Spring Thing thoughts and comments (Finally!)

As I write this I am sort of exploring the new layout to this site. I haven't been on to post anything for a while. As the title suggests, I am finally posting some stuff on Spring Thing 2012. It's been like two weeks since it happened so I am very glad I took notes. I am also quite impressed with the quality of notes I took!

Anyways time to get down to the main point of this whole post. Spring Thing had quite the message. The whole thing was on changing the direction of the church to the same direction that Jesus is moving. Mike (my youth pastor) also brought some interesting aspects to this idea. He talked about a "Crash" of rhinos. Rhinos can move at 30 mph and can only see 30 feet in any given direction. They are also a two ton animal. In other words... I don't think I would want to be in front of a rhino. Not many things can stop a rhino and I know for a fact that I am not one of those things. Rhinos (being a two ton animal and being able to move at 30mph) gain a lot of momentum... fast. If we are to get momentum in Jesus' direction we must know two things as the church. Jesus' love and humilty are game changers for the church.

This is an example of Jesus' humilty. 

So when Jesus had washed their feet and put his outer clothing back on, he took his place at the table again and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and do so correctly, for that is what I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example – you should do just as I have done for you. I tell you the solemn truth, the slave is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger greater than the one who sent him. (John 13:12-16 NET) As a church are we willing to wash each other's feet? Are we willing to take on the job of the lowest person in the household and in the process humble ourselves? I don't just ask this question to you as my readers, I also ask it to myself in a way. When reading about what Jesus did in scripture I often find myself convicted by it. Because He is God in the flesh and He did things I find myself struggling to do sometimes. Let's move on to Jesus' love.

“I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34, 35 NET) I know that's only two verses but in all reality it is HUGE. "Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." That verse right there hits me the hardest. This is why. Jesus loved us enough to come down to this earth and die for us. Just to save us from the coming wrath of His Father. Which in all reality should have been ours. Jesus didn't just die either. He was beaten and tortured within an inch of His life, forced to drag a cross to Calvary, nailed to that cross, seperated from His Father through our sin and finally died on that cross as payment for us.

The church needs to follow His example and live for God. If we accomplish anything worth doing it will only be thorugh being the church Jesus called us to be. This isn't all I have to say about this my friends. You will definitely see more in the future. For now though think this over.

A look at what is coming up

Just to let those of you who read my blog know what is going on soon. I'm definitely planning on writing a blog on what I'm experiencing this weekend. I'm currently at Spring Thing and I'm seeing so much in a new light. I would be writing now but there are two things holding me back.

-I'm on my iPad right now and I don't have my keyboard with me so I can't type very well. (I'm surprised I'm saying as much as I am.

- I'm very short on time at the moment.

So I shall get a new blog up soon. See you guys. :)

Random thoughts

In all honesty guys I only sort of have a point to this post. It is mostly to collect my thoughts in one place. And partly a place to relieve some of my boredom. I'm just now getting home from helping with newspaper. Finally ahead of the game for once and it's kind of nice.

Anyway to the sort of point I have. I am having to place a lot of trust in God right now. I am in desperate need of a job. It's not even like I need for personal things... I need it to pay for insurance on my new car. I just recently got my license and my car... I like driving. I'm assuming you get my dilema at this point. If any of you who reads this would pray for that then I would really appreciate that.

On another note TNT has started doing something way different. We try to do the accountability but on top of that we're doing more lessons. We're growing closer together from what I can see.

I really miss someone... Like really bad. So yeah. That was really random but oh well. I will spare you all of the specifics. Anyways thats all I really have tonight. Thanks for listening (Or I guess reading) my little brain drain. Have a good week!

Being a blessing

Okay guys for one I would like to say I sort of find what has been going on in my life slightly ironic. I have been involved with a lot of cancer patients lately. First I shaved my head for one boy suffering of cancer at our school. And now another member of my own family is suffering from the dreaded cancer. I find this ironic because a long time ago my aunt died from cancer. She was actually one connection I have to one of my best Christian friends nowadays. He had spoke at her funeral after her death.

Anyway back to the idea of being a blessing. My mom got very involved in a benefit for this member of my family (my cousin by marriage.) She has always been involved with her church all her life. This is the same church we had the benefit in. Chili was served and there was an auction. All the funds made at the benefit went to doctor's bills. Which if you've seen a doctor's bill lately they are expensive. This was all very appreciated but what I also saw was a large group of people which were drawn together to help. Some of which were a part of my family who don't even go to church or claim Jesus. A lot of which do go to church and do claim Jesus as their Savior. Personally I find this all to be a big blessing to me.

Or so I thought...

That was a blessing sure but the real blessing came earlier today. My mom and I went over to this cousin of mines house to visit for a bit tonight. (Notice how I say a bit.) We ended up staying there for somewhere about three hours catching up with them. Through this catching up they all found out that I was planning on going into ministry in the future. They were very encouraging. In all reality it is the most fun I've had with family for a long time. It was awesome. I went with the intention of being Jesus to a part of my family and being a blessing to them. They ended up being a huge blessing to me.

Here's a verse to think on for the week.

“Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” but not everything builds others up. Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person. (1 Corinthians 10:23, 24 NET)

God bless and have a good week!

Valentine's Day

Today is Febuaray 14th. This is a day that a lot of people were looking forward to... And a lot of people dreaded it. Love it or hate it Valentine's day comes around no matter what.

I will admit that there are plenty of people that just see it as another day and there are others that love the idea of lavishing their loved ones with gifts of all kinds. But there is one other group. This group is the group of people that is simply sad that they are not with someone that loves them on THE day that people show love.

Before I get too into this let me make something clear... I am not posting this to bash on these people. In all honesty my friends I used to be one of those people. I used to dread Valentine's day coming around and when it was here I would do nothing but sit around and do nothing. I would absolutely hate that it was there.

Here's some advice from one believer to another... Don't fret about not having earthly love. It just gets in the way. If you have it then thats fine. If you don't then I would ask that you focus on God's love. Here's scripture's definition of love which is up to God's standards. This is how God loves us.

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NET)

God's love never fails. He never gave up on us. He didn't even spare His own Son from the fate that we should have suffered. Just think on that tonight as the day ends.

God bless and goodnight.

Thoughts while driving

My grandma and I decided to go look at cars today in Mitchell because I will (hopefully) be getting my license soon. We had an enjoyable time. This also gave me a very nice chance to drive a bit before my test. She drove there we looked at cars and I drove us back.

We drove around for a solid like 30 minutes. We talked about a bunch of random things which include having a will (I'm in business law so I decided it'd be fun to ask) and the upcoming driving test I will be required to take.

On the way home from our drive we got stuck in traffic. I was stuck on one side of the street while a slew of cars went by on the other side. We sat there for a good ten minutes waiting for the traffic to cease.

I found myself becoming slightly frusterated with the situation. There was all this traffic on one side of me and a bunch of traffic behind me (there would've been more but a lot of them passed me). In the middle of all this mess and frusteration I found myself thinking... Does God ever get frusterated with us?

Think about this. One moment in your life where you were stuck doing something that God most likely didn't like. My thoughts on the matter are this... He most likely did get slightly frusterated with us when we were caught in that. On the other hand He loves us enough to forgive and just keep on showing us love. No matter what we do. God is there. In the silence. In the darkness. In the light. Our Father is present.

Never forget that. God bless and have a good week.

Reflections on Run to You (I Need You)

I got home today from school and put all my school supplies away for the weekend. (I mean after all who does homework over the week?) Anyways I picked up my iPad and decided to listen to most of my worship cds to get me pumped to finish my Youth Alive lesson later. And well I've been here for hours just listening and having some inspiration for how I want to be. Here's the lyrics I'm sort of reflecting on right now.

"I need you. I can't get enough of you. I come alive when I'm in your pressence. Oh, God of my salvation."

This almost sounds like a Psalm! But with music and no huge prophetic words. The song itself is talking about needing God and always running to Him who gave us this great salvation and this great strength. By the way the song is by Kari Jobe for anyone who may wish to look it up. (I would recommend it!)

It's a faith like that and a love like that that keeps us going in the Christian life. Knowing that there is always our God that we can run to and who will ALWAYS love us. Science tries to explain away God but yet the facts for God outweight the "evidence" for scientific reasons for our existence. The fact alone that believers know He's present should be enough. He's always there to comfort us and love us. Like a father would. Anyway have a good weekend my friends.

God Bless.