People - The most important thing

This next semester, I am going to be volunteering at LifeChoices Pregnancy Center, helping out with phone lines and hopefully eventually being introduced into the counseling side of the ministry. This has been a long time in the making, and I am very excited to get involved with this ministry.

I have a great passion for people. People are the most important thing in this world, and though I tend to hide it behind an unemotional face, I really do care a lot about every person in this world. It tears me up inside when I see girls and guys in broken, damaging relationships.

"Relationship" in and of itself is an area of life that I believe can be the most beneficial to everyone, as well as the most damaging. The reason why the Garden of Eden was so wonderful was not because the fruit tasted amazing or the weather was perfect or the animals were friendly - the reason it was a perfect place was because God was in direct relationship with His creation, man and woman to the point that they empirically experienced Him. Relationship can make a life perfect, but it can also make a life corrupt. Man was given perfection, but continually lowered his standards, and is now paying for it. Abuse, rape, incest - all these things are corruptions of the original perfection that was found in the Garden.

So then, what am I to do? My desire is to reintroduce Perfection into the broken relationships of people. This society is promoting freedom over perfection; by their standards, freedom is perfection. You can choose to have sex with whoever you want, so do it! You don't need marriage; you don't need chastity; you don't need commitment. Live a full life! This is the mindset that I see when I watch modern movies, listen to modern music, and examine modern relationships. It sounds appealing to lots of people - but then they wonder why these relationships are coming up short in their production of joy. For all the love they receive and all the people they sleep with and all the freedom they try out, they can't get rid of that empty feeling inside of them. My want, then, is to provide to these empty people the experience of the fullness that comes in Christ. I want to show them the freedom that comes from being subjected to Christ.

I want to be a helping hand and an open ear to people when they come to find healing. As a Christian, I am called to be a light to the world; as a caring person, I have a huge heart for these people. My current prayer is that God will use me to impact the lives of the people I will be in contact with in order to produce healing and, ideally, new believers.

Christmas Music - An Unacceptable Timeframe?

I love the Christmas season. I love being with my family, giving gifts, cooking wonderful food, and watching movies like A Christmas Story with it's classic "triple dog dare" scene:

 Christmas is a wonderful time where people's attention is rightly turned to the blessing of Christ and more praise is given to God through this time of observance. I have no problem with an annual observance of the gift of God to the world; just as there was a celebration of the "Passing Over" in ancient times, I think it is right for there to be a celebration of the "Coming Down" of Jesus to the world.

There is one thing, however, that I simply can't understand. I listen to "Christmas Music" all year round, partaking in my Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby and other artists who cover Christmas songs as a part of my typical listening music. Certainly, I listen to my Holiday music a little more when the Christmas season comes around, but throughout the year, I enjoy listening to it.

So my beef, then, is with the people who consider listening to Christmas music "out of season" a completely distasteful action. To them, apparently, it has to be "at least past Thanksgiving and not past New Year's Day"  in order to legally listen to Christmas music. When I tell them I listen to Christmas music all year round, I am met with disgusted faces and even condescending looks. Now, I couldn't care less about what they think of my music-listening habits, but my question to them is this: "Why am I, a believer in Christ, being met with disapproval by fellow Christians on the subject of my taste in music?" Is Christmas music heretical when not played in the Christmas setting? Was it originally agreed upon that this music should only be played at Christmas time? Really - what are you basing your claim off of? The claim that Christmas music should be limited to the Christmas season falls apart when it is removed from the context of social life. We think Christmas music should be limited to the Christmas season solely because society believes it. 

Why is it "distasteful" for people like me to celebrate the birth of Christ into the world every day instead of every December? I refuse to schedule my worship of Christ to an annual level - why is that unacceptable to some people? Contemporary music that celebrates Christ's resurrection is alright at all times, but music that sounds Christmas-y and celebrates His birth must be played in the Winter season. What? Show me biblical proof for that claim, and I will obey it.  

I realize that Christmas music isn't the only way to celebrate Jesus, and I'm not saying that every Christian does not every day appreciate Christ's birth into our lives (I myself often do not celebrate this gift, and even act contrary, betraying God's grace). I'm not even saying that listening to Christmas music only at Christmas is a bad thing. All I am saying is that the efforts to appreciate Christ by people who are of a like mind to me, and who listen to Christmas music year-round, should not be being met by opposition by fellow Christians; so then, my issue is not with the music, but with the heart of the people who disapprove of my listening habits.

Honestly, it's just music; why are we making such a big deal out of it? My listening schedule doesn't really affect my theology or the solidity of my faith; neither does yours, so why have we made it such an issue? I should not be having to get these thoughts of my chest - so what if I listen to Christmas music all year round? So what if you don't? I'm a Christian, and hopefully you are as well, so what is the big deal with this? 

What's the Gameplan Now?

All right, enough! I spent my maximum of 5 minutes reading political statuses on Facebook.


1. Complaining won't help
2. God is still here


So Obama may win this election. What are we going to do now?

Are we going to give up?
Are we going to sit down and pout?

I hope not...

Could we try praying, instead of complaining? I know a ton of you hate Obama(care), but could we try praying for wisdom for him instead of praying for hindrance? How much will this country benefit if all we do is pray that Obama will be stopped in what he is trying to do? Why don't we pray that God will begin to work in his life, and through that adjust his philosophy? Why don't we stop praying negative and start praying positive?

So our candidate didn't win. This too shall pass - this is a country, it is not eternal. Focus on what matters infinitely. People matter infinitely.

We do what we can with what we are given. If we are given a conservative president, we pray for him; if we are given a liberal president, we pray for him. It is that simple. I care for this country, and I care even more for its people, but this country will fall eventually. Whether when Christ returns or when the economy collapses and we are invaded, it will fall.

BUT, God remains in control. All we can do is trust Him and communicate with Him. Bigger powers than us are on the move here, but we have a direct connection to the biggest Power. Why don't we try inviting Him in to our troubles? Not to get what we want, but to get what He wants.

I understand people's concern about politics, and I myself got out and voted today because I care about our country, but as a Christian, I align myself not under a democracy, but under a theocracy, where God is placed in control of my life, and assumed and trusted to be in control of everything else as well.

Above all, my prayer is that His will be done.

Prayer

There are two very wrong ways in which we approach the subject of prayer. We either see it as an obligation, something that real Christians do on a daily basis, or we see it as a shopping list, where we ask God for our desires, assuming that a truly loving God would give his children the true desires of their hearts. A new car, an Iphone 5, a pretty girlfriend, a handsome boyfriend; we ask these things of God saying, "Here God, this is what I want. I know you're busy, and I know it's little, but give it to me, please."

The problem with our misconception is that it effectively places us at the center of our prayer, using God as a means-of-accomplishment for the things that we desire.

But here's the thing: God is going to do what God wants to do; you don't really have much of a chance of changing God's mind, especially if what you are praying for will not serve His calling to you. Prayer is not a convincing of God to do or not do something. Prayer is simply an agreement with God's will; "Your Kingdom come, your will be done." It is an invitation to God to work his "magic" in your life. God will do what God wants to do, but God will not do some things if you don't ask him. God is the ultimate gentleman, not in the sense that He will not intentionally do some major things in your life, but rather, that he will withhold Himself from some events if you do not send Him an invitation. I believe that God is sovereign enough to be able to limit His own power over you; I believe that if you leave God out of a decision or a situation, He will allow you to do so.

Prayer is our way of speaking to God; like any relationship, "communication is key." Do not expect your relationship with God to deepen and become rich if you are not in communication with Him.

You want God to move in your life in powerful ways? Invite Him.

You want God's will to be done? Agree with it. Let Him know.

You want God in you? Ask for Him.

There are five pillars to effective prayer. All five are necessary to see the most powerful results from your petition to God.

(This was taken from a workshop n the subject of prayer that I took from Simon Mbevi at the "Pray, Reach, Challenge" conference at Southeast Christian Church.

If you truly want to see God's will done, you cannot simply walk in and ask or even agree with Him. God calls His followers to a holy and pure life before they can taste the full richness of his kindness. You must adjust your everyday life before you can see results from your prayer life. We all are called to radical living so we can see radical change.

In the end, God's will be done. I pray so that perhaps I might be part of that will.

Girls... Guys...

I try my best to treat all girls with the same amount of care, regardless of whether or not I'm "interested" in them. Of course, though, I do take more steps to learn more about the girls that I like and do my best to get more involved in their life; at the same time, I also invite them to be more involved with mine as well. I've never dated anyone, but I do know the thinking behind a good and healthy relationship. I'm speaking mostly to girls here, but guys, if you're reading this, learn from it, and become the healthy, godly man that you were meant to be. Do that and have patience, and you'll find the perfect girl for you.

If you're a girl looking for a guy that is healthy and good for you, I would look for a guy that:
   
      1. Shows care to all girls, not just you
      2. Shows care to his family
      3. Doesn't "need" you
      4. Has physical, emotional, and spiritual boundaries
      5. Knows who he is and where he stands

In regard to number 1 and 2: You can basically judge how healthy a guy is by the way that he treats other people. If we have an interest in you, and we're not healthy, we will show you the best side of us, while unleashing our bad lifestyle whenever you're not with us. Girls, if your best friend comes to you and tells you she saw something unhealthy in your guy, don't believe her right away, but don't disbelieve her right away either. Look into it; there's a decent chance that she may be right. If a guy doesn't treat his friends or his parents or his brothers and sisters with respect, you can't count on him treating you with respect; once you enter into a relationship with him, you become just like them to him - a part of the broken, unhealthy family.

Oh, and an extremely important thing: DO NOT (I repeat) NOT, missionary date. Unhealthy relationships have much more power to pull you down than you do to pull him up. If he's not healthy, help him out, but don't date him.

In regard to number 3: There's one thing that I would warn any girl about; one sign of an unhealthy relationship is one where all the guy wants to do is spend time with you, and all you want to do is spend time with the guy. Fancy people call this "codependency", and it's extremely unhealthy. I've seen this happen and had it happen, and the relationship will fall apart, or at the very least be unhealthy in the end - every time, no exceptions. If you care about yourself, run from any guy who wants you to take part in a "highschool marriage" with him, where you are basically living like a married couple, spending all your time together, just without the physical benefits that come with marriage... *cough cough*

Anyway... yeah, run from a codependant guy. As my psychology professor says, "the longer a couple spends vertical, the more likely they are to end up horizontal." We guys are masters of convincing, and you girls are just the sweetest things. Have the courage to get out of a relationship if a guy is showing signs of codependancy. Because really, if you have the guts to say "no" to a bad relationship, you are so much more attractive to all of us healthy guys. I want a girl who would step out of an unhealthy relationship with me - it hold me accountable.

So, ultimately, here's what I would tell a girl who is wondering if a guy is interested in her:

Act like yourself.

We can tell when you're pretending to be someone you're not, and at least for me, that is a huge negative to any relationship. I want to see a girl for who she is, not for who I want her to be. Fancy people also call this "duplicity," where you are living one life, but have a "secret" life that you hide. This is also a killer, and I don't want it and won't have it in any girl that I would pursue. Act  like yourself, and if our personalities don't mesh, so be it; there are more guys for you, there are more girls for me. It's not the end of the world if we break up from a relationship that we've never been in.

I want to date a healthy girl, while also being a healthy man for her. I want a girl who has an interest in me, but would choose not to date me if she saw something unhealthy for her in me. I want her to be independant of me, able to stand on her own two feet, while at the same time, I want to synthesize our lives together in order to produce something fantastic.

Be yourself.

And just maybe, we can be ourselves together.

Desperation/Communication

I just finished attending the conference that just took place at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY; the title of this conference was Pray, Reach, Challenge, and it was based off of the new vision statement of Southeast. They have realized that they need to become not a church that prays, but a praying church.

They brought in Simon Mbevi from Nairobi, Kenya to speak on the subject of prayer and what it means; what it is. He effectively rocked all of our worlds both with his stories and his faith. Simon has literally changed countries with his prayer life - he has healed people, prayed up rain in a famine, and sat with presidents and popes simply to talk about his faith. He leads prayer meetings at 4:30 in the morning and (though he would certainly not tell you) fasts for months at a time for the sake of changing issues in the world today.

We are tempted to say, "Well, Simon is certainly a godly man, but I cannot achieve as much of a deep, spiritual, and intimate relationship to God as he has..." However, something that Simon said tonight removed that idea from my head.

He told us that we wonder why God doesn't do amazing things through us, and why our prayer lives are not where we would like them to be. He told us that the reason for all of this is that we have a lack of faith in God's power, and a lack of desperation for his presence. We must become desperate for God. So desperate that we will sell what we need to sell, do what we need to do in order to achieve his will. So desperate that we will sacrifice anything and everything in order to draw closer to him and prove our agreement with his will.

We in American culture have become far too self-dependant, to the point that we are comfortable with our request-by-request prayer life, and our S.O.S. communication with God, where we really only get into contact with him when we really need help. We will try all other options before we go to prayer; but Simon asked, why is it that prayer is our last resort? Why would we go to a doctor before we ask the Lord of the Universe for his healing? Why would we continue our lives as usual as we pray to God for a change? Why would we continue to depend on ourselves as we pray to depend on God?

Prayer, in itself, is an expression of humility; it is a forcing of yourself out of yourself. By praying for God's will to be done, whatever it may be, is a lessening of yourself and a glorification of God. Prayer is pride's biggest enemy, because it forces you to be God-reliant instead of self-reliant.

Think about it for a second - God, the biggest, greatest, and most high God in all of creation, can be reached simply on the turning of a word toward him. Does this not blow your mind? It is easier to reach God than it is to reach your best friend on the phone! The God who created the world wants to be in contact with you, and all you have to do is put aside a few minutes of time each day to talk with him, and through this, he will change your life, and the world through you.

We must make ourselves completely desperate for God's acting in our lives. So desperate, in fact, that we would place enough faith in him to begin acting on his response before we see it.

We stay in our house for one more week, though we cannot see the money showing up; we pray our friend would be healed, instead of preparing for when they are not. You want God to prove his care for you? Prove your care for him! Prove that you trust him enough to put yourself at risk for his sake.

How long will it take for us to become desperate? How long will we drive ourselves down before we reach for a hand? How long will we toe the line, say the prayer, and run in the wrong direction? Our prayer life must be aligned with our earthly life; what we pray for must affect how we live. Otherwise, in the same way that our faith without works is dead, our prayers will be found dead, having no foundation with no support if we do not place our full faith and trust in God's ability to answer our prayer.

"Our father who is in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."

Smallest are Greatest

I'm on vacation with my family right now in Breckenridge, Colorado. I love going on this vacation every year not because I get a week off of school, or even that I get to rest in general, although those things are great aspects of taking this trip. The main reason that I so love Colorado is that I can walk outside and I can view God's landscape:

Such as at Lake Dylan,

Or looking out from my condo's patio,

These awing landscapes make one thing clear to me:

As great as I make myself, as much money as I get or whatever title I achieve in my future job, I will remain a speck compared to the rest of creation.

Seriously, I have a hard time accepting that people in the world can get so wrapped up in the concerns of their lives and their problems, and everything having to do with them, when they are but a raindrop in a downpour. It doesn't matter how fancy our electronics get or how many gigabytes we can store on one hard drive; it has no importance how fast our cars go or how far we can see into space; in the end, we are still so small compared to the work of God's hands.

"For He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field" Psalm 103:14

"What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" James 4:14

He who makes the sun rise and the earth spin; made heat and cold; light and dark; gravity and friction; He who left His mark on our bodies with Laminin, who limits our lives with genomes; who created genes and molecules and blood; He who created time and logic and thought and emotions... That this person, this Immovable Mover, would love me... that instills in me a God-given feeling of belonging.

Nothing else in this world can make me feel like I belong to someone like my relationship to God. The closest we can get is the intimate relationship between husband and wife, which in and of itself is a fogged mirror of the relationship that God offers.

Who else can unlock my heart as God does? Who else can look into my heart of hearts and understand what is going on? Who else speaks in the whispers of the winds and shows Himself in the sunrise? What other person would create a universe so expanse, and place a man, made in His image, on a single planet and use that man to work out His plan?

This, then, is the reason that I so love the outdoors and being alone in nature. When I sit in the quiet and view God's workmanship, I hear through the silence God's calling to me to come and belong. I find strength in silence not because I strengthen myself, but because I hear God's voice through silence and through the vision of His amazing craft.

So, the reason why I love going to Colorado or going out into the woods or sitting by a creek or taking a long walk is because each time I do, I come back with a renewed feeling that I belong to God.

When I am trampled by this world, I withdraw to a quiet place just as Jesus did; often times, I don't even pray, I simply quiet my voice, my mind, and my heart, so that I can listen to God.

Through these times, I am being transformed into a firmer reflection of Christ, which is all I desire for this life.

"Be Unto Your Name" by Gary Sadler and Lynn DeShazo:

We are a moment, You are forever 
Lord of the Ages, God before time 
We are a vapor, You are eternal 
Love everlasting, reigning on high 

Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty 
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain 
Highest praises, honor and glory 
Be unto Your name, be unto Your name 

We are the broken, You are the healer 
Jesus, Redeemer, mighty to save 
You are the love song we'll sing forever 
Bowing before You, blessing Your name 

The Testimony of Creation

Whenever I begin to lose the awareness of God's importance and magnitude in my life, there is one thing that continually reminds me of the awe-demanding power of God. Every time I observe the heavens - the clouds, stars, sun and moon - I am reminded of my utter smallness in the universe; I am reminded of my "cosmic specialness." That God would create a massive universe, the ends of which we have not discovered, despite our state of technology, and within that universe he would place a small planet, suspended in space, held in perfect harmony with the rest of creation so as to support the life of his children, is purely astounding to me.

I cannot look at the sky and convince myself that it all happened by chance. I cannot support than the 6 billion people on earth are here purely by accident. In the same way that I do not find a watch on the sidewalk and wonder "what elements had to combine to create this", but instead wonder "who's hands created such a marvel," I look upon the earth and the heavens and cannot fight my natural instinct to afford such a marvel to Someone's hands. The natural imprint of people (especially children) is to credit wonders such as creation to a Maker; I hear children ask "Who made the world."

The sun and the moon have worked more in my heart than many teachings or studies that I have observed. Silently, their light has moved my heart to much extent and has solidified much of my faith. When I look on the sun in the day, I am reminded of the blazing glory of the Creator, and how he cannot be contained or boxed in, for his power is too great; when I look on the moon, I am quietly humbled and reminded that my life may be small, but I have been called to fulfill a purpose great enough to be noticed by the Creator of the universe.

Regardless of how small I may be, how clumsy my words, or how broken my spirit, I know one thing: that I have been called to be a child of the great Creator, who crafted the universe to reflect his glory, and placed his children in a small part of it to rule. Who am I to reject this call? I, a little man on a small planet in a huge universe; one of 7 billion. I am not the smartest, or the strongest, or the wisest, or the holiest, but the Great Calling can be fulfilled by me, as well as every other person.

Great rewards await those who will answer the call.

Will you?

Continue the Pursuit

I am blessed as a pursuer of Christ to be surrounded by a group of brothers, sisters, and fellow believers who each possess an individual spark of every characteristic that I want to be known for when I become a leader; whether it be patience, kindness, clear-headedness, reliance on prayer, knowledge of the Scriptures, or any other of the multitude.

These people act as examples for me in that one specific area - they usually don't know it, and I usually don't tell them, but I look up to them secretly and silently. Those people may be reading this post, and if you are, then I deeply thank you for being the example that you have been, and I would encourage you to continue the fight and keep in it - for you stand as an example for many people (who you may never know about.)

Not only do I thank you, but I would give a commission: we who stand as examples must seek to refine each and every part of our lives in order to remain standing as a mirror of the One to come. For our example can be used by the Lord even without our conscious effort to bring both the lost and the believer closer to Him.

We do not know how many the Lord has affected through us, but I pray that we would never forget that it is not just the evangelism that we ourselves consciously do that affect the people around us, but also the unintentional testimony that is given through our lives. Lifestyle evangelism provides a solid starting base for a new believer to begin pursuing Christ, and it also gives fellow believers comradeship and encouragement while they run the race.

Pursue the Spirit and uphold a God-pleasing life in every aspect, for you do not know the number of those who are looking up to you.

Refined by Love

I think that as I am refined by God in my pursuit of His heart, my heart for His people is slowly being redefined and renewed. When I see a person making so many mistakes, and I can clearly see their drifting away, my heart breaks for them, and I see just a glimpse of the sadness that God has for His children.

The situation is made clearer to me every day - I see with greater shame the fact that God sent His Son to earth and went through the horror of tearing a piece out of the Godhead in order to save us. And yet, at the same time, I feel an equally strong feeling of thankfulness and love for this Father who loved me enough to do all of that. Every day, it seems like, I see or hear about another one of His children rejecting this amazing sacrifice and pursuing the world. Every time it seems to hit harder and deeper in my soul. I feel a terrible anguish for the people around me.

I am in the process of writing a paper for one of my classes. It is on the subject of Hell and its necessity, and how it can be balanced against the idea of a loving and caring God. As I study the horrors of Hell and the reality that is portrayed in the Bible, it further makes my heart cry for a change - I so desire for they whose souls (and bodies) will burn in anguish in a literal, eternal, dark fire for all of eternity for the simple reason that they could have, should have accepted the message of God.

I have always prayed for God to reveal Himself to me and to form me to Himself. I believe that He is beginning to do that - starting, perhaps, by creating in my a deep love for His people and a great longing for them to be reconciled to Him. I pray now that this would continue - that I would always be refined to greater purity and greater love, that I may show only a glimmer of the Light.

Great Minds Occupied On Little Things

I was having a discussion with my accountability group, and the subject turned to the matter of what was preoccupying our minds and inhabiting our thoughts the majority of the time. We all spoke of what we were concerning with, worried about, and thoughtful of. When it came to my turn to speak, I told the group of men about the thing(s) that had been occupying my thoughts of late - thoughts of God and of theology, of religion and the difference between Christianity and other religions, that is to say, love. 

     

One of the men in my group then told me that, had he not known me as well as he did, he would not have believed me when I told him that I thought about God in my free time. While I deeply appreciate his honesty, and even more so his concern with my spiritual state, I can't help but feel saddened that thinking often about God has become something that is so rare that people don't believe you when you tell them that you are preoccupied with thoughts about God. 

   

  God created us with a supercomputer in our heads - something that can do anything from complex equations to figuring out how to change the oil in your car; you can create a beautiful work of art, and then turn around and set the table, simply because God gave you a mind that can both complete simple tasks and also consider complex and abstract ideas. The human mind has more capability than the greatest computers that we have created (using our minds). Why then, are we so preoccupied with unimportant, irrelevant issues?

     

What should I wear? What should we have for lunch? Who will I date? When will the world end? What style of music should we play in church? We become so consumed by irrelevant things that have no real importance to your life (meaning your eternal life), that we lose sight of the bigger picture. We get so concerned about the world that we forget about the Kingdom. We get so worried about tomorrow that we forget about today. We wake up ten years later and wonder how we got to be the apathetic, stale Christian that we are. 

    

 As a person who hates to waste time, I simply don't understand how people can take the precious time that they've been given and use it thinking about unimportant things - things that we should really put into God's hands, or that shouldn't be put into anyone's hands at all! 

We spend our time pondering questions that have objective answers - simple, universal answers that give us a direct instruction - and we try and label them with a subjective answer, where we say "I'll wear clothes that honor Christ, but what color and style should they be?" or "I know Martha has a deep relationship with Christ, but Mary says she's a Christian, and God made me more attracted to Blondes than Brunettes, so I'll date Mary."

My goodness, why are we concerned about those issues when there is the issue of starving kids in Africa who need care; homeless people in your hometown who need prayer. How can we be so concerned about the little things and miss the huge issues in our lives? Why are there Christians who graduate high school but don't know the books of the Bible? Why are there people that ask for a pastor while they are on their deathbed, because none of us went and talked to them beforehand? 

Why do we miss out on all the opportunities that God has placed before us? 

In the end, it is because we would rather spend our hours watching t.v., playing games, and shopping rather than sitting down and meditating on the Bible. We would rather think about nothing than think about the Everything. 

What would happen if we all spent a little time thinking about God in our everyday lives? (On some day other than Sunday)

Our Shield, Our Brace

I want to feel your love, your pain as you rode upon the tree

The death, the life of the ever-risen King

We now arise with the armor of the Lord

Our Sword, our Shield, we’re marching as to war

Hear now our shout as it rises to the sky

“Your will, not ours,” may it ever be our cry

“Raise swords for the Lord for His victory is nigh.

“Sing loud, strike hard – give the Lord your very heart.”

As the earth fades away, we will look upon His face

We stand before the Lord, and we lean on Christ, our Brace

All light come around, for His eyes are like the sun

We cry “Oh Lord, ‘fore your Glory we’re undone!”

Calling out as we fall, “Mercy, mercy, Lord!

“Be our Savior and our Shield, protecting sevenfold

“We are nothing but a vapor; a darkened flash of light

“Silent echoes, misty waters to your glory blazing bright

“To the Lord be the glory! To our Master be the praise!

“We give you all our will, to the ending of our days

“Lord, you are our fortress, standing strong and true

“The heavens bow before, and belong to none but you

“Bring us to your throne; set us at your feet

“Take our body, soul, and strength as we fall before your seat

“With the angels, hear our cry, ‘Glory be our Lord’s!’

“To the Father, to the Son, to the Spirit evermore!”

With a touch, and a breath, He will grasp us infinite

Bringing close our new hearts to Burning Holiness

Breath fresh our new breath, we will soar in Christ alone

Eternally, we are free, in Father, Spirit, Son!

The Centrality of the Cross

As I walk further into my relationship with Christ, I cannot help but continuously be drawn closer and more intimately into his ever-gracious arms, resting in Him alone and pursuing His will alone. Admittedly, I have daily occurrences where I find myself following my own interests and failing to take into account the presence of God, and the commitment that I made when I devoted my life to Christ; that I would pursue Him, making the Cross the centrality of my faith and my life. 

The ever-increasing regularity of Christ within my thoughts has begun to overtake my typical way of thinking; no longer do I immediately jump to the benefit that I can reap from the situations that I find myself in; the divine conspiracy has begun to unravel within my mind, spreading like a welcomed disease. All manners of selfishness have come under attack by the cross of Christ; His death and resurrection; His atonement and salvation are now found in the background of all my thoughts. 

When I am suddenly overcome by the world; when my broken relationships and my daunting future looms above me, I have but to escape to my refuge, trusting in Him to offer the manner by which to approach the impossible future. When I am caught breathless by my inability to accomplish the future that I am pursuing, I have only to remember the infinite grace that is offered to me by He who was so gracious to come and die in my place. Not I be benefited, but Christ. 

Too many people lose sight of the impossible sacrifice that was made for us, that an all-powerful deity, who made the earth and dwells in a Kingdom that is purely perfect, would leave that Kingdom and come to the sin-tainted earth for the simple end of bringing His followers to his Kingdom. A perfect being in a perfect place came to an imperfect world to die as a perfect sacrifice to bring imperfect people to Him. This is impossible! It does not make sense! So why did Christ do it?

Because love changes everything. 

The love of God, His infinite and perfect love, gives an explanation for the actions of Christ on the world. God loved us enough to take all the sins of the world upon Himself - the Son was separated from the Father - for the first and only time, for the simple purpose of delivering us to Him. How could we ever cease to have this as the center of our thoughts?

The Sovereign came and died for us, and we think so highly of ourselves to give him two days a week and an occasional "thank you" prayer, while sectioning off the rest of our lives to benefit ourselves. I am of course the worst at this - I struggle every day to replace myself with Christ, but I pray that even through my struggles toward selflessness God would work His will and His plan, furthering the Kingdom and working His hand in the world. 

May we never forget the improbable, impossible sacrifice that Christ performed; may it ever be the center of our thoughts and the sole purpose of our interests.

Selfish Ignorance

Soapbox time.

There is one thing that causes me to lose, little by little, faith in modern relationships: when a pair of people are so engrossed in their own affairs that they lose sight of the repercussions of their actions; when they fail to see how the way that they are acting will affect the organization that they are working for or the people that they are responsible to.

Mostly, I am talking about when people try to justify bending (or breaking) regulations set down by the authorities, such as never being alone with a member of the opposite sex, because they "have the trust of the people in charge."

That doesn't matter. It's not about you. It doesn't matter if you don't know each other; it doesn't matter if you're getting married in a week.

This isn't about your trustworthiness. It isn't about your character. It's about the face of the organization that you work for and are accountable to. If someone sees you walking into an isolated place with someone of the opposite sex, and that person doesn't know you, then they can spread rumors and ruin the reputation of the organization.

I don't care if your authorities will defend you. Do you think that your "alone time" with your boyfriend, girlfriend, or "soon-to-be spouse" is important enough to make an entire organization deal with the repercussions that come from it?

The main problem that I see is a thing I call "selfish ignorance," where a person becomes so habitually concerned about their own interests and "needs" that they fail to see the whole picture and the dangers of what they are doing; when you fail to see that your "need" to be alone with 'that' person and your vice of intimacy is not only risking a defacing of the organization's reputation, but it is setting a terrible example for those under you, because, after all, if you can be alone with your fiance, why can't I be alone with my girlfriend?

This selfish ignorance causes the importance of one's concern to be inflated to such a magnitude that they habitually and unnoticeably take precedence over the concerns that are to the best interest of all. It happens so naturally, in fact, that over time, the person becomes completely unaware that they are focusing entirely on themselves, and covering over it with a facade of selfless concern. They try to cover up their selfishness by smothering it in loud humility and obvious sacrifice, but their selfishness lives on, unnoticed by any, not even themselves.

If you remain around these people for long, you begin to see a figure in their speech; in their actions; in their stories. This figure surrounds all that they encompass and all that they concern themselves with, Though they try to follow the Figure, they cannot rid their thoughts of this one figure. The figure is themselves. And the thoughts about that figure are so self-serving and so satisfying to that person that they continue to partake in those thoughts, forming a habit.

Here's the deal: Stop thinking about yourself. Stop thinking about your partner. It's not about you. It's about the big picture. You are a small seed in an infinite forest. You have very little to offer, but you can make a lot of difference in the world. It's your choice whether that difference is good or bad. Because if you continue to act like your desires are more important than those rules and that your wants supersede rationality, if you continue to find loopholes that falsely justify your decisions, then you will lose both my respect for you and the people's respect for the organization and even the religion that we hold to.

You're not special enough to get a green card, allowing you to break rules that inhibit your satisfaction. Maybe you're used to being served everything on a plate and getting everything you want, but welcome to the real world: you don't get everything you want. If you can't handle being limited, that's probably the main reason why I can't spend more than a few hours around you. Start not thinking about yourself.

In the words of a professor at OCC: "Selflessness is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less."

Think about yourself less, and care a little bit more about the ministries that you have the power to expand or destroy.

Salvation < Satisfaction?

It is a sad state when a church's objective truths of salvation, worship, and evangelism are pushed aside and replaced with subjective preference. When trivial things such as the style of worship or the order of a service or the presentation of the message are inflated to an importance on the level of salvation itself, we, as the Church, have lost sight of the most important thing in our faith; we have forgotten the reason why we even go to church.

When we cause a ruckus over the method of serving communion or presenting the announcements then we are either being ritualistic or selfish; we either think that we have to do it because we've always done it that way, or we simply don't want to change , or both.

It's way too easy to get caught up in the worldly view of the church, focusing in on the things we see, and losing sight of the things we can't. We too often sacrifice the important things of God for the important things of man, throwing faith, salvation, belief, and evangelism out the window, and replacing them with preference, satisfaction, ritualism, and attractiveness. Too often, we are focused on the church, and forget about the Church.

We are called to be distinct from this world. How then can we act like those who are lost?

Romans 12:2 

Shepherding

I'm doing a lesson at the Bible camp that I'm working all summer. It's on the passage from John 10 when Jesus was speaking of the Good Shepherd and His qualities.

I've gotten this from this passage:

A good shepherd has three qualities:

• Selflessness (John 10:11, Ezek. 34:2-10)
• Pastorship (John 10:14)
• Guardianship (John 10:24)

Each of us is a shepherd, whether we want to be or not. Whether you're a pastor, a father, a quarterback on your football team, or a member of  the local bingo club, you have been given a flock that looks up to you. Christ calls you to lead your flock with grace and with biblically-grounded leadership. I would encourage you to take a look at the passage of Jesus's talk to the Jews in John 10:11-18, (you might start from the beginning of chapter 9, because the shepherding passage proceeds from the story told in the preceding chapter.)

You can read the shepherding passage here: John 10:1-21

You should also read the passage in Ezekiel, where God reprimands the shepherds of Israel for their sub-par leadership of their flocks.

As shepherds, we are called to be selfless, placing the good of the flock over the good of ourselves. The idea of group-over-individual was in place all throughout bible times, invading into the way that families and government worked.The belief of bible times was that the good of the group took greater importance that the good of the individual. A young man married a woman for the good of the family, not for his own personal happiness (of course, they often times were happy in their marriage, but it was not the main reason for their marriage). 

This mentality has almost disappeared in American society. Nowadays, marriage is based on how the other person makes you feel, or how they show their love for you. But the marriage mentality of bible-time cultures was that marriages were for the good of the family, not for personal satisfaction. It was a matter of what the spouse could do for the good of your family, not necessarily for you personally.

The flock is more important than you. This simply does not mesh with modern thought. Christianity is all about me. It's about my relationship with Christ, and I'm called to help others along, but the only necessary thing is my relationship with Christ. We need to strike this from our thought. You relationship is exceedingly important, but we need to pursue others' relationships with Christ with the same intensity that we pursue our own - if not with more.

Your relationship with Christ is vital, however. Christ says in John 10:14, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay my life down for the sheep." You are called to be pastor to your flock; your relationship with your sheep is the same as your relationship with God. Just as you must seek a relationship with your sheep, you must seek a relationship with your Father. Your relationship with God has direct implications to your relationship with your flock. 

As a shepherd, you are called to protect your flock. This ties the whole pack together. You are called to be selfless, to know your flock personally, and to protect them from danger. You need to guide your flock to "pastures" that are safe and healthy for them. When wolves attack, you need to be willing to lay down your life for the flock (John 10:11). You need to love your flock enough to die for them.

Wherever your flock is, there you will be also - and vice versa. You and your flock stick together, like it or not. You can't live life steeped in sin and attempt to guide your flock to a closer relationship with Christ. You can't lead a successful Bible study and go to strip clubs at the same time - it just won't work. Without the blessing of God, your attempts will not succeed. You will crash and burn.

You're a shepherd whether you want to be or not. We need to live accordingly. I need to look at the way I live and decide what things I need to strike in order to lead my flock with a more pure leadership. We need to draw ourselves closer to Christ, and guide others to a closer relationship with Him as well.

Mourning Breaks

Here's one really big shout out:

Thank you so much to my friends and my family for sticking it out through the storm and showing such strength and courage in the midst of such a traumatic event.

Kenna and Caleb, I love you guys. Your strength really impressed me and your trust in God is inspirational. Keep that faith; it's all that matters.

Mom and Dad, thank you for showing just how much you love me by sticking by my bedside 24/7 for three weeks and sacrificing everything for my safety. Love you two.

To my siblings - I know it must have been tough losing my sarcastic remarks and awkward humor, but thanks for trooping through that tough time where you had to put up with not having me aware. =)

Lucian - Love you, dude. I wouldn't be here without you. You're going to go far. Keep your drive, keep your faith.

Justin, Sam, and whoever else happened to, thanks for helping keep watch over me while I was in recovery. I know I got crazy sometimes - thanks for loving me enough to fight me down. =)

Thank you to my church family. Not only did you care for me and my family while I was in the hospital, but you cared for thousands of displaced and affected citizens, giving them food and water, rest and counsel. You are the Body of Christ, and you proved that on the night of and in the weeks following the tornado.

Thanks to Penny for letting me keep my job at the camp even though I was a full month late to my first shift. The camp means so much to me. You all are awesome.



Finally, thank you and congratulations to the community of Joplin for your astounding response to the tornado literally seconds after it had passed. I believe that the community of my city saved just as many lives as the doctors and nurses who were also vitally important to the response. You, as a community, acted as first responders, counselors, search-and-rescue, firefighters, crowd control, and damage assessment. The people of Joplin forgot who they were on the night of the tornado and became whom they needed to be - whom their fellow people needed.

Joplin - you, as a city, have shown what a mid-western people group can accomplish; as a people, you have defined the ideal community; as a community, you have changed the lives of thousands of people within this city. The impact you have made has impressed itself upon the minds of people worldwide. You have been placed on a spotlight - the light hasn't faded yet. We need to continue to be an example to the nation and to the world for the rest of our lives. This city should be the national example of how a loving community is, not how they were solely in response to a disaster.

Show the world how to love one another; how to love others above yourself; how to "love in spite of" instead of "love because."

The weather clears, and the sun rises; morning breaks and mourning fades, but I pray that the memory of the tornado would always serve to remind us to place priorities where they should be and live out our lives and our faith as we ought. For some, the wounds are still fresh. They need a community surrounding them - this means you - and they need the chance to share their story. Every person who went through the tornado has an incredibly powerful testimony to the rest of the world.

I pray that we never forget:

We are Joplin. Joplin is community. Community is strength. And in the end, Love is Strength.

Love one another with strength and courage, and see if we cannot change the world.

John 13:34-35
V

Who am I that you are mindful of me? That you hear me when I call?

Who am I that you think of me? That my love is enough?

Who am I, that you love me so?

A sinner - doubtless, the worst of men - fallen 'low the dust of the earth. A wretch and a outcast - wayward and broken.

Who am I, that you took me in?

Who am I that you redeemed me?

Killed you in my heart again and again; why do you keep coming back?

Who are you that you keep reappearing?

Who are you that I can't get away?

Piercing, tearing, you enter in; my best defenses fall 'fore your steps.

I cannot hide; never wanted to...

 Who am I that you think of me?

Who are you that you love me?

Society Sellout

How is it that I find Christians around me so immersed in culture that they are nearly indistinguishable from the unbelievers around them? I have been the same way until recently; I pirated music, watched movies with indecent scenes in them, and participated in the majority of sociological events that went on.

I, as the critical person that I am (God forgive, me I pray every day), I am starting to notice the lax in distinctness that a lot of Christians are experiencing. We are called to be distinct from the world, and yet involved in its affairs; we are called to be seperate but not removed from society. This means that a Christian should examine what they watch, how they speak, and their reasoning behind their actions in order to eliminate those that bring no glory to Christ.

Bashing time: How I Met Your Mother. I have a friend who watches this show that I have been giving a hard time to for quite a while, because the show is riddled with sex jokes and indecent talk. It's funny and goofy in the majority of the scenes, but why does he watch it? He would say that he watches it because it's funny. The feeling of sadness I had for my friend was overwhelmed when I came to OCC and found out that a good number of the men on my floor watch this show. When asked, one of the men I know explained that it is justifiable because it has more relationship-oriented elements than some other shows, so he can learn from those.

I can learn plenty of things from every terrible show. Shows with terrible language can teach me not to use those words; sex scenes in movies teach me to be affectionate towards my wife, but does that justify watching them? A dead horse cannot be called alive simply because it has more blood in its carcass than other horses. A show that is in and of itself unhealthy and tainted by sin is not fit for a Christian to watch, unless he is doing it for a greater evangelistic purpose.

I'm not hateful solely towards How I Met your Mother, though. Nearly all t.v. shows nowadays have sexual references and increasingly vulgar talk in them. I've gotten sick of having to listen to this to the point that I rarely watch t.v., and when I do, it's on Netflix, where I can choose which shows to watch. Phineas and Ferb and Mythbusters are two of the few shows I watch.

If you like a show or a movie or a band that has unhealthy characteristics, I would encourage you to pull away from it, but more so than that, I would strain you to at least own up to your vice! At least have the courage to say, "Yes, I know it's wrong, but I like the show, so I keep watching it." And if you indeed do keep watching it,  then establish a base of friends, counselors, and mentors around you to make sure that you don't fall into the behavior pattern taught in the social media you are listening to. Be in the Word every day and keep your prayer life at a higher level. Talk with people about the lessons taught in that media and whether or not you should conform to those lessons. If you don't do this, you will inevitably begin to conform.

Sound like too much work? Then the media you are addicted to probably isn't worth it. Unless you are willing to sacrifice time, money, pride, and priveliges for that media, then it most likely isn't worth your time in the first place.

You men addicted to pornography: would you be willing to spend your paycheck to keep up your addiction? Would you be willing to spend time in jail for it? No? Then why are you doing it? Because it feels good, I know, but you need to realize that you are committing adultery to the Church and to God Himself when you access that! You are betraying the intimate relationship with God that he has given to you, and are replacing it with an online affair with a woman you don't even know for 8 seconds of heightened satisfaction. Is 8 seconds of bliss worth an eternity in Hell?

Honor God with everything you do, Christian. Watch shows that are decent, in order to keep up with the times; play video games that aren't vulgar, in order to relate better to unbelievers. Just make sure that your mind is focused not on the game in and of itself, but the lessons you can learn from that game in order to further the kingdom.

Of course, I am all for the occasional "kick-back-and-relax" chill time, where you watch a movie simply to watch a movie, or play a game simply to play a game. I do that often, when I need a break from my college work, I just tru to make sure I'm not doing it every and all the time.

Be a balanced communicator - distinct from yet involved in the society. Watch the shows you must, be wise about the shows you desire.

Celebration of Substitution!

It's Easter!! This is a time to celebrate the substitution of Christ on the cross for us; it is a time for us to be filled with joy that the punishment and damning of our sins was taken by Christ upon Himself in order to bring us to Him.

People often give me a weird look when I tell them that I am celebrating Christ's death. And I do admit, it sound a bit morbid and uncanny, but really, when you think about it, the death of Christ as a substitute for us is a great subject to celebrate! I mean, had Christ not done that, we would be damned to Hell still! We would still bear the condemnation of our sins on us, without any hope of being with God.

Would I have preferred that Jesus didn't die? Yes, of course I do. But as Christ says in Luke 22, "Take this cup from me; but not my will, but yours be done." Jesus could have called the angels down from heaven and taken himself off the cross, but he didn't because he loves you and me that much - to endure flaying, beatings, insult, torture, even a crucifixion - a method of death that was so agonizing that the ancient people formed a new word for it, excruciating, literally meaning: "out of the cross."

Easter, I think, should not be a focus on Christ's death and resurrection, however, but rather a focus on the unfathomable love that was shown on that day when the Son of God let himself endure the most painful death man could conceive of, for the simple fact that God loves us like his Children. This is a celebratory time of Christ's love for us - his dedication, grace, mercy, and  commitment to us. 

I'm just afraid that people will think of Easter in solely the physical sense of Jesus dying and raising from the dead. If we think this way, it is easy for us to slip into the "Oh yeah, Jesus died, rose from the grave, it was a pretty cool trick, He's pretty awesome." But the whole point of His death on the cross wasn't to simply die and rise again, though that had a big part in it. Jesus died to bring us to heaven! He took every single one of your sins on his soul and damned himself to get you to heaven!


Do you get this? The Son of God DAMNED himself to Hell so that you could live with Him in heaven - He let Himself be torn away from the Trinity in order to give you salvation! This is the meat of Easter! This is the stuff that really matters! The physical dying and rising is a huge part of Easter, but look past the physical and see the spiritual ramifications this act had as well!

It's easy to downplay the significance of these events like Easter because they're annual and become a routine part of our lives. Be careful you're not taking part in Easter just because you feel like you have to. Stay home Easter Sunday if you feel this way; you can probably get a lot more spiritual working from a solo Bible study than you can from a congregational meeting if this is the case. Just try to make sure you understand why you are taking part in the recognition of this holiday before you routinely go to church tomorrow. 

Tomorrow, when you wake up, think of your new life that you received 2,000 years ago by the cross. Think about the love that God has for you that He would give his life and his comfort in order that you might experience it. Think of God's unbelievable affection for us, and you will most likely find yourself quietly (or not so quietly) praising Him joyfully.

That's all I have to say about that. Interestingly enough, this did not occur to me while working at Orange Leaf; I was comfortably enjoying The Hound of the Baskervilles by Stained Glass Theater Joplin when my mind started rolling this over.

Grace and Peace
-- Malachi

Happy Easter!

Really, guys? (Again)

I know this is kind of a repeat from my earlier post, but it was pressing on my heart again.

Today's eavesdropping was on a group of Junior-High aged girls talking about one of there friends who had just broken the news that she was pregnant. An eighth grader. Now, I could go off on a rant about women preserving their virginity, or a person's duty to uphold God's image, or the downfall of relationship values in American society; I am more concerned, however, with a call-out to today's men.

I don't know the guy that had sex with that eighth grader. I don't know how old he was, or what his ideals are, or what his religious beliefs are, but I feel the need to call out to him and every single guy living in society today. Man up, guys! Maybe you think that having sex with as many girls as possible is a show of masculinity; maybe you think that hooking up with your classmates is just a 'way to enjoy life, but you have no idea of the damage you are doing to yourself and to the woman you are mistreating.

After sex, the brain releases a chemical called oxytocin, which causes a connection between you and the person you have just slept with. This is the reason that there is such a powerful connection between a husband and a wife when both of them preserve their virginity. The more you sleep around, the more connections you make with people, and the less important each person become to you. Can you see how much you are downtrodding a woman when you sleep with her just because you are attracted to her?

If you build relationships solely on sexuality they will never be able to have a firmly solid foundation. This is the reason you see the vast majority of sexual relationship break apart sooner or later. Relationships aren't meant to be a feel-good getaway or a chemical release opportunity. Every person on earth longs for a connection with a special person. Most often this means a spouse (though occasionaly simply a very close friend).

But I rant. Back on topic, what does all this mean to you men? It means that you need to put your big-boy pants on and start recognizing your woman as the beautiful, honor-worthy, wonderful creation that she is. Stop dating for the body - start dating for the heart! Who do you think you are that you can drop a woman to nothing more than a sex toy for yourself? You think you're a man, but you don't take care of that woman you're with; you don't sacrifice your time, money, or resources unless it's to your benefit; you won't get off your Modern Warfare 3 video game to talk real with your girlfriend.

You want to be a man? Start acting like it!

 It kills me to hear about boys who don't know what it means to be a real man. Sometimes these boys are pushing 40 or 50, and they still haven't made it past their boyhood actions of lusting on women and using them to get their desires out. It kills me. My heart drops when I think on the distorted image of a man that so many boys are being taught; my optimism is rock-bottom when I am reminded of the sin and evil that has so distraught our society. Too many men, though created in the image of God, have invested heavily in plastic surgery to try and change their image. Far too often, they attempt to change the person they're with, as well.

We are called by God to be conduits of His image and carriers of His honor. God has called us to be men; REAL men. He has called us to uphold woman's image, not distort it; He has called us to honor, not shame; He has called us to care, not misuse.

Young Love?

I overheard some kids today talking at Orange Leaf. (it seems like most of the things I post on this blog about are seeded at my workplace) The kids couldn't have been older than 7th or 8th grade - that means 13 or 14 years old - and they were talking about their friends' dating relationships that were happening. It got me thinking about the issue of youth dating.

I've never been against dating in highschool or junior high, but I have always had a rather skeptical view of the matter. After all, a very low percentage of highschool relationships end up following through to marriage. But, some do, and they can turn out to be very healthy relationships. One of my coworkers just got married, and she's (I believe) 18 or 19. I've seen the benefits that can come from highschool intimacy, but I have also seen the heartbreak that is oh so common with it.

Let's face it - a junior high/highschool kid has virtually no idea how to come at a dating relationship. Very often, it is because they want to jump into a relationship to better output the feelings that develop with puberty. I myself have often found myself longing someone to have next to me. However, I don't think that kids understand what dating actually is: a trial for someone to marry you!

 Dating evolved from courting - where two peoples -and their families- got to know each other better with (exclamation point!) the idea of marriage always on their minds. Young men began forming a plan the day he met the woman - a plan of dinners, walks in the park, one-on-one dates, family outings, etc., eventually ending with a talk to the woman's father about marriage. (Taken from http://m.ucg.org/youth/history-dating/)

The men doing the courting often were young (i.e., 15, 16). I am not saying that a young man nowadays shouldn't date when he's young, but I am pitching the idea that he should get the idea into his head that dating (courting) is a trial for marriage. If you're not looking to consider marrying the other person, then why date them? 

Too many young adults date in order to "get practice" and "get familiar" with how to perform in a relationship. This isn't altogether bad, and for some people, it does help them, so I can understand where people are coming from. After all, "practice makes perfect," right?

But that phrase is not always true. Example given: cohabitation. This is where a couple lives together before they get married in order to "get used" to sharing a home. Nearly 1/2 of marriages nowadays are preceded by cohabitation. Surveys have shown, however, that the marital satisfaction of couples who cohabitated before marriage were consistently and significantly lower than those who had never cohabitated, particularly for women (Taken from "A Theology for Family Ministries" by Anthony, M. and Anthony, M.). Why is that? It appears that the subject of relationships is more fruitful when approached without practice and with a clear view of the planned path with the other person.

This is where I'm going with this: I'm not condemning highschool relationships, and I'm not even saying that junior high relationships are terrible (elementary school is pushing it...). What I am saying is that if you want a healthy relationship, and you want a thoroughly enjoyable dating life, then stop getting into relationships solely to release that longing within you for a second half, and discipline yourself to hold off from dating until you are ready to pursue someone to marriage.

Here is the value that I placed on my relationships: I am a big supporter of waiting in regards to many things having to do with marriage. My first kiss will be at my wedding, my first sexual experience will be on my wedding night, and my first girlfriend I will pursue with the idea of me getting married to her. These ideals give value to my relationship; I really  want to experience them, so much that I'm willing to wait until marriage in order to experience the best of them.

These ideals give value not only to my perception of the relationship, but to my future girlfriend's as well. Do you realize the spellbinding power that is held in the idea of another person saving their first kiss, their first sexual act, and/or their first serious relationship, and then willingly giving it to you? I know that I will be awestruck if/when my girlfriend saved it for me, so I'm saving it for her!

Waiting isn't bad when it comes to dating, engagements, or marriage. Wait until you are comfortable with committing for real with that other person, and when you commit, pursue them to the end - the end being marriage until death do you part.

Dedication and Passion

     I got into a discussion tonight with a fellow coworker about managing a business to make money on the side of your career. It was started off by a discussion of the possibility of me opening and running an Orange Leaf later on in life. I believe that I won't, as my view of starting and owning a business is that I don't want to own a business that I wouldn't take part in as a customer. This means that I probably won't end up starting a fast-food restaurant or a hair-styling place - because I'm not passionate about them!

     For me, I don't want to start a business solely to make more money on the side, or to raise my status higher. I want to start a business where I have to force myself to let others take leadership and management over it because I'm just so passionate about it that I want to keep going and working there. This means that a ministry or a therapy business - an organization that reaches out to people and connects personally with them - is the best bet for what I will, should I ever, start a business.

     I look at it like I look at marriage: I want to marry my best friend - someone I want to keep going back to and hanging around. Therefore, when I start a business, it should be the business that I want to manage and I want to give my time to.

     Don't get involved with a company long-term that you're not passionate or interested in. For a short time, fine. Make money, live life, find a job more to your calling, and move on. But if you want to be fully satisfied with your career and feel like you aren't missing anything - if you want to live life without regrets about your career choices, then get involved with businesses that call out to your heart, not just your wallet. That means taking a pay cut or passing up a higher-ranking position for something you feel more passionately towards. But in the end, you'll be a happier person.

     Be dedicated to wherever you are serving now, and people will realize your worth to them. You want to make a difference in the world? Make a difference where you are now. Make an example by showing people what dedication and hard work is, and you will become a very successful person.

     Money fades, authority will fail, but only dedication will be fruitful.

Walking on a Razor's Edge

Here's my view on alcohol: alcohol is not a sin; it is not an awful aspect of life; it is not of the devil. However, alcohol is a razor - when you partake in it, you are walking its edge; on one side is a God-filled and God-controlled life, where you, through intense self-control and willpower (and with the help of God), are able to keep alcohol in check and enjoy it in decent quantities. On the other side is a dark pit of despair where alcohol, through slow, unnoticeable, marching advance, grows to such importance that it takes the place of God.

Alcohol is not of the devil, but it is a powerful tool of his. Drugs, sex, and power, as well as other things, join alcohol in the group of items that are not necessarily evil, but powerfully and frequently used by the Devil for his work.

I'm not saying that Christians should abstain from alcohol. I know many very healthy Christians who partake in it, but control their drinking. I am simply saying that if you decide to start drinking alcohol, you had best be in the Word and on your knees very often. Because if you don't, the desire to drink more and more will begin creeping up on you, and you won't have the relationship with God that you need to overcome it.

What I'm saying isn't just constricted to alcohol. it can be extrapolated to apply to other things in your life that have the possibility of becoming addictive. Things like video games, Facebook, friends, your boyfriend/girlfriend, shopping, coffee, or food can become just as destructive and damaging as alcohol and/or drugs can be.

Basically, what you need to overcome any addictive behavior to make it controlled and benefiting to you is a personal, deep relationship with Jesus Christ and the Trinity. Only by God's strength can you hope to have the self-control needed to control these things. A human's will is weak, but God's will is strong. So go out, get a drink with friends; enjoy a glass of wine. But be careful - you're playing with fire... just make sure you're ready to dump the Water on it, should is start getting out of control.

Back Again...

Well, I'm back to college again, and I'm living in the dorms as opposed to living off-campus like I did last semester; I'm starting to see what college life is like. The way a lot of these guys act, I'm afraid that they don't take college seriously. I guess I'm just tired of hearing people complain that they get bad grades in their classes, but all they do when they're in the dorms is goof off and play games with guys.
You came to a Christian campus to learn - to grow in your faith with God. There is certainly a time to hang out and build relationships with your fellow students, but work on your priorities. College isn't all fun. There's work to do, there are assignments to get done. If you're going to mess around the whole time, you can do it for a lot less than $300 a credit hour.

Really guys?

To all you married, engaged, dating, or prospectively dating men:

Who the crap do you think you are? That woman that is walking alongside you in life is FAR more than you ever deserved. She is worth so much, and entirely worthy of the greatest honor you can give her. Just because you're a guy - the "man of the family" - you think you can treat your wife or girlfriend like a piece of property? You're not the center of the world; rather, you ought to act as though others are. Put your wife first - she deserves it. Put yourself last - you deserve it.

As Proverbs 31:10 says, a wife is worth much more than you can ever hope to gain. You should treat your woman like she is worth a million dollars, and gains interest every day. Maybe your home life is hard; maybe there's a lot of stress between you two right now, and your harshness with her is a result of that. Do me and yourself a favor - try treating your wife with respect, dignity, honor, and love for just one week, and see if that tension is not at least lifted a little. Do you want to enjoy your relationship? Treat her with respect. Put her before you. Give her your time, your love, your resources, your mind, your strength, your patience, your wisdom, and keep nothing for yourself - and see if she does not do the same for you. There is reciprocity in true love. Read Ephesians 5:33.

I am so sick and tired of seeing men act as though there wives were only there because the man had allowed her to be - had done her a favor by marrying her. Stop treating your wife as though marrying her was a mistake by you! SO much good can come from any marriage, if both sides stop looking at themselves and begin considering the other's beauty - the beauty of their mind, heart, soul, and body. Your wife is a gift - treat her as such.

Our society is a crumbling community of people who are losing all respect for anyone but themselves. Selfishness is taking the place of humbleness and is kicking its way into too many marriages and intimate relationships. I am calling all men who are reading this right now to draw the line and create a boundary for ourselves. We ought to say "This is where I stop. I will NOT treat my wife as though I deserved her, or she deserved me." I am throwing the gauntlet down. Will you join me?