I know I am not alone in that I socialize with a variety of people on different maturity and spiritual levels. I have those who are not quite where I am because of an age or experience barrier, I have my peers...who are supposedly on my same level (sometimes I doubt that though :P), and then there are the older generation of folks that I mingle with whose experience and maturity outweighs my own.
One day, I feel like the elder, having to correct/offer advise to another. Then the next day, I feel like the young child with people correcting me and guiding my steps. This duel role-playing is a healthy balance, but sometimes it makes it hard to distinguish a "chain of command" and a way to address certain people in certain situations.
When it comes to confronting and correcting someone, Scripture teaches us to present our faith with "gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15) and that correction should come out of a motive of love and not to puff yourself up (Matthew 7). Yet when Jesus was engaged with the religious leaders of His day, I do not see Him speaking to them with gentleness or humility. I do believe He spoke to them out of love, that they might see the evil of their ways, but He didn't do it politely. I am not a scholar, but I am pretty sure "brood of vipers" isn't a compliment, yet Jesus addressed the Pharisees and other religious leaders like that more than once.
I know that Scripture is meant for the purpose of teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Yet, Jesus drove businessmen out of the temple with a "whip of cords" and overturned tables, while Paul advises Timothy to be gentle and loving in his ministry.
Question: Is gentle correction for the ignorant and a stern confrontation for the arrogant? Where do you draw the line from speaking with gentleness and love to overturning tables and shouting?
Thoughts?
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Life's Path
Understand that the path before you is not an isolated path. Throughout life, we come to many intersections and are given the choice to step onto a different and new path. You are not fastened to the road you are on or walled inside it. You walk upon it freely and you can leave it freely. You have choice.
Many people realize this and teach this. Such a mentality is correct…but not complete. While living the life you lead right now is totally a choice, choices have consequences of their own. My choice to take my hand off of the hot stove saves my hand from being burned more than it already has. I can make that choice. Or I can make the choice to stay on my path and burn my hand until it is a red and blistered.
What path do you tread now? Is it one that you are pleased with? When the end comes, will you regret which road the God of judgment will find you on? Consider your life’s direction and your pleasure in it.
For me, that is the Christian path. Though is not the smoothest or most broad road, it is one that reaps the greatest rewards. And each day, I must wake up and decide if that road is worth walking that day. I confess, there are many days that I straddle two roads or even dare to walk a different one for a time.
I make mistakes. I choose unwisely. Some days, I serve another master other than the One I’ve committed my soul. I do not shy away from this. Some of my closest and oldest friends can testify to times when I was walking a different path. Wavering from the way you have chosen can happen. The important and necessary step after this, however, is to examine the path you are on and the one that you have left. Was the path you left worth leaving? Is the path you are on now worth taking?
I am convinced that there is no other path more worth walking than that of the Christian’s Road.
This is why my blog is named what it is. But that is my personal conviction, after encountering the Spirit of God. Unless you share my experience of facing God and being left ashamed, you may not agree with my assessment that the Christian Road is most worthy to be walked. How could I convince you to consider it? By living out my life in such a way that demonstrates the worth and value of being in the center of God’s purpose…that is one such way. Consider your path. Consider who else is watching you walk it. Count the cost. If you consider the path you walk most worthy, then walk it boldly. If you find your journey empty and lacking, I would encourage you to seek out a new path and embrace it.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
When We Pray For An Easy Life And God Listens
Allow me to begin with an account on how today went. Today is the 2011 NFL Superbowl. And the fact that I work for Domino’s Pizza means that I must work on Superbowl Sunday. We don’t get a choice. I’m sure you can imagine the intense level of stress that such a day could bring. I spent much of my time today praying and pleading that God would make today not stressful. Frankly, that He would make it easy and there wouldn’t be any issues.
Well, God came through. As Superbowl Sunday goes, our store wasn’t very busy at all. I was there for five hours and I took six deliveries. That is an incredibly low amount. After a six hour shift, I walked away with barely $20 in my pocket. There have been days in the past when I made twice that amount on just a four hour shift. Today was exactly what I asked for…it was easy.
You see, as I drove home, I was complaining to myself about making so little cash on what was supposed to be one of the busiest days for us out of the whole year. And then I realized that it was wrong for me to ask and beg that God make things easy for me, but that I would still get paid well. That was such conceited thinking on my behalf.
The Lord is teaching me something about the value of hardship. So many of us are scared to death of pain and go to great lengths to never experience unpleasant situations. I have friends who have scared themselves out of the idea of love because their heart was broken in the past. I know people who had one bad experience at a certain place one time and they haven’t gone there again since. You and I are so quick to snatch the value away from “bad” experiences. But the Scriptures teach the exact opposite.
God’s Word instructs us to take joy in our sufferings (James 1:2). This is completely backwards to how I naturally operate. I am naturally born with a desire to preserve myself. And I naturally steer away from things that I know will bring me suffering.
To be honest with you, martial arts training or not, I do not enjoy pain. I dread stress. I have learned to manage physical pain well, but mental and spiritual pains are things I am not good at tolerating. This is where the Lord is working on me.
As a Christian, trials and hardships should be the story of my life. Un-ending pain, sacrifice, heartbreak, deep suffering…these were the trials that plagued the early church. And yet I do not see a lack of growth in their numbers or their spiritual maturity. The earliest Christians grasped something that we, being modern-day Americans, have failed to truly grasp: the value behind suffering.
You see, there is absolute good involved in pain. And suffering through discomfort and even anguish reaps its own rewards. I believe that at the end of the day, Job learned this. Despite his situation, he was able to say “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be stripped of everything when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)
Can you and I say the same thing? I know I can’t. Instead of giving glory to God when He bring me to my knees, I pray and beg that He not bring me hard times. That is so foolish of me. Can I expect good things from the Lord and not be willing to endure the bad?
Scripture shows us that blessings and hardships are of equal value and of the same purpose (Romans 8:28). Both are meant to further the Lord’s glory in our lives. Through His blessings, we testify to His goodness. And in our suffering…we testify to His goodness. This is starting to make sense to me now. I pray often that the Lord would shine blessings on me in my workplace and that I would represent Him well in front of my coworkers. Tell me, how hard is it to be a good example and be a nice guy when everything is going well? It is really simple! And I am now realizing that I am contradicting myself by praying that I would be a light in my workplace and then beg for easy shifts that do not allow room for His light to shine!
But God knows what is best for me and sometimes…He gives me what I want so that I may see how empty it is. I’ll tell you what; an easy shift at work is empty. My pockets are usually empty when I leave at night as well. When you ask for things to be easy, your reward is thin. But when you endure much suffering, stress, and tension…your reward is full and satisfying at the end of the day.
I find myself ashamed of my desire for “easy” and will be cautious of praying for an easy shift in the future. I can testify to this fact: praying for an easy life is more deadly than suffering hardships and persecution for the sake of Christ. Hoping for a comfortable lifestyle where everything goes your way will leave you empty of passion and lacking in faith. It may be the easy road, but it is shallow in depth and lacking in its rewards.
Strive to be worthy of hardships. Attract enough attention to yourself that the Lord sees fit to have you be a vessel that shouts out His name in praise when your life is sinking like the Titanic. Through blessing or trial, may He be praised equally in the lives of His people.
Well, God came through. As Superbowl Sunday goes, our store wasn’t very busy at all. I was there for five hours and I took six deliveries. That is an incredibly low amount. After a six hour shift, I walked away with barely $20 in my pocket. There have been days in the past when I made twice that amount on just a four hour shift. Today was exactly what I asked for…it was easy.
You see, as I drove home, I was complaining to myself about making so little cash on what was supposed to be one of the busiest days for us out of the whole year. And then I realized that it was wrong for me to ask and beg that God make things easy for me, but that I would still get paid well. That was such conceited thinking on my behalf.
The Lord is teaching me something about the value of hardship. So many of us are scared to death of pain and go to great lengths to never experience unpleasant situations. I have friends who have scared themselves out of the idea of love because their heart was broken in the past. I know people who had one bad experience at a certain place one time and they haven’t gone there again since. You and I are so quick to snatch the value away from “bad” experiences. But the Scriptures teach the exact opposite.
God’s Word instructs us to take joy in our sufferings (James 1:2). This is completely backwards to how I naturally operate. I am naturally born with a desire to preserve myself. And I naturally steer away from things that I know will bring me suffering.
To be honest with you, martial arts training or not, I do not enjoy pain. I dread stress. I have learned to manage physical pain well, but mental and spiritual pains are things I am not good at tolerating. This is where the Lord is working on me.
As a Christian, trials and hardships should be the story of my life. Un-ending pain, sacrifice, heartbreak, deep suffering…these were the trials that plagued the early church. And yet I do not see a lack of growth in their numbers or their spiritual maturity. The earliest Christians grasped something that we, being modern-day Americans, have failed to truly grasp: the value behind suffering.
You see, there is absolute good involved in pain. And suffering through discomfort and even anguish reaps its own rewards. I believe that at the end of the day, Job learned this. Despite his situation, he was able to say “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be stripped of everything when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)
Can you and I say the same thing? I know I can’t. Instead of giving glory to God when He bring me to my knees, I pray and beg that He not bring me hard times. That is so foolish of me. Can I expect good things from the Lord and not be willing to endure the bad?
Scripture shows us that blessings and hardships are of equal value and of the same purpose (Romans 8:28). Both are meant to further the Lord’s glory in our lives. Through His blessings, we testify to His goodness. And in our suffering…we testify to His goodness. This is starting to make sense to me now. I pray often that the Lord would shine blessings on me in my workplace and that I would represent Him well in front of my coworkers. Tell me, how hard is it to be a good example and be a nice guy when everything is going well? It is really simple! And I am now realizing that I am contradicting myself by praying that I would be a light in my workplace and then beg for easy shifts that do not allow room for His light to shine!
But God knows what is best for me and sometimes…He gives me what I want so that I may see how empty it is. I’ll tell you what; an easy shift at work is empty. My pockets are usually empty when I leave at night as well. When you ask for things to be easy, your reward is thin. But when you endure much suffering, stress, and tension…your reward is full and satisfying at the end of the day.
I find myself ashamed of my desire for “easy” and will be cautious of praying for an easy shift in the future. I can testify to this fact: praying for an easy life is more deadly than suffering hardships and persecution for the sake of Christ. Hoping for a comfortable lifestyle where everything goes your way will leave you empty of passion and lacking in faith. It may be the easy road, but it is shallow in depth and lacking in its rewards.
Strive to be worthy of hardships. Attract enough attention to yourself that the Lord sees fit to have you be a vessel that shouts out His name in praise when your life is sinking like the Titanic. Through blessing or trial, may He be praised equally in the lives of His people.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
The GPS Lifestyle
So me being a delivery driver for a living, I lean heavily on my GPS to get me around. A GPS is a very useful invention and I love it dearly, but it has some flaws. It knows where you are and where you need to be and it calculates what it believes is the best route. The problem is that sometimes, what it thinks is the best route, is really not the way you want to go.
My GPS will only use the main roads when telling me where to go. But when I need to make a delivery quickly, I try to stick to the back roads as much as possible. So when I turn off of a main road, my GPS freaks out.
But here's where it gets interesting. My GPS doesn't immediately recalculate and provide a different route. Instead, it tells me to do a U-turn or make a series of turns to get back on that main road. My GPS has its eyes set on one route and I have to veer way off course before it will eventually give me a new set of directions.
You and I are like a GPS. We know where we're going and we have set our course. But the Lord knows what is best for us and will sometimes redirect us. He takes us down a side road and we scream out to turn around and go back to where we were. We want to navigate life using the route we believe is best. But you see, a GPS cannot see a car accident up ahead and does not know when traffic is backed up. All it calculates is the distance and an average speed. It does not comprehend traffic signals, slow drivers on "one lane" roads, or anything else. It is blind to the circumstances around it. We see a wreck ahead and make a detour. The GPS is oblivious to the wreck and tells you to get back on that road.
Or sometimes the GPS will tell you to get on a road that isn't there...I had one delivery where I was supposed to follow a road down to another road...only the road I was on became a dead end at someone's property. The GPS did not know that and told me I had another mile on that road even though my car was stopped in front of someone's house with no more road to follow. I ended up backtracking and using a different road...much to my GPS's displeasure.
You and I can be so narrow-minded sometimes. God wants something great for us, but it requires a detour. And we are slow to allow Him to deviate from our original course. We want to navigate life for ourselves and do not easily trust God's wisdom and insight.
Now whenever I make a detour or change my route and my GPS freaks...I smile. I think of how God must feel when He tries to direct us down a different road and we kick and scream...God is a good God and has never let me down. I must learn to trust that He knows best. Now if only my GPS could do the same....:-)
My GPS will only use the main roads when telling me where to go. But when I need to make a delivery quickly, I try to stick to the back roads as much as possible. So when I turn off of a main road, my GPS freaks out.
But here's where it gets interesting. My GPS doesn't immediately recalculate and provide a different route. Instead, it tells me to do a U-turn or make a series of turns to get back on that main road. My GPS has its eyes set on one route and I have to veer way off course before it will eventually give me a new set of directions.
You and I are like a GPS. We know where we're going and we have set our course. But the Lord knows what is best for us and will sometimes redirect us. He takes us down a side road and we scream out to turn around and go back to where we were. We want to navigate life using the route we believe is best. But you see, a GPS cannot see a car accident up ahead and does not know when traffic is backed up. All it calculates is the distance and an average speed. It does not comprehend traffic signals, slow drivers on "one lane" roads, or anything else. It is blind to the circumstances around it. We see a wreck ahead and make a detour. The GPS is oblivious to the wreck and tells you to get back on that road.
Or sometimes the GPS will tell you to get on a road that isn't there...I had one delivery where I was supposed to follow a road down to another road...only the road I was on became a dead end at someone's property. The GPS did not know that and told me I had another mile on that road even though my car was stopped in front of someone's house with no more road to follow. I ended up backtracking and using a different road...much to my GPS's displeasure.
You and I can be so narrow-minded sometimes. God wants something great for us, but it requires a detour. And we are slow to allow Him to deviate from our original course. We want to navigate life for ourselves and do not easily trust God's wisdom and insight.
Now whenever I make a detour or change my route and my GPS freaks...I smile. I think of how God must feel when He tries to direct us down a different road and we kick and scream...God is a good God and has never let me down. I must learn to trust that He knows best. Now if only my GPS could do the same....:-)
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Cheers To Mistakes
Today is an important day to me. This day marks the 3rd anniversary of one of the my most risky decisions. Three years ago today I threw my heart into something having no idea how it would result. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Today, life for me is different. The results of that decision hurt. Even today, my heartstrings are strained. Things did not go as planned. I made mistakes and circumstances ended some of the happiest days of my life.
For months afterwards, I grappled with myself. Anger...regret...and then more anger. I had taken a gamble and loved the results for almost two years. But then the dice rolled where I wished them to not go and my world was rocked. My tower of happiness was toppling and I was ticked that I had taken such a risk. I made myself miserable for months.
I was a fool. Selfish, un-focused, stubborn...I wore my heart on my sleeve and hated my risky decision because of the pain it brought. I was quick to dismiss the many months of happiness and contentment that it provided.
To this day I bear the scar of my decision. And the pain is still real. But...I am no longer fearful to harbor the pain. To embrace my hurt and accept it.
I have since realized that I do not regret the decision made three years ago. It remains one of my most treasured moments. But I was reckless in my speech and my actions. I made myself hard to handle. And it cost me much more than I was ever willing to give up...
But cheers to mistakes. Salutes to the pain. The bleeding my heart has done this day and every day since reminds me that I live still. And the scars are a constant reminder of the risks of happiness.
The hurt keeps me vigilant to not repeat my mistakes. You see, wise men are just fools with a good memory. They are not better than the rest of us; they just learn from their pain. I have determined to be wise.
Three long years later, my life looks nothing like it did when I risked my heart as a young, ignorant 15 year old. I am harder; I have experienced deep pain. I have faced and have been asked to live with betrayal. I have uprooted my whole way of life and now live among different people in a place I never expected to be. I am changed.
There is a blessing in mistakes. They rip your heart apart so that you learn to survive them and grow stronger. I would not have been able to handle the past year without the pain of my risk three years ago.
Not a day goes by that I don't miss what I had. But had I not experienced the rough pain that kicked me until I stood up and faced it...I couldn't have handled what was coming.
Cheers to mistakes.
Today, life for me is different. The results of that decision hurt. Even today, my heartstrings are strained. Things did not go as planned. I made mistakes and circumstances ended some of the happiest days of my life.
For months afterwards, I grappled with myself. Anger...regret...and then more anger. I had taken a gamble and loved the results for almost two years. But then the dice rolled where I wished them to not go and my world was rocked. My tower of happiness was toppling and I was ticked that I had taken such a risk. I made myself miserable for months.
I was a fool. Selfish, un-focused, stubborn...I wore my heart on my sleeve and hated my risky decision because of the pain it brought. I was quick to dismiss the many months of happiness and contentment that it provided.
To this day I bear the scar of my decision. And the pain is still real. But...I am no longer fearful to harbor the pain. To embrace my hurt and accept it.
I have since realized that I do not regret the decision made three years ago. It remains one of my most treasured moments. But I was reckless in my speech and my actions. I made myself hard to handle. And it cost me much more than I was ever willing to give up...
But cheers to mistakes. Salutes to the pain. The bleeding my heart has done this day and every day since reminds me that I live still. And the scars are a constant reminder of the risks of happiness.
The hurt keeps me vigilant to not repeat my mistakes. You see, wise men are just fools with a good memory. They are not better than the rest of us; they just learn from their pain. I have determined to be wise.
Three long years later, my life looks nothing like it did when I risked my heart as a young, ignorant 15 year old. I am harder; I have experienced deep pain. I have faced and have been asked to live with betrayal. I have uprooted my whole way of life and now live among different people in a place I never expected to be. I am changed.
There is a blessing in mistakes. They rip your heart apart so that you learn to survive them and grow stronger. I would not have been able to handle the past year without the pain of my risk three years ago.
Not a day goes by that I don't miss what I had. But had I not experienced the rough pain that kicked me until I stood up and faced it...I couldn't have handled what was coming.
Cheers to mistakes.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
My Review of The Chronicles of Narnia Series
Alright, haven't blogged in a while and jumping back into things...
So my family went to see the new Chronicles of Narnia movie yesterday. I had heard mixed reviews of the film and was curious to see how the 3rd movie turned out. I was not disappointed.
I really liked the first movie...The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe was a work of brilliance on paper; Disney and Walden Media did it justice. When Prince Caspian came out, everyone rushed to the theaters to see if Prince Caspian would be as good as the first. I still think that the 1st movie was better, but as movies go, Prince Caspian had its highlights. I enjoyed the action and war scenes in this film much more than in the first and that success really bolstered them into this 3rd film.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was epic. The animations were, as always, fantastic. The action has continued to improve with each film and this one kept me engaged the whole film. I am curious as to why Disney dropped out on this 3rd movie when they were doing so well with the previous two. They were certainly making money off of this series, so perhaps their reasoning was deeper than budget...perhaps they needed to step away from everything else to focus on the anticipated film: Pirates of the Carribbean 4...which is expected to blow the other three out of the water. We shall see.
Anyway, back to the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. As movies go, it was excellent. I have heard very few people complain that the movie was low quality. The major complaint I hear...is that the movie strayed from the books a little more than fans desired. This is the common concern when movies are inspired by books. Here is my opinion on such things.
There is a definite difference in a book and a movie. Books appeal to one set of audiences and movies appeal to another group of people. Sometimes, you will find someone in the crowd who loves books AND movies and they expect harmony between the two. I am not convinced that such harmony would be fair to either side.
C.S. Lewis is a genius. Aside from the Chronicles of Narnia, he is the author of many other popular books and I have found him to be a great source for Christian quotes. The man was and should always be a great blessing to the Kingdom of God. Few dispute this. And if any do...such discussions should take place on a different forum focused on Lewis himself.
But if we can agree on Lewis' brilliance, we recognize that he created something incredible with the Chronicles of Narnia. He wove a masterpiece that we would be hard-pressed to perfect. In fact, when I heard that they were making Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe way back in 2005, I was concerned then that they would butcher it. I am of the opinion that they did that with the Eragon movie. Christopher Paolini is a young author who hit it big with one series. His fans (me included) anxiously await the last book of the cycle. When we heard that an Eragon movie was coming out, I could hardly control my excitement. I was greatly disappointed with the results, however, as they messed with the plot so much that making a 2nd movie to match the 2nd book was too difficult to attempt and the movie Eragon has faded from memory for many.
I was relieved when this disappoint was not repeated with Narnia. The difference is that in Eragon, they were given free reign to create a film based off of the idea created in a book. The movie was not a copy of the book and so those of us who knew the book well were frankly offended with the lack of purity to the heart of the book. Narnia was different.
As I said, movies and books are different. And to return to my orignal point, movies should not feel pressured to be like books. I feel that books are created in a different way and with a different heart than movies are filmed. Authors and directors are not of the same mold. And because of this, I feel it is unfair for some to expect a filmed copy of the book. The Chronicles of Narnia books are INCREDIBLE...at least, those that I have read. I have yet to complete the series. Seeing the latest movie has inspired me to get back into the world of C.S. Lewis and having a break from college will help.
Anyway, the books are a work of genius and it does not do them justice to be copied. Books are most effective when allowed to stimulate our imaginations. My favorite books...Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of The Rings, The Inheritance Cycle, Ranger's Apprentice Series...all of them worked my imagination. And the novel that I am devoted to creating is a blend of inspiration of all these great works together. That is the way books work.
Movies are not the same. A film cannot leave things up to someone's imagination because a film is visual. And so adjustments must be made. My concern is not that Walden Media would stray from the details of the book, but rather, I feared that they would stray from the HEART behind those details. They strayed from the heart of Eragon and it was a miserable failure. Though I dislike the Harry Potter series, Warner Brothers has stayed true to the heart of the story and that is why they have been so successful. The grumbling that they may get from fans are from those who were expecting an exact visual copy of the books. It has helped that they have the author, J.K. Rowling, on set for much of the film and this is not possible for Walden Media as C.S. Lewis is long gone.
However, I am pleased with their work because I truly felt that they stayed true to Lewis' heart. In truth, Narnia is one big, elaborate presentation of the Gospel message and the film stayed true to that. If you are a fan of the book series as I am, that is great! Read and enjoy the books and bask in the creativity that stemmed from the pen of C.S. Lewis himself. And if you are a fan of adventurous, action-packed movies like I am, then this is a fantastic film to indulge in. If you are both...as I am...then please recognize that balance must be maintained and that a film is not the same a book. The important thing is that the movie reflect the heart and message that Lewis had for the world. I think that on those terms, the film was a success.
The movies may be the only Narnia some people ever experience. Especially in this day and age, we find fewer and fewer people who love to sit down and read a good book. It is then the responsibility of the film-makers, then, to shine the message of the books in the films.
The last ten minutes of the movie is what did it for me. I recognized the symbolism portrayed and I LOVED how the film did it. The movie may have been the only Narnia some people ever see...and the reality of Jesus Christ shined brightly on the movie screen for the last ten minutes of the movie. I cried. It was a great movie, yes. But my joy comes from knowing that everything Lewis was striving to teach us in his books...was vividly and loyally portrayed in the movie. I think that C.S. Lewis would have been proud. His books will endure. But for those who may never pick up a copy of his work...Walden Media has shown us the heart of C.S. Lewis and his desire to see us recognize God and His plan in our lives.
I sincerely hope that Walden Media continues with the rest of the series and makes their future films with the same thoughtfulness that has made the previous three films so incredible.
So my family went to see the new Chronicles of Narnia movie yesterday. I had heard mixed reviews of the film and was curious to see how the 3rd movie turned out. I was not disappointed.
I really liked the first movie...The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe was a work of brilliance on paper; Disney and Walden Media did it justice. When Prince Caspian came out, everyone rushed to the theaters to see if Prince Caspian would be as good as the first. I still think that the 1st movie was better, but as movies go, Prince Caspian had its highlights. I enjoyed the action and war scenes in this film much more than in the first and that success really bolstered them into this 3rd film.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was epic. The animations were, as always, fantastic. The action has continued to improve with each film and this one kept me engaged the whole film. I am curious as to why Disney dropped out on this 3rd movie when they were doing so well with the previous two. They were certainly making money off of this series, so perhaps their reasoning was deeper than budget...perhaps they needed to step away from everything else to focus on the anticipated film: Pirates of the Carribbean 4...which is expected to blow the other three out of the water. We shall see.
Anyway, back to the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. As movies go, it was excellent. I have heard very few people complain that the movie was low quality. The major complaint I hear...is that the movie strayed from the books a little more than fans desired. This is the common concern when movies are inspired by books. Here is my opinion on such things.
There is a definite difference in a book and a movie. Books appeal to one set of audiences and movies appeal to another group of people. Sometimes, you will find someone in the crowd who loves books AND movies and they expect harmony between the two. I am not convinced that such harmony would be fair to either side.
C.S. Lewis is a genius. Aside from the Chronicles of Narnia, he is the author of many other popular books and I have found him to be a great source for Christian quotes. The man was and should always be a great blessing to the Kingdom of God. Few dispute this. And if any do...such discussions should take place on a different forum focused on Lewis himself.
But if we can agree on Lewis' brilliance, we recognize that he created something incredible with the Chronicles of Narnia. He wove a masterpiece that we would be hard-pressed to perfect. In fact, when I heard that they were making Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe way back in 2005, I was concerned then that they would butcher it. I am of the opinion that they did that with the Eragon movie. Christopher Paolini is a young author who hit it big with one series. His fans (me included) anxiously await the last book of the cycle. When we heard that an Eragon movie was coming out, I could hardly control my excitement. I was greatly disappointed with the results, however, as they messed with the plot so much that making a 2nd movie to match the 2nd book was too difficult to attempt and the movie Eragon has faded from memory for many.
I was relieved when this disappoint was not repeated with Narnia. The difference is that in Eragon, they were given free reign to create a film based off of the idea created in a book. The movie was not a copy of the book and so those of us who knew the book well were frankly offended with the lack of purity to the heart of the book. Narnia was different.
As I said, movies and books are different. And to return to my orignal point, movies should not feel pressured to be like books. I feel that books are created in a different way and with a different heart than movies are filmed. Authors and directors are not of the same mold. And because of this, I feel it is unfair for some to expect a filmed copy of the book. The Chronicles of Narnia books are INCREDIBLE...at least, those that I have read. I have yet to complete the series. Seeing the latest movie has inspired me to get back into the world of C.S. Lewis and having a break from college will help.
Anyway, the books are a work of genius and it does not do them justice to be copied. Books are most effective when allowed to stimulate our imaginations. My favorite books...Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of The Rings, The Inheritance Cycle, Ranger's Apprentice Series...all of them worked my imagination. And the novel that I am devoted to creating is a blend of inspiration of all these great works together. That is the way books work.
Movies are not the same. A film cannot leave things up to someone's imagination because a film is visual. And so adjustments must be made. My concern is not that Walden Media would stray from the details of the book, but rather, I feared that they would stray from the HEART behind those details. They strayed from the heart of Eragon and it was a miserable failure. Though I dislike the Harry Potter series, Warner Brothers has stayed true to the heart of the story and that is why they have been so successful. The grumbling that they may get from fans are from those who were expecting an exact visual copy of the books. It has helped that they have the author, J.K. Rowling, on set for much of the film and this is not possible for Walden Media as C.S. Lewis is long gone.
However, I am pleased with their work because I truly felt that they stayed true to Lewis' heart. In truth, Narnia is one big, elaborate presentation of the Gospel message and the film stayed true to that. If you are a fan of the book series as I am, that is great! Read and enjoy the books and bask in the creativity that stemmed from the pen of C.S. Lewis himself. And if you are a fan of adventurous, action-packed movies like I am, then this is a fantastic film to indulge in. If you are both...as I am...then please recognize that balance must be maintained and that a film is not the same a book. The important thing is that the movie reflect the heart and message that Lewis had for the world. I think that on those terms, the film was a success.
The movies may be the only Narnia some people ever experience. Especially in this day and age, we find fewer and fewer people who love to sit down and read a good book. It is then the responsibility of the film-makers, then, to shine the message of the books in the films.
The last ten minutes of the movie is what did it for me. I recognized the symbolism portrayed and I LOVED how the film did it. The movie may have been the only Narnia some people ever see...and the reality of Jesus Christ shined brightly on the movie screen for the last ten minutes of the movie. I cried. It was a great movie, yes. But my joy comes from knowing that everything Lewis was striving to teach us in his books...was vividly and loyally portrayed in the movie. I think that C.S. Lewis would have been proud. His books will endure. But for those who may never pick up a copy of his work...Walden Media has shown us the heart of C.S. Lewis and his desire to see us recognize God and His plan in our lives.
I sincerely hope that Walden Media continues with the rest of the series and makes their future films with the same thoughtfulness that has made the previous three films so incredible.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Slowing Down
So in today's culture, we like to be busy. We naturally create schedules that have us all over the place all the time. American culture is such a fast-paced culture. We have microwaves, fast-food restaurants, quick dieting plans, etc. We are all about being fast. Patience is not commonplace in the world today.
Well I, live many people my age, am not much different. I am a college student with a part-time job and Church commitments. I have places to be, people to see, and things to do. And being active can be a good thing...but being too busy is not. And I was succeeding very well at being much too busy.
So God, in His sovereignty, made me slow down. How? Well what is the obvious thing I need in order to fullfill my busy schedule? A car to get me all these places.
And so God has taken my car away for a little while. He did it in the perfect time, I have access to my mom's car to get to school and I may end up using it as my delivery vehicle, but losing MY car really hit home.
God never ceased to be a part of my life. As many of you know, I have been keeping up with a Book of Romans study on Facebook and have been actively praying and keeping God around in my schedule. But He was no longer the main part of it. College, work, and church had become the three giants of my schedule and God was the thing I used to fill in the cracks. And no, church and God aren't always the same thing.
Anyway, losing my car has forced me to slow down. My busy schedule is now rocked a bit and I have a bit more time on my hands than before. To do what? Study extra? No...to get back where I need to be spiritually. I have a stack of biblical books that I need to get into again...I have a prayer life that needs sparking again. I have priorities to change and that can never be done while I'm "busy".
So God fixed it! It may cost me several hundred dollars in the end, but it could have been much, much worse. And through it, I am learning a lesson. God comes first, everything else second. He is more important than my education and my work. Does that mean I neglect those things? No. But it does mean those things do not come before me spending time with Him. He is the main thing. And I lost focus on that when I got too busy. But God has fixed my schedule now and I have plenty of time to get this right.
Even in the midst of what seems to be a bad situation, God is good. And He is looking out for me. But I can only see that when I slow down and look at a big picture...with Him at the center. :-)
Well I, live many people my age, am not much different. I am a college student with a part-time job and Church commitments. I have places to be, people to see, and things to do. And being active can be a good thing...but being too busy is not. And I was succeeding very well at being much too busy.
So God, in His sovereignty, made me slow down. How? Well what is the obvious thing I need in order to fullfill my busy schedule? A car to get me all these places.
And so God has taken my car away for a little while. He did it in the perfect time, I have access to my mom's car to get to school and I may end up using it as my delivery vehicle, but losing MY car really hit home.
God never ceased to be a part of my life. As many of you know, I have been keeping up with a Book of Romans study on Facebook and have been actively praying and keeping God around in my schedule. But He was no longer the main part of it. College, work, and church had become the three giants of my schedule and God was the thing I used to fill in the cracks. And no, church and God aren't always the same thing.
Anyway, losing my car has forced me to slow down. My busy schedule is now rocked a bit and I have a bit more time on my hands than before. To do what? Study extra? No...to get back where I need to be spiritually. I have a stack of biblical books that I need to get into again...I have a prayer life that needs sparking again. I have priorities to change and that can never be done while I'm "busy".
So God fixed it! It may cost me several hundred dollars in the end, but it could have been much, much worse. And through it, I am learning a lesson. God comes first, everything else second. He is more important than my education and my work. Does that mean I neglect those things? No. But it does mean those things do not come before me spending time with Him. He is the main thing. And I lost focus on that when I got too busy. But God has fixed my schedule now and I have plenty of time to get this right.
Even in the midst of what seems to be a bad situation, God is good. And He is looking out for me. But I can only see that when I slow down and look at a big picture...with Him at the center. :-)
Sunday, October 24, 2010
A God of Size
So this week I started an 8 week long Math course. Because we have fewer weeks to meet, we fly through the material faster and there is more homework...Math is not my strong point. So extra Math work on top of my normal classes and work schedule has made this week...interesting. This week, I really needed a break and a re-focusing, so I pulled out a DVD copy of Louie Giglio's sermon called "How Great Is Our God." Yes, the sermon title is based off of Chris Tomlin's worship song. :-)
Anyway, I popped the DVD in and sat down and just watched in absolute awe as Louie shared some astronomy with his audience and showed images of different planets and stars. Truly, by the end of the sermon...I felt very small.
Let me give you just a few examples Mr. Giglio used in his sermon to express God's greatness: the sun is 93 million miles away from the earth. The SUN!!!! The star that we can best see and is most involved with life here on earth is 93 MILLION MILES away?!?!?!?! Wow!!!!!
But it gets better! If the earth were the size of a golf ball, the sun would be 15 feet in diameter! That would mean we could 960,000 earths in the sun (enough to fill a school bus)! And guess what? The sun is pretty darn small compared to a lot of the stars out there.
What's the biggest star out there? Canis Majoris. If the earth were a golf ball, Canis Majoris is the size of Mt. Everest! There would be enough earths to fit inside Canis Majoris to cover the entire state of Texas 22 inches deep! This star is HUGE!!!!!
Psalm 33:6 says "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth." Can you imagine our God in heaven breathing out a star like Canis Majoris? Science tells us that there are hundreds of billions of stars out there...Cani Majoris is the biggest one we have found SO FAR. I'm sure there are even bigger stars out there. And God created them. We are specks on a golf ball that is barely seen in our own solar system which is just a dot on the canvas of the universe. And yet sometimes we want to act like everything revolves around us. In truth, NOTHING revolves around us.
You and I are very, very, very, small in the grand scheme of creation. We like to forget that God created outside of our little box called Earth. We are not the focus on His creation. We are ants in our own little ant hills surrounded by miles and miles of forest. We are not the focus.
But God Almighty is a God of size! He holds the universe in His hand! A universe that we haven't even come close to exploring all of. I'd guess we have only seen about 2% of the whole universe.
And yet we spend a lot of our time when we pray telling God what He should do, we councel Him, suggest to Him, argue with Him, we try to reason with the God of creation. How arrogant are we that we diss such a great God?
He is not a God that needed help when He fashioned the stars and the planets. When He wove the fabric of time together and spoke light into existence, we were not there. So why then, do we sometimes act like we know what's best for us? He is the universe-maker and mankind's Savior. Does He need our help? Does He need us at all?
I think not. Our God is a great God, and He is without need of help or guidance. He is holy in all He does and everything He creates, He creates perfectly. Let's think twice before we question the judgement of the One who created the universe that we dwell in.
Let's give Him the praise and glory that He so rightly deserves.
Anyway, I popped the DVD in and sat down and just watched in absolute awe as Louie shared some astronomy with his audience and showed images of different planets and stars. Truly, by the end of the sermon...I felt very small.
Let me give you just a few examples Mr. Giglio used in his sermon to express God's greatness: the sun is 93 million miles away from the earth. The SUN!!!! The star that we can best see and is most involved with life here on earth is 93 MILLION MILES away?!?!?!?! Wow!!!!!
But it gets better! If the earth were the size of a golf ball, the sun would be 15 feet in diameter! That would mean we could 960,000 earths in the sun (enough to fill a school bus)! And guess what? The sun is pretty darn small compared to a lot of the stars out there.
What's the biggest star out there? Canis Majoris. If the earth were a golf ball, Canis Majoris is the size of Mt. Everest! There would be enough earths to fit inside Canis Majoris to cover the entire state of Texas 22 inches deep! This star is HUGE!!!!!
Psalm 33:6 says "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth." Can you imagine our God in heaven breathing out a star like Canis Majoris? Science tells us that there are hundreds of billions of stars out there...Cani Majoris is the biggest one we have found SO FAR. I'm sure there are even bigger stars out there. And God created them. We are specks on a golf ball that is barely seen in our own solar system which is just a dot on the canvas of the universe. And yet sometimes we want to act like everything revolves around us. In truth, NOTHING revolves around us.
You and I are very, very, very, small in the grand scheme of creation. We like to forget that God created outside of our little box called Earth. We are not the focus on His creation. We are ants in our own little ant hills surrounded by miles and miles of forest. We are not the focus.
But God Almighty is a God of size! He holds the universe in His hand! A universe that we haven't even come close to exploring all of. I'd guess we have only seen about 2% of the whole universe.
And yet we spend a lot of our time when we pray telling God what He should do, we councel Him, suggest to Him, argue with Him, we try to reason with the God of creation. How arrogant are we that we diss such a great God?
He is not a God that needed help when He fashioned the stars and the planets. When He wove the fabric of time together and spoke light into existence, we were not there. So why then, do we sometimes act like we know what's best for us? He is the universe-maker and mankind's Savior. Does He need our help? Does He need us at all?
I think not. Our God is a great God, and He is without need of help or guidance. He is holy in all He does and everything He creates, He creates perfectly. Let's think twice before we question the judgement of the One who created the universe that we dwell in.
Let's give Him the praise and glory that He so rightly deserves.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Concept of Truth
So I have been having several short discussions with people over the past few days revolving around God and His existence. I have interacted with athiests and pluralistic people before, but it seems that more than usual have been showing up in my social circles over the past few days.
So what exactly is truth? Is it something that we create and define or is it beyond us? Is truth something that we can ever really know or is something that we can guess about and hope to get close?
From what I have heard and seen from the people around me...and from my college Ethics class, truth is not attainable. Truth is transcedent and we have no idea what real truth is. We can only guess and hope we're right. But truth itself is elusive and different people see a different angle. What is true for you may not be true for me. And that is okay. In the end, we'll all end up in the same place anyway and live happily ever after.
Really?!?!? The culture we live in today defies anything that supports the idea of absolutism. Did you know that there are philosophers out there today who question whether or not you and I exist? They believe that all of life may be one big illusion and that nothing is as it seems. Nothing is real. The chair that they sit on as they contemplate life may not be real...it may just be their imagination.
Did you know that there are those who know God exist and refuse to acknowledge Him anyway? The Book of Romans talks about that...for more on that, check out my Facebook Note on Romans 1.
But seriously guys, we live in a day and age where I can't even be sure of my own breathing! Humanity has tried to quench the concept of absolutism to the point where they believe that anything is possible...thus believing nothing. That is not how I will live.
God is real. He exists and operates in the universe whether you and I give Him permission to do so or not. Simple as that. Our beliefs do not dictate reality. And yet we try to assume some sort of god attitude when examining life around us and we assume we got it all figured out without God ever entering the picture.
You see, we were really created by a chemical reaction that exploding out of nothingness and formed a simple-celled organism that evolved over millions and millions of years into a complex and intelligent human being that can reason and use logic. And now we are the masterminds of the universe who have mastered the art of creating and think that one day, we will know all that there is to know and nothing will be hidden from us. We rule our own fate and nothing can rule over us because we are a great people.....yeah.......not. Yet that is the filthy lie that people today sell.
Well one, explain to me how we were created out of nothingness if there was nothing there to start with? Have you ever tried to create something? Maybe a picture or a sculpture....well try drawing a picture without paper and pencil. Just stand there and wrinkle your nose and concentrate on a picture until it explodes out of nothingness....absurd, right? Well that is exactly the mindset of evolution!
Next, people who continue to deny God try to explain that this absurd evolution idea is only possible because the earth is millions and millions of years old. If the earth was only a few thousand years old, then this evolution idea of theirs wouldn't work...so they make Earth older to accommodate their theory. Doesn't matter that they use circular reasoning when trying to explain how they measure the earth's age and they really have no idea...
Then once they got all that out of the way, they have succeeded in "explaining" life without God around. But now something has to sustain it. Nature does! Nature is just so awesome that it can take care of itself apparently. We just don't understand how it does everything it does, so we study nature and how science works in order to create loop holes around the obvious fact that an intelligent Creator was responsible for what we see.
And then they have the boldness and pride to say that one day, we will understand all there is to know about Science. That the things we can't explain right now will be explained in time. One day, they will have an answer for how the millions of stars were placed into space and how all the hundreds of galaxies fit together into the universe which is ever expanding. They will have an answer for it all...and a divine Being will not be it.
How arrogant are we today? God, who created all of existence with nothing more than His voice, is ignored, discredited, and insulted by our pretending to comprehend truth without Him in it.
The problem is, truth does not exist outside of God. He is truth. All that He says is true and His every character trait is character in its truest form. God is absolute truth. You cannot understand how the universe operates without getting to know the God that made it.
Whether you like it or not. God does not stoop to our feeble will. He does not recognize any man-made authority. He is the God of the heavens and we are but ants underneath Him. He chooses to love us despite ourselves, but that doesn't mean we have any real voice when it comes to nature and when it comes to reality. We can choose to side with the truth that God is who He says He is, or we can continue to rebel against it. End of story. :-)
So what exactly is truth? Is it something that we create and define or is it beyond us? Is truth something that we can ever really know or is something that we can guess about and hope to get close?
From what I have heard and seen from the people around me...and from my college Ethics class, truth is not attainable. Truth is transcedent and we have no idea what real truth is. We can only guess and hope we're right. But truth itself is elusive and different people see a different angle. What is true for you may not be true for me. And that is okay. In the end, we'll all end up in the same place anyway and live happily ever after.
Really?!?!? The culture we live in today defies anything that supports the idea of absolutism. Did you know that there are philosophers out there today who question whether or not you and I exist? They believe that all of life may be one big illusion and that nothing is as it seems. Nothing is real. The chair that they sit on as they contemplate life may not be real...it may just be their imagination.
Did you know that there are those who know God exist and refuse to acknowledge Him anyway? The Book of Romans talks about that...for more on that, check out my Facebook Note on Romans 1.
But seriously guys, we live in a day and age where I can't even be sure of my own breathing! Humanity has tried to quench the concept of absolutism to the point where they believe that anything is possible...thus believing nothing. That is not how I will live.
God is real. He exists and operates in the universe whether you and I give Him permission to do so or not. Simple as that. Our beliefs do not dictate reality. And yet we try to assume some sort of god attitude when examining life around us and we assume we got it all figured out without God ever entering the picture.
You see, we were really created by a chemical reaction that exploding out of nothingness and formed a simple-celled organism that evolved over millions and millions of years into a complex and intelligent human being that can reason and use logic. And now we are the masterminds of the universe who have mastered the art of creating and think that one day, we will know all that there is to know and nothing will be hidden from us. We rule our own fate and nothing can rule over us because we are a great people.....yeah.......not. Yet that is the filthy lie that people today sell.
Well one, explain to me how we were created out of nothingness if there was nothing there to start with? Have you ever tried to create something? Maybe a picture or a sculpture....well try drawing a picture without paper and pencil. Just stand there and wrinkle your nose and concentrate on a picture until it explodes out of nothingness....absurd, right? Well that is exactly the mindset of evolution!
Next, people who continue to deny God try to explain that this absurd evolution idea is only possible because the earth is millions and millions of years old. If the earth was only a few thousand years old, then this evolution idea of theirs wouldn't work...so they make Earth older to accommodate their theory. Doesn't matter that they use circular reasoning when trying to explain how they measure the earth's age and they really have no idea...
Then once they got all that out of the way, they have succeeded in "explaining" life without God around. But now something has to sustain it. Nature does! Nature is just so awesome that it can take care of itself apparently. We just don't understand how it does everything it does, so we study nature and how science works in order to create loop holes around the obvious fact that an intelligent Creator was responsible for what we see.
And then they have the boldness and pride to say that one day, we will understand all there is to know about Science. That the things we can't explain right now will be explained in time. One day, they will have an answer for how the millions of stars were placed into space and how all the hundreds of galaxies fit together into the universe which is ever expanding. They will have an answer for it all...and a divine Being will not be it.
How arrogant are we today? God, who created all of existence with nothing more than His voice, is ignored, discredited, and insulted by our pretending to comprehend truth without Him in it.
The problem is, truth does not exist outside of God. He is truth. All that He says is true and His every character trait is character in its truest form. God is absolute truth. You cannot understand how the universe operates without getting to know the God that made it.
Whether you like it or not. God does not stoop to our feeble will. He does not recognize any man-made authority. He is the God of the heavens and we are but ants underneath Him. He chooses to love us despite ourselves, but that doesn't mean we have any real voice when it comes to nature and when it comes to reality. We can choose to side with the truth that God is who He says He is, or we can continue to rebel against it. End of story. :-)
Saturday, October 16, 2010
To Save A Life
So I just had the wonderful privilege of being given the homework of having to watch and review a movie called "To Save A Life". Some of you may have heard about it.
The movie, rated PG-13 for some real elements that teens these days go through, was a fantastic portrayal of a transformed life. The whole point of the movie was to wake up the Christians to look around and see all the hurting people and DO SOMETHING.
In the movie, the main character's former best friend committed suicide. The main character had allowed other people and things to pull him away from his friend and leave him alone to be bullied and rediculed. In the end, the poor boy felt cornered and saw the barrel of a gun as his last way out.
You and I are social creatures. We naturally gravitate towards others and instinctively desire fellowship. Best friends are some of the greatest blessings in the world and that is because we are created to influence and be around others.
You are not on this earth for you. And once you have allowed Jesus Christ lordship over your life, you're really not even there because He needs you either. If your life as a Christian was just between you and God, then wouldn't it make sense for Him to sweep away into heaven the moment you enter into a relationship with Him? But no, we remain on Earth. To do what? To connect with and impact people.
What people are you impacting? What people do you pass every single day who are hurting and may be one step away from taking their life? I think the better question would be: who are you neglecting? That is probably a much bigger list.
We do not do the saving when it comes to sharing Jesus with others. God does that work Himself. But you and I are the arm that He uses to reach out to hurting people. We are the hand of God. He operates through His people. Are you allowing yourself to be used by God to help others? Or are you a handicapped part of the Body of Christ? Are you not functioning as He has designed you to?
I felt a strong convinction as I watched this movie to really examine my life and the people that I see every day. Have I grown comfortable with seeing the look of depression and pain on certain people's faces? Have I settled with the sight of the same homeless people on the same intersections at the same time of every day? Have I grown used to seeing that poor woman sitting outside the same gas station with tear-stained cheeks and hopeless eyes? What am I doing here if not to help such people?
This life is not about you and me. If you disagree, tough. Its time all of us woke up to the pain and suffering that we live with. Your neighbors are hurting, your co-workers are suicidal. They may not be at work tomorrow. Your family members are lost and are on their way to eternal fire. Your friend may be a cutter. That quiet kid you pass at school every day hates life and is planning to end his own soon...and maybe a few others as well.
These are examples of people that you and I look over so easily and so willingly! Will you and I not stop for a moment to notice and love these people? Simply inviting them to sit with you at lunch could save their life. But you have to step out of the normal and be useable to God.
When you wake up tomorrow, there is someone you will come in contact with who needs you to notice them. Someone whose life may depend on it. Will you stand by silently as they draw closer to destruction? They need the love of God and who will give it to them but the children of God?
Being a Christian is more than a label. It is a lifestyle. Let's live it. Show love to someone. Show God's heart to a hurting or needy person. If you are failing to see those around you who need your attention, stop wasting space on this earth. Let's all get in and help. Life is not about us.
The movie, rated PG-13 for some real elements that teens these days go through, was a fantastic portrayal of a transformed life. The whole point of the movie was to wake up the Christians to look around and see all the hurting people and DO SOMETHING.
In the movie, the main character's former best friend committed suicide. The main character had allowed other people and things to pull him away from his friend and leave him alone to be bullied and rediculed. In the end, the poor boy felt cornered and saw the barrel of a gun as his last way out.
You and I are social creatures. We naturally gravitate towards others and instinctively desire fellowship. Best friends are some of the greatest blessings in the world and that is because we are created to influence and be around others.
You are not on this earth for you. And once you have allowed Jesus Christ lordship over your life, you're really not even there because He needs you either. If your life as a Christian was just between you and God, then wouldn't it make sense for Him to sweep away into heaven the moment you enter into a relationship with Him? But no, we remain on Earth. To do what? To connect with and impact people.
What people are you impacting? What people do you pass every single day who are hurting and may be one step away from taking their life? I think the better question would be: who are you neglecting? That is probably a much bigger list.
We do not do the saving when it comes to sharing Jesus with others. God does that work Himself. But you and I are the arm that He uses to reach out to hurting people. We are the hand of God. He operates through His people. Are you allowing yourself to be used by God to help others? Or are you a handicapped part of the Body of Christ? Are you not functioning as He has designed you to?
I felt a strong convinction as I watched this movie to really examine my life and the people that I see every day. Have I grown comfortable with seeing the look of depression and pain on certain people's faces? Have I settled with the sight of the same homeless people on the same intersections at the same time of every day? Have I grown used to seeing that poor woman sitting outside the same gas station with tear-stained cheeks and hopeless eyes? What am I doing here if not to help such people?
This life is not about you and me. If you disagree, tough. Its time all of us woke up to the pain and suffering that we live with. Your neighbors are hurting, your co-workers are suicidal. They may not be at work tomorrow. Your family members are lost and are on their way to eternal fire. Your friend may be a cutter. That quiet kid you pass at school every day hates life and is planning to end his own soon...and maybe a few others as well.
These are examples of people that you and I look over so easily and so willingly! Will you and I not stop for a moment to notice and love these people? Simply inviting them to sit with you at lunch could save their life. But you have to step out of the normal and be useable to God.
When you wake up tomorrow, there is someone you will come in contact with who needs you to notice them. Someone whose life may depend on it. Will you stand by silently as they draw closer to destruction? They need the love of God and who will give it to them but the children of God?
Being a Christian is more than a label. It is a lifestyle. Let's live it. Show love to someone. Show God's heart to a hurting or needy person. If you are failing to see those around you who need your attention, stop wasting space on this earth. Let's all get in and help. Life is not about us.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Image and Lifestyle
So...it seems lately that God has been giving me many big lessons as I go throughout my day and I come home and share them with you and how they apply spiritually. Whether it is being robbed, having traffic slowed because of a triathlon, or just being hungry, God has been fueling me with lessons that I feel a strong call to share. Today is no different.
I was running low on gas in my car, so on my way home from work, I pulled into a gas station and filled up. Well on the sidewalk next to the gas station, there was a man standing with a sign that said "Help Me Feed Starving Families". Well I had $5 bucks on me, so I walked over and gave it to him. He was very thankful and we exchanged smiles and then I returned to my car and pulled out. I was wearing a Christian Tshirt and had Casting Crowns playing in my car...I had the whole Christian look going on.
Well as I passed him on the street corner, I was so concerned with making sure I waved to him, made eye contact and left a good Christian impression on him......that I ran the stoplight. Badly.
Thank God that I was not run over, though I ticked a few drivers off. I was so concerned with giving that one man a good image of me and of Christians that I become unfocused on the things that really mattered and ended up damaging my Christian image rather than helping it.
It was my intent to help this man's cause and while doing it, show him that Christians can be generous. Instead, I left that man with an image that Christians are reckless drivers. In this case, it would have been better to keep the $5 bucks and maintain my reputation rather than give up the money and dampen the Christian image.
I was concerned with image and it should have cost me. By God's grace, it did not. At that intersection and as red as that light was, I could have easily been killed had a car hit me. By His mercy, I only angered a few drivers because of my mistake. In my focusing on helping my image, my actions were not properly focused and I played a very dangerous game.
When we as Christians become more concerned with how people see us that we neglect to keep our eyes on the road, we too, play a very dangerous game. And in many cases, our attempt to help our image usually does nothing more than bring it lower.
It is not the image that matters. It is the lifestyle that presents the image. Me giving money to what I believed to be a good cause was not wrong. Me driving away focused on showing the man that I was a generous, caring guy was. And it could have cost me much, much more than embarrassment.
When you and I walk around with Christian Tshirts, we present an image. But too many times we get obsessed with that. If I want people to know I'm a Christian, I should wear a Christian Tshirt, put on a Christian armband, and wear a cross necklace, right? False!!!!
It is not our image that leaves a lasting impact. It is the life that we lead. I could wear all the Christian clothing and be a huge jerk; or I could be wearing rags and have a bright smile and respect for those around me. The first example, I have the image of a decent Christian. But my lifestyle speaks differently. The second example, I have the image of a homeless or very poor person, and yet my lifestyle reflects something greater. Which would people remember? The rags or the smile? The Tshirt or the rude thing you said? Many times they remember both and then you best hope your clothes match your words and actions.
Today mine did not match and God taught me something through that. Image is NOT everything. Being genuine and leading an honest lifestyle IS everything. So just as God has challenged me, I challenge you.
If you did not walk around wearing a Christian Tshirt or did not have your religous view posted on your Facebook, would people know you're a Christian? We like to set up a nice Christian image and make that our witness. And that is so incorrect. It is the way we live and the choices we make that matter. Join me today in re-focusing on lifestyle and leave your concerns with your image behind. There are more important things in life that worrying about how people see you. Instead, let's focus in on how to best serve the Lord...His opinion is the one that matters. :-)
I was running low on gas in my car, so on my way home from work, I pulled into a gas station and filled up. Well on the sidewalk next to the gas station, there was a man standing with a sign that said "Help Me Feed Starving Families". Well I had $5 bucks on me, so I walked over and gave it to him. He was very thankful and we exchanged smiles and then I returned to my car and pulled out. I was wearing a Christian Tshirt and had Casting Crowns playing in my car...I had the whole Christian look going on.
Well as I passed him on the street corner, I was so concerned with making sure I waved to him, made eye contact and left a good Christian impression on him......that I ran the stoplight. Badly.
Thank God that I was not run over, though I ticked a few drivers off. I was so concerned with giving that one man a good image of me and of Christians that I become unfocused on the things that really mattered and ended up damaging my Christian image rather than helping it.
It was my intent to help this man's cause and while doing it, show him that Christians can be generous. Instead, I left that man with an image that Christians are reckless drivers. In this case, it would have been better to keep the $5 bucks and maintain my reputation rather than give up the money and dampen the Christian image.
I was concerned with image and it should have cost me. By God's grace, it did not. At that intersection and as red as that light was, I could have easily been killed had a car hit me. By His mercy, I only angered a few drivers because of my mistake. In my focusing on helping my image, my actions were not properly focused and I played a very dangerous game.
When we as Christians become more concerned with how people see us that we neglect to keep our eyes on the road, we too, play a very dangerous game. And in many cases, our attempt to help our image usually does nothing more than bring it lower.
It is not the image that matters. It is the lifestyle that presents the image. Me giving money to what I believed to be a good cause was not wrong. Me driving away focused on showing the man that I was a generous, caring guy was. And it could have cost me much, much more than embarrassment.
When you and I walk around with Christian Tshirts, we present an image. But too many times we get obsessed with that. If I want people to know I'm a Christian, I should wear a Christian Tshirt, put on a Christian armband, and wear a cross necklace, right? False!!!!
It is not our image that leaves a lasting impact. It is the life that we lead. I could wear all the Christian clothing and be a huge jerk; or I could be wearing rags and have a bright smile and respect for those around me. The first example, I have the image of a decent Christian. But my lifestyle speaks differently. The second example, I have the image of a homeless or very poor person, and yet my lifestyle reflects something greater. Which would people remember? The rags or the smile? The Tshirt or the rude thing you said? Many times they remember both and then you best hope your clothes match your words and actions.
Today mine did not match and God taught me something through that. Image is NOT everything. Being genuine and leading an honest lifestyle IS everything. So just as God has challenged me, I challenge you.
If you did not walk around wearing a Christian Tshirt or did not have your religous view posted on your Facebook, would people know you're a Christian? We like to set up a nice Christian image and make that our witness. And that is so incorrect. It is the way we live and the choices we make that matter. Join me today in re-focusing on lifestyle and leave your concerns with your image behind. There are more important things in life that worrying about how people see you. Instead, let's focus in on how to best serve the Lord...His opinion is the one that matters. :-)
Saturday, October 9, 2010
The Race
So as I was driving to Panama City today, going about 60 MPH and making great time, the road suddenly cut down to one lane and police had the 2nd lane cut off. Well this drastically increased traffic as everyone in the right lane had to suddenly merge into the left lane. So we went from 60 MPH to about 10. Why did the police have the entire right lane blocked off?
Well turns out, Destin was having a triathlon today. And cyclists were pulling out of a side street onto the main highway and so they got their own lane. Well the course kept them on the main highway for about 5 miles, so I got plenty of time to observe them as traffic slowly crept forward.
What I noticed, is that all of them were tired at this point, but they were handling it differently. I noticed some of the cylists slowed down as they tired. Others pushed harder and sped up. Others still settled into a mindless pattern of movement in an attempt to conserve energy. I never saw the end of the race, but I got a good look at several racers.
How do you and I race? When we feel like the finish line isn't even in sight yet and we are so tired? Do we slow down, do we push harder, or do we pull ourselves out mentally and just go through the motions and hope we finish?
The book of Hebrews tell us to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith..." The Christian lifestyle is a race. It will test our endurance and our patience. Being a Christian is not a walk in the park. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are selling something.
So the question is not ARE you running the race...it is HOW are you running? When things get rough, do you persevere and set your focus on Christ, or do you shut down any and all emotion and just try to ram through your problems? Or do you not handle stress well and whenever life hits you, you curl up into a ball on the inside and make being a Christian a hollow thing with no real meaning?
As I observed these racers, I saw in them a determination. They were all tired. And yet every one of them was huffing and weezing and driving forward with all the strength they possessed. They were not all there to get 1st place. They were there simply to finish the race and not one of them was ready to quit. Does this mindset reflect you?
Are you a contender in the race? Are you out to finish the race? Entering into a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus is not the end of the race. It is the beginning. There is much striving and running to be done. How are you faring?
I encourage you today, my brothers and sisters, to examine yourselves. How are you racing? Determine to finish. Focus on the author and perfecter of faith. Only He can keep you going. :-)
Well turns out, Destin was having a triathlon today. And cyclists were pulling out of a side street onto the main highway and so they got their own lane. Well the course kept them on the main highway for about 5 miles, so I got plenty of time to observe them as traffic slowly crept forward.
What I noticed, is that all of them were tired at this point, but they were handling it differently. I noticed some of the cylists slowed down as they tired. Others pushed harder and sped up. Others still settled into a mindless pattern of movement in an attempt to conserve energy. I never saw the end of the race, but I got a good look at several racers.
How do you and I race? When we feel like the finish line isn't even in sight yet and we are so tired? Do we slow down, do we push harder, or do we pull ourselves out mentally and just go through the motions and hope we finish?
The book of Hebrews tell us to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith..." The Christian lifestyle is a race. It will test our endurance and our patience. Being a Christian is not a walk in the park. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are selling something.
So the question is not ARE you running the race...it is HOW are you running? When things get rough, do you persevere and set your focus on Christ, or do you shut down any and all emotion and just try to ram through your problems? Or do you not handle stress well and whenever life hits you, you curl up into a ball on the inside and make being a Christian a hollow thing with no real meaning?
As I observed these racers, I saw in them a determination. They were all tired. And yet every one of them was huffing and weezing and driving forward with all the strength they possessed. They were not all there to get 1st place. They were there simply to finish the race and not one of them was ready to quit. Does this mindset reflect you?
Are you a contender in the race? Are you out to finish the race? Entering into a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus is not the end of the race. It is the beginning. There is much striving and running to be done. How are you faring?
I encourage you today, my brothers and sisters, to examine yourselves. How are you racing? Determine to finish. Focus on the author and perfecter of faith. Only He can keep you going. :-)
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Hungry
So its about 11:00pm as I write this and I am starving. I haven't had much to eat today and only had two pieces of pizza yesterday. I am running low on energy here. I am hungry.
What does it mean to be hungry? When you hunger and your stomach is growling, is it easy to focus on the task at hand? Do you ever try to do something very important on an empty stomach, or do you go eat before you take that big test so you're not distracted? Most of us recognize hunger as an obstacle to working. It is a sign that we are low on fuel and we need to "juice up" before going any further. Just like you shouldn't go do something that's a big deal while you're hungry, you shouldn't drive a car that has no gas in it. Why? Because you may end up harming the car in the long run.
Our spiritual lives are the same. We cannot live our Christian lives running on empty. We can't go day-by-day starving. God has a plan and purpose for every one of us and we can't, nor should we try to, fulfill that purpose when we're starved.
Christianity is not an obligation. It is a lifestyle. It is a 180 degree turn from who we were before. And such a lifestyle doesn't work if your trying to drive around without gas.
So just as I am starving now, many of us are starving spiritually. So STOP YOUR WORK. Jonathan Edwards, the famous preacher once said "No one but God can do the work of God." We are not a necessary part of this puzzle! God invites us to tag along and experience the blessing of seeing Him work...and if we are too distracted by our rumbling stomachs, how can we notice the blessings?
My friends, feed yourselves. Do not live the Christian life like some hollow obligation that you get nothing out of. If you show up on Church just to check something off on your list that week and you're not interested in growing, don't show up! Christians should not be starved people! We should be constantly filling ourselves in the glory of the Lord! And when we start to get hungry, we know its time to fill up on His Spirit.
Do not run this race on your own power. Do not work on an empty stomach. So next time you feel hungry or your stomach growls, stop for a moment and think about what you are doing with your spiritual hunger. Are you suppressing it and running on empty? Or do you stop what you are doing and fill back up? Get into His Word, play some worship Music, fellowship with trusted Christian friends. Satisfy that hunger and bask in His glory. Only then, should you get back to work.
My challenge for tonight...are you hungry? What are you doing about it?
What does it mean to be hungry? When you hunger and your stomach is growling, is it easy to focus on the task at hand? Do you ever try to do something very important on an empty stomach, or do you go eat before you take that big test so you're not distracted? Most of us recognize hunger as an obstacle to working. It is a sign that we are low on fuel and we need to "juice up" before going any further. Just like you shouldn't go do something that's a big deal while you're hungry, you shouldn't drive a car that has no gas in it. Why? Because you may end up harming the car in the long run.
Our spiritual lives are the same. We cannot live our Christian lives running on empty. We can't go day-by-day starving. God has a plan and purpose for every one of us and we can't, nor should we try to, fulfill that purpose when we're starved.
Christianity is not an obligation. It is a lifestyle. It is a 180 degree turn from who we were before. And such a lifestyle doesn't work if your trying to drive around without gas.
So just as I am starving now, many of us are starving spiritually. So STOP YOUR WORK. Jonathan Edwards, the famous preacher once said "No one but God can do the work of God." We are not a necessary part of this puzzle! God invites us to tag along and experience the blessing of seeing Him work...and if we are too distracted by our rumbling stomachs, how can we notice the blessings?
My friends, feed yourselves. Do not live the Christian life like some hollow obligation that you get nothing out of. If you show up on Church just to check something off on your list that week and you're not interested in growing, don't show up! Christians should not be starved people! We should be constantly filling ourselves in the glory of the Lord! And when we start to get hungry, we know its time to fill up on His Spirit.
Do not run this race on your own power. Do not work on an empty stomach. So next time you feel hungry or your stomach growls, stop for a moment and think about what you are doing with your spiritual hunger. Are you suppressing it and running on empty? Or do you stop what you are doing and fill back up? Get into His Word, play some worship Music, fellowship with trusted Christian friends. Satisfy that hunger and bask in His glory. Only then, should you get back to work.
My challenge for tonight...are you hungry? What are you doing about it?
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
To Be Robbed
It is amazing the lessons to be learned out of life. The Lord reveals so much about who He is and how we can live for him through some of the craziest situations in life. Well to be brief, I was robbed at a local gas station this morning. I was pickpocketed by a guy as he was leaving the store and I was standing in line. He bumped me "on accident" as he left. I ended up finding him and chasing him down until he dropped my wallet and kept going. He took $20. Considering I had my credit card, military ID, Driver's License, and many prized gift cards (;-P), I consider it a blessing that just cash was taken.
At first, I was furious. I wanted to keep chasing him and see how much effort it would take to remove his arms from his torso...or how fast a man's neck can snap. I went into instant "guy" mode and was ready to tear the man apart because my privacy had been violated. That which I thought was secure, was taken. I was embarrassed and angry.
Luckily, the man got away and I am typing this in my room instead of a jail cell for attempted murder. Few friends in my life have seen me really blow up. This was one of those instances. And as much as I appreciated the $20...it was my entire tip from work last night...I realized that the thing that made me furious was that what I thought was secure, was proven to not be so. I was made a fool of. And this got me thinking about my relationship with Christ.
Friends, many of us have the perception that God uses us by taking and stealing our rights, our privacy, our dreams, our lifestyles...I could keep going. We see God as a needy being who doesn't appreciate us, but only wants us to appreciate Him. And in order to appreciate Him the way He desires, we have to give up anything and everything so we won't be distracted in our total appreciation of Him. We see God as a robber. He holds our happiness prisoner and demands a ransom to get it back. And that ransom is our whole life. Many of us treat our walk with God in this way. That God is a taker, and what He does give, He only gives in order to receive something later on. Our view of God is one of inconsideration and selfishness. I challenge you to evaluate yourself and see if this is not how you think sometimes.
But the Lord does not rob. He doesn't take. He doesn't violate our rights and our privacy as the man at the gas station did to me. He does not force Himself in any way. Simple way to put it is, He is the Maker of the world and we are the created. We have no real understanding of how life works. Anything we have managed to figure out, God knew from the beginning. And what we don't know, He has always known. And what we will never understand, He understands well. He holds the key to all the answers we need. We are created with a need for Him and only He can fill that need.
It is not that He forces Himself into our lives as much as we must have Him in order to understand our lives. What He gives, He gives because He loves us, not because He expects us to reward Him with service. When He offered up Jesus on a roman cross, I do not remember anyone agreeing to sign a contract first to ensure that we would follow God afterwards to ensure that Christ's death wouldn't be wasted. No, out of love alone, God killed His Son for the sake of mankind. We did not deserve His time or His thoughts...we are like ants to Him. How many of us would die for the ant species? We exist just fine without them and we don't really care about them all that much. God could have chosen the same, yet in incredible love and grace, He gave up the greatest thing He had: Jesus.
God is not a robber. What we entrust to Him, He secures and it CANNOT BE TAKEN FROM HIM. That includes our salvation, that includes our prayer life, that includes our service. He does not demand ransom money to keep us enslaved to His will. No, He has offered us the chance to be with Him forever and desires that we accept His offer and conduct ourselves in such a way to make His offer appealing to those who have yet to accept it.
Do you see now? God does not take. He asks us to offer up the mess of a life we have so that He can make it beautiful and make it right. We offer Him filthy rags and He creates a colorful garment out of it. Why? Does God need a garment? Does God need us? No. Again, God doesn't need anything we have to offer. So when He asks for us to yield to Him and surrender our lives to Him, He is not robbing us. Friends, He is saving us. From the sin pit that we are so good at falling in. Without Him, we can do nothing of worth or value. And He knows that. And so He offers us a chance to link our lives with Him so that we may live fullfilled lives. As Jesus said, "I come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Tell me, where is the robbery in that statement?
So I encourage you to open your eyes as He has opened mine. Trust Him. He does not steal from us. We have nothing worth taking! Rather, recognize that He is the God of all and He desires to step into your life and make it right because you and I messed it up. We are like dirty children and all God wants to do is give us a bath. Clean us up and make things right. Do not deny Him that. Accept His offer and let Him work in all the areas of your life...He will not take advantage of you.
At first, I was furious. I wanted to keep chasing him and see how much effort it would take to remove his arms from his torso...or how fast a man's neck can snap. I went into instant "guy" mode and was ready to tear the man apart because my privacy had been violated. That which I thought was secure, was taken. I was embarrassed and angry.
Luckily, the man got away and I am typing this in my room instead of a jail cell for attempted murder. Few friends in my life have seen me really blow up. This was one of those instances. And as much as I appreciated the $20...it was my entire tip from work last night...I realized that the thing that made me furious was that what I thought was secure, was proven to not be so. I was made a fool of. And this got me thinking about my relationship with Christ.
Friends, many of us have the perception that God uses us by taking and stealing our rights, our privacy, our dreams, our lifestyles...I could keep going. We see God as a needy being who doesn't appreciate us, but only wants us to appreciate Him. And in order to appreciate Him the way He desires, we have to give up anything and everything so we won't be distracted in our total appreciation of Him. We see God as a robber. He holds our happiness prisoner and demands a ransom to get it back. And that ransom is our whole life. Many of us treat our walk with God in this way. That God is a taker, and what He does give, He only gives in order to receive something later on. Our view of God is one of inconsideration and selfishness. I challenge you to evaluate yourself and see if this is not how you think sometimes.
But the Lord does not rob. He doesn't take. He doesn't violate our rights and our privacy as the man at the gas station did to me. He does not force Himself in any way. Simple way to put it is, He is the Maker of the world and we are the created. We have no real understanding of how life works. Anything we have managed to figure out, God knew from the beginning. And what we don't know, He has always known. And what we will never understand, He understands well. He holds the key to all the answers we need. We are created with a need for Him and only He can fill that need.
It is not that He forces Himself into our lives as much as we must have Him in order to understand our lives. What He gives, He gives because He loves us, not because He expects us to reward Him with service. When He offered up Jesus on a roman cross, I do not remember anyone agreeing to sign a contract first to ensure that we would follow God afterwards to ensure that Christ's death wouldn't be wasted. No, out of love alone, God killed His Son for the sake of mankind. We did not deserve His time or His thoughts...we are like ants to Him. How many of us would die for the ant species? We exist just fine without them and we don't really care about them all that much. God could have chosen the same, yet in incredible love and grace, He gave up the greatest thing He had: Jesus.
God is not a robber. What we entrust to Him, He secures and it CANNOT BE TAKEN FROM HIM. That includes our salvation, that includes our prayer life, that includes our service. He does not demand ransom money to keep us enslaved to His will. No, He has offered us the chance to be with Him forever and desires that we accept His offer and conduct ourselves in such a way to make His offer appealing to those who have yet to accept it.
Do you see now? God does not take. He asks us to offer up the mess of a life we have so that He can make it beautiful and make it right. We offer Him filthy rags and He creates a colorful garment out of it. Why? Does God need a garment? Does God need us? No. Again, God doesn't need anything we have to offer. So when He asks for us to yield to Him and surrender our lives to Him, He is not robbing us. Friends, He is saving us. From the sin pit that we are so good at falling in. Without Him, we can do nothing of worth or value. And He knows that. And so He offers us a chance to link our lives with Him so that we may live fullfilled lives. As Jesus said, "I come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Tell me, where is the robbery in that statement?
So I encourage you to open your eyes as He has opened mine. Trust Him. He does not steal from us. We have nothing worth taking! Rather, recognize that He is the God of all and He desires to step into your life and make it right because you and I messed it up. We are like dirty children and all God wants to do is give us a bath. Clean us up and make things right. Do not deny Him that. Accept His offer and let Him work in all the areas of your life...He will not take advantage of you.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Black Belt Tests & Judgement Day
So I have many friends in Virginia that are taking their black belt test at the martial arts school that I was involved with for a long time. Some of these friends are taking the test for the first time; others are taking it for the 2nd, 3rd, maybe even 4th time! I myself am a 3rd degree black belt, and have taken this test several times.
What I have learned, is that the "test" is a formality. That you have been tested every day of training leading up to that moment. The black belt test is the big event, yes, but if you have trained hard consistently over the years, then when the test comes...its not so bad.
Now the school I was at has 7 hour tests. Our classes are only about an hour. So endurance is a core ingredient to being successful on a Saturday where nerves are high. But if you want to do well at the big event, all you have to do is act in that manner every day.
It is the same for the Christian life. One day, we all stand before God the Father and He will judge and test us according to our actions. If we want to do well on that day and hear Him say "well done, My good and faithful servant", the time to earn such praise will be too late. We must live our lives in such a way before Judgement Day ever comes!
Live conistent, my friends. Work hard now in the little things and when the big events and the big storms hit, you can take them in stride. Each day matters. If you cannot act in wisdom and with strength in the little things of daily life, how can you match the storms that are a bigger deal? Train hard now and the black belt test is just a really long class. Live hard and faithfully now, and you will have nothing to fear on Judgement Day. Live well, Friends.
What I have learned, is that the "test" is a formality. That you have been tested every day of training leading up to that moment. The black belt test is the big event, yes, but if you have trained hard consistently over the years, then when the test comes...its not so bad.
Now the school I was at has 7 hour tests. Our classes are only about an hour. So endurance is a core ingredient to being successful on a Saturday where nerves are high. But if you want to do well at the big event, all you have to do is act in that manner every day.
It is the same for the Christian life. One day, we all stand before God the Father and He will judge and test us according to our actions. If we want to do well on that day and hear Him say "well done, My good and faithful servant", the time to earn such praise will be too late. We must live our lives in such a way before Judgement Day ever comes!
Live conistent, my friends. Work hard now in the little things and when the big events and the big storms hit, you can take them in stride. Each day matters. If you cannot act in wisdom and with strength in the little things of daily life, how can you match the storms that are a bigger deal? Train hard now and the black belt test is just a really long class. Live hard and faithfully now, and you will have nothing to fear on Judgement Day. Live well, Friends.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Desperate For The Provider Over The Provisions
Good morning all!
It's early and I'm on my way out the door for my college class, but I had a little time so I wanted to take a moment to talk about what we, as Christians, are desperate for.
A good friend of mine led a part of the worship service yesterday and the song he sang was called "Jehovah Jireh". The Lord is our provider. Towards the end of the song, my friend stopped and mentioned that he was not singing this song to the blessings of God, but to God. He said "I do not need the provisions as much as I need the Provider."
And friends, that is SO true! I know in my own life I yearn for the blessings of God so much that they overpower my desire for the presence of Him who provides. Think about it. How often do we pray "Lord, do this in my life" or "Father, give me this thing"? And perhaps not even in a selfish way. We could desire that God would give us wisdom in a situation that we're uncomfortable with, but want to give God glory through. Is there anything wrong with such a prayer? Nope. However, even though we intend it for good, we still approach God with a "please give me" attitude.
What if you and I prayed for a week without asking for a thing except that God would just make His presence known? What if we become desperate for the Spirit of God more than what He can give us? And then, to know that He is with us is enough!
I know too many people who have given up on God because He did not provide for them when they believed He should have. He did not give them that blessing in the "opportune moment" and so they shut God out. These people rely completely and only on the provision of God and have no desire to have His presence. Having Him with us should be more than enough! The blessings follow being in good relationship with Him.
But we say in our hearts "I want what He can give me, and if that means I sometimes have to talk to Him and ask, I can live with that". But do we ever say "God, I am absolutely desperate for YOU and I want to see Your Spirit evident in my life. Move, Lord, in such a way that I may be reminded that You are with me...and that is enough for me". But too often we cannot settle for the presence of God.
If He is nothing more than a vending machine, He is not God. Let the Lord Jesus be God, my friends. Be desperate for Him and His presence in your life. Without that, any blessings we recieve will be empty. So change your focus. Desire the Provider. Be desperate for the Lord.
It's early and I'm on my way out the door for my college class, but I had a little time so I wanted to take a moment to talk about what we, as Christians, are desperate for.
A good friend of mine led a part of the worship service yesterday and the song he sang was called "Jehovah Jireh". The Lord is our provider. Towards the end of the song, my friend stopped and mentioned that he was not singing this song to the blessings of God, but to God. He said "I do not need the provisions as much as I need the Provider."
And friends, that is SO true! I know in my own life I yearn for the blessings of God so much that they overpower my desire for the presence of Him who provides. Think about it. How often do we pray "Lord, do this in my life" or "Father, give me this thing"? And perhaps not even in a selfish way. We could desire that God would give us wisdom in a situation that we're uncomfortable with, but want to give God glory through. Is there anything wrong with such a prayer? Nope. However, even though we intend it for good, we still approach God with a "please give me" attitude.
What if you and I prayed for a week without asking for a thing except that God would just make His presence known? What if we become desperate for the Spirit of God more than what He can give us? And then, to know that He is with us is enough!
I know too many people who have given up on God because He did not provide for them when they believed He should have. He did not give them that blessing in the "opportune moment" and so they shut God out. These people rely completely and only on the provision of God and have no desire to have His presence. Having Him with us should be more than enough! The blessings follow being in good relationship with Him.
But we say in our hearts "I want what He can give me, and if that means I sometimes have to talk to Him and ask, I can live with that". But do we ever say "God, I am absolutely desperate for YOU and I want to see Your Spirit evident in my life. Move, Lord, in such a way that I may be reminded that You are with me...and that is enough for me". But too often we cannot settle for the presence of God.
If He is nothing more than a vending machine, He is not God. Let the Lord Jesus be God, my friends. Be desperate for Him and His presence in your life. Without that, any blessings we recieve will be empty. So change your focus. Desire the Provider. Be desperate for the Lord.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Choosing Happiness
So I have seen way too many statuses on Facebook over the past few days talking about depression and how life sucks at the moment, etc. Well my question to that is "what are you using to measure happiness?" Are you allowing circumstances and situations around you to dictate your feelings? Happiness is a CHOICE, my friends! All of hell itself can assault you, and if it ruins your life, it did so simply because you chose to allow it. Christians do not live according to circumstances! They live according to Jesus Christ and He has NEVER STOPPED BEING AWESOME!!!!! So if you're having a crappy day....why? It is a matter of where your focus is.
So I encourage you to take a moment and think about what it is that fuels what you determine is a good day or not. People say "I'll be happy if...." or "I'll be happy when..." No! Today, make it "I am happy." Period. No strings attached. :-)
Do not let the things of this world rule you and your thoughts. You are a child of God. A joint-heir with Christ Jesus. Is that not enough for you? If you have invited Christ to be Lord of your life and have accepted His sacrifice on the cross, then what more do you need??? TODAY, let us take the time to examine our focus and choose happiness and joy despite the pressures of the world. We have a mission and task to see to and living in fickle depression will not help. At all.
So smile. :-)
So I encourage you to take a moment and think about what it is that fuels what you determine is a good day or not. People say "I'll be happy if...." or "I'll be happy when..." No! Today, make it "I am happy." Period. No strings attached. :-)
Do not let the things of this world rule you and your thoughts. You are a child of God. A joint-heir with Christ Jesus. Is that not enough for you? If you have invited Christ to be Lord of your life and have accepted His sacrifice on the cross, then what more do you need??? TODAY, let us take the time to examine our focus and choose happiness and joy despite the pressures of the world. We have a mission and task to see to and living in fickle depression will not help. At all.
So smile. :-)
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Importance of Prayer
My Friends,
How important is prayer? I guess the first question I should ask is "what is prayer?". Is it only talking to God or is there something behind prayer that is more powerful than a conversation? I must admit that my prayer life of recent days has diminished greatly. I have no problem talking to others ABOUT God and about the things of God but when it comes to talking TO God, I seem to have lost much of my desire for it.
This attitude is wrong. A prayerless Christian is worse off than a weaponless soldier. We thrive off of prayer. But what is it about prayer that makes it so important? And what is it about prayer that you need in your life as a follower of Christ that helps to shield you against the urge to die off and leave your passion behind?
Prayer is more than a conversation. It is a life-line. It is you and I coming to our knees and speaking with the Lord and King of life. He is the Master of creation and our Father. And prayer is when we remember that and we seek an audience with Him. Prayer should not be an obligation before you eat, and the phrase "I'll pray for you" should not be said lightly.
In fact, allow me (since this is my blog, after all) to pose a question: when was the last time that you told someone you'd pray for them and then neglected to? When was the last time you made that sacred promise to petition Almighty God on someone else's behalf and failed to follow through? In truth, I have failed in this much more than I'd like. And it is shameful.
It is disgraceful, friends, how we throw around prayer. We speak as if its of the utmost importance and then we act as if its only an occassional ritual; one that we forget half the time anyway.
What I would challenge you all to do is take your prayer life seriously. It is not just talking to God. It is MUCH more. It is stepping into the presence of the Lord and asking Him for counsel and wisdom. Is is beseeching for God to reveal His divine will in a specific situation for your life or in the life of a friend. Praying for others is a serious responsibility. We should feel BURDENED to pray for those around us. Let us not treat prayer so lightly and act as if conversation with the King of kings is a leisure we may enjoy whenever we need something from Him. Christians should not be that shallow.
Wake up with me and let us truly treasure the blessings that we have in the Lord. We have the privilege of coming before God Himself and speaking with Him. We can ask for His guidence. But we can also share with Him our fears and worries. We can ask that He bless a friend of ours and we can plead that He would wake someone who may be asleep spiritually. We have the ability to ask such things of God. So let us use this great gift. With a humble and thankful heart, let us gladly and daily approach the throne of God and speak with Him. He is Lord and Friend. Should we not treat Him as such?
Take prayer seriously. Without it, who would you call to? And who would answer? It is the Lord who hears and knows the cries of our hearts and seeks to fill the holes in our lives. Let us trust Him and draw near to Him. Let us love more and hate less. Let us trust more and worry less. Let us pray. :-)
How important is prayer? I guess the first question I should ask is "what is prayer?". Is it only talking to God or is there something behind prayer that is more powerful than a conversation? I must admit that my prayer life of recent days has diminished greatly. I have no problem talking to others ABOUT God and about the things of God but when it comes to talking TO God, I seem to have lost much of my desire for it.
This attitude is wrong. A prayerless Christian is worse off than a weaponless soldier. We thrive off of prayer. But what is it about prayer that makes it so important? And what is it about prayer that you need in your life as a follower of Christ that helps to shield you against the urge to die off and leave your passion behind?
Prayer is more than a conversation. It is a life-line. It is you and I coming to our knees and speaking with the Lord and King of life. He is the Master of creation and our Father. And prayer is when we remember that and we seek an audience with Him. Prayer should not be an obligation before you eat, and the phrase "I'll pray for you" should not be said lightly.
In fact, allow me (since this is my blog, after all) to pose a question: when was the last time that you told someone you'd pray for them and then neglected to? When was the last time you made that sacred promise to petition Almighty God on someone else's behalf and failed to follow through? In truth, I have failed in this much more than I'd like. And it is shameful.
It is disgraceful, friends, how we throw around prayer. We speak as if its of the utmost importance and then we act as if its only an occassional ritual; one that we forget half the time anyway.
What I would challenge you all to do is take your prayer life seriously. It is not just talking to God. It is MUCH more. It is stepping into the presence of the Lord and asking Him for counsel and wisdom. Is is beseeching for God to reveal His divine will in a specific situation for your life or in the life of a friend. Praying for others is a serious responsibility. We should feel BURDENED to pray for those around us. Let us not treat prayer so lightly and act as if conversation with the King of kings is a leisure we may enjoy whenever we need something from Him. Christians should not be that shallow.
Wake up with me and let us truly treasure the blessings that we have in the Lord. We have the privilege of coming before God Himself and speaking with Him. We can ask for His guidence. But we can also share with Him our fears and worries. We can ask that He bless a friend of ours and we can plead that He would wake someone who may be asleep spiritually. We have the ability to ask such things of God. So let us use this great gift. With a humble and thankful heart, let us gladly and daily approach the throne of God and speak with Him. He is Lord and Friend. Should we not treat Him as such?
Take prayer seriously. Without it, who would you call to? And who would answer? It is the Lord who hears and knows the cries of our hearts and seeks to fill the holes in our lives. Let us trust Him and draw near to Him. Let us love more and hate less. Let us trust more and worry less. Let us pray. :-)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Hanging Out On Campus
So at this moment, I am sitting in the computer lab on campus and looking around me, I realize just how much this world needs Jesus. What can I do to help? How can I contribute to the turning of the tide that so needs to happen in my generation.
I have yet to have a class in two weeks where sex was not talked about and cussing did not occur. Much of it came from the teachers themselves. Where can I fit myself into this kind of environment and stand out?
Ultimately, I am here for a reason and a purpose...one that transcends me getting a college degree. I am here for Him. Let that be my focus and may the things that result, occur because I had correct focus. God bless.
I have yet to have a class in two weeks where sex was not talked about and cussing did not occur. Much of it came from the teachers themselves. Where can I fit myself into this kind of environment and stand out?
Ultimately, I am here for a reason and a purpose...one that transcends me getting a college degree. I am here for Him. Let that be my focus and may the things that result, occur because I had correct focus. God bless.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Fantastic Day of Worship
So today went awesomely well! College was pretty interesting...Ethics and Psychology are my more interesting classes anyway, and then church a few hours after! I love my church! Not fully involved yet because we've been there just about 5 months, but I really enjoy being there...especially on Wednesday nights.
Tonight, we introduced all the 6th graders into the Youth Group and had a huge special event. The Youth Band did an amazing job at leading worship and the Youth Pastor was on fire (not literally, of course)!
Praise God for a great night of fellowship and refreshment before hitting school again tomorrow. God is good. :-)
Tonight, we introduced all the 6th graders into the Youth Group and had a huge special event. The Youth Band did an amazing job at leading worship and the Youth Pastor was on fire (not literally, of course)!
Praise God for a great night of fellowship and refreshment before hitting school again tomorrow. God is good. :-)
Monday, August 23, 2010
First Day of College
So I had my first day of college today! My Monday/Wednesday classes are Psychology and Ethics and they're in the same building. Not too bad. My ethics teacher is...as he called himself "an old fart" who happens to have a dirty mouth. Not sure on his religious views, but I suspect he may be an athiest...my ethics teacher has an illogical worldview...how amusing...
My Psychology teacher is much cooler. He's been teaching 30+ years and told us that he could tell us around what grade we'd get in his class simply based off of our eye contact, where we were seated in class, and what we were wearing...I have a lot I might learn from him. He was much nicer...less of an old fart, but still threw around a couple not-so-nice words. lol. That's college life though, I guess.
All in all, not a bad first day. Tomorrow I have Biology and Math...on opposite sides of the campus. Oh joy. But....I shall overcome! :-)
My Psychology teacher is much cooler. He's been teaching 30+ years and told us that he could tell us around what grade we'd get in his class simply based off of our eye contact, where we were seated in class, and what we were wearing...I have a lot I might learn from him. He was much nicer...less of an old fart, but still threw around a couple not-so-nice words. lol. That's college life though, I guess.
All in all, not a bad first day. Tomorrow I have Biology and Math...on opposite sides of the campus. Oh joy. But....I shall overcome! :-)
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Last Day of Freedom
So today is my last day before I officially start college! Some excitement and nerves there!
Got to kick off the day with a wonderful morning at Church...the pastor really preached today! Talked about not settling for a "knockoff Jesus" but allowing the truth of who Christ really is sink in and yielding to that. Really enjoyed the message! :-)
Got to kick off the day with a wonderful morning at Church...the pastor really preached today! Talked about not settling for a "knockoff Jesus" but allowing the truth of who Christ really is sink in and yielding to that. Really enjoyed the message! :-)
Friday, August 20, 2010
My Bible Study
As a Christian, I am a follower of Christ. And to follow someone, I believe you should know what they're about. Who they are and what they believe. Well the Bible is God's letter to humanity. He speaks to us through the Bible and to grow closer to God and better understand His plan for my life, I have daily Bible studies.
Right now, I am going through the book of Joshua. If you have a Facebook and are interested in reading my thoughts, below is the link that will take you to every Facebook Note I have ever written.
If you don't have a Facebook, but you'd still like to read the Notes, let me know and I will gladly email them to you. :-)
http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=1422645533
Right now, I am going through the book of Joshua. If you have a Facebook and are interested in reading my thoughts, below is the link that will take you to every Facebook Note I have ever written.
If you don't have a Facebook, but you'd still like to read the Notes, let me know and I will gladly email them to you. :-)
http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=1422645533
Football Game
So I didn't get all that much reading done. Instead, I watched the Braves/Cubs game. Its weird seeing Derek Lee in a Braves uniform...
Anyway, I am getting ready to go see a football game with a friend! Should make for an eventful evening. :-)
Anyway, I am getting ready to go see a football game with a friend! Should make for an eventful evening. :-)
Beautiful Day
Its a beautiful day! Well actually...I don't care what it looks like outside because I spent all morning yesterday doing yard work so I don't have to be out there today. :-)
Mission for today? Enjoy the break before college begins.....think I can make it work. There are several books that I'm in the middle of that I need to finish.
The Truth War by John MacArthur, Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper, Hero by Derwin L. Gray...and if I ever do finish those, I have a list of about five or six other books that I recently got that I want to read. Busy, busy, busy! Wish me luck! :-)
Mission for today? Enjoy the break before college begins.....think I can make it work. There are several books that I'm in the middle of that I need to finish.
The Truth War by John MacArthur, Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper, Hero by Derwin L. Gray...and if I ever do finish those, I have a list of about five or six other books that I recently got that I want to read. Busy, busy, busy! Wish me luck! :-)
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