Christianity

My Sunday Thought: Freedom . . . but from what?

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It’s a rough Sunday morning today. The old body is not cooperating. Got one of them flares going today, well the past few it I am to be honest. I wasn’t going to do my Sunday Thought today but I needed a bit of the Word.

I was hoping God would say something like, “I shall taketh your paineth awayeth righteth noweth.” You know someday I’ll know what his voice really sounds like, as in the actual sound of it. I see his ‘voice’ all around me at work, so to speak.

So what verses did I get today from the websites I like to use to give me a bit of variety to my Bible studies?

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.-2 Corinthians 3:17

At first, if you don’t really read much of the Bible it doesn’t say much to you, but for me it did . . . after a moment. For me the Spirit is inside of me. The Spirit sets us free from a  lot of things.

This brings to mind the  saying “The Truth shall set you free.” The origin of that is Jesus talking about his being the Truth and those who know him and follow him will be set free. Free of what? Free of the consequences of all we’ve done here on earth when we pass on. Oh sure, we won’t get everything we could have in Heaven, all the rewards set aside for us, but as long as I get there, I’m good.

Maybe a better explanation is that we are free from being under the rule of sin. See, I’m not under that rule any longer. Sure, I will have to answer for things but as Mark Lowry said it “Sure Beats Hell”.

So what does that verse do for me in the middle of a Fribromyalgia Flare? It lets me know that eventually I’ll have a healthy and pain free existence down the line.

Along with this verse I received;

“And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”-1 John 4:21

When you have the Spirit inside of you and you have Jesus, and I mean for real, not just saying you’re a Christian, trust me there are a lot of Play-Christians out there, but when you are for real, then realize it’s easy to love your brother and sister. This doesn’t just mean your relatives. And by loving people it sure does take a lot of that pain of hating off of your body, your heart. The stress of hanging onto that grudge or that whatever goes away.

This even reminds me of something I wrote about where a celebrity said a few things recently about a, well I’ll call us civilians, but anyway, if the celebrity just took a step back then it would have been realized there was no reason for the reaction.

That Spirit frees you up from a lot of things, but you have to be active with it. Don’t just think because you walked an aisle or whatever to get saved one Sunday means you are automatically changed into a better person than you were. It’s the first step.

I was saved for a long time before I think I could really call myself a Christian. Things changed for me after that. Not everything, I still messed up because I was a dumb human. Still am one actually. Still mess up actually. But I at least am aware of what my mess ups are.

Do any of these verses take my pain away or cure me? No. But studying the Word does make one feel better about where we are and the future. You see, I know things may look bad, and I try to help and do the best I can while I am here, but I know that down the line I will be just fine. After all  I’m a foreigner here in this land. My home is another place.

Well that’s about it for me today. I know it was a bit disjointed today, but I’m good with it.

Much Respect

Ronovan

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Romans 1:16

 

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My Sunday Thought: Racing is a problem.

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Racing is a problem.

I’m not certain if I’ve ever shared this story with you, but I’ll share it again anyway. Having a memory problem can be a problem. It can get you down at times not knowing things you should know. Then there is me. Yeah, you just know I’ll have some fun with this.

I had to go to the doctor for one of my visits to see how I was doing with everything. Well, they had changed locations and the hospital they were primarily affiliated with so that meant paperwork. As the paperwork was being filled out, the first line of defense came over. (The first line of defense is the lady at the counter who gives you the paperwork, answers the phones, and basically says you cannot talk to a doctor unless you are dead.)  First Life of Defense (FLoD) is not always the most cheerful or dare I say nicest.

So she comes up and I can’t help it.

“Can I put ‘I’ or ‘N’ for race?” I asked.

FLoD stares at me oddly. I must not look Indian or Nicaraguan. “Why ‘I’ or ‘N’?” Asked FloD.

“Well I prefer Indy car but I’ll put NASCAR if you insist.”

“Why don’t you just put ‘C’,” she said with a bit of a smirk.

Mistake. I looked around, leaned in and stage whispered for the whole office to hear. “But, I’m not Chinese.”

I know, I was bad. It isn’t my fault that the elderly man sitting near me decided to do the same thing when she came over to him.

 

As you might can tell my ‘racing’ problem is this, there are no ‘races’. You see as far as I am concerned I go with the Bible. One man plus one woman equals one human race. We might have set ourselves apart early on based on certain things like preferences of being a hunter or farmer.

As time went on people that were in a group started looking a certain way. But really going back to the Bible there aren’t really a lot of difficulties in how things came about. You have the Tower of Babel for one.

But I also look at things like Abraham when his children not by his wife were sent away to the various four winds basically. Each group that went out had the same physical characteristics in them so as time went on, guess what happened. You ended up with a people group looking a certain way.

Now we have the ‘whites’ and the ‘blacks’. I find this one interesting. As a fair skinned man can you guess where I would want to live? The hot places where I would burn in an hour or less, or the cooler less sunny places where I would be more comfortable and safer?

Scientists say I’m a mutant. I have red hair and blue eyes, that makes me a mutant, one of the rarest combinations on earth. They call those living in Europe with fair hair and skin and eye coloring mutations. I call it “Dude, that’s where we wanted to go.”

If there were not air conditioning do you think the divisions would be as prevalent as they once were?

Race in the Bible was never an issue to God. He only had issues with those that did not believe in Him. He didn’t want the Hebrews to marry with those who worshiped idols. Worship God and things were cool.

I’ve written this past week about racial discussions of late. I recognize there are physical characteristics used to divide people. That is a given that I do not deny. I do have a problem with ‘race’. I have a problem with the politicalization of ‘race’ to basically continue divisions for election purposes.

You know, if we ignored politics, some evolutionary scientists and some, I hate to say it, religious nuts we would all be a lot better off and start noticing our similarities as a human race and there would be less and less to notice that really isn’t different at all.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

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A spark enflames. My Sunday Thought for Today.

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“4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell”.-John 3:4-6

This passage is one that is used often about what trouble our words can cause. This is the message given most often from the pulpit about these words.

ron_ballgame_blackandwhiteAs we all know, I am a bit different. I look at this and say “So with my words I can spread a fire of encouragement and love.”

Some see my words of encouragement  and even my “Much Respect & Love” as a means to another end. They think I am after something. Of course I am. I want to encourage people. I don’t use those words unless I mean them. I respect everyone until they give me a reason not to. I love everyone regardless. Yeah, I know, “Ooooo, the Christian loves everyone, even the murderers.” Well, yeah. I’ve written about that before. I love God’s creation, I just don’t love what the creation does . . . and it went on from there to explain more but I’m not getting into that today. But I don’t throw the L word around much. For one thing I know people take it the wrong way.

Well, I’ll tell you this. Call me different. I got no problem with it. Don’t judge me just because you have experiences with others. And finally . . .

Use your words to start a fire. Spark encouragement everywhere. Spark love everywhere. Spark friendship everywhere. Spark trust everywhere.

 

Much Respect and Love

Ronovan

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Do everything in love. My Sunday thought for today.

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My randomly generated Bible verse today was 1 Corinthians 16:14

“Do everything in love.”-Paul to the church in Corinth

It is always my custom to then go and read the surrounding verses to get the context of the message. If you visit the verse today you will see it stands alone and does not rely on an explanation from any surrounding verses. But there is a message from all of those verses.

Paul was telling the church that he wanted to come and that he was sending others until he could but regardless if anyone of them were there or not they should . . . do what?

“Do everything in love.”

That pretty much sums up how we should be and how I TRY to live. I try to live that out here on my blog and to those I encounter through it. Do I fail at times? Oh yeah! But I TRY.

It doesn’t say to do this thing or that thing in love it says ‘everything’. You see if you look throughout the New Testament you’ll see that doing in love is a key. If true love is guiding you then you can’t go wrong. This isn’t the ‘in love’ love. Or the ‘love of power’. This is ‘love of what is right’. For a Christian that ‘right’ is the words of Jesus.

You know we look at the writings in the New Testament and there are so many arguments about it, but just go to the words of Jesus and see if things are backed up by what he said. “Love your neighbor…” remember that one? Not love that neighbor on the left and not the one on the right.

This is a pretty simple thing that if we all thought and lived by would make the world a lot better. It wouldn’t even matter what your beliefs were, just simply love. For those who might be thinking, “But I don’t believe in what the Bible says,” well, I kind of think “Do everything in love” is a pretty good thing. As I’ve said many times before, whether you believe or not, the words of Jesus and those words inspired by him are still useful to everyone’s daily life.

 

Much Respect & LoveRon_Hoodie_HeartRonovan

(See? I got a little heart love action going on.)

 

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Tragically Incomplete

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Another Inspiring Poem by this young lady.

Aimee

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been encouraging her in her writing and her Walk. She is a sweet girl and needs all of our support to move forward even though some people don’t want her to.
Much Respect
Ronovan

Sex and Hell: My Sunday Thoughts, Enter at Your Own Risk

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You ever notice I have strange ideas about things? It’s Sunday and that means Bible thoughts are swirling through the old lost mind. Christians annoy me. They really do. What? That surprises you to hear me say? Well keep reading and see what the old amnesiac has to say.

Sex.Couple kissing and embracing hands on faces

  • If you have it and you’re not married then you go to Hell.
  • If it occurs outside a man woman marriage then the people go to Hell.

You know if I had thought of that in my early to mid twenties when I started searching for a church I would have just said, “Forget it, if I’m going to Hell already then I ain’t gonna bother with it.”

Oh I know, you are thinking, “Ronovan, you forgot about the part where if you get Saved by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior then you’re okay.”

No, I didn’t forget it. Nope. Thought about it the entire time.

So here is where I am coming from. Do we all sin? I know some of you are saying you don’t believe in sin and so forth, but okay then. Do we all do bad things, like breaking the laws and such?

Yeah, I see some of you nodding your heads, trying to stay awake and it’s not working. Just like in a church on a hot day right before lunch time and the pastor is preaching the same sermon he has 5 times before and he’s been there less than a year.

If you break a law and you go to court, you end up paying a fine of some sort, be it money or time in jail. Now after you get out of jail or have paid a fine then you are free to go on your way.  That’s because that’s what the rule book says, the law.

Well Christians we have a rule book, a book of law so to speak. Yeah, the Bible, the Word, the Good Book.

  • It says in the Bible that Jesus came for ALL of our sins.
  • It says in the Bible that if you accept Jesus then your sins are thus forgiven.
  • It says in the Bible you have to be perfect from that point forward to stay Saved.

If you agreed to that last one we might need to have a little talk. Because there is a verse in there that says . . . hold on let me find it.

Here it is, John 10: 27-30

27″My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”-Jesus

Notice that, “No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” No sinner can snatch you, not even yourself. Once you are in the Father’s hand you are His. You may slide back into a life that you crawled out of, but all the Father asks is that you try to be better. That you try to do better. No one can be perfect, if they could then Jesus would not have had to come in the first place.

Now I am talking to my Christian friends here. We need to stop judging and fudging. Stop judging people and stop fudging the Word of God. “But Ronovan it says in Romans 1 that . . .” Stop right there. Have you ever read Romans 1 and 2 together without the chapter breaks that later man put in there? Without verse numbers? No? Give it a try and then see what is being said.

If you do you might see that Paul is laying into the early Christians of Rome not to judge those that people today condemn in Chapter 1. He is telling them that if they do then they are judging themselves.

What society do you think made up those first Christians in Rome in the first place?

Yes, sex outside of man and woman marriage is a sin as the Bible says. A touchy subject I know. I am a sinner. Yep. Throw me to the pits, oh, wait . . . I accepted Jesus. I . . . and I don’t . . . I don’t judge other sinners.

“But Ronovan you’re judging us for judging others.”

Nope. I am sharing the Word of God.  “But you judged.” No, what I did was point out something that we have all been taught for so long is more of a ‘tradition’ in the church than an actual fact of the faith.

Pastors around the  world today are preaching on Romans Chapter 1 right now as an end all and be all, because it’s what they’ve been taught according to ‘traditions’.

Does the scripture above mean I can go out and sin all I want to and be fine? Technically yes, yes it does. “Then let me sign up now before I go get with the neighbors wife.” It doesn’t work that way. You have to be sincere. Over time things happen and there are outside influences and life situations and all sorts of things that cause one to do this or that. Ask forgiveness and then try to do better.

“Ronovan, do you still think people that have sex with someone other than who they are married to according to the Bible marriage plan is sinning.”

Yes I do. And guess what. I don’t think that sin is any greater than any other sin. There isn’t a tier system. Jesus died for each and every sin, not just what we consider the baby sins.

 

So what inspired me to talk about this today? I really don’t know. I was going to speak on suicide after a popular video was shared with me but then this hit me. Oh, now I remember, it was part of a conversation I had. I think there was a discussion on monogamy.

Did I say things today to encourage people to go out and have sex with other people? No. Did I say they were forgiven if they had accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior? Yes.

I am sure there are some reading this now wondering about me. “What is Ronovan talking about? I thought he was a Christian. He must be one of them Liberal so called Christians.”

I think it’s odd when a person says they believe in something the Bible says that disagrees with “traditions” they are automatically labeled a Liberal. I actually said something in all of that which would make people say I am a Conservative as well.  My actual party if I were to proclaim one is Christ Led.

Not sure if I said anything anyone learned from today. But this is me on a Sunday, sharing my thoughts of how I see what the Bible says. Not everyone has to agree with me, but I am glad I got that off my chest.

Praying you all have a good week and see you next Sunday.

Ronovan

 

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How do I forgive?

Ronovan Thoughts ,

ron_ballgame_blackandwhiteI wrote another article today about forgiveness and then had a conversation about can forgiveness be given to those of different ideal than I have, a different faith.

I want to make a few things clear about forgiveness as to how I look at it.

  1. The person we forgive is not the one that benefits from our forgiveness. We are to forgive to help encourage them to move on, but by doing so we also make ourselves better people in the sense of a) giving what we would like to be given, and b) doing what is right. And I do mean that the Bible says to do so.
  2. The Bible says to forgive not so that the other person is a receiver of forgiveness from us, because they do not need it to be who they are, but because we need it.

Yes, I am a Bible believer, but I’m an unusual one. The Bible tells us, Christians, what God, Jesus wants us to be like. Did you know we don’t have to, as Christians, be any of those things in order to receive His gift to us of salvation. A lot of people think that Christians have this indoctrination thing going on. The truth is, most of us learn as we go. I did. No church until my 20s. And we know we can’t be perfect, just seems like others can’t think of that.

But as for forgiving others not like me? A person is not brought into this world with bad on the brain. There are influences and circumstance throughout a person’s life that turns them into what they become. So yes, I forgive and I love. You know we prosecute a  murdering rapist and even possibly execute them. Do we go after the influencers that led him there? No. The act is horrible but the commonality is just as vile s it influences others as we speak.

Does that mean I forgive everyone? Yes, so far. I see the flip side of things .I believe there is more at work in the world than what we see.

 

Much Repsect

Ronovan

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Forgiveness by Matthew West

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“Forgiveness”

It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don’t deserveIt’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…

Forgiveness
Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

 

Sunday Thought: Be Still and Know

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I read an article by someone I have come to consider a good friend of mine, Allison at Long & Luxe, and a phrase she used reminded me of one of my favorite all time scriptures.

 

Sunset Pear Harbor
gettyimages © Original Photo by Kathy Collins

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”-Psalm 46:10

 

Each person reading this has different beliefs and we each have something we turn to that brings us comfort and peace. During a period where I was dealing with high blood pressure, which due to my weight loss I no longer have, and some newly found health problems at the time my world was chaotic. My mind was not able to focus and things had no stability to me.

 

I’m not one to believe in coincidences. Some people say God doesn’t speak to them. I say they just don’t recognize his language.

 

During this time two things happened:

One Wednesday night at church we broke up into different groups and prayed for each other. The one praying for me prayed for peace and focus in my life without my saying a word of my need.

 

The next week, as I was functioning as the Youth Pastor for my church, I took our youth to a Steven Curtis Chapman concert. For those of you not familiar with him, he is an American Contemporary Christian music legend. Some say he even broke the boundaries and brought music of a type that spoke to a new generation of Christians.

 

During the concert Chapman had the lights turned down low and it was just him and his guitar. And he sang this song.

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is holy
Be still oh, restless soul of mine
Bow before the Prince of Peace
Let the noise and clamor cease

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is faithful
Consider all that He has done
Stand in awe and be amazed
And know that He will never change
Be still

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is God
Be still, be speechless

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know He is our Father
Come rest your head upon His chest
Listen to the rhythm of
His unfailing heart of love
Beating for His little ones
Calling each of us to come
Be still, be still

As I said, I don’t believe in coincidences. I recognized God’s voice in what was going on around me. This was in 2008 and has been a mantra of mine ever since. Be still and know God is God and that there are things beyond your control, things you just have to pray about. Give the grief and the sorrows to Him. Let God be God.

 

Since an accident in my home in the summer of 2013 I’ve been through some tough times. One thing that has never left me is the Word of God. This verse keeps me going. I’ve expanded on it as I’ve studied the Bible more and taken a fresh look at how Christianity is today.

 

“Be still and Let God be God and people be people.”

 

I see the slogans and shirts about “Be calm . . .” or “Stay calm . . .” If I have to rely on people to bring me peace and calm, I’ll just give up now. My phrase means just stay calm and be yourself and LET God take care of the rest and LET people be the people they are and wish to be. Yes, as a Christian believing in Heaven and Hell I will share with someone what I think because I love them, no matter who they are, but I’m not going to force them to be what they don’t want to be. Jesus didn’t do that, and he’s the one I follow.

 

I heard Be Still and Know for the first time at that concert weeks before Chapman lost one of the three daughters he adopted from China. His youngest son ran over her in his truck as she ran to him. He didn’t see her. Chapman kept yelling to his son as he drove off after the helicopter taking his daughter away “I love you son. I love you.” Chapman eventually was able to record again. Was able to be still and know.

Much Love

Ronovan

 

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There was a Time

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One man

Second chances

Three days

My life it changed

I’m free

To stand before you now

And proclaim

My life belongs to you

 

 

When I write poetry here on my blog/site I tend to reflect on the current existence of my life. Some of  you can pick up on what that is. But there was a time I used to write songs, songs with a different message. Messages of hope and praise and love. I found these lyrics today from a time long ago. But even though the lyrics are old, the meaning is the same, and can never be changed.

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How I continue on. A look inside what makes me . . . me.

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I am asked at various times, it is commented in my blog wondering how I do what I do with all of the problems I have.

“12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.“-Philippians 1:12-19

Paul is shackled and yet the Word of God is still doing its work through his actions. The Word of God is being spread by those with good and bad intent, but is still being heard.

Some have issues with Preachers such as Joel Osteen. Saying that he doesn’t preach on certain aspects of the Bible. Joel is not a Pastor in the sense of what we normally think of he word. In truth he is a motivational speaker using the Word of God to get the message out. His church has a small group program that takes care of what every Sunday School  or small program does in every church.

What does that have to do with me? Not much as far as how I am able to do what I do, but this is my blog and I have decided to blog my thoughts at times, especially on Sundays.

 

But I do what I do because I don’t focus on what has happened. I focus on moving forward and, yes, I do talk about what is wrong with me but I do so to get it out of me and hope that it helps others to see what is going on in the world and to say those of similar problems that it is okay, we’re good, we can do things.

 

I wouldn’t be here in blog land with so many new friends if not for what has happened to me. I do not hate what has happened, regret, deny, wish to change. I look at it as one part of me that has led me here.

That is what the scripture above is talking about. Paul is saying that he is thankful, embraces, all that has happened to him because it has brought him to this point in his walk with God and will work out for his good, if not here on earth then in Heaven.

 

Am I comparing Paul’s work to what I do. Not at all. But I use Philippians 1:19 as one of my life verses, along with Romans 1:16 and  1Peter 3:15.

 

Terrible things happen in lives, but they’ve happened. Nothing can be done about them. We can either let them work to the negative or to the good. I choose good. I choose good every time.

 

Lord,

I pray today that all of my Friends are safe in life and will find health and happiness.

I pray all things in the name of Jesus who you, Lord, gave all authority in Heaven and on Earth.

Amen

Much Respect

Ronovan

 

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Where can we find ourselves?

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Where are we able to find ourselves? What do we need to do? We need to remove the world from ourselves and dive in deep and look elsewhere, not in the world, but out of this world.

 

http://youtu.be/f5TGy__j9uY

“Word Of God Speak”

I’m finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it’s okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

[CHORUS]
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You’re in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

I’m finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice

[REPEAT CHORUS 2x]

I’m finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it’s okay

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Women are NOT to be Silent in the Church.

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I read my computer. That may seem like an odd way to start an article and an even odder thing to actually do. But I read the things I have written before. One note mentions an Arizona preacher who used scripture to say women are to be silent in the church and that meant not even to say Amen. This was from back in March of this year, 2014.

 

Let’s just say things inside of me went–

Boom Gif And that’s now. Just imagine what I must have felt to make a note of it!

 

 

“34 Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.”-1 Corinthians 14:34-35

 

 

Women are NOT to be Silent in the Church

by: Ronovan

To read the scripture that . . . preacher . . . points to you would say, well he’s just doing what the Bible says. This is the problem with many preachers today. They read but do not know.  First I have to explain something to you. There are preachers and their are pastors. Preachers just get up and preach at you. Screaming Man

 

Pastors take time and make the effort to tend to the church members.

Shepherd and his Flock painting

 

“1Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.”-Romans 13:1-5

Hmmm

Some may wonder about why certain leaders are in power, but then again look at how the Jews were put under the yolk of others. There is a reason. Often times it is to make us stronger with God. But I digress. Perhaps that will be a point for another article another day. But I don’t put scripture out there in part, I like to put parts that pertain to the scripture I want to discuss so you see the context of it. I don’t pick and choose.

 

 

What this passage says, from Paul who also wrote Corinthians is that we are to follow the laws of the land in order that no one may say anything against us that we are rebellious or anything and thus we may continue to live and believe as we like.

What the Arizona pastor apparently does not do when he reads the Bible is look at historical context. In the times in which the scriptures were written it was illegal for women to speak in public gatherings. That is why the scripture says what it does. Paul and scripture were not against women speaking or even being leaders in the church as Paul mentions Phoebe as a deacon of the church which means she worked with the elders of the church in an important role. Even if some question exactly what her role was, they cannot deny her importance in the church.

Paul also, in the same chapter, refers to Priscilla as a co-worker in Christ Jesus.

I listen to preachers preach and I have this alarm that goes off when something doesn’t sound right. I also do a lot of studying on my own. I actually take out the chapter and scripture number references/divisions of the books of the Bible and read them as originally written in order to not read them in a way that man has decided they should be divided up, instead of how God had his handpicked scribes put them to parchment.

Romans, one of the more controversial books and actually one of the most misquoted and misused books, has a very different message than some realize when read as a letter or essay and not with chapter breaks that make you stop and dwell on things where God did not mean for you to, but a man wanted you to because that’s how he thought. The actual real messages are more obvious than you would ever imagine.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

 

© Copyright-All rights reserved-RonovanWrites.wordpress.com-July 05, 2014.

Move by MercyMe. I just might bend but I won’t break.

Ronovan Thoughts , , , , , , ,

Back when I was having to be the lead singer for our Church’s youth praise band I sang ‘I can only imagine’ more times than any of you can imagine. That was the big MercyMe hit. It was slow and for someone who couldn’t sing and had never even sang in front of anyone in their entire life it was an experience to be sure.

Last week I shared ‘Shake’ by MercyMe which was different than you may have expected. This song was before that one and really changed their style and sound. It’s by far my favorite over even ‘Shake’. One line says;

“I just might bend but I won’t break
As long as I can see your face.”

Listen and enjoy.

Move

I’m not about to give up
Because I heard you say
There’s gonna be brighter days
There’s gonna be brighter days
I won’t stop, I’ll keep my head up
No, I’m not here to stay
There’s gonna be brighter days
There’s gonna be brighter days

I just might bend but I won’t break
As long as I can see your face

[Chorus:]
When life won’t play along
And right keeps going wrong
And I can’t seem to find my way
I know where I am found
So I won’t let it drag me down
Oh, I’ll keep dancing anyway

I’m gonna move (move)
I’m gonna move (move)
I’m gonna move

I’ve got to hold it steady
Keep my head in the game
Everything is about to change
Everything is about to change

This hurt is getting heavy
But I’m not about to cave
Everything’s about to change
There’s gonna be brighter days

I just might bend but won’t break
As long as I can see your face

[Chorus]

No matter what may come
Gotta move to a different drum
No matter what life brings
Gotta move gotta move to a different beat [x2]

I just might bend but won’t break
As long as I can see your face

[Chorus x2]

No matter what may come
Gotta move to a different drum
No matter what life brings
Gotta move gotta move to a different beat

© Copyright-All rights reserved-RonovanWrites.wordpress.com-July 05, 2014.

Sand to Rock

Ronovan Poetry , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sand to Rock

by: Ronovan

 

The waves surge and pound breaking the grains of sand

The grains ride and swirl until, just surviving, the waves retreat

They settle…briefly, knowing the waves will return.

 

Words are spoken, the waves retreat, and calm is instilled

The grains settle once again, but this time they gather together

No waves will come that will break them apart

 

Solid as the rock they settled on

 

Copyright-All rights reserved-©RonovanWrites.wordpress.com-June 29, 2014.

Sunday Thought: You are Beautiful

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Sunday Thought: You are Beautiful

by: Ronovan

Do you ever wonder what God thinks of your looks? Or maybe you wonder if God favors those fashion model types over the . . . whatever other types you can think of . . . like . . . those who eat a hamburger and fries or pizza once a week maybe. It’s sad to say that some models aren’t even good enough any longer to the point that companies are photoshopping them thinner. I think it used to just be airbrushing marks or wrinkles.

 

Why even bother hiring models? Why don’t they just have CGI models and be done with it?

 

Jesus was perfect. Have you ever thought how Jesus looked? Do you think he looked like the Jesus from the Son of God movie?

 

Did you know the Bible describes the Messiah’s physical appearance?

 

“Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”-Isaiah 53:1-3

 

After reading this passage it made so much sense that Jesus would not be the Brad Pitt of the ancient world. To follow Jesus you needed to follow him because you believed, not because you thought he was some above the norm handsome guy.

 

God knows the real you, the real way you look regardless of what you do to change. I know some young people that, as healthy young people look amazing but they wanted to fit in with the anorexic set because they thought that’s what was popular. As starving trying to fit in young people they just lost that healthy sparkle they had. The energy was gone and their eyes didn’t shine any longer.

 

God sent Jesus to save you as you are. He died for you as you are. No matter how pretty you are or what shape you are in, God deemed you worthy enough and beautiful enough to send Jesus to die for you, and Jesus agreed to do it.  Think about it.

 

And yes the copyright date is correct on this.

Copyright-All rights reserved-©RonovanWrites.wordpress.com-March 28, 2014.

Sunday Song: ‘Shake’ by: MercyMe

Ronovan Videos/Music , , , , , , , ,

This isn’t Christian music like you’ve heard before. Enjoy!

My Youth No More

Ronovan Life, Writing 101-Blogging University , , , , , , , , ,

My Youth No More

by: Ronovan

 

I was part of the group that had brought him to us. Sure, I had been one of those with some doubts but in the end I thought it would be best for the church as a whole. Little did I know that it would destroy my ministry.

 

There were a number of years you might have called me that Super Christian. I was of the younger generation in the church and thus willing to volunteer for whatever needed to be done. One such thing was youth ministry. As a high school teacher it was only natural that I was drawn to the youth group. I had watched from afar, and then God stepped in and led me to volunteer to help out only to discover weeks later the Youth Pastor was leaving for seminary school and the duty of leadership fell to me.

 

Even stranger is the fact this happened twice. I helped hire the next Youth Pastor and then slowly stepped back to let him take over. But then with the coming of the new Pastor to our church that I alluded to earlier, things changed.

Continue reading →

Could of been Cut! one choice-my life

Ronovan Poetry , , , , , , , , , ,

Could of been Cut! one choice-my Life

by: Ronovan

 I love you so much

Testify to a travesty that happened from birth

You don’t even know it but you were given worth

All these hooplahs laying down their monkey laws

Let me tell you test tube lovers I ain’t got a tail in my draws

 

You say kill ‘em and let ‘em just die on the floor

But I say that life is worth the living and the dying for

Am I making a statement of opinion and of my facts

You betcha bottom dollar and I’m not holding any back

 

The big guy came down and he walked up that hill

He let them lay him down and drive spikes to kill

You think he did that so we could throw it all away

No, uh uh, not to my way of thinking no way

 

I was unintentional at 17 and a decision was made

Fruit picking in the groves near the everglades

I should of could of and would of been cut

But something spoke out and said no, that’s enough

 

Wait a minute, you ain’t got a right to say nothin’

Your body ain’t the one made for this discussion

I know what I know and I say what I love

And what I do know is…God gave life from above.

 

 

Respect for you and Your Choices

As I wish for you to have for Me and Mine

Much Love

Ronovan

© Copyright-All rights reserved-RonovanWrites.wordpress.com-June 11, 2014.

Sunday Funny: Delilah by Tim Hawkins

Ronovan Humor , , , , , , , , , ,

What if Samson wrote a song to Delila