My Father, My Shepherd

I'm going to be honest I don't always think before I talk. When I think about it I can say some just dumb things that don't make any sense and Doug and Elijah make sure I know when I do by laughing and joking with me about it. The thing is we all could profit from thinking before we talk. The same can go for when we talk to our Father. Not only should we be careful in the way we come to the father but the very words we come to him with as well. Ecclesiastes 5:2- "Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few." When I talk to my father sometimes I just want him to fix whatever is broken in my life so my comfort will be restored. We are selfish by nature thats true but when we look in the scripture at people's prayers what always sticks out to me is how they pray. I personally love when a man of God falls on his face and cries out to the Lord. My relationship with my Father is the single most important thing on this planet and communicating with him is a huge part of it. Some times I need to realize who I'm talking to. The creator of everything who is telling a story and I'm not the main role. He doesn't need me but he chooses to use me and I can honestly say I don't know why. I do know it's not anything of myself but the God of the universe can choose to use me. Thats scary and exciting to me. In one aspect not only do I need to be making sure my walk with God is carefully in check and on the other hand is that I'm doing?? Thats my responsibility and my hearts deepest desire IS to walk unblemished. My desire is to be a Psalm 15 guy who is constantly watching my walk, putting my energy to good work,checking my, being sure that the people I hang out with are those who fear and honor the Lord, making my commitment to to him and only him everyday, and keeping my priorities what he wants them to be.

Father these things aren't easy these things aren't what the world is telling me to do nor even my heart all the time. I'm a man God, you breathed life into Adam and I was aloud to have life because you said I could.I don't feel worthy to do the things you have put in my life to do because who am I? Psalm 19 says that heavens declare the glory of YOU and the skies proclaim the works of YOUR hands and you choose to use me to speak into lives of other people? Father my prayer is simple "Speak Lord for your servant is listening". I can only hear you adequately when I'm listening and not talking and sometimes I just don't do that.

*Waves hand* "You can control your mind"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1rlThKe1qo

"Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."Philippians 4:8

What we have going on in the picture here is Obi-Wan Kenobi waving his hand at the storm troopers using the "force". In the end of the video he says using the force he manipulated the mind of the soldier. An interesting concept is it not? I can only think that if the soldier knew what happened he would feel completely powerless to have his thoughts manipulated. What a powerless feeling that would be but also if we can control our own thoughts what a EMpowering feeling! It's easy to think that our minds are an untamable beast that we are powerless to defend against the filth in the world. When we look at Philippians 4: verse 8 however that's exactly what Paul is saying! Woah what? I can do that?I mean really last time I checked I'm not a Jedi who with a wave of my hand can tell myself what to think can I? Well in 4:8 thats what Paul tells us we can and are called to do. The cool part about this is we don't need to use the force luckily......we can still wave our hands if we want to but we do't need to. Paul tells us to dwell on things that are honorable(dignified), right(innocent), pure (not defiled or free from sin), lovely ( agreeable to the word of God), of good repute(well reported of ex.good testimony), excellence (of Moral goodness), and worthy of praise. These things are what we need to dwell on and when we do our minds are not dwelling on things that don't honor the lord! When we control our thinking and take every thought that we have captive thats when we can can say is this something that glorifies God or not? If not we rebuke it and throw it away and if it we cling to it.

Marian Wright Edelman put it like this:

“If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time.”

With our thoughts this should be our attitude as well. If we don't like the way we are thinking (worldy) then change it! We have an obligation to change it and the way we do it is capturing one thought at a time.

Reflector

Lord my simple prayer is this: that I desire and want what You say I need and not what I think I need. Because I no longer live for myself but with a surrendered heart knowing that I serve and cling to and grow in a relationship with the Lord who spoke life into existence.

Going through my small life I look back on all the things that I have excused in my life and I am incredibly humbled. I have always justified my life by what the world is like. I felt like i was doing well when I wasn't I and felt secure when I shouldn't have. In Genesis 1:14 through 19 is where God creates the Sun and the moon. What an analogy to place in the first chapter of the inspired word of the Lord! We look at that and we have become so desensitized to what power and awe we should be in when we come to even pray before the Lord or say his name! The God who spoke into existence these things we study and try to explain with years and years of study when God shouts in the first chapter of his word "It was me!". When we look at the moon we should see ourselves and the Sun is Christ. The moon in it of itself does not have light but rather reflects the light from the Sun. In such we should be reflectors of the light of our father Jesus Christ. The problem I and I'm sure most face is clearly addressed when we look in the mirror and that problem is ourselves. We want what we don't need and we desire the things we know we shouldn't desire. We are in our way. When we step out that's when the Lord can step in and use us. I'm slowly learning what it takes to be a man of God and my heart is to strive everyday to grow in my relationship with the Creator of the universe, the answer to the questions and the period at the end of the statement.

September 14, 2009

So this is the first blog I have written in awhile. I have been incredibly busy with school and work and Bible along with getting sick doesn't help either but alas I am back. Well this week has been incredibly exciting with classes and such but the most time I spent sleeping which was a new change for. We went over Job which was awesome and are practically done with Genesis so 2 books down..64 to go! It's an exciting mountain to climb though I must say I don't think I'm going to want to leave when it is time to leave GCBI the friendships and family here I can already tell is going to be something I will never forget so that's going to be hard. Well today I spoke in front of the older people for Sunday night and everyone seemed to enjoy what I had to say along with my enthusiasm that I bring or so they say. I just have a passion for the word! I really could care less about anything right now other than it and teaching the kids at BFC youth about what I have learnt. God has such a presence at GCBI its exciting to see him effect my life in turn hopefully effect others lives in a positive way. God is a great God which is an understatement but man I'm excited to share what I'm learning with the kids at BFC. My heart is on fire for the word and at the same time for those kids. I think the kids God is putting there on Sunday night are the right kids to hear the word and not just hear it but respond to it and put it into action in their lives as well. Its really exciting!! I only pray that when something in my life does not work out the way he planned I can look at it and be as happy I am now.
Something the lord has put heavy on my heart is a relationship with a girl that loves him and has a passion for him. I'm not necessary looking for one and at this moment I can't think of anyone that God has in particular except for one....which I mean God can do all things but man I just don't see that happening as much as I wouldn't mind it happening I just don't think its in the cards. Everyday I have to take as its own and try and see it through God's eyes because man these days are precious. We only get so many of them if were lucky and God has it worked out which is exciting. I feel like God has put marriage on my mind a lot. I feel like God really wants me to get married within the next couple of years man and that's scary....especially considering there is no girl in my life and what not but hey I'm willing so I guess if he wants it its going to happen its just scary to think about! Eh I'm probably thinking about it too much but man God has been harping on it a lot in my life....lots of prayers have been going into that trust me so it'll work itself out I suppose.

September 06, 2008

So today was quite an interesting day and not at all how I thought it was going to go. I woke up went straight to church to hear Pastor Randy speak which is always good. He's so insightful and he def. knows his stuff. I probably say that a lot but its just the truth. He discussed John 9 in the second service and man it was great. I spoke at BFC tonight for the youth and it felt good but I don't know how the youth liked it some said it was good but of course I feel like they are just saying that so who knows. I just spoke the word and then Mr. Stone spoke and man that was a testimony! It was very nice to hear and he brought up some great points I think about how wasteful we have become as a nation and how most people work so hard and have absolutely nothing as we are in a depression but still have things to eat and such.Great story and great lesson learned. Also tonight I found out that next week I am speaking in front of the people who are coming for Sunday night service next Sunday like the older people, so that's kinda exciting. Scary but exciting.God is def. opening doors and I'm excited what hes doing in my life. I go to see Chad today which is always a great day, I love that guy full of energy for the lord hes a great pick up for me. Bryan is also down from USF and he is a great friend as well to talk with and bounce ideas off of.Can't wait to get up and do it again tomorrow for the glory of the Lord!! Man its good to be loved by the lord.

Septemeber 5th 2009

Ahh today was a much needed day off for yours truly that was basically used to do laundry ( which I much needed to do and spend some time one on one with my bible. Great day all in all. I was able to mark most of what I have to do up and am extremely excited to hear Pastor Randy speak tmr and then for my debut at BFC as the main speaker. Exciting times are ahead of me and I can see God moving in my life ahead of me showing me which doors to go through and which ones to leave shut. It's been really on my heart to be more tidy around my dorm room and I feel that I accomplished that today as well so I feel accomplished! God has brought me to that point and I'm still very motivated to gain as much as I can from the experiences I have had thus far. Thursdays class that Pastor Randy taught was unbelievable. I loved every second of it and its unreal how fast the time flies by while listening and absorbing what he has to say. I don't know why but the Tower of Babel struck a pretty big note with me and it's really cool for God to show us examples of what can go on in our lives. God is going to discipline us and its not because he's mean its because we are stupid and need it! We do so much stuff that God sees and has no idea why we do the things we do! I really think he must be so awed at us sometimes and just look down on us and be like " This is what you do after all I've done for you??" we as a nation are clearly not getting it! God has his hands on us but the more we struggle and pull away and want to do things the way WE want to do them were gonna fall and come back crying to him and not understand why he would do this in our life!! Its ridiculous and its being taught that's normal and OK when it is not! The people where trying to replace God with an economy and defied what he said and wanted to remain together rather then separate.....God had other plans. Gotta love that!! We have our plans and think because we are prospering we are in control and we are flying under God's raidar getting away with things but the fact of the matter is were NOT and were going to get a wake up call. God loves those who love him and he knows when we accept what his Son did for us we are still going to mess up once and awhile but when we don't change our actions as a result of what Christ did for us are we truly saved?? That's a question that we all must face and its a question that is going to hit some harder than others but those are the best questions to be asked! If someone can't think about anything but what that question is GOOD. Because Jesus knows whose in the book of Life and you should KNOW if you are too and if you don't know then I'm glad you lose sleep and or appetite because its a question that most think I'm saved I know what Jesus did and go on sinning and then make a profession of faith again and then hurt their testimony over and over again until a time comes where there is two paths. You come to the realization that God is who you need to live for and gain a biblical world view or you become a person on the fence that has fire insurance but doesn't act like there life is God's life. He owns everything end of story including the food and your life! The sooner the better we realize that but its not Youth Pastors or Pastors job to walk with the Lord for you you have to do that yourself! The only way to know the Father is to know what he wants and the ONLY way your going to know what he wants is if you read his word!
You see the people in church who haven't gone in awhile and are screaming out for God but they fail to realize he's always been there sitting on there bookshelf or underneath some papers or used as a paper weight!

Seprember 1st, 2009

The first dayof class was today! Man Pastor Randy is so wise and humble. I can't honestly believe that the lord has given me the opportunity to learn the information from him is just humbleing and exciting. Man within that couple of hours just listening to Pasotr Randy my whole preconcieved notions of what the bible had to say was thrown out the window and thats what I have to do. ALl my life has been leading up to this moment which God has given me to get a little base and now take that throw it out the window! I really am excited more than i can say for the opportunity that has been given to me at GCBI. I talked to Harry today and I'm going to be speaking at BFC this Sunday and all the Sunday nights so its exciting that God has given me a place to pour out the knowledge that I recieve in order to help the kids understand the bible which they Desperately need! So much information to take in but man can't love it more than I do right now! I want to make God happy so I have to make sure I know what he wants and I know that God wants me at GCBI and also at BFC teaching whenever given the opportunity!