Does Anyone Really Know You?

In today's culture we hardly know people like we once did. At one time people lived in small little villages. They didn't have their personal iPods, their personal computers, their cars, etc. They were all stuck together. They would live for generations in an area. They'd work with each other, celebrate with each other, etc.

Am I saying this is necessarily better? Well I can see good aspects to it. But it's not as if it's a very viable model in the modern society of today. But moving on.

In the times that we live in today we don't necessarily even know the people who live in our own house. Do we really know what our friends listen to? What web pages do they browse? Who do they chat with? Where do they drive?

Here's my point. If you want to be close to people and let people know who you are, and to find out who they are, you have to be honest. You'll have to confess your sins "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." ~ James 5:16 


If you want to hide behind a mask, you can. You can go to church on Sunday. Go put on your best clothing. Put on your best attitude. Then you can come home and live like the devil. But ultimately, living like this will send you to hell. 


Be open about who you are. It's hard because we sin. We don't want to be open because we don't want to change. But what happens if we don't change? We will end up with the consequences, and they are much worse than repenting and turning away from that which is seen as evil in the sight of God. 


In order to grow to a point where people know who you are, you're going to have to spend time with them. Spend time with people in different contexts. Don't just hang out in fun places and enjoyable settings. Go spend some time ministering to people with others, serve the widow and the orphan, help fix your neighbors house, etc. And confess your sins. Be humble. Don't let your friends perceive you to be more than you really are.


I pray the Lord will make me less of an unrepentant hypocrite. And I hope he will work in you as well.

Sunday Scriptures

Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: ~ Daniel 2:27-28

Sleep

Sleep is great. Going to events doesn't help with getting any..

Trustworthy Friends

There are people who are “always” right. And, sure we all think we’re right, otherwise we wouldn’t say anything. But some people need to let the whole world know that they are right, through gossip, destroying relationships, and hurting people. It’s upsetting to me, mostly because much of the book of 1 Corinthians is berating the Corinthians for the dissonance that is going on in their body and encouraging them to be unified. Unified in Christ.

So that is one type of person, but there is also another type of person. They make promises and keep them. They talk one way and do the same. They are trustworthy.

But how do we determine which someone is going to be. Are they going to be trustworthy or untrustworthy, faithful or unfaithful? Or how about yourself? Are you trustworthy? I personally struggle with being trustworthy, so it’s not as if I have this down.

Number one, just be trustworthy. It’s a personal branding. People will remember times that you weren’t trustworthy. They’ll remember when you failed them. And it takes a long time to forget. 

But how do we get to a point where we're trustworthy? Trustworthiness in general comes from having good character. It will give you the consistency that’s needed to be known as a trustworthy person.

Secondly, find people who are very loving. And I don’t mean some sort of gooshy love that does nothing. I mean people who are willing to give you tough love. They'll generally be the ones who call you to a higher standard. True friends will always try to move you forward and towards Christ.

Finally, you will just have to go through hell with people to truly know them. There are a few people I’ve read of, who met with a little dissonance around them and then either ran away or betrayed their friends, and maybe they were tortured or hurt, but it was a good lesson to me. There are great people out there during the good times, but when the going gets rough, they run away or betray their friends. And a lot of times, sadly you won’t know who your friend is until you go through a time like this with them.

That’s why most of the time your best friends will be your family. You’re forced to go through trials with your family and can’t just leave. You eventually learn to work things out. I hope someday we will have friendships that are similar to a strong family relationship. 

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." ~ John 15:12-13

Directing or Following?

You must create direction for yourself. Are you running through life learning what others teach you? Part of this life will be generally directed by others. Our parents direct us. Our elders and pastors direct our lives. The Christian authors we read direct our lives. But ultimately, does most of the direction of your life come from the theologians of the film world/sports/advertisements/clothing designers/secular artists/authors/etc. 

Take for instance the Super Bowl half-time show. This was a worship service (in the words of Madonna) that saw Madonna as preaching a sermon to the largest audience in America. And yet most Christians will think of this as a well put together or show with no impact on their lives. 

Look at the feminist movement or the attack on patriarchy. These beliefs have been pushed incredibly hard by the Marxists raised up in the Frankfurt schools of thought. The school that pumped out some of the biggest destroyers of culture today. We can see that their beloved ideology is being worked out into a reality in the destroyed families of today. 

I think many people try to say there is some sort of neutrality in life. But in reality, you're going to either take dominion or be taken over by others. Attacking life with vigor is something we have to do. We have to summon the moral courage to conquer the lies of neutrality, Marxism, socialism, and the man other outworks of these ideologies. It's not as if it's easy, to any extent.

What can you look back on that you have done in your life? Or are you being led around by the media from one Marxist ideology to another?

Sunday Scriptures

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ~ Galatians 2:20

Sex Obsessed Culture

Almost every one of the top 100 songs on the charts involves sexual undertones. To rack up the views on Youtube, go find some woman with a bunch of cleavage and put it in your thumbnail. To make a successful box office movie make sure there's a bevy of sexual tension, whether the co-stars are 10 or 50. They have plenty of sex education for the 3rd graders. Skin shows up quite often on the magazines. Homosexuality is seen as normal and is often laughed at or even condoned by large entertainment establishments. For many people colleges, rather than institutions of learning, can breed a spirit of anonymity and a vagabond nature, creating many loose women, unless one is committed and accountable to a church fellowship. - http://nyti.ms/yiJtpP.   Pornography is all over the internet, seeping into everyone's homes. Or maybe it's just the movie you picked up from the local video store. How can this be healthy for a culture?

This culture is difficult for young men to live in and yet remain pure. (I know it's the same for women, but I'm a dude, so yeah.) Here's the thing. We have to. We're all sinners, and we're going to fall.  However, in the midst of sin, we need to live a life of repentance before God, leaving our sins at the cross, and rejoicing in the hope of His resurrection.  We have to cry out to God constantly, study His Word, stay accountable and get wisdom from older men. It's something that I don't do enough. And I can tell when I don't because that's when I struggle most. 

"Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." ~ Colossians 3:5

People present solutions, quick fixes.  These quick solutions can be steps in the right direction, but ultimately, crying out to God is your best option. Learn to love what is pure. There are young ladies around me who don't stoop to seducing and tempting men to sin. Learn to love modesty. Learn to love the humble heart. Learn to admire purity. Learn to admire a woman who won't give her heart away to a guy who has no responsibilities to her.

"... the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity." ~ 1 Timothy 5:1b-2

The thing is we're all sinners here. Don't kid yourself. We all struggle with lust, whether it be flesh, money, or fame. Even married people struggle. And we will all fail without the help of Christ. So cry out and turn from evil. 

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." ~ 1 Corinthians 10:12 

And as a last thing, don't burn in your lust. "But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion." ~ 1 Corinthians 7:9.  Don't put off marriage for the wrong reasons!  Use biblical priorities.  Get a job and get married now, if you need to.  Whatever you do, don't give in to lust!  These physical desires are not bad; they just need to be put in the right context.

P.S. I wouldn't use 1 Corinthians 7:9 as the first line when attempting to court a woman. ;-P