted cirumstances that have happened to us, that we have no control over, often rear themselves into our lives,  and can take root and turn us into bitter people.

On this day of thanks, lets conquer  the bitterness of life’s hurts with Thanksgiving, and grace.  If we nurture Thanksgiving and Grace  because God has trusted us with it, this special gift, then it will take care of us in time of need.

I’m thankful for you,

Lee D.

Why do tragic things happen to good people.  That is the age old question, that alot of people are asking. Another question, is why do good people have to suffer? There are a lot of theologians and teachers that try to tackle these questions with answers that are above my head. I think our response should be to these questions is, how can I respond to your situation, in a loving way?  A response without using judgement toward someone, on why, but a response, on what can I do to make things better.

In the Bible, Old Testiment, book of Job, we see a good man that is overcome with tragedy that was out of his hands.  Job lost his children, to a natural disaster, his home was destroyed, his cattle all killed, Jobs wife challenged Job to curse God and die, however Job remained faithful to God thru this terrible tragedy.  Job’s three friends heard about the trouble and they came to sympathize and comfort job. When they saw Job, they hardly recognized him and they began to weep for their friend and for 7 days and 7 nights no one said a word to him because they saw how great his suffering was.

The power of presence is huge during a tragedy.  Job’s three friends show tremendous kindness by just being present. At times, words just get in the way to the power of  just being there for someone.

The MFRD Swiftwater team has responded to the floods in South Carolina. We’ve heard about a  tremendous outpouring of support from people in South Carolina, because of their response.  The question is never asked, nor shouldn’t be, why do you live in a flooded region?  Our response is, How can I help, I am here for you….One of the task of the team was to perform welfare checks, by knocking on the door, to see if there is any need the team could meet. The team members knocked on doors, to do welfare checks.  We heard about a  person, that was overwhelmed, by their simple, act of kindness, to check on her well being.  The resident emailed a thank you to our department for the response of the team.  Over 100 people have responded with comments to their reponse….The power of presence is a tremendous comfort to someone on need…..

Be an encouraged encourager to someone this week….You will be blessed by your good deeds.

Pray for the MFRD Swiftwater Team this week.  God bless you for responding.