CHAPEL SERVICE

 

Colorado National Speedway

July 26, 2014

 

“The REAL Legacy of Katrina”

 

www.BeyondCheckeredFlags.com

 

BOB BUTCHER

Where do the tin foil hat crowd sleep you wonder? Well if they can afford to, they probably sleep in a Quantum Sleeper.

This bed is designed to protect its users from biochemical terrorist attack, stalkers, kidnappers and the occasional natural disaster. Just how much protection it gives will depend on your budget and level of paranoia.

Take a look after the photo for the full range of options.

The Quantum Sleeper boasts the following range of options (spelling errors are courtesy of the manufacturer):

• 1.25″ Polycarbonate Bulletproof Plating/Shielding
• Bio-Chemical Filtered Ventilation
• Rebreather
• Control Panel Mode Selection (i.e., Basic System Ops., Intruder Setting, Energy Status, Lock Down, etc.)
• Cover & Door Actuators w/ Emergency Release
• One way see through head cover (reflective mirror on 2 sides and front)
• Safety Features (Proximity Sensor, O2 Sensor, Smoke Det., Motion Det. Ect,)
• Emergency Communication system (Cellular, Short-wave Radio, CB ect.)
• Audio Amplifier (Amplify sound from out side unit)
• Air/Water Tight Sealing
• External Override Key Pad & Remote Control
• Battery Backup Power
• Toiletry system
• There are also a few entertainment options as well, just in case you start to become bored whilst waiting for those terrorists and stalkers to leave:
• TV
• Microwave
• Refrigerator
• DVD Player
• PC
• CD Player

 

Look around today. The world is scary. Even places that used to be considered a paradise are in the news for bad things happening. Wars and rumors of wars, missile attacks, kidnappings, and the list goes on as fear, paranoia, presumption of the worst is yet to come, sells newspapers, TV News and Reality Shows. It seems like there is no end to it. However,

…read on:

Psalms 4:8 – “You alone O’ Lord can make me dwell in safety”

 

Hurricane Katrina devastation is not unlike anything ever before.

Consider Job (ch. 1-2)

Job was the greatest of all men (Ch 1, verse 3)
Satan accused God for protecting Job and said he would fail otherwise
God trusted Job’s faith and allowed Satan to test Job & take all away

In one day Job lost all:
His servants & staff (Vs 15), His cattle, camels, etc (vs 16-17)
All his kids (vs 118-19)

Job still refused to blame God or sin against Him

Then Satan got God to allow him to make Job sick (Ch 2
At this sight & devastation even Job’s wife said to Job:
“Do you still hold to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (ch2:vs9)

 

When Israel left Egypt after 400 years of slavery God told Moses:

“My presence will go with you and I will give you rest (Ex. 33:14)
Moses replied: “If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us out from here” (even if it still meant slavery & destruction

You see, they knew that during our most difficult & tragic times our stability comes only from the presence of God

History & scripture shows numerous times Israel were ravaged by enemies and taken away into captivity, separating families, leaving not one stone left upon another in their cities and dead everywhere.

Their cry & understanding was always the same – “If YOU don’t go, we don’t want to go!

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.” (Nahum 1:7 )

Usually there comes an odd experience and relief when we hit rock bottom

Obviously we must deal with our attitude & perspective at this time

You are in a position to rebuild the rest of your life with a 2nd chance

This time as a God-dependent person instead of a self-dependent person
Our Heavenly Father is well pleased with what He intends to bring out of such a devastating and painful process with a 2nd chance

A person who knows the secret of the God-dependent life can say:
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes (Ps 119:71)

Often today we either hear God blamed or think someone sinned for these types of things happening

Jesus dealt with the person’s being and God’s glory when He was confronted with the Blind man accused of sin in John 9

People asked: “Who sinned? This man or his parents?

Jesus answered with “Neither, but it was so the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3)

Life is a test – a process to call us to faith, trust, learn to always search for Him and become like Him

We tend to take God’s daily blessings for granted until they are taken from us

We totally miss miracles happen every day around us
Because God’s goodness is as constant as the sun, we are in danger of forgetting what He showers upon us every day. If we were to count our blessings one by one, we would never finish.

At times like this we need to force ourselves to do this
That is one reason why God created us with a memory capability

It can change our heart
It can bring back our perspective on life and show us how rich we really are when we stop and count all the things money cannot buy: family, friends, life itself, living in America

Life changes through time and perseverance

Lastly – look at 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in ALL our affliction SO that we will be able to comfort those in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God”

 

So …there it is friends… It’s life. It’s probably more the enemy’s fault and his seeking to mock us before God. Drop the blame God game and look at the mercy also involved. Lets use this kind of stuff to become more like the Lord and spread love, compassion & help.