jdkroon

Wilderness

jdkroon — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:05:01 +0000

THE WILDERNESS
A couple of things I have noticed while reading the story of Moses is leading the people out of the wilderness. They left Egypt with a lot of money. A LOT of money, and yet once in the wilderness couldn’t use it. Their money was no good in the wilderness. No drive thru for food, no grocery stores, no cell service, no rent to pay on the townhouse. They didn’t need the money in the wilderness until they got to Cannan.
The second thing I noticed is God provided everything for them, but not in abundance. When they were hungry He provided manna, but each person only could get so much. They were allowed a portion, a serving. If they took more than their portion, they were in disobedience and it went bad. Exodus 16:20 says, “it bred worms and stank.” You may not have an abundance of everything you want now, but He is supplying everything. Just stay in obedience.
When it came to the sixth day, they were to gather twice as much as before and bake it so it would last them through the seventh day. I’m sure they were thinking, Lord, if we leave this until morning it’s going to be ruined. We just did it and look what happened. We know the result of leaving it overnight. The difference was God told them to do it. They were in obedience and the results were different. When you do things in your own will, the end result is destruction, when you do the same thing a period of time later because God tells you too, it will end up as satisfaction and fulfillment. Timing is everything. If you take too much on the fifth day, the sixth it’s going to stink, but if you take twice the amount on the sixth day it will feed you through the seventh.
When you are going through your wilderness, you may not realize what all God has done. With limited eating, maybe being a little thirsty, lots of dust and whiney people around you can cause you to place the things God has done for you in the back of your mind. Moses father in law showed up and asked him what has all happened. As Moses began to tell Jethro, all they had gone through and all God had done, Jethro said, “Now I know that the Lords is greater than all gods.” Your testimony, even if it’s not done yet, is there to help someone; is there to encourage someone. When you look back on the things God has gotten you through, you may even be encouraged yourself.
Look what God has done for me. No, I’m not in my place of milk and honey flowing, but look what God has done so far. Look at the things that were chasing me at the bottom of the Red Sea, look at the battles we have won. Look at the bread God has provided for us…taste and see that the Lord is good.

2012 Goals

jdkroon — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 18:12:04 +0000

2012 Goals

Spiritual Goals

ü Read the Bible daily. I do read it through every year, but need to be more consistent with the renewing of the mind.

ü Listen to the Holy Spirit on a subject He would like me to study on. Do two studies a month

ü Get involved with monthly prayer meeting here at the Ambassador.

Physical Goals

ü Get to the weight loss goal. Down 71 pounds already, just 49 more to go.

ü Incorporate more vegetables into the diet, not just potatoes.

ü Control portions as well as beef and carb intake.

Financial Goals

ü Purchase new desktop computer

ü Save 10% of gross paychecks and don’t touch it.

ü Purchase vehicle to replace current one

Other Goals

ü Take a day off a week. No school, no work, and spend it with Karen somewhere out of the hotel.

ü Get a new blog out there at least twice a month

ü Network and meet 100 people this year.

Years end

jdkroon — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:45:54 +0000

I normally take a look back over the last year about this time in December. This year however, I am not going to, but going to look forward to 2012, instead. Yes, it has been quite a year, but I have such an urgency and unction in my soul for moving forward. I feel 2012 is going to be the year where everything finally comes together and everything spoken is going to happen. God had us do several different things this December than in the past, so I am expecting different results this New Year.
I am working on some new goals for next year as well, educationally, financial goals, and spiritual goals. Goals are good. I read a pastor friend of mine and may even incorporate a few of those as well. So many things that I feel have to be done, but remembering to seek the Kingdom first is going to be the most important in 2012. I have a great desire to go after knowledge, learn all I can from school, from the Word, and from people around me. I encourage you to surround yourself with the right people in 2012 so the right things rub off on you.
I do not have a great revelation about the coming year, not great inspirational quotes; just a feeling deep down inside that everything is going to be okay. Meeting new people, growing relationships, and maybe even cutting some loose will be a part of changes to come. I do not know what is planned, but I know God is about to do a great thing and I am not going to miss my part in it. Thank you to all my friends that have inspired us, supported us, and just been there for us this year. We love you and look forward to the coming year.

No Fear

jdkroon — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:11:13 +0000

He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

This is such a great reminder for us, do not fear. God has said in His word 365 times not to fear, so it must be important. I think the important thing here, is why we don’t have to fear anything. If our hearts are firmly fixed in place and trusting everything in Him, we have nothing to fear. He is an all- inclusive God. He is to be our source, which means if you don’t have a job anymore, your source hasn’t changed. God is still God whether you are working or not. You do not have to fear a bad report from the doctor because He is Jevovah Rapha, our healer. You were healed at the cross and if you were healed, you are healed today.

He is Jehovah Shalom, the prince of peace. He will give you peace, you just need to ask. He is Jehovah Shammah, He is always there with you and El-Roi, the one who sees. He is Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end, but He is not going to leave you in the middle, He is everything in between as well. He is God and everything we need.

We just need to believe that He is when we pray.

He will not be overcome with fear of bad news; his heart is firmly fixed in place, having an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, and truth of the Lord.
Do not fear.

Faithfullness

jdkroon — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:26:59 +0000

We all are going through things. We all have things that aren’t quite right in our Iife. Pastors go through things, the congregation goes through things, everyone goes through things. Some things last longer then others. Some trials are a week, some a month, and some are fiery trials that last much longer, even into years. It can be easy to ask God why or even are you still here while I am going through this? I have asked the questions more than once over the last couple of years even though I already knew the answer. You can say to yourself you never asked those questions, but let’s be honest for once, you have. You have not always had that confidence things were going to be alright, you can’t always see the calvary coming over the hill. For this reason I give you this word of encouragement today.
Psalms 119:90 says in my Bible Your faithfulness endures to all generations, you established the earth and it abides.
Looks great at face value, but let’s go a little further. The word faithfulness here means a lot more then faithful and sure, although for some, that’s all they would need. For others they need to know this word also includes the word truthfulness. Some can stop there and be full, but for some of us we need to know the full meaning of the word also includes firm in adherence to promises and observance of duty. Trueness is His standard.
So what does it really mean to endure? If something endures it stands firm, bears patiently, remains in force, undergoes hardships without giving in and continues in the same state.
You are a part of a generation. You are in a single line of descendants, a single step in a long lineage of ancestors.
So the first part of this verse actually states God’s plan of being faithful and sure, absolutely trustworthy and reliable, firm in adherence to His own promises stands firm, bears patiently, and continues in the same state while undergoing hardships without giving in to every single step of every lineage. That should get you a little excited today.
The second half the verse reiterates the fact, not a theory, not a guess, and not debatable, God established, created, founded, set in motion, and brought into existence the earth. He created the earth with his words. It’s the true big bang theory. My big God spoke and bang, it happened. The earth has stayed in its permanent state, remained and endured without ceasing for years. The words of God are still in effect and the earth itself proves it. His words can not come back void, they have to continue because they are full of life and the earth spinning on its axis and gravity in effect, day and night all prove it.
So be encouraged today, just as God spoke this earth into being and established it, so His faithfulness will continue in the same state and remain in force to this generation. What He has promised you has to come to pass because He is a God that has trueness as a standard.

Listen

jdkroon — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:09:56 +0000

Today when I went for my walk, I didn’t have any music going, no earphones in, nothing. I just wanted to listen. Listen to the world around me. Listen to what is going on. Sometimes we get trapped in our own little world we don’t, or even don’t want to know, what is going on around us. What is going on with our neighbors, our neighborhood. Is it expanding, businesses having to move out?

What do you hear when nothing else is there. No music, no tv, no computer. What do you hear? What do you want to hear? What are you trying to hear? Take some time today and just listen and see what happens.

Reminiscing

jdkroon — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:05:56 +0000

Well, the new fad on Facebook is “You know you’re from… Ya, i jointed the bandwagon. And when I did I began to remember things I hadn’t seen or heard of in a long time. It’s amazing how things change and life happens even if you aren’t there. Businesses moving, closing, same business different name. There are a lot of things I remember about my hometown of 5000. There are things I have forgotten as well, just because I am getting older, or because I have chosen to.

I try not to get stuck too much in the past though. I like to look ahead to the future, see where God is taking me. Where is He taking you today?

Speechless

jdkroon — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 19:50:32 +0000

I am just sitting here. The air is going of course with another 100 degree day outside, day 28 or so I think. All is quiet though. Schoolwork is pretty much done, just finished a book today, probably start another on Monday, but here we are in the “in between” time.

In between. The waiting time. In between jobs, churches, and a lot of other things. Waiting time in my life. Not a bad time. TIme of learning, time of patience, time of even a little rest. Time of preparation for next step, time of mental preparation, time of spiritual preparation, the waiting time.

Some people do well in this time. Some people not so much. Some ask what’s going on, some sit back for a bit and then are busy preparing, some are so lost they don’t know what to do or think, the waiting time. Some have to have a reason to move on, some say its not time yet, some say you have to take the first step, the waiting time. Do I stay, do I go, what more preparations do I have, do I rest and miss something, its the waiting time. The walls start closing in , the boredom sets in because the waiting is longer then expected, the waiting room.

We have all been there for times in lives. We have had reached a waiting period where things don’t do anything, we just wait. The things behind are done, the things ahead are not ready for us yet, so we wait. We sit and wait, we pray and wait, we stand and wait, we wait, its a waiting time. Its a renewing time, this waiting time. A time to clear your mind and prepare for the future. It’s a time to wait.

My theme song

jdkroon — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 03:59:07 +0000

I found a song that really describes me and have made it my “Theme Song”. Undo by Rush of Fools

“Undo”

I’ve been here before
Now, here I am again
Standing at the door
Praying You’ll let me back in

To label me
A prodigal would be
Only scratching the surface
Of who I’ve been known to be

Turn me around, pick me up
Undo what I’ve become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, I need Your help
I can’t do this myself
You’re the only one
Who can undo what I’ve become

I focused on the score
But I could never win
Trying to ignore
A life of hiding my sin

To label me
A hypocrite would be
Only scratching the surface
Of who I’ve been known to be

Make every step lead me back to
The sovereign way that You

Turn me around, pick me up
Undo what I’ve become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, I need Your help
I can’t do this myself
You’re the only one who can undo
You are the only one who can undo
You’re the only one who can undo
What I’ve become

Getting better

jdkroon — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 22:03:25 +0000

I started a composition class this week for school and as I am reading through the material I had to laugh a little. It is going through some misconceptions people have when they enter a writing class such as; good writers are born not mad, i am hopeless, ill never write well, writing is easy for some and difficult for others, and afraid to put thoughts on paper. It all boils down to one thing, fear of the unknown. If we are scared to try knew things or learn how to do new things, we are never going to better ourselves.

Fear will hold you back from getting a lot accomplished. Fear of college held me back for quite a few years and I am now in school going after my bachelors degree as well as planning on going into my masters. I received a book a few years ago from a friend that was also a college professor. “Oh the places you’ll go” by Dr. Suess. Ya I know, but find it and read it, it will open your eyes. My professor did to. She has her own business, has wrote a book, hosts a television show, received her doctorate degree all before the age of 35. Not bad, Doc, not bad.

I finally came to realize if she could do it, why can’t I? What make her so special she can get her dreams and I can’t get mine? Henry Ford said, “If you think you can do it, or you think you can’t do it, your right.” Well, I woke up and realized I can do it. I have the ability, I am not going to fail, I am going to succeed and nothing is going to hold me back, no one is getting my way.

Set a goal for yourself and go after it. Set educational goals, financial goals, mental goals. Life may get in the way sometimes, but go after what you want and don’t ever let anyone stop you. If you are 10 or 50, go after it. Go on…