Promised Horizons

As the night slips to day I wonder what next to say, so much to do, so little time, no time to play.

My heart resides in the misery of past failures. My soul seeks new horizons like a weary sailor.

My mind searches for words to discover.  My spirit yearns to break free of its cover.

But here I sit like a distant candle in the wind, praying my light shines for someone to find.

I see the agony, I smell the fear and I feel the pains, but I remain steadfast, my strength I hope to gain.

How long Oh Lord before the seas are calmed; how many times does the future need palmed?

It is there, no magic to reveal this mystery, buried deep within our ancient history.

The answers are there, no sorcerer can really see what’s delivered just for you and me.

For the truth resides as it always has been, as the sun rises our faith will never bend.

For even in the deepest depths of despair we know there is always someone there to care.

This is not a message that has never been told; it is not for money to be sold, but in our hearts to hold.

No, it is a message of hope and encouragement, hold fast the sails of your dreams and enlightenment.

Have faith, for the outcome was promised long ago in days of old where winter was not so cold.

And in this promise our spirits are uplifted to soar with angels, forever humble, yet bold.

Post Edit:

As the day breaks on new horizons try and put our differences behind us.  Let those that hate, hate.  Surround yourself with love and your spirit will see the glory of a new days victorious mourning dove.

Matthew Chapters Five thru Seven

“Seek not for the glories of this world….but rather the glory of His promise.” 

Post Edit 4/4/2025…This message was in part inspired by the Bible book of Micah.  Written around 722 BC when Israel & Judah were divided nations, before & after the fall of the Northern Kingdom.  Micah was a country man, living in the rural areas of southern Judah watching the world around him change in drastic ways.  He is one of the classic prophets of the Old Testament.  His short 7 Chapter message, the result of his dreams & visions, foretells events in Samaria & Jerusalem in the 1st three chapters & and the coming of a future Messiah in the last 3 Chapters.  But I find the heart & soul of Micah’s message in Chapter 4 versus 1 thru 5.  His prophecy of a future Kingdom may sound very familiar to you. Be still, be silent & have Faith ⚖️✝️⛲️

To Do or Not To Do

Over the years I have written many thoughts and I am so grateful that many of these thoughts are preserved in this blog.  Often times I look back and read something I wrote long ago and it re-focuses me on what is really important in this world.  What is important to you today?  Is it your own self-worth and well-being....or is it the well-being and good health of others?

We live in a polluted world, not just in land, sea & sky, but in our own thoughts and actions that are often anything but clean.  We have been deluged with so much information and temptation that they cloud our minds and confuse us from seeking the true meanings of life...which to me are to love your neighbor and care for the well-being of all of God's creations...not just our fellow men and women, but nature...the land, sea and sky and the creatures that dwell within as well.

For what have we gained if we live in personal prosperity, when all around us is the waste of our ill gotten fortunes.  Inner peace is only found when we have external harmony.  A tall task given the state of current events, but we have the resources to make things better and it is never too late.

I am a simple man, I live a simple life, I do not ask for anything other than inner peace and external harmony.  I have been there before, it is a wondrous feeling.  But today I struggle not with the inner peace, but with the external harmony, for I feel tension in a country with so much greatness we cast it aside for petty differences.  We fail to see the good in things and instead seek to tear it down and make our external worlds a measure of conflict and hate.

I wonder, when will it end?  Who will be the next to call out the haters and uplift the faithful?  When will we be delivered to the true land of promise...not just milk & honey, but peace & harmony.  For we have been promised more than can be bought with any amount of money...we have been promised a land and a life of immeasurable prosperity and immense natural beauty...internally, externally, personally, physically and most importantly spiritually.
 
Today I share some thoughts from long ago.  My personal life is on edge with the demands of finances as I struggle to not provide just for my self...but for those I love.  I struggle with dedicating my time to the every day tasks of provision or spending time clearing my thoughts in the hope that they may help a tattered nation.

As I take a step back and try and prioritize I can not help but share words that I often feel are not my own, but delivered to me and thru me in ways hard to explain...but I know some of you know.

This post was written in September of 2008...and this morning as I was planning my day I found it to be a source of inspiration and guidance for me...I pray it does the same for you as we try to conquer the struggles we all face....internally, externally & spiritually.

"DO NOT" (re-post from 9/2008)

Do not boast and do not cry my soft spoken child. Do not let the anger swell up inside.

Do not hurry to reach your dreams, they will come to you in due time.

Do not try to be everything to everyone. Instead be something to someone.

Do not hold your gifts as if selfish. Share them with those most in need of your charity.

Do not walk alone in a world of friends, but rather remember I will be by your side.

Do not be deceived by those who hurt, they live an unforgiven curse.

Do not live your life in squalor; remember the greatest riches are there to ponder.

Do not be distracted by the clutter of life, clear the thatch before and after.

Do not seek another man’s dream; you will only acquire his nightmares.

Do not ever feel lost and forgotten, there is always someone or something to guide you.

Do not fall victim to those who hurt you, but rather stare, smile and watch them crumble.

Do not ever forget your first teachings; else your wisdom will be false knowledge.

BAS 1/9/2019 6:36 AM EST

Deuteronomy Chapters 4 & 5....
1st Timothy Chapters 2 thru 4

Humble Tears

As I sat on top of the hill I looked and could not find peace.

Everywhere it was as if the devil had spread his thorny fleece.

Men once friends now turned against each other in haste

Blinded by divisions… the hate you could taste.

Long ago the battle started to remove all that is good

An agenda hidden by the mask of fresh blood.

As a country we lost our innocence with the taking of leaders named Kennedy & Martin. 

We lost our faith with the murder of another named John & the continued separations of a country divided.

What more do we need to see in our history

To know that the best is taken to support the devil’s glory.

He waits in hiding for those he can manipulate to his will

With nothing more than a mission… for all good to kill.

When will we see as a nation we are at war with evil forces?

Tearing us apart, their blood of hate in many it courses.

Why, why has it gotten to this point?

We have been silent for too long, expecting a miracle to anoint.

It will surely come to pass, but in the meantime we suffer the pains

The bowls of inequity released on us, the division grows and gains

It rips us apart from the inside, to pollute everything on the outside.

Yesterday I heard a message of humbleness; cast away your pride it said

Hard to do when those against you shout in your face and cloud your head.

In a world bent on destruction we must seek the good, for it is there
And once we find it we realize it is abundant and we need to share.

Or else the hate that our enemies seek will erode away our very soul

Leaving nothing more than the trace of death, a smell so foul.

So where does one stand?

Stay humble and seek goodness on one hand

Or maintain vigilance & a steady watch on the other.

Often times it’s best to duck and take cover

But then you realize they’ll only another discover.

So we stand and we fight as brothers

We put away our petty hates & battle a common foe

One that is more powerful than possible to imagine

Your heart & soul it seeks, a strategy of famine.

To erode your very core to where you just don’t care

That my friend is its first victory, to shred hope like a bear

But as one we can defeat the hate, use a hidden snare.

Look around and even though you may be left, right or middle-ground

Seek the common good that is where our brotherhood is found.

Together as one we can afford to have a humble pride

And realize there’s so much more at stake than apple pie.

On the outside a sense of confidence

Not better than you, but with you… in vigilance.

On the lookout for harm’s way

Knowing our faith has the final say.

On the inside the pain and sorrow

Of a country's lost love, a memory now hollow.

All this hurt surely must come to an end

For my humbleness resides… in the tears I shed.

When no one sees what’s really inside & troubling me

But in the Grace of God I pray for His final victory.

In this way I dry my tears & put on my happy face

And return with my brothers….to that special place.

BAS 1/7/2019  9:01 AM EST

Psalm 25

A Favor to Ask in 2019

Today marks a milestone in the history of this simple blog.  I have reached a goal of 12,000 visits to the blog.  This may not seem like a lot compared to the highly popular blogs out there….but for me it is very gratifying as I do not use anything more than a Facebook post to advertise a new posting and word of mouth or shares to direct folks to the blog.

Writers struggle constantly what to write, what the readers want to hear, how they will accept our efforts and is it even worthy of posting.  I struggle with either posting spiritual writings or commentaries on the latest news….but the more I think about it….the more I see commonalities with recent news and the good and evil spirits that create it. 

If I look at my posts, the spiritual posts seem to have more views.  So many folks write about current events and make political commentaries that can actually alienate your audience.  Whereas spiritual writings are more neutral in tone and share a unique perspective on the world around us. 

I have not posted since before Christmas and as this is a New Year I hope it brings Peace and Understanding to a world torn by hate and greed and often ignorant to the spiritual side of life.  Many folks don’t want to concern themselves with their spiritual being until it’s too late.  So if I could ask one favor of you this New Year please find time to search your spiritual side….it will guide you in ways you cannot imagine…until they happen before your very eyes.

I am myself in a time of struggle…I am in perhaps the fight of my life to maintain my lifestyle, which is very meager, and not lose everything that makes a body comfortable.  I have dreams and aspirations like we all do, but in the end I live my life to serve my God and my fellow man to a higher calling, one that consoles  me in times of trouble and drives me to reach a pinnacle of success….but it isn’t easy.

So I rely on my faith, family, friends and flag to see me thru the hard times and celebrate the good times.  Let’s pray for more good times in 2019 as we isolate and starve the bad and feed the good.

One last favor…spend a little more time with God’s Word this year….it is the best way to squash the evil and elevate the good in our world. Do not blame God for misfortunes, for if I have tried to do anything with this blog it is to relate how satan is the root of all misfortunes and it is our Faith that will pick up the pieces of a broken life and make it shine in the Glory of the Way, Truth and Life of a living God.

Thank you for your support in reading this blog….it is free….as our Faith will always be.

Bryan A. Stross 1/3/2019 5:45 PM EST

My words will never hold the depths of the ancient writers…so if they fail to reach your spirit read the words of the Apostle John  listed below and let them carry you on your journey to better days based on Love & Eternal Life, which in any day past, present or future will guide us and never fail.

The 1^st Book of John 

The Root of Evil

It’s the day before Christmas and I have many thoughts to share.  What do I say, how do I say it and who will read it?  These are just concerns of any writer, but, I do not concern my- self with the trivial.

You see if I let my mind be absorbed by concerns, than it will not be open to really express what I really feel and what I am receiving into my spirit to communicate.  My writing on this blog is my gift to my fellow man, because it was gifted to me.  I know that may be hard for some of you to understand, but it is a tradition as old as the hills and it took a very wise Indian story teller to explain it to me…and he only had to say it once…and I got the message.

There are many stories on this blog and yesterday when I was listening to a sermon on the radio the message was about evils and how to identify them and eliminate them in your life.  I’ve had discussions with folks on evils and the old saying “money is the root of all evil” certainly comes to mind.  But I do not agree with that statement and here’s why.

If money is the root of all evil it had to exist (money that is) in the very beginning of time, because evil has been part of our world since, well almost the beginning.  The word root establishes the meaning of a foundation, so since money is a fairly recent concept (coinage and such) it can’t possibly be the “root” of evil because evil existed long before money ever did.

So what is the root of all evil?  Many a frustrated man has said “its women, they are the root of evil.”  To me this holds slightly more merit than money given the fact that had Eve never took the apple, evil would not have established itself in the Garden.  But one mistake does not forever mean your soul will take…and true evil, the real root of evil…has the power to take your soul.  A woman may take your heart, but she’ll never be able to take your soul as evil does.

So to me defining the “root” of all evil requires us to understand that in the beginning evil did not exist…it was and is a concept foreign to the forces that created us…for their entire being is made up of love, compassion, friendliness, hugs and kisses and all the other things evil tries to destroy in our lives.

So what does evil mean to you?  I’m sure you’ve seen it, I’m sure you’ve felt it and I’m sure by now you realize it can and has destroyed many people including innocent folks caught up in its fury, but they never lost to it as some have.  You see evil is all around us and there's even a part of it in all of us.  For some it manifests itself to do unspeakable crimes in an attempt to crush the good inside them that is in constant battle to keep evil in its place…to keep it chained with triple irons…to starve it out of existence…to hold it in darkness with no light except that of a distant star watching and waiting just in case it breaks its chains. 

The root of evil is a force most of us can not truly conceive of in our minds, because real uncontrolled hate, jealousy, greed, vanity, and lies are foreign to us.  None of us have ever been in the mind of a serial killer, none of us can relate to the hatred Hitler had for the Jews, none of us can relate to the crowd that crucified our King and none of us can relate to the levels some people will go to, to amplify their own agendas of evil, for it comes in many forms and has the best disguises imaginable.

So it’s a simple answer to a complex question.  The root of evil is satan and all his minions…but be advised the Faithful has him cornered, not quite in chains yet, but we’re getting close to locking him up and throwing away the key, along with his twisted followers and evil doers that try and pull people from the light of the faith and into the darkness of their unholy and deadly sins.

It’s the day before Christmas and I celebrate in my own ways and I do not ask for anything from anyone, but I do ask my Lord for many things and always, always I ask for forgiveness as I thank Him for all the blessings around me.  Then I ask something I’ve asked and prayed for, for as long as I can remember….I ask that He take and bind the forces of evil, that He and His mighty angels take satan and throw him in the bottomless pit and that the pit be closed and never opened again to spoil the majesties of this world…a world God created and loves dearly…and through this love the greatest gift He could ever give us is in the near future….I feel it, I know it, He’s promised it, and all His promises are true.

This Christmas don’t think of evil…think of love and understanding…and evil will run from you like a dog that just ate a jalapeno.  The following post was written by hand over 10 years ago…it expresses another side of evil, the side that is in all of us…but it is up to us to put it in chains in our own lives and let God sort out the details.  He is the Judge, His angels are the jury…we’re just in the gallery...watching it all.

My Enemy, Is In A Me.  (Hand written in 2009)

It is a lonely battle I fight; stranded on this hill, watching for the enemy combatants to pass my way.  I watch them and study them. I search the depth of their souls and if by chance I perceive a wretched rotten to the core heathen body…I take it out.  I have no doubt about my mission on the hill.  My orders are simple…use your own best judgement, use everything you’ve been taught, use all your senses, use all your subconscious thought and most important use all your experiences to ping your gut and guide your heart as you make the final call…to live or die…it is in your hands to call. 

It is a lonely battle I fight.  Over the years I have slain many, many a common foe.  Some as big as a red oak tree, others as small as a ring tailed pigeon.  Some were as strong as a team of ox, others as weak as a dying fires ember.  It doesn’t matter to me where they came from, when they got here, or why they found their self at the trail beneath my hill…they are there.  It doesn’t matter which way they came, or which way they go, my orders are simple…if they bad they got to go…if they good then save their soul.

It is a lonely battle I fight.  Much time I have to sit and ponder.  Much of my days and sleepless nights I wonder…do I sit at the base of another man’s hill?  Am I in the cross hairs of an executioner’s will?  I ask such things and pray for guidance.  Over the years an answer begins to form.  It took years of trial and error, but I believe I have been given a bit of insight as to where you, I, and others stand on the path of eternal life.  For some their life is cut too short, exterminated perhaps for no cause.  For others life is endless…it goes on and on.  What is important throughout either life, short or long, is that you realize the greatest enemy is not out there, oh no…the greatest enemy is not up there or down there.   The greatest enemy is not he who spites you.  The greatest enemy for you to fear…is right inside you.

It is a lonely battle I fight.  Look into any mirror or calm body of water; you will see your greatest enemy staring you square in the face.  My enemy, is in a me.  My enemy, is in a me.  So as I sit and cast judgement on others…compassion I first seek.  For many souls are led astray by the enemies around them, but if they reflect and realize their greatest enemy is in themselves then perhaps their troubles will fade.

It is a lonely battle I fight…Quiet…here comes a lost soul down life’s eternal spiral path…you decide this time…for it to live, or for it to die.

© Bryan A. Stross 3/30/2009 6:30 AM EST

The following are some notes I wrote on the sides of this paper and the Bible verses that I was concentrating on at the time that I wrote My Enemy, Is In A Me.

The Book of Micah Chapter 7 Verses 6-8

To seek a higher power you must first crawl and cower, then maybe you’ll wash in life’s shower.

The meek shall inherit the earth, and the rich will pay for it.

To peek into the future is one of mans most wanted treasures.

The beak of an eagle is used to tear and rip, but it also holds its nose.

The claws of the bear will slice and hold, but beneath is a soft pad of sole.

The Book of Ezekiel Chapters 40-42.

Have a safe and glorious Christmas, shed light on someone’s darkness…and watch as evil is put in its place once & for all…well, at least on this Earth anyway.  May your heart beat strong, your mind rest easy, your spirit soar to new heights and your soul be for our Lord’s to keep. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holy Days…I can’t wait to see what 2019 brings…for me if it brings any form of evil…I will take it out of my life and I will do my best to take it out of yours.  That is my gift to you, to all of you that have taken time to read my blog and to those that don’t even know it exists….yet.

If these are the last words I ever write…so be it…I rest in knowing I tried my best to share the gifts He has blessed me with…now I’m out of smokes and gotta make some coffee…gonna be a long day of travel, to warmer shores, brighter days, family ties and nights of fun and games.

Peace, Love, Understanding & Wisdom…cherish them…they are the gifts from God bestowed on His Faithful to battle the forces of evil, whose roots run deep, but never reach the bottom of the dark, lonely and cold pit of hell that evil is destined to accompany when He says the time is now.

Bryan A.Stross 12/24/2018 5:39 AM EST

The Book of John Chapter 3...Revelations Chapter 22...Joshua Chapter 24

AMEN