So, over the past week something bad has happened. I can't really talk about it, but whenever something like this happens its easy to question why God lets things like this happen. It's easy to assign blame to God when He deserves none. Instead He deserves praise. What God would guarentee to be with you through the really hard times... those times when a telephone call stabs like a knife and all words remain silent because of their inability to describe reality.
No matter the outcome, I will refuse to assign blame to God because He deserves none of it. Instead, I will lift my hands that much higher in worship to Him because He is good, and no sinner like me deserves such a love.
Hewbrews 4:14-16 talks about Jesus undergoing every temptation we face, and remained without sin... through Him I can find mercy, grace, and help even when I most burdened by temptation.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Friday, July 15, 2005
seeing His glory
One Saturday night, a group of counselors from the camp went out on a prayer walk. I joined them, and paused along a little green pasture facing the river. Above me the stars shimmered; it was paradise. Praying to God, I asked, "Show me your glory." I've been asking that question a lot lately expecting to get an answer like Isaiah when he saw the temple filled with the train of God's robe. Instead, my answer was... "look around. See my creation? It's been here all along, you just haven't been looking hard enough. See the people you love? Through them, and their lives lived for me, you can see Me." God created the heavens and the earth. It's like a camp song I sing a lot, "God's finger prints are everywhere, just to show how much He cares." God does not need to move a mountian to show His glory. Sometimes, His glory is whispered through the little things, a tree bustling in the wind, a flower dancing in a pasture, a river of stars flowing through the void of night, or the people close to me. Indeed, God shows me His glory every day, and I can do nothing but stand in amazement and awe of him.
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Thoughts from 1 John....
1 John 1:1-4
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
That which was from the beginning… a reference to God, since He was the only one that existed before creation. Everything else was a vast nothing.
One of the greatest things about the New Testament is that most of it was written by those who directly saw Jesus either by eye, or through a vision. There was no vast global communications network of any sort. So, the best way to hear about an event was to hear it directly from someone who had seen it. The gospels have extreme authority this way: four authors that can testify about Jesus’ life because they saw him face to face. This gives the authors credibility. In this case, it’s John declaring that he has seen, first hand, the messiah(the life) the OT prophesied about. He heard, saw, and touched the Messiah.
This we proclaim… John didn’t just let it rest with seeing Jesus Christ, he had to tell others. He had to let others know about the Good News.
Paul may not have seen Jesus in Person, but he saw Jesus in a vision. After that vision Paul’s life was dramatically changed. He had a life altering encounter with the Lord. This is one way we can know that Paul’s relationship with God was authentic.
Our evidence is in the way Christ has changed our lives. If we don’t live changed lives we aren’t testifying Jesus.
2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
The life appeared… Jesus Christ came and he is the Messiah. John knows this because he has seen him. Eternal life is now available through Jesus Christ, not through the sacrifices of the Old Testament.
This doesn’t mean we can simply ignore the Jesus’ commandments and go about living our lives however we would want to live. Those commandments give us something to endeavor towards. Following them won’t give us salvation. However, once we have believe that Jesus is the messiah, we should want Him to mold us into a more perfect person. John 14:15-31
3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4We write this to make our joy complete.
Fellowship with us… those who believe have a fellowship together, and are brothers and sisters. John longs for people to believe so he can call them brothers and sisters also. The fellowship among believers is unique because it involves the Father. He’s longing for “fellowship with us” is an invitation to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
To make our joy complete… to see more believe and come to the kingdom of God through fellowship with God, and also the actual joy we have because we know that God is our eternal life.
Overall these first four verses are oozing with biblical truth. God was in the beginning. He sent Jesus Christ as Savior to the world and the only way to eternal life. We have evidence of the Messiah, Jesus... John has seen him. A relationship with God is now possible, which is the way to true joy.
1 John 1:1-4
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
That which was from the beginning… a reference to God, since He was the only one that existed before creation. Everything else was a vast nothing.
One of the greatest things about the New Testament is that most of it was written by those who directly saw Jesus either by eye, or through a vision. There was no vast global communications network of any sort. So, the best way to hear about an event was to hear it directly from someone who had seen it. The gospels have extreme authority this way: four authors that can testify about Jesus’ life because they saw him face to face. This gives the authors credibility. In this case, it’s John declaring that he has seen, first hand, the messiah(the life) the OT prophesied about. He heard, saw, and touched the Messiah.
This we proclaim… John didn’t just let it rest with seeing Jesus Christ, he had to tell others. He had to let others know about the Good News.
Paul may not have seen Jesus in Person, but he saw Jesus in a vision. After that vision Paul’s life was dramatically changed. He had a life altering encounter with the Lord. This is one way we can know that Paul’s relationship with God was authentic.
Our evidence is in the way Christ has changed our lives. If we don’t live changed lives we aren’t testifying Jesus.
2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
The life appeared… Jesus Christ came and he is the Messiah. John knows this because he has seen him. Eternal life is now available through Jesus Christ, not through the sacrifices of the Old Testament.
This doesn’t mean we can simply ignore the Jesus’ commandments and go about living our lives however we would want to live. Those commandments give us something to endeavor towards. Following them won’t give us salvation. However, once we have believe that Jesus is the messiah, we should want Him to mold us into a more perfect person. John 14:15-31
3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4We write this to make our joy complete.
Fellowship with us… those who believe have a fellowship together, and are brothers and sisters. John longs for people to believe so he can call them brothers and sisters also. The fellowship among believers is unique because it involves the Father. He’s longing for “fellowship with us” is an invitation to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
To make our joy complete… to see more believe and come to the kingdom of God through fellowship with God, and also the actual joy we have because we know that God is our eternal life.
Overall these first four verses are oozing with biblical truth. God was in the beginning. He sent Jesus Christ as Savior to the world and the only way to eternal life. We have evidence of the Messiah, Jesus... John has seen him. A relationship with God is now possible, which is the way to true joy.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Psalm 13
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.
The Lord has been crazy good to me over the past school year. Sure there were a lot of tough times, but now that I look back on it His hand was definately helping guide my life.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.
The Lord has been crazy good to me over the past school year. Sure there were a lot of tough times, but now that I look back on it His hand was definately helping guide my life.
Monday, April 18, 2005
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Update
I went through some of my blog entries and just revised them a little bit today, and posted one I made in november I saved as a draft. I have to start updating this site again.
Sunday, November 28, 2004
"and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
In love, Christ gave his all. Litteraly his all. His blood flowed over the path to the hill upon which he was crucified. His flesh was ripped and torn with wounds to ghastly to imagine. Guards mocked him while he died. He was sold by a man who followed him, and betrayed by a disciple who loved him more than anything else in the world. He led a sinless life, and in return was sentenced to death. Christ gave his all on the cross.
Christ led an example. He was willing to give everything for us even his earthly life. The question what is left in me that must also die on that cross? What is it that I have held onto so dearly that I must give to Christ? It's easy to say Christ deserves our all, but how easy is it to act on that very same sentence? Like Paul... in Galations 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." That is the ultimate love, that Jesus laid down his life for the ones that he loves.
Matthew 10:38-39
In love, Christ gave his all. Litteraly his all. His blood flowed over the path to the hill upon which he was crucified. His flesh was ripped and torn with wounds to ghastly to imagine. Guards mocked him while he died. He was sold by a man who followed him, and betrayed by a disciple who loved him more than anything else in the world. He led a sinless life, and in return was sentenced to death. Christ gave his all on the cross.
Christ led an example. He was willing to give everything for us even his earthly life. The question what is left in me that must also die on that cross? What is it that I have held onto so dearly that I must give to Christ? It's easy to say Christ deserves our all, but how easy is it to act on that very same sentence? Like Paul... in Galations 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." That is the ultimate love, that Jesus laid down his life for the ones that he loves.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
we live to die, but die to live forever
Last weekend, my grandfather past away. Whenever someone in your family passes away, there is always a degree of sadness acompanied along with it. I guess the thing that really got to me was the pride he had in me. A family member from the other side of my family came up to me to tell me this. "One of the last times I saw your grandfather, he had just gotten a picture of you from when you first started college. He was so proud of you." It's a sad thing to lose a grandparent, but death reminds us of one thing. From all earthly life comes death, but from earthly death comes eternal life. Where we spend that eternity is the kicker.
A friend sent me a small note in the mail. On the note, she left me three bible verses to remember.
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes-I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
A friend sent me a small note in the mail. On the note, she left me three bible verses to remember.
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes-I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Job 19:25-27
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
John 11:25-26
For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
Romans 14:7-9
Thursday, October 07, 2004
forgive me
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. "
It is so hard to live this part of the Bible. It's impossible without Christ. There are so many things on this earth that I long and seek after. I really shouldn't. God's my supply... my breath of life... and there is no way I can even grasp a glimpse of his beauty. Yet I let my yearning for God be taken over by earthly things. I am a wretched man... unable to comprehend the vastness of God's love, but willing to let His love be substituted by the things of this world. Without Christ this battle would be in vain. Because of His gift, even I, the worst of all men, can be called a child of God.
Lord Christ, forgive me for my wrongs.
1 John 2:15-17
It is so hard to live this part of the Bible. It's impossible without Christ. There are so many things on this earth that I long and seek after. I really shouldn't. God's my supply... my breath of life... and there is no way I can even grasp a glimpse of his beauty. Yet I let my yearning for God be taken over by earthly things. I am a wretched man... unable to comprehend the vastness of God's love, but willing to let His love be substituted by the things of this world. Without Christ this battle would be in vain. Because of His gift, even I, the worst of all men, can be called a child of God.
Lord Christ, forgive me for my wrongs.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
I'm not just a man lost in a sea of faces
Life can be the most confusing thing... ups and downs. There are happy times, sad times, normal times. Times when everyone seems against you, or times when everyone loves you. In the middle of this, there is one rock- one thing that stands and stays constant... Christ. "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid which is Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 3:11
God is not only our redeemer, He is the ultimate love of our lives. "How great is the love the father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1. Think about it. We are children of God in heaven. Many times we will define ourselves by our relations to other people. Such as Mike's roomate, or Tyler's friend, Pete's son... but Christians have the privalege to call themselves children of the king of the universe. I'm not just anouther fish in the sea, or a man lost in a sea of faces. I am a child of the king of the universe. YOU are a child of the king of the universe.
After this, everything else seems to fade away. The worries, the expectations, the constant hustle of this life is nothing. There is someone who truely and deeply loves you and me. Enough to call an imperfect sinner one of his children.
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
God is not only our redeemer, He is the ultimate love of our lives. "How great is the love the father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1. Think about it. We are children of God in heaven. Many times we will define ourselves by our relations to other people. Such as Mike's roomate, or Tyler's friend, Pete's son... but Christians have the privalege to call themselves children of the king of the universe. I'm not just anouther fish in the sea, or a man lost in a sea of faces. I am a child of the king of the universe. YOU are a child of the king of the universe.
After this, everything else seems to fade away. The worries, the expectations, the constant hustle of this life is nothing. There is someone who truely and deeply loves you and me. Enough to call an imperfect sinner one of his children.
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Romans 8:16-17
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Hannah's Request
In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."
I've been reading through 1 Samuel lately, and this prayer really struck me. Hannah was distressed. She was one of two wives of a man named Elkanah. Elkanah's other wife Peninnah had children, but Hannah's womb was closed and she had none. Hannah under went a lot of ridicule from Peninnah. In the midst of this, Hannah's prayer to God was that she would have a son, but that wasn't the end of it. Hannah didn't just say she want this for herself. She gave what she requested to the Lord. She forfeited her right to it. The Lord blessed her and gave her a son, and she gave her son Samuel to the Lord. Samuel was raised under the priest Eli, and became a godly man.
I think that my prayer requests before the Lord should be more like Hannah's. She was not just interested in this child for herself. I think she knew that what she had received from God was not really her's at all. It was a gift, and she intended to take that gift and use it for God's service. Its easy to get into a selfish way of thinking: to say God... I want a pet cow, a bicycle, and a cute girlfriend, but that is not the right way of thinking. I should be more focused on... will this thing help me further your ministry here on earth. Or how can I use what you give me to serve you, Lord?
In "The Pursuit of God"... A. W. Tozer remarks this
We are often hindered from giving up our treasures to the Lord out of fear for their safety; this is especially true when those treasures are loved relatives and friends. But we need have no such fears. Our Lord came not to destroy but to save. Everything is safe which we commit to Him, and nothing is really safe which is not so committed.
Our gifts and talents should also be turned over to Him. They should be recognized for what they are, God’s loan to us, and should never be considered in any sense our own.
Thank you Lord for loaning me everything I have on this earth.
1 Samuel 10-11
I've been reading through 1 Samuel lately, and this prayer really struck me. Hannah was distressed. She was one of two wives of a man named Elkanah. Elkanah's other wife Peninnah had children, but Hannah's womb was closed and she had none. Hannah under went a lot of ridicule from Peninnah. In the midst of this, Hannah's prayer to God was that she would have a son, but that wasn't the end of it. Hannah didn't just say she want this for herself. She gave what she requested to the Lord. She forfeited her right to it. The Lord blessed her and gave her a son, and she gave her son Samuel to the Lord. Samuel was raised under the priest Eli, and became a godly man.
I think that my prayer requests before the Lord should be more like Hannah's. She was not just interested in this child for herself. I think she knew that what she had received from God was not really her's at all. It was a gift, and she intended to take that gift and use it for God's service. Its easy to get into a selfish way of thinking: to say God... I want a pet cow, a bicycle, and a cute girlfriend, but that is not the right way of thinking. I should be more focused on... will this thing help me further your ministry here on earth. Or how can I use what you give me to serve you, Lord?
In "The Pursuit of God"... A. W. Tozer remarks this
We are often hindered from giving up our treasures to the Lord out of fear for their safety; this is especially true when those treasures are loved relatives and friends. But we need have no such fears. Our Lord came not to destroy but to save. Everything is safe which we commit to Him, and nothing is really safe which is not so committed.
Our gifts and talents should also be turned over to Him. They should be recognized for what they are, God’s loan to us, and should never be considered in any sense our own.
Thank you Lord for loaning me everything I have on this earth.
Monday, September 27, 2004
The Great Intercession
If a man sins against another man, God may mdiate for him but if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?. 1 Samuel 2:25
The greatest gift God has offered man is the solution to this great problem. Christ offered his life as a sacrifice to be our interscessor. It is impossible for me to comprehend God's relational love for us. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sin. 1 John 4:10 Wait, there is more...
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phillipians 4:6-7
The creator of the universe who has power over everything loves me enough to rid me of my anxiety. If I present my problems before him and give God authority over them. God's will will be done. God works for the good of all those who believe in him. Knowing that, nothing in this life should be able to make me worry. The whole purpose of life is to fear God with a holy and revrent fear, and to obey His commandments. Everything else stacks up from there. My life should endeavor to glorfy Christ Jesus.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither heights nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
The greatest gift God has offered man is the solution to this great problem. Christ offered his life as a sacrifice to be our interscessor. It is impossible for me to comprehend God's relational love for us. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sin. 1 John 4:10 Wait, there is more...
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phillipians 4:6-7
The creator of the universe who has power over everything loves me enough to rid me of my anxiety. If I present my problems before him and give God authority over them. God's will will be done. God works for the good of all those who believe in him. Knowing that, nothing in this life should be able to make me worry. The whole purpose of life is to fear God with a holy and revrent fear, and to obey His commandments. Everything else stacks up from there. My life should endeavor to glorfy Christ Jesus.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither heights nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Thursday, August 12, 2004
God of the bad
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has
made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything
about his future. Ecclesiastes 7:14
God is God of the good times in life and the bad times in life. Its easy to believe in an almighty supreme creator when everything is going well. God is still the almighty supreme creator when there is a rough spot in life.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philipians 4:6
Let's face it, life gets tough, but God is tougher than life. Don't worry about the bad times that are comming up, give them to God and He will watch over your soul. Give your heart to God, there you will find unconditional true love through both the good times and the bad.
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
God Carries Us
There was a man who walked with God. All his life he would be able to look back at his footsteps, and he would be able to see two sets: his and God's footprints. There was one problem; whenever something bad happened or life got tough, he would look back and only see one set of footprints. Finally, he demanded an answer from God, "Why didn't you walk with me through the rough times in life?" God replied to him, "Didn't you know I was carrying you?"
I heard this while I was working at bible camp this summer. I changed it a little, but it still has the same idea.
I heard this while I was working at bible camp this summer. I changed it a little, but it still has the same idea.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Friends
Forging friendships is important.
Our relationship with God is important. By ourselves we stand no chance against this world, one can be overpowered. With God we can defend ourselves from the attacks worldly life has against us. The coolest promise of all though is that a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Once we take God and put him at the forefront of our relationships with friends then that is when he really begins working. Those friendships are not quickly broken.
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three
strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12
Our relationship with God is important. By ourselves we stand no chance against this world, one can be overpowered. With God we can defend ourselves from the attacks worldly life has against us. The coolest promise of all though is that a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Once we take God and put him at the forefront of our relationships with friends then that is when he really begins working. Those friendships are not quickly broken.
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