If you have ever attended any college football game, and you go to buy some merchandise for the team, you realize something really quickly. None of their apparel or merchandise gladly portrays anything but the best. Even if the teams rank is #56 out of 12 in the state, their things will still say that they are number one. T-shirts, foam fingers, everything say that that team is number one.
Why? Inside all of us have the inner yearning to be the absolute best. If we join a football team, we want to start, score every game, and be the star of the team, having it all about us. Rather we admit it or not, we all have this inner yearning somewhere. But as we live our lives and God gives us more wisdom as we grow in Him, we realize the simple fact that we cannot be the best at everything, and that life is not about them.
So now we have to realize something else. The fact that we are not the best at everything, does not give us justification to exalt someone else on a pedestal. We realized that life is not and never will be about us, and exalting others on pedestals is saying that, life is not about me, but the other person is so awesome that maybe life can be about them, maybe they are perfect at everything. Maybe because of their talent or something else, they should be exalted. That is not true.
The goal of a pastor or preacher for example is to point you to God. If they are attempting to do that, I urge you not overlook that to look at the person preaching. Do not exalt anyone presenting the Gospel, over the Gospel. All that I am saying is to put your trust in God, not the one that is preaching Him, but God Himself, and only Him, or you will be disappointed.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Prous
This word, simply put, means the complete truth. This is one of my favorite words in the Bible. This is simply what it means. Jesus told the Truth, he never put any icing on the cake per se.
We tend to live in a society that likes to manipulate others by manipulating the truth. We grow up listening to opinionated, manipulated viewpoints of society, religion, philosophy, politics and everything else. We listen to the news, and we hear part truth, and part of what the broadcasters think.
The problem, we listen to emotionally driven people and put them in positions of power because at times they seem to appeal to our emotions. In turn, we like to hear what makes us happy instead of the complete truth.
This can flow into our friendships and relationships with the ideology that, for the sake of what we think would be hurting someone, we do not tell the complete truth out of fear of their emotional or physical response.
The truth is, we are supposed to tell the truth about everything, as Jesus did. And by the truth, I mean the complete truth. Half lies ARE whole lies, and there is no grey area. So lets tell the truth in all of our affairs!
We tend to live in a society that likes to manipulate others by manipulating the truth. We grow up listening to opinionated, manipulated viewpoints of society, religion, philosophy, politics and everything else. We listen to the news, and we hear part truth, and part of what the broadcasters think.
The problem, we listen to emotionally driven people and put them in positions of power because at times they seem to appeal to our emotions. In turn, we like to hear what makes us happy instead of the complete truth.
This can flow into our friendships and relationships with the ideology that, for the sake of what we think would be hurting someone, we do not tell the complete truth out of fear of their emotional or physical response.
The truth is, we are supposed to tell the truth about everything, as Jesus did. And by the truth, I mean the complete truth. Half lies ARE whole lies, and there is no grey area. So lets tell the truth in all of our affairs!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
ProPresenter
I do not see alot of Christians at my school or my church carrying Bibles and smacking people in the face with them as an opportunity to share the Gospel. I do not see people smashing wordless books in lunch trays as a way to present the Love of God. I do not see Christian teachers yelling at their students that they are destined for a non stop journey to hell if they have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
I attended Student Life Camp in TN this summer and even though it was a great Christian camp, with my brothers and sisters from my church, the most touching part of the entire camp did not involve anyone that I knew. There were games, water sports, great meals, dorm rooms with best friends, a long road trip, and no parents. But the best part of the entire trip was when a pastor from Alabama asked me my name, and I told it to him. No big deal. But after, the last day of the trip in fact, the preacher stopped me in the food hall and called me by name.
He remembered my name. That meant that he took the time to actually learn my name and care what it was. He showed me how Jesus actually died because He cared for me. My point, sometimes the Love of Christ is simply shown be taking the time to show compassion to someone, and listen. So take the time to share the Love of Christ in someones life!
I attended Student Life Camp in TN this summer and even though it was a great Christian camp, with my brothers and sisters from my church, the most touching part of the entire camp did not involve anyone that I knew. There were games, water sports, great meals, dorm rooms with best friends, a long road trip, and no parents. But the best part of the entire trip was when a pastor from Alabama asked me my name, and I told it to him. No big deal. But after, the last day of the trip in fact, the preacher stopped me in the food hall and called me by name.
He remembered my name. That meant that he took the time to actually learn my name and care what it was. He showed me how Jesus actually died because He cared for me. My point, sometimes the Love of Christ is simply shown be taking the time to show compassion to someone, and listen. So take the time to share the Love of Christ in someones life!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Physics and The Gospel
Recently I just took a test in my physics class and the final grade (in my opinion) of my test depended on one equation, which I gladly stayed up the night before to memorize and knew.
The equation was y=voy(t)+.5g(t)(t). You see, I needed to know the maximum time of a projectile that was shot out of a cannon. So I had to make y=0. A little physics lesson. Y is the height of the projectile. So there is always two points where y, the height, equals 0. When the projectile is initially launched, and when the projectile hits its destination. So i had to use the time at which it reached its final destination, the one where "t" does not equal 0.
My point, there was only one thing really that I needed to know to get the deciding grade on my test. That one thing was the equation. And I had it. So I was saved from missing the question.
If you have not accepted Christ, there is one thing that you need to know to be saved from the sin. That is CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS. He was nailed to a cross, brutally beaten, put a crown of thorns on His head, pierced on His side, mocked, and crucified. But He did NOT stay there. GOD raised his Son Jesus from the grave three days later. He raised from the grave and now sits at the right hand of the Father with ALL POWER in His hand!!! This is what God did for all who would believe in Him and call on His name!! This is the Gospel, and the piece of the puzzle that one must know to be freed from their sin.
The equation was y=voy(t)+.5g(t)(t). You see, I needed to know the maximum time of a projectile that was shot out of a cannon. So I had to make y=0. A little physics lesson. Y is the height of the projectile. So there is always two points where y, the height, equals 0. When the projectile is initially launched, and when the projectile hits its destination. So i had to use the time at which it reached its final destination, the one where "t" does not equal 0.
My point, there was only one thing really that I needed to know to get the deciding grade on my test. That one thing was the equation. And I had it. So I was saved from missing the question.
If you have not accepted Christ, there is one thing that you need to know to be saved from the sin. That is CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS. He was nailed to a cross, brutally beaten, put a crown of thorns on His head, pierced on His side, mocked, and crucified. But He did NOT stay there. GOD raised his Son Jesus from the grave three days later. He raised from the grave and now sits at the right hand of the Father with ALL POWER in His hand!!! This is what God did for all who would believe in Him and call on His name!! This is the Gospel, and the piece of the puzzle that one must know to be freed from their sin.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Lean Not on your Own Understanding
When I was around four years old, I used to want to touch the stove when it was hot in tempature. My mom gratefully stop me every time before I burned my hands off. But at that age, i never really understood why she would say that.
Until I was around 5 or 6, then I realized why she said that I should not touch that. One time I was playing with one of my friends, and he had a lighter. He lit it, and put it really close to our mouths to see if we could take it. That God we didnt burn ourselves, but that is when I realized that fire is really hot.
So now, because of that, I realized that my mom was totally right in her thinking when it came to that. She told me not to touch the stove and I did not and thus I was not burned on the stove.
What did that show me? Now that I look back on it, the wisest thing for me to do is what I did. Trust. And most of the time, that means leaning not on my own understanding and taking (in this case) my moms word.
That is what the Bible tells us to do when it comes to God. Not to lean on our small understanding and earthly knowledge, and truly trust God and his infinite knowledge, for He is the One who created and sustains ALL things! Turst in the Lord and lean on His understanding, not your own!
Until I was around 5 or 6, then I realized why she said that I should not touch that. One time I was playing with one of my friends, and he had a lighter. He lit it, and put it really close to our mouths to see if we could take it. That God we didnt burn ourselves, but that is when I realized that fire is really hot.
So now, because of that, I realized that my mom was totally right in her thinking when it came to that. She told me not to touch the stove and I did not and thus I was not burned on the stove.
What did that show me? Now that I look back on it, the wisest thing for me to do is what I did. Trust. And most of the time, that means leaning not on my own understanding and taking (in this case) my moms word.
That is what the Bible tells us to do when it comes to God. Not to lean on our small understanding and earthly knowledge, and truly trust God and his infinite knowledge, for He is the One who created and sustains ALL things! Turst in the Lord and lean on His understanding, not your own!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Word of Encouragement
I remember when my running was finally starting to get better. And better. Until it was actually an acceptable time that I would be proud to tell people about. My PR finally was cut by a little over four minutes.
The day after I had just broken my PR, my determination for running was spurred on because of the small milestone of success. So I went out the very next day, and came very close to the PR the day before.
But the day after that, I became a little fatigue, weary in my well doing if you will. So even though the day before, I was so happy about the change in time that was acheived, I was just a little to tired to keep running every day like my plan intended. So when I actually tried to run the next day, by the half way mark of the second mile, all that I could think about was how easy my life was when I wasnt pushing myself to run at all. I needed encouragement.
This is to all who have made the best decision of their life and accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior of their life. When Christ was first accepted, your flame was probably higher than it has been in a while. After long years of seeking and finding though, I understand sometimes a continually Truly Seeking heart can become weiry. But if you have accepted Christ, know that it is all more than worth it in the end, when you get to be with the Father God Almighty. So be encouraged. Do not give up in this Great Race!!! Run hard, and with perseverance. God is with you!
The day after I had just broken my PR, my determination for running was spurred on because of the small milestone of success. So I went out the very next day, and came very close to the PR the day before.
But the day after that, I became a little fatigue, weary in my well doing if you will. So even though the day before, I was so happy about the change in time that was acheived, I was just a little to tired to keep running every day like my plan intended. So when I actually tried to run the next day, by the half way mark of the second mile, all that I could think about was how easy my life was when I wasnt pushing myself to run at all. I needed encouragement.
This is to all who have made the best decision of their life and accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior of their life. When Christ was first accepted, your flame was probably higher than it has been in a while. After long years of seeking and finding though, I understand sometimes a continually Truly Seeking heart can become weiry. But if you have accepted Christ, know that it is all more than worth it in the end, when you get to be with the Father God Almighty. So be encouraged. Do not give up in this Great Race!!! Run hard, and with perseverance. God is with you!
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Glory
The first day of my senior year, for the first class, I had to walk in my calculus class to start the day. We thought it would be like every other class, learning things to regurgitate them in the future, and then take a test and pass it. But boy did we have a surprise in store for us.
The first day of calculus our teacher said, "babies (for some reason, that is what he calls us), up until this point, you could and probably have faked or memorized your way through school. Your teacher would tell you something, you would write it down, memorize it, and then take a test on it and pass. This is not this class, this is not how life works. Its not regurgitation. Life is learning. This class is learning, and thats what you will do, learn how to think. Calculus is so broad, you cannot memorize yourself through this class, you must think."
What was he telling us? He was saying that we were focusing on the wrong things. We were focused on passing a test instead of learning an actual subject of study. We did not really know what education is all about. Not focused on the right thing. We did not go to school to think, rather than to memorize.
The Ultimate reason for everything is God's Glory. As we go through life, we should focus on doing everything for the Glory of God, not ourselves or anyone or anything else. Christ died for our sins, FOR GOD'S GLORY! The Love of Christ that we show to other people, FOR GODS GLORY! Taking the time to care for others, FOR GOD'S GLORY. EVERYTHING is for the Glory of God!! Let's live like it!
The first day of calculus our teacher said, "babies (for some reason, that is what he calls us), up until this point, you could and probably have faked or memorized your way through school. Your teacher would tell you something, you would write it down, memorize it, and then take a test on it and pass. This is not this class, this is not how life works. Its not regurgitation. Life is learning. This class is learning, and thats what you will do, learn how to think. Calculus is so broad, you cannot memorize yourself through this class, you must think."
What was he telling us? He was saying that we were focusing on the wrong things. We were focused on passing a test instead of learning an actual subject of study. We did not really know what education is all about. Not focused on the right thing. We did not go to school to think, rather than to memorize.
The Ultimate reason for everything is God's Glory. As we go through life, we should focus on doing everything for the Glory of God, not ourselves or anyone or anything else. Christ died for our sins, FOR GOD'S GLORY! The Love of Christ that we show to other people, FOR GODS GLORY! Taking the time to care for others, FOR GOD'S GLORY. EVERYTHING is for the Glory of God!! Let's live like it!
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