Luke 15:17-20
17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
This story is a portion of the parable talking about the Prodigal Son. How is prodigal defined? I remember the pastor at my church discussing this a couple months ago. She said prodigal means "spendthrift...one who spends lavishly - extravagantly." The son in the sciptures took his father's money and went away from home. He met new friends and wasted the money. We all know that money is a non-renewable resource so to speak - we can run out of it if we're not careful. That's what happened. He ran out of money and consequently so did his friends. He was left alone - without money, without food, and without a home.
However, the son went back to work for his dad. He was unsure whether he would be accepted as a family member but he knew it had to be better than what he was dealing with at the moment and that he would be paid.
His family was very accepting though and they more or less threw a party for him, upon his return. Sure, he made a mistake (and more than one), but his dad was grateful to have him home.
When you think about it, the same is the case between God and us. We can mess up BIG time. However, if we repent, know what we did wrong, and never make that mistake again, God will have that compassion for you that was described in the Bible. He will have his arms wide open for you.
Don't doubt that you're not messing up. We all do. Spend time with God each day understanding the things you know you did that were wrong. If you ask God to help keep you from making the same mistakes again, you will feel God's presence surround you. God is good!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Praising God Should Not be an Obligation.
Psalm 150:1-5
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
I've been to a few conferences and concerts with my youth group in the last year or two and all were amazing in their own way. Thousands of teenagers gathered together, all one for one common reason - to praise God. There's always such high energy in those arenas, auditoriums, conference centers, or in the "big room" as DCLA called it. Why is there so much energy? Is it because of the live bands? Is it because of the motivational and inspiring speakers? Every moment is like a huge teenage party for God.
I loved how we had to get a good seat too. In D.C., I know most nights we waited right by the entrance in the front to get into the "big room" for more than an hour. We were so excited!
Now, can you imagine walking into church every week rushing to get to the front row? I know it goes through our minds sometimes that we could be sleeping in on a Sunday morning or there are so many errands to get done today, therefore there's no reason to be excited for church. So we say "whatever" and we don't care about being in the front row. I don't understand why it's so hard to get going on a Sunday morning and it's not so hard at a conference or even a concert. I mean I can see why, but why can't we break out of these habits?
No matter which way you slice it, there's so much to celebrate. We really have no excuse not to praise God. He loves you like you can't imagine. There's no forcing you to praise God. Instead, be joyful toward God when you mean it. Pray about it though, and maybe you'll end up praying about it so much that you'll just end up praising him with your everything. Try to stop putting God on your whatever list!
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
I've been to a few conferences and concerts with my youth group in the last year or two and all were amazing in their own way. Thousands of teenagers gathered together, all one for one common reason - to praise God. There's always such high energy in those arenas, auditoriums, conference centers, or in the "big room" as DCLA called it. Why is there so much energy? Is it because of the live bands? Is it because of the motivational and inspiring speakers? Every moment is like a huge teenage party for God.
I loved how we had to get a good seat too. In D.C., I know most nights we waited right by the entrance in the front to get into the "big room" for more than an hour. We were so excited!
Now, can you imagine walking into church every week rushing to get to the front row? I know it goes through our minds sometimes that we could be sleeping in on a Sunday morning or there are so many errands to get done today, therefore there's no reason to be excited for church. So we say "whatever" and we don't care about being in the front row. I don't understand why it's so hard to get going on a Sunday morning and it's not so hard at a conference or even a concert. I mean I can see why, but why can't we break out of these habits?
No matter which way you slice it, there's so much to celebrate. We really have no excuse not to praise God. He loves you like you can't imagine. There's no forcing you to praise God. Instead, be joyful toward God when you mean it. Pray about it though, and maybe you'll end up praying about it so much that you'll just end up praising him with your everything. Try to stop putting God on your whatever list!
Monday, September 28, 2009
There are Rules for a Reason.
John 14:21
21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
It's a question that comes up far too often: Why does Christianity have all these [unreasonable] rules? It's thought that we have to follow God's rules very meticulously with absolutely no mistakes.
So God's commands are unreasonable? How about that last statement about not being able to mistakes? How is it possible to even be remotely human and obey God's rules perfectly?
Those of us that are Christians and know God, understand the truth. God made us, God loves us, God knows we're going to do things that are wrong and hurtful. He knows all this and more than we will ever know! God's rules are his way of trying to keep us from the unrighteous deeds and prevent us from getting hurt.
Think of a young child. He or she isn't to walk across the street without a parent. It seems obvious because well that would be silly (for a lack of a nice word) if a young child was allowed to run across the street. The same can be said for God's rules. If we don't follow them, we're foolish, and we can easily get hurt.
God is caring enough that he doesn't want us to have to face everything from guilt to hatred because those feelings are just a waste of time. That's why he gave us his commandments. If we just follow them, this worthless stuff is completely avoidable! God is simply trying to make our lives better and more efficient...not more difficult and testy.
21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
It's a question that comes up far too often: Why does Christianity have all these [unreasonable] rules? It's thought that we have to follow God's rules very meticulously with absolutely no mistakes.
So God's commands are unreasonable? How about that last statement about not being able to mistakes? How is it possible to even be remotely human and obey God's rules perfectly?
Those of us that are Christians and know God, understand the truth. God made us, God loves us, God knows we're going to do things that are wrong and hurtful. He knows all this and more than we will ever know! God's rules are his way of trying to keep us from the unrighteous deeds and prevent us from getting hurt.
Think of a young child. He or she isn't to walk across the street without a parent. It seems obvious because well that would be silly (for a lack of a nice word) if a young child was allowed to run across the street. The same can be said for God's rules. If we don't follow them, we're foolish, and we can easily get hurt.
God is caring enough that he doesn't want us to have to face everything from guilt to hatred because those feelings are just a waste of time. That's why he gave us his commandments. If we just follow them, this worthless stuff is completely avoidable! God is simply trying to make our lives better and more efficient...not more difficult and testy.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Walk in It.
Jeremiah 6:16
16 This is what the LORD says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'
Temptation is not absent. It is all around us. It says it's okay to do "x" because it won't do any harm. God's path has been laid out for us. It's our choice whether we abide by it or abandon it. Whenever Satan offers us something, he tricks us. It seems like his plan is a shortcut. He makes you think, "God isn't very satisfying at the moment." Satan hopes that you will give into his plan.
I don't advise listening to that voice because in the end, Satan steers you away from benefiting from God's love and blessings that he otherwise bestows upon us. Walk with Christ. Make a complete follow through. Don't just walk with him some of the time. The outcome can be devastating if you don't follow him.
Lord, forgive me today as we tend to steer away from your direction toward a path that promises happiness quicker and seemingly easier. Remind me that your path offers the one true joy, peace and, comfort. Let me walk confidently aware of my surroundings. Amen.
Have a blessed weekend!
16 This is what the LORD says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'
Temptation is not absent. It is all around us. It says it's okay to do "x" because it won't do any harm. God's path has been laid out for us. It's our choice whether we abide by it or abandon it. Whenever Satan offers us something, he tricks us. It seems like his plan is a shortcut. He makes you think, "God isn't very satisfying at the moment." Satan hopes that you will give into his plan.
I don't advise listening to that voice because in the end, Satan steers you away from benefiting from God's love and blessings that he otherwise bestows upon us. Walk with Christ. Make a complete follow through. Don't just walk with him some of the time. The outcome can be devastating if you don't follow him.
Lord, forgive me today as we tend to steer away from your direction toward a path that promises happiness quicker and seemingly easier. Remind me that your path offers the one true joy, peace and, comfort. Let me walk confidently aware of my surroundings. Amen.
Have a blessed weekend!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Living Out the Truth.
Matthew 10:14
14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you feel ignored? People all around you may be busy and you're left on your own do to do nothing. Or what if those people really are ignoring you and they're just pretending to be busy? It's not too far stretched of an idea.
In order to devote your time to God, you have to make a choice: a commitment. All this leads to consequences, good or bad, down the road. Do you live a lifestyle...Jesus style? If we don't accept God then chances are, we are being judgmental. There is never a time you should stop living for Jesus.
Some people are going to ignore or even reject you for even knowing God - that's judgmental. It's something that you'll just have to accept though. Just think about how many times God feels like we're rejecting him. Remember, when someone ignores you, that's just a TEMPORARY DECISION. However, if you choose to ignore God, that's an ETERNAL CONSEQUENCE
14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you feel ignored? People all around you may be busy and you're left on your own do to do nothing. Or what if those people really are ignoring you and they're just pretending to be busy? It's not too far stretched of an idea.
In order to devote your time to God, you have to make a choice: a commitment. All this leads to consequences, good or bad, down the road. Do you live a lifestyle...Jesus style? If we don't accept God then chances are, we are being judgmental. There is never a time you should stop living for Jesus.
Some people are going to ignore or even reject you for even knowing God - that's judgmental. It's something that you'll just have to accept though. Just think about how many times God feels like we're rejecting him. Remember, when someone ignores you, that's just a TEMPORARY DECISION. However, if you choose to ignore God, that's an ETERNAL CONSEQUENCE
Thursday, September 24, 2009
The Opportunity Will Come.
Ezekiel 3:19
19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.
It's my 300th post today!!!
There is so much that goes on around us in the world. We can miss certain things so quickly if we stay to ourselves and focus on ourselves. Sometimes our short comings later, and sometimes we don't.
That's not really the point though. The point is to try your best to pay attention to your surroundings. Why is that essential? You may have the perfect opportunity to talk to someone about being a Christian at the lunch table or at work.
Instead of looking at the situation as, if you don't follow this request, you will be punished, rather see it as a reward if you are successful in this. (Don't get stuck on this whole idea for too long either because that pulls you into the self-interest deal again). God wants you to have life instead of death!
Scripture tells us that each man is ultimately responsible for their OWN life and decisions. This will lead to an eternal life in a better place or eternal life in a miserable place and a distant relationship with God. Remember the free will discussion we got into a week or so ago? Don't take advantage of that gift!
God's grace certainly is free if you accept the Lord as your Savior, along with his mercy, grace, healing, and love.
If the expectations presented in this scripture could be summed up they would go something like this (as someone once said): "Look, believe and live."
Take a look at this video. More testimonies like Rifqa's can come true if we just look for opportunities.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.
It's my 300th post today!!!
There is so much that goes on around us in the world. We can miss certain things so quickly if we stay to ourselves and focus on ourselves. Sometimes our short comings later, and sometimes we don't.
That's not really the point though. The point is to try your best to pay attention to your surroundings. Why is that essential? You may have the perfect opportunity to talk to someone about being a Christian at the lunch table or at work.
Instead of looking at the situation as, if you don't follow this request, you will be punished, rather see it as a reward if you are successful in this. (Don't get stuck on this whole idea for too long either because that pulls you into the self-interest deal again). God wants you to have life instead of death!
Scripture tells us that each man is ultimately responsible for their OWN life and decisions. This will lead to an eternal life in a better place or eternal life in a miserable place and a distant relationship with God. Remember the free will discussion we got into a week or so ago? Don't take advantage of that gift!
God's grace certainly is free if you accept the Lord as your Savior, along with his mercy, grace, healing, and love.
If the expectations presented in this scripture could be summed up they would go something like this (as someone once said): "Look, believe and live."
Take a look at this video. More testimonies like Rifqa's can come true if we just look for opportunities.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
God is Holding You.
Hebrews 13:5
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."
For the sake of this post, only look at the last two lines of the verse above in particular. It's so comforting to realize that God is so real.
I can't even begin to explain to you the vast array of emotions that I felt this weekend and on Monday as we remembered the life of my great uncle. There were times of sorrow as we grieved his lost and have grown to miss him. Still, there were just as many, if not more, times of laughter as we had so many stories to tell about this wonderful man.
He was a very dedicated individual in both his work and his beliefs. His deeds weren't unnoticed in his town. He was involved in countless organizations from Rotary to Boys and Girls Club. Many knew him and he even knew many celebrities, like Jack Nicklaus. I enjoyed hearing about his business connections with them or his run ins with celebrities on the golf course. I think my most treasured memory with my uncle was when we would eat blue's clues applesauce together when I was little. He never failed to tell me any story, especially his voyages around the globe.
It's these memories that gets us through these times.
It's a strong family that gets us through these times.
It's prayers that get us through these times.
Most of all though, I think it's God who gets us through these times. He reminds us that he can not promise tomorrow for the earth is temporary, but on the bright side, there are far bigger and better things up in heaven to be anticipating. I know Uncle Jack will welcome us all!
In the meantime, just remember God always has you in the palm of your hand. Make sure you do your part and hang on to your faith everyday.
Listen to the encouraging song "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman. I know Uncle Jack wouldn't want me to let go.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."
For the sake of this post, only look at the last two lines of the verse above in particular. It's so comforting to realize that God is so real.
I can't even begin to explain to you the vast array of emotions that I felt this weekend and on Monday as we remembered the life of my great uncle. There were times of sorrow as we grieved his lost and have grown to miss him. Still, there were just as many, if not more, times of laughter as we had so many stories to tell about this wonderful man.
He was a very dedicated individual in both his work and his beliefs. His deeds weren't unnoticed in his town. He was involved in countless organizations from Rotary to Boys and Girls Club. Many knew him and he even knew many celebrities, like Jack Nicklaus. I enjoyed hearing about his business connections with them or his run ins with celebrities on the golf course. I think my most treasured memory with my uncle was when we would eat blue's clues applesauce together when I was little. He never failed to tell me any story, especially his voyages around the globe.
It's these memories that gets us through these times.
It's a strong family that gets us through these times.
It's prayers that get us through these times.
Most of all though, I think it's God who gets us through these times. He reminds us that he can not promise tomorrow for the earth is temporary, but on the bright side, there are far bigger and better things up in heaven to be anticipating. I know Uncle Jack will welcome us all!
In the meantime, just remember God always has you in the palm of your hand. Make sure you do your part and hang on to your faith everyday.
Listen to the encouraging song "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman. I know Uncle Jack wouldn't want me to let go.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Seeing Hope.
Romans 5:2-5
2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
The key phrase that sticks out to me here is "we know that suffering produces perseverance." I'm constantly reminded of that. It's in our most difficult times that God molds us into who we are. If everything was hunky dory, how would we ever be changed? As much as we don't want to see hardship, it reveals our character to God and everyone else.
What do you think today's passage is all about? Rather than seeing it as one of suffering, I see it as a hopeful passage. I know it has the words "sufferings" in the passage. Just hear me out though. Our mind automatically correlates the words above to our sufferings. Is it because we deal with so much suffering in this temporary life? Is it because praising God in our times of pain is completely unreasonable? We must realize that our pain does not mean that God wants nothing to do with us nor does it mean that God enjoys seeing people suffer. I mean, look at Jesus and what he dealt with on the cross...
I mentioned the fact that God can make you strong after any given situation. In addition, he can make extraordinary realities stem from anything. Eventually, once you learn to suffer in Christ, you will end up placing your hope in him. He then responds by placing his hope in us, which is a direct result from his Holy Spirit.
May you be hopeful every single day!
Here's a beautiful song that ought to make you hopeful: "I Will Rise" by Chris Tomlin.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
The key phrase that sticks out to me here is "we know that suffering produces perseverance." I'm constantly reminded of that. It's in our most difficult times that God molds us into who we are. If everything was hunky dory, how would we ever be changed? As much as we don't want to see hardship, it reveals our character to God and everyone else.
What do you think today's passage is all about? Rather than seeing it as one of suffering, I see it as a hopeful passage. I know it has the words "sufferings" in the passage. Just hear me out though. Our mind automatically correlates the words above to our sufferings. Is it because we deal with so much suffering in this temporary life? Is it because praising God in our times of pain is completely unreasonable? We must realize that our pain does not mean that God wants nothing to do with us nor does it mean that God enjoys seeing people suffer. I mean, look at Jesus and what he dealt with on the cross...
I mentioned the fact that God can make you strong after any given situation. In addition, he can make extraordinary realities stem from anything. Eventually, once you learn to suffer in Christ, you will end up placing your hope in him. He then responds by placing his hope in us, which is a direct result from his Holy Spirit.
May you be hopeful every single day!
Here's a beautiful song that ought to make you hopeful: "I Will Rise" by Chris Tomlin.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Hope in a Time of Heartache.
Lamentations 3:21-24
21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
Today's scripture I'm bringing to you is from the book of Lamentations As soon as I read over this passage, I looked at the name of the book...Lamentations. I noticed something ironic about the name. It had the word lament in it, which means to show sorrow or mourn for.
On late Monday night, my parents and I received the sad news that my great uncle had passed away earlier that day. It appeared that it was a peaceful passing, I might add. It was a bit shocking though. I write this post less than 24 hours after we received the news. The irony in all this is that I've been lamenting my great uncle's death (just ironic given the name of the book). I haven't been able to accomplish much since because quite often an image comes to my mind and I can't concentrate on anything else. My body feels weak, almost like I have the flu without any of the symptoms - other than the achy-ness. It's not like I'm doing it on purpose. One other note I noticed was the play on words of morning (mourning) in the passage, having basically the same effect to me as the irony.
As for the meaning of the scripture, I believe it's pretty self-explanatory. Due to God's great amount of compassion and love, I have hope. There's no reason I shouldn't. I know I would be more miserable if I didn't have God. As for applying the meaning to yesterday's scripture, I have to trust that I will be strengthened by all of this in the end. I need to really use all of my faith in this situation.
Obviously, we can't get our loved ones who died back here on Earth. However, if I ask the Lord to make a stronghold in our family, I know he will. Sometimes, you can't just take what the Bible says so literally, but instead apply it to your life in a more realistic sense.
He doesn't let all this happen because he doesn't care. He does care. It's more or less to bring out one's faith and to teach certain lessons.
I leave you today with the request to pray for my family and everyone who knew this inspiring man. Comfort us all, Lord. Thank you!
Thank you Tenth Avenue North for writing the incredible song "By Your Side!"
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
Today's scripture I'm bringing to you is from the book of Lamentations As soon as I read over this passage, I looked at the name of the book...Lamentations. I noticed something ironic about the name. It had the word lament in it, which means to show sorrow or mourn for.
On late Monday night, my parents and I received the sad news that my great uncle had passed away earlier that day. It appeared that it was a peaceful passing, I might add. It was a bit shocking though. I write this post less than 24 hours after we received the news. The irony in all this is that I've been lamenting my great uncle's death (just ironic given the name of the book). I haven't been able to accomplish much since because quite often an image comes to my mind and I can't concentrate on anything else. My body feels weak, almost like I have the flu without any of the symptoms - other than the achy-ness. It's not like I'm doing it on purpose. One other note I noticed was the play on words of morning (mourning) in the passage, having basically the same effect to me as the irony.
As for the meaning of the scripture, I believe it's pretty self-explanatory. Due to God's great amount of compassion and love, I have hope. There's no reason I shouldn't. I know I would be more miserable if I didn't have God. As for applying the meaning to yesterday's scripture, I have to trust that I will be strengthened by all of this in the end. I need to really use all of my faith in this situation.
Obviously, we can't get our loved ones who died back here on Earth. However, if I ask the Lord to make a stronghold in our family, I know he will. Sometimes, you can't just take what the Bible says so literally, but instead apply it to your life in a more realistic sense.
He doesn't let all this happen because he doesn't care. He does care. It's more or less to bring out one's faith and to teach certain lessons.
I leave you today with the request to pray for my family and everyone who knew this inspiring man. Comfort us all, Lord. Thank you!
Thank you Tenth Avenue North for writing the incredible song "By Your Side!"
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Making the Impossible, Possible.
Romans 4:18-21
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Abraham is a great example of a hopeful individual. He was 100 years old, and his wife Sarah was 90 years old. Abraham was childless.
What would you have done...given up and lost all hope? Abraham wouldn't. When there wasn't hope, Abraham believed. He felt God had promised him something and he knew God wouldn't let him down. Can you say the same? Do you believe God has power? Are you convinced that God's promises are the truth via the Bible? It's unanimous to me. God will stick firm to his promises. In reality, his character never changes, something that we're not exactly used to hearing as humans.
You may have a situation that seems impossible. Do you think God can make it possible? Or have you lost all sense of hope?
Use Abraham's faith as a model for your life. Anyone would probably say that Sarah can not get pregnant because of her age. You have to trust in the Lord...He won't let you down this way. Nonetheless, Sarah had a baby named Issac. God promised and he went through with it!
More about this tomorrow.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Abraham is a great example of a hopeful individual. He was 100 years old, and his wife Sarah was 90 years old. Abraham was childless.
What would you have done...given up and lost all hope? Abraham wouldn't. When there wasn't hope, Abraham believed. He felt God had promised him something and he knew God wouldn't let him down. Can you say the same? Do you believe God has power? Are you convinced that God's promises are the truth via the Bible? It's unanimous to me. God will stick firm to his promises. In reality, his character never changes, something that we're not exactly used to hearing as humans.
You may have a situation that seems impossible. Do you think God can make it possible? Or have you lost all sense of hope?
Use Abraham's faith as a model for your life. Anyone would probably say that Sarah can not get pregnant because of her age. You have to trust in the Lord...He won't let you down this way. Nonetheless, Sarah had a baby named Issac. God promised and he went through with it!
More about this tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
God is Supreme.
Isaiah 6:1
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
There is no doubt that one day you will come face to face with God. We're promised that in the Bible. We will be standing at the foot of his throne. Isaiah tells us that he saw the Lord seated on his throne when King Uzziah died.
Why is he seated on a throne? He is seated on a throne because he is lifted high and very superior. Not everyone treats him as the King of all Kings, but they should start now because one day they will stand before him and there's no turning back.
He is seated on a throne because he reigns. He has the power that you could never think of. He is the one who has all the authority to make human beings and other things in nature.
He is seated on a throne because he should be worshiped. Can you call out to God today and "say Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord Almighty?" Or are you saving it for tomorrow? Call out these words out now!
We need to worship God because this helps us feel his presence. This can be singing or praying - as long as we lift up his name. Besides prayer, I can't tell you how much his music uplifts me.
Do you create time to worship God each day? If so, how do you worship him? Take this time to reflect on your worship time with the Lord.
The song "He Reigns" by Newsboys is highly appropriate for today's post.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
There is no doubt that one day you will come face to face with God. We're promised that in the Bible. We will be standing at the foot of his throne. Isaiah tells us that he saw the Lord seated on his throne when King Uzziah died.
Why is he seated on a throne? He is seated on a throne because he is lifted high and very superior. Not everyone treats him as the King of all Kings, but they should start now because one day they will stand before him and there's no turning back.
He is seated on a throne because he reigns. He has the power that you could never think of. He is the one who has all the authority to make human beings and other things in nature.
He is seated on a throne because he should be worshiped. Can you call out to God today and "say Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord Almighty?" Or are you saving it for tomorrow? Call out these words out now!
We need to worship God because this helps us feel his presence. This can be singing or praying - as long as we lift up his name. Besides prayer, I can't tell you how much his music uplifts me.
Do you create time to worship God each day? If so, how do you worship him? Take this time to reflect on your worship time with the Lord.
The song "He Reigns" by Newsboys is highly appropriate for today's post.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
A Wait Well Worth It.
Hebrews 12:2
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Imagine with all your mind someone giving a baby a big hug. It's be nice to think of something so pleasant. Talk about something encouraging, think about running a race and someone standing at the finish line, smiling, as they wait for you. What about that glowing look in someone's eyes when they love you?
This is amazing, but it's simply what the Lord's love for you is like. He suffered at the cross, more than we can imagine, but he'd probably tell us something like "Look at it this way, I'd do it again if it meant having you as my child to love. It's all worth it."
God is the never ending source of love. He loved his son and he loves YOU! Not only that but his love is eternal, his love is overwhelming, and his love NEVER FAILS! One day we'll be with Jesus and it is going to be well worth the wait! I know God has his arms stretched out especially for you. Don't forget that as you go about your day.
Jordin Sparks has song lyrics that go like this:
"[I] just wanna see you smile
feel your sunlight
shining over me."
This is what it feels like to be open to God's love."
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Imagine with all your mind someone giving a baby a big hug. It's be nice to think of something so pleasant. Talk about something encouraging, think about running a race and someone standing at the finish line, smiling, as they wait for you. What about that glowing look in someone's eyes when they love you?
This is amazing, but it's simply what the Lord's love for you is like. He suffered at the cross, more than we can imagine, but he'd probably tell us something like "Look at it this way, I'd do it again if it meant having you as my child to love. It's all worth it."
God is the never ending source of love. He loved his son and he loves YOU! Not only that but his love is eternal, his love is overwhelming, and his love NEVER FAILS! One day we'll be with Jesus and it is going to be well worth the wait! I know God has his arms stretched out especially for you. Don't forget that as you go about your day.
Jordin Sparks has song lyrics that go like this:
"[I] just wanna see you smile
feel your sunlight
shining over me."
This is what it feels like to be open to God's love."
Monday, September 14, 2009
Free Will.
Joshua 24:15
15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
I want to spend a little bit of time talking about the free will that we have. Not only do we have the freedoms to practice this religion, but God gives us the opportunity to have some freedom. Of course, some of this freedom can hurt us in the end, but God wants us to learn from our mistakes. It's never too late to start over either.
Can you imagine being FORCED to believe in God? I know it wouldn't work for me. I need to see for myself what the purpose of something is. If I'm forced to go to church, which I'm not, then I would see church on a whole new level. I wouldn't appreciate going there. Instead, I watched my parents go to church and be the role models they should be. They showed me what it was like to go to church and have God in my life without shoving it down my throat. I followed suit and sooner or later I enjoyed being a Christian.
Now let's switch gears and look at the biblical standpoint of this. God did so much for the Israelites, but they had to make a very important choice. They could worship other Gods, they could follow the religion of the new land they had entered, or they could even follow the God that brought them out of slavery. Joshua knew exactly which choice was ideal for him and his family. However, some of the Israelites used the most of their free will to worship other Gods.
Be careful with free will. We can make our decisions, for example, but try your best to make decisions for the grace of the one and only God. Happy free choices!
15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
I want to spend a little bit of time talking about the free will that we have. Not only do we have the freedoms to practice this religion, but God gives us the opportunity to have some freedom. Of course, some of this freedom can hurt us in the end, but God wants us to learn from our mistakes. It's never too late to start over either.
Can you imagine being FORCED to believe in God? I know it wouldn't work for me. I need to see for myself what the purpose of something is. If I'm forced to go to church, which I'm not, then I would see church on a whole new level. I wouldn't appreciate going there. Instead, I watched my parents go to church and be the role models they should be. They showed me what it was like to go to church and have God in my life without shoving it down my throat. I followed suit and sooner or later I enjoyed being a Christian.
Now let's switch gears and look at the biblical standpoint of this. God did so much for the Israelites, but they had to make a very important choice. They could worship other Gods, they could follow the religion of the new land they had entered, or they could even follow the God that brought them out of slavery. Joshua knew exactly which choice was ideal for him and his family. However, some of the Israelites used the most of their free will to worship other Gods.
Be careful with free will. We can make our decisions, for example, but try your best to make decisions for the grace of the one and only God. Happy free choices!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
God Never Takes a Vacation.
Isaiah 43:2-3
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
How often do we feel like we're distant from God...like he's not paying any attention to us? I think we all wonder this sometimes, despite God's promises that he's not abandoning us as it says in another passage in the passage: "for I will never leave or forsake you."
Just look around you though and God is all around you. Through the nature, trees, the rivers, and even people. Sometimes it's just so nice to relax and listen to nature and its sounds. It can very soothing and tranquil.
God thinks of you highly, so he would never leave you. He just may be testing your faith and how true you are to your faith and how much you stand your ground. Do you stomp on your ground when it comes to your faith letting everyone know about it? Do you run across your ground quickly barely getting anything across to people? Do you tiptoe on your ground barely hanging on to your faith? Which of those three questions best applies to you? That's something to think about.
Back to what I was saying a moment ago, because God created you, he is NEVER going to abandon or ignore you. He will be right beside you through thick and thin with difficulty. He is the one that people can seek for security and victory. This way, they can thank God for getting them through their struggles.
The Bible tells us time and time again that God will never leave us. This way, we have evidence. It's a clear reminder because sometimes when we're in the middle of circumstances, we forget God's truth and his Word. We also know that God will never leave us because of our faith we have in him. Believe so that you won't come to question yourselves!
Have a great weekend! I know I was a bit spontaneous this week in my thoughts; I have no idea why. Even now as I tell you to feel free to listen to this great song by Relient K: "Never Underestimate My Jesus." There are no lyrics today on the video because the video itself is very good. If you want to see the lyrics please go to: http://www.lyrics007.com/Relient%20K%20Lyrics/Never%20Underestimate%20My%20Jesus%20Lyrics.html
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
How often do we feel like we're distant from God...like he's not paying any attention to us? I think we all wonder this sometimes, despite God's promises that he's not abandoning us as it says in another passage in the passage: "for I will never leave or forsake you."
Just look around you though and God is all around you. Through the nature, trees, the rivers, and even people. Sometimes it's just so nice to relax and listen to nature and its sounds. It can very soothing and tranquil.
God thinks of you highly, so he would never leave you. He just may be testing your faith and how true you are to your faith and how much you stand your ground. Do you stomp on your ground when it comes to your faith letting everyone know about it? Do you run across your ground quickly barely getting anything across to people? Do you tiptoe on your ground barely hanging on to your faith? Which of those three questions best applies to you? That's something to think about.
Back to what I was saying a moment ago, because God created you, he is NEVER going to abandon or ignore you. He will be right beside you through thick and thin with difficulty. He is the one that people can seek for security and victory. This way, they can thank God for getting them through their struggles.
The Bible tells us time and time again that God will never leave us. This way, we have evidence. It's a clear reminder because sometimes when we're in the middle of circumstances, we forget God's truth and his Word. We also know that God will never leave us because of our faith we have in him. Believe so that you won't come to question yourselves!
Have a great weekend! I know I was a bit spontaneous this week in my thoughts; I have no idea why. Even now as I tell you to feel free to listen to this great song by Relient K: "Never Underestimate My Jesus." There are no lyrics today on the video because the video itself is very good. If you want to see the lyrics please go to: http://www.lyrics007.com/Relient%20K%20Lyrics/Never%20Underestimate%20My%20Jesus%20Lyrics.html
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Don't Make Excuses for Yourself.
Matthew 7:3-5
3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Whenever I write a paper I do my best to proofread and catch my mistakes. Obviously, I could never be perfect, but I always try and do my best. There are certain items that we don't catch because we're so used to our own style of writing and sometime cliche language. Our conversational speech can sometimes slip into our writing...it's dangerous! Our mind often never sees it as incorrect; it almost blocks certain things out.
It's easier to read one of my peers' papers because it's a fresh perspective and a fresh read. It's not very hard to speak of the grammar and context issues to my peers. Often we insult others' work by nagging on them about every last error when we're not even that harsh to ourselves. That's just not right.
We're always told to put others before ourselves. Sometimes I believe we take that phrase too literally and we apply it in all aspects of life. In other words, think of others before oneself. We have to be careful with these phrases because there's ranking going on (you shouldn't necessarily see yourself to a lower degree than someone else). Take care of yourself too and just remember to balance it by doing kind deeds for others as you feel the need.
Therefore, we shouldn't put others mistakes before ours. That's not what we're told, is it? By doing this, it makes us look like disrespectful fools who are better than anyone else and in essence, this does not put others first at all.
From the Christian standpoint, it can be tricky to avoid pointing out other people's spiritual mistakes. Jesus tells us that we should examine our own weaknesses before we harp on weaknesses of others though. There are no excuses!
P.S. I can't believe today marks the eight year anniversary of 9/11. In much of the same way as described above, we shouldn't be quick to judge those who are of middle eastern descent. The ones involved in the terrorist attacks obviously made some very poor and cruel decisions, but don't we sometimes as well? Don't be a hypocrite!
God bless!
3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Whenever I write a paper I do my best to proofread and catch my mistakes. Obviously, I could never be perfect, but I always try and do my best. There are certain items that we don't catch because we're so used to our own style of writing and sometime cliche language. Our conversational speech can sometimes slip into our writing...it's dangerous! Our mind often never sees it as incorrect; it almost blocks certain things out.
It's easier to read one of my peers' papers because it's a fresh perspective and a fresh read. It's not very hard to speak of the grammar and context issues to my peers. Often we insult others' work by nagging on them about every last error when we're not even that harsh to ourselves. That's just not right.
We're always told to put others before ourselves. Sometimes I believe we take that phrase too literally and we apply it in all aspects of life. In other words, think of others before oneself. We have to be careful with these phrases because there's ranking going on (you shouldn't necessarily see yourself to a lower degree than someone else). Take care of yourself too and just remember to balance it by doing kind deeds for others as you feel the need.
Therefore, we shouldn't put others mistakes before ours. That's not what we're told, is it? By doing this, it makes us look like disrespectful fools who are better than anyone else and in essence, this does not put others first at all.
From the Christian standpoint, it can be tricky to avoid pointing out other people's spiritual mistakes. Jesus tells us that we should examine our own weaknesses before we harp on weaknesses of others though. There are no excuses!
P.S. I can't believe today marks the eight year anniversary of 9/11. In much of the same way as described above, we shouldn't be quick to judge those who are of middle eastern descent. The ones involved in the terrorist attacks obviously made some very poor and cruel decisions, but don't we sometimes as well? Don't be a hypocrite!
God bless!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The Need to be Patient.
Proverbs 14:29
29 A patient man has great understanding,
but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
Life has so much to offer; some things are appealing, and some things are just a complete nuisance. For the sake of this post, I'm going to talk about those events in life that can become bothersome, at least for a moment. It can be the unrelenting homework that never seems to be relevant or the disrespect that certain people give to others. These are not fun to deal with.
Sometimes it feels like these facts of life are just being thrown at us by Satan and he's just pecking at us to try to get us to go against the Fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22). Too often it's natural for us, as human beings, to become extremely flustered and aggravated,appalled, or even insulted. The Bible tells us that responding quickly in anger is foolish, so we must be careful. I've mentioned it before, but anger doesn't solve anything. It only heightens the particular issue.
If we decide, however, to approach our problems with patience, it is far more successful this way. All in all, it shows that you have a great deal of understanding, something that every one of us needs to gain.
Patience might be something you want to improve on right about now so that the Fruit of the Spirit can exist within us. Be careful how you ask for it though. A couple people have told me, and one just recently, something like "Be careful how you pray about patience. Often we are granted more tribulations as a result." I'm not exactly sure what they mean by this, as for where it fits in my life, not with regard to literal meaning. I don't know if I can fully believe this saying because I don't remember actually experiencing a situation of the sort. Perhaps what is meant (in a slightly different context) is if you pray for patience, you're going to get more situations to practice that patience. I think that makes more sense. Therefore, pray for strength so that we can be strong and therefore patient in our situations.
“God's way of answering the Christian's prayer for more patience, experience, hope and love often is to put him into the furnace of affliction” ~Richard Cecil quotes
29 A patient man has great understanding,
but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
Life has so much to offer; some things are appealing, and some things are just a complete nuisance. For the sake of this post, I'm going to talk about those events in life that can become bothersome, at least for a moment. It can be the unrelenting homework that never seems to be relevant or the disrespect that certain people give to others. These are not fun to deal with.
Sometimes it feels like these facts of life are just being thrown at us by Satan and he's just pecking at us to try to get us to go against the Fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22). Too often it's natural for us, as human beings, to become extremely flustered and aggravated,appalled, or even insulted. The Bible tells us that responding quickly in anger is foolish, so we must be careful. I've mentioned it before, but anger doesn't solve anything. It only heightens the particular issue.
If we decide, however, to approach our problems with patience, it is far more successful this way. All in all, it shows that you have a great deal of understanding, something that every one of us needs to gain.
Patience might be something you want to improve on right about now so that the Fruit of the Spirit can exist within us. Be careful how you ask for it though. A couple people have told me, and one just recently, something like "Be careful how you pray about patience. Often we are granted more tribulations as a result." I'm not exactly sure what they mean by this, as for where it fits in my life, not with regard to literal meaning. I don't know if I can fully believe this saying because I don't remember actually experiencing a situation of the sort. Perhaps what is meant (in a slightly different context) is if you pray for patience, you're going to get more situations to practice that patience. I think that makes more sense. Therefore, pray for strength so that we can be strong and therefore patient in our situations.
“God's way of answering the Christian's prayer for more patience, experience, hope and love often is to put him into the furnace of affliction” ~Richard Cecil quotes
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Coming to God's Level.
Psalm 143:10
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.
Have you ever felt like you're being bombarded with so many thoughts at once? It happens, does it not? It can be a whole mixture of thoughts: good thoughts, bad thoughts, middle ground thoughts. Either way these thoughts are influential in some way. We either say them or keep them to ourselves. Sometimes we say the wrong thing.
If you listen hard enough and are actively involved in the Word of God then you very well could hear some things that God is saying to you. You might not know it's God, as you may think it's your conscience. If they're thoughts that can benefit the lives of others, then I'd say it's pretty safe to claim those words as God's.
These words by God are to help keep you on the right path, among other things. He wants you to follow him. It takes some practice, if you will, to hear these callings, but these are not only the words of God, but they are words of his Holy Spirit to fill your hearts with his thoughts.
The scripture says "Lead me on level ground." Why level ground? Why not up a mountain, since that's they way you think you'd head with God? We know that the writer of this Psalm is crying out to God to save him from his foul thoughts. By saying "lead me on level ground" the writer means that he doesn't want to have any thoughts that show superiority over God. He now wants to follow God's will.
Do you feel like you can ask God to "lead you on level ground"? Or do you feel like you're up above, on the highest mountain? Or do you feel even like you're deep below the sea? You don't want to underestimate God's power either. Try to bring yourself up or down respectively to the surface so that you can be right on cue with God's word.
"It certainly must help us if we recognize that it is the presence of the Holy Spirit which creates a unity which we can never create." ~Roland Allen
Here's the song "Heaven Is The Face" by Steven Curtis Chapman.
It's 09/09/09!!!
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.
Have you ever felt like you're being bombarded with so many thoughts at once? It happens, does it not? It can be a whole mixture of thoughts: good thoughts, bad thoughts, middle ground thoughts. Either way these thoughts are influential in some way. We either say them or keep them to ourselves. Sometimes we say the wrong thing.
If you listen hard enough and are actively involved in the Word of God then you very well could hear some things that God is saying to you. You might not know it's God, as you may think it's your conscience. If they're thoughts that can benefit the lives of others, then I'd say it's pretty safe to claim those words as God's.
These words by God are to help keep you on the right path, among other things. He wants you to follow him. It takes some practice, if you will, to hear these callings, but these are not only the words of God, but they are words of his Holy Spirit to fill your hearts with his thoughts.
The scripture says "Lead me on level ground." Why level ground? Why not up a mountain, since that's they way you think you'd head with God? We know that the writer of this Psalm is crying out to God to save him from his foul thoughts. By saying "lead me on level ground" the writer means that he doesn't want to have any thoughts that show superiority over God. He now wants to follow God's will.
Do you feel like you can ask God to "lead you on level ground"? Or do you feel like you're up above, on the highest mountain? Or do you feel even like you're deep below the sea? You don't want to underestimate God's power either. Try to bring yourself up or down respectively to the surface so that you can be right on cue with God's word.
"It certainly must help us if we recognize that it is the presence of the Holy Spirit which creates a unity which we can never create." ~Roland Allen
Here's the song "Heaven Is The Face" by Steven Curtis Chapman.
It's 09/09/09!!!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Power of God Exists in Our Weakness.
Romans 8:26
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Have you ever had one of those days where your tongue is tied and you're just eating your words constantly? Whatever you say doesn't make sense, not only to you, but to others as well. Sometimes though you know you couldn't possibly come up with the words that came out of your mouth and you realize that God intervened.
The same thing happens sometimes when I'm praying. Sometimes, I almost get so caught up in the moment that I'm speechless and I have no idea what to say as I come before God with my joys and concerns. It's like my mixture of emotions are eating up my words. Still, God has his ways. My heart may be heavy, but God can sift through that junk to listen to my prayers and even answer them. Obviously, my words are limited in this case, and God does an incredible thing. You know, that's why God gives us his spirit when we ever so feel the need for it. It makes our words not known to man, known to God. Even the groans, grumbles, and heartaches, God hears them all. He knows how we feel. For those unsaid prayers, God works using the Holy Spirit because he has the mighty strength and presence to understand them. I find it absolutely incredible that God can use his power to cancel out our weakness(es).
I may be at a loss for words, Lord, but you know how to fill my mouth. I know that you will answer my prayers as long as it coincides with your will. You know what I need before I can even come up with the words to ask you for it. Thank you for giving me your wonderful and oh so Holy Spirit.
A nice song to listen to on this Tuesday is Word of God Speak by MercyMe. Feel free to watch the video below.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Have you ever had one of those days where your tongue is tied and you're just eating your words constantly? Whatever you say doesn't make sense, not only to you, but to others as well. Sometimes though you know you couldn't possibly come up with the words that came out of your mouth and you realize that God intervened.
The same thing happens sometimes when I'm praying. Sometimes, I almost get so caught up in the moment that I'm speechless and I have no idea what to say as I come before God with my joys and concerns. It's like my mixture of emotions are eating up my words. Still, God has his ways. My heart may be heavy, but God can sift through that junk to listen to my prayers and even answer them. Obviously, my words are limited in this case, and God does an incredible thing. You know, that's why God gives us his spirit when we ever so feel the need for it. It makes our words not known to man, known to God. Even the groans, grumbles, and heartaches, God hears them all. He knows how we feel. For those unsaid prayers, God works using the Holy Spirit because he has the mighty strength and presence to understand them. I find it absolutely incredible that God can use his power to cancel out our weakness(es).
I may be at a loss for words, Lord, but you know how to fill my mouth. I know that you will answer my prayers as long as it coincides with your will. You know what I need before I can even come up with the words to ask you for it. Thank you for giving me your wonderful and oh so Holy Spirit.
A nice song to listen to on this Tuesday is Word of God Speak by MercyMe. Feel free to watch the video below.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Pure Evil.
Proverbs 3:27-28
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
"Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"—
when you now have it with you.
On Saturday, I opened up my Bible and I read these two verses, among others, and it hit me. What am I holding back? Not only did this page include the scripture I put up here for you on Saturday, but the two verses that I'm sharing with you now. I don't find it ironic at all. It's a God thing, for sure.
I was devastated by the news that I heard on Friday afternoon. A friend of mine in my senior class, who I just got to know this year (in the last 10 days), lost her father. It wasn't just because of natural causes either. Instead, it had to be because of the evilness that exists in this world. He was shot and killed in his convenience store mostly likely because of a random robbery. How wrong is that? How is that fair? It's one of those situations where you wouldn't know how to calm someone. It's so difficult to say "be strong and keep believing" when something so tragic has happened.
It seems that this is going to be one of those circumstances where actions will prove to better than words. Of course one can say kind words - and practically anything - but you'd never know if they truly meant it until such words were presented.
Do you ever get that feeling that just never leaves your side? All weekend I've had the feeling that I needed to do something for her since God apparently placed me in her life just before a monumental crisis. Just like the Word says above, she deserves everything that can possibly be good. She is so caring and kind herself. How can I hold back from paying back the respect. At this point, I believe the least thing I can do for her is attend her father's funeral later today to show that I care about her. The best news in all of this darkness is that so many people support and care for her just like I do.
So, as you can see it's been a very sad weekend for me. Please pray that God will comfort and heal the family, including my friend's sister, her mother, and extended family. Thank you!
I wish there was an easy way to explain the message of the song "There Will Be A Day" (by Jeremy Camp - continuing on that kick) to the family. It's a great song to listen to when you're struggling...it provides a reassuring feeling.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
"Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"—
when you now have it with you.
On Saturday, I opened up my Bible and I read these two verses, among others, and it hit me. What am I holding back? Not only did this page include the scripture I put up here for you on Saturday, but the two verses that I'm sharing with you now. I don't find it ironic at all. It's a God thing, for sure.
I was devastated by the news that I heard on Friday afternoon. A friend of mine in my senior class, who I just got to know this year (in the last 10 days), lost her father. It wasn't just because of natural causes either. Instead, it had to be because of the evilness that exists in this world. He was shot and killed in his convenience store mostly likely because of a random robbery. How wrong is that? How is that fair? It's one of those situations where you wouldn't know how to calm someone. It's so difficult to say "be strong and keep believing" when something so tragic has happened.
It seems that this is going to be one of those circumstances where actions will prove to better than words. Of course one can say kind words - and practically anything - but you'd never know if they truly meant it until such words were presented.
Do you ever get that feeling that just never leaves your side? All weekend I've had the feeling that I needed to do something for her since God apparently placed me in her life just before a monumental crisis. Just like the Word says above, she deserves everything that can possibly be good. She is so caring and kind herself. How can I hold back from paying back the respect. At this point, I believe the least thing I can do for her is attend her father's funeral later today to show that I care about her. The best news in all of this darkness is that so many people support and care for her just like I do.
So, as you can see it's been a very sad weekend for me. Please pray that God will comfort and heal the family, including my friend's sister, her mother, and extended family. Thank you!
I wish there was an easy way to explain the message of the song "There Will Be A Day" (by Jeremy Camp - continuing on that kick) to the family. It's a great song to listen to when you're struggling...it provides a reassuring feeling.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Don't be Fake.
Proverbs 3:3-4
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
What makes you who you are? A lot of it probably has to with our actions. Our character is determined by our love and faithfulness and not only that but how honest and open we are with our love and faith, according to this verse.
These are not traits that we can just throw up in the air and say "who cares?" They're a big deal. We shouldn't be fake about it either. We have to work on getting rid of our dual nature. Pick a side. Don't go to church on Sunday and act loving and faithful and then drop it on Sunday afternoon. It's an all or nothing deal that God's looking for. The truth of these matters need to be permanently sealed in your heart. Do something that will remind you of this everyday. Perhaps write a note to yourself promising that you will be true to your integrity and leave it in a spot that you will read everyday.
If you plan on being faithful, then you have to be filled with truth in everything you do and say. If we don't make these virtues a part of our everyday lives, then they will miscalculated in our identities. However, if they are a part of who we are, we will come to be noticed at the very least by others, and certainly by God.
Oh Lord, please engrave true love and faith onto our hearts today so that we be can be open to your power.
Have a wonderful long weekend!
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
What makes you who you are? A lot of it probably has to with our actions. Our character is determined by our love and faithfulness and not only that but how honest and open we are with our love and faith, according to this verse.
These are not traits that we can just throw up in the air and say "who cares?" They're a big deal. We shouldn't be fake about it either. We have to work on getting rid of our dual nature. Pick a side. Don't go to church on Sunday and act loving and faithful and then drop it on Sunday afternoon. It's an all or nothing deal that God's looking for. The truth of these matters need to be permanently sealed in your heart. Do something that will remind you of this everyday. Perhaps write a note to yourself promising that you will be true to your integrity and leave it in a spot that you will read everyday.
If you plan on being faithful, then you have to be filled with truth in everything you do and say. If we don't make these virtues a part of our everyday lives, then they will miscalculated in our identities. However, if they are a part of who we are, we will come to be noticed at the very least by others, and certainly by God.
Oh Lord, please engrave true love and faith onto our hearts today so that we be can be open to your power.
Have a wonderful long weekend!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Come, You've Been Chosen.
John 15:16
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
Have you ever been chosen last for something? Take for example two captains who are choosing people to be on their teams in a sport like basketball or something. They go back and forth choosing everyone but you to be their teammate. It just seems like you're never going to get called. Finally, after what feels like years, you get picked. You wonder, did everyone forget about you? Why me?
You don't have to worry about any of that nonsense with God. God picked YOU to be on his team. It's all because of Jesus too. God didn't forget about you at all. Isn't that reassuring? God and his son Jesus Christ want us to be a part of them. God is the captain and he picks...YOU AND YOU AND YOU!
The best thing about this is that God didn't pick you just because he felt bad for you. While he does feel bad that you have to endure the hardships of the world, he wants to show you something different. We were chosen as fruit that will last!
Jesus tells us that if you ask to do something that benefits God's kingdom, you will be blessed forevermore. Give God all the glory today. Always remember that if you aren't chosen, God has chosen you.
I'm going to play another one of Jeremy Camp's classic songs called "I Still Believe." This shows Jeremy's faith on the other side. That is, after his first wife died from cancer. He is such a strong man. He gave all of us pain and heartache for God to take care of.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
Have you ever been chosen last for something? Take for example two captains who are choosing people to be on their teams in a sport like basketball or something. They go back and forth choosing everyone but you to be their teammate. It just seems like you're never going to get called. Finally, after what feels like years, you get picked. You wonder, did everyone forget about you? Why me?
You don't have to worry about any of that nonsense with God. God picked YOU to be on his team. It's all because of Jesus too. God didn't forget about you at all. Isn't that reassuring? God and his son Jesus Christ want us to be a part of them. God is the captain and he picks...YOU AND YOU AND YOU!
The best thing about this is that God didn't pick you just because he felt bad for you. While he does feel bad that you have to endure the hardships of the world, he wants to show you something different. We were chosen as fruit that will last!
Jesus tells us that if you ask to do something that benefits God's kingdom, you will be blessed forevermore. Give God all the glory today. Always remember that if you aren't chosen, God has chosen you.
I'm going to play another one of Jeremy Camp's classic songs called "I Still Believe." This shows Jeremy's faith on the other side. That is, after his first wife died from cancer. He is such a strong man. He gave all of us pain and heartache for God to take care of.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Faith Even in Times of Trial.
Psalm 31:16
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Faith. It's such a difficult thing to grip onto when you're faced with difficult times. I don't think there's anybody who's not struggling with finances right now. Is it difficult to hold onto your faith right now in your life?
Immediately when I say the word faith, I think of Jeremy Camp. He's a Christian artist who is very inspirational, at the least. Not only is he great singer, but the meanings behind his songs are ever so powerful. The songs are also filled with great emotion. Take for example, his song "Walk by Faith" (see video below). He wrote this song on his honeymoon, just before he found out that his wife had cancer. He is a person of faith. He is a person of prayer. He is a person of God. He should be an inspiration to all of us.
This Psalm is meant to help in our times of trial. Clearly God is the one and only God. He is who he is and who he says he is. Most importantly, God can do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. Remember, it's all according to his plan. A situation you are presented with may not be good, but the lessons gained from the situation are likely what God is trying to reveal to you. Don't let this make you walk off God's path.
Try not to venture off from the thought of the blessing that can be received via the presence of the Lord even in difficult times. Lord deliver that blessing to us!
“Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding on to." ~Unknown
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Faith. It's such a difficult thing to grip onto when you're faced with difficult times. I don't think there's anybody who's not struggling with finances right now. Is it difficult to hold onto your faith right now in your life?
Immediately when I say the word faith, I think of Jeremy Camp. He's a Christian artist who is very inspirational, at the least. Not only is he great singer, but the meanings behind his songs are ever so powerful. The songs are also filled with great emotion. Take for example, his song "Walk by Faith" (see video below). He wrote this song on his honeymoon, just before he found out that his wife had cancer. He is a person of faith. He is a person of prayer. He is a person of God. He should be an inspiration to all of us.
This Psalm is meant to help in our times of trial. Clearly God is the one and only God. He is who he is and who he says he is. Most importantly, God can do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. Remember, it's all according to his plan. A situation you are presented with may not be good, but the lessons gained from the situation are likely what God is trying to reveal to you. Don't let this make you walk off God's path.
Try not to venture off from the thought of the blessing that can be received via the presence of the Lord even in difficult times. Lord deliver that blessing to us!
“Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding on to." ~Unknown
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Discipline is Key.
Proverbs 3:11-12
11 My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.
Discipline is a very important quality in all walks of life. It doesn't matter where you are. If there was no discipline, there would be utter chaos, at least in this country. Think, no traffic laws!
With that said, discipline helps keep us out of our worldly desires. You know, those that make us lazy and sinful. When we get like this, we also don't want anything to do with having boundaries or limitations. In our mind, these boundaries and limitations may make sense, but we don't have any thought of doing such a thing because we so often thrive off of our own desires.
In the meantime, God disciplines us in a loving manner. He uses his loving discipline to bless us. Have you thought of him doing this as a way to show his caring and compassionate nature for us? Think, when someone with more wisdom, like your parents, made a suggestion to you, a lot of times it's about discipline and it's usually because they've been through the same type of thing themselves and care about you so much.
God loves you and he cares about you. He is more than happy to show you discipline because he doesn't want us to remain stagnant with no gain. Instead, he wants us to grow and prosper and become a motivated individual. His goal for us is to be closer to Jesus Christ.
While you may not be too keen on the whole discipline idea on the surface, deep down it probably seems reasonable and you should realize it's for your spiritual well-being.
The quotes are back? I think!
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments."
~Jim Rohn
11 My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.
Discipline is a very important quality in all walks of life. It doesn't matter where you are. If there was no discipline, there would be utter chaos, at least in this country. Think, no traffic laws!
With that said, discipline helps keep us out of our worldly desires. You know, those that make us lazy and sinful. When we get like this, we also don't want anything to do with having boundaries or limitations. In our mind, these boundaries and limitations may make sense, but we don't have any thought of doing such a thing because we so often thrive off of our own desires.
In the meantime, God disciplines us in a loving manner. He uses his loving discipline to bless us. Have you thought of him doing this as a way to show his caring and compassionate nature for us? Think, when someone with more wisdom, like your parents, made a suggestion to you, a lot of times it's about discipline and it's usually because they've been through the same type of thing themselves and care about you so much.
God loves you and he cares about you. He is more than happy to show you discipline because he doesn't want us to remain stagnant with no gain. Instead, he wants us to grow and prosper and become a motivated individual. His goal for us is to be closer to Jesus Christ.
While you may not be too keen on the whole discipline idea on the surface, deep down it probably seems reasonable and you should realize it's for your spiritual well-being.
The quotes are back? I think!
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments."
~Jim Rohn
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
May God Be in You.
Psalm 103:8
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
God is fair, loving, righteous, holy, and powerful. Can you think of more adjectives?!?!? No matter what you come up with he never fails to do a couple things and that's to express the characteristics in a compassionate and gracious manner. His mercy and healing is overflowing. Those traits mentioned first fit within the other qualities. So being loving fits into the compassion.
In the same way, we must not just obey God and worship him, but we must appreciate him for his bountiful love. The obedience fits within the sincere appreciation and love we have for God
Now that we know what God looks like, if you were to go in front of the mirror, would you see a reflection of God in you? The characteristic traits of God must be forever in us so that it can pour out endlessly when we are with others and as we make an impression of God on others.
Don't you think such a portrayal of these actions from God helps us to transform that into our own lives as we follow his example?
Here's a great song that ties into the discussions we've had recently. It's called "From The Inside Out" by Hillsong. I heard this song recently and an image popped into my mind. You know those times when it seems like all you're doing is laundry? Yeah, well when it's done you have to fold them and hang them up, but first you realize that the clothing is inside out and that takes you forever to fix, so it seems. That's how God's love for us is. It's from the inside out. It's continues on and on...God's love for us is endless!
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
God is fair, loving, righteous, holy, and powerful. Can you think of more adjectives?!?!? No matter what you come up with he never fails to do a couple things and that's to express the characteristics in a compassionate and gracious manner. His mercy and healing is overflowing. Those traits mentioned first fit within the other qualities. So being loving fits into the compassion.
In the same way, we must not just obey God and worship him, but we must appreciate him for his bountiful love. The obedience fits within the sincere appreciation and love we have for God
Now that we know what God looks like, if you were to go in front of the mirror, would you see a reflection of God in you? The characteristic traits of God must be forever in us so that it can pour out endlessly when we are with others and as we make an impression of God on others.
Don't you think such a portrayal of these actions from God helps us to transform that into our own lives as we follow his example?
Here's a great song that ties into the discussions we've had recently. It's called "From The Inside Out" by Hillsong. I heard this song recently and an image popped into my mind. You know those times when it seems like all you're doing is laundry? Yeah, well when it's done you have to fold them and hang them up, but first you realize that the clothing is inside out and that takes you forever to fix, so it seems. That's how God's love for us is. It's from the inside out. It's continues on and on...God's love for us is endless!
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
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