Virginia Tech-4-16-07 You are being prayed for!

Now some of you who read this may take this the wrong way: so please don't make judgments but just try to understand what is being said.

Today one of the most horrible incidents in all American history occurred today: 33 VT students lost their lives and 23 still fight for there’s. When I first heard it, I felt like I did when Sept. 11^th happened….I rushed to the TV to try to get as much information as I could. Then I thought about the people I met on the LTC/and AXIS retreats where I met hundreds of VT students. Then I thought about the families involved. Surrounded by words like massacre, slaughter house, and complete murder, I thought about Christ. It may sound strange to some of you, but I could only think of “God how do you see this?” I remembered so many scripture passages of where people were depressed, sad or outright doubtful because of a given situation. I thought of the girl who died, and the entire village was outside crying, because they thought she would pull through. Jesus approached and asked them “ why are you crying?” Dang Jesus are you trying to be an insensitive jerk? Just jab alittle harder why don’t ya? But that’s not what he was doing. What he was saying is why do you grieve, she is asleep. Now the Bible does like to use the word sleep to represent death, but here the point of the scripture and so many like it was you need to see things through my eyes and not your own. In the given situation Jesus wondered why so many were sad, he didn’t see death as the end, they did. Now so many other verses make sense to me: Follow my example…..take up your cross daily….bad things WILL happen. The VT incident was a horrible thing, Sept. 11^th was a horrible thing, Katrina was a horrible thing, Darfur was and is a horrible thing……these things I will never understand nor comprehend.....but God doesn’t ask us to understand these things, He asks us to have faith. Faith in the Creator of this world, faith in the one God who understands beyond our understanding, a God who has helped me, and you get through things you thought impossible. So what can we do? Pray, for the families that they somehow are able to see this situation through His eyes. And if they really don’t know Him or don’t care to, pray they may see Him. Easier said then done, yes I know…….but that doesn’t make it any less true.

Cleaned, stylish, and all polished!!

Isnt it funny, when we get up in the morning. Some of us definitely don't look our best. Bad breathe, hair in the air, bad body odor, pillow creases on the face: we just don't look good. So we take a shower, get cleaned, fix out hair ( sometimes this takes hours), put makeup on, put our busniess suit, tighten the tie, looking good!! We spray our finest cologne or perfume as so others may smell the sweet aroma of clean! We are primped, dolled up, and ready to show the world what were made of. No one gets to see us as we were this morning( exception of your significant other). No one at work has to see me all jacked up in the morning, nor do my friends, relatives or anyone else.
But God does. See though we get all cleaned up, makeup layered, and our finest suit God still sees the unkept you. Our outer appearance may fool the world but it can't clean up in the inward appearance: thats what God sees! So though you may feel like you have got it all together, remember He sees you as you really are, and there is no amount of fooling, or dolling up that you can do to cover it up. He loves you, and wants to be a part of your life.

God Bless..

Can we please get over it?

I am an Evangelical Christian:

Meaning that I believe the following:

1. Being a Christian by salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ based on believing that He died or was an atonement for my sins on the cross. ( Romans 10:9) sola fide

2. Believing in the sole authority and inerrancy of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20)

3. Living my life for Christ through regeneration, and in a spiritually transformed personal life.

This doesn’t mean that I am Jerry Fallwell, nor does it mean that I am Pat Robertson or James Dobson. It doesn’t mean that I hate gay people, or that I am automatically a Republican. No one speaks for me but God and His Word. I am sorry if some have tarnished the balance of love and justice, but I have a heart, and it abides in Christ so don’t get caught up in a label, or a name. Look at the heart. It is the most central organ in the Bible, and good and bad things can come out of it, but it is where we see the truest of motivations.
But wait the label of Evangelical is oh man the definition of what it means to be a Christian. So really I am not an evangelical at all, I am a Christ-Follower.

I dont care you denomination, nor your background. I am a CHrist-Follower! I follow Christ, and His Word for my life and in everything I do.

Look at my heart, not a label. I am a Christ-Follower!

God is comfort!

Well lately I have been on these short God phrases, why? Well for one I am add and have the attention span of a 10 year old, but also because they speak volumes when you sit and think about it. I wrote an earlier one called God is faithful. It spoke of how God is faithful in all He does in our lives. This one focuses on how Jesus Christ, God Himself gives us comfort in our time of need. Whether your reading this with a broken heart, a broken marriage, a loss, stress from work or school, or not knowing what God's will is, maybe scared about where your headed........know that you have a God of comfort.

Lets go....

2 Corinthians 1: 3-7

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.


These verses are the premise for the message today. As you have noticed I highlighted some words. I believe that when Scripture repeats something God is telling us something. The word comfort in itself is a nice sounding word. Dictionaries define comfort as: to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to. SO as you read this passage and as we study it take one of those words and substitute it.

vs. 3
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,"

What I find most interesting about Paul is that when you read his letters he always begins with first a praise to God for all He has done through Christ. Paul also gives a description of what God is! Here he tells us that we have a heavenly Father of compassion and comfort. Here Paul sets the premise: God is compassion and comfort, and provides it for all who seek it. Remember the names of God: Jehovah Jirah "The Lord Provider" and Jehovah Shalom-"The Lord our Peace" Isaiah 9:6 describes the Lord Jesus as the Prince of Peace.

vs. 4-"who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

This is the thesis if you call it of the entire passage of vs. 3-7. First and foremost in our times of trouble and trials, hardtimes, sorrow, pain, whatever it may be the Father of compassion and comfort GIVES comfort to us in all our troubles. Not some of our troubles, but all, please remember that. That even though it may seem that God is distant, not there, when it seems like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and back at you, or it just seems hopeless, know there is a God who comforts. God has never left! He loves you and wants to comfort you. And because he has comforted so many of us in our ANY of our troubles we can comfort others because of the comfort we have known.

vs. 5-"For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows

Now one interesting aspect of comfort is that in order to be comforted we must suffer. What??!! Did you know you are called to suffer as a believer in Christ? Well naturally, look at verses like James 1:1-2, Phil. 1:29, 2 Tim. 3:12, and Acts 14:22. All tell of the coming suffering that all believers must endure, not for pure enjoyment but for building and edifying. God allows us to suffer and calls us to suffer so that we may persevere. Does it feel like you get more suffering than others? SOmetimes, but we dont compare ourselves to the problems of man, but the rejoicing we get from knowing that God allows things to happen to test our faith (1 Peter 1:6-7).

vs. 6- "If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer."

Paul in this verse is relating the current sufferings and possible future sufferings to the ones that he has suffered. "We" can be seen as interchangle in meaning Paul himself ( yes it would be singular but Paul uses the plural for relation but can also mean Christians as a whole). I want to focus on the bolded part: so that the comfort provided will give you patient endurance! Even the sound of patient endurance sounds peaceful. This comes to mind all those verses you ever heard about rejoicing, being patient, and persevering in trials. ( James 1:1, 1 Peter 1:7, Romans 8:28, etc......) In your times of trials, problems, whatever it may be: Be patient because you are going through this for a reason. Not because GOd hates you, or because he has left you, but because He loves you. He loved you so much He gave His only Son to die for you. He knows what it feels like to be rejected, to be mocked, to hurt, to be alone, but He did it for you. First so that you would reside in heaven with Him forever, but also to let you know that He understands how you feel because He's been there.

THE POINT:

So whats the point of all this?
1. We have a God who comforts; soothes, reassures; and consoles us.
2. That no matter what troubles come at us, Christ is there ready to face it with you.
3. We as Christians suffer with each other, and since we suffer together, therefore we also rejoice together ( or atleast we should and are called to!!).

May God Bless you!

God is faithful

Trials, conflicts, pain, suffering, whatever it may be we have all endured one of these things in some way, shape or form. I have had many times of adveristy this semester at college in many areas. I hope that what God has put on my heart to make me strong and focused will help you in times of trials, and hardtimes.

I wanted to share some Scripture passages that God has revealed to me in times of struggle, pain, and heartache to give to you as encouragement and hopefully application somewhere in your life.

God is faithful.....

Pslam 32:8
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."

This verse came at a time in my life where I felt like I just couldnt go on. That I just wasn't able to what God wanted me to do. I really wanted to give up, leave, and not be in the place I was. One morning, I just happened to flip in my frustration to this passage.

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go.....

God instructs.
What does it mean to instruct someone? Well instruction means to furnish with knowledge or direction. God furnishes us with the knowledge that we need to glorify Him, and to obey Him. We should find comfort in that our GOd who created the world, whether we are in times of struggle, and pain will furnish us with knowledge and strength to direct us where to go in that time. Rely on the hand of God to guide you in times of trials and you can't go wrong!

"I will counsel and watch over you."

God is the Great Counselor, and He watches over His sheep. In hard times in life, we need to find encouragement that God is with us, that no matter what happens we cannot be seperated from the love of God. To counsel in this verse is the reinforcement that God will instruct you in the direction you should go so that you can conduct yourselves in a way that is holy and honorable to Him. Just as Jesus is our Shepherd, He watches overs us as His sheep, guiding away from the thick brush, and onto greener pastures.
Remember Jesus even told us he would watch over us even when the world falls apart:

Matthew 28:19-"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."


God is our Rock.....

Psalm 112:6-8
"Surely he will never be shaken;
a righteous man will be remembered forever.
He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is secure, he will have no fear;

The premise for this verse is speaking about the righteous man and everything that he will do in times of trial and hard time.

A believer must find strength in these verses, and I understand that this is easier said then done. This verse came to me a month ago where I could have easy broken under Satan's pressure, but God spoke clearly and this verse was the one I needed to hear.

"Surely he will never be shaken;
a righteous man will be remembered forever.

We will never be shaken because we have Christ, because we have a foundation that cannot be destroyed.
Let these other verses simmer in your heart:

Luke 6: 47-48 "I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built."

Jesus here declares that if we abide in Him, and in His Word we are building a house on "rock" ( 1 Corinthians 10:4--a name used of Christ). It was not shaken during the storm because its foundation was solid. In hard times, we must abide in Christ our Rock and make Him the foundation so that when the storms come we will NOT be shaken!

vs. 7
"He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord."

Pretty plainly spoken here, in Christ we will have no fear of bad news because we know that it is:
1. A testing of our faith (1 Peter 1:6-7 " had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise")
2. That we should be joyous in trials not saddened: ( James 1:2-3-"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.")

The word that is important is that the heart is steadfast. What does it mean? Steadfast means to be unwavering, or fixed in one direction, firm in purpose. To trust is to have full reliance on someone or something. So basically this part of the verse affirms the importance of fixing your eyes on Jesus( Hebrews 12:2), to be unwavering, and relying on Him during times of bad news and struggle.

God is security...

vs. 8
"His heart is secure, he will have no fear."

We are securely fastened in the hand of God, and no one, no situation, no trial could ever take that from you and I.

More passages:
John 10:28-29--" I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."

Romans 3:38-39--"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

We firmly secure in the love that God has given us in Christ Jesus. Always remember that God is there, He has you securely in His hand, and He loves you and nothing can seperate us from that love, therefore we don't need to fear anything that comes our way.

1 John 4:18--"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.."

THE POINT:
1. God is faithful--God will instruct us, and teach where we need to go in life. Find strength in knowing that we have a God that wants to be active in our life but guiding us in times of hardship.

2. God is our Rock--When we make Christ the foundation for our lives: work, school, college, our marriages, relationships, our everything, we know that the storms of life cannot destroy us because our foundation, our Rock is in Him.

3. God is our security--We must be reminded in times of hardship, that no matter what is happening, God is there. God has you in the palm of his hand, and he wont let go, and nothing, absolutely nothing can seperate us for the love of God. We have no fear of bad news, trials but rather rejoice because we have not been seperated from God's love!!!

May God Bless you.....

Its not about you.....

Well several times in the Bible we hear of what Jesus does for people. We see His unselfishness, and compassion for all people. But sometimes we get the actual dose of reality with His disciples. In Mark 10:33-45, something happens that happens to all of us in our walk with God: It becomes about us.

Let's go:

Mark10:33-45

The Request- Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask.
What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."

Now this has been preached before and James and John get blasted for even thinking this. Now I think that the request was normal/human/and actually quite noble. They were in awe of the Christ and wanted to be near him as all of us would. This request isn't out of the ordinary, but the timing is!!
IN the previous verses Jesus had just predicted his passion and impending death. Though their request was noble it was also selfish, and ill-timed. Look at the words they used...."we want.....for us....one of us..." James and John both knew Jesus was going to be in His glory, but they were focused on their positioning and what THEY could recieve.

Vs. 38-39
You don't know what you are asking,"
Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"
"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them,

Basically Jesus is telling them that you dont know what you are talking about and are not thinking about what you are saying or asking.
Jesus continues with this description: Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"

These two bold statements are referring to the same subject: suffering and death. The drink the cup I drink is an old Jewish expression that mean't " to share someone's fate". The baptism refers to His death...reference (Luke 12:50-"But I have a baptism to undergo and how distressed I am until it is completed.") In completion....He is asking can James and John share in His fate, and in His death???

Vs. 39-40
You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."

In fact they will share his fate and death as we find out later in Acts 12:2 that James is beheaded....John later dies after several years of torture and of old age at Patmos. Jesus also explains that positions of honor in the kingdom are not simply just given out, but earned. WIll McDonald (Christian scholar) puts it perfectly, " Here admission to the kingdom is by grace through faith but position in the kingdom will be determined by faithfulness to Christ."
This would explain Jesus saying its not for him to grant ( or just give out) but it is for those whom they have prepared.....faithfulness to God.

Vs. 41-45
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.

-This part really displays the humaness of these disciples.....they werent holy than thou men, they argued, were brash, loud, and when James and John made this request and it upset the others, because I am sure they wanted to be on Christ's left and right in glory.

42Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.

-Now Jesus' examples come out...He explains that rulers of the world, pagan kings lord over their subjects and followers, and are not concerned for their well being but focus on themselves.


43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

-But Jesus says not with you (disciples) if you truly want to become great, you must serve others, just as the Son of Man was put on this earth to serve. He gave His life as a ransom, He taught, He loved!!

THE POINT:

As Christians, and as humans we tend to be focused on ourselves. James and John were more worried about what they could get rather than what they could do......its not about you, its about Christ and serving others. See we begin with Christ, serving Him and as an example (John 13:15, Philipians 3:17) of His love and His eternal sacrifice we serve others in the same way He served us.

Be Blessed.

All you Shepherds! 1 Peter 5:2-3

Continuing on the 1 Scripture blog......For Leaders and Elders-all those called to ministry!

Todays message is on shepherding the sheep, and the kind of attitude taken with this task.

1 Peter 5:2-3--"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.


1. What is your role?

"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers...."

In this portion of scripture Peter has already identified what this passage is for....(5:1-to the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder.")
(Elder-- One of the governing officers of a church, often having pastoral or teaching functions)

Peter clearly identifys himself--'a witness of Christ' suffering"
We are called to be shepherds......what does a shepherd do? In ancient time, the shepherd was a supervisor and caretaker.
He would protect, care for, help feed, navigate/guide, discipline/correct, and unify other sheep.
The same responsibility that the shepherd has for the sheep of his flock so must the elder/leader must have for God's flock (the church). Peter speaks specifically to the community that he writes--"that is under your care"

2. Supervision and the motives of leadership

"serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve"

Now Peter tells us the type of attitude that we should take on as leaders or elders. We are to serve as overseers in the church. An overseer is a person that keeps watch over and directs the work of others. The function of the church, the operation and order of their congregation and operations are supervised by them. Perter emphasizes the importance of order and proper supervision.
The second part of the verse if my favorite because it displays the type of atttude ALL leaders should take on. We are not leaders, and are not called to leadership in the church because we have to, or out of obligation (we'll someones gotta do it attitude!). As leaders we dont do it for the money nor we SHOULDN'T because it isnt about being greedy or trying to obtain wealth.

I feel that leaders and pastors have forgotten sometimes why they were called to the position they were called to. Some have used it as a catapult for something else like politics, money, fame, exposure for their upcoming book. Maybe they need to return to 1 Peter 5:2-3 to be reminded of WHY they shepherd the flock.
What are the motives of your heart because God certainly know it!
(1 Chronicles 28:9-"for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.")

Look at the 3 right motives:
1. because you are willing-------this is a calling and your willing to submit to the call, not because you are being coerced!
2. because its God's will ------God's calling entails a right attitude!
3. because you are eager serve------with the other two in place, you can't help but want to serve for the Kingdom. You want to be out there in the trenches, the desire is so big that you want to be out in service for the Lord and lead his flock.

3. Examples not Dictators

"not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock

Now because you may have this leadership and supervison over others it should not be abused. Elders shouldnt be slave drivers, nor should they treat the flock as if it belonged to them. Remember its God's flock!! Not only that but the shepherd should be an example. Paul said that people should follow his example because his was Christ-- ("Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1)

THE POINT:
1. Leadership/elders--is a calling not a job!
2. Understand what your job is as a shepherd of God's flock!
3. As a leader know the motive behind your service, and leadership.
4. Are you a dictator or an example?

There is OneTruth....God Bless!

Running like you wanna WIN!

Its been awhile since I have last posted something, this has been in due to lack of internet for my computer. I hope to write to this blog again soon as school is winding down.I wanted to write to let you all know this ( I say all like a bunch of poeple read this thing) but also to encourage you as well. Hopefully to teach, encourage, and learn from it.

Todays verse is from 1 Corinthians 9:24:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."

-First to understand this verse we must understand the recipients of the letter the Corinthians. Why does Paul talk of running and racing and sports? Because the Corinthians were familiar with foot races in the Isthmian games which occured every other year and came 2nd to the Olympics. So Paul was relating to the exciting extra-curricular activities they participated in.

2.-This verse isnt describing the fact that we should trample others to obtain the prize.In fact, our lives as Christians, as people are a race. This is resurgent in the book of Hebrews 12:1-2. We are running a race, this race called the Christian life.

For example:
~Imagine the Boston Marathon, where thousands of people run this race every year.Thousands enter, thousands run, but only one wins the prize, only one comes in first.Pauls call here is for those of you running the race, run as if you were running to win! Pauls call is not a physical call, but more a mental, spiritual call. I have run several times before, and even competitively. There are times where I ran to simply finish, just to get to the end of the race no matter what place I got. Other times, I ran with the attitude and mindset of winning that race. I pushed harder, I ran faster, i focused on keeping myself at the highest level. I ran as if I was winning.

**Imagine trying to compete in something with the mindset of losing! Go into a basketball game and give 5%. Not only does you not having the right attitude affect you but others.Someone with a negative attitude can bring other people down, and make a room turn sour.Paul says not to run like someone who runs aimlessly, but run as if you are going to win!

3. Win what? What prize?Like the prizes that the Corinthians and even Olympians, which were perishable wreaths that symbolized the winner from everyone else, so we gain a crown. The difference is that our crown is a crown of life= eternal life with Jesus Christ. We run the race of life, no matter how long, or how hard it may be so that we may get to the finish line to meet our Lord waiting for us to take us home for our prize!

THE POINT:
1.--Live (run) the Christian life as if you were running to win!
2.--Running in a way not to win can not only affect you but those around you!
3.--What is our prize. Eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ, the crown of Life!
Be Blessed!