Staying afloat- with Him.

, ,
HavenLight Yongsung Kim – The Hand of God Painting – Jesus Reaching Into Water 

My wife recently got this picture for me to put on my nightstand. I love waking up to it as a daily reminder of where to turn. She knows when I’m drowning, and knows Who to turn to for help.

The older I get the more I realize how much help I need each day from heaven. And I mean true help. The more I realize how weak I am. And the more I realize how perfect I’m not. That I’ve been trying to do so much on my own. It’s a trap I fall into to do it all on my own.

Some would say it’s a weakness to realize we are weak. And if you focus on your weakness, it will only make you more weak. Maybe that’s true in a sense if you just put yourself down. But maybe realizing we are weak, and where our weaknesses are, is the key and prerequisite to be ready to actually learn and grow from and in Him. Not grow in the world. “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” 1 Cor 1:27

I feel because we have it so easy (especially in America) that we inevitably don’t rely on Him for help. It’s too easy to get food, clothes, and shelter. Because all around us is better food, nicer clothes, and bigger homes, etc. The things of the world become our goals. And because of the easiness, we don’t realize how far we can go off track spiritually, until we smack up against a rock of reality. At least this seems to be the pattern that happens with me. I’ll go, then smack. And it hurts.

I believe if we humble ourselves each day and ask for help, true help, God will show us what we can do -whether it’s repentance, or service, or both- and through that process we will find the strength and power beyond our own to keep going with actual peace. Not a fake peace we are so used to. But actual peace and joy and rest, even in harsh realities.

God gives us weaknesses so that we can be humble. And I’ve learned that just when you think you’ve overcome one weakness, He will give you another; or if not give you one, simply SHOW us the next one we had no idea we had in the first place. And it can be gut wrenching.

Sometimes when we find out how weak we really are, we want to just surrender and give up. That’s what the devil wants. He wants to have us isolated so we can surrender our choices to him and his minions to take over our spirts, to sink in the troubled waters. This is his pattern. Get us to sin a little here and a little there, and feel the fake rush, then, leave us alone and start pounding our minds and hearts with the guilt from the very thing he wanted us to partake in. Think of that irony. We hand him the tools he beats us with. And the stronger the sin, the harder he hits.

Now with God, He wants us to give it all to Him; so He can help us, not bash us. Even the ugliest and most repulsive sides of us. He wants to fix those ugly things in us. Because the truth is, He’s already bled and died for the ugliest and most repulsive in each one of us. That’s part of why He came. To pay that price for what we have done, and sadly, what we will do in the future.

So if we are going to surrender and give up in life, why not surrender and give up our lives to God? Besides is there any other way to true peace and rest? Instead of turning to addiction to addiction, gossip to gossip, news to news, game to game, phone app to phone app…. why not turn to Him? This has always been my daily struggle. Surrendering to Him each day to do His will. Not just on Sunday.

Neal A. Maxwell once said, “Being such a premier virtue, submissiveness is not to be mastered in a moment, once and for all. Hence the need for patience on the part of those of us who, while falling short of keeping all the Lords Commandments, truly “seeketh so to do”.

Underneath our rationalizations, usually, is a deep destitution enclosed in profound pride. Pride, at its core, involves a measure of self-worship, however mild. After all, we are to “have no other God” before the real God, including self pleasing and self-worship. If we are really keeping the first commandment, we will worship him sufficiently to want to be more and more like Him.”

And last, and the answer, Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt 11: 28-30

/by

Winter Hell – Poem

I wrote this poem one cold night in January of 2013 working a part-time shift as a cop. No specific reason at the time. It really just came out of nowhere. I had the thought, “Open your laptop and write”. So I did.

We talk about what heaven is going to be like; and how amazing it will be with God one day. But I don’t think we realize that our choices here on earth could also put us in a place where being stuck (or damned) is a very real possibility. I want to choose heaven. 

Winter Hell –

Winter Hell is standing in place at midnight, on a cold frozen prairie, with little moonlight.

Your face hurts, bitter winds do blow, your skin is now frozen and so are your bones.

No comfort at all, can’t move, don’t care; with dark, wicked thoughts filling your mind with despair.

But wait there’s a campground, a fire, a light; with people around with hearts of delight.

Hearing voices and songs, wondering who it might be, to realize it’s your one and only family.

The one you let go for your pride and your must, then never turning from such terrible lusts.

Hell is the thoughts of what might have been, and knowing you can’t act and no more pretend.

The fire, the light, the warm smiles above; were traded for false passions, frozen thoughts, and no love.

Now you hear prayers rush over your shoulder, it’s your family to God, please help our lost father.

Hell is knowing you may climb back there one day, but you’re stuck for now frozen, filled with dismay.

Will there ever come a time to hold your family again? Was it worth it, the thought comes again and again.

The price must be paid and justice must pass; will this Winter Hell end, how long will it last?

There’s now a dark camp behind you, they’re saying your name; they are they who helped you shame your great name.

But wait you can walk, only backwards towards sin, slipping faster and further away from your kin.

But it’s simple to walk down the dark hill with ease; it tastes delicious again to do as you please.

This life is for men to prepare and know, that repentance was meant for each day as we go.

Unlimited chances here in the flesh, but frozen in time our choices will be after death.

This can be avoided by keeping His name, the “how often” question won’t haunt you in vain. (Matt 23:37)

His arms are stretched out, He calls and He loves, keep my commandments from my Father above.

And so it is after this life without Christ, we must pay the Winter Hell at a terrible price.


Winter Hell
/by

Why storms?

A few thoughts about storms- 

I’m convinced the hardest storms we face in life, and I mean the scariest and most terrifying storms that roll in, out of the blue, can end up being the greatest force for our good if we let it become an opportunity for growth.

The scariest storms are sometimes exactly what we need. That wind and rain brings the proper nourishment to our hearts and souls; so we can then produce the fruit necessary to feed not only ourselves, but everyone around us.

Neal A. Maxwell said that trials and tribulations tends to squeeze the artificial out of us. How true that is. I’m convinced if our souls don’t become real and authentic, then our loving Father will send a reminder that it’s He who we must build our foundation on. Not the cares of the world. In other words, He sends storms because He loves us. So we can turn to Him. 

Storm rolling in 

/by

Letter to my Brother, Dan Reynolds

,

This is part of what I posted about a few days ago with regard to youth suicide and the onslaught that church leaders and members are about to take nationwide from some in the LGBTQA community; and clearly, famous rock star church members who have a better vision than their spiritual leaders. Meaning, blaming someone’s suicide on commandments.

The lead singer of Imagine Dragons now
“hopes “to teach a lesson to church leaders (LDS President Nelson in this case) that preaching age-old universal doctrines about sexuality need to now change. I guess being a rock star now gives that person moral arbiter God-like authority.

From the article:

“Rock star Dan Reynolds was once a Mormon missionary…to urge leaders of his faith to stop shaming their LGBT members.”

“If you’re telling them their innate sense of love, which is unchangeable, is wrong, you’re going to have this problem.”

“As long as those policies are still intact,” Reynolds said, “our LGBT youth still have high percentages of depression, anxiety and suicide.”

To Dan,

I love your music. It will probably remain on my workout playlist for a very very long time, regardless of what you do or say socially or politically. Keep producing good music. I’ll buy it.

With that said, and what I won’t buy, is what you are doing teaching your fans on this particular issue. You are actually driving the LGBTQA youth into further confusion with “hopes” that God’s word is going to stop being consistent with how He’s always taught His children with regards to homosexuality and gender identity. It’s not “shaming” when God, or his prophets, talk about the real effects of sin. It’s actually the other way around; I’ll explain.

In your interview, you say the prophet needs to “have real change…Because speaking in platitudes of love will not create that change.” What exactly is the real change you are hoping for? What “policies” are you hoping to change? Ignoring universal laws of morality and true identity?

Speaking the truth with love is actually the purest possible loving thing church leaders from any denomination can do. In fact, there’s no church on the planet that shows more love to the LGBTQA community, than the LDS church does. They have an entire webpage dedicated to this issue. Disagreement in love is God’s language to most of us. We all sin somewhere. And guess what, God disagrees with our sin. That’s why He continues to teach us. And won’t stop teaching us until we ALL overcome ALL of our sins. Nobody is perfect.

If you really want irony, placating with false platitudes, like you’re doing, is more dangerous for the upcoming generation that worships people like you, more than they worship God. You’ve now become the very wedge you’re preaching against. Especially regarding issues with chastity and sexuality. God created male and female to be with one another and multiply and replenish the earth. That’s the highest order of heaven, Dan. That’s the truth. And if you’re saying that my words (or anyone who thinks/talks like me) now can be tied to the “shaming” culture and blamed for someone’s suicide, you have truly lived up to your bands cover name. There is shaming Dan, but you must look inwardly on where the shaming is coming from.

God’s word won’t change with this issue, not ever. He’s unchangeable. It’s ok disagree with homosexuality. We can do that in love. God does that in love with ALL of our poor choices we make as His Children. Having same sex attraction is not wrong in the sight of God; however, acting on same sex attraction is wrong. It’s called sin. Just like many other things that are considered sin that we do.

It’s not bigoted to teach that marriage is only between a man and a woman and ordained of God and that it will always be. Because Dan, God isn’t going to be taught a lesson on this issue. Neither are his prophets. The word “sin” is not going to be replaced because it hurts our feelings. God loves us more than that to lie to us. The manifestation of His love is His commandments.

Dan, God and His prophets have in fact “seen the faces and heard the voices of these youth”, that’s the very reason why He teaches these same youth how to come unto Him, in really simple and sobering terms. God knows better, He is better. In your language, He is the Lightning before any Thunder.

I’ll catch you tomorrow on my iPod,

Eric Moutsos

 

/by

Foundational Love

,

Someone sent a message and asked how expressing your belief for or against certain cultural currents equates to love? In other words, how is it love to tell someone you believe they are wrong before or during certain choices. Great question! But let me ask you one.

If you were to watch one of your siblings buy a lot next to yours and start to building their dream home, I would imagine you would probably look out the window and check things out from time to time to see how things are going. You built your house with your own hands so you know exactly how to do it and what material to use.

Now suppose your sibling either purposefully or ignorantly bought very expensive, but yet the wrong type of foundation materials for the base of their soon-to-be beautiful home. You knew how much money and time they put into it, so you don’t say anything. You think it may work, but have a really bad feeling about it. As they started pouring, your heart starts pounding. Why? Would you say something to them? Or would you stay silent?

Now imagine you stayed silent. Deep down over the years of knowing their foundation to their home may not hold up, it eats at you. But you’ve gone this long. So, you keep silent.

One day everything comes crashing down.

They soon come over to your house just devastated. They start explaining they don’t know what could’ve gone wrong. They start asking for your advise. How would you feel at that point? What would you do? Would you then tell them what you knew to be true all along? Or stay silent?

I believe love is sometimes telling people what you know to be true, even if it’s hard truth to deal with. I believe it’s for everyone’s good. I believe that’s real love.

 

/by

Thoughts and Prayers?

, , ,

If someone tells you your thoughts or prayers don’t matter- which is usually someone who has never actually prayed- don’t listen to them. Your prayers do matter. Even if it’s across the world or country for someone else’s community or family. Because God is listening, and blessing, everyday; especially when we ask.

Continue to pray your sincere prayers; even if you have little faith in prayer, pray anyway. Even if it’s in public or on social media and you feel prompted to share your prayer, share it. The only opinion that ultimately matters, is God’s.

Prayer is the ultimate forms of power that bridges the gap between heaven and earth. Prayer softens hearts and opens minds. Prayer helps bring power and peace to individuals and families whether they know it or can recognize it.

Anytime I am having a really hard time in life, I pray. Anytime everything is going almost too smoothly in life, I pray. When I see someone’s life turn upside down, whether I know them or not, I try to remember to say a prayer for them.

I believe in prayer and know it works. I don’t know where I would be in my life without prayer. I thank God for prayer. I think we could use a lot more of it in the world. We need it.

/by