I found a Discovery Channel series called, "Surviving the Cut." It was a short series of episodes that chronicled the experiences of soldiers and sailors undergoing testing to the enter into some of the most elite fighting units in the world. From US Special Forces Combat Divers to Air Force Para-Rescue to US Navy EOD, these men volunteered for weeks of pure hell; not necessarily to get into the elite unit itself, but often is was just to get into the training program! These men were some of the most physically fit you will find anywhere, and this testing pushed them to, and beyond their absolute limits. It was difficult to watch each episode and not, in some way, feel for myself what they were enduring. Hats off to the producers at Discovery because this was real, in-your-face stuff!

After I had finished watching the series, the Spirit spoke to my heart. You see, I have been enduring some tremendous spiritual strains lately but then again, Jesus said in this world we would have tribulation, and James spoke of enduring temptations and trials in the first chapter of his epistle. The Spirit reminded me a of common theme that intertwined its way through the entire Surviving the Cut series: Everything was designed to be more of a mental task than a physical one. I suppose every soldier has to discover for themselves the answer to this question: When I have given everything I can give physically, when my body is spent and I feel like I have nothing else to give, what am I prepared to do then?

The answer many of the cadre gave as the tests and exercise continued was, "These men are going to discover that they can go far beyond what their mind tells them are their limits."

Do you remember the "death crawl" scene in Facing the Giants? Coach Taylor told Brock that he was blind folding him because he did not want him stopping at his own perceived limit. By depriving Brock of his ability to see the finish line, Coach Taylor was able to coax a maximum effort from Brock, allowing the player to go far beyond his perceived abilities and to discover new confidence and strength in himself, and it turned out to be a great motivational example for the entire team and everyone who has watched the movie.

Jesus veiled our eyes from tomorrow for a reason. We endure suffering on all levels for a reason. God is preparing us for an eternity of ruling and reigning with him and this life is a very, very short training course in which we are to prepare ourselves for that never-ending task. We need to take a long, hard look at this concept and make up in our minds that our efforts have been wholly inadequate. Let me use myself as the prime example here:

The past year has been tremendously trying for me. Both my natural and spiritual mothers died in the last year, and the attacks of the enemy in coordination with my own perceived personal failures have served to direct my thoughts and effort inward onto myself instead of where they should be - outward towards the lost and dying world that Jesus commands us to reach. I believe the Lord speaks to us through many avenues that we do not recognize because they are the de-facto religious standard. I believe He spoke to me after watching that series and helped me to reaquire the correct path on which I can reach the objective He has for me to reach.

I can see the effects of my struggles bleeding out into other aspects of my life and affecting others besides myself. I believe God was right on time with His observation (as He always is...). I am not where I need to be yet, but He is giving me the tools that I need to overcome my current situation so that I can get off the defensive and take up the offensive with Him. Like those men at the US Marine Scout Sniper School, and those at the US Army Ranger School, we have a lot of testing ahead of us. We need to be in the best shape of our lives in order to endure it and that means doing whatever is necessary to push through and press ahead. God is telling us that we can handle more than we think we can. We just need to learn to ignore the limits that our fleshly mind tries to invoke upon us.

The men in this series also learned that teamwork is vital to the success of the mission. So it is with our calling and election. We cannot handle these trials on our own. We are called "the Body of Christ" for a reason. I am thankful that I have some good, loving brothers and sisters in my life that are willing and able to help me see this time through. Together we will overcome what the enemy has tried to place in our way to halt our advance. Together we will press on to God's objective and step into the victory that He has already won. After all, that's our Power with Purpose!

John 2:1-10 (CEV): Three days later Mary, the mother of Jesus, was at a wedding feast in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited and were there. When the wine was all gone, Mary said to Jesus, "They don't have any more wine." Jesus replied, "Mother, my time hasn't yet come! You must not tell me what to do." Mary then said to the servants, "Do whatever Jesus tells you to do." At the feast there were six stone water jars that were used by the people for washing themselves in the way that their religion said they must. Each jar held about twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants to fill them to the top with water. Then after the jars had been filled, he said, "Now take some water and give it to the man in charge of the feast." The servants did as Jesus told them, and the man in charge drank some of the water that had now turned into wine. He did not know where the wine had come from, but the servants did. He called the bridegroom over and said, "The best wine is always served first. Then after the guests have had plenty, the other wine is served. But you have kept the best until last!"

God has manifested Himself in three ways: God the Father, who is unapproachable because of the separation of sin, God the Son who came in the flesh, died, was resurrected and rose to heaven (Even God's flesh was finite), and God the Holy Ghost (Ghost - a spirit that has experienced death.), which is the Eternal Spirit and, as spirits we must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The Holy Spirit is what I believe Jesus saved as "the best for last."

Let the Lord be your source of strength and power. Use everything God has given you and you will be able to stand against the enemy of your soul. For we do not fight as would a physical soldier against a physical enemy, but against spiritual rulers and powers that have created wickedness from high places. Wherefore be protected by everything God has given you so that you can be standing at the end of the day of battle:

·Let your witness and your testimony be clothed in truth.

·Let your heart be protected by God's justice.

·Let your feet be ready to travel and spread peace and the good news of Christ.

·Most of all, let your faith do the work of protecting you against anything the enemy launches against you.

·Let your mind be secure in the knowledge that God has saved you.

You are not fighting for victory, but from victory! The only weapon you need is the word of God, it is enough. Always pray by the power of the Spirit, especially for others.

I realize that, even though there are over 500 million people on Facebook, and even more with access to other web resources, this pokey little blog will hardly get noticed. I guess I'm writing this more for myself anyway because writing seems to be a way for me to get things "through my system." Instead of letting them sit inside me and boil over into unhealthy thoughts, words, and actions, writing is my mental exercise, just like prayer and study of the word is exercise for the spirit, and P90 and P90X are for the body.

I try to read VOM every month. What's VOM? Take the time to look it up. It is one of the resources that gives me insight into how Christians today are living just as they did in the first and second centuries - under persecution and threat of harm and death constantly. In places like Columbia, Indonesia, India, and even America's new best pal, China, Christians are being hassled, arrested, have jobs and possessions taken from them, and are even being killed just for declaring their faith. What a far cry from our armchair Christianity where our prayers consist mainly of "Help my air conditioner to work today." or "Lord I have a headache. Please make it stop so I can enjoy the rest of the game."

Remember, I'm writing this to myself. You have no part nor lot in this matter, right? Courage is something I severely lack. It's something I pray for often, and it's something that I believe only the spirit can awaken in me. I know the one or two of you that will actually take the time to read this have all the courage you will ever need to do anything you want to do. I applaud you. Now let me get on with the rest of my rant...

I wish God would give me the liberty to send my tithe money to places that I know are using the money to help people who really need help instead of the self-centered, entertainment-based waste we call 'church' today. People who are suffering for the name of Jesus and have no other source or supply. There are plenty out there. In fact, I believe that if the American Christian community would stop putting God's tithe into huge mega churches (And go house to house like the first church did.), obscene salaries for pastors and staff, private jets for the biggest of these (Yes, I'm calling you out Brother Dollar), and all the other Westernized junk that American Christians call blessings, and start giving to our brothers and sisters in places where they will never know such luxuries, I think God might just be a little more inclined to hear what we bring to Him in prayer in the way of broken fingernails and sore feet.

I'm looking at the macrocosm of our Christian existence here. I am not looking at one American Christian giving to another Christian in China who is hiding from the government. No, I am looking at the entire American Christian population coming together as one and financially supporting the entire persecuted brotherhood. Will it ever happen? Probably not, but that's what is driving my to this desk this morning.

It's the desk that I come to almost every morning. A desk where I spend time with God in prayer, reading, grieving, healing, thoughtfulness, conversation, and yes, writing. I am writing this as much to God as to myself, and yes; to the few other people who will bother to give it a cursory glance before they move on to other, more important things. If I get any criticism at all, it will most likely be for my prose, and not the actual content itself.

I've gone on long enough. I've gotten it out of my system for now so I guess it doesn't matter how I end this. God and I are the only readers anyway so:

I thank you Lord for another day. I thank you for renewed mercies because I need them more than anyone else I know. I am thankful for a wonderful family that loves you. I am thankful for the talents you have given me and the opportunity to use them around the local area. I am thankful for your Spirit and want our converations to go deeper.

I pray for my local church and it's leadership and members. I pray for all of my brothers and sister in the assurance that you are on time, every time, for everyone who is yours. I pray that you will awaken whatever is in my soul that needs to come alive in order for me to have the courage to live out my convictions because today I feel totally inadequate for the task. As Joni Eareckson Tada once confessed, "I am so weak and cannot get through the day without your resources. Will you please give me of your resources to do today what you would have me to do?"

Sister Joni has Power with Purpose. I sure wish I did. I am "the West." I need courage. We all do. Amen.

I met a very talented brother named Ralph Hoar a few months back. From the time I first heard him sing I new he was the real deal. Ralph has energy to spare when he delivers his lyrics and he really does love singing for God.

I love Ralph's sound! It is powerful and reaches people of all ages. I look forward to hearing more from such a talented artist! In the meantime he is very close to releasing a 7-song EP entitled "Loving You." The songs are original and compelling; a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter sounds that commercial Christian music is churning out.

Don't get me wrong, I love today's contemporary stuff, but everyone seems to be reaching into the same box for their sounds. Jangly guitars with lots of delays reminiscent of U2 are all over today's Christian music. Ralph will be venturing into this area soon with some upcoming covers and such, but for now I will enjoy his fresh sound that reminds me of the days when James Taylor and Cat Stevens captivated listeners. Besides being a solo artist, Ralph is the front man for a local Christian group called Caleb's Bridge so listening to Ralph with a band as well as "unplugged" is a real treat. Both are visible on Facebook. Ralph is also reaching out through Twitter, MySpace, and Reverbnation.com.

Check out the link above to hear samples! Thanks!

Insert your name in the spaces below first, then read the passage aloud to yourself.

Though ______________ speaks with the tongues of men and of angels, and has not charity, ______________ becomes as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though ______________ has the gift of prophecy, and understands all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though _______________ has all faith, so that he/she could remove mountains, and has not charity, _______________ is nothing. And though _______________ bestows all their goods to feed the poor, and though ______________ gives his/her body to be burned, and has not charity, it profits them nothing.

_______________ is patient, and is kind; _______________ envies not; ______________ vaunts not their self and are not puffed up, _______________ doesn't behave themselves unseemly, seeks not their own, is not easily provoked, _______________ thinks no evil; rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; _______________bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. _______________ never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

For _______________ knows in part, and _______________ prophesies in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When _______________ was a child, they spake as a child, _______________ understood as a child, and thought as a child: but when _______________ became a man/woman, he/she put away childish things. For now _______________ sees through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now _______________ knows in part; but then shall they be known even as also they are known. And now abides faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. How does _______________ measure up?