The Storm

in the midst of a Storm - a painful

adventure which challenges me this 

way and that - especially when the 

outcome is protracted and nebulous 

while feeling powerless to confidently

steer my half-sunken vessel into any 

of the meager options as anxious 

imaginations and vain dreads flash-

flood my battered beliefs as my

repetitive cries for relief and favorable 

resolution seem to be disregarded 

once again by the Master of my 

beleaguered ship as I find myself

fruitlessly striving for Peace by Trusting 

that - whatever the outcome and however

prolonged and violent the Storm -

both within and without - He WILL 

Calm the Sea...eventually...but in the 

meantime as the winds gust and the 

rain hammers down and the rolling 

waves lash dangerously high then 

brutally low...I wait... and wait... for 

an answer but only Silence responds 

the loudest to my desperate supplications 

and I am compelled to ask...Will I

Trust... the One who Trusted while bearing 

the Burden of Unending Guilt while 

Himself being Infinitely Innocent?...

the One Lone Light in a World Darkened 

by Sin?...the One whose Intentional 

Submission Bore the Rebellion of the 

Masses? reluctantly and without surprise                          

I once again conclude that my meager

efforts will never be sufficient to reap a 

Harvest of Kingdom-Fruit to fill my now 

depleted storeroom...that it can ONLY be 

by HIS Power / Grace - not by MY Gerbil-

Wheel Striving - that will enable me to...

- Confidently Surrender to His Purposeful  

Allowances and the Mysterious Designs 

of this Adversity that it is the Best Way 

for Him to Achieve His Good Ends in me 

even though veiled from sight and arduous 

to endure..

- Receive the Balm of Peace and let it

Soothe my fierce reactions and Quiet 

my questioning heart

- Join my hidden affliction to the Public 

Degradation of His Crucifixion - 

a Spectacle of Divine Intervention 

undergone for no other reason than 

His Extravagant Mercy / Love for me 

despite all my habitual self-preoccupation 

and pitiful whining - and thus sow 

Meaning into my anguish so that I

Become More Like Him and His 

Kingdom-Grace is bestowed upon 

those for whom I make this Storm a 

Sacrificial Offering as I in Trust keep 

my eyes fixed on the Master of Mercy 

and Rely on the Embrace of His Spirit 

to bring about whatever Good He 

Desires as well as His Peaceful Calm 

to the Storm within and - in His Perfect 

Timing - without 

Reflection / Discussion:

-What is your experience of being in a Storm?

-What lessons did you learn?

-How did the Lord use it in your life?

-How do faith and feelings differ . intermingle in a Storm?

-Why is Grace the key to unlocking the mystery of suffering?

-What does "Redemptive Suffering" mean?

-How can you be a support for someone you love who is going 

  through a Storm?

The Other Proverbs

1. Without Grace....you're screwed...so...Ask and you shall Receive!

2. If you want to live an Abundant Life....don't make it all about "me", but, rather, "Thee".  

3 .Self-reliance is a gerbil wheel stirring up anxiety and self-absorption. Trusting in the Lord 

    brings Peace.  . 

4. Always get the help you need ..before it's too late to ask

5. If you're in serious sin...run to Confession....but...make sure you look both ways.

6. In choosing a marriage partner....watch out for mudslides.

7. If you're not sure about a decision...wait...discern...talk it through with a wise person, take it 

    to the Lord in prayer until you are at peace. 

8. If your future spouse doesn't love the Lord, be careful. Better to be on the same page, so, 

    you might have to 'turn the page' because it's best to be of one mind and heart. 

9. Forgiving your offender doesn't let them off the hook...it lets you off the hook.

10. If you don't believe Satan is real...he's already got you where he wants you.

11. If you live by your feelings....you're definitely a fool and easily deceived by Satan...and,

      BTW, you really can't fly like a bird no matter how confident you feel. 

12. If you support those who promote abortion, you are complicit in murder so...Repent before 

      it's too late. 

13. Beware...those who always accuse are gaslighting. 

14. If your lifestyle is not centered around the Lord...you are possibly a second away from 

      eternal death.. 

15. Faith, Hope and Love are not feelings but, rather, decisions. So, ask for the Grace

      to Believe...Trust...and Love and it shall be yours...but...it will be challenging...and that is good. 

16. If you believe you have to perform in order to be loved by the Lord, you believe a lie.

17. To follow Jesus as your Personal Lord and Savior is True Freedom not slavery. 

18. It is only because Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead that we can become a 

      New Creation and love as He Loved.

19. A lifestyle centered around Jesus brings Life now and forever but, without Jesus, it becomes

      a death-style, now and likely forever- so, change your mind..ie repent...and live a New Life. 

20. True Fulfillment...Happiness...Meaning...Purpose in Life is only found in the Eternal.. Infinite..              Perfect...not the Temporal...  Finite...Imperfect which will all pass away.

21. A life of sacrificial love is only possible by Grace so Ask...Seek...Knock and it shall be yours, 

      but, be prepared for purification. 

22. If you love the Lord, you are never alone.  

23. Don't waste your suffering...let Jesus transform it by offering it up to Him for those you love. 

24.We are not meant to live our lives separate from one another, so, find a support group that your lives        in the Lord may thrive together. 

25. With the Lord there is always MORE... so...go for it. 

26. Jesus never compels...He only knocks on the door of your heart....patiently...lovingly...

      persistently...and you are free to open it or not along with all the eternal consequences.

 

27. There is Grace for your every need so...Ask...Seek...Knock because you are His Beloved. 

28. Living for fame...wealth...pleasure...success...material possessions are simply illusions /

      deceptions...in the end, they all easily fit into your casket. 

29. Don't just rely on your own efforts which only lead to frustration...anxiety and endless

       self-criticism...rather, let the Holy Spirit be your source of strength and peace. 

30. When you think you simply need to try harder...stop...humbly admit your need and ask for Grace. 

31. Today, concern yourself with intentionally loving the Lord and those around you...yesterday is past 

      and, as for tomorrow...wait until it is today. 

32. Trials test the soul, challenging our faith, trust and love, be grateful and rely on His Grace for you          are being purified and united to the One Crucified for your Holiness. 

33. The world-wide killer-plague that affects every human being is Sin which only has one cure. 

34. Jesus is Alive, Real and Loves you and everything changes when you invite Him to be your 

      personal Lord and Savior. 

35. Asserting that all truth is relative is an Absolute statement and,  therefore, is illogical and incorrect. 

36. Children belong to their parents, not the local school board. Indoctrination, secrecy, agendas or 

      grooming do not belong in children's education. Parents form children, not schools. 

37 Changing your gender is a fiction and lie. Gender / Sex are the same biological DNA and are fixed.

     Those who seek to change such an objectively true reality need our love and empathy to help them 

     accept their God-given reality from birth. 

38. Men / males cannot have babies...do not menstruate...and shouldn't be in women's / female 

      locker rooms nor compete in their sports. That's not hate / disrespect but, rather, love, logic,                    justice and respect.

39. Realize that the affirmation and love you so desperately seek and that impels you to superficial              yet life-long harmful physical transformations is already yours in Christ Jesus....you have but to ask        and you shall receive. 

40. LGBTQ+ were not born that way but, rather, wounded that way and can become a New Creation 

      in Jesus Christ by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

41. DEI is a L I E and should be spelled DIE...just ask your favorite NFL / NBA team. 

42. Colleges should teach students HOW to think...NOT....WHAT to think....China does that,  not 

      USA...well....at least those colleges not Woke...if there are any. 

43. "My truth / your truth" is, in reality, about "preferences / opinions" not objective truth. 

44. "To speak the truth in Love" is not "hate speech" but "love speech" meaning "to will the good of     

       the other". 

45. In making decisions, feelings are only part of the story and need to be evaluated by our intellect  

      in light of other pertinent factors before acted upon by our will, and, BTW, confer with someone 

      you trust. It will help clarify your thinking.

46. Killing 60M+ babies... child puberty blockers...minor children's mutilation... child 

      trafficking...over 550,000 unaccompanied border children, pronoun secrecy, grooming /     

      indoctrination of children...'Houston....we have a problem'....and it's the "Left".

47. All the accolades of fame...wealth...success... pleasure...  unfortunately can't be heard from 

      one's final resting-place.

48  "I did it my way!" (not 'Thy' Way) - everybody in hell says that. 

49.  Sleeping around, year after year, isn't exactly the best way to prepare to be a faithful spouse

       nor inspire your spouse's confidence in you. Change your mind, and, Believe the Good News. 

50  We all deserve eternal punishment for our sins, but Jesus paid the price for our salvation because 

      He Loves us. The question is....will you ask for His Mercy and Love Him in return? 

Reflection / Discussion

-Which proverbs struck you and why?

-Do you disagree with any and why?

-Are there any controversial ones? why?

=Is truth relative or absolute? why?

-How do you go for more with the Lord?

-Why is sin a deadly plague?

-Do you have a proverb of your own? What is it?

 

The Myth

no...that is a Myth ..you were not 

'born that way'...in Truth you were 

wounded that way...for indeed...

All are wounded...each person 

suffers from the consequences

of Original Sin...each one bears 

the fruit of that fateful decision to 

become like 'gods' deciding what                          

is good / evil for themselves...easily 

led astray by distorted emotions 

attracted to evil...a darkened intellect 

easily deceived and a will rooted in 

rebellious pride...but there is an even 

more sinister reality...an evil and

more powerful Enemy who seeks                  

your eternal destruction through

his cunning accusations...sophisticated            

lies and murderous intentions all

wrapped in the cloak of his supposed                       

non-existence...yes...each human             

is born into this debilitated condition

yearning for love / affirmation / acceptance /

affection and attention - the bonding that 

pre-existed the Fall - each born into 

fallen families / relationships where sins 

of omission / commission - many times

traumatic experiences -  lead to soul ties - 

harmful attachments that open doors to sin 

and the influence of the evil one whose

lies about yourself / others / Me often

lead to walls being erected between yourself

and Me and then are reinforced by vows /

decisions putting into practice destructive 

behaviors which seal one's false identity...

all this gift-wrapped in deceptive ideologies 

from a depraved world which celebrate 

and coercively promote compulsive spiritual

death-styles in this life and into the next...

false idols of lust which enslave all-the-

while purporting freedom / liberty...

So...Listen to the Truth....I Created you out 

of Love to become My Beloved Child - 

that is your True Identity...indeed....you 

were Immutably Created Male or Female

for a Complementary Union of Mutual

Self-Giving which mirrors the Trinitarian 

Mystery and by Grace to Live with Me 

Forever but because Sin severed our 

Union I sent My Only-Begotten Son to 

take your sins and Just Punishment upon 

Himself and pay the price of a torturous 

Death then Rise in Triumph over Sin / 

Satan so that YOU might be Saved from 

Eternal Death...Yes...ALL your Eternal...

Infinite...Perfect Needs / Desires can be 

realized beginning in this life and Fulfilled 

in the Next...IF you Accept My Grace to 

Change your Mind / Repent and Believe 

this Good News by Accepting Jesus as 

your Lord and Savior and Choosing to 

Brake from the Past by Forgiving those 

who sinned against you ..acknowledging

and giving over your wounds to the Healer 

of Hearts...Renouncing vows and lies...

closing doors...breaking seals and 

cutting soul ties...declaring your True 

Identity in Christ...Surrendering All and 

being Transformed by a Renewal of your

Mind...Getting Support of Brothers / 

Sisters in the Lord...Embracing a New 

Way of Living and Purpose in Life to 

serve the King of Kings /Lord of Lord 

and by the Power of the Holy Spirit to 

Change and be Healed...a Reality but 

also a Process...as My Word says...

"My Grace is sufficient for you for My 

Power is made perfect in weakness"...for

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a New Creation,

old things have passed away, behold all 

things have become new." So...Seek First

the Kingdom of God acknowledging that

"I can do all things through Christ who 

strengthens me"

Reflection / Discussion:

-What are the consequences of Original Sin?

-How have you experienced them in your life?

-How did others' sins of commission / omission affect you?

-How can you forgive when you may still feel the pain?

-What lies did you believe that influenced your decision making?

-What sins opened the door to a death-style?

-What soul ties / vows / decisions sealed the lies that led to a sinful life-style?

  Brake/ Renounce  them in the Name of Jesus and Repent.

-Pray: "Lord Jesus, Please forgive me for... and Come into my Heart and

  be my Lord and Savior. I surrender my life to You."

-What does that mean spiritually and practically?

-What is God's Plan for Sexuality?

-How do feelings / intellect / will interrelate in decision making?

-How is Conversion / Healing a Reality and a Process?

-Find a Support Group in Christ.

-Contact encounterministries.usa for prayer support.

The Jesus Prayers

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

have Mercy on me, a sinner.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

Keep me in Your Presence. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

Set my mind on You.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

Set my heart on You.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

Make me One with You.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

I Believe in You.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

I Adore You.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

I Hope in You.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

I Love You. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God 

I Trust in You.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

I need You..

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God 

I depend on You.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

Thank You for Your Love. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

Thank you for Choosing me.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

Thank you for your Mercy.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

Thank you for your Grace. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

Be my Lord and Savior.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

Be First in my life. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

Be my Peace.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

Be my Joy.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

Fill me with Your Spirit.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

Help me to Live in Awe of You.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

Help me To Love with Your Love. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

I am Yours.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, 

Make my life always be about 

Thee not me.

Reflection / Discussion:

-The Jesus Prayer is meant to provide a simple

 way to praise / worship / Be in His Presence

 wherever you are and whatever you're doing.

-Which prayer touched your heart? Why?

-How can you make these prayers part of you daily life?

-Do you have any prayers you want to add to the list? Just do it!

-Simply Speak His Name in Lore.

The Gazes

I remember every encounter...each 

one a stepping stone leading to His 

final resting place in my heart...each

memory highlighted by unfamiliar 

feelings like when.. I couldn't believe

my eyes...in the midst of all He was

suffering...all that pain...every

miniscule movement a torture...

every breath brought no relief but 

simply a prophetic sign of more to 

come...even His eyesight was obscured

half-blinded by blood's steady stream 

from its thorny creche - a mocking 

symbol of His true identity and still...

with all that...He found me imbedded 

in the jeering sometimes simply curious 

crowd fascinated by the death spectacle 

of the King of the Jews..it was as if He 

had searched me out like I was a long

lost sheep hiding amongst a pack of 

howling wolves...it brought to mind the 

first time our eyes met months before...

it was in another crowd but this time a 

friendly one...everyone was hungry not 

only for food to fill our stomachs  but for

His words which mysteriously fed our

empty hearts way out in the empty 

countryside...He was teaching things 

we never heard before when suddenly 

He stropped to break for food though 

there were merely scraps which somehow 

He miraculously multiplied and had

baskets and baskets left over...amazed 

yet confused I got up to leave but His 

gaze moved me to stay to find some 

kind of answer to even one of the 

questions swirling in my mesmerized 

mind....who is this man? how can He 

do that? His words are touching places 

in my heart that I didn't know existed...

everyone had an opinion -some said this..

others that...I only knew I had to keep 

searching for something more that I didn't 

have right now.....then there was another

crowd this time near Passover...but this

one was cheering Him as He rode a colt 

into Jerusalem...waving palms thinking 

He was the Messiah even though He didn't 

claim to be a warrior king...again the gaze..

very strange...like He had expected that 

I would be there - a familiar face even 

though as yet we had never spoken to one 

another...now...this...horrific spectacle...

not what I ever expected for such a gentle 

miraculous person...totally innocent of 

their bogus charges and now planted 

between murderers and yet... even in all

His pain He found me...again that haunting 

gaze .but this time as I took steps toward 

him He cried out as he Finished his

Sacrificial Offering amidst His Mother's

mournful goodbye as thunder rolled and 

lightning cracked and darkness covered 

the mount and apparently the Temple's 

Curtain was Completely Torn as death

hushed the staring crowd left wondering 

if there could possibly be any more drama 

to what they just witnessed.....now...days 

later... on the road to Emmaus...unrecognized..

He turned up as a fascinating stranger totally

transforming Sacred Texts into pearls of \

Revelation about the Resurrected Christ 

till at fireside He gazed at me again and 

with a smile offered me the broken bread

with His nail-scared hand and in a Final 

Encounter bade me to join Him in that 

Sacred Feast...now - even though He 

vanished -I know He is Alive ..He un-

veiled the eyes of my heart...then I knew

who He was and who I am in Him...He 

is my Lord and Savior and I am His forever...

reborn by His Spirit...on mission to witness 

for His Kingdom to a world broken by sin.... 

hungry for healing and the Bread of Life...

so...what about you? are you hungry for More?...

Ask...Seek...Knock...and it shall be yours...

Reflection / Discussion:

-Ask Jesus to show you times in the past when

  He has sought you out. What was happening then?

  What was your response?

-Do you want More in your life?

-By reading this poem, is He seeking you now? Why / not?

-Have you asked Him to be your personal Lord / Savior?

-If not...what is holding you back?

- Are you asking...seeking...knocking...for More?

-What does it mean to "be His Forever"?

-What does it mean to be "reborn by His Spirit'?

-Do you have a "mission in life"?

-Are you 'hungry for healing'?

-What is the "Bread of Life"?

-He is smiling at you now, how's that make you feel? 

.that same gaze

only this time it was followed

with a smile...and it was then

I know I was reborn...never

more to forget that gaze even

when it would be my turn 

on that cross because of him...

The Ingenious Decption

taking offense at objective facts -                

even when they are presented simply...              

clearly...respectfully with no other                                                              

intention than love of the other...                       

desiring the healing good of self-

acceptance as Created by their                  

Heavenly Father - is an ingenious                

deception as if you are disrespecting                

the receiver by 'hatefully' contradicting 

their cherished yet totally subjective                   

cornerstone of their confused identity 

system nonsensically and sadly 

constructed upon ever so shifting 

sands of disoriented feelings lived 

out daily in emotional decision-making 

the fruit of which has logically led to 

harvests of personal misery while 

clinging to delusional distortions of 

reality fiercely asserted yet erupting 

in endless hours of insecurity and 

eternal anxious imaginations of self-

preoccupation and yet now here you 

are having the audacity to question 

their otherwise affirmed identification

hoping they may see the light of reality 

through the fog of deception and help 

lead them to begin a new journey to joy /

peace by realizing that their true / rock-

solid identity is a Beloved Child of God 

Made in His Image and Likeness and by

Grace a Beloved Disciple of Jesus Filled 

as a Temple of the Holy Spirit and from 

Conception Created with God-given DNA 

all of which opens the door of meaning /

purpose in this life and Eternal Joy in 

the next...but predictably...you are  accused

of having the unmitigated gall to suggest 

they read an article which presents logical 

and robust scientific arguments contradicting 

their subjective feelings of self-identity 

which though humanly / biologically 

impossible to change are aided and abetted 

by a life-sentence of prescription drugs and 

proven by superficial external indicators 

and vehemently purported by preferred 

pronouns and last-but-not-least radically 

ratified by irreversible mutilating medical 

procedures - all distorted attempts of so-called

'gender affirming care' - carried out by 

the now defunct 'do no harm' Medical 

Practitioners - which if not offered - are 

considered disrespectful / reprehensible 

leading supposedly to suicide and therefore

condemned vociferously and so you 

should stop with the offensive suggestion

that they consider an alternative solution 

of Therapy as well as a Spiritual Awakening 

which is so contrary to their now entrenched 

lifestyle and a 'carpet-bombing' to their 

indoctrinated  identity infrastructure where 

true is false and false is true and the abnormal 

is normalized so often initiated at a vulnerable / 

insecure age by agenda-driven ideologues 

masquerading as empathetic Counsellors only 

interested in introducing / guiding gullible 

minors in to an 'exciting journey of self-discovery' 

yet hidden from their parents who in many 

instances will lose custody if are found to not 

support their child's transition who BTW 

is too young to buy tobacco or alcohol...vote...

get married...get a credit card...have a resume...

start a career....drive a car... get a mortgage...

be a marine...buy medication and yet can decide 

which of the plethora of genders they feel they 

are today and maybe change tomorrow only then to  

make life-long alterations to their bodies leading 

for many to a regret-filled / painful de-transition 

in the future...yet...you are the one accused of 

abuse by refusing to bow down to the Identity 

Idols by not endorsing their hallucination / 

self-mutilation / self-destructive fantasies...so..

stop with the 'love-talk' and professed concern 

for their 'true happiness and eternal welfare' 

because it is so 'hateful' to 'attack' these courageous 

children with so-called 'scientific data' which are 

so hurtful /embarrassing / having no place in their 

enlightened world of a new age / life-saving 

gender adventure in which you are not welcomed 

to have a voice nor place at the table since you are 

obviously a horrible / abusive bigot who spreads 

propaganda that only leads to despair and death...

so...off you go or we will call the thought-police 

to serve your - hopefully - never-ending sentence 

of public humiliation / isolation / cancelation...

and there you have it...all in all...an ingenious 

deception...and the demons love it...

Reflection / Discussion:

-Define True / False...Objective / Subjective...Real / Imaginary

-Is this description accurate or a fantasy?

-Why? What proof can you offer?

-What is happening in Canada...Great Britain...Netherlands about this subject?

-When / where / who started all this?

-What is the process of 'de-transition'? 

-Put faces / biographies on those de-transitioning.

-How does social media play an crucial role in all this?

-Why do you still have your children in government schools?