IF you Found this, I think the Holy Spirit Found You!

TODAY: This morning during my morning prayers the Holy Spirit has been pulling on my heart to call people to come to Him.  I don’t who this message is for so if your heart moves you please share this message. 

As we pass from February to March, from a time of darkness to a time of light, the Lord is reminding you of what He has brought you through and He wants to restore you or to bring you to life. 

Galatians 5:22-25 (NLT)
²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Faith in Jesus Christ gives you peace and hope. Faith in Christ brings assurance of salvation, freedom from death and sin, healing, and a new life that begins with a small act of faith where you place your trust in Him. 

Anyone in the Columbia/Greene County area who’s looking for peace with God or to be restored in the relationship you once had, The Holy Spirit is calling you to Rock Solid Church 334 Union Street, Hudson NY 12534 TONIGHT at 7 pm. If this message is touching you, don’t ignore it, don’t harden your heart: Come. 

For those in other parts of the world, new life begins with a simple prayer to trust in Jesus.  Say the prayer shown here to begin the journey of hope, peace, meaning, and purpose that God has called you to. 

Being a Christian isn’t about being good or following a political ideology, it is about admitting that even though we aren’t good, we believe that God loves us, and sent His Son Jesus Christ, to live a sinless life, and to die on the cross to pay for our sins and to reconcile us to God. 

John 3:16 (NLT)
¹⁶  “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The Holy Spirit has put it on my heart to share this message today.  If it speaks to you: respond.  If you feel it is meant for someone within your sphere of influence, share it. 

Netflix offers The Nightmare. Sleep disorders or spiritual forces?

What to do with a long holiday weekend?  

Black Friday shopping perhaps? I've been there and I've done that and I think never again  most aptly describes my attitude towards that experience.  

Decorate for Christmas..... Soon but not yet. 

Work on a paper for Bible college or the book I'm writing?  I'm proud to say I did do some work on both but maybe I was suffering the effects of tryptophan from the turkey consumed because i didn't write much.

Be it tryptophan or the fact that I was  paying off a sleep debt but this weekend was spent in my chair in front of the television in varying states of consciousness.  

Seated in my chair I decided to be productive and started to eliminate items from my Netflix watch list.  One of the movies I  decided to try was a documentary called "The Nightmare".  

I know what is a Christian doing watching something with a macabre title like that?  Shouldn't I be watching Highway to Heaven or Vegitales?  

Well, honestly I do enjoy a good scare and I like to remind myself that even though I live in the relative safety of Middle class America there are dark forces to be aware of either in the evil that men do or in the spiritual realm.  

With that said although I was a huge horror fan before becoming born again I am noticing that I don't have the stomach for the macabre as Much as I did before, especially when  a film is violent or gory just for the sake of violence and goriness with little or no story.  I recently said good bye for ever to AMC's the Walking Dead as a case in point.  

Anyway so I sat down to watch the Nightmare.  To be honest I didn't know it was a documentary before I started watching it but was somewhat relieved because watching a documentary is educational right? 

The  Nightmare is about people who suffer from a sleep disorder called sleep paralysis.  It was really quite interesting and honestly a little creepy and unnerving.  I won't give any spoilers here really but a common thread through the victim's of sleep paralysis is the presence of malevolent "shadow men".  

The film does a good job of taking a wide view of the experiences of the sufferers of sleep paralysis and theories of what is happening.   The explanations range from the scientific to the spiritual and even the extra-terrestrial.  It is definitely worth the watch and could actually help a Christian's worldview, that we are in an "open system" where God, and good and malevolent spiritual forces can and do interact in our lives.  One of the suffers came to faith in Christ as a result of her experience and another admitted that they were no longer an atheist because of what they had experienced.  

I have had a spiritual experience, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is real and cares about us.  To quote the x-files, there's something out there but I think that the something is not extra-terrestrial in the sense of aliens but are most likely beings in the spirit realm.

I often quote Matthew 6:33,

33  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. , 

Because in my experience I have sought Him and the truth has been revealed, and continues to be revealed to me.   

So enjoy the film and considered the questions of life death, and the unseen realm of the spirit.   

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you the only way through to God and an afterlife of peace and joy is through Jesus Christ.  John 14:6 says 

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 

Happy Thanksgiving! A Year of Blessings to be Thankful for

It's Thanksgiving eve, and once again I will be going out for dinner with my brothers and their wives (And fiancé,  Tommy still is yet to close the deal as the last holdout but like tomorrow's Turkey his goose is cooked!)  We're going for Mexican and a few laughs.  I won't be drinking.  I'm happy to report I've been sober sine 03/22/15 and I ain't going back! I am truly blessed because God has freed me from the prison I created for myself. Alcohol's lies have been exposed and I will remain vigilant to steer clear of the drink that consumes you.  Hey man to each their own I just know how I am and I am happier to leave it behind forever.  

Sobriety is enough to be Thankful for all by itself every single day of my life but God has given me so much more.  

The year in review of thanks! 

January, I was happy and thankful that a transition to a new foreman in the Schenectady line crew went off without any problems.  After some doubt and last minute changes, I ended up in a situation I was content with.

This January had virtually zero snow and I was extremely thankful for that because I work outside and I pay to have my driveway plowed.  I don't ski or snowmobile so I'll take all the snowless winters I can get! 

February- I went on a mission trip to Zimbabwe and Zambia. I also went on a safari in Botswana and saw Victoria Falls.  I honestly felt I was my ideal self on Mission, all my thoughts and actions were directed to the service of my Lord and Savior. 

As fate would have it while I was away. My wife Michele suffered a recurrence of a kidney infection/ stones. She was in a great deal of pain and terrible health.  I am thankful for the doctors and my parents for helping her  in my absence.  And I thank God that she has been healed. 

March - I was thankful that my eldest brother Matthew finally got married at 47 years old!  Kat Flynn is a wonderful person for taking this burden upon herself, welcome to the party Kat! 

April- I'm thankful for Easter where we celebrate the fact that Jesus is alive!  It's no zombie movie,  Jesus was risen to show that He is the Son of God and that through His work on the cross all who put their faith in Him will be forgiven of their sins and live forever with Him in paradise! 

May - Verizon went on strike, so I am thankful for my Union brothers and sisters that took a stand for the middle class by sacrificing income to insure we there could be good jobs in this country.   In the face of corporate greed who make billions in profit there is no reason they can't pay a wage where their employees can prosper.  I pray for other workers to band together to insure good jobs and dignity for all Americans.  

June - Verizon and the union came to an agreement.  It was back to work and I thank God Almighty because I was able to work again and to grab enough overtime to meet all my financial needs after being out of work for six weeks. At times I didn't think I would make it but God was with me.  

When I say that I really mean it.  One Sunday one of the women at my church that I did not even know was led by the Holy Spirit to give me a financial donation at a time when every penny counted.  I hadn't told anybody that I was in need and I didn't know this woman.  She told me that during her morning prayers the Lord directed her to give to me.  The money was appreciated but the thought that God moved this women to give to me, that God was thinking about me, and sending help is a blessing that I will always be thankful for.  He is real. He is alive. Salvation is through Christ alone. Please believe me and put your faith in Him! 

July - I took my family on a vacation to Niagara Falls Canada.  It was fun, even with the two angsty teens although it may be their last trip! Lol.   So In retrospect in 2016, I beheld the glory of God's creation by seeing 2 of the most magnificent waterfalls on the planet, Victoria & Niagara Falls! God is awesome. 

August- Michele and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary by going to the Rhode Island ocean and had all you can eat lobster at the world famous Nordic Lodge. The weather was sunny but not too hot. It was a nice weekend away. Recalling this I am reminded that through all my insanity and the wrong I've done, life's tragedies, the good times and the bad, Michele has continued to love me.  We've lived together since 96, so I am truly thankful for the 20 years of Michele's love and life that she has given me. She hosting my family for Thanksgiving so that proves she loves me! 

September - This was the month my Son Brennan,who had been a slacker for the past two years by not doing his homework and getting in trouble at school, decided to change his life.  He decided that a life of irresponsibility and the chaos that came with it wasn't the way he wanted to live anymore.  He started doing his work unprompted and has a real desire to succeed.  

My daughter, Haley, who had made that decision a few years ago after being a slacker, continues to do her work.  

So both my kids are staying out of trouble, they do their school work, they don't fight one another and they do whatever is asked of them.  They may be a little obsessed with video games and watching you tube but they haven't bugged me for cellphones...yet.  They talk to me and we are endlessly joking around. I am so proud and thankful because I honestly couldn't be happier with them. 

October - Autumn in upstate New York is a sight to behold.  Fall Foliage!  Also I got assigned to the double wood crew in Albany,  right where I wanted to be at the beginning of the year. It's a shorter commute and it's just in time before winter starts roaring.  

The kids both decided to sign up for drama, both getting small parts in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.   Like I said before, very proud.   

The kids had a Halloween party with their at the house to end the month! 

November- The election happened and the world didn't end.  I don't comment on politics, other than to declare that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

I took the kids to see Julius Caesar in Chatham and it was really good. The kids of course sat with there theater friends but I'm cool like that.  

A day later I had the pleasure of seeing my kids in Romeo and Juliet. They were great and I think they really found what they are good at.  I wonder how they became so dramatic? 

The same weekend, Michele and I had the pleasure of attending Matt & Kats Wendy reception, 8 months later? It was a great venue and it was good time for all (even with Matt's tribute to all things Heavy Metal).  

And tomorrow is the big feast! 

All through the year I have had the honor of attending rock solid church, I am so thankful Pastors Jaron Halsted, Chris Romano, Mike Lambert, and Ethan Thomlinson, who has taken the reigns  as youth pastor this year.  I am thankful for the worship team and all those who serve and attend.  

I am thankful for Celebrate Freedom, my sponsor and mentor Bob Costello and the opportunity to teach. I am thankful for Paula williams, Cheryl Manchuck for leading the women's group. I also extremely thankful to Chris Manchuck for picking up leading worship.  Guitar hero I am not! 

I am thankful for Pastor Bob Engelhardt's preaching that has inspired me to write a book about Spirit-filled Christianity.  It's his work that will be the basis of the book and I pray my efforts will bring more people to the Lord.  The work is rewarding and challenging and I hope to have it completed soon.  That's why there's been no blog entries for months.  I've been working almost ever morning since the strike.  

I am so thankful for all of this and of course God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit who are responsible for it all!  

To all my friends and family, trust in Jesus and Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

It really is a wonderful life! 

Hail Mary? Not quite. Jesus corrects a Roman Catholic.

Every morning I read the Bible and am enriched by the Word of God.  Sometimes I am convicted. Sometimes I am in awe. And sometimes I laugh out loud.  

This morning I was in Luke 11 and among the many rich teachings in that chapter I was able to find some humor.  Jesus is midst of teaching when....

27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!" 

28 But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" 

It is a short and simple instruction: blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.  It's a good lesson that is calling us to read the word of God and to do what it says! 

But was funny to me is what Jesus is responding to.   All I could think of was there was a groupie in the crowd.  I mean, think about it.  " Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts that nursed You! "  Now imagine it said suggestively.  Jesus definitely had a fan in the crowd.  Talk about an awkward moment.  

Okay I know that's silly. There's no funny business going on in the Bible! 

So I'm crazy.  The woman was pure as the driven snow and was merely paying homage to Jesus' mother Mary.  

If that's the case, why?  As far as I can tell. Mary's not there.  Jesus is doing all the talking.  Perhaps this was a customary form of compliment back in the day or maybe she was trying to gain favor in the eyes of Jesus? or the crowd? Was this a female Pharisee trying to look good in public? 

Perhaps like people in my former tradition, Roman Catholicism, she had a deep genuine reverence for the Jesus' mother.  I recently attended the first communion of my niece and I vividly recall the statue of the Virgin Mary adorned with a fresh crown of flowers.   I recently ran a 5k hosted by a Catholic school and before the race was run the "Our Father" and "Hail Mary" was said.  The Funny thing  is that I loved that these prayers were said in public and I felt that old power of group recitation.  It didn't help with my performance in the race although I did thank God it was over at the end.  Maybe the woman was just showing respect.  

Regardless of the intentions of the woman, Jesus, the perfect teacher,  teaches the perfect lesson. 

Regardless if the woman's words were said out of lust, out of an attempt to gain favor, or out of the most holy reverence for Mary: Jesus says to Read the Word of God and do what it says.  

He's not saying that Mary isn't important or isn't to be respected as an example of faith. However, Jesus says "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" 

So say the Hail Mary before the race, but don't forget to read your Bible and try to do what it says afterward. 

In Luke, before  this woman spoke up, Jesus said:

9  "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 

10  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 

I don't care what denomination you belong to, we are to continually seek God and to deepen our relationship with Christ.  

Buying Smart Guard may be a dumb move. Is Amazon in league with a company to steal your cash?

II have to share this experience and I am asking you to share this too.  

I bought Beats headphones for my son  for his birthday this past December via Amazon.com and did so because they offered 3 years of "Smart Guard Protection".   It offered: 

• 100% Parts and Labor Coverage
• Free In-Home Service on Large Products (i.e. television, appliance)
• Repair or Replacement Promise on Every Product
• Contract shipped via email so there is no waiting
• Repair Plans are Fully Transferable at No Additional Cost

Sounds good right?  

I assumed it would cover accidental damage.  It didn't.  

I know, l know I assumed.  Shame on me.  I'm out twenty bucks and the cost of the headphones.  My bad... 

But what bothers me is I was angry and wanted to warn fools like me from doing the same thing by posting a review.   

Here's what I composed:

Worthless plan, don't spend your money.
 
Do not buy coverage. It is worthless. No ADH, must mean no accidental handling I guess but what it really means is you spent you're money for no reason and you expensive electronic device is broken. I will never use this company again and will advise everyone I know to do the same. Web site and registration was a little glitchy too. When I was finally able to get a claim in, it was denied.

Amazon should not offer this coverage, or suggest it or whatever.
 

I am a fool mind you but I was actually surprised that Amazon denied my review!  

However they did encourage me to revise and resubmitted noting the following guide lines: 

• Your review should focus on specific features of the product and your experience with it. Feedback on the seller or your shipment experience should be provided at www.amazon.com/feedback.
• We do not allow profane or obscene content. This applies to adult products too.
• Advertisements, promotional material or repeated posts that make the same point excessively are considered spam.
• Please do not include URLs external to Amazon or personally identifiable content in your review.

So I composed this: 

No accidental damage,
 
I found this coverage inadequate. I bought headphones for my son and this coverage was offered. I assumed it would cover accidental damage. It doesn't. I normally buy electronics from chain stores that offer similar coverages which offer:

no hassles,
somewhere you can go and speak to someone in person
Accidental coverage.

Needless to say, I didn't get any of those from this coverage.

Web site claim and registration was a little glitchy too. When I was finally able to get a claim in, it was denied.

Beware.

Guess what denied again.   I left out the part about chain stores in the middle and resubmitted.   I'll let you know if it gets posted but in the mean time  I am using my blog to share my voice with anyone and everyone who is curious enough to click and read this far.  

You know,  it's junk like this that causes many people to not trust retailers. I have been shopping online for years and have never felt like I was set up to fail before.  Amazon and I go way back to 1995 and it hurts to feel they maybe partnered with something sketchy.  I checked and other consumers were equally dissatisfied and felt they had been misled in purchasing this protection.  I don't blame Smart Guard.  They are a fly by night cyber product insurance company, I guess.  They are made to take people's money for nothing in return.  I blame Amazon because of the relationship I have had with their excellent service, Intrusted them not recommend something that frankly isn't worth a dime.   

I use Best Buy nornally when I buy electronics and yes I buy protection have used it successfully.  They have a store you can go to.  

They website you can order from.  Make buy the accidental protection for drops and spills. oh they are very clear when they offer it, that there are different levels of protection, even online, it's clear.  

I won't use Amazon to buy electronics ever again.

By the way, what's up with the censorship Amazon?  

I'm pretty sure most people would agree that my reviews were reasonable and certainly would have found them helpful if they were considering buying Smart Guard protection.  

I hope this was helpful to all the other fools out there.

Dr. Dre,  

The headphones snapped after a simple drop.  You'll be hearing from us.  They should be under warrantee only.  Hope it goes well. 

 

The Shallows gets deep. More than a fishing story.

This weekend I had the pleasure of seeing the feature film "The Shallows" starring Blake Lively.  

The film is given the following description via an Internet search so don't blame me for any spoilers.

Still reeling from the loss of her mother, medical student Nancy Adams (Blake Lively) travels to a secluded beach for some much-needed solace. Despite the danger of surfing alone, Nancy decides to soak up the sun and hit the waves. Suddenly, a great white shark attacks, forcing her to swim to a giant rock for safety. Left injured and stranded 200 yards from shore, the frightened young woman must fight for her life as the deadly predator circles her in its feeding ground.

The film is a great summer movie with plenty of thrills and I highly recommend it. The reason that I enjoyed this film so much was not for the Shark but for the story.  I can't recall a summer thriller really allow an audience to contemplate, suffering, life and death with any degree of sensitivity in the midst of the action. The character, Nancy Adams, is trying to find herself and grieving her mother's loss when she is suddenly forced to face her own weaknesses and mortality.  She doesn't know if she will survive. With this heightened sense of the value of life, she demonstrates compassion and even forgiveness to someone who doesn't deserve it.  With time running out, she knows the importance of her family and confirms her identity with the dogged determination to fight to survive.  

I was really moved by her struggles because it reminded me  that we are all stranded on a rock being stalked by death.  In our lives we come to times where we may question who we are and may spend too much time on things that don't ultimately matter.  Contemplating her death, Nancy Adam's thoughts are on her family and being true to them. 

Now don't get me wrong, family is very important.  I just wish that she had considered the other side of eternity on that rock.  I got pretty choked up at a certain point in the film and I'm telling you if Nancy Adam's had prayed to God for help or forgiveness I would have completely lost it and would have been a crying mess.   Why?

You see,  I've had an experience through my relationship with Christ that I know that the good news of the gospel is absolutely true.  Like Adams, I suffered a major loss and I questioned everything I knew.  It sent me on the journey of searching for truth.  I discovered that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are real and alive.  When I sought them, they revealed themselves to me, saved me from my sins, changed me, and gave me new life that will never end. 

So if Adam's had made a plea to God, I know that it would have been heard.  I know that if she asked Jesus to save her, He would have. 

If she had done this, I would have cried but the tears wouldn't have been tears of fear or sadness.  They would have been tears of hope and joy.   Regardless of whether the shark got a meal or not, Nancy Adams would live.  

I encourage everyone to read this to search for the living Christ or deepen your relationship with Him.  

John 14:6 says "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."   Jesus is the only way.  Seek Him.  In the end, it will be the only thing that matters.   

Strike My Words -

Long Time…. No blog.  Ever have a desperate urge to tell people how you feel and what you’re going through but life has thrown you a curve ball and you are in the midst of something that you have no control over and it has you questioning everything?   

Well I have.  The reason I haven’t written in so long is because I am on strike from my job as a lineman at a major telecommunications company.  I feel I can finally write about it because it has been announced that the company and the unions have come to a tentative deal and they expect the strike to be settled with us to return to work this week. 

First things first. Thank you God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit! I have been praying for a fair settlement and the reports are that is what we are getting.  Last night, I closed our recovery meeting in prayer and I included my requests for the strike to end. The very next day the report that a settlement is in the works has been released.  Thank you for answered prayer, Lord.  Also I would like to thank the Lord for the good men and women I work with who sacrificed and were faithful to each other as we all stood in solidarity for our dignity as workers.  

When you go on strike, the pressure starts. The regular routine is disrupted.  The company canceled my family’s health care on May 1^st.  Savings had to be used to meet our needs that normally are covered by my pay check.  Your sense of purpose is called into question.  Supposed friends question the union’s motives and tactics.  You wonder if the company is going to try to break the union.  People I used to work with crossed the picket line a few weeks in.  A rumor was circulated that the company was going to send us a letter telling us to report to work in 5 days or be terminated. 

Our success was anything but guaranteed but I had faith from the very beginning that God would provide for me and I had nothing to fear. The way I saw it was that there was corporate greed on one side and working families asking for dignity on the other.  We were on the side of righteousness.  It was only a matter of time for things to follow God’s perfect will. 

These comments might cause some to scoff and say that I would have lost my faith if things had gone badly for the union; that my faith is only as good as my good fortune.  That’s not the case.

You see, I believe in God’s plan for my life, but the thing is, I don’t know specifically what that plan is.  So when the strike happened, although I honestly thought that it would be settled and we would go back to work, I also decided to be open to the possibility that God may have other plans and that I should look to be prepared for anything by remaining faithful and abiding in Christ. 

The strike made me question my future in general and whether or not God was calling me to do something else.  The first week I updated my resume.  Rethinking your career at soon to be 44 years old can be somewhat terrifying.  The number one consideration is my family.  I have a wife and kids to support and we are used to a certain lifestyle and although I might have vague dreams of working for the Lord, I didn’t find anything that would pay close to what I was making with the company.  I didn’t really feel pulled to anything either so I saved my resume but stopped the job searches.  

Go on strike can really mess with your head.  Your emotions are in constant flux.  You have anxiety about finances, anger at the company scabs, and listlessness caused by your normal routine being derailed.  So I had to find something to do that wouldn’t have me obsessing over the strike to the point where I would be contemplating sabotage or doing violence to scabs.  Nice Christian, right? 

 I also didn’t want to cause my wife and kids to worry about the strike or to disrupt their normal routines since I would be home a lot more. 

Three years ago had enrolled in Ray Comfort’s Way of the Master –Online School of Biblical Evangelism. The school entails witnessing requirements, audio teachings, and 101 online lessons.  Previously I had only managed to do about 40 of the online lessons so I decided that I would use my extra time because of the strike to get all 101 done. 

Much to my delight I also discovered the local library was nearby so I got a library card to feel legit and started frequenting the place to focus on my goal of completing the 101 lessons.  The library quickly became my beloved refuge, providing me with a place to go and my family with a sense of a normal routine restored. 

I’m happy to report that I have successfully completed all 101 lessons and only have a few audio teachings to listen to and I will have met all the requirements for “graduating”.  

All those lessons on evangelism really convicted me of the need to increase my evangelistic efforts to share the gospel.  So I have been distributing gospel tracts like crazy and went out last Monday with my mentor Bob Costello and his evangelism team to the streets of Hudson to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.  I have to be intentional in sharing the gospel more going forward because it really is what the Lord would have us do. 

I often share Matthew 13:45-46, where Jesus said ⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, ⁴⁶ who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”, to point out that we should be willing to give everything to be a part of the kingdom of God and that it is our honor to serve the one who paid for all our sin and who gives us eternal life. 

If you are not sure of your salvation or have never given yourself to Christ, I urge you to do so now by saying a simple prayer to make Christ your Lord and Savior. 

I pray that people see this blog and give themselves to Christ. 

In closing, I would say it is such a relief knowing that the strike is ending but I am so glad that I used the time I had to continue to prepare myself to serve the Lord more.

So even if I lost my job and had to struggle to find a way to live, I would continue to follow the one who saved me.  And even though I am going back to work soon, I will continue to prepare myself and to remain open to follow the plan that God has for me, as it is revealed to me from day to day.