Not A Waste

   Often it is preached of how detrimental modern day technology has the possibility of being. Yes, it is true that much can be done with modern day technology, and it does not have to advance the Kingdom like it should.
   So, yes, as it has been preached to you before, that does bring major responsibility. However, today's technological advancements that we must face everyday also bring other responsibility. They tend to allow instant gratification, an entirely different subject, which leads to more discretionary time.
   The more of something that someone has, the more possibilities that they can do with it. The more possibilities that someone has, the more responsibility that they have.
   Therefore, we have to make sure that we are good stewards over our time. It is not guaranteed and is a blessing from the Lord. We are to use it to advance the Kingdom of the Lord! It is not something to be wasted by sin.
   I urge you, monitor your time, and make sure that it is not wasted with things that go against the Word of the Lord! It is not guaranteed!

The Battle

   Have you ever seen a professional bodybuilder or a professional athlete train for an event or there sport? More specifically, have you ever seen them sit down to attempt the bench press? They sit on the bench press and lift the weight. However have you even seen one train without any weight? They just sat on the bench and expected to get stronger?
   Absolutely not! The key is the resistance. Without it, the muscles get no stronger at all. The force of the weight along with gravity is what makes the muscles have to work, therefore bringing it gain in the long run.
   Spiritually, we are in daily warfare. I have never seen a war without an enemy of some type! So it fascinates me when some say that they are Christians and have never faced opposition. Those that are truly in Christ and a threat to an enemy will face opposition, for we are in battle.
   I challenge you to seek discipleship and wisdom and most importantly the Lord through all of the opposition, knowing that the battle has already been won through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Open Door

   Have you ever accidentally left your house with the door open? Or, heaven forbid, come home with the door open yet you thought you had closed it? Or have you ever heard of someone leaving their door open as they left home?
   In some areas where safety can be taken for granted, I have heard of people leaving their doors open as they leave their house. However, when the door is open, THAT is when people may enter at will, without breaking something.
   When the door to my room is open, that is the time when I can freely walk in and sit down. When the door to my room is closed, things get a little more complicated. Our hearts can be like open doors. Or spirits as well.
   When we leave our spirits open, that is when other things may enter. For example, the music that we listen to. The lyrics and the intentions behind them have the freedom to walk right in. When we listen to music that Glorifies the Father, that is what we want to walk in. However, as Christians, we do not invite other concepts in.
   I challenge you, as a follower of Jesus Christ, to examine what is allowed to walk in your doorway!

The Sting of a Viper

Proverbs 18.21- "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit"
   Have you ever told someone something that they will never forget? An "I love you" pom a wedding day or anniversary? An "Im proud of you" after a baseball game? Or maybe had someone say those things to you and you still remember it to this day?
   Now let us look at the other side of the coin. have you ever told someone, "That was a terrible job, you need to do better.", or "I thought that you could play baseball much better than that, I dont know if I want to come to any more of your games."? Or have you perhaps ever had those things said to you? 
   This verse says it perfectly. Your words can easily build up or tear down swiftly. That is why as imitators of Christ, we should examine our tongue and use it only for encouragement and the advancing of His Kingdom! I challenge you, monitor thy tongue, and let it show the Glory of the Father!
   
   

Stronger

   Let us take a little adventure. Let us say that we are on a playground, watching children at play. Two boys to be exact. At one moment everything between the two seems to be going perfectly, and the next, chaos breaks forth. The boys start arguing, and then pulling opposite ends of a toy, and then start pushing eachother until a full blown fight has broken out.
   However, it is not really a fair fight. One of the children were what most would call a bully. Twice the age and the size as the younger child and started the confrontation. However, if you were to sit there and observer, it would only take a minute for a parent to come to the rescue of their child. So lets look at it from the smaller child's perspective.
   This bully approaches. Tougher, bigger, stronger, and seemingly unbeatable by you. You engage and feel as you are getting destroyed. Yet, all of a sudden, your parent shows up. Some stronger! Oh so stronger!
   Sin may feel like a bully to us. Like one that cannot be defeated. However, our Parent, GOD is stronger! SO much Stronger! To where the bully of sin seems like a speck of sand compared to God! The good news, God really does rescue us from this sin bully! All we have to do is accept Him, and fight in Him, against sin!

Slow Acceptance

   I am sure that most have heard the story of how you can put a frog in water and he will sit there until his death? Well, just in case you have not, here is the story.
   If you put a frog into water that is already boiling, the frog will jump right out immediately! however, if you put the frog in water that is room temperature, and then you very slowly increase the heat, the frog will sit there, not realizing what temperature the water has eventually become, and will boil right in the water.
   Deceitful sin can be the exact same way. A little dabble here or there, thinking nothing long term can or will come out of it. However, you do not notice that you are getting slowly deeper and deeper, until that day when you try to come out but you cannot.
   I encourage all of you to take inventory, ever praying that Jesus will let your spiritual eyes be opened so that you may see your sin in the eyes of Jesus, and not be slowly swallowed in the deceptive world of sin!

Proper Management

   Jesus never made a promise that He could not, did not, or will not fulfill! Most say, "Well, that"s because He is Jesus, the perfect son of God!" This is true. However, if you step back from the big picture and look at some small aspects, you may see the things Jesus did in making this true.
   One of the biggest things of this ability to fulfill all He said was management. For example, I cannot tell my friend that I will meet them at the library at five o'clock in the afternoon, and then go tell my other friend that I am going to meet them to get something to eat across town at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. We are called to have management over our time, which gives us management over our promises. 
   I also cannot spend $5,000 to buy a new Rolex, and then have no money for tithes. I cannot go blow all of my money on golf clubs, and not have enough for the mandated ten percent of my tithing. If I have five dollars, I cannot give a friend ten, for I wont have it. Money is also a huge thing that we are called to manage. 
   However, God may be dealing with you on a personal level to show you what He has given you and wants you to manage better, for it is all His. Therefore, pray that God shows you things that He wants you to see so that you may become more like Him.