The first one that comes to mind is in the song, ‘Anthem’ in which the chorus goes:

Here’s to the girls on their boards with bruises and scars
Here’s to the girls whose fingers bleed from playing guitar
Here’s to anyone who never quit when things got hard
You’ll never let them say
“You’ll never get that far.”
“You’ll never get that far.”

In my head, I thought:

Here’s to the God covered in bruises and scars
Here’s to the God whose fingers bleed from playing guitar
Here’s to the God who never quit when things got hard
He’ll never let them say
“You’ll never get that far,”

The next is in “Beauty from Pain,” which I am convinced is summed up in this scripture:

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,^[a] who^[b] have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Romans 8:28-29

The chorus goes:

After all this has passed, i still will remain
After i’ve cried my last, there’ll be beauty from pain
Though it won’t be today,
Someday i’ll hope again
And there’ll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

It made me think of how He brought beauty from His Pain. 

Also, the term Cross The Line made me think of Crossing Over. 

Which connected as Crossover…

Which when placed near Passover

Reminds me that this time Death has not passed over us….

We have crossed over Death. 

Revelation 12:11
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

*Slams fist on the table*

How does one conquer fear?  You move forward and take it by force.  What if I have to go alone?  Then I  will move forward and let Him catch me. 

22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a considerable distance^[a] from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

 25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

 27But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

 28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

 29“Come,” he said.

   Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

 31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

 32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:22-32

I want to walk on the water. 

Leviticus 3:1-5
1 ” ‘If someone’s offering is a fellowship offering, ^[a] and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he is to present before the LORD an animal without defect. 2 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood against the altar on all sides. 3 From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the LORD by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them, 4 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. 5 Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

So, you may have noticed that I’ve started reading Leviticus.  Well, as I read it, I noticed how God shared most if not all of the sacrifices, whether it was grain or fellowship or whatever, with Aaron’s sons, the priests.  So, I got to thinking, what does that mean for us?  Well, I remembered the verse in 1 Peter (at first I thought it was Hebrews) that talks about us as a royal priesthood.  So then, we are partakers in all the bountiful blessings of the pure sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which fulfills every offering I’ve seen.  We are God’s priests, called to partake in the indescrible, untamable essence and glory of the Almighty God.  Whether he calls us to dance or act or do astro physics, we ought to pursue Him in it with everything we have.  Are you good at managing a company?  Then manage it for God’s glory,  imitating how He leads His people and seek His counsel with your decisions.  Is it math, history, heck, I don’t know, but whatever it is, take it and make  a huge deal of God out of it (I think I just quoted Max Lucado). 

 But the big thing is that God is sharing his blessings with us, that’s just huge!  The God of the universe sharing himself with us poor ttraitors, it’s astounding how much He trusts us. 

 Anyway, thankfully I’m getting back in touch with some people, and I’m still waiting to go back to school (I’m apparenly on a…six day weekend due to being sick and a snowday).  I’ve been thinking some, and on the computer (too much, I think I might be addicted).  I’m getting back to praying,  and trusting. 

 I’ve been trying recently on connecting some things you see in video games and the teachings of  Scripture.  For instance, Masterchief can be used as a figure to teach Ephesians 6:10-19. 

First, a soldier like Masterchief must always know who he’s fighting.  If he started killing marines instead of Covenant, he would screw up the mission and the people he was supposed to protect he would have destroyed.  In the same way, we must recognize that our fight is not with athiests or Muslims or other denominations, but the demons and Satan who has decieved them.  We are to pray for, love, and fight for Muslims, athiests, and anyone else who doesn’t trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.   

His helmet is a picture of the helmet of Salvation, which guards our minds against the lies and whispers of the Enemy.  When MC has his helmet on, he can see how strong his shield is, if there are enemies or allies near-by, see his weapon and ammo, know were he’s shooting, and (important!!!) hear his orders.  In the same way, the Helmet of Salvation clears our minds, and allows us to discern our surroundings and to focus and understand the Word (our sword) and keeps a clear connection with God (our commander who gives orders).  When wear e focused on him and can understand his word and put it into practice, we have discernment so we can know truth and find who is trustworthy or not. 

 Masterchief’s armor (called MJOLNIR Mark VI) is representative of the Brestplate of Righteousness.  See, his  armor doesn’t just protect him, it gives him augmented speed, strength, and reflexes.  In the same way, the BoR gives us the heart the Lord, His Righteousness in us.  It is through this that we are given the power of will to act in righteousness, as God would.  This goes for the Readiness that is the Gospel (boots) as well. 

Our Shield of Faith is represented well by Masterchief’s energy shield.   See, any shield is a soldeir’s firstline of defense against his enemy’s attacks.  If the brestplate is attacked, it can only take a few hits before it buckles.  On the other hand, a shield, such as Masterchief’s, can take a brutal beating, long enough for him to get to safety.  In the same way, we must hold up our faith in order to guard us against attacks on our trust in the Lord.  But, in the misdst of battle our faith can get low, and that is why we must always spend time alone with the Lord, to re-build up our faith just as Masterchief’s armor re-charges, and He makes ours even stronger than before! 

Now, finally, comes our only weapon, and it’s a powerful one at that, the Sword of the Spirit.  Masterchief uses tons of weapons (as anyone who’s played the game knows), but they are absolutely essential to victory in battle.  However, his weapons run out of ammo often, just  as the shield, so he must re-load or find another weapon to replace the former, especially if that weapon is not appropriate for the opponent (an assault rifle against a tank probbably isn’t the best choice).  In the same way, we must always keep reading the word of God, keeping it in our memory and our hearts.  Also, we must understand  what scriputre is useful for each situation.  We need the Holy Spirit to understand which one to use when  (which brings us back to the Helmet of Salvation). 

The Lord sat on His throne and commanded me saying, “Show them what the demons have done,”

So I shall. 

 the demons have argued to us against God’s will since the beginning.  God tell sus the truth, SAtan lies to us.  The  problem is we believe the lies. 

It is from this we become cyinical, we belive the Enemy’s lies and we become like them.  They worship themselves, we worship ourselves.  And that which we worship, we become. 

This happenes because we worship their ideas, their ideas place us at the center of our own universes and we give them control  over  us; seeking to control ourselvs. 

We must realize t hat most of our  problems originate with the Enemy.  Our desires a re fed and they are in utter control of us. 

 There is this moment in the final episode, no, through the whole series, that resonates within me.  Simple courage, simple love, seeking to build up and not destroy.  To defeat destruction is not to destroy it, but to cause new life to grow.  To simply love and serve those around us.  Jesus said, “the great must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave,” 

 For so long, I had forgotten that.  For many months, I’ve been tryin to figure out what I’ve been doing wrong.  I knew there was something wrong with me, some block that I couldn’t get over.  I willed it gone, I founght exhausting battles against that gate, I called upon the authority of heaven that it would move.  But it didn’t, it remained a symbol of my failure, a block between me and the grace of God. 

 I’m only writing my heart, not what is doctrinally true.  If anyone wiser than  me wishes to correct me then please speak to me. 

Then, yesterday at a Hannuka thing held at Sar Shalom, I realized that I am here to serve the orphan and the poor and the widow.  those considered the wretches of humanity are beautiful, beautiful children God has called us to serve.  So long, I’ve always been thinking how to intellectually defeat the lies of this world, to show them the truth through logic and reasoning.  I had forgotten this simplicity, this simple longing to mend broken wounds and bring warmth to the shaking and cold.  To embrace the hurting and  bring them comfort, that is my purpose as far as loving my neighbor.  I must not seek someone to serve me, but to serve those God has led to me and me to. 

I need to go to  bed now, so I’ll say goodnight. 

 Simple courage, simple loyalty, simple love, simple joy, simple, simple simple. 

Stephen, you were right all along.  Once again, I bow to the wisdom God has placed in you that flows through you so easily. 

 Brother in Arms
Jack
Salaam-Peace

My life has been a series of battles and wars and victories and defeats.  I want so bad to see more victories.  I want to destroy Satan’s kingdom!  I’m sick and tired of his dominion in my lifea nd int he lives of those around me and I will make war and break him to pieces!  I want to be like the prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah who were murdered and slaughtered because they hated the kingdom of Satan and the men under Satan’s rule were so angry at what they were saying that they killed them!  At the end of my life I want the only friends I have to be ones that would be willing to die for Christ because the rest of them had turned away from me because I was too much like God.  I don’t want to compromise anymore.  I don’t want to complain anymore, “Oh, but I don’t get to talk to people about my problems that much!”  I’m sick of my whining excuses!  I will take what God has for me and seek him and everything he has and nothing less!  I want to die for him in everything! 

Love the LORD  your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 

If anyone truly loves the Lord their God with all their heart, all their soul, all their mind, and all their strength, God could ask them to sacrifice their most precious item and they will say, “Praise the LORD for he has asked this of me!”

I want everything I have; friendships, computers, houses, people in my life, mentors, to be for sale for God.  All he has to do is ask, and I want to be able to give it to him. 

That is my prayer. 

This gnawing hunger
A wonderous ache
I will embrace wonder
No matter what He takes

John 17:22
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

Romans 12:5
so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Romans 8:23
Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Romans 12:4
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,