So I've decided to start a blog and I truly hope you find it beneficial in some way. I know blogs are weird and I'm okay with that. My desire is that the posts I write will be filled with random off the wall questions and more importantly answers that some of you are searching for. More than anything I really want to reach out to old friends and share my life with them. Not that I lead the most interesting life in the world, but I've changed over the last 10 years and I want people to know why. If you’re coming to this blog for the first time it’s broken up into two sections and the reasons behind them will probably become clear as you read the different areas.
If we haven’t spoken in a while and you have no idea where I’ve been for the last 5 years, or if you stumbled on this blog and are a little skeptical about this whole Christianity thing then do me a favor and click the link below. It will take you to some posts in the month of September that will explain in more detail the process I went through and what has changed in my life...
http://actionsandtruth.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html
And if we hang out all the time and you know what's going on in my life or if you grew up in the church and already follow Jesus Christ then read whatever you'd like. My prayer is that the posts will challenge your walk with the Lord but encourage you at the same time...
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Word Is You're a Preacher
I’ve known a lot of people in my life and unfortunately I’ve lost contact with quite a few of them. One of the reasons I started this blog was to reconnect with people from my past and let them know what’s going on in my life. So if that’s you then do me a favor and read this post. For those of you who knew me growing up or in college the paragraphs that follow will probably seem a little weird or out of line with the person you used to know. It definitely won’t sound like the guy you partied with back in the day but that’s why I’m writing this post. I ran into some old friends the other day and they told me that word on the street, as they put it, is that I found Jesus and “became a preacher.” Well that’s not exactly true, so let me clarify.
I guess the easiest way to put it is that I finally came to a place in my life where deep down I was struggling to find true peace. Don’t get me wrong I was just like any other typical 20 something, I partied every chance I got and loved every minute of it. But I knew that it didn’t matter how much fun I had or how successful I became, these things would only give me temporary satisfaction. At the end of the day, when I was laying in my bed and it was just me and my thoughts, I was constantly struggling for true joy in my life. I fought it for a long time and finally decided I needed to do something about it.
Now before you start thinking I really have gone off the deep end and fallen into some kind of depression, hear me out. Most people, if they’re honest with themselves, know what I’m talking about. Some will try and mask it by going out on the weekends or traveling to amazing places or even working every chance they get. Some will consume themselves with their kids or with sports or even with the television, but when all of those things are gone it’s tough.
Here’s how it played out in my life. On the outside I was definitely happy, fun job, good friends, a nice place to live, what else did I need? But I still felt like I was missing something. I kept wondering if I truly happy or was I was covering up my emptiness with partying? Was I truly happy or was I hiding my loneliness by dating? Was I truly happy or was I buying nice clothes and fun toys to make myself feel good. I began to notice a pattern in my life of living for the moment because in reality I had nothing else to live for. Eventually, I had to ask myself a simple question…If I lost all of my worldly possessions could I still be happy, could I still have hope?
Try it for yourself. For one week don’t watch any TV, don’t text people, don’t get on your computer, don’t listen to your iPod or any music for that matter. Spend one week away from the multimedia laced world we live in. Spend a week with just your thoughts and see what happens. I tried it and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty; in fact it was downright depressing. I know it sounds cliché to say I was searching for something more meaningful or I was looking for the meaning of life, but I was. I finally came to the place where I knew I needed more. I needed to figure out for myself the purpose of my life. How did we get here or why are we here or what happens when we die? Is there a heaven and is there a hell? And the ultimate question…do I believe in God?
As a child I was raised to believe in God. The problem for me was the God I was raised to worship made life boring and if I ever committed to Him I'd have to say goodbye to my fun. As a result I spent most of my childhood and college years finding my own answers and seeking my own desires. I still believed in God but I only did what I thought was enough to get me to heaven and keep me out of hell. Unfortunately, Jesus isn't satisfied with a half-hearted commitment and the peace I was searching for was nonexistent in my life; I needed to find it.
So I ignored what the media told me, I ignored what Hollywood told me, I ignored my friends, my family and made the decision to figure out for myself what I believed about God. The sad part is when I finally did begin to think about God and my reason for existence I became one of the skeptics. I never completely stopped believing in God I just found it all a little far fetched. It was too difficult for me to actually believe that all of this could have actually happened exactly the way the Bible says it does. So I prayed and did quite a bit of soul searching. The bible says in Hebrews that “..it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” and that verse haunted me. I knew that if there was even the slightest chance that the verse was true, then I owed it to myself to at least make an educated, researched, thought out decision and decide where I stood. What I didn’t realize was that the constant questioning and uneasiness in my heart was actually God actively pursuing a relationship with me.
There is a verse in the bible in the book of Matthew that says…
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
Guess what, that was me. I was weary and burdened from the blur that was my life. Always on the move, always busy, and never having even a second to sit and think about life or the existence of God. The Bible makes it very clear that one day we will all stand before God and be judged. It doesn’t matter how many bad things we’ve done or how many good things we’ve done, all our works mean nothing in the presence of a Holy God. The bottom line is that there isn’t some heavenly scale that weighs our good works against our bad and there also isn’t some mountain with a million different paths. The Bible is clear when it says that Jesus Christ is the only way to get to heaven.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
It's really pretty simple; Jesus is actively seeking a relationship with all people. Some will reject Him and some will accept Him. Don’t misunderstand this message of salvation. God is not just waiting around and excited about sending people to Hell, it is our rejection of His Son Jesus that makes our choice for us. God has made a way for all of us to spend eternity in Heaven. All we have to do is believe that he sent His Son Jesus to this earth to pay for the penalty of our sins, confess the fact that we're sinners and surrender ourselves to Him.
Take this from someone who spent way too many years living to please himself. When I finally did commit my life to the Lord it was an interesting process. My peace has definitely not happened overnight and the reason for that is my commitment didn’t happen overnight either. But when I finally completely commit myself to Jesus and His way, I began to discover a whole new kind of fun. I’ve never been as satisfied as I am right now and I would encourage anyone who is reading this to let God run your life. It may not be an instantaneous overwhelming calm for you either, but it will mark the beginning of your commitment to the things of the Lord. Trust me when I say that the older you get the harder it becomes and also know that the devil is actively playing with your mind to convince you this is all a bunch of nonsense and there is no way it could be true. One of my favorite quotes is from a movie called the Usual Suspects…
“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”
I guess the easiest way to put it is that I finally came to a place in my life where deep down I was struggling to find true peace. Don’t get me wrong I was just like any other typical 20 something, I partied every chance I got and loved every minute of it. But I knew that it didn’t matter how much fun I had or how successful I became, these things would only give me temporary satisfaction. At the end of the day, when I was laying in my bed and it was just me and my thoughts, I was constantly struggling for true joy in my life. I fought it for a long time and finally decided I needed to do something about it.
Now before you start thinking I really have gone off the deep end and fallen into some kind of depression, hear me out. Most people, if they’re honest with themselves, know what I’m talking about. Some will try and mask it by going out on the weekends or traveling to amazing places or even working every chance they get. Some will consume themselves with their kids or with sports or even with the television, but when all of those things are gone it’s tough.
Here’s how it played out in my life. On the outside I was definitely happy, fun job, good friends, a nice place to live, what else did I need? But I still felt like I was missing something. I kept wondering if I truly happy or was I was covering up my emptiness with partying? Was I truly happy or was I hiding my loneliness by dating? Was I truly happy or was I buying nice clothes and fun toys to make myself feel good. I began to notice a pattern in my life of living for the moment because in reality I had nothing else to live for. Eventually, I had to ask myself a simple question…If I lost all of my worldly possessions could I still be happy, could I still have hope?
Try it for yourself. For one week don’t watch any TV, don’t text people, don’t get on your computer, don’t listen to your iPod or any music for that matter. Spend one week away from the multimedia laced world we live in. Spend a week with just your thoughts and see what happens. I tried it and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty; in fact it was downright depressing. I know it sounds cliché to say I was searching for something more meaningful or I was looking for the meaning of life, but I was. I finally came to the place where I knew I needed more. I needed to figure out for myself the purpose of my life. How did we get here or why are we here or what happens when we die? Is there a heaven and is there a hell? And the ultimate question…do I believe in God?
As a child I was raised to believe in God. The problem for me was the God I was raised to worship made life boring and if I ever committed to Him I'd have to say goodbye to my fun. As a result I spent most of my childhood and college years finding my own answers and seeking my own desires. I still believed in God but I only did what I thought was enough to get me to heaven and keep me out of hell. Unfortunately, Jesus isn't satisfied with a half-hearted commitment and the peace I was searching for was nonexistent in my life; I needed to find it.
So I ignored what the media told me, I ignored what Hollywood told me, I ignored my friends, my family and made the decision to figure out for myself what I believed about God. The sad part is when I finally did begin to think about God and my reason for existence I became one of the skeptics. I never completely stopped believing in God I just found it all a little far fetched. It was too difficult for me to actually believe that all of this could have actually happened exactly the way the Bible says it does. So I prayed and did quite a bit of soul searching. The bible says in Hebrews that “..it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” and that verse haunted me. I knew that if there was even the slightest chance that the verse was true, then I owed it to myself to at least make an educated, researched, thought out decision and decide where I stood. What I didn’t realize was that the constant questioning and uneasiness in my heart was actually God actively pursuing a relationship with me.
There is a verse in the bible in the book of Matthew that says…
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
Guess what, that was me. I was weary and burdened from the blur that was my life. Always on the move, always busy, and never having even a second to sit and think about life or the existence of God. The Bible makes it very clear that one day we will all stand before God and be judged. It doesn’t matter how many bad things we’ve done or how many good things we’ve done, all our works mean nothing in the presence of a Holy God. The bottom line is that there isn’t some heavenly scale that weighs our good works against our bad and there also isn’t some mountain with a million different paths. The Bible is clear when it says that Jesus Christ is the only way to get to heaven.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
It's really pretty simple; Jesus is actively seeking a relationship with all people. Some will reject Him and some will accept Him. Don’t misunderstand this message of salvation. God is not just waiting around and excited about sending people to Hell, it is our rejection of His Son Jesus that makes our choice for us. God has made a way for all of us to spend eternity in Heaven. All we have to do is believe that he sent His Son Jesus to this earth to pay for the penalty of our sins, confess the fact that we're sinners and surrender ourselves to Him.
Take this from someone who spent way too many years living to please himself. When I finally did commit my life to the Lord it was an interesting process. My peace has definitely not happened overnight and the reason for that is my commitment didn’t happen overnight either. But when I finally completely commit myself to Jesus and His way, I began to discover a whole new kind of fun. I’ve never been as satisfied as I am right now and I would encourage anyone who is reading this to let God run your life. It may not be an instantaneous overwhelming calm for you either, but it will mark the beginning of your commitment to the things of the Lord. Trust me when I say that the older you get the harder it becomes and also know that the devil is actively playing with your mind to convince you this is all a bunch of nonsense and there is no way it could be true. One of my favorite quotes is from a movie called the Usual Suspects…
“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”
Peace...
We live our lives searching for peace and contentment. Unfortunately most of us are looking in all the wrong places.
I spent a portion of this past Sunday at a juvenile detention center talking to two young men. Both were 15 years old and they’d been arrested for numerous offenses including multiple counts of burglary, possession of drugs and the list goes on and on. Neither one seemed to be too concerned with the fact that they’d been arrested and they spent most of our time together cracking jokes. Probably the most interesting part of our conversation was something one of them said as I was leaving. To be honest I haven’t been able to get it off of my mind. A portion of our conversation is below; to protect his identity we'll call him James.
Me: Just so I can understand your situation a little better tell me why you and your buddy were breaking into cars?
James: To get stuff.
Me: Why did you need stuff?
James: So we could sell it.
Me: Why?
James: To get money.
Me: For what?
James: Drugs.
Me: Why do you need drugs?
James: It’s the only time in my life I’m at peace.
Pretty profound statement for a 15 year old…
“It’s the only time in my life I’m at peace.”
This kid put into words at the age of 15 what most people spend a lifetime trying to figure out. What makes it even more interesting is every time I’m at the detention center I hear the same story. Sure the details may be a little different, but in some way shape or form every kid I talk to just wants a smile on their face and peace in their heart. They honestly have no clue how to get it, but it’s ultimately what they’re searching for.
So let me ask you a question…are we really any different? Now most of us aren’t breaking into cars looking for money so we can buy cocaine, but we do live our lives searching for those split seconds in time when we’re filled with contentment and peace. We probably don’t even realize we’re looking for it but our lives are filled with activities intended to put a smile on our face and peace in our heart.
Maybe it’s a favorite TV show, or a favorite movie, maybe we read or we work. Some of us try to marry for it and some of us travel the world looking for it. We go on vacations to try and get it and we buy big houses and hope it’s in there. We stuff ourselves at nice restaurants thinking we can eat it and then we exercise hoping to regain it. We buy iPods trusting we can listen to it and iPhones wondering if we download it. When the new car smell fades and the excitement is over we move on searching for something else. At the end of the day when we leave the TV on so we can doze off to sleep our lives are consumed with passing the time searching for peace.
I say all this because I’ve been there. I’ve tried to drink it, I’ve tried to smoke it, I’ve tried to buy it and I’ve tried to date it. But at the end of the day true peace in my life was always just a little bit out of my reach. My grandfather once told me that someone asked John D. Rockefeller, America’s first billionaire, how much money it took to make a man happy and content. Rockefeller's reply was, "just a little more than what he has."
Jesus came to this earth to pay the penalty of our sins and to offer us true eternal peace. If we believe in Him and live in harmony with His word we can experience the contentment we so desire. It may sound weird and trust me when I say that 5 years ago I never would have believed it, but the peace I found in my relationship with Jesus was exactly what I was searching for my entire life. I traveled many different roads looking for it, but at the end of the day it was right in front of me the entire time.
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.
- John 16:33
I spent a portion of this past Sunday at a juvenile detention center talking to two young men. Both were 15 years old and they’d been arrested for numerous offenses including multiple counts of burglary, possession of drugs and the list goes on and on. Neither one seemed to be too concerned with the fact that they’d been arrested and they spent most of our time together cracking jokes. Probably the most interesting part of our conversation was something one of them said as I was leaving. To be honest I haven’t been able to get it off of my mind. A portion of our conversation is below; to protect his identity we'll call him James.
Me: Just so I can understand your situation a little better tell me why you and your buddy were breaking into cars?
James: To get stuff.
Me: Why did you need stuff?
James: So we could sell it.
Me: Why?
James: To get money.
Me: For what?
James: Drugs.
Me: Why do you need drugs?
James: It’s the only time in my life I’m at peace.
Pretty profound statement for a 15 year old…
“It’s the only time in my life I’m at peace.”
This kid put into words at the age of 15 what most people spend a lifetime trying to figure out. What makes it even more interesting is every time I’m at the detention center I hear the same story. Sure the details may be a little different, but in some way shape or form every kid I talk to just wants a smile on their face and peace in their heart. They honestly have no clue how to get it, but it’s ultimately what they’re searching for.
So let me ask you a question…are we really any different? Now most of us aren’t breaking into cars looking for money so we can buy cocaine, but we do live our lives searching for those split seconds in time when we’re filled with contentment and peace. We probably don’t even realize we’re looking for it but our lives are filled with activities intended to put a smile on our face and peace in our heart.
Maybe it’s a favorite TV show, or a favorite movie, maybe we read or we work. Some of us try to marry for it and some of us travel the world looking for it. We go on vacations to try and get it and we buy big houses and hope it’s in there. We stuff ourselves at nice restaurants thinking we can eat it and then we exercise hoping to regain it. We buy iPods trusting we can listen to it and iPhones wondering if we download it. When the new car smell fades and the excitement is over we move on searching for something else. At the end of the day when we leave the TV on so we can doze off to sleep our lives are consumed with passing the time searching for peace.
I say all this because I’ve been there. I’ve tried to drink it, I’ve tried to smoke it, I’ve tried to buy it and I’ve tried to date it. But at the end of the day true peace in my life was always just a little bit out of my reach. My grandfather once told me that someone asked John D. Rockefeller, America’s first billionaire, how much money it took to make a man happy and content. Rockefeller's reply was, "just a little more than what he has."
Jesus came to this earth to pay the penalty of our sins and to offer us true eternal peace. If we believe in Him and live in harmony with His word we can experience the contentment we so desire. It may sound weird and trust me when I say that 5 years ago I never would have believed it, but the peace I found in my relationship with Jesus was exactly what I was searching for my entire life. I traveled many different roads looking for it, but at the end of the day it was right in front of me the entire time.
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.
- John 16:33
Faith...
I went through a season of my life where the whole idea of a Higher power creating life as we know it seemed a little far fetched. I wouldn't say I ever quit believing in God, but after so many years of ignoring Him it wasn't an easy process to return. Looking back it's actually pretty funny that one of the most difficult aspects of returning to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ was creation. It was very difficult for me to fathom that a never beginning and never ending God could have created everything we see.
I guess the best way to put it is that I have always wanted a clear cut answer for everything and I needed proof to believe. What I finally had to realize is that I will never have complete proof about the creation of the world and that is exactly the way God planned it. There is a verse in the bible in book that makes my point a little clearer...
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
- Hebrews 11:3
The Bible mentions the word faith hundreds of times and it blows me away that God reveals just enough in the scriptures to give us the choice of whether or not to believe. All the evidence we need is right in front of us, but what we do with it is where our faith comes in. Here's what I mean. If you open the Bible and start reading the very first book, Genesis, it lays out exactly how the world was created; now whether you believe it or not is up to you. Unfortunately for most of us faith is what makes it so difficult. We live in an era where answers come to us as quickly as we can type the questions into google and believing in something through faith is often a foreign concept.
Just remember that whether you believe in creation or you believe that everything we see around us evolved from a single atom millions of years ago, both take faith. And if faith is what you lack, ask God to help you with your doubts and your questions. That's exactly what I did and my life hasn't been the same. I came across this video a while back. It will hopefully give you a small glimpse of just how majestic the universe around us really is...
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
- Hebrews 11:1
>
I guess the best way to put it is that I have always wanted a clear cut answer for everything and I needed proof to believe. What I finally had to realize is that I will never have complete proof about the creation of the world and that is exactly the way God planned it. There is a verse in the bible in book that makes my point a little clearer...
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
- Hebrews 11:3
The Bible mentions the word faith hundreds of times and it blows me away that God reveals just enough in the scriptures to give us the choice of whether or not to believe. All the evidence we need is right in front of us, but what we do with it is where our faith comes in. Here's what I mean. If you open the Bible and start reading the very first book, Genesis, it lays out exactly how the world was created; now whether you believe it or not is up to you. Unfortunately for most of us faith is what makes it so difficult. We live in an era where answers come to us as quickly as we can type the questions into google and believing in something through faith is often a foreign concept.
Just remember that whether you believe in creation or you believe that everything we see around us evolved from a single atom millions of years ago, both take faith. And if faith is what you lack, ask God to help you with your doubts and your questions. That's exactly what I did and my life hasn't been the same. I came across this video a while back. It will hopefully give you a small glimpse of just how majestic the universe around us really is...
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
- Hebrews 11:1
>
Behold I Stand at the Door and Knock...
Jesus Christ is actively pursuing a relationship with you and it's your decision whether or not you let Him run your life.
I know that's a bold statement but I absolutely believe it to be true. We may ignore Him or run from Him or even flat out reject Him, but nevertheless He is constantly orchestrating circumstances in our lives to draw us into a relationship with Him. I write this knowing that the majority of you will most likely fall into one of the 3 categories I just mentioned, but it does not mean that Jesus still isn't pursuing you. When I look back at my life it is amazing how many times the Lord did things to get my attention and it's sad how often I ignored Him. Let me tell you what I mean by telling you a story.
Every Sunday some friends and I lead a chapel at a juvenile detention center here in Tampa. The teens at the center are truly amazing and some of their stories will break your heart. The teens range in age from 13-17 and come from every imaginable background. Each Sunday we have a little over an hour to hang out, play cards, shoot the breeze and tell them about Jesus. It is a wonderful opportunity to mentor a group of teenagers most of which have been raised in single parent homes and quite often are lacking strong parental influence.
There's no question I could spend all day telling you how God is using the circumstances in the lives of these teens to reach out to them, but I'll save you some time and just tell you about a kid named Mike. I met Mike on a Sunday at the center about 6 months ago and even though I haven't seen him since I'm pretty sure I'll never forget him. Our group had been there about an hour and a half and the entire time Mike hadn't said a word. He just sat there with his arms folded looking confused and a little angry. But then at the end he raised his hand and told us he had something to say, and so he did. I put what he told us below because I think it explains exactly what I'm trying to say...
It's really weird to me that you guys are here and I have to admit I don't even really understand it but I want to say something about it. About 6 months ago I was running late for school because I missed my school bus. I knew if I was late again I would be suspended so I went to the city bus stop to get a ride. For some reason the whole time I was walking to the city bus stop I had this thought that kept going through my mind where I was wondering if anyone loved me? I stood at the bus stop for 5 minutes and just kept thinking "I wonder if anyone loves me?" To be honest with you I ain't never thought anything like that before in my entire life and I don't even know why I was thinking it but I couldn't get it out of my mind. At this point I was getting kind of mad so when the bus came I got on and took the first spot I came to and just stared forward wondering if anyone loved me?
Then like 5 minutes later the bus stopped to pick up an old lady that I had never seen before. She got on and walked down the isle and as she passed me she handed me a note and kept on walking. It was really weird but I opened it and it said "Jesus Loves You". That was it...nothing else. I immediately started tearing up and I couldn't hold them back. I play football and I ain't never cried before so I was embarrassed and didn't know what to do so I just pushed it out of my mind and pretended it never happened.
Then like 3 months ago I was walking to go get high with some of my friends and this car pulled up next to me and some guy ask me if I wanted to go to church. I ain't never seen him before so I kind of hesitated, but he asked me again. I figured it couldn't be that bad it was church so I got in the car and we went to this man's church. That was my first time in church but I remember the preacher saying some words from a book called Psalms. I still remember the words to this day but I really didn't know what to do about it so I just left the church and once again kind of pushed it out of my head.
Every now and then I would think about it but to be honest I didn't really think about it that much until last night. Yesterday I got arrested and brought here and I didn't know what else to do. So last night I was laying on a cot in that room right over there and for the first time that I can remember I prayed and asked God to help me. I told Him that people ask God for help and I needed help, but I didn't understand what he wanted me to do? Then I fell asleep and woke up figuring nothing would change. I guess I was wrong because not even one day has passed and now you guys are hear telling me how Jesus has helped you and how He has changed your lives.
To be honest with you, Mike's story is pretty common. I could spend the next week writing stories about people who have been helped by the love of Jesus Christ. There are some many people out there just like Mike and unfortunately most of us wait until we are in a dire situation to call out and ask God for help.
There's a verse in Revelation chapter 3 that says:
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
I've heard this verse explained 100 different ways but Mike is a perfect example of how it looks in someones life. Even though you may not fully understand what it means, Jesus is actively seeking a personal relationship with you. That verse is an awesome picture of Jesus standing at the door to your heart and asking to come in. For the longest time in my own life I knew He was there, but I ignored the fact that He wanted me to live my life in harmony with His word. At the end of the day, God may not be speaking to you exactly like He did Mike, but I can assure you that in some way shape or form God He is orchestrating circumstances in your life to get your attention.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
I know that's a bold statement but I absolutely believe it to be true. We may ignore Him or run from Him or even flat out reject Him, but nevertheless He is constantly orchestrating circumstances in our lives to draw us into a relationship with Him. I write this knowing that the majority of you will most likely fall into one of the 3 categories I just mentioned, but it does not mean that Jesus still isn't pursuing you. When I look back at my life it is amazing how many times the Lord did things to get my attention and it's sad how often I ignored Him. Let me tell you what I mean by telling you a story.
Every Sunday some friends and I lead a chapel at a juvenile detention center here in Tampa. The teens at the center are truly amazing and some of their stories will break your heart. The teens range in age from 13-17 and come from every imaginable background. Each Sunday we have a little over an hour to hang out, play cards, shoot the breeze and tell them about Jesus. It is a wonderful opportunity to mentor a group of teenagers most of which have been raised in single parent homes and quite often are lacking strong parental influence.
There's no question I could spend all day telling you how God is using the circumstances in the lives of these teens to reach out to them, but I'll save you some time and just tell you about a kid named Mike. I met Mike on a Sunday at the center about 6 months ago and even though I haven't seen him since I'm pretty sure I'll never forget him. Our group had been there about an hour and a half and the entire time Mike hadn't said a word. He just sat there with his arms folded looking confused and a little angry. But then at the end he raised his hand and told us he had something to say, and so he did. I put what he told us below because I think it explains exactly what I'm trying to say...
It's really weird to me that you guys are here and I have to admit I don't even really understand it but I want to say something about it. About 6 months ago I was running late for school because I missed my school bus. I knew if I was late again I would be suspended so I went to the city bus stop to get a ride. For some reason the whole time I was walking to the city bus stop I had this thought that kept going through my mind where I was wondering if anyone loved me? I stood at the bus stop for 5 minutes and just kept thinking "I wonder if anyone loves me?" To be honest with you I ain't never thought anything like that before in my entire life and I don't even know why I was thinking it but I couldn't get it out of my mind. At this point I was getting kind of mad so when the bus came I got on and took the first spot I came to and just stared forward wondering if anyone loved me?
Then like 5 minutes later the bus stopped to pick up an old lady that I had never seen before. She got on and walked down the isle and as she passed me she handed me a note and kept on walking. It was really weird but I opened it and it said "Jesus Loves You". That was it...nothing else. I immediately started tearing up and I couldn't hold them back. I play football and I ain't never cried before so I was embarrassed and didn't know what to do so I just pushed it out of my mind and pretended it never happened.
Then like 3 months ago I was walking to go get high with some of my friends and this car pulled up next to me and some guy ask me if I wanted to go to church. I ain't never seen him before so I kind of hesitated, but he asked me again. I figured it couldn't be that bad it was church so I got in the car and we went to this man's church. That was my first time in church but I remember the preacher saying some words from a book called Psalms. I still remember the words to this day but I really didn't know what to do about it so I just left the church and once again kind of pushed it out of my head.
Every now and then I would think about it but to be honest I didn't really think about it that much until last night. Yesterday I got arrested and brought here and I didn't know what else to do. So last night I was laying on a cot in that room right over there and for the first time that I can remember I prayed and asked God to help me. I told Him that people ask God for help and I needed help, but I didn't understand what he wanted me to do? Then I fell asleep and woke up figuring nothing would change. I guess I was wrong because not even one day has passed and now you guys are hear telling me how Jesus has helped you and how He has changed your lives.
To be honest with you, Mike's story is pretty common. I could spend the next week writing stories about people who have been helped by the love of Jesus Christ. There are some many people out there just like Mike and unfortunately most of us wait until we are in a dire situation to call out and ask God for help.
There's a verse in Revelation chapter 3 that says:
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
I've heard this verse explained 100 different ways but Mike is a perfect example of how it looks in someones life. Even though you may not fully understand what it means, Jesus is actively seeking a personal relationship with you. That verse is an awesome picture of Jesus standing at the door to your heart and asking to come in. For the longest time in my own life I knew He was there, but I ignored the fact that He wanted me to live my life in harmony with His word. At the end of the day, God may not be speaking to you exactly like He did Mike, but I can assure you that in some way shape or form God He is orchestrating circumstances in your life to get your attention.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Get Saved...From What?
I had a buddy ask me not too long ago what it meant to be saved. He told me it was always extrememly confusing when the Christians he knew talked about "getting saved." Unfortunately he's right. Christians often do a poor job of communicating the truths in the Bible and his question made perfect sense. I know I probably won't do the best job of explaining it either so let me try and clarify by sharing an audio clip. I heard this a few years ago from a preacher in Alabama named David Platt. He spent 5 minutes basically summing up the portions of the Bible that explain what it means to be saved and why Jesus came to earth and died on a cross.
When you read the Bible you'll notice it is a collection of stories and testimonies of peoples lives. It is a phenomenal depiction of thousands of years and generations of people living in harmony with God's word and out of harmony with God's word. It is amazing to see that from the very beginning God has set forth guidelines that He expects us to live by. When we ignore what He tells us and pursue our own desires we are sinning. It is that sin that separates us from having fellowship with a Holy God, and that same sin that puts us in need of a Savior. By simply admitting that we need Jesus to help us and to save us from that sin is the first step in beginning our relationship with Jesus Christ.
There's a verse in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 20 that says...
'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
That verse is such an amazing picture of God asking us to come in and save us from our sins. The flip side is what Romans says in chapter 6...
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)"
You must believe that Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins. The penalty for our sin is death. God loves us so much that He provided a way for us to escape that penalty.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
Belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus for your sins is essential for being saved, but it is not enough.
"You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe God and tremble." (James 2:19)
So the last thing you must do is to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. Confessing Jesus as Lord means to commit total control of your life to Christ. You give him the ownership of your life.
Romans 10:9-10 says:
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:13 says:
For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.
If you know you want to spend eternity in Heaven and you know that you are in need of a Savior then pray the following prayer. It doesn’t have to be word for word because it’s your heart that matters. I just know there will be some of you that won’t even know where to start so I wrote something similar to what I said below…
"Dear God, I admit I am a sinner in need of you. I understand I can do nothing on my own to earn your salvation. In honesty and sincerity of heart I now ask you to please forgive me of my sins, cover me and wash me in the blood of Jesus, give me abundant life here on earth and the free gift of eternal life with you in heaven. I believe Jesus died and rose again for my sins. I confess you Jesus as Lord and Savior of my life. Come into my heart right now, save me and make me whole.”
Guess what, you don't have to have a masters degree to ask Jesus to run your life. You don't have to be a biblical scholar to need a Savior. All of us need to pay for the penalty of our sins and the beauty of all this is that is exactly what Jesus did when He died on the cross for our sins. He paid the way for you to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
When you read the Bible you'll notice it is a collection of stories and testimonies of peoples lives. It is a phenomenal depiction of thousands of years and generations of people living in harmony with God's word and out of harmony with God's word. It is amazing to see that from the very beginning God has set forth guidelines that He expects us to live by. When we ignore what He tells us and pursue our own desires we are sinning. It is that sin that separates us from having fellowship with a Holy God, and that same sin that puts us in need of a Savior. By simply admitting that we need Jesus to help us and to save us from that sin is the first step in beginning our relationship with Jesus Christ.
There's a verse in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 20 that says...
'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
That verse is such an amazing picture of God asking us to come in and save us from our sins. The flip side is what Romans says in chapter 6...
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)"
You must believe that Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins. The penalty for our sin is death. God loves us so much that He provided a way for us to escape that penalty.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
Belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus for your sins is essential for being saved, but it is not enough.
"You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe God and tremble." (James 2:19)
So the last thing you must do is to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. Confessing Jesus as Lord means to commit total control of your life to Christ. You give him the ownership of your life.
Romans 10:9-10 says:
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:13 says:
For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.
If you know you want to spend eternity in Heaven and you know that you are in need of a Savior then pray the following prayer. It doesn’t have to be word for word because it’s your heart that matters. I just know there will be some of you that won’t even know where to start so I wrote something similar to what I said below…
"Dear God, I admit I am a sinner in need of you. I understand I can do nothing on my own to earn your salvation. In honesty and sincerity of heart I now ask you to please forgive me of my sins, cover me and wash me in the blood of Jesus, give me abundant life here on earth and the free gift of eternal life with you in heaven. I believe Jesus died and rose again for my sins. I confess you Jesus as Lord and Savior of my life. Come into my heart right now, save me and make me whole.”
Guess what, you don't have to have a masters degree to ask Jesus to run your life. You don't have to be a biblical scholar to need a Savior. All of us need to pay for the penalty of our sins and the beauty of all this is that is exactly what Jesus did when He died on the cross for our sins. He paid the way for you to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
The Pleasures Afforded to Sinful Men...
Sunsets blow my mind!
They’re one of the most beautiful aspects of God’s creation and for some reason I can never get enough. When the sky changes colors and the sun begins to drop below the horizon, I’m captivated. It’s hard to explain in words and even the pictures I take don’t capture the moment like I wish they could. But it’s peaceful and everyone seems to know it. Next time your at the beach look around and watch people stop what they’re doing and stare at the heavens until that last speck of light fades away.
Every one of us whether we like to admit it or not is captivated by certain things in creation. Maybe it’s when you’re out on the ocean or when you’re lying on the beach. It could be camping in the wilderness or white water rafting down a violent river. It could be snow capped mountains or the fresh water streams they create. It’s bizarre in a sense but nature just has this way of making us stop and appreciate.
Psalm 19:1-2
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
What if I told you that God was drawing you into a relationship with His son Jesus Christ through the world He created? Seriously! We’ve all felt it but it’s so hard to explain. That breathtaking, stop what you’re doing, how is this even possible, this is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen feeling. And for a split second in time you know this is no accident, you know there is someone greater who created everything you see around you. Guess what? You were created with that feeling. It’s called Natural revelation and it describes what God has revealed concerning Himself in nature. The bible talks about it in Paul’s letter to the Romans.
Romans 1:19-20
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
But most of us ignore it and assume since science can give us a vague understanding of how things work we can move on with our lives. So we push that feeling of awe to the back of our minds and we consume ourselves with our daily lives, and that’s just the way Satan wants it. Never pushing for truth, never accepting the constant call of God on our lives, why? Because it’s difficult to understand how a God who created everything we see around us could actually have a personal daily relationship with every one of us. But He can and He is actively speaking to you through creation, through friends, through family, through preachers, through coworkers, and the list goes on and on. God is placing people in your life to draw you closer to Him.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Don’t let the world we live in pull you down and suck you dry. Know that God desires a personal loving relationship with you if you’ll simply give your life to Him. I know it’s hard to grasp, but that’s where faith comes in. With the sin of Adam and Eve the world around us changed and life became difficult. It’s often hard to see God through the constant cloud of chaos around you, but He’s there and He always has been. He died on a cross 2,000 years ago to pay the penalty for your sins and mine so we could spend eternity with Him. One day this fallen world will be a thing of the past and there’ll be a new Heaven and a new earth. One without sin, without hardship, without tears and with more natural majestic wonders then you could ever fathom. The next time you see a sunset, take a moment to thank God for the awe inspiring natural beauty of this world, and dream of a new heaven and a new earth that will repeatedly take your breath away.
Augustine who was the bishop of northern Africa in the 5th century said something that makes me smile every time I hear it. There's so much truth behind it and to think he said it over 1500 years ago in a time very different from the world we live in. As he sat and watched a sunset just like I have so many times he said “If these are the pleasures afforded to sinful men, what does God have in store for those whose hearts are His?” 1 Corinthians 2:9 ...“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
They’re one of the most beautiful aspects of God’s creation and for some reason I can never get enough. When the sky changes colors and the sun begins to drop below the horizon, I’m captivated. It’s hard to explain in words and even the pictures I take don’t capture the moment like I wish they could. But it’s peaceful and everyone seems to know it. Next time your at the beach look around and watch people stop what they’re doing and stare at the heavens until that last speck of light fades away.
Every one of us whether we like to admit it or not is captivated by certain things in creation. Maybe it’s when you’re out on the ocean or when you’re lying on the beach. It could be camping in the wilderness or white water rafting down a violent river. It could be snow capped mountains or the fresh water streams they create. It’s bizarre in a sense but nature just has this way of making us stop and appreciate.
Psalm 19:1-2
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
What if I told you that God was drawing you into a relationship with His son Jesus Christ through the world He created? Seriously! We’ve all felt it but it’s so hard to explain. That breathtaking, stop what you’re doing, how is this even possible, this is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen feeling. And for a split second in time you know this is no accident, you know there is someone greater who created everything you see around you. Guess what? You were created with that feeling. It’s called Natural revelation and it describes what God has revealed concerning Himself in nature. The bible talks about it in Paul’s letter to the Romans.
Romans 1:19-20
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
But most of us ignore it and assume since science can give us a vague understanding of how things work we can move on with our lives. So we push that feeling of awe to the back of our minds and we consume ourselves with our daily lives, and that’s just the way Satan wants it. Never pushing for truth, never accepting the constant call of God on our lives, why? Because it’s difficult to understand how a God who created everything we see around us could actually have a personal daily relationship with every one of us. But He can and He is actively speaking to you through creation, through friends, through family, through preachers, through coworkers, and the list goes on and on. God is placing people in your life to draw you closer to Him.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Don’t let the world we live in pull you down and suck you dry. Know that God desires a personal loving relationship with you if you’ll simply give your life to Him. I know it’s hard to grasp, but that’s where faith comes in. With the sin of Adam and Eve the world around us changed and life became difficult. It’s often hard to see God through the constant cloud of chaos around you, but He’s there and He always has been. He died on a cross 2,000 years ago to pay the penalty for your sins and mine so we could spend eternity with Him. One day this fallen world will be a thing of the past and there’ll be a new Heaven and a new earth. One without sin, without hardship, without tears and with more natural majestic wonders then you could ever fathom. The next time you see a sunset, take a moment to thank God for the awe inspiring natural beauty of this world, and dream of a new heaven and a new earth that will repeatedly take your breath away.
Augustine who was the bishop of northern Africa in the 5th century said something that makes me smile every time I hear it. There's so much truth behind it and to think he said it over 1500 years ago in a time very different from the world we live in. As he sat and watched a sunset just like I have so many times he said “If these are the pleasures afforded to sinful men, what does God have in store for those whose hearts are His?” 1 Corinthians 2:9 ...“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)