We are Blessed

Hello my name is Jasper- Praise the Lord! I was watching the news and various other TV shows and as I watched the news I heard of so many killings, senseless murders, women and children being killed, 2 men shot one another in road rage, the chemical warfare and Syria, the flooding that they're having in Colorado, and the fires in California. So much killing and destruction going on today, but we who know Jesus and have the spirit of the Lord inside of us know that we are covered by his blood. I can't imagine today living my life outside of the body of Christ. But knowing Him, having a relationship with Him, I know I can call His name or say a prayer and ask Him to surround me with his angels or put a hedge of protection around me. And I believe with all my heart that he will hear my cry and protect me. This is a gift that a lot of people are sorry to say don't have. Like a lot of people even after I turned my life over to the care of God I did things that were not of God, but in time He opened my eyes by chastising me and it's a wonderful thing because scripture tells me "He only chastises those whom He loves". So I know to some it may seem like a horrible twist of fate but I understand why He allowed certain things to happen in my life. To calm me. To bring me into submission. To give me time to reflect on His word and to take a good look at the wonderful gift of life that He's given me. and I praise the Lord for that. So although we're living in a violent society filled with all kinds of traps and snares by the Devil, we do not fear because we know the Lord and his spirit, the kingdom, is inside of us. My name is Jasper, be blessed.

Staying on Track

Hello my name is Jasper and I'm a quad. I also consider myself to live a Christian life. It is a life that I now believe was chosen not by me, but by God. Looking back at my past behavior I've always been the kind of man who was self-willed, stubborn, tunnel-visioned, seldom listening to what others thought about my actions. As a result I hurt people- my family, my mom, and my grandparents. But you know when people love you, I mean a for real love, they don't cast you aside that easily. God is no exception, He loves us whether we're good or bad. He wants us to always be obedient to His word but when we're disobedient to His word he loves us still. He loved me when I stayed out nights, He loved me when I drank, when I partied too much, when I lied, and when I threw temper tantrums. He loved me all through my addiction but I also believe that during your struggles He sends you messages through other people. He sends you signs that He's working in your life. Made people, especially my friends, talk to me and gave me sound doctrine. But you have to be willing to listen because the words that are coming from them, but they're speaking through the spirit of God. He's put these people in your life to keep you on track. If that doesn't work He will allow you to get in situations that you can't get out of. For instance, I was once stopped on the expressway by the police and I had things in my car that I should not have had. Suddenly they got a call and had to leave as something more important was happening, but that was God. I survived two near fatal car crashes- one in which I lost my wife. But still I did not listen to the messages He was sending me. I even had a woman tell me that the enemy was going to be after me and I should watch very carefully what I do and where I go. She said "the Lord has given you many blessings but he's going to get tired of you not living your life right, and you don't want the Lord to chastise you". I brushed off her warning thinking she didn't know what she was talking about, but sometime after I had my second car crash in April of '09. I realized the Lord had chastised me. I believe for being disobedient to His word because I had given my life to him in 1994 but I still hadn't stopped doing the things I was doing. Although he sent me many blessings I see where I ignored them all. I don't know if He got tired of me or not, but I do believe He decided to chastise his child. But believe it or not that doesn't bother me for the scripture says "He chastised those who He loved". He had no intention of letting me die out on the expressway but he did slow me down so that I could become the person He wanted me to be so I could reflect back on my life, see my mistakes, and work towards helping others. So I encourage you to stop and take a long look at your life, focus on the messages that God has sent you, ask yourself "what am I doing with my life? Am I being what God wanted me to be?" Don't wait until God has to stop you- you may not like it.

I'm Jasper, and be blessed.