Thanksgiving 2013

AROUND THE CAMPFIRE

CRUSADER’S DEVOTIONAL

Hey everyone! Hope your journey has been a blessed one since last time and that we all have grown closer to Jesus and learned something about him, ourselves and others along the way. I’ve seen so much over the last couple of weeks, I’ve had a hard time deciding on the topic that most touched my heart. I prayed on it and meditated on it before the Holy Spirit came forth within me to share what he wanted taught. 

So, now if I may share it with you , it seems as if we have become a people of easily disposing of things that no longer serve us, despite a vow, a promise, or just plain the right or wrong of it. 

My wife and I saw our only son, Nick, sent off to war at the age of eighteen. He served two tours in the Middle East. When he returned he was not the same man who left us. Let’s just say that his faith in God was in doubt. The government did not care if he lost his soul over there nor seemingly did the people he fought for. But, due to his faithful young wife, Jessica, his relationship with Jesus was restored. Thank God for the strength provided her. As a matter of fact, Nick along with Jessica and their son were all baptized last Sunday. Praise God, Jessica kept her wedding vow allowing her to keep her husband and son intact. 

Why, I can think of people who get rid of a horse because the horse is getting a little older and slower and might need a little extra care, but is still a faithful and trustful beast of burden. Not interested in what the animal has done for them in the past or even caring what may become of the horse, they just go out and get a “new” one to succumb to the same fate. Where is the promise of love that was given when the horse was “new”?

Then people who get out of a vow of marriage, a promise before God and man, because it has become difficult; where is your faith in yourself, your spouse and in your God? I understand the hardship, that is why we must think before we act or speak. Pray first always, knowledge will shortly follow. No reason to head south when you live north. 

My fellow brethren, I don’t like to get up in people’s grill, especially when I fight the battle of being a sinner myself, but this we must fix. Our vows, our promises must be of substance. We cannot take the sacraments on Sunday and then jump into the deep end of the world’s secular pool on Monday. We must be people of the word, studying it, and living by it, most of all by representing it. Watch your words, for they watch you as you stumble then laugh when you fall. 

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”(Ps 32:8). That’s a vow and promise I know is true and will remain unbroken. Say what you mean but mean what you say. Oh Christian, you represent so much more than you know of. Make sure your heart is full of love and compassion before your mouth is full of insincere words that fall upon a trusting ear. 

“The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned.” (Mt 12:37). We all bear responsibility for the words we speak. Hold fast to the words you speak, the promises and vows we commit to will be judged by others as the content of our character. And by the utterance of such things the Lord will judge our hearts. Remember He promises we will be victorious when we do the things that bring glory to his name. 

I guess all I can say is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mk 12:30). Then and only then, coming from a true heart will your words have truth in them. 

Making them tested by the fires of dependability, sowing the seeds of trust. Showing if your words can be trusted so can the Lord whom created you, to an unbelieving world. And that is not disposable. 

Love ya all. 

Cowboy wisdom: Remember even a kick in the caboose is a step forward. 

May the Lord care for and bless you well. 

Cowboy Pastor Ty 

PastorTy@CrusadersEquestrian.org

11/06/13

Around The Camp Fire

Crusader’s Devotional

11-06-13/ Wednesday

Hey ya all! Hope you’re all well and your blessings are many. I’m just going to jump right in and tell ya of a much too often told story of a broken heart, sorrow and a troubled soul. Now this memory happened many winters ago but I found it in one of my yearly journals.

It begins on one of those nights where the snow is lightly falling and it’s ten o’clock at night. I drove past Cal’s house (we all called him “Cal” because of his coming from California, It only came up once but he would never again admit to it.) I pulled into his driveway and with the aid of my headlights I saw Cal, a bottle, and a shot glass all on the tailgate. I pulled into the driveway and asked what in the world was he doing. Cal said “Have a seat.” I climbed on to the tailgate, sat down, and Cal said “Have a shot.” I picked up the half empty bottle and looked at it. Cal said “Don’t worry, it’s the good stuff.” Sure enough it was pure Kentucky Bourbon whiskey. To my reasoning, if Kentucky breeds the best race horses in the world they might have a grasp on whiskey as well, besides where I come from it’s rude to turn down a man’s liquor. I filled up the shot glass and down it went, burning the whole way down then landing like a brick in the bottom of my belly. I could tell Cal was hurting; he never even looked at me. 

Cal had a girlfriend, mighty pretty but lacking in the more important areas. Here is what Cal had to say in his own way. “She was long gone before she ever left. The fact she’s gone will come to me eventually. I wonder who’s gonna tell this last heart of mine?”

We sat there on that tailgate; snow still slowly falling as Cal filled another shot and handed it to me, and then took one himself. I didn’t say a word, to my way of thinking I was just there to listen. Cal then ran his fingers thru his hair, pulling it back from his face and said, “Blame whoever ya want, the end is the same. Guess I’ll just blame me.” Then he finally looked straight at me and said, “Have ya ever just watched something die, then try to do something about it? I’ve watched plenty.” I sat there listen’en as Cal poured out his pain. He went on to say; “Does it show? Every smile a lie probably shows in ways I never know.” Those were no hollow words. Cal spoke what he thought. Cal, my friend was hurting. The loss of love might just be the greatest and most painful hurt of all.

As we sat there in silence, the Wyoming snow slowly coming down but now the flakes starting to get bigger. We must have sat there for ten or fifteen minutes without a word said. Cal was a Christian man, so I told him the way I saw it, hoping it wouldn’t fall on a hardened heart caused by loss.

These are the words I told him. “Cal, I’m sorry. She must not have been in his plans for you. Ya know God has a sense of humor. Sometimes he places a nugget of blessing in a bundle of heartache. He wants to see if you will look through the bundle for the nugget or just live bitter with the bundle. For some unknown reason he loves you and I. God wants to show his love through us. You may have lost a girlfriend but don’t lose your faith. Of course you know it is a test and sometimes the more painful the test the more blessing received, if we remain true to our faith in him. Surrender your understanding to him and know that he has our back. Jesus has promised better things for you.” Then there was nothing. Cal seemed to sit there and ponder.

After a couple of minutes, Cal reached over and put the cork in the bottle, picked up the bottle and shot glass, then jumped off the tailgate. Then looked at me with a stone cold face with a single tear coming out of his left eye and said, “Thanks, thanks Ty for being here.” As he started to walk towards his house he finished with; “Only fools sit out in the snow, see ya on the healing side.”

Cal is now married to a great gal and owns a small ranch in southern Wyoming. Guess he found his nugget in that bundle after all. Cal is and always will be my friend. 

“Lord, hear my prayer; let my cry for help come before you. Do not hide your face from me in my day of trouble. Listen closely to me; answer me quickly when I call.” Psalm 102: 1-2

May God bless those with a broken heart. May they too find what they need in that bundle. 

In the name of Jesus Christ of the Nazarene I pray.

Cowboy Pastor Ty

PastotorTy@CrusadersEquestrian.org 

11/3/2013

AROUND THE CAMPFIRE
CRUSADER’S DEVOTIONAL


Hey howdy hey, Thanks for reading this week and I hope God’s blessings have come your way and that they have not gone unnoticed or received without gratitude.

Have I ever written about a time years ago when a friend and I were out looking for a horse for him to buy? He was a good rider and had knowledge of horses, but he seemed to be attracted to a certain kind of horse. Tall and fast was to his likin’, despite its level of training. Let’s just say horse shopping with him, I saw him hit the dirt more than rain drops in a thunderstorm. I had started to take Aspirin before we headed out to look at any horse and that was just to watch. At one stable we were looking at a tall gelding that was handsome but was lacking in brains. Dangerous to ride, painful to watch and a poor investment of money. Standing off to the side in a shabby little stall with some of the rails taped on and standing up to her pasterns in mud and muck was this nice little mare. I’d say she was about 15.3 hands, nice conformation and a soft eye.

I walked over and introduced myself and she was attentive and interacted like she fully enjoyed the company. I said to my over horsed, under thinking friend, “what about this one?“ He looked at her as if he had just taken a bite of sour rhubarb and said “There’s only four things wrong with her, M.A.R. and E. She is too small and doesn’t look fast enough to get out of her own way.” Well I said, “Doing all this horse shopping you must have hit your head once too often. I bet ya bullets to buttons she rides real nice.”

So we took her out of her stall and cleaned her up some. She was a nice bay with a beautiful blaze and no socks at all. I don’t want to take the long way around the barn but let me just say I’ve received Christmas cards with my friend, his wife and two daughters, and you guessed it, that M.A.R. and E., she has become one of his family. The way he talks about her you’d think she had won the Triple Crown.

Funny sometimes our calling is right in front of us but we are so wrapped up in ourselves we miss it. ‘Course when I say “calling” I’m talking about the calling of God. It is written “Do everything you want to do; take it all in, but remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do.” (Eccl 11:9). Maybe you have been blessed enough to receive your calling (I feel most believers have) but either ignored it or froze up in fear of the calling. God has given each of us a special ministry that he wants us to perform to bring glory to his name. “Complete the ministry God has given you.” (2 Tim 4:5)

Two things come to mind. Seems like a lot of folks ask, How do I know what my calling is? “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path” (Ps. 119: 105). Get to know God intimately through his word and let him guide you in all that you do.

The second thing that comes to mind is fear. Fear is normal but should not keep us from God. We should never respond to a crisis with fear or doubt in mind. Remember on that day at about three o’clock in the morning when Jesus was walking on the stormy waves. The disciples cried out in terror thinking he was a ghost. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid” he said “Take courage! I am here”. Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. (Jn. 48:51)

It is what we all must do. Answer our calling. Be still and take courage, it could be right in front of you and you miss it by having the wrong horse saddled.

I thank God for his grace and many blessings, and pray that we all 

Have the courage and faith to answer his calling.

In the name of your Lord Jesus Christ of the Nazarene.


Cowboy Pastor: Ty
PastorTy@CrusadersEquestrain.org