545 Blogs

Waste

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:25:53 +0000

Waste?

We were all born with talents, skills and desires. Sometimes we don’t catch those desires or talents right away. We grow into them. We see our desires grow at school during our first practice or after a encouraging talk with a teacher. Some find our talents outside the classroom. We find ourselves in the back yard picking up trash or helping a homeless man under the city bridge. Some even see their passion in their instrument as they learn their notes and grooves. We all have something to offer, I think we can all agree with that. I also believe whether big or small our gifts or talents to people may be, it is a valuable tool for something.

But what we desire to do with that, how we perceive our gifts and how we conduct ourselves with those gifts means everything. There is no doubt in my mind that someone with their talent will either give beauty or wickedness as their mark before his/her last breath is taken. “But John, how you defy beauty is not the same way I do, nor your definition of wickedness mine.”–I can agree that, we may have different perceptions so I will not base it on what I think or feel; I will base it on something concrete. I will base it on the standard on God (the God of the Holy Bible).

God has given us all “abilities” or talents. He has made us. He has designed our eyes, nose, ears, eye lashes, emotions, talents, etc. (Psalms 139:13). What God has given you is yours. You are valuable. No one is like you. As you grow you will build up this valuable gift with time, effort, study, practice. Your gift (talent) is what you are. It is your life, your hope for living and provision.

Quickly look at Matt. 26. It is the story of a women (not named) who came into Simon’s house to see Jesus. She walked in and poured a very expensive, precious ointment on Christ. The response from the disciples was clear. They were upset. They said “Why this waste? We could have sold this and given it to the poor.”(V.8-9) Basically I see this. This women came to Jesus for one thing. To give to Him all that she had. Without this precious perfume she would be another nobody. A regular person with no “value”. She found herself giving her value to Christ. And the world said “what a waste”. The world thinks that if you give Christ your all, your value, your talent, you will waste it. Christ said “For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.” “For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.” I believe Christ was making a fork in the road with this statement. There will always be a need for you to pour your life into the world. It is a vacuum of opportunity and need. There will always be the world. But what they didn’t understand was this. In a couple of days Christ was going to be crucified. He was going to save the world through His obedience to God. This women gave all that she had to Christ and Christ took that to the cross. That perfume was apart of not only a couple of people’s need, but all man’s need. What we think we can do without Christ does not compare to what He will do with it.

So, did she really waste the thing most valuable to her by giving it to Christ. No, she expanded it as far as the east is from the west(Psalms 103:12). If she didn’t give it to Christ. If she sold it and gave the money to the poor, then she would have indeed wasted it!

How Do You Pick Your Spouse?

admin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:19:09 +0000

Scripture 2:18-21
Application: Go in groups, expect nothing, and take words for what they are!

Myths About Relationships:
1. Relationships are meant to be experienced? WRONG. -God did not
designed you to be with more than one women/man.
2. Relationships should be about you and the other person, and some of
Jesus? WRONG -God must be at the center not a piece, but the center.
3. Relationships are here to get to know someone? WRONG -Relationships
are intimate commitments. Why commit to someone you don’t know.
4. Relationships with non-believers are ok? WRONG -You do not serve
the same master nor should have the same mind. You shouldn’t be able
to agree.
5. Relationships are not marriage therefore they should be viewed as
short term. WRONG -Relationships are very serious and long term.

Some of us are looking for specific qualities (which is good), but most of us are looking for specific people hoping they have those
specific qualities. At the end of most relationships the common understanding is “they did not meet all the requirement I had expected.”-the problem is that most of us can’t accept who is in the mirror so why do we think we can find fullness (everything expected) in someone else. We are a broken people
in a broken world. We are horrible at picking someone.

Adan in Gen 2 had not “falling into sin” yet. He had right communion with God. His concern for a spouse was not existing. In verse 18 we see that God was talking to Himself. ( 18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”) He was not talking to Adam. It did not say “I will make a helper for you”. Adam was unaware of a problem. Adam was not complaining about being lonely. In verse 19 Adam named the animals. He was not looking for a partner of soul mate. He was doing what God commanded him to do. Still unaware he needed a spouse. Then In verse
21 God put him to sleep. Again let me reiterate, not once did Adam ask for or push in anyway a relationship or concern for a spouse in these verses. God put Adam to sleep. So you have a man being obedient to God’s commands totally oblivious and then he falls asleep. He was not apart of the picking process for a wife.

Adam had nothing to say about a spouse. It was God who thought it was neccessary, not Adam.

So, how do you pick your spouse? You don’t. You follow God and let Him move in your life and draw you to a point of obvious commitment for another.

Relationships are about a solid foundation of commitment. Relationships are the second biggest decision you will make and the purest way to show God’s relationship with His bride, to think of it any less is missing its purpose and design.

A good sign: When others start asking you if she/he is the one instead of you asking others if she is the one.

Questions:
1. How have you seen relationships treated by other? By Yourself?

2.Why do think people have more than one relationship?

3. How hard is it to wait?

4. If waiting was God’s plan would you be OK with that?

5.Hould you be preparing for your wife or worrying about is she/he likes you today?

6. Where does God fit in in your past and future relationship(s)?

7. Is it too hard to be an Adam today?

Temptation

admin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:50:40 +0000

temptation is not a source, in till you make it one.

No matter where you are in your christian life temptation is apart of you. Some of us deal with small temptations, but most feel like we are in the worst place of out lives! But if we are honest, a lot of us feel like that with every temptation (every single one of them-”Oh
THIS IS THE WORST THING EVER… TODAY IS RUINED, YESTERDAY WAS RUINED, TOMORROW HAS NO HOPE.. You get the point). It’s like everywhere feels like a desert, and life is unbearable with every trail. If Christ is peace than why are we not getting any of it?

The answer is a lot simpler than you think! It is because when those problem arise, they become our source. With everyday of temptation or trial we feed off the problem and not on our Savior/LORD. We think/consider the problem has the most important thing to deal with at the time (”Once I finish this-Once I get this handle, I can focus-So I will dedicate myself to this situation in till it is
finished.”) We take our eyes off of Christ to look at the world. You’re confused because the world is confusing, you’re angry because
the world is angry, you’re hurt because the world is hurt. You feed off the source!

We must stay the course. This is why Jesus was able to deny the devil. It was not because Christ attacked Satan, but that Jesus listen to God more than the world. His source was GOD.

Where are you feeding from. If you are angry, why? If you are depressed, why? If you are lonely, why?

“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace….” (1 Corinthians 14:33)

Check where you abide-John 15:1-7

Puzzle

admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:12:00 +0000

Have you ever put a puzzle together? The first puzzle recorded was developed by a man named John Spilsbury who invented the jigsaw puzzle in 1767. Depending on the skill level a person can get a 50 piece set or for harder puzzles they can reach 1,500 pieces or more! Some puzzles have huge pieces and some puzzles have smaller pieces. Puzzles can be different but their purpose is same which is to build off specific pieces of each other to create a full scale picture. If we look at every piece of the puzzle individually we see that it is useless on it’s own and can give you a sense of confusion (especially the smaller the piece). I know I always thank the puzzle companies for putting the picture of the puzzle on the box it comes in. If not we would have to guess what the picture was. How hard would it be to not have a clue what the end looks like. By having this whole picture we can plan accordingly? I think you know where I am going here. Life is a puzzle for everyone. Some of us have big pieces that are more obvious and doesn’t take as long to see the picture, but most of us have that box that contains 2,000 pieces and those pieces are very small. Life can be so strenuous and tedious. We know that God has given us a vision or dream. These dreams are a glimpse of our lives but they are not the whole picture. I think we all go through this, “why can’t we see the whole picture God?” thought(especially in times of struggle or trial). I believe God does not give us the whole picture because
we would “plan accordingly”. We must trust in God, have faith in His direction, and know that He is faithful. We would not do this if we saw the whole picture. Spend time with God today. He holds your pieces and knows your end. Trying to live without Him is like putting a puzzle together with the wrong pieces and the wrong end in mind. I pray you trust God today.

A Devotion:

admin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:50:37 +0000

We all heard the phrase “Life is one step at a time.” What we forget
sometimes as Christians is that every step is upward! As followers of
Christ we should never stop growing. Growing means going, and going
means up for us. If you ever had the opportunity to walk up several
flights of stairs you probably remember the experience well. Do you remember the first step?! You might of have had a courageous spirit to double your first step. As you made your way up the first flight of stairs everything feels right. Your progression is good and your body enjoys the challenge. But as each flight of stairs pass, the enthusiasm begins passing with it. Everything is not as it once was and we begin to wonder where the joy is now. These stairs seem endless for us as believers , but it should be a joy no matter the circumstance. So where are you in your walk with God? Some of us right now are struggling on a certain floor looking at those down low and clinching our fist for those that who pass us. Some of us have made it to the top in areas of our lives and now are heading back down to help others. Some have given up. Some have stopped before the first step and looked straight up. They stand there wondering if it’s even possible to walk, and so they have never moved.
*“It’s always crowded at the bottom, but never at the top.” So where are you? Are you on the bottom? Christ calls us to walk in His ways, and the Bible states that His ways are higher than our ways. If you’re going to walk, it has to be up!
Pray that God would show you where you are today. Ask Him to reveal his
ways and then walk in them no matter the cost. Understand that joy is not a
moment, it is the journey. Pray, and ask God to remove the weight of today so
you may walk up another flight of stairs. The end is eternity with Him!
*Quote by John Maxwell

What I believe about God?

admin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:50:03 +0000

It is not a cliché for our first thought of God to be plainly stated “Holy”. It is what separates us from Him. He is strong yet at times a human can be also strong. He is wise yet at times we too can be wise. He is justice, yet there are times of mercy and justice in us. He is good, but we also capable of good works. All these traits came from God; “strength” “wisdom” “justice” “goodness”, but there is one trait we do not share. Holiness. This is why the word Holy defies Him best. On this word alone we can see why God is passionate about us. If He were not holy, it would be a sinner chasing after a sinner for marriage, but because it is “holiness chasing iniquity” there is something to be grasped. I believe God is truth 2nd. What could we gain from a liar but trouble? This makes Jesus’ claims and God’s word more than sufficient for our lives. Truth is our anchor for the pursuit of our purpose. Without truth we will swallow lies and be left fat and consumed with bitterness and evil. I believe God is passionate 3rd. Why continue a pursuit of endless mistakes in less there is a passionate desire to see it through the end? God is the end, He sees it, and has prepared it as well. “Passion makes God’s timing for a return a mystery.” Will He return for a bride today or wait for another soul to come to the knowledge of Him? Will He give more grace today to receive a greater honor by man tomorrow**? This passion is not matched by anyone! I believe He is balanced (#4). God does no waver. If God did wavered, the same laws He set for mankind will also toss Him. He will not bury His goodness and righteousness to step outside these laws. God is balance. He wrote the laws of science and the laws of character/good (ten commandments) to establish Himself before man. These laws must be obeyed by all and lived out through the Kings of Kings!*** Balance is more than theology. It is science, physics, and divine understanding of His words. I believe God is a lover (#5). God wants us to be bond servants (like Paul), He wants us to be co-heirs, He wants us to be like minded, He wants us to be soldiers, He wants us to be child-like, but when Christ returns He wants a bride! He wants a beautiful clean and willing bride. Not a solider or warrior or slave (though these are the characteristics of a devoted fiancé). He wants a wedding, not a battle. He is coming with the intent to marry. If He wants a bride then He is a lover.

** God does not need anything. This honor from man standpoint will be given, but God does not need it. Yet He desires it from His bride.

*** Christ walked on water, raised people from the dead, healed others, and made a tree wither. These are seen as “outside” the natural law and they are. But these miracles only solidify His deity. These do not tossed God into a being of lawlessness because they were broken to show His power and goodness. These were acts of Godliness not lawlessness. God has never gone out of His law in such a way that it would cause Him to stumble.

Mercy brought me to this place

admin — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:57:04 +0000

I want to write of Joy unexplainable. I understand that phrase could be a bit awkward since I am trying to explain something that is in its purest form complex and simple which lends itself to unexplainable. For instance, I can’t explain why God in His ultimate goodness authored me into His story. I was freaking horrible and a destroyer of lives. Why He laid down authority and splendor and took on the form of a man and carried my shame to the cross I will never fully understand, but will continue to be grateful. I could give you some intense theological view that a few of my arrogant Calvinist, and Armenian brothers would debate over, but for the moment I will spare you… and myself. The truth is that you don’t care… the non-believing or even the fence sitting Christian does not care how much I know because the church has failed to show you how much we care. My plea is that if your unbelieving, if you’re the fence sitting Christians that gives the authentic Christian the bad name. If you have hardened your heart and refuse to trust the church or Christianity my aim is not to make you feel like crap and throw some guilt trip. I just want to remind you that there is a sovereign patient God who has given you an invitation to have life and have it to the full through the sinless life, gruesome death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus. You have been thought of and cared for before time. You were fearfully and wonderfully made. You are loved beyond measure. Know this, if you are reading this then “mercy has brought you to this place and grace will lead you home”. There is no life to shameful that it cannot find rest and forgiveness at the feet of Jesus. So would you… abandon pride and put on Christ. “Repent and be converted that your sins would be blotted out and times of refreshing can come in the presence of the lord”. I know you are tired of running so here is the invitation to stop, breath, and rest in Christ.

I love you much

Dreaming with a broken heart

admin — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:55:55 +0000

There’s refuge in Christ. I could really end there and that would be sufficient. I have struggled tonight with whether I should list my past and my sins out… all the dirt, the pain, and the ruin. I was so dirty, so freaking jacked up, a user and abuser of anyone and everyone. I even peddled the gospel if I was in the appropriate crowd, but I refuse to illuminate a horrible past over a precious Savior. I will instead shine light on the cross of Calvary and the glorious gift God gave. My heart breaks tonight knowing that I have friends in my city sleeping with each other, my heart breaks to know that there are some who feel helpless and are contemplating suicide, and my heart yearns for you to know the truth. The truth is simple. It is easy to say and hard to live. God called you out and is calling you out. His work on the cross rendered us forgiven if we would just receive, repent and trust in Him for salvation. Do you realize that part of who God is is omnipresent? That means he is everywhere… EVERYWHERE! When your fooling around, getting slammed, glancing at porn, being lazy, taking advantage of people, and lying He is there, broken by your sin, grieved by your disobedience and ready to wrap you in His arms of love. He is not waiting with condemnation. Not yet at least. He is near tonight and ready to wash you clean, to make you whole in Him through the blood of Jesus. There is no need for excuses in His presence. Just be honest with Him (He knows anyways). I refuse to ramble, but as weird as it is I know your reading this and this for you is an invitation to the table where you’ll find forgiveness, newness and rest covered by the grace of God. If you fit these categories then I wrote for you. I pray for you. I believe God is going to change your life.

The arrogant Christian
The faithful believer
The college and high school student who justifies your drinking with (the bible doesn’t say it’s a sin)
The beautiful young lady who dresses to show her body because she has no self worth
The guy who takes advantage of a girl
The girl who takes advantage of a guy
The proud
The homosexual
The sexually active
The fearful
The faithful
The saved
The lost
Myself
The inconsistent
The workaholic
The desperate
The pastors
The worship leaders
The president
The soon to be saved
I don’t write for popularity, I am casting the net so some would be caught in the grip of grace.

I stinkin love you

We could feed the whole world with the crumbs from our bread

admin — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:54:18 +0000

It was twenty-six degrees last night and most of us were warm beneath the blankets in our bed. Some of our biggest worries as our head hit the pillow came from a txt or some other form of cowardly drama. Most of us slept well. Our stomachs were full from not one, but several meals we ingested yesterday and most in excess. We were full. We woke this morning and showered using enough water to sustain a family in Africa for a week and we were upset if it wasn’t hot enough. We left the shower and headed to the closet or dresser where some stressed over not having enough to wear… while in reality most of our closets could clothe several families who have nothing. That’s where my part of the story picks up. I was standing there looking at clothes and began to be broken. In one moment I realized how selfish and materialistic I am… It really started a few weeks ago though when I was standing at the kitchen sink doing dishes and became disgusted with myself when I thought that some kid in Africa would love to drink my dirty dishwater because it wouldn’t kill them. It’s these two experiences that have begun to shape my mind in a new direction, but there are a few many people who have brought me to this place.

Craige, you slept in an old train car last night downtown with no heater. You have made getting out of bed every Wednesday at 4 something worth it. This morning was the first morning you didn’t start the fire in…… well, no one knows how long. Some of the guys were worried. Frank assured us that the “professor is fine”. Hope to see you next Wed.

Mema, for giving your food away or not eating until you are certain that everyone else is full. For doing without so much so you could give to so many.

Dud, for taking a pair of gloves off your hands in 20 degree weather and giving them to someone you don’t know, not because you had to, but just so he would be warm.

The 5,000 kids that die every day from unsanitized water. That’s 2 million a year.

The 192 (not counting the two homeless shelters, hospitals, jails, and rehab) homeless people in Albany that face insurmountable odds everyday and keep going.

I sometimes want to be sad when I hang out with my friends downtown, but I am realizing they have so much and I have so little. I take everything for granted. Including God. Just like I stand beneath the flood of clean water every morning. I also stand in the presence of a holy God who desires a relationship, a oneness with me. I am overwhelmed by His goodness and drink it in, but soon leave His presence drawn away with the desire for more stuff. I pray that one day we choke on our excess and vomit it up so that we see how completely depraved we really are and how glorious Christ really is. He has given everything to us. Some He has given some much and to some little, but you have to remember He is the One that said the last will be first, that being weak is being strong, and that if we truly die we can fully live. My hope today in sharing my heart is that you will hear the voice of God breaking through your stuff and reminding you that there is much more. That in Him is fullness of joy and peace that overcomes every conflict. There is rest for the weary and hope for the beaten down. Today, right this minute there is forgiveness of sin and restoration for the soul. I pray that some of us would become poor in His presence so we could know the splendor of being rich in Him, that some of us would thirst today with a desire for Him to quench it and for hunger pains to grip our soul for more, more of the all-satisfying, completely sufficient Christ.

Would you say your full today? Or have you been blinded by so much stuff?
Proverbs 27:7

Nepal… The most gripping writing of my life

admin — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:52:41 +0000

This Friday John, Blake and myself with drive to Myrtle Beach, SC. We are doing a benefit for a ministry in Nepal and my heart is broken. Here is the deal. Between the ages of 8 and 16 girls are enlisted into the sex trade. Many of them becoming sex slaves and spending their lives in shame and bondage. 68 % will become infected with HIV and most will die prematurely. I am going to give you a little more info then I am going to make two points that I want you to digest and think deep about. We are going to Myrtle Beach to help raise money to send a missionary to Nepal. He has been many times and works with a local pastor. The pastor and his wife have set up in their own home a place of refuge for these little girls who manage to get free. The pastor and his wife actually buy the girls out of the sex trade. Yea… they buy them out, teach them the Word of God and show them the beauty of Christ. I read a testimony the other day from this ministry that talked of an eight year old that was the sex slave of the cities police chief. He was leaving town so the minister and his wife bought the little girl so that she would be free. When the missionary visited the first time several years ago the little girl would not make eye contact and hated men with good reason. He visited recently and she is now twenty or so with her own family and has a deep love for Christ. I don’t know a better picture of redemption. The word redemption in Greek actually means to “to purchase, to pull of the slave block”. That’s what this pastor and his family along with a group of missionaries are doing. They are redeeming these little girls and giving them a reason to live. Teaching them it was not their fault and that there is restoration in the arms of a loving God. Guys, how selfish and stupid are we as Americans. I got sick to my stomach last night when I thought about what is going on around the world. Right now 600-800 thousand young women are being trafficked in the sex trade while we complain and distress about miniscule things, like the economy or the price of gas. I am not going to rant all night. I will make my two points and be done.
I want to compare and contrast America with Nepal

Nepal.

Girls wish they were chaste and could have a chance at purity…
Girls long for modesty and wear the shame of deep humiliation…
Missionaries have to buy girls out of slavery to give them a chance at purity…

America

Girls are pressured to loose their virginity…
Girls think it is attractive to expose their body and see nothing wrong with it…
TV promotes promiscuity and jokes at the concept of purity…

I hope you get the picture. God has created you to be pure and chaste. He has given us guidelines for sexual purity and He has done so for our own emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. I pray that we as Christians would take a deep look into the mirror. Guys if you claim to be a Christian and are pressuring your girlfriend into any sexual act you are far from a Christian and should zip your pants and repent to God and beg forgiveness for not respecting and valuing your sister in Christ. Girls if you are showing everything you have in an attempt to be trendy or “cute” I would that you realize you are a precious daughter of God who has deep value and purpose, either that or stop claiming Christianity. What does it say to the world when we teach and claim that being pure is the way of the cross then live lives totally contradictory. I am not writing this to condemn you. I was there. I was the guy who defamed the name of Christ with my lust and I would that no one had to walk through that. Ever. That is probably the reason I am so dogmatic. I was a rank sinner who valued nothing, especially my own body, while claiming Jesus. Five years have passed since I purposed in my heart to be pure for Christ and my future mate and it has been awesome and sometimes the most difficult thing on the planet. I said all that to say this. Don’t throw away a purity that Christ has given you and that little eight to sixteen year old in Nepal would die for. Beyond that get caught up in the sweetness of Christ and realize There will be someone to value your purity. As for those who have blown it, today, right this minute can be day one of a life pure in Christ.

I love you
Tj