{"id":192,"date":"2014-03-20T19:43:32","date_gmt":"2014-03-21T01:43:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/?p=192"},"modified":"2014-03-20T19:43:32","modified_gmt":"2014-03-21T01:43:32","slug":"the-god-who-is-there","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/?p=192","title":{"rendered":"The God Who is There"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/strong>I am glad for the arrival of the first day of spring!Today was certainly a good spring day. It even looks like the rose bushes need to be trimmed back and some of the spring flowers are beginning to grow.<\/p>\n

My physical therapy session involved a surprise, my first attempt at some stairs. I did pretty good going down, but trying to get up was a different matter. I still need some leg strength to be able to push up to navigate the height of the stair. I worked with my therapist on a set schedule for each day for arms, shoulders and legs. Gaining strength and endurance will be key to gaining my goal of walking on my own some day.<\/p>\n

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTo you they cried out and were saved;<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/em>in you they trusted and were not put to shame.\u201d<\/em> \u00a0\u00a0 Psalms 22:5<\/p>\n

When I read the words of this verse I think of the stories that I have read recently where individuals in their distress cried out to the Lord and were saved. Saved from certain death, physically, emotionally,and spiritually.<\/p>\n

This makes me stand in awe of the Lord\u2019s mercy in the lives of people. The situations that I am referring to are not necessarlily people of strong faith. Many were the opposite. But when a dead end of even death was facing them they knew they needed help from a power greater than themselves. Not all ended up embracing a biblical faith or understanding of what it means to walk with Jesus. But many are still on that journey.<\/p>\n

I have been reading Andy Peterson\u2019s book \u201cSaved Twice.\u201d<\/em> Andy in 1998 was attackedby a mountain lion and miraculously survived. He grew up in a broken home and even at a young age dabbled in drugs and struggled with coping and finding himself in life.<\/p>\n

As Andy was wrestling with a mountain lion on Carpenter\u2019s Peak in South Jefferson County he cried to the Lord, \u201cGod help me!…I\u2019m sorry God! Please! I want to be remembered better. God please save me! I need you now!\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Andy was able to free himself literally from the jaws of the lion and run down a steep narrow trail to receive the emergency medical treatment needed to save his life.<\/p>\n

Here are the words of others\u2026in finding freedom from addictions<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI go down on my knees and I asked for this thing to be removed and it was\u2026That thing that I was absolutely powerless over, that had vanquished me for seventeen years, was lifted out of my life. And it hasn\u2019t come back since\u2026\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Christopher Kennedy Lawford<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to put you on the spot God. But if I shouldn\u2019t be doing this You better do something, because if it is up to me, I am going to use. I\u2019m turning it over to you! \u2026The minute I finished that prayer, it was like a switch went off\u2026the need to use was gone, miraculously!\u201d <\/em>David Black, writer for Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice, Law & Order<\/p>\n

\u201cI look back\u2026and I believe God saved me. I believe that. I absolutely believe that. I have no idea how nor do I know why\u2026He lead me to a point where I surrendered to Him\u2026Faith is a mystery..Faith really sustains me.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>Larry Kudlow, host of CNBC Kudlow & Company<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026desperately pleaded with God. I cannot do it any longer. I give up. Please help me! Suddenly something happened. The giant boulder I was carrying rolled off my shoulders. The heavy burden was gone..\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>Rudy Tomjanovich, former NBA star 1970-1981<\/p>\n

Perhaps these words provide a succinct conclusion\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not just believe in something greater than ourselves? I mean, there\u2019s got to be more than just spinning around the universe. There\u2019s something bigger, bigger and better. That\u2019s God, bigger and better.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Richard Lewis, Actor and Author\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (His words to the audience at end of his act)<\/p>\n

\u201cFor my thoughts are not your thoughts,<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>neither are your ways my ways,\u201ddeclares the <\/em>Lord<\/em>. \u00a0\u201cAs the heavens are higher than the earth,<\/em> so are my ways higher than your ways<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>and my thoughts than your thoughts.\u201d<\/em> \u00a0Isaiah 55:8,9<\/p>\n

\u201cCome to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.<\/em> \u00a0Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.\u00a0For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matthew 11:28-30<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0I am glad for the arrival of the first day of spring!Today was certainly a good spring day. It even looks like the rose bushes need to be trimmed back and some of the spring flowers are beginning to grow. My physical therapy session involved a surprise, my first attempt at some stairs. I did […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=192"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":193,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192\/revisions\/193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}