KEN'S MERCYSHIP ADVENTURE: EAST TEXAS TRAINING

KEN'S MERCYSHIP ADVENTURE: EAST TEXAS TRAINING: Good morning! Another day in East Texas! Yeeee Haw www !!! Today we are hearing about KINGDOM PRINCIPALS with a 3 hour lecture and lots of...

Rejected

I wrote this devotional when I was in pain, waking up from a fog and searching. I submitted it to a publisher and it was rejected. Read it and tell me what you think.

Paradise

Read Luke 23:34-43

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

-Luke 23:43 (NLT)

I have pondered these verses quite often. Looking to the Bible for inspiration, I often likened myself to one of the Roman guards. Standing at the foot of the cross, carrying out an execution, like a good soldier, as ordered. People standing around this death scene, some family, friends and followers of the three condemned to die this day. But most came to mock and jeer. I saw myself as one of the Romans, gambling for the condemned’s clothing, laughing, mocking and taunting with bitter wine. Could I have been the one who came to believe at the moment of Jesus’ death? “Surly this man was innocent.”(Luke 23:47) I imagined myself saying these words.

Now I see myself more like the thief hanging beside Christ. Like him, more troubles, most self inflicted, than I care to want. Hanging there, taking in all the clamor and din around him, seeing his beaten, bloodied, mocked and scorned companion in all his humanity, humility, godliness and dignity, he turns to him and asks, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”(Luke 23:42) This broken piece of humanity replies with truth and dignity, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”(Luke 23:43)

When I need strength, I think of this scene and the simple prayer of the thief and I am reminded that all I have to do is ask God to remember me and He will reward me with paradise.

Ray Mickol (Ohio, USA)

Prayer

God, as you remembered the thief, remember me. As the thief tuned to you in need, let me also remember you in my times of need. Amen.

Thought for the Day

Keep Christ close to your heart

Prayer Focus

For those in a painful struggle with regrets

Does God Answer a Sinners Prayer?

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” Hebrews: 4:16 (NIV)

Prayer can be a scary thing. I know for me, I have had worry about my prayers being heard and answered by God. Like a lot of you out there, alcoholic, addicted or just your garden variety sinner, I have implored God and begged God to help me, to take my affliction, my sin away. I claim to believe but I worry. Being a chronic backslider doesn’t help.

Does God hear and answer my prayers? A friend of mine recently told me that he didn’t think God hears the prayers of a backslider, a sinner. Man, this has a guy like me worried. I never feel I measure up. I always have that sin on my heart. If God does not hear my prayers, why bother then? What good is it?

Until the answer becomes clearer, I will approach the throne with as much confidence as I can muster.

Recreating Yourself

Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Being a chronic relapser, I had no clue what this verse meant. If you are anything like me, you prayed the same prayers over and over..."Oh God help me to never do it again...I am so tired..." Unanswered prayers? Not likely. The missing part was me, me not doing my part. How many times has God answered my prayer and I just didn't see, didn't heed His warning, His rebuke, His gentle help.

God is there to help us, all of us. You don't need to be in my boat to need Him. In my case, a decision to place my trust in him has calmed the waters. Turn today to Psalm 34 and read it in its entirety.

If you are wondering, my prayer for the week has been.."Take me Lord in all my inequities and make me who You want me to be."

A New Creation of God

I am a newbie Christian. I, along with my wife, who I currently am separated from, were baptized and became members of the local evangelical church. When I was introduced to the congregation, my buddy, Pastor Harps said, and I swear this is what I heard "Ray is a drunk who will be doing electrical work on our church." Not what he really said. He said I was active in the Recovery Ministry and I would be doing work on the church.

Labels are a funny thing. We put all kinds if labels and signs on ourselves. Some come from that inner, self talk. Others come from what others think of us. Some from our past actions. As an addict, I carry a burden of guilt from my past. All the hurting of others, all my squandering of resources and talents that God has given me.

9/11 just past. The 10th anniversary. 9/11 has always been a hard day for me. Mainly a selfish day. It was always a reminder of what I was, an officer on a big city fire department, and what I had done. I had just before 9/11 lost my job due to use and abuse. I struggled with this for years. Most of us, especially males, derive our identity from the work we do. I have found that with police and firefighters this is more so than the norm.

Anyway, I always had a feeling of impotence around 9/11. Because I had fallen, I could not go to Ground Zero with my colleagues and help out. My wings were broken. Every year around the anniversary, I would be flooded with those same self sorrowful feelings.

This past January, I was baptized and accepted Christ into my life. He has been revealing to me my new and true identity. My friend, who just came back from a year in rehab and is now going on a 2 year mission with Mercy Ship Africa (sponsor him please..go to http://www.mercyships.org/pages/make-a-gift, hit crewmates and type in the name Hatfield). He gave a talk at church and instead of introducing himself as an alcoholic/addict, he introduced himself as 'a new creation in Christ." Those were beautiful words.

Hello There, I'm a Drunk and Addict

So you've seen my kind before, I'm positive of that. We are all over. Some might be in your family. Some are in your workplace. It cuts all peoples equally. I am a drunk and an addict.

I heard the testimony of my friend the other day. Cool stuff. He was bad, bad off. Like me. He went to Teen Challenge for a year. Studied, straightened up, cleaned up. I am jealous. My last use was 2 nights ago. I had some beer to calm me down. The night before, actually earlier that morning, I finished a binge with a "side dish."

I was baptized and also proclaimed membership in my local church. Cool stuff. I was told the evil one would come after me hard and fast.......that he did. Or was that just the addictive part of my brain taking a hold of another excuse and running amok as usual.

Unanswered prayers. On my Twitter feed I followed a link to Francis Chan talking about unanswered prayers. I pray. I pray a lot. God gives and I destroy. Now that my life is a shambled mess, I am seeking God more than ever.

Thank you father for all the chances I have been given even though I have blown them all. Let me look to you and keep on believing and loving. Do not let my addictions destroy that small glow that you have kept in my soul.