I also think of that 8-9 mile run that I took Nate Merrill on over Christmas break. Towards the end of it, I was smelling blood-the deep animal instincts were pushing me to have a kick. There is something in our competitive nature when running with someone that says "Kill it, kill them!" "Or, "They are too strong, they are going to destroy you!" I could tell that Nate was tired based on his hard breathing, but another voice in my head gave me the desire to see how far and how fast Nate could be pushed. I have seen Nate's innate drive before over the 8ish years I have been his best friend and it took a little encouragement, but we both finished like men.

         I think of God and how well he knows us who follow him. "The Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-the Lord, who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous." "He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow." Psalm 147: 15-18

         You could read my blog and follow my words and go out and act on them and say, "Joe, I trusted in what you said to the end, I loved your blogs and encouragement," and these actions could mean nothing at the throne of judgment without a proper relationship with Jesus Christ. "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save...they return to the ground...their plans come to nothing. Bessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God." (Psalm 146: 3-5).

         Bill O'Neil, I expect to see at least one interview on ESPN with you and Peyton today, or at least hear the recording on your techno logical machine ary. Someone should throw a party at Marelene Bedards house today; she knows more about sports than my father knows about 1Corinthians. The Saints kinda make me sick but I would like to see the Colts go down. Anybody else with me? Well I hope you have a great superbowl, eat chowder, chips, Oreos, the whole shebang.

Love Joe Carter

Be there reason to restrain praise?

Though flesh is weak these days

Sing Hosanna for the days are made

Where angels and our Savior be

O, the glory I can see.

My eyes be blind, my soul need trust

Dare I praise thee less this day?

Pray no!

Our song at sunrise,

During toil, our joy to quench

And peace as eyelids close,

Look, Paul and Timothy, with flutes they dance.

How restraineth He, the excited eternity?

Persevere, lest He find you undressed.

Work as if you see His rod.

Praise to the Alpha, the Omega,

The Beginning and the End!

Well, I am going to fill you in on what it's like in Ohio:

      The other day, I was riding a friend's bike on the back roads, which are a little wider than half the size of our roads and are supposed to be two lanes. I was way out there and it was a really sunny, cool fall day-the classic weather you only read about. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned my bike towards this amazing, but common site-a cornfield. As I got closer the corn seemed to stretch higher until I could reach out and touch it, it was "two Joes" high! On another occasion I stopped and ran on this narrow path in the middle of this monstrous stretch of cornfield and as I ran through the maze, black birds flew up on both sides of me the whole way down. It was amazing; I love God's creation.

      As far as people go, let me tell you a story. Okay, so I am studying my brains out for an exam when, for the first time after I wrote that blog about depression (about four weeks ago) a wave hits me. It reminds me of the storm with Jesus and his disciples. Feelings of helplessness grip me, but not hopelessness. I jump up from my chair and in jeans and moccasins I tear out of the building and run hard. I scream to God for help, for I know the death this storm strives for. I run to a waterfall in a park, two miles away. Here, in desperation, I praise God with everything I can muster. I praise him for his power and might and victory over sin and darkness. Do you know that song: "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord...we will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord?" Well I run back and sing this the whole way and from what I can remember I read a Church sign saying, "God is in control." I put myself in the disciple's shoes and decide to trust Jesus that the storm will pass without taking my life. I head back to the dorms and friends make me aware that a brother has been struggling with depression for a while. Immediately we pray for this friend and bust into his room and invite him to the play (The Miracle Worker), saying you are coming and we are buying your ticket! God uses our struggles. 

      Then, I tell my brothers of my current battle and they pray for me. I head to my room and all of the sudden I hear low, hushed voices. I stick my head out of my door to see mischievous young men running towards me. They all grab my limbs and with all their might, they carry me off and kidnap me to a couch to show me their love. I love my floor.

      I eat with these men, talk like a pirate, play 5 on 5 basketball every Friday at 5, and we are all growing together. I have found such life here submitting my will to God's. I am set free and my expressions of joy have seemed contagious. I notice that when we express joy, we see the same joy come back to us when we might not feel so joyous. God has me here for so many reasons and I am staying strong in my faith and am spreading the Good News with all of my heart. Praise God he has changed my life and set me free, God is awesome!

      I hope it encourages you that I am staying strong and holding on to the truths everyone has shown me. Pray for our floor here in Rickard. I am praying for what God gives me a heart for and I know of two brothers who are doing the same (from PCBC) so don't feel alone, you are being prayed for too.

Love Jose Carter

"Your will be done." 

Amen,

John 10:10 "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."

Mathew 11:28 "Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all who are weak and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

Galations 6:1-2 "Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are Godly should gently and humbly help that person back into the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ."

Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always; And again I will say, Rejoice!"

New Living Translation: "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-Rejoice!"

Isaiah 40:28-31 

28 "Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

29      He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

30      Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

31      But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Psalm 59:16 "But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress."

1 Timothy 2:3-4 "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 'Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth."

            I have a few burning things that I want to offer to my Dad's comment (on the last blog).

"IE, with respect to 9/11- where was God? Why didn't He stop it? How could He have let this happen?

Dozens of Christian books have been written to answer the question of evil and I sure won't come up with anything new or profound. It gets back to the fallen nature that all humans have. Man's heart is against God and God allows him to do evil."

            The thing I want to focus on is the last part of this section my Dad mentioned, "God allows him [us] to do evil." This is a beautiful part of God. Maybe you don't think so, but maybe you will after you hear this argument. I pray that God fills me with wisdom on this matter.

            Genesis 1:27: "So God created human beings in his own image...and he saw that it was very good!" Our wonderful creator, God, is like us. With our very dear friends, are we forced to love them, or is a choice? What if your best friend was a robot and had no choice but to submit to you and love you, would this love be passionate? NO! Of course not, we would even think it to be morally wrong. God is the same way, but being God, he had control of giving his "friends/creation" (Adam and Eve) a perfect life in Eden.

            Genesis 2:9 "Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he made. The Lord made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground-the trees that were beautiful and produced delicious fruit." God was and is worthy of praise! It goes on, "In the middle of the Garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." 16: The Lord God warned him, "You may eat the fruit of every tree in the Garden-except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat this fruit you will surely die." This is the characteristic of God: He is passionate for us and intended for us to have a perfect life, but wants us to choose him and choose to love him-no robots allowed Heaven! He desires passion! Do you see Arnold demonstrate passionate love in the Terminator movies? He is simply programmed-our difference from machine.  God doesn't program a chip in our brains that force us to love him.

            God is said to be sovereign. Whenever I hear this word I instantly become confused and sick and I want to throw up each time someone uses it. God is involved in everything-even 9/11 was filtered through his hands of love. Does this not make sense? Let me explain. For us humans, born into the "sin nature" caused by Adam and Eve eating from the tree, we are quite inclined to choose evil. Gradually, we have become even more evil and more prone to reject God and his perfect plan with our lives in society-Dad you touched upon this "we live in a world of sin and death. Evil, pain and suffering seem to go unchecked. Remember that scripture clearly predicts that the things will get worse and worse as the Lord's return gets closer." In our state of evil, why would we choose God if we didn't see a need for him in our PRESENT lives. Why would we choose to love something we cannot see? Without Jesus coming to die for our sins, we would have no hope and continue to spiral downwards in our sin. 

            Have you ever heard of an alcoholic that has hit rock bottom? God allows this person to choose evil...evil...evil...for a reason. When a person hits rock bottom, they begin to look not to themselves anymore to solve life's problems. They look elsewhere! What a perfect opportunity for God to reveal his true plan with a person's life when they have finally looked outside themselves for answers. HERE IS HEAVEN! God screams during this time. I BEG YOU, FREE YOURSELF FROM BONDAGE.  CHOOSE ME!

            I agree with mah fathah: "My response to 9/11 is one of intense sorrow at the suffering that man inflicts on each other because of sin. I groan inwardly, as I see the effects of sin, and long for the Savior to return to complete redemption (Rom 8:22-23). I pray that many will turn to God when they see such sorrow, because He has provided a solution (and that's what many did after 9/11)." God allows these wicked things to occur from the decisions of men so that, in the form of two towers, our securities in this world come crashing down so we look to life after death.

            We truly have a loving Father,

"Til' on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied     ---(our punishment for our choice of sin erased!)

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live."

"No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from his hand

‘Til' he returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I stand."

Amen! Praise to our Creator! Thank you for reading. I hope this brings an answer from the Church and Gospel itself to the much sought after question. Have a great week!

-Joe Carter

Hey readers, how are you today? 

Did you know that 19,000,000 of us Americans deal with severe depression? Did you know that I have my days, like this morning, where I wake up and just don't feel like Joe, don't feel like singing at the top of my lungs, and feel out of sink? On these days, I used to feel completely alone. I would feel like my feelings were completely unique, that no one could relate to how I was feeling. I felt weird, ungodly, a failure, and like I wasn't following the commands of the Bible about joy. 19,000,000 people feel the same way; isn't it sickening that I would believe the lie that I am the only one!? Do you feel like the only one feeling downtrodden right now? Where is this lie coming from? John 10:10, "the thief's purpose is to steal, kill and destroy." I think it is pretty clear that it isn't from God, because he goes on to say, "My Purpose to give them a rich and satisfying life."

Lets read a journal entry of mine from about three weeks ago about our call to claim joy!

Joy is a fundamental characteristic of God. We are made in the image of God so joy is one of our traits. Joy can be found in many things. I find joy in running, I find joy when I am with girls and I find joy when I watch my dog run free in a field. Sin is making joy in these things without appreciating God.

I devoted a lot of time in high school to running. So much that I cared about my performance and devoted my thoughts to it more than to my God! It was my ultimate sense of Joy. In my sophomore year running, my joy, was taken from me and I went into deep sadness and became very angry at God.

            Girls were a lot of my focus in high school and were a huge source of self-worth and joy. I even compromised beliefs because of girls. I am single now, so obviously this joy did not last.

            I am not wild about animals but if I felt a deep connection and love for a dog and devoted my time and heart to it, it could develop into a God (God is dog backwards). It would be a great source of joy for me. Dogs die. With it, a person can be grief stricken and become angry and feel like a part of them died with it.

            I have been reading about joy in my Spiritual Formation class. Ortberg talks about the spiritual discipline of joy. In, "The life you've always wanted," it talks about how we wait in lines to experience joy (like at a theme park), we work at our jobs for future joy, and even mundane tasks like brushing our teeth are a waiting process for the joys of sleep. If we wait for joy, we will die and still be waiting. It must be seized!

            Circumstances in life will often give us no reason for joy: huge tests, long classes, boring job, a breakup, or even an unfaithful friend. As Christians, we must not place all of our joy into only the positive things in life and wait for them; we must constantly praise God for his awesome power, love, Heaven, and Jesus. Think of when Ezra reads the "Book of the laws of Moses," to the Israelites in Nehemiah 8. They are a bunch of commands of don'ts. The people even have to stand for three hours while the rules were laid out for them (Neh 9:3). What was their response? "The people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the law." What a hard standard they had to live up to!

            What do the leaders say to this? "This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!" The Israelites responded to God's calling and celebrated like no tomorrow (they probably ate bacon, bushes best beans, and fire jumped) and were filled with supernatural joy! 

            Did that have a worldly reason to celebrate? Did they just receive a raise or did Allen Iverson just win a championship? The answer is no. In NEH 9:5 they did not draw joy from worldly objects but prayed to God, "May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise! You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the Heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of Heaven worship you."

            One caution of warning: I was dreaming and praying about joy and I heard the Lord prompt me: "You must check everything with scripture!" So, lets read the scriptures and what they say about joy so we aren't searching for joy in the wrong places.

Hey faithful reader...Do you know what I just decided? I need to share the things God has done in my life. I recall the movie, "Into the Wild," where Chris Mcandless reaches his death and realizes that all his life experiences would be better if shared.  I think this is his revelation. Anyway, I have got to share God's glory with a few of my experiences. Here is a quote from my journal that I think you will appreciate. 

"I wanted to sit with someone so bad today at dinner, I prayed for one person. Then, I believed and God reminded me to trust him. I could find nobody so I sat at a table by the windows with five empty seats. God still put hope in my heart. I felt so alone (in the corner too) though and I talked to God about it. Then, five minutes later, five girls (the exact number of seats left) asked if I was sitting with anyone else. I responded "no" and they asked if they could sit with me! Five girls! I feel like giving God a high five!"

Lord, you are so good. You care for me intimately,

My needs fall into your basket

You handle each one with care

And love to give me gifts from your bags

God forbid, I grab it.

The best gifts to receive are the ones

waited for like on Christmas.

Christ gives with such joy,

I feel it,

The reciprocity is amazing.

Thank you for defining goodness,

Grace,

Love.

Amen.

            Isn't God so good? I even contemplate my own poem when I mention the reciprocal nature of God. Yes, he responded to my prayer and trust in him in this one instance, but does he not give even when we don't ask? He is beyond reciprocal.

            I was sitting on my desk late last night and wrote out a blog in my journal that just naturally flowed from what I am learning in my Spiritual Formation class. I went to bed without posting it and then had a dream that rocked me with spiritual warfare and I woke up with fear like a little kid in a lightning storm. Basically, my authority in Christ was cast aside by darkness and I was confronted as though I am pathetic and my power in Christ is useless. I think I will post this blog soon, it's about the discipline of joy and I am still trying to read more scripture about it but I will post it soon.

            For now, I challenge you to tell people about the great things God is doing in your lives. Recognize his gifts and ask for them as well. He loves to give! We can also pray that he give generously and bless our friends.  This shows true love for our neighbors (because the power of prayer is reality). Maybe you have experiences that you would feel more comfortable sharing in a comment to this blog. Do so because I know people read this, let me know that I don't stand alone in being supernaturally blessed by God!

Have a great week!

I am overwhelmed with joy. Since I have shifted my hope and faith in Jesus and remained broken, I have soared on wings as eagles. God is Good!

            I work with a Bartender, Duncan, from South Africa. He's a guy where you take one look at him and point, "That's a cool guy." A tooth pick belongs in the corner of his mouth. Through his stories I have gained his Father left when he was very young-his earliest memory was his Dad's Python that they let go because it was shedding everywhere. I got so convicted one day and my heart burned to tell him we could have the same Father who is perfect. Monday, a brother in Christ yells,

"Joe, how was Church yesterday?"

"Solid," I reply.

            Duncan then says,

"What Church do you go to?" And then explains he used to go to a Church back home that has a rock band.

"Mine does too...bass guitar, electric, drums...the whole deal." I exclaim. Then the question of all questions leaps from my mouth.

"What do you believe, are you a Christian?" I ask.

"Yes, I am." Then, openly at his bar we have a discussion about everything I have been hit with recently...and with excitement. The Lord prepared me because I have been crazy over Romans, as you can see with my blogs. I quoted, "It is not by works but faith we are saved," and we went into detail about the misconceptions our culture has about this.

            To top it off he says with his accent,

"Joey, people think I am weird for this but I love snowboarding so much because I depend and trust God for my safety...I feel him powerfully."

"That is not weird at all, for me it's running, God made me fast and you to love the thrill of snowboarding, we are both made uniquely, so get out there!"

            His face lights up! Then he gets into how he had a great Rastafarian friend and he talks about how many other religions share the same God.

"Yeah, but we get to heaven by faith in Jesus." I respond.

Then, like he is having a revelation he says,

"Yeah, I do believe that Christ is the only way."

            --It was like I was proclaiming this truth directly to his heart where Christ was waiting to reaffirm what was inside him!

            I go around the corner to the back hallway and all the employees are dead silent, I just hum my way through knowing they all just heard two witnesses of the Good News! Amen.

            The Lord gave me opportunities like this until the end of my job (tonight).   All of these tough hours paid off in the last four days. The faith and hope of the cross allowed me to persevere and reap many joys!

            Spend time with Jesus all day and read His Word like your life depends on it and persevere because it's true, "Faith brings joy!"

I was just trying to sleep and I saw an image in my head that the Lord used to give me a personal revelation. So praise Jesus!

            Picture a juggler. How easy is it for him to throw one ball up and down? Add another ball and it is a bit harder and add ten more and all of his balls will fall including the one.

            We must not entertain ourselves with more than one truth. The Devil loves to throw exra objects to go along with truths and the longer we juggle them, the more apt our world is going to come crashing down.

            Luckily, we can never drop our salvation. But, we can be used to throw our extra balls into non-believer's hands. That is why we must not believe anything outside from the truth.

            91.5 Christian radio conducted a survey about what Christians thought about sex before marriage. It was scary to hear the percentage of people that gave their answers based on their own life's compromises. This is a ball people are juggling alongside the truth. The Bible says we are to abstain until marriage. Many other compromises are made in our lives and we can lead other Christians to add a lie to their truth ball. Let us always take out our opinion and toss one truth around, which is the Gospel.

            Now, thankfully we are all, like Pastor Nathan said today, on level ground, all rotten sinners. Read Romans 3:9-20. We are all unrighteous and thankfully the God of the universe has a plan and he will pluck lies out of thin air and replace them with truth because he is gracious. What I have been struggling with is spiritual pride.  Looking at what I have been doing and feeling it is making me more right with God. I now see this as impossible. Romans 3:23: We all fall short of God's glorious standard. I have been trying so hard to live up to God's standard that I have missed out on the joy of juggling one ball. The cross is enough. Romans 3:27: "Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith...does this me we can forget about the law? Of course not!"

            I want to share a poem with you because it is my way to put to words where I am at. I wrote it when I could only pray Jesus, Jesus. Writing was the only way I could come to grips with I am rotten and will be free from sin only when I get to Heaven. For now, I cling to the Old Rugged Cross.

One Who is Forgiven, One Who is Forgiveness

Lord,

I can't promise you I will be perfect like you can promise me I'll be forgiven.

My soul aches,

Lift my heavy yoke.

Like the faithful three I want to plunge into the unknown fate.

My heart hates sin,

Free me from my shackles,

Take the scales from my eyes.

I want to run the race you have picked out for me,

For your will is perfect,

You are divine,

Forgiving,

My joy,

Peace, strength, my clothes for the day,

I wear prostitutes clothing and my sins are many.

You are the redeemer of all,

Savior from the jaws of death,

Choosing you is not like a card game,

It is no gamble.

I use a heroine addict's needles to mutilate joy.

You take the broken and not those on self-appointed grandstands and

betterment.

I seek darkness so that I match my shadow.

You offer white towels of forgiveness for all, forever.

I now open my arms in faith that you will heal my wounds,

Clean my pores,

Shine light like a doctor into my eyes,

Lead me up cliffs with ropes.

For you know the terrain,

Your every step is firm and you made the map,

Made the danger signs,

 I need you, Jesus.

Jesus, I need you.

Father, Father

Bring me back to the trail heading

The sign is a cross

And this is sufficient,

Thank you Jesus,

Amen.