Enjoy God

Do you enjoy God? Do you enjoy worshipping Him on Sunday? Do you get excited about church? Do you get excited about the daily worship you have in His Word? Does God make you excited? Does His law make you excited?

I don't think being excited is about jumping up and down and screaming. But looking forward in anticipation to it may be one working out of your excitement. Instead of wondering what you're going to do Sunday afternoon, you look forward to the worship would be one instance.

Our spiritual lives are very important. We spend a whole lot of time working out, working so we can provide ourselves good vacations/nice house/etc. Shouldn't our eternal life be thought of as even more important? Does your love for God work out in your daily life?

Sunday Scriptures

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. ~ Ephesians 4:31-32

Life is a Long Race

Having done one marathon and watched a couple, I've seen people who gave up on the race. They gave up when they had made it 20 miles. They only had 6.2 to go, but they just couldn't make it. It was too hard.

I think many people do the same thing, in regards to their lives. They make it 50-60-70 years following Christ, staying faithful to their wife/husband, loving their children, etc. But they gave up. They hit the wall. In marathon running the 20-21 mile mark is often called the wall. It's when your body no longer has anything left in it. Your body uses up all the glycogen(energy) stored in the liver and muscles and begins to start burning fat.

Life is the same way to a certain extent. People hit that mid-life crisis. They were running on their own strength and it ran out. Maybe they haven't made enough money, they haven't traveled enough, they haven't lived life to the fullest, at least not up to their standards. And so they leave their family, or they just live their sins in secret, etc.

I pray that myself and none of you will be these people. This race is long. The way is narrow. There are many turns off this narrow pathway. It will not be easy. As CS Lewis said, “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.”

And this is another thing I've been learning more and more. You cannot depend on your own strength. It will fail you. You have to turn to Christ and he is the one who will uphold you. Cling to that rock. Don't allow yourself to think you can conquer sin on your own. You can't. Christ has though. He has conquered sin and has crushed the head of the serpent with His heel in His laying down His life for us.

This life won't be easy. There will be plenty of pathways that look prettier or easier. But they won't lead to heaven. There is only one way to heaven and that is through the Lord Jesus Christ. Not through you or your works. ;-)

Relationships - Real Life

I'm coming to the point where I want to have real relationships. I want to talk to people. I want to get in awkward situations. I want to not know what to say. I'm getting tired of the fake personalities of the internet where people act smarter than they are, post quotes that nobody would want to hear in real life, and put together perfectly thought through/witty thoughts. 

I want to talk to people and begin to become a better friend. I'm bad at it, but I shall try. ^_^

Sunday Scriptures

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. ~ Psalms 100:4-5

Sorry no book report on Saturday. :-/ Was tired from some long days at a conference we were at and didn't have a clear mind. :oD

All About You

What is life about? Is it all about you? Is it all about how you feel? Is it all about how you prosper? 


Or is life about others? Is life about seeing others grow in Him? Is life about edifying others to be more like Him? I've found when I stop focusing on myself I work more. I stop clinging to my sins. I begin to cling to Christ. I begin to realize that I can't serve others without Him. I can serve myself all day long without Christ. But when I have to turn from being selfish to unselfish it doesn't come naturally without my doing it for Christ and because of my love for him he gives me the strength to love others.


We need to be laying down our life for others. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." ~ Matthew 16:25 We need to be laying down our lives for Christ.

Head in the Clouds?

People like to have their head in the clouds. See themselves as bigger than they are. They want to be the big movie star. They want to be like a movie character. They may dream about being married. They may dream about traveling the world.

The thing is, dreams don't get you places. Doing stuff gets you there. Dreams are good in the context of giving you an idea of what you're trying to get done. But they don't get you places. If you want to do something go try it. If you're terrible at it, then you know you are. But if you just talk about it you'll never know if you're gifted in that area. You'll be stuck with your head in the clouds.

Sunday Scriptures

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. ~ Mark 8:34-35

Babies

You know, I really like babies. They help me understand that as we grow up we become more complex. We don't look at life in as much wonder.
They bring me back to the idea that my job as I grow older is to create a world that will give the generation after me a more beautiful life. A life where they can even more easily grow up and worship God. Rather than creating a world that revolves around me, instead I look toward a world that will go on generation after generation, long after my short life is over.

Health

Why is stuff that is good for you not as tasty? Chocolate cake is much better than green gunk. (See below) Cookies are better than broccoli, etc.

Why is it that our flesh wants the candy of life? The carnal pleasures of money gotten easily, sex outside of the context of marriage, lies to get us ahead in life, etc. are what we want. Things that are good for us long term are not necessarily as pleasurable in the short term. It takes character, waiting, and obeying God to be successful.  And lots of prayer, fasting, and reading His Word.

"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" ~ Matthew 16:26

Good Friends

I have good friends. I have a great family. I'm blessed. That's all.

Light

Confessing your sins is hard. It's admitting that you're not perfect. But do you want to be perceived as perfect when you aren't?

Sunday Scriptures

He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ~ Luke 24:6-7

Love is Hard

Love is easy when others agree with you and are quite amicable in general. Angry people are hard to love. People who disagree with you are hard to love. People who sin are hard to love. But what is love if it isn't hard?

Darkness Before You

Does your life ever feel like you are looking ahead through some sort of darkness and can't see clearly in front of you? But you do see that light in the distance. That light that gives you a hope and will to keep moving in life. As a Christian that's what gives you hope. A promise of something better. As you are attacked by those who hate God and the daily trials of life, we still have that hope before us. That bright light at the end of the tunnel. 

Sun

Turn From Your Own Wisdom

When we are lost in the dark what do we look for? A flashlight, a lantern, or maybe a lighter would be good options? In the same way, too many people don't use God's Word to direct them when they are lost. I can't believe how many of my own blogs aren't using Scripture to present their position. Using "experts" and other books are fine, but if your ultimate source is not God's Word you will be lost. And wander off that road. Maybe as I go forward, instead of using Scripture to prove my point, I'll use Scripture to create my points.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." ~ Psalm 119:105

Age

Age doesn't necessarily mean maturity. I may be 20, but a 15 year old may be more mature than me. I may be 40 and a 30 year old may be more mature. I sometimes think too much in terms of my "age." I need to grow up by a certain age, I need to do this by a certain age. And yes, age is a great way to tell time and to set goals for yourself. But really we should strive for maturity whether we are 10 or 50. Just because someone is younger than you doesn't mean they aren't more mature than you. If you're young, that doesn't mean you have to act young. Our culture has made it that way to some extent. They say you can't grow up till late in life. Have fun while you can. We won't let you grow up, we'll baby you. No alcohol, smoking, driving, etc until we decide you can. Also, you can't work for money. Actually, we'll make laws that make you act like a lazy bum who can't work.

But even though those pressures are on you to not grow up, that doesn't mean they're right. Don't accept the low standards. Strive for bigger and better ones.

But at the same time, don't become too big for your britches. >_<

Sunday Scriptures

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ~ Ephesians 4:2-3