Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day.

Teach a man to fish, he’ll sit on a boat and drink beer.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 — “…There is nothing new under the sun”.

Jonathan David Helser — Abba

We’ll be worshiping.

Just fresh outta the womb…

we-the-females asked: Hello! I searched "Roatan" and I came across one of your posts that said you were moving to Honduras and I just wanted to ask you if you've ever been there, please tell me how it it :)

I’ve been there before. A summer ago. If you don’t mind diving through the most beautifully outcropped and multicolored reef formations, and walking down the only street in a small town along the Cay with small children following and curiously tugging on your hands with pure innocence; If you enjoy the sight of breathtaking landscapes and seascapes from the second floor of a church on stilts with the loud and captivating sound of the islanders praising the name of Jesus, then I would say this is the place for you to go. I’ve been there before.

(via anchoredin)

Sunrise With a Promise— March 28th, 2012

Proverbs 2:7-8— “The Lord holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones.”

Sunrise at Goleta Beach

Psalm 119:11, 15, 16 — “Your Word have I hid in my heart, that I may not sin against You. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways. I will delight in Your statutes and I will never forget Your Word.”

I’m really busy, Napoleon.

Patrick Dansereau — You Are My Sunshine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYxtBNvP1Xk&feature=player_embedded

Why would God inflict pain on people? Why does He allow sorrow and suffering, even with His own people? Would this not turn people away from Him instead of drawing them near?

Psalm 107 illustrates this “Strategy” of God’s.

Verses 4-8 speaks of the redeemed people of the Lord, who were once lost in the wilderness/desert region. They did not find rest nor an inhabited city(v4); they were hungry and found no food, they were thirsty and found no water, so much so that their souls fainted within them(v5). So they cried out to the Lord and He delivered them and set them in a straight way. “Let them give thanks to the Lord for His abundant Lovingkindness”(v8).

Verses 10-15 speaks of those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in misery and chains(v10). They were afflicted this way because of their many rebellious sins against God(v11). He humbled them with labor as they stumbled around as no one stood near to help them. So they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and He saved them out of their distresses and broke their bands apart[(completely forgiving their sins)v14-15].

Verses 17-21 speaks of the fools who delighted in their rebellious way, and because of their sins were afflicted(v17). Afflicted so much so that their very souls abhorred every kind of food(18). But as they drew near to the gates of death, they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions(v18-21).

Verses 23-31 speaks of sailors; men of the sea. It clearly says that He(God) spoke and raised up a stormy wind which lifted up the waves of the sea[(deliberately forcing them into trouble)v25]. They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths because of the waves; their soul melted away in the misery as they reeled and staggered like a drunken man. They were at their wits’ end(v26-27). They cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distresses. He caused the storm to be still, so that the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they were quiet, so He guided them to their desired haven(v28-30).

Time after time after time after time, the Lord leads people into distress and allows suffering because it is the best thing for them. God knows that we put idols in front of him, and sometimes the only way for us to realize His goodness is to experience the “destruction of the flesh”(1 Corinthians 5:5) so that it will move us to be absolutely desperate for Him. And when we are desperate for Him, and call upon Him with our whole heart, He hears and delivers us(Jeremiah 29:13).

The father of the prodigal son did not stop his son from leaving home and taking his inheritance, because he knew that perhaps the only way for his son to realize his wickedness was to let him taste the biterness of the world.

Jesus Christ longs for us to Love Him, because He longs for us to be completely satisfied and filled to overflowing, and thus, ultimately, to Glorify His Name.

“…it’s the lovingkindness of the Lord that leads us to repentance.”(Romans 2:4).