March
31st 2006
Posted under Podcast
I thought you all might enjoy my latest doodle on the piano. Let me know what you think.
Archive for March, 2006
March
29th 2006
Posted under Everyday
Hows everybody doing out there? I hope you haven’t given up on this blog, I know I haven’t been updating as much. I have started reading the Bible chronologically. I’m not very far into it yet, but I am glad that I have been able to spend so much time with God, in his word. I have had the opportunity to hang out with an old roommate a couple days this week. It’s been cool we have been spiritual influences on each other in pretty big ways. We talked with another friend of ours today about absolute truth, and how that was something he couldn’t accept so he was going to go on living with what works for him. Maybe this is crazy, but when I presented the truth of Jesus Christ and God as being the truth independent of us. I could swear that his eyes lit up. That something in him wanted to believe so badly, but he was trapped, he couldn’t go there… like something was blocking him. One thing he said time and time again, “I wish I had brought my satanic bible so I could tell you exactly where I’m coming from” While I was thankful that he didn’t have that in his possession at the time, I couldn’t help but relate to the many conversations that I have entered into unprepared and not truly understanding the character of Jesus.
1 Peter 3:15 (NLT) Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.
I remember I used to get into a belief conversation and I would feel trapped by my own lack of knowledge. Struggling for the right words, not wanting to misrepresent Christ. As I continue on my walk with the Father I know that he will continue to reveal the truth of His love in new and exciting ways. I just don’t want to miss out. Distractions have been getting the best of me, if you could pray for me in the area of time management I would appreciate it.
Ephesians 3:16-17 (NLT) I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.
I’ll be the first to say, I need some prayer. I need some encouragement. I probably need some rebuking.
Later Days
March
13th 2006
Posted under Everyday
What an amazing week this has been so far, and its only Monday. God has been speaking to me. Only in clips and snippits, but let me lay this one on you for size.
Why are we motivated to share Jesus with others? Why are we motivated to love each other? To care? To step out of our comfort zone and touch someone?
I have heard plenty of answers to this question through the church and otherwise… “I share Christ with others because he saved me and I don’t want to see others go to hell.” “I share because I know that something is missing in their lives” “I share because I want them to feel like I do.”
While all of these are good outcomes of a successful salvation. (Having a friend that doesn’t go to hell, that knows God, and knows where you are coming from.) What happens when we make them our focus?
Well let me turn you to John 21. Most of you know this story. Peter is having an amazing breakfast of fish and bread with the resurrected Jesus. (A breakfast I want to have one day) He has already jumped out of the boat to run and meet up with Jesus, I imagine Jesus is laughing at his zeal and smiling because Peter loves him so much.
So they’re sitting there and Jesus asks “Do you love me more than these?”
Peter responds “Yes, you know I love you!”
Jesus Replies “Then feed my sheep.”
Two more times this dialog repeats. Peter was saddened because Jesus had to ask him so many times, but Jesus knows the heart of man. He got right to the point, “If you love me, feed my sheep.” Let me be so daring to rephrase this to “This is why you feed my sheep, because you love me.” When we make our motivation to rescue the person, to save them, we set ourselves up for defeat and failure because this isn’t why we spread the Gospel. Every bit of the bible screams, salvation belongs to Jesus. “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” (John 10:9)
We should be so in love and in pursuit of Jesus that we desire to love him by obeying his commandment to love one another. So what does this mean for me? I must pursue him unabated, unrestricted, and with reckless abandon. If I don’t my relationship will never be enough to motivate me to step out side my comfort zone and be like Jesus.
I can’t even begin to describe what its like to see my friends just bleeding Jesus. I see them and my heart lifts, I think to myself, yes Jesus is returning but until that day I get to see him constantly in my brothers and sisters in Christ. I am crying because its so true, I would not know how truly real Jesus is without my friends.
