Month: June 2020

God uses broken people like you and me to reach broken people. I’ve seen it throughout my lifetime… and, in fact, it’s the reason I wrote Masquerade I want the world to know what He did for me… and that He can do it for them, too!

What a privilege for me to witness this come to fruition! God is using my friend, Rob, to reach lost sheep and lead them home. Rob, my friend and business partner, who, himself, was lost not that long ago…. who is growing closer and closer to God, listening and obeying the Holy Spirit directing him to help another lost sheep.

I pray God’s protection on both as I was reminded by our Sunday sermon our battle is not against flesh and blood but against evil. I ask you to join me in prayer for “Sam” who is in need of salvation and sobriety. I ask you to pray for Rob as God uses him and his experiences to reach a lost soul… that this experience would continue to strengthen Robs resolve; prayer for protection from relapse himself.

I am absolutely convinced that our time is short. I believe we are seeing the book of Revelation unfold before our eyes. It is our responsibility as Christians to reach a lost world while we can.

I recall earlier discussions with Rob where he asked me why I work so hard to share Jesus with people. “After all,” he said, “you can’t save them all.” It reminded me of the starfish analogy where the boy is throwing starfish back into the ocean after the tide left them. A man asks what he’s doing and when the boy says he’s saving them, the man chides him with, “you can’t save them all”… the wise boy replied, as he tossed another into the water, “yes, but I can save THAT one”

If we all just allowed ourselves to let God use us so that ONE soul would be saved, and that soul would do the same, and those souls would do the same, imagine the impact we could have on a fallen world.

I am far, far from perfect… not even good sometimes… and I am a sinner in constant need of Gods Grace; but I will continue to allow God to use me however He will to make whatever impact I can for His kingdom.

Be blessed today, my friends.

Father, I thank you today for picking me up out of the depths of despair and putting my feet on solid ground. Forgive me when I go astray and bring me back to the path You have for me. Help me to love your people and bring Your light to a dark world. Be with those in need of salvation and sobriety today, Lord, that through Your Holy Spirit they would be awakened. Give Your Children courage to be used to lead others home, and protect them while they reach into dark places to pull others to the Light. In Your Holy Name I pray.

SB

Three different verses… 3 different writers (same Author)… both Old and New Testament. …same message… think it’s important?

Isaiah 6:10
“Render the hearts of this people insensitive,
Their ears dull,
And their eyes dim,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.”

Matthew 13:15
For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.’

Acts 28:27
For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes;
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.”’

Yesterday, in our studio, we held a prayer meeting.. we’ve called it Grace Notes because we owe everything we have to God’s Grace…. only my business partner and I were there, but we spent time in prayer for our country, our city (both Greensburg where the studio is and Pittsburgh). When we opened the studio, we promised God to do our best to honor Him and give back to Him…. our prayer meeting was one way to do that… and, despite the fact that no one else showed up, we will continue to hold prayer meetings for God ha said that where two or more are gathered, He is in our midst.

As a nation, we have fallen far, far away from God. As a citizen, I pray for our return… I pray that people will open their eyes and return to God.

Time is short. God will be using all of His people to reach other people and share Gods Grace with them. My prayer is that, as individuals, people will turn to Him, even is the nation, as a whole, does not.

Be blessed today, my friends!

SB

Lord, reveal Yourself in us today, and show us what You’d have for us to do. We pray for the people You’ve put in our lives, that You’d use us with them and them with us to bring lost people home to You…. that the whole world would know Your glory, Your peace, Your mercy.

Forgive us for the sins we commit, the filth that we are. Restore us and make us whole for Your names sake.

May we bless others by sharing our experiences to mentor and guide those who need it, may we look to those who can mentor us. Give us words to speak when we don’t know what to say. Open our eyes to see Your vision and use us for Your glory.

In Your Holy name I pray, amen

SB

Dreams have long been a love of mine… the stranger, the better. Last nights’ dream told of a journey to a place far away. In preparing for the trip, I turned to my iPad and used an ap to pinpoint the location of my trip. This ap not only showed the physical location, but the population of my destination. As I zoomed in to check it out, I realized I was being sent to the far corners of the earth, where there were hardly any inhabitants….

Mmmmmm

In my dream, I was excited but apprehensive to go. What will I find there? Will they accept me? Will they accept the news I am to bring them?Would I be alone? Would I find what I need to survive?

Have you been given a destination and a mission? Will you go?

Life is not a destination. It is a journey.

Be blessed today, my friends

SB

(A special psalm by David for the music leader. Use with stringed instruments.)

Betrayed by a Friend

Listen, God, to my prayer!Don’t reject my request.2 Please listen and help me.My thoughts are troubled,and I keep groaning3 because my enemies attack with loud shouts.They treat me terribly and hold angry grudges.4 My heart is racing fast,and I am afraid of dying.5 I am trembling with fear,completely terrified. 6 I wish I had wings Like a dove,so I could fly far away and be at peace.7 I would go and live in some distant desert.8 I would quickly find shelter from howling winds and raging storms. 9 Confuse my enemies, Lord!Upset their plans.Cruelty and violence-are all I see in the city,10 and they are like guards on patrol day and night.The city is full of trouble,evil,11 and corruption.Troublemakers and liars freely roam the streets. 12 My enemies are not the ones who sneer and make fun.I could put up with that or even hide from them.13 But it was my closest friend,the one I trusted most.14 We enjoyed being together,when we went with others to your house, our God. 15 All who hate me are controlledby the power of evil.Sentence them to death and send them down alive to the world of the dead. 16 I ask for your help, LORD God,and you will keep me safe.17 Morning, noon, and night you hear my concerns and my complaints.18 I am attacked from all sides,but you will rescue me unharmed by the battle.19 You have always ruled,and you will hear me.You will defeat my enemies because they won’t turnand worship you. 20 My friend turned against me-and broke his promise.21 His words were smoother than butter, and softer than olive oil.But hatred filled his heart,and he was ready to attack with a sword. 22 Our LORD, we belong to you.We tell you what worries us,and you won’t let us fall.23 But what about those people who are cruel and brutal?You will throw them down into the deepest pit long before their time.I trust you, LORD!

2 Corinthians 2

Forgiveness5 I don’t want to be hard on you. But if one of you has made someone feel bad, I am not really the one who has been made to feel bad. Some of you are the ones. 6 Most of you have already pointed out the wrong that person did, and this is punishment enough for what was done.7 When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they won’t give up in despair. 8 You should make them sure of your love for them.9 I also wrote because I wanted to test you and find out if you would follow my instructions. 10 I will forgive anyone you forgive. Yes, for your sake and with Christ as my witness, I have forgiven whatever needed to be forgiven. 11 I have done this to keep Satan from getting the better of us. We all know what goes on in his mind.

2 Corinthians 2:-11 | CEV

In my prayer time this morning, these two passages stood out in my mind. I was led to both of them, though unsure if they, together form the message God wants you to hear today… but here they are.

Let me be a vessel for you, o Lord, to do what You’ve asked me to do. Strengthen and equip me, and open my eyes to Your plan, keeping my ever vigilant to be aware of my enemy. Let my enemy never dwell over me. Give me grace and wisdom. Give me words when I have none. Let not the Enemy have authority of my life but let my life be pleasing to You and you alone. Give me courage and wisdom to carry on. In Your holy name I pray….

SB