Tag: Scripture

God, Grief, Life, Writing

Do you feel alone? Maybe, you are not as alone as you think.

Mark Wayne

But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. ~Luke 5:15 NASB

Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, And gather you from the west. ~Isaiah 43:5 NASB

These things I have spoken to you to that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. ~John 16:33 NASB

There are a lot of troubling things going on all over the world right now. Whether you agree or disagree with decisions being made, I think we can all agree that the current state of affairs is troubling. As we watch events unfold we cannot help but think and worry about the impacts on your personal world. Our families and friends, our workplaces and places we visit all are feeling the effects.

I am in the midst of many changes in my personal life and the decisions often seem overwhelming. However, I trust the one who has the answers even when he doesn’t reveal them to me. I talk a lot about this in my memoir 𝐂𝐨𝐰𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐫𝐲 which was just published by Christian Faith Publishing and is available on Amazon.

I have to remind myself that I am not truly alone and there are others struggling with decisions and impacts as well. I think we have a couple of options:

  1. Trust God. This is where our faith determines our outlook and do we believe that God is still in control despite what we see happening all around us.
  2. Reach out in service of others. Those around us who are experiencing similar things, let us help one another grow as individuals and communities.
  3. Shrink back. This should not be an option as this only serves to isolate us more and allows fear, distrust, and distress to grow. (⬅PS – this is exactly what the enemy wants us to do.

Now, what will you choose?

Do not rejoice over me, enemy of mine.
Though I fall I will rise;
Though I live in darkness, the LORD is a light for me.
~Micah 7:8

God, Life, Writing

Are You Living in Fear? > Do Not Fear!

Mark Wayne

Do not allow a spirit of fear to run your life for you are more than a  conquer in Jesus! 👊

Rise up mighty warriors! ⚔

Yeshua tells us in this world we will have trouble but he has overcome the world. Better yet he is coming back with all of heavens army.

Are you ready to fight with him?

God, Life

A Wicked Question

Mark Wayne

We claim to love, we claim to care, and we claim to… well, whatever it is.

And if we are honest with ourselves how often do we fail?

I know in my case I find myself loving others how I think they should and need to be loved assuming it is all good and right. Do I ever ask them?

And what about God? I often run around trying to please him when maybe all he wants is for me to spend time with him?

Now go and learn what this means:

‘I desire compassion, rather than sacrifice,’

for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 9:13 NASB2020

#LoveLanguage #LiveYourDreams

God, Grief, Life, Writing

Though He Slay Me…

Mark Wayne

Though he slay me, I will hope in him. ~Job 13:14 #Encouragement #Faith #Motivation

It has been a rough last few weeks. Truth be told it’s been a rough past few months and even the whole year of 2020. I am not even talking about COVID-19, stay at home orders, social distancing, fears of infection from the virus, racial and civil unrest or even the current chaos of our political system.

Simply said my family has watched a beloved member’s health slowly decline. So much so that in the end it is hard to see who they once were. Illness and disease can do that to you.

Yet we can still hold hope, for ourselves and others, of better days ahead. As Job’s faith stayed fast even during his trials, I pray that we can all do the same.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. ~Proverbs 3:5-6

Stay the course, live your dreams, and just believe, hope lives.

God, Life, Writing

A Reckoning, We All Got it Coming

Mark Wayne

We can read the following scripture in Galatians 3:6 –

Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness ~Galatians 3:6

What are we to make of this? I reckon whether it is righteousness, mercy, justice or punishment we all have it coming. In the film Gladiator, Maximus played by Russell Crowe makes the following statement at the beginning of the film before a big battle scene.

“What we do in life, echoes in eternity.”

Whether this is true or not, whether you believe it or not, I do believe there are things we do in this life that will echo in eternity. The biggest of these is the decision where we will spend eternity after we die. Yes, I believe that decision is left to us, via our own God granted free will.

That is the reckoning we all have coming and it is based on our ultimate choice. And each little choice we make each day and each hour can lead us towards this final choice. Either towards blessings or curses, heaven or hell.

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” ~C.S. Lewis ‘The Great Divorce’ #Quote #Choices #HeavenOrHell

What is your choice?

God, Life

Are You Willing to Listen?

Mark Wayne

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‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ ~Jeremiah 33:3

I have somewhat of a tradition where I try to select a bible verse that I believe God has revealed to me as a guiding light for the year. Some years it comes easy right after January 1st and other years well, I just seem to not hear anything to not be listening.

Well, this year for 2015 it was confirmed to me that the words of Jeremiah 33:3 is the promise I need. Since turning 50, (oh my, somewhat surprised I made it this far!) last summer many questions have surfaced, such as.

> Am I where and who I want to be?
> Where do I go from here?
> Is there more than this?

Some existential questions and some as simple as why do I not laugh more. After all I am very blessed. Well, maybe that is not as simple of a question as I first thought.

My seeking, my discovering and my journey as lead me to one inescapable conclusion. I need to stop running and be still. More importantly, when I do finally get around to asking a question;

I need to stop and listen more.

What do you need to stop and what do need to do?