Framed

Paradigm Shift

2011-06-28T09:27:00.018-05:00

"I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."

John 17:14-15

I absolutely love John 17. Jesus' passion for us is revealed through intimacy with the Father. Just think about it for one moment. The Creator came to this earth to restore a broken relationship with us. Humans....the scum of the earth. We ditched God for our own pride and desires. No matter how "good" you are, compared to God's standards we are nothing. At our best it is as though we are dressed in filthy rags. There is no way we can manufacture or create salvation for ourselves. Yet Jesus came to give us an opportunity to know our Father once again. Jesus had to appease the wrath of a Holy God. He did this by dying for you and me. Death could not hold Him down. Three days later He rose, and this is our victory. This is the beauty of the Gospel.

This brings me to the underlined scripture above. Often times I hear Christians pray and ask God (I find that I do it as well), "I wish I didn't struggle with this sin __________," or "I command this sin in my life to leave, in the name of Jesus!" You see, as Christians we have gotten to a point where we try to get a comfortable place in our lives, where there is no visible sin. Don't get me wrong, yes sin is evil and we need to strive to live a holy life (Matt. 5:48). While it is necessary to avoid sin, this does not mean to have a total disregard in serving God. The passage in John 17 has two components to it.

1) Jesus asks the Father to protect us, not that we would be taken out of the fight. This caused a total paradigm shift within me. Without fail we ask that God would free us from struggles, that if most people knew about, they would shun us. Its not wrong to desire to be free. However to even entertain the idea of wanting an easy way out is a contradiction to what true life (or better put, death) really is. After all, putting our desires to death is not a comfortable thing. Spiritual growth isn't gained by wishing away all our temptations. It is through an attitude of repentance and turning away from our sin. Silver is not purified nor is gold made beautiful without being put through the fire. Here is Paul's take on it.

"But He said to me 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

II Corinthians 12:9

Wow! How many of us can say that we delight in the season we are in right now? I know that is not always my attitude. It is through our weakness that God is glorified. In light of our failures our pride is shattered. There is nothing more delightful to God than, "...A broken and contrite heart." (Psalm 51:17)

2) Since we are still on this earth, there is a mission for us to accomplish. This mission is clearly stated in the verses that follow:

"As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world...I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

John 17:18 and 23

This is not to be confused or intertwined with the American dream (which is a man made and self-exalting dream) somehow. What is the dream that God has given you? If your not sure. Read John 17 and meditate on it. Then consider that there are still around 4.5 billion people who live without Christ, while nearly 2 billion live in unreached people groups. As George Wilson put it, "Don't wonder whether you have a call to go. Have you had a distinct call from Christ to stay at home?"

The reality of the Gospel is that Jesus calls us to give up everything to follow Him. Yet this seems so foreign to us. Somewhere along the line we have made a Jesus that looks like us and and who encourages our life styles because, "We were born like that." Sorry to say...that isn't the Jesus of the Bible. If we choose to accept His death and resurrection we are choosing to become like Him, to die to everything that we know (Luke 14:26-27.) We take on a new character (Romans 12:2). His character isn't one that is so emotionally wrapped up in football games or tele novelas. No! It is one whose heart breaks at the fact that while we are caught up in our superficial entertainment millions go to hell, separated from God forever.

The realization and furthermore, the implementation of this truth will require a paradigm shift from all that comes natural to us. The rejection of our old ways is painful and frightening. It is a tiresome road that no one can travel for us. Yet it is one filled with the joy of becoming more like Christ. We were never promised ease. Thankfully Jesus wasn't daunted by the road ahead of Him. Think of it, if He hadn't died for you...where would you be today?

Die to yourself.

Just Words

2011-04-14T06:31:00.008-05:00

Have you ever sat back in church, during Praise and Worship and wondered about the songs being sung. I have. At times I just quiet myself and think about what I am singing. The other night I did this, and began wondering why there is a disconnect between the words that we sing and the lives that we live. Let me put it this way: What if we really meant the words that we sang? I think the answer is that our lives would be much different than what we live out on a daily basis.

Truth is, there is no meaning behind the words that we sing (because we fail to implement those words in our daily lives). Therefore they are just as useless as the songs sung at a Justin Beiber or John Mayer concert. I find (with myself) if I am not careful, I began to recite the words simply to sing. Where is the willingness to truly allow God to transform us? After all we sing about it every Sunday.

It is important to note that praise and worship have been wrongly defined and categorized as merely singing. Yes this is one form. However the continual recognition and yielding to the Holy Spirit is the worship we should strive for (John 4:23). This affects every area of our life as our focus is to glorify God in every situation that we encounter. It goes beyond the superficial, emotion tugging lyrics sung for 30 minutes on a Sunday morning and ushers us in to the presence of Christ.

For example, there are songs that talk of how we will totally abandon ourselves for the cause of Christ...yet the most radical abandonment that we have to offer is a short term missions trip every other year. We sing of His holiness....however outside of the church building we make light of God's true power and grace. We sing that we want to dwell in His glory...although if He did show up in the ways that we expect Him to, then we would be left radically changed, which is scary for most of us.

What if Christ truly became our Everything? The implications of abandoning ourselves, leaving all that is comfortable, and giving our lives for the cause of Christ hasen't even begun to resonate within our culture. Our society is one of self sufficiency, comfort, and finding ways of being served. Yet we have no problem singing the song "Be my Everything" because that is all it has become to us, just another song...just more words. Sadly, the culture around us has permeated the church. A concert style worship is now more applauded and recommended by "experts" than a lifestyle that glorifies God.

"Worship" now drowns out the Spirit of God. It is more of a gig than anything else. Churches spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on lights, sound equipment, and new instruments, as if this will move or have any impression the Spirit of the Almighty God. The only impression left is a sense of awe among men, nothing else. I can say that beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is not impressed with our lights and buildings. The only thing he cares about is the worship coming from our own lives. For many Western Churches time limits are placed and transitions between songs are made, so that the worship service will have a a beautiful effect for for the listener and will not run too long. The prophet Isaiah spoke against Israel concerning this very topic. In Isaiah 29:13 we are told,

"The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught."

We sing as though we are at a recital, not as if there is any urgency to know God for who He really is. Our generation is content with mere lip service and fake spiritual highs. If we truly want to worship God, maybe less focus should put on the singing portion and we should evaluate each of our lives. True worship is obedience to Him. Obedience comes from love. If we love Him, we will keep His commands (John 14:14--If you love me, you will obey what I command.) Moreover in 1 Corinthians 8:3 we are told, "But whoever loves God is known by God." My desire is to be known and to know my God.

What are His commands you ask? To pick up our Cross and follow Him.

The implications of this are more than what we could think. At this point I want you to study for yourself the ramifications of picking up your cross to follow Christ. Perhaps a study of Matthew 10:37-39 would be an excellent starting point. What would your life look like if you start taking the words of Christ in a more serious manner? What are some areas in your life right now that hinder you from taking such steps?

May our lives be more than just words.

What is your motivation?

2011-03-23T21:56:00.016-05:00

Please think about these questions for a few minutes.

What drives your actions? When I say actions, I'm not referring to life altering decisions per se. Think about your daily routine. It could be the shows you watch, or the games you play. What about the friends you hang out with, or the overall mundane things that occupy your time.

Now ask: "Why?"

Why do I watch those particular shows? Could it be that you don't really watch it because the plot is enticing, but because deep down inside you know this episode will have its fill of steamy sex?

Why do you hang out with your friends? Is it because you have found you can be someone else with this particular group? Or maybe, just maybe, you initiate friendships with people just because you have a little inkling they may become famous one day? After all, it could be really cool to mention that you knew so and so from way back in your "glory days. "

Why do you spend time with God? Could it be that daily devotionals have turned into just one more point on your checklist before you can rest and go to bed, instead of a pleasure filled activity of coming to know the Almighty God? Is your time with God a religious duty that you feel obligated to fulfill?

I am reminded of Romans 12:2 which states, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." In everything there is an inclination behind it. I have found often times that our actions are driven by motivations and desires within us that have been premeditated. Sadly, if we scrutinize every area of our lives, we may find that many acts are not driven by a pure and holy predisposition that upholds the standard set in Romans. Why is this? Simply, it is a failure on our parts to humble and make ourselves vulnerable to the work of the Holy Spirit within us. We believe that allowing Him a vote on our life changing decisions (such as marriage, career choice, etc.) is enough. What we don't realize is that He wants TOTAL control, even of the most uneventful areas of our lives. Yet we insist on just limiting Him anyways. It's as if we say, "You can only have part of me." I personally don't think this sits very well with a jealous God.

David understood the importance of having his motivations derive from God's heart. In one of my favorite passages in Psalm he declares, "Keep you servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me, Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the Words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer. " (Psalm 19:13-14) Furthermore in Psalm 139:23-24 he fervently asks God, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting."

David broke himself and made himself completely vulnerable to God. He held nothing back. Despite everything bad thing he did, he was constantly allowing God to come in and transform his desires and motivations. Even though he was as sinful as the next person, he understood the importance of evaluating his life. This is why he is known as a man after God's own heart.

Become vulnerable before Him.

Letting Go...Leaning back

2011-02-21T22:10:00.002-06:00

Just. Let. Go. Those were the words repeated over and over to me the first time I went rappelling. I had always wanted to rappel, yet while standing over the edge, I couldn't seem to stop holding onto the bar that was anchored into the side of the cliff. Finally, after a few minutes, I conquered that fear. I was free to finally descend the 200 foot cliff....or so I thought. Then the next instructions were given. Just. Lean. Back. "Are You Kidding?!" I thought. However, little did I know, one must lean back on the rope to be able to descend correctly. This minimizes the risk of slamming face first into the mountain side...which I have learned by watching George of the Jungle, is not an experience you want to have. Once I leaned back, it wasn't as bad as I had first thought. I quickly bounced backwards until reaching the bottom. If I could sum up the experience into a word...Amazing! For the record, I would do it all over again. My time on that rope ignited an excitement for anything that involves ropes and cliffs.

As I look back on those instructions given by the guide, I realize that God is often times calling us to LET GO and LEAN BACK. What is your anchor, so to speak? What is keeping you from leaning back and trusting in God? I know the feeling of fear and reservations that many may have when presented with those questions. I too, deal with those questions quite often in my own walk with Christ. Guess what? We aren't alone in this struggle of life.

Gideon...just hearing this name probably evokes thoughts of cowardice and an overall puny attitude. He was visited by The Angel of the LORD and told, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." (Judges 6:12) This was his instruction to Let Go. Yet he responded with doubts and fears. (This story is found in Judges 6-8.) Finally after reluctantly giving into God's calling, he was instructed to Lean Back. (Judges 7:2-3) This presented itself in the form of whittling down his army of around 32,000 men to a mere 300. Along the way, Gideon was fearful and hesitant at every turn. It seems that with every command he was given, he had a test for God, just to make sure he was heard correctly. Yet, somehow he learned to trust in God. The sissy we see at the beginning of chapter 6 has grown into his role and has progressed in extraordinary ways. The story of a coward was turned into one of a hero, etched into the eternal pages of God's Word.

Another example of this topic is, of course, Jesus. All through his ministry, Jesus knew that everything would end up at a crucial crossroad...His death. Without a doubt, His biggest test was the cross. Matthew 26:39 portrays a gruesome and fearful moment in Jesus' life, "...My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will. " With His submission, He effectively taught us that letting go and leaning back into God's will is the scariest and possibly the most painful thing we may have to endure. Once He made the decision, He never looked back and questioned if it was the right choice or not. He plunged over the edge, so to speak. His decision to trust was one that has changed the outcome and empowered generation upon generation from that moment forward.

Again I ask, what is holding you back from making the decision to fully trust in God? Is it because you have slowly reasoned your way out of pursuing God's calling? Or maybe, you are simply scared of what others around you would say...or is it what people around you are advising you not to do? All throughout the Bible we see clear examples of people at different cliffs in their lives. Some take the plunge, others hold back. Notice though, the ones that hold back and don't fully obey God, stay in their comfort zone. Nevertheless, they are slowly destroyed. Their lives wither away into nothingness. They have a miserable existence.

It is easy to see those in the Bible that do decide to trust in God have a more difficult road ahead of them, compared to those who don't trust. However, through the difficulties they encounter, a passion is stirred within them. It is a passion that propels them on to fall more deeply in love with God. It is a passion that can only be experienced when one lets go of all reason and logic, just to lean back and trust that God will be all you need.

My generation is known for its zeal and fervor. Imagine, if we were to finally let go of all that anchors us in and throw ourselves into the unknown. Despite the pain. Despite the fear. Despite the loneliness that may accompany this decision. At least we would be living in dedication to the One who set the example for us. I guarantee it wouldn't be our last decision to lean back. In fact we would be driven by a hunger to see Him move in every area of our being.

We would be unstoppable.

Loyalty

2011-02-09T01:40:00.002-06:00

Loyal: as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is the following:

1. Unswerving in allegiance: as

a. faithful in allegiance to one's lawful sovereign or government

b. faithful to a private person to whom fidelity is due

c. faithful to a cause, ideal, custom, institution, or product

Loyalty...When this word is mentioned, what comes to mind? For me, I think of the thousands of loyal fans that paid thousands of dollars per ticket (tickets for Superbowl XLV ranged anywhere from around $2k to $23k and higher), to see a championship game in which a pigskin is thrown around by a bunch of oversized men running around in tights.

Of course, we should bring it a little closer to home, since I will assume that not many got a chance to be at the game and spend exorbitant amounts of money. Maybe your loyalty lies in a T.V. show. Hours every week are spent in front of a Magic Box, which for an undetermined amount of time, allows us to sit back and forget our problems and live in a world that seems so much better than our own. Maybe your loyalty is the bar. How many hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, were spent in the bar this past month? What about watching porn every night? Forget the obvious things mentioned above, are you loyal enough to wake up at 4 a.m. to get an early start on your day so you can hit the slopes or go fishing?

Faithful...that was the key word in the definitions provided above. No matter where you are in life, there is something you are loyal too, besides God (if God is even in the picture at all). You are human. Its only natural to have things to which you fill your time with, right? I hope that the previous paragraphs hit home for you in one way or another. If not, stop reading right now, and think about something you faithfully do. Maybe its getting on Facebook every single day, playing Xbox, or staying up all night to study. What, in your life, do you show faithful devotion to?

Whatever the case might be, notice how easy our loyalty to these things is bought. Now think about this. How hard is it, for you, to be loyal to God? When your in church, and the pastor is bringing up ministry opportunities, how often do you say, "I don't have time for this, therefore I am not going to get involved." Moreover, what if God gives you a vision, but you don't see how you can accomplish the goal, leading you to give up before you started.

Let me be more forthcoming. It boggles my mind that we have to BEG Christians to do anything! Its as if their time is on loan to God. Therefore the Church has to bribe "volunteers" by providing free lunches, comfortable working conditions, or special recognition in front of the whole congregation. It is absolutely absurd! Notice how you don't have to beg a drunk to go serve his god every day. Do you think you have to plead with a sports fan to stand up and show a little enthusiasm while his/her team is winning? Yet during worship time we are hardly awake, as if the fact that we have been rescued from certain death means nothing to us!

It is thrilling for hunting enthusiasts to wake up at 4 in the morning to prepare for a long day of stealth-fully stalking prey. Yet for Christians, 4 a.m. is time for essential sleep, not seeking His face for the trials that lie ahead. Then again, when in our busy lives do we ever have time for God. Once in a while, when we have a moment of boredom in our lives filled with unnecessary noise, we might spend five minutes in prayer. God-forbid we carve out a time between running children to soccer practice and work to just stand still and acknowledge His presence.

Loyalty...Its something that needs to be awakened in our lives. Loyalty like Abraham, who at the cost of all logic and hope of obtaining the promise of God, obeyed anyway and put Isaac on the altar. Loyalty like that of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Even though being faced with the threat of burning to death, they answered by saying the following,

"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

(Daniel 3:17-18)

Loyalty, like Jesus, which drove Him to the cross. Loyalty like Felicitatis who suffered persecution under Marcus Aurelius in A.D. 162. She refused to deny Christ, as did her sons. For that, her sons were executed one by one (by various means of torture). Finally Felicitatis was beheaded with the same sword that killed 3 of her sons.

If you gave all for Satan, there is no option for us, we better give all for God. If only God could find people who are loyal enough to serve Him, He will use us mightily. Yes, it is a scary step. Yes, it is uncomfortable. Yes, it will cost us everything we have.

Yet it is the least we can offer.

In the Secret Place

2010-12-12T21:54:00.000-06:00

Many books of the Bible are often misused or misunderstood. Therefore they don't get the kind of fanfare that other books do, such as Genesis, Psalm, or the Gospels. Old testament books (like Leviticus, Numbers, and Song of Solomon) seem to be thrown out of the mix more often than not. When you think of it, it is pretty sad, because there is so much daily application that we are missing from these books.

For a little while now, I have been going through Song of Solomon. However, I have put a different twist on it. Instead of reading it as a man and woman speaking, I read it as if God Himself was whispering these words directly to me. Now before I proceed any farther, I know that this is a book for lovers. It seems appropriate though, since we are the bride of Christ, to become acquainted with our Lover. Here are just a few notes that I have come away with.

One of the chapters that impacted me the most is Song of Songs 5:2-6

² I slept but my heart was awake.

Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my flawless one.
My head is drenched with dew,
my hair with the dampness of the night.”
^{³ I have taken off my robe—}
must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
must I soil them again?
^{⁴ My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;}
my heart began to pound for him.
^{⁵ I arose to open for my beloved,}
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.
^{⁶ I opened for my beloved,}
but my beloved had left; he was gone.
My heart sank at his departure.
I looked for him but did not find him.
I called him but he did not answer.

Ashamedly, I feel as though I can relate to this passage all too many times. This, however, is exactly what God does. He stands at the door of our hearts, knocking, desiring for us to open. How many times have you said, "Go away, I'm tired" or "I'm too busy to spend time with you right now." Laziness and apathy have overtaken us. Time and time again we tend to shut God out. Then when we search for Him, it seems as though sometimes we can't find Him.

It is a very sad state of affairs when Christ is shut off from our lives and used as a genie of sorts, summoned by our every command. Who are we to pretend to lock God, the creator of the Universe, in a little box safely hidden away until a more convenient time (read Job 38-41 to get an idea of the greatness of God http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+38&version=NIV)? Has it ever occurred to you that in the moments when God seems to not answer, that you have pushed Him away rather than Him just maintaining silence on an issue?

Another passage that has really spoken to me is found in Song of Songs 8:6-7

⁶ Place me like a seal over your heart,

like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.
^{⁷ Many waters cannot quench love;}
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of one’s house for love,
it would be utterly scorned.

This passage automatically takes my mind back to Romans 8:37 where Paul declares that NOTHING can separate us from the love that Christ has for us. His jealousy for you is intense. He desires all of you! When we break away to sin or find our meaning in a guy, girl, technology, whatever your idol is, it breaks His heart. The love He lavishes on us is incomprehensible. Yet we still take pride in acting like the very thing that He has saved us from. To see that disobedience and hate, especially from Christians, towards God makes me appreciate the fact that He still can love us. Yet at the same time it makes me wonder just how much more terrifying Judgement Day will be. To know that despite His love, we crucified Him again, and again, and again.

I encourage you to go through the Song of Songs again, and read it all...make notes on the side of the page, and notice how the lovers interact. This should set a guideline of how our relationship with Christ is. Posted below is a song that, while it is getting older and older, it still holds a valuable truth for all of us. No matter where you are or who you are, we all need to have a secret place where we seek and become more intimate with God. I challenge you to turn off the iPod, e-Bible, and sermons. Spend true quality time with God, ALONE. This is very hard to do, however the benefits far outweigh the costs.

Become intimate.

Hell's Flames, Heaven's Gates

2010-10-26T10:31:00.011-05:00

The other night I had a nightmare. I remember waking to a sense of fear and hopelessness. Once I woke, and the initial shock had worn off, it caused to me to start thinking about Hell, of all things. Then I realized the sense of dread that I had felt in that same moment, is one that millions are experiencing every day (except on a much greater scale), once they hear the words, " I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers." (Matthew 7:23)

In an age of political correctness and tip toeing around sensitive issues, I believe my generation has become desensitized to the real issues at hand. Fact is, Hell is a real place, and there are people spending their eternity without God, because we REFUSED to speak up. We didn't want to step on anyone's toes, because, "What if I have to defend my faith." or "I might offend someone's beliefs." My least favorite one is when my generation has taken to the asinine idea that somehow living like the world will show them how cool Christianity is, and how little effort it takes to get to Heaven.

Wrong...guess what, in the world's view, it sucks to be a Christian. I mean who would really truly want to give up life's riches and ambitions to surrender it all and take on a nature that is totally contrary to the environment in which we have been raised? Yet in our attempt to be nonchalant about the whole topic, we aren't attracting anyone to Christ. In fact we might as well be pushing them closer to Hell.

Fast forward to the day you die and stand in front of God. You no longer have your Apple computer or Xbox 360 in front of you. All the hours spent on Facebook and in the gym working out have faded away. Your multiple sex partners aren't by your side. Cars, trivial theological arguments, and our self inflated pride completely melt. It's you and God. As He gazes on you, you stand in awe of His majesty. Its a moment of complete, peaceful bliss, where you stand with your Creator. Then all of sudden, it fearfully hits you. The realization of what He is about to ask is to much for you. With all stripped away, you are bare before Him. You realize that excuses won't work here. Then He asks the inevitable, "What did you do for me? How many did you rescue from the very grasps of Hell's flames? How many did you lead to My Gates?" You break down weeping because you finally come to the realization that what we thought was important, is secondary to the real issue.

I for one am guilty. I have passed by poor people who are in desperate need of help, in an attempt to get to Wal-Mart so I can buy extra food for myself. That's probably one life that has been lost. In my selfishness I passed up a need and a chance to forever change someone's life. Their blood is on my hands because I failed to act. How many people, within your sphere of influence, have you let slip away? Be aware, you are responsible for those you come into contact with. Be driven with the passion that sent Jesus to the cross.

If we claim to be Christians, yet deny the very essentials of becoming like Christ, how are we any different from those who aren't in Him? I pray this is a wake up call for those who read this, because I fear that many will have a rude awakening, when they are actually told,

" I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers."

The Story of a Lifetime

2010-10-02T23:03:00.005-05:00

What I am about to share with you is a view into my past...a snapshot into a defining moment of my life, if you will.

I was youngster, at the tender age of ten. I had already accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Early on, my parents had instilled in me the importance of living a devoted life to Christ. As many of you know, it's not easy trying to live up to such standards. I'll admit I was a bit legalistic and ignorant of many things at the time...what else would you expect from a ten year old that just wanted to live according to the Bible.

Having grown up in a Christian environment, it was only a matter of time until I heard about the unpardonable sin. This is based on Mark 3:29, which says, "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Now, for those who take the Bible in a literal manner, this causes a deep introspective look at one's life....I don't know, maybe it only happened to me. Aware that I was ignorant on the subject, I sought out advice from my dad. I'm sure he was surprised by the question. Think about it, what ten year old asks that kind of question any ways? In an effort to make it simple for me to understand, he said that the unpardonable sin, is basically calling Jesus "stupid."

I meditated on it for a couple of months. However, on a family trip to Panama City (actually in Panama...not that wannabe place in Florida:), things took a turn for the worse. As I mentioned before I was a bit legalistic in the sense that I wanted to make sure that I didn't do anything that would constitute as blaspheming the Holy Spirit. I thought, that if I would even think the thought "Jesus is stupid," that would automatically send me to hell. Anyways, we were staying in a hotel as we visited some of my mother's family in Panama. While in that hotel, I really do think there was some kind of demonic presence there. All of a sudden, during our stay, I became even more paranoid of trying not to think this particular thought. As the days wore on, the torture in my mind became even more intense. There was a war going on inside my head, and eventually I gave in, and thought the unthinkable.

One day, my family and I spent some time on the roof of the hotel, while waiting for the laundry to finish. As anxiousness continued to tear away at me, I confirmed with my dad (who was not aware of the battle going on in my mind) that Mark 3:29 did indeed refer to calling Jesus stupid. Confirming the already known, I separated myself from my family. I went to the part of the roof that overlooked the front of the hotel. As I did, the enemy, using my limited knowledge against me, began to fill my mind with thoughts that, at the time seemed rational. These thoughts were presented in the third person, but I eventually came to own them. Thoughts such as, "You might as well throw yourself off this building." "Whats the point of living? I'm going to hell anyways, so I might as well spare God, my parents, and myself the hassle of living any longer." "God hates me."

I began to pace the roof. I remember distinctly going to the right side of the building...there was another building there...I wouldn't be able to throw myself off there. So I went to the left side of the hotel...down below was an alley, however there were a bunch of dumpsters. I figured that I could easily throw myself off there, but I was afraid the dumpsters would break my fall and I would live. Finally, I came to the front of the hotel. There was nothing in my way! In fact, I could imagine what would happen after I threw myself off. I could see the headlines of the following day, "American boy throws himself off of a hotel in the middle of the City." As the attacks on my mind got worse, chaos and desperation ensued. I became more determined to end everything then and there. I can remember as if it were yesterday, my leg muscles tensed as I was bending so I could jump off. My mind was so clouded with the barrage of thoughts, I didn't sense any fear of jumping.

Just as I was about to climb on the ledge, there was a lone thought that crossed my mind. Like light at the end of a very dark tunnel, it said, "What if your wrong?" This stopped me for just a second. This thought was the needle that penetrated through all the chaos in my mind. It was as though it released medicine into my system. The thoughts that came after that were not thoughts of suicide and condemnation, they were thoughts of love and compassion. Even though the voice wasn't audible I knew it was God. The thoughts came one after another saying, "Stephen, I love you. I forgive you. You are mine and I have an amazing plan for your life." His words sent sweet relief all throughout my body. The agony that I experienced had subsided and I began to cry. Again I approached my parents and they could tell something was wrong. I told them that I had been worried that I had committed the unforgivable sin (I did not tell them until years later that I had actually thought about killing myself). Once we arrived home, a couple days later, my dad and I went out and he explained in greater detail what this specific verse reference was talking about.

You may ask why I would, on a public network, share such a personal story? I do realize that there will be people out there that may criticize and will claim to have all the theological and psychological answers as to what happened. I don't care. I do know one thing though, the message I received on the ledge of that hotel was not meant just for me. There are so many people out there living in sin, doing they want (teetering on the line of being indifferent), oblivious to the fact that God is trying to get their attention, or maybe your going through a really hard time in your life. Let my story be a lesson to you. God loves you so much and if you would only give yourself completely to Him, He would begin using you in ways that you could never imagine! If your reading this, It doesn't matter if your life is perfect at this point or if your in shambles right now. There is always one common denominator. God has you in the palms of His hands. Your life is precious to Him. Surrender everything you are, to truly gain all that He is.

Remember, we are all small and insignificant, however that doesn't stop a great, awesome, and more than capable God from using us.

Surrender completely.

Tik Tok

2010-08-16T00:36:00.019-05:00

I'm sitting in complete silence...except for the clock ticking on the wall, above my left shoulder. The ticking is a reminder of how quickly every second passes by.

Did you know that most estimates show that nearly 1.7 people die in a second. Just for arguments sake, I'll round it to 2. This means that there are 120 deaths around the world in one minute. This leads to a daunting 7,200 deaths in an hour. In one day 172,800 people die, while at current estimates, 63,072,000 pass into eternity every year. Tik tok.

Faced with these facts, my curiosity gets the best of me. Just how many of these 63 million+ souls go to heaven after death? How many are we letting slip through our grasp into the flames of eternal damnation?

I've found that most in the church lack motivation. Simply put many do not have the compassion that drove Jesus to the cross. Often times in church, it is easy to get caught up in the moment of "worship." We say, "God, I desire to know your heart! Let me reach the nations!" There is a full knowledge that something needs to be done...but not right now, right now is for someone else to take charge of.

Compassion is defined as the following: a human emotion prompted by the pain of others. More vigorous than empathy, the feeling commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another's suffering. Jesus was moved by the pain of the people. He would seemingly go out of His way to comfort others. There were many opportunities in which Jesus was thrown into what we would call inconvenient situations, such as the feeding of the four thousand in Mark 8 or throngs of people swarming Him as He sought solitude with the Father in Matthew 8.

Seeing just a few of Jesus' examples, how dare we ask Father for a closer and deeper relationship with Him if we are going to sit around and be disobedient to His heart's desire. Often times we want to see great miracles and lives forever change on just 1 minute of prayer everyday. This is laughable.

Have you ever noticed how in ancient times miracles seemed to be more in abundance, lives more easily changed? Am I the only one who has thought about why more visible miracles happen on the mission field than here at home? Its very easy. Even though Daniel didn't have internet, he still had the distractions of being an administrator of Babylon. Incredibly he found time to pray and seek God at 3 different times during the day. As a result he came out unscathed from a den of lions. Even though Jesus didn't have a cell phone to keep in touch with the disciples, he was busy training up followers and caring for others...He was a mobile Dreamcenter, if you will. Yet He would forcibly remove himself from the public spotlight, to seek His Father's will. To bring it home, in today's age there are as many excuses for distractions as there were back then in Jesus' time. It all comes down to a matter of priorities. Compassion isn't one of those priorities because it requires commitment. Since we don't commit, we aren't disciplined in our Father's business. I would wager to say that we spend more time learning and memorizing regulations for the companies we work for than we do for the Bible.

The short and sweet of it boils down to this, if you are really passionate about rescuing as many souls as possible from the grasp of Hell your priorities would shift. We would put down our iPhone, books, or work to seek the Father. During that time we would become compassionate and as a result more concerned about every soul that passes into eternity. What I'm going to wear to a date tonight or what form of entertainment I want to pursue would soon become trivial in our lives as we become more sensitive to the Spirit.

Just to put things into perspective, during the movie Inception, which is two hours and twenty eight minutes long, 17,760 people slip into eternity. Those are 2 hours that you could've spent on the streets changing a life. While at work during a normal eight hour day, 57,600 pass away. You may say,"But Stephen, surely you don't expect us to quit work to go elsewhere...I have a family to provide for." Well yes, however how many of your co-workers know Christ? Even though we can't stop people from dying, we can certainly help determine their destination. By the time you read this post, it took you approximately 2 minutes 40 seconds. Three hundred and twenty just walked into eternity. We need to become so compassionate that we aren't afraid to go the most needy, even if they are the people in the apartment next to you. As I sit here, the ticking continues...

Tik tok...two more slip away...

New Video

2010-07-10T17:02:00.003-05:00

Here is a new video about the Abraham Project, located in Costa Rica! Enjoy!

The Abraham Project from Lauren Schroeder on Vimeo.

Thanks to Lauren Schroeder who made the video for us.

American Fried

2010-07-06T11:26:00.002-05:00

Now for those of you who don't know, I have actually taken a liking to country music. The overall tune and the instruments used, are enjoyable. It seems that these songs are usually more patriotic and country lovin' than other types of music (and if you haven't noticed yet, I love my country!) Anywho, I was listening to Zac Brown's "Chicken Fried," and the following verse caught my attention (Minute 3:36-3:50):

"Salute the ones who died

The ones who give their lives

So we don't have to sacrifice

All the things we love..."

I have utmost respect for the service men and women who have given their lives for us. It is a courageous act that makes people lay down their lives for a cause or an ideal. In this case for the freedom and the ideals that the United States of America represent. For centuries the USA has been known for the "American Dream." It is one of comfort and luxury. It is the dream to make anything you want to come true, you are in control of your life and your destiny. It is a land in which, if you work hard enough (or smart enough), you can open yourself up to a world of possibilities.

This is great! However, I fear that too many Christians have taken the American Dream as the dream that God has for their lives. Now hear me out. I'm not saying that prosperity and wealth is a bad thing. Au contrair, I believe that God can bless people with wealth and that it can be used for furthering the spread of the word.

What I'm trying to point to lies in the third and fourth verse of the song that I pointed out, "So we don't have to sacrifice all the things we love." Isn't this opposite of God's plan? I'm pretty sure that when Christ died for us, He meant for us to sacrifice everything in return for His gift.

Matthew 16:24- Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Furthermore, while the American Dream promotes freedom and an ability to do whatever we want, we as Christians have given up such luxuries. We are now under the rule, not of sin, but of God. Notice how I said, we are under the rule. 1 Corinthians 7:21- "...he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave." This isn't a verse commonly preached from the pulpits of America. Like it or not, when you accepted Christ, you accepted His yoke and His burden (while it is lighter than the world's, you still have a yoke to carry. Matthew 11:30) We are His slaves. He is our master, and He didn't die so we could live passively on earth in total comfort. Sorry, but God's dream totally rules out an American Dream (as we know it) for us.

Yet in my generation (and in our parent's generation) there are people living as if God meant for us to live Heaven on earth. This type of thinking has created monsters that are constantly preoccupied with how they look or what others think of them. These are Christians that live for themselves year round. Then in an effort to make themselves look more holy, they take a week long vacation/humanitarian run (aka mission trip). All the while they sleep with different people (before marriage), get drunk on the weekends, smoke socially so that they can "blend in with the world" (sadly I've encountered people that believe that this will somehow be a testimony to others.) Not only that, but they are full of gossip and hate people!

Our generation has been reduced to insignificant arguments on theology. Instead of following the Jesus in the Bible, they try to make Jesus follow them. We try to justify our actions by saying, "I'm working on it," or my all time favorite, "No one is perfect." Yes no one is perfect, but come on, do not put excuses up to try to justify living in sin!

It is time for our generation to man up and take responsibility for our own actions. The American Dream has dulled our senses and made us so lazy that Christ isn't even recognized through us anymore. Again I'm not saying that if your wealthy you are sinning. However the desire for wealth and comfort has desensitized us so much, that we now try to convert the reality of the Cross to a mere idea that some nameless face has to experience in another nameless part of the world.

We are so caught up in the American Dream and freedom, that the thought of becoming a slave is foreign to most of us. While our worship songs are filled with verses of freedom, little is it mentioned in those same songs that we are slaves to Him...freedom, therefore, is all about perspective. Yes, while we are free from sin and death, we are now captive to God.

Our generation has had a bad start, however its not too late. What if we really turned to Christ, imagine what he could do through us. We wouldn't feel the need to market the gospel, trying to disguise light as darkness, as if it would attract people to its true power. Its time for men and women in our generation, that are sick of what we have let Christianity become, to stand for change. Will you be one that will no longer offer excuses for your lifestyle? Will you no longer replace God's dream for the American Dream and dare to see what happens?

Be slaves.

The Breastplate

2010-07-04T15:12:00.007-05:00

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
I arise today through the strength of Christ with his Baptism, through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension, through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.
I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim in obedience of Angels, in the service of the Archangels, in hope of resurrection to meet with reward, in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets, in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors, in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.
I arise today, through the strength of Heaven; light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendor of Fire, speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea, stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.
I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me: God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's way to lie before me, God's shield to protect me, God's host to secure me: against snares of devils, against temptations of vices, against inclinations of nature, against everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.
I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils): against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and my soul, against incantations of false prophets, against black laws of heathenry, against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry, against spells of witches, smiths and wizards, against every knowledge that endangers man's body and soul. Christ to protect me today against poisoning, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, so that there may come abundance in reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ. May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us. Amen.

This reflection comes from St. Patrick. I want to draw your attention to the second to last paragraph. I love it because it shows just how much we should desire to be saturated with Christ.

When people think of you, who do they think of, you or Christ?
Do you do whatever you want or do you follow the One who gave you life? (Instead of dis-respecting authority and "sticking it to the man," honor your parents every once in a while and seek wise council...it never killed anyone.)

When people talk about you, who do they talk about, you or
Christ?
Are your actions like those of Christ? (Do you stand up for whats right, or do your all your different partners talk about how good you were in bed last night?)

When people see you, who do they see, you or Christ?
Do you hang out with your friends get drunk and party or do you try to represent Christ in a way that is different from this world. (Society already has its fair share of drunks, it doesn't need more.)

When people hear you, who do they hear, you or Christ?
Is every word that you speak a representation of Christ? (Think about it, whether you criticize, joke, or in everyday conversation.)

Christ's life was saturated with God. Everything He did was for the glory of the Father....it was the Honor of His name that drove Jesus to the cross.

What in your life have you not given to God? Are you driven entirely by the motivation of the cross? Its not enough to claim Christ but then continue living our lives as hell raisers. We have to begin taking action to change those areas in our life that are not pleasing to God. We have to become more saturated with Him. Die to yourself and to the desires of this world.

Become Christ Incarnate.

The Heart Behind It All

2010-05-06T18:20:00.005-05:00

Pacing around the small room of the church, the Russian captain nodded towards the cross on the wall. “That is a lie, you know,” he said. “It’s just a piece of trickery you ministers use to delude the poor and make it easier for the rich to give you money. Come on now—we’re alone. Admit to me that you’ve never really believed Jesus Christ was the Son of God.”

Pastor “George” looked at the cross and then smiled. “Of course I believe it. It’s true.”

“I won’t have you play tricks on me!” cried the captain. He drew the revolver from the holster at his side and held it close to the minister’s body. “Unless you admit that it’s a lie, I will shoot you.”

“I cannot admit that, for it would be a lie,” said “George.” “Our Lord is really the true Son of God. Shooting me will not change that.” The captain flung the revolver to the floor. The pastor was surprised when the soldier grabbed him by the arms with tears in his eyes.

“It’s true!” cried the captain. “It is true. I believe, too. I could not be sure men would die for this belief until I found it out for myself. Oh, thank you! You have strengthened my faith. Now I, too, can die for Christ. You showed me how.”

Its stories, such as these pull at your heart strings. Tears fall from our face as we read of men and women ready to lay everything down for what they know to be true...for what we know to be true. Yet as we read stories of great men and women who adamantly refused to reject Christ, many may feel a pang of guilt. They know that if they were faced with such a decision they would probably reject Christ for fear of the torture or loss of life. They continually ask: What would drive a person to abandon everything for God?

The answer to such a question should always be: "Look at the heart behind it all." Fact is, God sent His Son to earth. He loved us so much, that even in the midst of our depravity, faithlessness and outright rebellion towards Him, He would sacrifice something so dear to Him to save us once and for all. Three very important things should be highlighted.

1) Jesus came with a Purpose. His purpose was to save humanity. His desires were always His Father's desires. God wanted to restore the relationship that was lost in the beginning between his most intimate creations, humans. Somehow, God has always had a love for the filthy sin laden creatures we are. Jesus' purpose was to reconcile us, to bring us back into the family. His one purpose was to save the lost, bring healing to the broken hearted and to set the captives free.

2) Jesus died with Passion. The definition for passion is a strong emotion or feeling. All throughout John 17, we are offered a glimpse into a prayer Jesus offered His Father. We can see the passion with which we are cared for. In this Chapter, only 4 verses are a prayed for Himself. The remaining 21 verses are a prayer for His followers and disciples. Jesus' passion is what drove Him to the cross. Some call that reckless abandonment. As for me, I call that sweet love.

3) Jesus rose victoriously. Death couldn't hold down the Son of God. The Bible mentions that Jesus took the Keys of life and death from the grasps of Satan. He then rose from the dead, completing what the Father sent Him to do. We were promised that as Christians, that the same power that raised Christ from the dead, would now reside on us. Not only that, but our works would be greater than those of Jesus'.

Everything these men and women do points back to Christ. Their actions are mirrors of what Christ already did. They have fallen so deeply and hopelessly in love with God, that giving up their life is considered to them a foolish and reckless thing NOT TO DO. As hearts are truly given to Christ, He transforms them radically. Once touched by His saving grace Christians should no longer be embarrassed by the cross. As G.K Chesterton once said, "Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair."

The disciples came to this realization. This is why most of the original 12 were imprisoned, tortured, beaten and subjected to horrific deaths.

The early church came to this realization. This is why early Christians were thrown into the Colosseum to be eaten and mutilated.

Modern day missionaries have come to this realization. This is why there are thousands now giving up everything to save souls from the grasps of hell.

C.T. Studd said, "Many wish to live within the sounds of a chapel bell but I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell." Many have realized that Jesus' call was much more than living a comfortable life on earth and in heaven. The true difference makers spend time in intimate communion with the Father. As they develop this relationship they come to realize that there is a greater purpose and higher calling than themselves. They begin to search out God's will. Soon they become enraptured with His will, just like Jesus.

As the Holy Spirit transforms their hearts and minds, these men and women of the faith no longer care for things of the world. Luxury cars and million dollar houses are for fools. They begin to realize that this is not God's heart. His heart burns for the lost. His will is bent on saving every soul from an eternity without Him. Fueled by His passion and purpose they start to touch a broken world and bring hope to the hopeless. Awards and recognition are a thing of their old life.

Driven by His Spirit, some live to see great moves of God. Others, such as Jim Elliott, do not even start their ministry. However, God has a way of using their obedience for the greatest works. While Jim Elliott and his fellow missionaries were murdered before they even made contact with the Indians in Ecuador, God used their obedience to save an entire unreached people group.

The heart behind it all. This is the heart that God uses and transforms.

The heart behind it all. This is the heart that is obedient to Him abandoned to all fear and doubt that it may feel.

The heart behind it all. This is the heart that breaks for the things that breaks God's heart.

The heart behind it all. This is the heart the desires the things that God desires.

The heart behind it all. This is the heart that diligently seeks God in every area. It is the heart that forgives. It is the heart that has denied itself every right for the sake of others.

“Men choose a religion, but a Christian is chosen by Jesus Christ. To be a Christian means to belong to Christ. Jesus asked me to renounce even my life, to follow Him faithfully, not to fear the world even if my body must perish. I prefer to know that God, the Almighty, is with me, even if it means that the whole world is against me."

“I am in God’s hands. For 45 years I have walked with the God of miracles, and His goodness is for me a shadow that protects me in His love. The God of Daniel, who protected his friends, protected me during my nine years in prison, and all torments changed to my good, so that I have the fullness of love and gratitude. Of all the prophets, Jesus alone was resurrected from the dead, and He remains our living Mediator forever. I gave my life into His hands. For me, life is an opportunity to serve Him, and death is the privilege of getting to be with Him.”

Pastor Mehdi Dibaj of Iran was on trial for his life, and these words were the defense he gave in court. An upper-class Muslim, he and his family had converted to Christianity. He had dared to translate Christian radio programs and books into the Farsi language. He was arrested in 1985 and accused of apostasy, denying the Muslim faith. For this, he faced the death penalty. In Iran, social and political pressure is sometimes used to force Christians to recant their new-found faith in Jesus Christ. Some are even tortured. Dibaj was imprisoned alone for two years in a cramped hole with no room to stretch his legs. While he was in prison, his wife, Azizeh, left Dibaj and was forced to marry a Muslim. When Dibaj steadfastly refused to deny his faith, the court condemned him to death. But after one month he was set free because of international attention that had been brought to his case. Soon after this, however, he was found dead in a park. It is believed by some that Islamic leaders had called for his execution.

1 Timothy 6:11

"But you, man of God, flee from all this and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession..."

Fall deeply, Fall hopelessly.

What if...?

2010-02-18T02:32:00.005-06:00

What if?

It may be one of the most, if not the most powerful two worded question in the English language (the other question is: Got milk?:).

Asking What if, changes the entire playing field of any scenario, if you take it seriously. Now please, sit tight with me now, as I ask a series of questions from a Christian point of view. Hopefully they will make you think a little bit.

Before though, I want to encourage you to always strive to see where YOU are in your relationship with Christ. There are always changes to be made and sin to get rid of. Of course, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not perfect. However, that is no excuse to be made. I believe that as Christians we should do everything in our power to honor God with our lives. This way Christ will ultimately be represented through us.

What if...

What if we decided that instead of living an abundant life according to the world, we wanted to live a successful life according to God's standards?

What if we threw mediocrity to the side and took up our CROSSES? Who ever said the way was easy?

What if we stopped acting like the rest of our friends do, and act like Christ instead? Wouldn't that be a better testimony?

What if we actually began to care about our testimony? We would not be coming out of church looking for the nearest bar or hookah joint for "social interaction".

What if we fell on our faces and dared to give God our all?....not just in words done in a special church service...but in action.

What if we dedicated ourselves to rescuing as many people from the very grasps of hell as we could? Instead we waste our time listening and watching things that are an abomination before God.

What if we decided we would rather die reaching out to a country in need, instead of sitting in the comfort of our leather, La-Z-Boys and fancy TV's?

What if, instead of complaining about what we don't have, decide to thank God for what we can give away?

What if we did everything in our power to help those in need, in place of buying the latest True Religion and video game system.

What if we decided to give God more time in our busy schedules...have you ever wondered what kind of change that would bring?

What if we were always grateful and never content with where we are in our relationship with God? We would seek more of Him.

What if you knew that when you get to the judgement seat of God Almighty, when everything has passed away, and you stare in awe at your Creator with tears streaming down His face, He says,

"Who are you?"

Our testimonies would be different.

Too loud?

2010-02-17T21:30:00.002-06:00

Weak from the journey,
The long traveling days,
Hungry to worship,
To join in the praise.
Shock met with anger
That burned on His face,
As He entered the wasteland
Of that barren place.

And the Lamb is a Lion
Who’s roaring with rage
At the empty religion
That’s filling all their days.
They’ll flee from the harm
Of the Carpenter’s strong arm,
And come to know the scourging
Anger of the Lord.

The priests and the merchants
Demanded some proof.
For their hearts were hardened
And blind to the truth.
That Satan’s own law
Is to sell and to buy.
But God’s only Way
Is to give and to die.

And the Lamb is a Lion
Who’s roaring with rage
At the empty religion
That’s filling all their days.
They’ll flee from the harm
Of the Carpenter’s strong arm,
And come to know the scourging
Anger of the Lord.

The noise and confusion gave way to His word.
At last sacred silence so God could be heard.

And the Lamb is a Lion
Who’s roaring with rage
At the empty religion
That’s filling all their days.
They’ll flee from the harm
Of the Carpenter’s strong arm,
And come to know the scourging
Anger of the Lord. (© Michael Card)

I heard a part of this poem while listening to a sermon, and it really made me stop and think. Am I too busy for God? Do I go throughout my day and am so caught up in what I'm doing, that I don't have time to meditate on Him? More importantly, if I do think more about His word, how would that change how I live my life?

I wonder how many lies of the enemy would be brought to light if we just spent time in the Bible. Those days, mentioned in the poem, weren't the only ones filled with empty religion and hollow words. What is the status of your relationship with Christ? To evaluate this, you should ask, how much time do I spend listening to Him?

I think that confusion and uncertainty in our lives would be zero to none if we took the time to actually meditate on God. I challenge you to make more of an effort to think of His goodness. Remember where He brought you from, and what He snatched you out of. I guarantee that many of our priorities would change if we would...
Be silent, so that God can be heard.

Help!

2010-01-13T20:25:00.000-06:00

Omar is a five year old child who was brought into the world because his mother was raped by a gang member. Despite this tragic incident Omar’s mother has fought to give him the best life possible. Tragically, his mother was murdered when she was shot shot, ten times in the head about six months ago. Due to what happened, Omar was left as an orphan. This is why we are asking for your help. We are trying to bring Omar to Costa Rica so that he can be raised in a different and in a more secure environment. We need your help to buy his plane ticket. If you are able to help or if you want more information, please contact: gutierrez07@gmail.com.

American Arrogance?

2009-12-03T23:26:00.000-06:00

Our European arrogance in alphabetical order:

1. The American Cemetery at Aisne-Marne, France. A total of 2,289 of our military dead.

2. The American Cemetery at Ardennes, Belgium. A total of 5,329 of our military dead.

3. The American Cemetery at Brittany, France. A total of 410 of our military dead.

4. The American Cemetery at Brookwood, England. A total of 468 of our military dead.

5. The American Cemetery at Cambridge, England. A total of 3,812 of our military dead.

6. The American Cemetery at Epinal, France. A total of 5,525 of our military dead.

7. The American Cemetery at Flanders Field, Belgium. A total of 368 of our military dead.

8. The American Cemetery at Florence, Italy. A total of 4,402 of our military dead.

9. The American Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle, Belgium. A total of 7992 of our military dead.

10. The American Cemetery at Lorraine, France. A total of 10,489 of our military dead.

11. The American Cemetery at Luxembourg. A total of 5,076 of our military dead.

12. The American Cemetery at Meuse-Argonne. A total of 14,246 of our military dead.

13. The American Cemetery at The Netherlands. A total of 8,301 of our military dead.

14. The American Cemetery at Normandy, France. A total of 9,387 of our military dead.

15. The American Cemetery at Oise-Aisne, France. A total of 6,012 of our military dead.

16. The American Cemetery at Rhone, France. A total of 861 of our military dead.

17. The American Cemetery at Sicily, Italy. A total of 7,861 of our military dead.

18. The American Cemetery at Somme, France. A total of 1,844 of our military dead.

19. The American Cemetery at St. Mihiel, France. A total of 4,153 of our military dead.

20. The American Cemetery at Suresnes, France. A total of 1,541 of our military dead.

Apologize to no one. Remind those of our sacrifice, and don't confuse arrogance with leadership. If I added correctly, the count is 104,366 dead. And we have to watch an American elected leader who apologizes to Europe and the Middle East that our country is "arrogant"! How many French, Dutch, Italians, Belgians and Brits are buried on our soil, defending us against our enemies? We don't ask for praise...but we have absolutely no need to apologize!

Why YOU should go to the mission field

2009-11-11T01:32:00.001-06:00

This post is taken from http://www.lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000008651/Last_Days_Ministries/LDM/Discipleship_Teachings/Keith_Green/Why_YOU_Should.aspx
It is one of Keith Green's last messages before he and two of his kids died in a plane crash. I know this is a pretty long post, however, please read all the way through, and let me know what your thoughts on Keith's views. Is he too fanatical about missions? Are all, if any, of his points valid? Tell me what you think overall, did this convince you to maybe take a missions trip?

Part I: The Call Of The Lord
A Biblical Look At The Missions Call
I recently returned from visiting some overseas missionary bases, and I must say that since returning, my life has not been quite the same. The vision and goals of our ministry have suddenly changed. The Lord definitely did something to my heart on that trip. Besides showing me how small my vision had been, He began to give me a great burden to see the ranks of His army in the field swell!

One of the greatest things God opened my eyes to was how tremendously evangelized my own country was, while the rest of the world was barely being reached. As I traveled from country to country, I thought of the millions of people I was passing through who needed to have the Gospel of Jesus shown to them in a real way - and yet there was hardly anyone there to reach them.

As I visited each mission base, I spoke with different missionaries, and picked up various pieces of literature that told the story of what was being done in different parts of the world to expand the Kingdom of God. As I read the statistics, I was shocked - I really had never known how little the need was being met!

When I returned home, I got hold of some of the leaders of different missionary organizations and set up some meetings to find out more about what was being done to fill the need. After these meetings, I decided to do a study of God's Word (to see what He had to say about reaching the lost in other countries), and I also read through some more of the missions literature I had been given.

This article is the result of that study, and also a burning desire in my heart to see 100,000 young people released to the mission field over the next five years!

So...why should you go to the mission field?

1) Because Jesus has told you to go.
"Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation." (Mark 16:15)

With these words, Jesus made it clear exactly what His disciples were to do - they were to spread His teachings in His name, preaching salvation unto the ends of the earth. (Rom. 10:18) If you consider yourself a "believer", then you must consider yourself a "disciple" of Jesus - no less called and chosen than the very first 12 apostles. There are no such things as "1st class" Christians and "2nd class" Christians - every believer is called to spread the Good News about Jesus to those who have not yet heard. Jesus' command is definite and clear - it is His great mandate, His "Great Commission" to the soldiers in His holy army. We must go, because our great General has commanded us to go.

2) You should go because the need is so great.
"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." (Matt. 9:37-38)
Ever since Jesus first spoke these compassionate words, the supply of workers in the fields of soul-harvest has always been horribly low. But today the need is the greatest it has ever been in the history of mankind. Remember, Hell is not just for the weekend! More people are alive today, and more souls are at stake, than the total number of people who have ever lived on the face of the earth in all of human history! This simply means that we can populate either Heaven or Hell by our obedience or our laziness. There are over 2,700,000,000 people who have never heard the Gospel at all, and there are only 5,000 to 7,000 missionaries worldwide, working directly with these totally unreached groups of people.1 That means there is approximately one missionary for every 450,000 of these people! There are over 16,000 different and distinct cultures and people-groups - even whole countries, where not one single church is in existence.2 There are 7,010 distinct living languages, and 5,199 of them still have no Bible or Scripture translations available in their own language!3 Do these figures move you at all? Does it matter to you that an estimated 80,000 unsaved people die every day (approximately 3,333 every hour...55 people every single minute!) to face the judgment seat of Christ?4

3) You should go because so few Christians are obeying the call, making the need even greater!
"Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ...how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom. 10:17,14)
Right now worldwide there are only 85,000 workers on the mission field - working mainly among those who have heard the gospel before.5 This figure includes missionaries from all over the world of every nationality. When you compare this number with the amount of Americans selling Avon or Amway products, it is staggering. Just in America alone there are 435,000 Avon sales-people6 (with 1,280,000 worldwide), and over 750,000 Amway products distributors,7 (with over a million worldwide)! Do you realize that these two companies combined have 14 times more representatives in the United States alone than the Church of Jesus Christ has in the whole world outside of America?

And what about the Christian representatives we do have in the world? Only 9% of the world's population speaks English, and yet 94% of all ordained preachers in the whole world minister to the 9% who speak English. And 96% of all Christian finances are spent in the United States on 6% of the world's population. Only 4% of all Christian money is spent on missionary efforts to reach the other 94% of the world's population! There are over 1,000,000 full-time Christian workers in the United States; while one half of the world's population (3 major groups - Moslem, Hindu, and Chinese), 2,200,000,000 people, have only 2,417 full-time Christian workers.8 As you can see by these figures, something is definitely wrong. While we in America have approximately one worker for every 230 people - those who have never heard the Gospel even once have one worker for every 450,000 souls! Please forgive us, Jesus, for being too timid to obey You and reach out into all the world like You have commanded us to!

4) You should go because God gives special anointing and grace to those who leave their own land, people, and culture to do God's will and spread the Gospel.
"And the Lord said to Abram, 'Go forth from your country and from your relatives, and from your father's house...and I will bless you and make your name great; and so you shall also be a blessing; and I will bless those that bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'" (Genesis 12:1-3)
Abram ( later to be renamed Abraham by God ) is only one of the many people in the Bible who God used mightily only after he left his own people, his own land, and his own culture. Look at the travels and ministries of people like Jacob and Moses - both of whom had to go into other lands to learn from God and be used by Him.

No matter where you look in the Bible, God always gave a great anointing a and blessing to those who served Him in a foreign land. Look at Joseph and Daniel. They were the only two men in the Bible who God raised up as successful, secular officials in foreign and heathen cultures - and they remained faithful witnesses and servants of God to the very end, and often at the risk of their very lives!

What about Jonah? He was a good example of someone who didn't want to go to the mission field and preach to heathens! Stubborn, rebellious, and selfish - and yet God "made him an offer he couldn't refuse." ( I pray that God would freely move like that in all our lives, "helping" us to make the right decisions about going.)

And then there's the apostle Paul - who had such a burden for his own people and country, Israel. Oh , how he would have loved a ministry among the Jews! But what did God say? "Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles." (Acts 22:21) That's what God commanded, and "go" he did. Never was there a missionary like Paul. Take a look at II Corinthians 11 if you'd like to see a list of his qualifications: beatings, imprisonment's, stonings, mobs, shipwrecks, the list goes on and on - and so did Paul, obeying his Master who bought him.

From Noah to Abraham, from Moses to Jonah, from Daniel to Paul, God has always given special blessing to those who, leaving the comforts of home and relatives, cross the boundaries of their little worlds to bring God's message and blessing to the nations.

Remember Jesus' words about this subject, "A prophet is not without honor except in his home town, "(Matt. 13:57)

5) You should go because America (and some other western nations) is literally drenched with the Gospel, while most other countries and cultures of the world do not have any continual, relevant witness a all.
"And thus I aspired to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation; but as it is written, 'They that had no news of Him shall see, and they who have not heard shall understand.'" (Rom. 15:20-21)
It is so true that we here in America are continually bombarded with Christian witness and ministry. Almost at every turn there's a billboard or a bumper sticker proclaiming something about Jesus. Turn the dial on your radio at any time of the day or night, and you've got non-stop preaching. There are several Christian satellite and cable networks. And there are over 250 different Christian magazines and publications. In most cities there's a church on almost every corner. I am not trying to say that this is all bad - a lot of it is good, winning many souls to Jesus - but as I've traveled overseas, it is hard for me to believe that it is God's will for there to be so much Gospel preaching and literature available here, while there is comparatively little or even none in many places outside of this country.

The world is going to Hell on every continent! Is it God's fault that so few are hearing the gospel - or is it the Church's? Aren't we who love Jesus accountable to reach our generation with the gospel? A friend of mine has written, "this generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of sinners." If this is true, then each of us must take a good, long look at our lives and priorities - finding out where God would have us begin to get ready to go!

6) You should go because, as Oswald J. Smith said, "No one has the right to hear the Gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heart it once."
"But if our Gospel be hidden, it is hidden to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, that they might not see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (II Cor. 4:3-4)
Has it occurred to you that Jesus wants every creature to hear the Gospel? If you had 20 children to feed and plenty of food to feed them all with, do you think it would be right to give 3 of the children 10 meals, 7 children only 1 meal, and the remaining nothing - causing them to die of starvation? That's exactly what we're doing with the Gospel in the world today!

Because we believers are so deaf to God's call to go into all nations, we keep most of God's resources to ourselves! We keep feeding and reaching the same people over and over again. I am not saying there should be no Gospel preached in America, I am saying that there needs to be a spreading out of the soldiers of God, to fight the enemy where his greatest strongholds are - "where Christ is not already named"!

7) You should go because the time is short. More and more countries are closing their doors to missionaries and the Gospel, and we must go now.
"We must work the works of Him who sent me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work." (John 9:4)
I constantly hear of country after country where missionaries used to be welcome, but now the doors are closed to them entering. Though it is true that many Christians can still go to be subtle witnesses as doctors, teachers, engineers, etc., the Gospel can no longer be openly preached in many lands.

Although there are still vast areas of the world wide open for foreign evangelism, such as western Europe, parts of Asia, and most of the Pacific (Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc.) there are many other countries where it is illegal to hold a street meeting or pass out Gospel literature. We need to sense the urgency of this hour, and obey God by reaching out to those lost in the darkness "while it is still day."

8) You should go because the Holy Spirit is speaking to Christian leadership all over the world that it is God's desire for there to be a great final missionary thrust with the Gospel before the end of the age. It is His desire that every people should have the Gospel preached to them, and that the Gospel should be published in every nation and in every language. And unless YOU get involved personally, there is no hope of that ever happening in our generation!
"...And you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) "And this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come. " ( Matt. 24:14) "The Lord is...patient toward you, not wishing for you to perish but for all to come to repentance." ( II Peter 3:9)
Is there any doubt in your mind that God wants everyone to be saved? If you believe this, and you really love Jesus, then WHY are you so timid about getting involved in this great thrust to bring the Gospel to all the nations? Do you think that while you're reading this, God isn't grieved that His Church is being so lazy and disobedient about fulfilling his commission? He knows that you agree with the Scriptures, and He's listening to every excuse you're turning over in your mind like, "Yes, I know that more people need to go...but He just couldn't mean ME! I'm...just not the 'missionary-type'..."

Part II: The Most Commonly Heard Excuses
The following objections are just a few of the many that Christian groups and missionary societies constantly hear from prospective recruits for the mission field. Although many may merely be excuses, we have heard them spoken so many times as serious statements from well-meaning Christians in response to the question, "Why don't you get trained to go into full time Christian service in a foreign country?

1) "But I'm not called."
You don't know how many people I've met who have said to me "Keith, I agree that more people need to go to the mission field, but I've never heard God tell me to go."

Well, the truth is that God has already told you to go in His Word. In fact, He commands you to go... "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." ( Mark 16:15) That's right... YOU ARE CALLED!

In fact, if you don't go, you need a specific calling from God to stay home. Has God definitely told you not to "go" somewhere outside your country to preach the Gospel? If He hasn't, then you'd better start praying WHERE to go, instead of IF you should go - for again, you're already called!

2) "But God needs people to stay here to be a witness to those lost in America. There's enough need right here!"
It is true that God has called some people to stay right where they are to be witnesses for Jesus in their daily lives and professions. But again, God is merciful and just. Since America has only about 5% of the world's population, then only about 5% of the believers would really be called to stay in this country as a witness ( that's only about 1 out of 20) while the rest of us should go into the parts of the world where there are almost 0% believers. (In Albania, for instance, there are only "a handful" of known believers in the whole country of 2.7 million people - less than 1/2 of 1/1000th percent!!)9

3) "But God needs people to stay home and financially support those ministries and missionaries who are already all over the world. In fact, my church is already supporting some missionaries with my tithes and offerings."
You should never have to worry about there not being enough Christians staying home to support missionaries! There will always be enough people around who will not answer the call to go - who will stay home and gladly just send a check (instead of themselves) to reach to lost. After all, nothing is easier to give than money (except nothing!).

This does not mean that everyone who stays home is selfish and disobedient. As I've already said, there are some who know they are definitely called to stay, and they are doing exactly what God would have them do here, while they greatly support other ministries. I'm just saying that there will always be plenty of people around to financially support the pitifully few who answer the call and obey God.

4) "But my family and friends would frown upon me going."
"He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me..." (Matt. 10:37)
God is very clear about whose approval we should seek. It's shocking to me how even Christian parents react when their children say that they'd like to go for training as a full-time Christian worker. "A missionary! Are you crazy?!" It's as if they've announced they'd like to be a thief or a prostitute.

It is true that God wants us to honor our parents and love our friends, but He has also made it clear in His Word that this honor and love must not exceed our love and obedience to Him and His calling on our lives. We should always try our best to explain God's call to our families, lovingly and patiently, but the bottom line must be that we will obey Christ no matter what the cost. We should always try to get our family's understanding and blessing when God makes our ministry clear to us, but we must also always be ready to leave "houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms" for His sake "and for the Gospel's sake." (Mark 10:29)

5) "But I need to stay here and lead my relatives to the Lord first. If I go somewhere else, how can they get saved?"
There was once a man who wanted to follow and obey Jesus, but he said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." Jesus' answer to him was, "Follow me; and allow the dead to bury their own dead." (Matt. 8:21-22)

This may sound cruel of Jesus not to allow the man to have a funeral for his dead father - but most likely, the man's father had not died yet. The phrase "wait until I bury my father" was sometimes used to say "wait until my father has died." What he was really saying was, "I'd like to follow You now, but You see, my parents wouldn't understand. Please wait until after they've died, and then I'll be more than glad to follow You!"

Jesus' answer was appropriate... "allow the dead to bury their own dead." In other words, "allow the unbelievers to take care of themselves, and follow Me!" Jesus doesn't want us to throw our usefulness away because our relatives are not yet saved. The greatest witness they can see is you fully obeying the call of God on your life. Jesus didn't want this man's father to be buried - He wanted the young man to follow Him, and then maybe even the man's father would come to know Him too. Obedience is truly greater than sacrifice (I Samuel 15:22) - when we obey God, He takes care of all our other obligations. (Matt. 6:33)

6) "But I need to get an education first."
I don't believe that God wants every Christian to go to college just because, "Well, everyone goes to college now, unless they're too dumb!" You shouldn't go to college unless God has definitely called you to go. Just like everything else in our Christian lives, He's the Master, we're the servants. He's the General, we're the soldiers. If you're really a Christian, you're at the beck and command of the King. If you're not at His command, then you're really not a Christian.

Yes, God does call some people to go to college. Sometimes it's to get training for a ministry calling He's made clear to them. For instance, if you know what country you're called to, perhaps God would lead you to learn the language and culture somewhat before you go (although the very best place to learn is within the country itself - it's a definite "crash course"!)

Of course, another reason God might lead you to college is to minister to people right there on the campus - as well as to mature emotionally and spiritually. But be careful! Make sure you're there in direct obedience to God, or else you're wasting your time - and His.

7) "But I need to get married first, and then maybe my mate will want to serve God full-time on the field, rather than me going alone."
Nothing could be a more foolish reason for putting off obeying God now. God does not want you to look for a husband or wife, He wants you to be married to Him, and trust Him for any mate He may bring into your life. I know of many single Christians serving Jesus overseas who are trusting Him for everything. And some of the most beautiful stories of God's grace I've ever heard are told by couples who went to the mission field single, and then God led them to marry another whose heart was also fully devoted to serving Him there. Remember, "Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." (Matt. 6:8) Trust Him!

8) "But I have a family to support. God doesn't want me to neglect them, does He?"
The Word of God says, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." (Matt.6:33) If you can trust God for your needs, you can certainly trust Him for your family's needs. You would never be foolishly "neglecting" your family's needs by obeying God's call to go. God will show you the way. I know of so many families - some with many children - who are on the field right now, trusting God for their needs while they minister in His name. I have never heard of ONE occurrence where God didn't meet the needs of one of His servants and their families. As King David said...

"I have been young, and now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread. All day long he is gracious and lends; and his descendants are a blessing." (Psalm 37:25-26)
9) "But the mission field is dangerous. God would not have me put myself or my family in danger of disease or native hostilities, would he?"
"Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" (Numbers 14:3)
It is all a matter of our priorities - do we look at the temporary or the eternal in making our choices? It's true that you will probably be in more physical danger on the mission field than you would be in the suburbs of America, but that is part of the cost that we need to count when it comes to serving God. The question should not be, "Will I be kept safe wherever I go?" but rather, "What is on the Lord's heart for me to do?"

If Jesus decided to go the way of least pain, He would have never gone to the cross. There is no place of greater blessing for you than in the center of God's will. You must stop to count the cost, but remember one thing - the privilege of serving God always outweighs the price! "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel's shall save it." (Mark 8:34-35)

10) "Although in the past most countries freely allowed foreign missionaries to come, most people in other lands now resent them. Why should I go where I'm not welcomed?"
Did you welcome the Gospel before you were saved? The Word says that we should save some, "snatching them out of the fire," (Jude 23) Some people just don't want to be saved! That's exactly why we need to go to them. The more unwelcome, the better. If they resent Americans, then you have an opportunity to show them that Christian Americans can be humble with the love of Jesus in their hearts. For the Word says, "He who is wise wins souls." (Proverbs 11;30)

11) "But I could not afford to get the training, and raise the necessary finances to place myself (or my family) on the field."
Don't worry, God'll help raise the money you need. Wherever God guides, He supplies - even if it means helping you get a job! Problems and worries about finances are usually only a surface excuse when it comes to obeying God to go. In your heart you know He'll make a way for you!

12) "But I don't have any special talents or abilities that would qualify me to be a missionary."
Then you're just the person God is looking for! Sure God can use nurses, teachers, accountants, and mechanics on the field, but it always blesses God to greatly use the one who seemingly has nothing to offer. It is this person who has the opportunity of purely representing Jesus in the endless "common" tasks that are part of the daily life of a missionary. "When I am weak, then I am strong." (II Cor. 12:10; also see I Cor. 1:26-31)

13) "But how could I commit myself for years and years to go to the field without having a chance to see what it would be like?"
It is true that in past generations a foreign missionary had to make almost a lifetime commitment before he could go to the field. Then in most cases, he had to go to college for at least four years, and then seminary for two to four years before he could even begin his missions training and service. But today there are missionary organizations that have short-term programs for people who want to receive training and find out what serving God in other countries is like. These programs last from a few weeks to a few years in length. So now there is an opportunity to "take a look" before making a much longer commitment.

14) "But God wants me to stay in this country and prosper. The reason the rest of the world is so poor and unconverted is because their heathen religions and idolatry have caused them to live in ignorance and poverty, without God's blessing."
This has to be THE most selfish reasoning I've ever heard for not going - and I've heard it! Of course they live in ignorance and poverty, that's just the reason you should go - to bring the enlightenment that comes from knowing the truth about Jesus, and to bring them the true riches of knowing Christ. If you don't believe that the reason God has blessed you with abundance in this country is so you can be a blessing to others - then you have never understood the Gospel of Jesus Christ! "Freely you received, freely give." (Matt. 10:8)

15) "I'm just not ready to make that kind of a sacrifice and commitment."
Ah! That's just the point. That's probably the underlying reason for almost every one of the above objections. In fact, you might just as well have said, "I'm not willing." You need to decide whether or not you are a disciple of Jesus - that is the question. If you are His disciple, then "you are not your own...you have been bought with a price." (I Cor. 6:19-20) And if you truly love Him, then you will not feel bondage, you will feel incredible excitement at being chosen to represent Him in the world! To be a servant of Jesus Christ, an ambassador, a missionary, is the highest calling a man or woman can attain to!

Now what are you waiting for??

Intimacy

2009-09-04T12:11:00.001-05:00

Before I get started, I want to make it clear that the God I believe in, is the one and only God. He is the God of the Hebrews, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is not only the God of the Old Testament He is the God of the New testament. I believe that God sent His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). I believe that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, God's only Son, the Messiah that the prophets spoke of. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, He was crucified, and resurrected three days later by the power of God. He is part of the Holy Trinity. The God I believe in, is Y-weh, the Great I Am. He is not Allah, Buddha, Krishna, John Smith, the Pope or any other..He is the One true God according to the Torah and the Bible.

Intimacy...This is a word that is associated with love, close friendship, involvement, etc. Intimacy in today's world, is often related to sexual attraction. However I want to analyze the true meaning of intimacy with God, not referring to physical intimacy, but spiritual intimacy. When I think of Intimacy, I think of the words mentioned above. As friends grow closer, they become more intimate in the way they interact, how they treat each other. With intimacy comes a deeper friendship. Intimacy brings closeness and a passion. Intimacy involves passion.

Intimacy though, requires faith as well. Or is it through faith that we obtain intimacy? Intimacy and faith are dependent on each other. If its not for faith in God, we wouldn't have an intimate relationship with Him. However without intimacy, without really coming to know, love, and trust in God, we would be denying growth in our faith.

From the beginning of time, God has desired an intimate relationship with man. He used to visit Adam and Eve in the Garden. It was one in which God and his creations visited and began to know one another. Trust was established, which is crucial for intimacy to function. However man broke that trust between him and God, and the intimacy factor was severed. After the fall, God began to make advances towards humanity, once again. After all, humans were created in His image.

One reason man betrayed God, was because of external distractions. In the garden, it was just creation, man, and God...and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. For so long, Adam and Eve kept their focus on God. However, as soon as Eve gave one ounce of her attention to the Serpent (Satan),she was led astray. The distraction was always there, but as soon as soon she began to look elsewhere for intimacy, she put the intimacy with God on the line. They had chosen. The Spirit of God could not dwell in the same place where sin was allowed. Eventually the intimacy they once shared with God, took on another form. Since they had given into sin, they no longer shared the face to face interaction they had with God every day. Despite this, God still pursued man, even in our fallen state.

It was intimacy with God, that made Abraham leave the land of his fathers in search of the land promised to him by God. Looking back at Abraham's life, we see that Abraham's life was full of faith. Romans 4:3 claims that, "Abraham believed God..." Abraham simply believed God when He told him to pack up and leave his homeland. Because of this simple act of obedience, and many more to follow, for hundreds of years later, God Himself is known as "The God of Abraham."

King David shared intense intimacy with God. Why? Because wherever he went, he went because he was obedient to God. One way to look at intimacy through the life of David is realizing that there is a connection between David and God, in which there is intense conflict, and intense loyalty. God of course, is loyal, He has taken all the steps necessary in which we can have an intimate relationship with Him. David realized this and sought after God with all His heart. Through all David's conflicts, we can see that he sought God out for everything. Because of such intimacy, we now recognize David as a man after God's own heart.

God has always desired to have an intimate (close) relationship with His creation. Throughout the Bible He makes various advances towards mankind to offer intimacy with Him. His greatest attempt to bring us back into a true intimate relationship came with Jesus. John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." What greater sign that God desires us, than giving us the life and gift of His ONLY Son? This proves that God desires to restore what we lost during the fall of man, His Spirit that resides in us.

Even though there are many great examples of Godly men and women who were obedient to the Lord in the Old Testament, they never had the Spirit of God on the inside of them. God would always fall ON them, but never resided in them, because of their sinful nature. However, when we become reconciled to God, through Christ Jesus, we are made as new vessels, that His Holy Spirit can reside in. What a great and wonderful gift to know that I have been reconciled and made righteous before God! Not only that, but because His Spirit resides in me, I can approach His throne room with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).

Since His Spirit resides in me, the relationship God has desired to have with man has been restored. "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men." (Romans 5:18) However, just as it was with Eve, there are always distractions. School, work, sin, the mundane activities of everyday life, becoming so bogged down "serving" God that we actually miss His calling. All these things, and more, are external distractions that pull a our focus away from God. Satan uses these things to try to capture our attention for just one moment, to get our eyes off of Him. When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, he was swallowed up by the waves of the Sea of Galilee.

As I said before, God has done everything necessary to be in an intimate relationship with us. He has wooed us, and called out to us. Will we answer? Make no mistake, you are either walking on the water with your eyes fast on Jesus, or you are sinking in whatever else you might put your focus on. In Song of Solomon, the lovers go back and forth in these scriptures, proclaiming their undying love for one another. They have eyes only for each other. Are our eyes only on Him?

There is a cost of intimacy. Whether it be your friends, your social life, your money, your time, among other things. We can't be afraid to cry out to Him, "I love you Lord! I love you more than life itself! I abandoned my all to you! I desire to know you!" Sometimes in our quiet times, we have to say, "I'm going to touch you Jesus. I'm going to get a touch from you!" God has been, is, and will always be proactive in wooing us to be more intimate with Him. He is there waiting for us to run to our Abba. We have to set our faces as flint and determine we gotta have Him more than anything else! Let us enter into the romance with our God who gave His all. He desires you. Do you desire Him enough to run to His outstretched arms, with your eyes fixed on Him?

I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine.
Ani le dodi, ve dodi li.

Creed

2009-07-16T23:48:00.000-05:00

I believe in God the Father
Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth
And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
Born of the virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
He was crucified and dead and buried

And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am
I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man

I believe that He who suffered was crucified, buried, and dead
He descended into hell and on the third day, rose again
He ascended into Heaven where He sits at God's mighty right hand
I believe that He's returning
To judge the quick and the dead of the sons of men

And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am
I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man

I believe it, I believe it
I believe it
I believe it, I believe it

I believe in God the Father
Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth
And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord
I believe in the Holy Spirit
One Holy Church
The communion of Saints
The forgiveness of sin
I believe in the resurrection
I believe in a life that never ends

And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am
I did not make it, no it is making me
I did not make it, no it is making me
I said I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God and
not the invention of any man

I believe it, I believe
I believe it, I believe
I believe it, I believe it
I believe it, I believe it
I believe it, I believe it
I believe it

All copyright belongs to Third Day. This is their lyrics.

Fourth of July

2009-07-04T10:58:00.000-05:00

Happy Fourth Everyone!

I feel so blessed to live in a country that has offered the freedoms that we get to enjoy today. I feel as though sometimes as Americans we forget what brought us to this point. First, all glory goes to God. Without Him, we would not be here right now. Lets never forget that. Second, thanks to the founding fathers and soldiers who risked their lives to stand up against tyranny, we are now free.

I invite you right now to go read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights just real quick, so that you are reminded of what our founding fathers wanted for this country. Read it, you'll be surprised as to what you find in there!

Here is a link to the Constitution: http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.overview.html

Here is a link to the Bill of Rights: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html

Happy Fourth of July, and

God bless America!

The Vision

2009-06-27T23:06:00.000-05:00

The vision is JESUS – obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus.

The vision is an army of young people.

You see bones? I see an army. And they are FREE from materialism.

They laugh at 9-5 little prisons.
They could eat caviar on Monday and crusts on Tuesday.
They wouldn't even notice.
They know the meaning of the Matrix, the way the west was won.
They are mobile like the wind, they belong to the nations. They need no passport.. People write their addresses in pencil and wonder at their strange existence.
They are free yet they are slaves of the hurting and dirty and dying.
What is the vision ?
The vision is holiness that hurts the eyes. It makes children laugh and adults angry. It gave up the game of minimum integrity long ago to reach for the stars. It scorns the good and strains for the best. It is dangerously pure.

Light flickers from every secret motive, every private conversation.
It loves people away from their suicide leaps, their Satan games.
This is an army that will lay down its life for the cause.
A million times a day its soldiers

choose to loose
that they might one day win
the great 'Well done' of faithful sons and daughters.

Such heroes are as radical on Monday morning as Sunday night. They don't need fame from names. Instead they grin quietly upwards and hear the crowds chanting again and again: "COME ON!"

And this is the sound of the underground
The whisper of history in the making
Foundations shaking
Revolutionaries dreaming once again
Mystery is scheming in whispers
Conspiracy is breathing…
This is the sound of the underground

And the army is discipl(in)ed.

Young people who beat their bodies into submission.

Every soldier would take a bullet for his comrade at arms.
The tattoo on their back boasts "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain".

Sacrifice fuels the fire of victory in their upward eyes. Winners. Martyrs. Who can stop them ?
Can hormones hold them back?
Can failure succeed? Can fear scare them or death kill them ?

And the generation prays

like a dying man
with groans beyond talking,
with warrior cries, sulphuric tears and
with great barrow loads of laughter!
Waiting. Watching: 24 – 7 – 365.

Whatever it takes they will give: Breaking the rules. Shaking mediocrity from its cosy little hide. Laying down their rights and their precious little wrongs, laughing at labels, fasting essentials. The advertisers cannot mould them. Hollywood cannot hold them. Peer-pressure is powerless to shake their resolve at late night parties before the cockerel cries.

They are incredibly cool, dangerously attractive

inside.

On the outside? They hardly care. They wear clothes like costumes to communicate and celebrate but never to hide.
Would they surrender their image or their popularity?
They would lay down their very lives - swap seats with the man on death row - guilty as hell. A throne for an electric chair.

With blood and sweat and many tears, with sleepless nights and fruitless days,

they pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on them.

Their DNA chooses JESUS. (He breathes out, they breathe in.)
Their subconscious sings. They had a blood transfusion with Jesus.
Their words make demons scream in shopping centres.
Don't you hear them coming?
Herald the weirdo's! Summon the losers and the freaks. Here come the frightened and forgotten with fire in their eyes. They walk tall and trees applaud, skyscrapers bow, mountains are dwarfed by these children of another dimension. Their prayers summon the hounds of heaven and invoke the ancient dream of Eden.

And this vision will be. It will come to pass; it will come easily; it will come soon.
How do I know? Because this is the longing of creation itself, the groaning of the Spirit, the very dream of God. My tomorrow is his today. My distant hope is his 3D. And my feeble, whispered, faithless prayer invokes a thunderous, resounding, bone-shaking great 'Amen!' from countless angels, from hero's of the faith, from Christ himself. And he is the original dreamer, the ultimate winner.

Guaranteed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the vision of 24/7 Prayer. I did not write it, however everytime I read it, I am moved by the words. It paints a picture of a Christian that is totally abandoned to himself and in love with his God. One that is totally in love, that he/she would do anything for God at whatever cost.

I dare you to read whats ahead. Only those who are serious should proceed.

This is the type of Christian that needs to rise up within our generation. Our parents have come from an extremely blessed generation, and I feel that we take for granted many of those blessings. Let us as a generation of young people never forget that we are in a battle for our lives and out very souls. I sense that our generation, has grown numb to the realities that Christians have to face. we have grown numb or choose not to face those realities. While the blessings of God are not a bad thing, we have taken it so much for granted that we begin to believe that God is there as a Santa Clause figure, to give whenever and whatever we ask.

This is a plead to my generation, let us RISE UP! Let us no longer be an apathetic generation that takes for granted the gift that Christ gave us, or the blessings God offers us. Let us rise up and throw off the chains of laziness. Let us desire to know God more. If we are to know God more, then we have to cry out to Him. We have to search for Him. We can longer choose to please the world if we are to truly know God. In our quest to know Him more, we are promised that if we "Cry out to Me and I will show you great and mighty things which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

Let it be clear though, that searching for God will lead to knowing Him. The more we know Him, and His love for us, will only compel us even more to obey Him. This is where the rubber meets the road. Many of us "know" God though not many in our generation have been compelled to follow him outside of their comfort zones. Where is the dedication, perseverance, and passion in our generation that has been so clearly expressed in that of our parents, grandparents, and of many great Christians that have come before us? What will our generation be known for? Will it characterized by laziness? A sense of apathy perhaps? Maybe an overall blatent disregard for the things of God?

Who are the ones of our generation that will break the mold that is so being quickly set of conforming and catering to the world? When is our generation going to hop off the coat tail of our parents and seek God on their own?

Let me challenge you today to do just that. Jump off the coat tail of your parents relgion and seek God on your own. The more you seek Him, the more in love you will find yourself. Soon His presence will be so exhilirating and intoxicating you won't sit still. You will be compelled to throw off the chains of the same old routine and shake things up in your life. This will have a great ripple effect among your friends and those you come into contact with. Who cares if your friends make fun of you or you stand out like a freak because you won't participate in their mundane, evil activities? I dare you to take a stand for God...sure you will stand out like a sore thumb, but at least people know where you stand. The more you live your life for God and not for man, the more attractive you will become...the more God's light will shine through you. Soon you will notice that your friends will come to God, not because of you and your amazing tactics to present God in a "cool, hip and subtle" way, but because of the utter sense of worth and complete abandon for God. Forget trying to fit in with the world. Forget being subtle, people are going to hell in hand baskets everyday...where is our sense of urgency? Forget being politically correct or trying cater to every single feeling.. Your message will offend the flesh. Just fyi, the world is going to hate you (I didn't say it, Jesus did). However, since your a freak, an utterly hopeless, crazed maniac who is in love with the One who sent His One and Only Son to die for you, it shouldn't matter what the rest of the world thinks.

Its your choice...you can choose to dabble in with the world and with Christianity, but heads up, you're Satan's little toy. Those types of people are disgusting, they are sickening, and are an utter embarrasment to Christianity. I dare you to throw down and rise up and refuse to let Satan use you any longer...it will be more than you can handle, but God is on your side. Put on your armor! Face the enemy..no longer skirt behind religion and excuses. The time has come for us to make a difference as a generation. No longer say you aren't ready, or you will wait til summer time to go on missions. Seek Him and your life will never be the same. I dare you to fall in love...if you do you will be consumed in His fire.

Be dangerously pure, leave the minimum integrity to one side, and become the sold out person living for a sold out God.

He gave us His best who are we to not give Him ours?

Be dangerously attractive.

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T15:40:00.000-05:00

On this day I would like to remember the sacrafice made by our forfathers and our troops. This is a day to honor their memory and all that they stood for. Thank you for protecting us and doing your duty, even though it cost you the ultimate sacrafice. For those who still serve, thank you. We will never know the pain or the loss that you have had to go through for our freedom. Thank you does not even seem enough to show the grattitude of a thankful nation. We will always be in your debt. You guys are amazing!

Thank You!

Americas Heroes

2009-05-06T00:18:00.000-05:00

As I browsed through the Depart of Defense's website, I found a tribute to the Medal of Honor recipients. There was one story on there that I found disturbing and quite honestly sad. I'll post it right here.

Who Are America's Heroes?
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, March 13, 2009—

The challenge issued by a flight attendant during a recent commercial air flight seemed innocuous enough: Name just one of the five Medal of Honor recipients from the current engagements in Afghanistan or Iraq, and get a free drink coupon.

But the passengers’ response – more specifically, the inability of all but just one to respond – revealed how little the average American knows about its military heroes.

Bombarded by superhero lore almost from birth, many Americans grow to revere fictional heroes as well as sports and celebrity icons. But silence descended over the cabin of a flight bound from Jacksonville, Fla., to Baltimore when the conversation turned to those who had earned the nation’s highest honor for valor – even when a free cocktail hung in the balance.

Dale Shelton, an Annapolis, Md., resident who served five years as a Navy intelligence specialist, was the only passenger to press the button over his seat to beckon the attendant. Shelton’s response: Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith, the first Medal of Honor recipient in the global war on terror, and in Operation Iraqi Freedom.Smith received the highest military honor for valor posthumously on April 3, 2005, two years to the day after saving more than 100 soldiers in the battle for Baghdad’s airport. His young son and widow accepted the award on his behalf during a solemn White House ceremony. The flight attendant gave free drink coupons to Shelton, as well as his wife Jean and two other traveling companions. Then he returned to the crew area to announce over the intercom that only one person had correctly answered the challenge. This time, the attendant offered a second challenge: name an American Idol winner. The cabin lit up like a pinball machine as 43 passengers scrambled to push their attendant call button. Passengers named various Idol winners.

The attendant announced that he wasn’t going to award drink coupons for that answer, telling the passengers that "naming an Idol winner was not worth a free drink," Shelton recalled. "He concluded his announcement with the question: ‘What’s wrong with our country when out of 150 passengers, only one can name a Medal of Honor recipient, but 43 can name an American Idol winner?’"Later during the flight, Shelton shared with the attendant his own frustration over "the current lack of appreciation of our military heroes."

The attendant asked Shelton if he knew the names of the other four Medal of Honor receipts from the current military operations. Shelton said he was able to name three: Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor and Army Spc. Ross McGinnis. All were killed sacrificing themselves to protect their comrades during enemy attacks.

Murphy, a Navy SEAL, died June 28, 2005, trying to save his team members during Operation Red Wing in Afghanistan. Monsoor, also a SEAL, died in Iraq Sept. 23, 2006, using his body to absorb a grenade blast that likely would have killed two nearby SEALs and several Iraqi soldiers. McGinnis died Dec. 4, 2006, after throwing himself on a hand grenade in Iraq to save four fellow soldiers when insurgents attacked their Humvee.Shelton said he regretted that he had forgotten the name of Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham. Dunham died April 15, 2004, using his body to shield fellow Marines in Iraq from a hand grenade.The flight attendant didn’t hold Shelton’s memory lapse against him. "He gave me all the remaining drink coupons he had in his possession and shook my hand," he said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medal of Honor Recipients since the beginning of the War on Terror.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith
Navy Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy
Marine Corporal Jason L. Dunham
Army Specialist Ross A. McGinnis
Naval Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

God bless these men and women who give their lives for our freedom! Whether you agree with the war or not, please support our troops. They are just doing they're job. George Orwell once said, "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." This is very true! Children and spouses are losing loved ones every day, because these people have taken an oath to protect us from all enemies foreign and domestic.

Today, May 16, 2009, is Armed Forces Day in the United States. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all who serve in any branch of our military. Many times they go unnappreciated, and today (as every day should be) is a time to recognize the sacrafice that has been made on our behalf.

Thank You!

Israeli war crimes?

2009-04-30T13:23:00.000-05:00

Of course, the way the media portrays Israel's war on Gaza, you might think the Israeli's are purpertrators of the Geneva Convention. The Wall Street Journal on January 10 published an article entitled "Israel is Committing War Crimes” by George Bisharat, who wrote that "Israel's current assault on the Gaza Strip cannot be justified by self-defense. Rather, it involves serious violations of international law, including war crimes."

Just for those of you who are wondering, Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention defines war crimes as follows: "Willful killing, torture, or inhuman treatment, including...willfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health,...taking of hostages and extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly."

What war crimes have they committed exactly? Bombing houses where they had explicitly given warnings to the residents to evacuate? Maybe we can accuse Israel of war crimes for bombing mosques. Surely that is a blatant war crime, even when that mosque was used to store weapons and supplies used to terrorize Israeli lives, and its only occupents were terrorist themselves. Wait a minute! I know what the liberal media is convicting Israel of. They bombed the UN HQ in Gaza. Again, wait a minute, what they failed to mention was that the bomb hit near its headquarters, and that nothing was actually destroyed (which by the way, had terrorist holding hostages, and firing rockets from the building). In fact soldiers went in on foot, risked their lives, and freed the UN HQ from terrorist. As far as I can tell, Israel did not commit any war crimes, as stated by the Geneva Convention.

Maybe we can accuse Israelis of war crimes for bombing buildings where civilians live. Even though, again, they were warned. Thing is, most Gazan citizens stand behind Hamas. Obviously, because they elected Hamas into power over the rival, Fatah, in 2006. Another important fact to take into consideration, that isn't mentioned by the media (which is leftist in itself, and despises Israel, and will use and abuse any facts to fit their biased agenda), is that these civilians willingly put themselves into harms way. Instead of evacuating or going underground, they became human shields for Hamas militants. They know that by doing this it will create an international uproar against the Israelis, and ultimately help in destroying the "Evil Zionist regim."

The world fails to see this however. We live in a politcaly correct society that contradicts itself. As mentioned before the media is leftist. They hate anything conservative, and of course will do anything to make people see their biased agenda (the conservative media does the same). However, all I ask is that the facts be presented. No conservative or liberal agenda. Fact #1: Hamas has called for the destruction of Israel.
Fact #2: For over 8 years, rockets have been fired into Southern Israel (Sderot, and the Negev), making no distinction between civilians and military personel.
Fact #3: Hamas makes no attempt to hide their desire to destroy Israeli life. Hamas TV (al-Aqsa TV, December 28, 2008) recently showed pictures of Hamas fighters shooting at Israel with skulls dripping with blood in the background. Captions for the program included "Let them Taste Violent Death” and "Send Them Hell, Qassam Missile."

These facts are disturbing. Again I ask, why then is Israel labeled as the Warmongers? It seems to me that most of the warmongering comes from the extreme Islamic party of Hamas (sorry for all the PC people out there, yes I do believe extreme Islam is a problem, and have no problem in calling it how it is. I speak the truth, and will not sugar coat anything.) All Israel has done is tried to protect their civilians, which any sovereign nation has a right to do. They have not tried to colonize or expand to other nations, as other countries have done. They simply want to live peaceably, however, they are prevented in doing so by Islamic radicals.

Here are some more facts for you to chew on (these facts are taken from an excerpt of Rotem Yacobi's article in the Ynet news, titled "Citizen of the Free World.")
"I ask myself the following questions: does the world know that the IDF calls and warns civilians before it strikes their homes, used as Hamas arms caches?
Does the world know that in response to this, Hamas men place women and children on the roofs of buildings, because they know the IDF won't target them? Does the world know that the IDF takes care of humanitarian needs and supplies medicine, food, and medical services to the Palestinians? Does the world know that Hamas men fire from within population centers and turn civilians into human shields?
Does the world know that while we fight for our legitimate right to live in peace and security, Palestinian patients receive dedicated treatment at Israeli hospitals? Did the world hear about the 20 cases where Palestinians exploited their health problems in order to attempt to carry out terror attacks? I ask myself, where was the world more than a year ago, when Hamas men massacred Fatah men and innocent members of their own people?" (end of excerpt)

I ask that the truth be told. While there may have been individual cases of mishaps and mistakes that were made during the Gaza invasion, do not label Israel's decision to go into Gaza to stop the attacks, a war crime. Defense is not a war crime. If you want an example of war crimes, look at Ahmadinejad's Iran, Saddam's Iraq, the genocide in Darfur, or the Sandinista's actions against the citizen's of Nicaragua.

Emet אמת

Love

2009-04-30T13:14:00.001-05:00

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the word as a guy? Is it kissing, sex, pleasure, self gratification? Love as defined by Webster’s is the following:
1. A strong emotion of regard and affection
2. Any object of warm affection and devotion
3. A beloved person
4. A deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction
5. Sexual activities between two people

Now I think we all could agree that when we say we love someone, we feel at least one of the emotions above. The problem is, in this day and age, we equate love with the last two. When we say we love someone, it usually refers to the fact you think they are good looking, a great kisser, or know how to pleasure you. Sadly, this is what most people think love is, when it really comes down to it. Then, as quickly as that “love” is found, we suddenly somehow lose it. Or did we ever have it?

This love I am talking about is a very superficial love. It seeks just the gratification of one person, you. As soon as problems or any complication arises, we see it as our vehicle of escape from an awkward or difficult position. For example, guys leaving their girlfriend because she is now pregnant, or what happens when you find out that they have been cheating on you? That’s even more of a reason to leave them, correct? WRONG!

Now, let’s take a look at what I think real love is. Yes I am a Christian (if you don’t like it suck it up), and it just so happens that I am going to take you to the love chapter of the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…

Love, true love, will be patient. If the girl wants to take things slow (and I’m not talking about sex), if you really do love her you will take things at her pace, so that she is comfortable. You shouldn’t ever force anything on her or sweet talk her into anything that goes against who she is or her beliefs. In doing this you show kindness, and you will be seen as a gentleman.

A real humdinger for me was the part that says love is not envious. At first glance I wondered how that could be if God is a jealous God, and after all, he does love us. After some research, I found that jealousy is what you get when you are being replaced by someone else. Jealousy in effect, should trigger a want and a desire to protect and woo the woman he loves. Jealousy should make us as guys hope and persevere and chase after that girl. That is what happens between God and His creation. He sees that our time and commitments are elsewhere. Most times though, if we see our girlfriend with another man, we let envy take place. Envy is resenting another for what they have. In a case like that, most guys just envy the other man for taking their girl, because he now, in effect, has someone they want. Envy leads to anger, resentment, un-forgiveness, bitterness, and hatred among other things. Envy destroys love, while jealousy can build it.

True love is not one of self gratification, as today’s society portrays it. Lets get one thing straight, you don’t have sex with your girlfriend because you love her…you do it because you just want to get some of that. You want to feel pleasure and satisfy your own needs. If you really love the girl, you would respect her and yourself enough not to jump at the first opportunity you have. If you really love her, why don’t you wait and marry her. Then after that you can have sex all you want. But please, don’t try to deplete the world’s supply of condoms before you get there!

Going back to the point I made about abstinence earlier, there are two types of love. Agape love and Eros love. Eros is the love that a husband and a wife show toward each other (not two men, or two women). It is human love that results in physical demonstrations.

Agape love however, is something deeper and much more profound. It is the type of love that God loves with. Agape love makes someone worthy by the strength and power of its love. Agape loves in such a way that makes the person beautiful. It needs no reason to love, it is a love that gives, and it shakes us when needed. Agape sacrifices itself, gives itself away, it dies to itself. Agape love seems so foreign to us, because it is the embodiment of respect, honor and totally sacrifice. These are three character traits that have all been but lost in our generation.

So let us show love with an agape love. Let us show them that they are worth our affection and admiration. Let us put these truths into practice. You know, most girls dream of the fairy tale love. This is where the seemingly perfect world is shattered. Then her hero and rescuer come to save her and sweep her off her feet. Though most guys don’t dress in tights and prance around on horses like in the fairy tale movies, we can take something more out of it. The prince NEVER oversteps his bounds. He is always respectful and looks to please his beloved. We can be that prince the girl is looking for. As guys we can show her respect and agape.

Agape

American arrogance and Islam

2009-04-11T14:00:00.000-05:00

So everyone I talk to believes that Muslims are peace loving, co-existors, that only want the best for the world...most everyone, that is. There are very few people that actually believe in, and see the threat that this very kind of thinking. As Americans, we like to think that there is no evil in the world. As quoted by Joel Rosenberg in his book The Last Jihad, "To misunderstand the nature and threat of evil is to risk being blindsided by it." Which is the point I want to make.

I personally don't believe Islam is a peaceful religion (if you don't like it, too bad...if you don't agree with me, and are going to complain about this post, well here is a little disclaimer *no one is making you read this!*). The only reason it seems peaceful, is because its believers, I think, are apathetic. If one actually sits and reads the Qur'an, you will see that Muhammed did, at first, preach peace and coexistence with the Christians and Jews at the time. However, after a series of wars, Muhammed all of a sudden changed his stance on peace...he flip flopped, if you will, kind of like John Kerry did in the 2004 elections (and as Obama has done already on some very key issues, on which he promised changed...stay posted for that blog in the near future.) After his displacement from Mecca to Medina, he basically said, "Forget everything I have said about living peacefully. You now have to give the infidels a chance to convert, if they don't, kill them." Now while this isn't the view of all Muslims today, it is the point of view of the so called "radical Islamist."

Now, while talking with many people, most say, "Well we really have nothing to fear. Those extreme views aren't shared by all muslims." This is the type of arrogance President Obama should have apologized for in Europe. This type of thinking shows classical American ignorance in the fact that everything is OK now and it won't happen again. Did you know that an increasing number of American Muslim youth would give thier lives for a jihad here in the USA? Look it up, the polls are there. So much for a nonthreatning religion...even the apathetic are waking up to the supposed truth of the Qur'an. Now while most Americans wallow in this type of thinking, Ahmadinejad is building a nuclear arsenal. He has threatened to wipe Israel and America off the face of the earth. No one believes him though. They all say he is a crazy man who shouldn't be taken seriously. We said the same thing about Hitler in the 1930's when he was threatning to kill every single Jew. Of course he didn't, but he did kill 6 million Jews. Will we still continue in our ignorance, stand by and do nothing, while this goes on? We as Americans need to throw off ignorance, and put ourselves in the extremists' shoes. Surprise!!! Not every one thinks like us! *GASP* Shocking, I know. So even though maybe even less than 1% of Muslims hold an extremists view (which by the way, 1% of 1.3 billion people is 13,000,000....still a butt load of terrorist), they believe that we have no right to live!

Have we forgotten the catastrophic events of 9/11? On 9/12 there was a united America. One that "Would never forget" the events of the day before. However, we have. We are yet again misunderstanding and therefore underestimating the threat of evil. We will eventually be blindsided by it. I mentioned before that Muhammed ordered all his minions to kill everyone who wouldn't convert. Well not surprisingly, a few years ago, one of Al Qaeda's top leaders extended an invitation to all Americans to convert to Islam. No biggie right? Wrong! Now according to them, since we are not converting, they have the right to kill us. Uh Oh.

But hey all our politically correct buddies don't really care. We are willing to "negotiate" (more like sign our death warrant) with Iran and other terrorist nations! All the human rights activists say that we need to care about their rights and wants....What about our rights? What about the rights of the 2,974 Americans that died in a smoldering burning heap of twisted metal and jet fuel? What about the rights of the families that were destroyed? What about the right of mothers and fathers that lost their sons and daughters? What about the rights of the children that lost their mother and fathers? We have the duty to honor them, to protect their rights first, and the rights of every single American.

Well of course this type of thinking is hateful to the rest of the world. So we now believe that we have to go sucking up to every nation and explain ourselves to them...especially to the French! What the heck, the French owe us. They've never won a war by themselves, save the French revolution, which was a civil war. As a matter of a fact if my history isn't wrong...if it wasn't for the so called "American Arrogance" (AA) and our right to defend our bases (Pearl Harbor), and our national soverignty, then Europe would all be speaking German right now. They should be grateful, but yet as Americans have done, now the rest of the world forgets their history. The only ones who haven't forgotten theirs though, are the extremist who declare Jihad on all who opose them....them and the Israelis. They remember when the world was as unsuspecting as before.

Now the extremist lie in wait, waiting for the perfect opportunity when the whole world is unsuspecting...then like a snake they will strike...again. They've already warned us that another attack is coming. They will hit D.C. and major American cities. What will we do? Are we going to sit back and continue in our apathy, or will we rise up and demand something be done?

I will never forget.

http://www.videonewslive.com/view/311932/daddy_i_miss_you__heaven_911__its_been_8_years_later_daddy