So at the beginning of the year I got roped into this church ministry by a friend from a bible class (Robby-big tall basketball player). Of course, before starting I got on my knees before the Potter, who cares enough for his lumps of clay to spin us in the direction that will yield the most beautiful/wicked awesome shape.
Before I move on I just want to relay what a privilege it is for me to pass on what I know to be God's interaction in my life. I pray God will teach you to act on faith through this blog like he is teaching me.
John 15:1-8 --Jesus Speaks--
1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every {branch} that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit.
3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither {can} you, unless you abide in Me.
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.
8 "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and {so} prove to be My disciples.
I want to tell you a story of fruit. A juicy, bursting pear.
That church in Dayton, Ohio, do you want to hear about it?? I thought it was awful for a long time. The worship sounded like a bunch of dying cows and everyone in the church looked fake, always greeted with the same, "How you doin'?" "Okay" "Great!" I was doing the same old riggamarole trying to have a "real" convo with someone when something moved on me. My eyes catch a man right in his scraggly beard all by himself, sitting down. I felt my Jesus say, "Sit next to that man!" I went to my seat-the usual one next to my ballin' Christian friends in a cluster. This time I checked with God and remembered his verses about the marginalized and needy and how Jesus treated them horribly right? Haaa No. I also "remembered" I would look weird/feel weird/could flat out creep the guy out. I stood straight up, screamed in my head for the Lord to bring love and before I knew it I asked the guy to sit with him and was feeling sick again-and it wasn't a pre-track meet nervousness. I was swimming in cat urine. This was Daryll and he reeked.
"God, what have you gotten me into?" I question once again in my mind.
It took a lot of prayer to get through the service and more to see Daryll through God's eyes-a beautiful creation. I got to know Daryll, who sang baritone in high school, then and over the next weeks. One day as we were walking he said he once owned a bookstore in California, had a wife and a kid-pretty good considering shortly after his birth he was found by a policeman in a dumpster.
Christmas Eve his wife and child were killed by a drunk driver and "snap" he flowed back into his old ways in foster care-heroine/alcohol, you name it. I tell you this in choppy sentences because this is how I learned of his life story before he became homeless. I wanted to cry and hug him and swear at the top of my lungs because the 40-year-old Daryll I had come to know had a giant heart and was friendly. Instead, I just listened to his stories with my mouth open in awe that God had preserved his life through it all. I should say that he told me all this after he and I were finishing up evangelizing to a local neighborhood (I convinced him after about ten minutes to come with our group).
After his stories I saw him with new eyes. I had no idea the homeless man I had chosen to sit next to actually had a reason to be homeless. Sounds ignorant on my part because it is...I am not perfect by any means. Well, we both dreaded my last day before summer-I didn't want to leave him because it meant three months away while he didn't want me to leave because of "bad news." There is a foot-long tumor in his back and he was pretty certain he'd die soon.
I did what I had been taught by my teachers in Nicaragua, I put my arm around him and prayed God would heal him. Daryll put his arm around me and prayed for me (it was awesome, yes!) and I gave him a Bible and letter with challenges in it and we said goodbye...
Paul wrote the churches in Galatia about what grows on the vine that we can choose to be on. Gal 5:22-23 "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Since I chose to live on the vine (Jesus Christ), when God said "Sit next to that man!" I chose to pluck love and gave Daryll what God gives to me. He downed that pear so heartily that I hope he ate the seeds too because I know God will grow them. Mrs. Marshall (my neighbor up the hill!) thinks God is not done with Daryll...and I pray he isn't either! My relationship with Daryll is what I call a hand-picked, giant pear given to me by God because of love. You can pray for him-he has an awesome testimony but needs courage-and can also pray God will remove his tumor.
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. 7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.
8 "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and {so} prove to be My disciples.
Are you choosing to be on the vine? To hang out with Jesus Christ? Do you read about him? I find he gives more than a pear but an endless orchard called Heaven through the death and ressurection of Jesus Christ and our faith that he cleanses us from sin. Are you picking the wormy apples on the ground? Try getting to know Jesus Christ through bible studies, personal time with him, listening for his voice, and spending time with his creation and you will finally be disgusted with what society has you eating (celebrity-idols, pornography, hate, envy, Galatians 5:19-21 lists the rest). Grapple for what God loves to give you and tell others how good it tastes!
Hey, what is shakin' where ever you are? Have you been watching the college basketball tournament? I have watched a bit...all I can say is down with Duke...down with Duke! It feels like so long since I have written and I know that if you are a Christian, God has done some wild things in your life or taken you on a journey since then and if not, God is asking you, "Why won't you accept these gifts I give you?" We have a patient God. Trust me...if anyone could exhaust his patience I would have already. It took me 19 years of my life to start understanding what it truly meant for for Jesus to die for me, and I still am not even close to understanding the implications!
Sometimes when I tell people about Jesus, I advertise Heaven. I actually tell them I am going to advertise Heaven to them. On this day, of Eastuh, or Eastah if you are from Boston, it feels right to honor Jesus by reveling in what we are promised because of our belief and hope in his death and resurrection. Right now, he stands in victory with a host of angels yelling "Worthy is the lamb!" Lamb, meaning Jesus, who walked silently towards our shears to be shaved naked and feasted upon by our appetites until his last gasp. It is hard for me right now to move forward. "Reflect Joe; reflect upon what I chose to do-for free." A friend and I were walking to church today and realized that the cross holds the most value to those who believe they do not deserve it. If the guy you picked on...or pick on in high school bought you a house right now would you feel you deserved it? What about a house in Heaven!?!?!? Sue has a mansion by a great river with giant oak trees and spruce trees that is filled with the sweet presence of God, waiting for her to step into-so do you and I.
The first thing I am going to do...after I finish weeping and crying for joy at Christ's feet for a hundred years is take a run with the risen Jesus and experience unpolluted air and a body with some actual flexibility and praise God not only in my heart but with words to his face. He'd give me advice on my form and encourage me like he does now and I'd say, "Oh, so THAT'S what you were talking about!" Where would I run? To the chorus of trillions of angels and people praising God as one! NO racism but all races! NO communication barriers that are leapt upon by the Devil who loves it when we argue and go to bed angry at our brothers and sisters (can you recall a miscommunication? I bet.)
So, what are the facts? "But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"-1Corinthians 2:9
Also, as Paul questions, "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" Do you think that you deserve to go to Heaven because of how many times you prayed today? Or how someone insulted you and you turned the other cheek? Or because you work so hard at your job? Or because you have so many friends? Or maybe even because you fulfill your church box checklist each week? I have a running check list, yesterday the box: "Whistle at a raccoon while sitting in a tree while he walks under you and convince him you are a large bird," was checked.
How valuable is the cross...to you?
"Because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." So go and live in these implications, not out of obligation, but out of freedom.
By the way, if someone beat up your wife, would you stand by and walk away? Or would you fight the guy? If you truly loved your wife, you would stand up for her. In the same way, we are God's bride; we who have been welcomed to the family. We are being insulted, persecuted all over the world, killed, shot, mutilated-read Hebrews 11:36-38 or CNN. You think when God comes back he is not going to conduct holy wrath on all who do this? A loving God will. A loving God will also send his love, his son to die for all these sins and pour his holy wrath on him in ways we cannot imagine...this is a passionate God.
Back to the implications of the future we are promised! You've heard it; imagine Jesus Christ wiping away your tears forever and healing your deepest scars and satisfying your longings. Imagine never longing for companionship again because it is always satisfied. Imagine if that desire in every man's heart to win...at everything, is finally quenched when we touch Jesus' scars and stand in his victorious rays! I am still learning more great things that God promises for us who perservere in the faith...tell me more things please!
I leave with one final comment from Simon Peter, that burly fisherman who is just like you and me who denied Jesus three times, yet stood firm to the end after Jesus was raised from the dead and had a short meeting with him. "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."--2 Peter 3:18
I hope you are smiling as you revel in the implications of Heaven. I hope it shows you how quick this life is and how the pains we go through will be more than worth it in this life and when we kick the bucket. Just a shout out real quick to Seth Barnes Jr.-the guys in my hall and I had a day of solitude with God in the wilderness yesterday! It reminded me so much of the good times in Nicaragua with the scorpions and howler monkeys and the great teaching I had!
A shout out to Bill O who is famous for having great conversations over coffee, and Mrs. Marshall who is famous for those cookies (and of course her joy found in Jesus), to Pastor Nathan who is leading the charge back home and who belongs on a Harley, to my old pa and my mutha who meant right, and I thank God that he had you read this.
Have a wicked wonderful wild week (adjectives compli(e)ments of my hall friends).
What is going on? How have the winter months of the New Year been treating you? After coming back from Ohio, which is as flat as the book The Pride and Prejudice, the Vermont mountains have really been great to look at. My week break from school has been relaxing and rejuivenating. Well, here are my thoughts as of late--I pray that God will speak to you through them.
Supposedly, Peter, a follower of Jesus was nailed to a cross upside down. Paul was stoned so hard that everyone in the crowed considered their life sucking hands filled beyond measure. Paul lived on to preach the gospel and somehow eventually died doing so. The only person who really enjoyed the "old age" years was John the apostle and even he died. Also, Mathew was a dirty tax collector and Paul was apparently short, stout, and ugly and had a "thorn in the flesh" that God politely refused to remove. Was this a bad case of hemorrhoids, blindness, an awful wife (as one lady from Focus on the family suggested), or hoof-to-mouth disease? I don't know, but it was unpleasant.
We've got "thorns" we'd like to have removed-a big honking yellow tooth in the front, awkward limbs, a stutter, hearing problems, or conjunctivitis; you name it. Where would we be in this world of sin and brokenness if it weren't for these limitations? I can tell you, with our fierce Western individualism-cowboy-I-can-do-it-myself mindset, we would not look to anything, would not depend on anything for help in our day. Paul boasted about his limitations. God created his stout little legs because he knew Paul's fiber; He knew that if he were a pinch more attractive pride would swallow his ministry and he would be as good as a stump in God's Kingdom.
Over the last year and a half God has blessed me by lifting part of his protective hands and allowed marauders to storm my temple. Metaphorically speaking, I've been stoned, spit on, slapped, tripped, insulted, whipped with fiberglass and see many others including you reading who may have been blessed with similar blows. Every time I set out to spread the hope of Jesus Christ, several men take bats to my stomach and scream to me that I am ugly and a dirty sinner. Do you know this voice? Good thing I am a wild man for Jesus, created in his image and an heir to the throne of the God who created Vermont's mountains. Really, I hurt and want to quit, to choose to lust and be down and crumble like Allen Iverson's career as of late. Trust me, I've gandered that course and run those steep hills.
It has only convinced me of our desperate need of the grace, love, and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Judges 1:19 we read the words of a clever author, "but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had iron chariots." The men of God could not defeat their enemies because of their limitations. It makes sense to us doesn't it? The enemy is just too strong for God, or God's chosen people just didn't have iron chariots? Did God use Gideon and three hundred men to drive out and terrorize thousands of trained soldiers with pots and pans mothers once used to cook little steaks for children in? Did Joshua fail in his pursuit of the heads of Jerichonians because Jericho had a massive wall around the city? The author of Judges is testing us. Why do you think the men of Judah failed in Judges 1:19? Please read Judges 2:1-3.
Disobedience! God doesn't hold us accountable for our limitations but for what our actions are and where our hearts are. If we love him we will obey his commands right? If God tells us to love our neighbor and he happens to be homosexual, will you disobey God??
I write to encourage you that through my limitations, God has been able to use me in mighty ways! Last night I found myself at a bar in Burlington playing pool and telling an old friend from high school with a drug problem (that I might have if I were in his shoes) that I will be praying for him every day and I got to witness to three people my age, one was homeless and was able to speak the wonders of God to my best friend in an Indian tea restaurant with Pagan statues and prayer circles all around us. I had a blast!
I say this to brag about the faithfulness of Jesus, who said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full"-John 10:10. Trust me, at different times during the night, men threw bricks at my heart and I thought I would curl up and die, but through it I was able to listen to God's voice, "I am right here with you."
So tell God when you feel weak and ask Him to use you because when there is less of our Big Head, there is more room for Jesus to shine through us to pour himself over
Do you know what my favorite thing to do is? Have faith in people when they don't have faith in themselves. Maybe that is why I love running with people so much. Maybe it's because I am so familiar with the voice in my head that says, "No, don't do that, you can't do it, you aren't strong enough, God wont forgive you for...that." There's a freshman guy on my floor that is there because of God's will. We have developed a strong friendship. I, being a bit older than him and just coming off a year of having Seth Barnes and Jamie O'shea and college teammates pour their lives into me, have taken our friendship as an opportunity to keep the water flowing in his direction. Currently, he is away at an evangelical conference that he chose to go to a couple of hours away with people from his class. Earlier he was a bit worried whether people from his class would want to go. It was an honor to say, "This is a great idea, awesome, present it in the right way and they'll def. go."
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).
Do you look to someone, the Nobel Peace prize winner or the inventor of the golden toilette or Bush's Best Baked Beans, or maybe someone at college or work who has a really sweet mullet hat everyone loves, and say, "There's my answer, I'm going to follow that guy!" It's good to have faith in people, but when the mullet man shows up with an American Eagle Polo and short hair and makes fun of your mullet, or when the Nobel Peace prize winner screws up in public and everyone calls him a hypocrite, is your world going to crash down? If you put your hope in that person, the answer is yes.
I am calling us to have more faith in God. To have faith is to have freedom. To entertain anxiety and worry about how we are going to do this task or worry what's going to happen next or to worry that we are going to fail are forms of mini prisons. To show my faith in God's creation will continue to be one of my joys, but my ultimate faith will be in the one who promises, "I will never leave you or forsake you."
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.
It seems that God has been using me in ways that I could never imagine, especially when I think of who I am without Him. I have been working on a poem these last few days and prayed that I would have it done tonight; Praise God, it is finished! I write this to bring honor to God, my Savior. I wrote using some "thees" and "Lests" because I feel our language is very restricting and high falootant (how ever you spell that) and I wanted to be concise as possible--which I hope honors God. Read it slowly because it is this way.
We just finished having our first floor Bible study in Rickard. Had a brother seek prayer and I yelled with my finger out, "Leave!" because I sensed oppression...and later he came up to me with complete joy saying that he felt something leave and lift when I said that. I felt it too, blows me away. God's power is real.
Please pray for our prayer group, we had one man who said he felt he wasn't living the right way, he felt an uneasiness with his soul...and yet another that wished to always seek God, and to actually find him. There are powerful times yet to come! I am so glad to have a floor of like minded men! (but not perfect, in need of growth!). It is true that anything we do for our Savior deserves nothing from him, we are in eternal debt. When we do things for Him, we are to rejoice but know that we are simply his slaves, as Paul says. Slaves do not get anything from their masters, nor do they expect it. Lets be the same way in our service!
Our Time is Short
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
The One who strengthens what He must.
Dare I praise thee less this day?
Pray no!
Our song at sunrise,
During toil, our joy to quench
And peace as eyelids close,
Thy promised splendor my eyes do see.
Look, Paul and Timothy, with flutes they dance.
How restraineth He, the excited eternity?
Leaper with joy, like a dog at our names!
Persevere, lest He find you undressed.
Work as if you see His rod.
Repent, at last! Right yourself with God!
And call to arms faith shine righteousness!
Endless prayers for Brothers send
Praise to the Alpha, the Omega,
The Beginning and the End!
Amen.
Read the Word and be filled with life! Have a blessed weekend and coming week. Rest up, enjoy God! Love--Jose
Hey, thanks for continuing to check in on me and encourage me with your comments. I read some of them like six times a day because it feels so good to know people are praying for me and that God is using my blogs to speak to you as well.
Well, I am going to fill you in on what it's like in Ohio:
Cornfields are everywhere. Cedarville College is in the village of Cedarville, which is highly focused on community. During orientation cars would stream by with young kids yelling out windows and parents honking to welcome outsiders into the community.
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.
"Enjoy me" was your loving command, O Lord. These words have washed over me like refreshing spring water. It means to me that when I pray, "Your will be done," I fully expect it is the best thing possible for my life and a friend's life.
Your will is that I live life to the fullest, your will is that we all choose you-that we all choose to live amidst a world brought to its knees in the weight of its sin. Your will slaps passivity in the face repeatedly and grabs the reigns of Jehu's chariots, driving wildly. Your will is to love even our blemishes and to combat our fallen state by turning our weaknesses into might-and that we should love our brothers enough to expose their vices.
Your will is to make our burdens light so we can bear the burdens of others that stumble. Your will is to renew our strengths so that when we run we will not grow weary. And your will is that we sit up and breathe fresh praises to you, our Creator each morning.
"Your will be done."
Amen,
Love us who believe.
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.
29He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
30Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31But 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."
Your will be done. Amen.
Have a great week and enjoy our Savior!
Thank you for the feedback on that broad question that I asked. Dad-that is a very concise, holistic summary. I still think that you should continue your blogs (though they have always been ridden with spelling errors). Bill O, good point about media bias, I did not consider that. The reason why I want this question to be answered on my blog is to provide a light to the world, the actual Christian perspective on what the Bible says about God.
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!
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."
Things of this world are temporary as you can see. I wont be a runner forever, I am single, and Lassie is long dead and thus the joys obtained from these things will be gone. If we put our full joy in God, it will never pass away. Things such as beautiful art, Salvador Dali paintings, climbable, massive trees, and John Coltrane Jazz will merely heighten our joy and we can thank God for creating minds, nature, and music! Please, I urge you to make joy a discipline of yours, to become more like Christ. Sad times are temporary--with God and with us--because when we finally reach Heaven, there will be no more hurt, but continual joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength; focus on the eternal, focus on joy!
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.
That church in Dayton, Ohio, do you want to hear about it?? I thought it was awful for a long time. The worship sounded like a bunch of dying cows and everyone in the church looked fake, always greeted with the same, "How you doin'?" "Okay" "Great!" I was doing the same old riggamarole trying to have a "real" convo with someone when something moved on me. My eyes catch a man right in his scraggly beard all by himself, sitting down. I felt my Jesus say, "Sit next to that man!" I went to my seat-the usual one next to my ballin' Christian friends in a cluster. This time I checked with God and remembered his verses about the marginalized and needy and how Jesus treated them horribly right? Haaa No. I also "remembered" I would look weird/feel weird/could flat out creep the guy out. I stood straight up, screamed in my head for the Lord to bring love and before I knew it I asked the guy to sit with him and was feeling sick again-and it wasn't a pre-track meet nervousness. I was swimming in cat urine. This was Daryll and he reeked.
ul wrote the churches in Galatia about what grows on the vine that we can choose to be on. Gal 5:22-23 "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Since I chose to live on the vine (Jesus Christ), when God said "Sit next to that man!" I chose to pluck love and gave Daryll what God gives to me. He downed that pear so heartily that I hope he ate the seeds too because I know God will grow them. Mrs. Marshall (my neighbor up the hill!) thinks God is not done with Daryll...and I pray he isn't either! My relationship with Daryll is what I call a hand-picked, giant pear given to me by God because of love. You can pray for him-he has an awesome testimony but needs courage-and can also pray God will remove his tumor.
Hey, what is shakin' where ever you are? Have you been watching the college basketball tournament? I have watched a bit...all I can say is down with Duke...down with Duke! It feels like so long since I have written and I know that if you are a Christian, God has done some wild things in your life or taken you on a journey since then and if not, God is asking you, "Why won't you accept these gifts I give you?" We have a patient God. Trust me...if anyone could exhaust his patience I would have already. It took me 19 years of my life to start understanding what it truly meant for for Jesus to die for me, and I still am not even close to understanding the implications!
So, what are the facts? "
Supposedly, Peter, a follower of Jesus was nailed to a cross upside down. Paul was stoned so hard that everyone in the crowed considered their life sucking hands filled beyond measure. Paul lived on to preach the gospel and somehow eventually died doing so. The only person who really enjoyed the "old age" years was John the apostle and even he died. Also, Mathew was a dirty tax collector and Paul was apparently short, stout, and ugly and had a "thorn in the flesh" that God politely refused to remove. Was this a bad case of hemorrhoids, blindness, an awful wife (as one lady from Focus on the family suggested), or hoof-to-mouth disease? I don't know, but it was unpleasant.
plains, because they had iron chariots." The men of God could not defeat their enemies because of their limitations. It makes sense to us doesn't it? The enemy is just too strong for God, or God's chosen people just didn't have iron chariots? Did God use Gideon and three hundred men to drive out and terrorize thousands of trained soldiers with pots and pans mothers once used to cook little steaks for children in? Did Joshua fail in his pursuit of the heads of Jerichonians because Jericho had a massive wall around the city? The author of Judges is testing us. Why do you think the men of Judah failed in Judges 1:19? Please read Judges 2:1-3.
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.
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."
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."