Faith Delivered

Faith…do you have it?  And if you do, what does your faith reside in?  Does it reside in yourself; does it reside in your money?  Does it reside in your partner; does it reside in your government? 

Or does it reside in something you cannot see, but know is there?  Faith, what does it mean to you, has it shown itself to you?

If you follow this blog you know what one of my favorite sayings is:  “My faith is not a hope…it is a reality.”  Many question this statement, how can faith, something that many feel is arbitrary and selective be a guiding force is one’s life.  I offer….how can it not be.

I witnessed two examples of faith yesterday… one on the media, one personal.

With all the divisiveness and confusion our media offers today, I witnessedr one of the best things I’ve ever seen on TV yesterday.  A college coach, a national champion college coach, a man of conviction and faith stood on a press platform and answered to his faith.  It was the result of his comments after the national championship game where he thanked God for his life and the ability to do what he does.

Dabo Swinney in many ways gave his testimony on national TV in his press conference yesterday.  He did not plan it, he did not expect it, but there it was, the result of a question by a reporter.  A question that he was grateful he was asked.   

What a great man of faith.  Thank you Dabo, if our colleges were filled with more leaders like you, instead of those that aspire to tear down our faith our younger generation would be much better served and our country would reap the rewards faith offers.  If you haven’t seen it, it was on ESPN and I hope it is out there in viral land…you have to listen to this man’s words and then you may have a glimpse at his faith and the strength it plays in his life.

But faith does not always have a happy ending.  We are tested in our faith; some until the day they die do not see the rewards a walk in the faith of Christ can offer.  But their reward rests in the reality of what their belief is to begin with…that there is something better than this life of struggle and turmoil.  Many have been killed for their faith, but even more have been saved by their faith. 

Yesterday on Facebook I referenced Hebrews Chapter 11 which addresses true faith.  What does this chapter say to me?  It says that true faith resides in both victory and defeat; that at our highest we thank it and at our lowest we cling to it.  This is true faith, that no matter the outcome you know where your true being lies, you know who your spirit answers to and you know that whatever the outcome, win or lose, faith will see you to the next day, even if that day is in the arms of the angels.

Faith keeps you believing in a better life, faith keeps a smile on your face when all around is sadness.  Faith makes one strong to face their enemies, even when the odds are overwhelming and faith keeps us focused on what’s really important…not who won the big game last night, but where our soul resides tomorrow; something I’m sure Coach Swinney will testify to. 

Some lose faith when things go sour, and even more sadly some lose it when their life exceeds their expectations.  Your faith will be tested all through your life, in good times and bad, it’s how you respond to these experiences that will reveal your true level of faith; have faith that when your life is played out before your eyes in the presence of our Creator...that your faith will open the gates to eternity.

Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1 says “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  If you read Hebrews 11 it is a who’s who of those tested in their faith and overcame.  But there are so many other examples it doesn’t explain and admits to it in verse 32.

Of all these I identify and admire David the most.  Many criticize his life committing some of the worst sins imaginable, but he never gave up on God, he never shunned his faith, and for that he was rewarded.  As written in Isaiah 64:6 “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”  Peter tells us in his first book in chapter 4 verse 15 “If you suffer, it should be not as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even a meddler.”   This puts the sins of a busy body in the same light as a murderer.  That is hard for us to understand but “we have all sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  But as I said, David never turned his back on God, which is a deadly sin in the eyes of God.

As a testament to his faith David says in Psalm 139 verse 23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”   By this David put his faith in God to deliver him to greatness and victory over his adversaries.  Psalm 144 verse 15: “Blessed are the people of who this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.”   This is the foundation of faith, a foundation that can withstand anything.

Yesterday I made a Facebook post that relayed the strength I have in my faith.  It has not always been so strong.  Since I received the Lord into my life at the age of 14 it has certainly had its highs and lows.  But as I reflect on a life that has seen me go from being homeless in my 20’s to being the sales & ops manager for a $20 million dollar company in my 30’s and then back to being homeless in my 40’s to where I am today in my 50’s it is my faith that has always sustained me. 

Monday was a difficult day for me as I was faced with the reality of unemployment and strained finances.  But Tuesday morning (yesterday) I woke up with a fresh attitude and the continued faith that God had a plan for me.  I made a post that said “I have faith today will be a good day, because my faith is not hope it is a reality” and I accompanied it with some of my favorite personal photos I’ve taken recently.  I had faith and a good feeling about the day and didn’t let my circumstances affect my outlook on life.  What God has in store for us none of us really know, but in faith we trust, and faith delivered.

At 5:45 PM on my way to Bible study I got a phone call…I got a job, and my spirit was lifted and I thanked the Lord for answered prayers.  What I do, I do for His Glory, this blog being a small part of it; and thru faith and the Grace of God I can continue to spread the Word that I feel I am called to do.

That is my testimony for this week, have faith and know that even if you can’t see it…you can always feel it; and know that even when you may doubt your own resolve, He has faith in you and those that have faith in Him.

May your faith be strong as we find deliverance in the Blessings of His Promised Land.  

Bryan A. Stross 1/16/2019    

Reflection: A Psalm of Faith & Thanks …Psalm 136

With faith we live, in faith we die, for thru faith… we know what waits on the other side. 

Do not ever lose sight of your faith, for even though you cannot see it….know this…it sees you.

An Island's Revenge

Here’s a part of a story yet to be fully told.  A brief bit of memories from long, long ago before there were engines and all we had was the wind in our sails, the strength of our muscle, the music in our hearts and the faith of our Creator….

An Island’s Revenge:

We were once sailors of the sea, forever new horizons we longed to see

Our Master Commander we hailed, thru storms of fire we sailed, to find calm seas.

Long ago we used the stars as our map and the wind was our engine

Distant lands and the beauty they held was all for us to imagine.

I was the navigator, the lives of the crew was dependent on my view of the stars

The position of the bright morning star and my instincts brought us from afar.

Many times we drifted on windless seas, other times we held on for our lives

As the storms beat our ship like a swarm of hornets attacking the queen of a hive.

Old charts on leather parchment helped to navigate the seas

But in those days it was really a mystery what over the horizon there was to see.

Our hearts were filled with the glory of days gone by

Our minds often drifted as we looked up at a cloudless sky.

The stores of the cabins below held our treasure

We often had to take stock in the food & water to measure.

Over the years many times our reserves ran very low

But we held strong, our faith always in tow.

The Captain would keep us focused as we did our seamen’s chores

In me he trusted to bring us to a new shore where we could fill our stores.

But there was always a challenge to our destiny

For our enemy, the soulless pirates, were often many.
Our torches were always primed and our aim was second to none

But it was one encounter I remember most that with the help of God we won.

It was a calm early dawn and we sailed to a distant island we had been before

Little did we know that pirates had taken it… like a haggard whore.

The women they raped and the men they killed

The food and treasures they plundered, our friends in battle were less skilled.

The island was home to an ancient creed of fishermen and net makers

Morning broke on a sailor’s day, both Moon and Sun in the sky shone, as markers.

In the distance we could see the fires, we knew something was wrong

The smell of death drifted to our nose and we couldn’t hear their island song.

The moon shone brightly, it glistened intently, the sun gave warmth, our enemies waited impatiently

The crew was busy preparing for battle, everywhere men readied their post hastily.

Their ship was on the other side of the island; we waited until nightfall, and sharpened our knives

The rage of revenge was on our minds, to lay waste to the enemy that had taken innocent lives.

To God we prayed to give us victory over our heathen adversary

Little did we know that God had already made His plans as if written in a long ago story.

Their ranks were lined on the shore as they waited for our boats to land

And then out of nowhere a massive wave came upon them like God’s hand.

They never heard & never saw the wrath of God come upon them

Not knowing where it came from, until it was too late, the sea devoured them, drowning in their own sins.

As we landed in the aftermath we found few of the island survivors

We stayed and helped those we could; to them we were a savior.

To this day I tell this story, how our prayers were answered without a fight

In His Glory we continue to sail, with the true Savior, His Grace always within our sight.

Bryan A. Stross 1/14/2019 10:44 AM EST

Pics, Edits, Reference 5/31/2023. 5:06 AM EST

Ours is not to fight & win, but rather to have faith & defend, knowing victorious angels He’ll send. 🙏

I pray the rest of 2023 brings you smooth seas, as God calms a restless sky & soothes an angry forest. 🐝

The Breath of Life is your soul.  Nourish it & realize that although your physical body is mortal, your soul is immortal.  This is the inner self you must find in your life, for only then can you breathe the life He has promised to his Faithful. ✨✝️🕊

1st Peter 1:9

 

A Nation Divided

A Nation divided cannot stand when pressed into action.  Today we see the division of this country ripping us apart.  Battle lines are drawn between Republican & Democrat.  And now we have Liberalism and Socialism to muddy the waters.

So I sit and ponder the cause of such division.  I open my Bible and find Matthew 7: 24-27 which tells us to build wisely; to build on rock rather than sand.  I take a wider look at this and begin to form a conclusion, not just in building, but in sustaining what has been built.

Our country was built on the wisdom of our Founding Fathers.  Over the recent years many have taken to tearing down this legacy; to diminish their great creation, with misunderstandings of their times.  Today we face a major challenge.  This challenge is to harness their wisdom and apply it to modern times.  

Our Founding Fathers recognized the importance of education & preserving our liberties.  George Washington said:  “The more homogeneous (or similar) our Citizens can be made in these particulars, the greater will be our prospect of permanent Union; and a primary object of such a National Institution should be, the education of our Youth in the science of Government.  In a Republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty, more pressing on its Legislature, than to patronize a plan for communicating it to those, who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the Country? “(Bennett, 1997)

Noah Webster (commonly referred to as the Father of American Scholarship & Education) said:  “But every child in America should be acquainted with his own country.  He should read books that furnish him with ideas that will be useful to him in life and practice.  As soon as he opens his lips, he should rehearse the history of his own country; he should lisp the praise of liberty, and of these illustrious heroes and statesman who have wrought a revolution in her favor. (Bennett, 1997)

So as you can see from the very beginning they realized that their work in forming a Nation, the lessons learned that caused them to break from a tyrannical government, needed to be passed on to our youth so as to not lose sight of our patriotism and fall back into confusion, separation, divisiveness and tyranny.  This is the path I see our great country going down today, and I ask why?

The answer is simple; the education of our youth has become a cesspool of liberalism.  As I have wrote about before our country is being torn apart from the inside out.  Our enemies (and yes we have many) realized long ago they couldn’t beat us on the perimeters so they infiltrated from within; and the greatest of our enemies is satan. 

We live in a promised land whether you realize it or not.  We live in a land of milk and honey but it has been tarnished with dreams of silk and money.  Our enemy has coursed his way into the hearts and minds of educators that serve less than patriotic and Godly aspirations and more a self- serving and scientific or mathematical solution to everything.  They have used the separation of Church and State not to keep our government from enacting a national religion (as intended) but rather to remove God from our very existence.  They have twisted our ancient ideals into modern day immoralities.

So, not only has our education system been attacked from teaching the core values and ideals this country was based on, but also to remove formal training in the skills of labor.  We have migrated into this thought pattern that a $40,000 liberal arts degree is more valuable than learning carpentry.  Faced with shrinking budgets schools eliminated shop class and home economics in favor of standardized testing that does nothing more than create generations of like thinking uneducated zombies; students who can pass a test rather than think for themselves.  Tests that are multiple-choice instead of essay questions that challenge the mind and make our youth really think rather than memorize.

A system of education that recognizes our history and teaches our youth survival skills is paramount to our survival as a nation.  As Noah Webster so eloquently states “ such a system of education as gives every citizen an opportunity of acquiring knowledge and fitting himself for places of trust.  These are fundamental articles; the sine qua non (Latin for something absolutely essential) of the existence of the American republics”. (Bennett, 1997)

Many of our educators today seem to have nothing more in mind than a mission to remove the American ideals this country was founded on.  They are a cancer on our Republic for they have forgotten that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding” (Psalm 111) and “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and knowledge" (Proverbs 1).  They have forgotten or choose to ignore what Solomon said about wisdom “if you call out for insight and cry out for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord.” (Proverbs 2) And what is wisdom's reward?  “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.  Long life is in her right hand; and in her left hand are riches and honor.  Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.   She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed” (Proverbs 3). 

Our country was founded by great thinkers, leaders and men of great wisdom.  We must return to teaching our children not only the ideals we were founded on, but the basic beliefs this country was founded on; the basics of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that is founded in the core beliefs of the Word of God and the Ways of our Savior. 

I know this is a lot to ask, but let’s start somewhere and let that somewhere be in teaching the true ideals & history of our great nation and the skills of meaningful labor, then the morals of a God loving nation will prevail into the hearts and minds of our youth and current population so we can be a country of togetherness rather than divisiveness.  “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3: 24-25).

"Together We Stand...Divided We Fall" (Pink Floyd, 1979) 

REFERENCES & REFLECTIONS:

Bennett 1997 – Bennett, William J. - “The Spirit of America, Our Sacred Honor” © Simon & Schuster NY, NY.  1997   Pages 257-258 and 265-266

Holy Bible – NIV – © 2006 Zondervan Publishers Grand Rapids, Michigan U.S.A.

Pink Floyd 1979 - From the Song "Hey You" Track 1 on CD # 2 on the Album "The Wall"

A Fishing Tale

One of the greatest challenges for any writer is to take a story and make it flow.  The rhythm of a story helps the reader connect and move thru the story.  This is a true story.  I love to fish and my days in Florida were filled with many fish tails (pun intended).   I hope you enjoy this short story and can read between the lines of its true meanings and that it flows to your liking.  As an old fisherman once told me…”Son, if you wanna catch a fish, you gotta have a tight line and a sharp hook.”   Tight lines and sharp hooks to you this weekend, may your days be filled with the bounties of a good life.

“A Fishing Tale ”

I met two men today, both fishers of the sea.
One for pleasure, one for pay.
One by day, one by night
One elderly and fragile.
One young and strong.
One with a cat, one with a dog.
One with a wife, one with a can.
One with a house, one with a truck.
One with a motor boat and trailer.
One with a row boat in the back.
One exempt from the license.
One running from the law.
One by day to see better.
One by night to not be caught.
One of distinction and honor.
One of callousness and contempt.
One for fun but less skilled.
One for cash but with stolen gear.
One caught much fewer, but bigger.
One caught much more, but smaller.
One fished as if in heaven.
One fished in his own hell.
One was happy even when empty.
One was never happy even when full.
I met a man today a great fisherman of the sea.
I met another man today but no fisherman was he.

Bryan A. Stross December 2008

2^nd Timothy Chapter 3
Mark Chapter 13

As fishers of the sea who cast their nets at what they cannot see,
So shall the faithful be… for all His Glory to one day see.

 

One Wish

Ever wonder what you would do if you were somehow granted one wish?
Would it be for selfish gain or to ease another’s pain?
I considered this a long time ago...and here was my response:

ONE WISH:

If you had one wish, what would it be?
Mine would be that everyone had one wish that would come true.
Think about it, if that was your wish, wouldn’t the world be a better place?

All around would be happy people, a healthy environment
No poverty, no crime, no sickness and disease, no hate
And eternal love would abound as well as all sorts of other things.
These would all be someone else’s wishes that came true.

So, my one wish, provided billions more wishes.
And in the end, the world and all its peoples were better for it.
Sort of like wishing for world peace, but with a twist.

Who knows maybe someone would wish a wish for me,
With a wish I wished for them.

Bryan A. Stross     May 21st, 2008  

Ecclesiastes Chapters 5 & 6
1^st Timothy 6: 3-10

To have and give is much better than to have and hold.

A couple of artists whose musical message will touch your soul…if you let it 🐝