January 31 - Splendor

Wow...what an extreme day. I completed three 30 minutes workouts with my classes, played tennis, got my 5 minute run in and ran a little with my track kids. My eyes are struggling to stay open...bear with me.

A Strange Love

If I was lost on the waves or found alone in a desert land,

I would rest easy and my spirit would be calm, by the touch of your hand.

If faced with great opportunity or to the point of my death,

My soul would be at peace, because you are the source of my breath.

In Romans 12, we are told to live sacrificially for God,

but in chapter 3, we all are guilty of sin, and it seems very odd,

that a God of such might, truth, and control,

could love me, a sinner, and make my heart whole.

Acts 9 represents the redemption of a man of ungodliness,

but the Light, revealed the evidence and it was obvious.

All throughout the day, I stumble and I fall hard,

I complain about the scrape on my knee, while your back has been scarred.

Your hands were pierced deeply, your beautiful feet were too, 

the skin on your bones were so deeply cut and bruised.

I've been the Peter, the Judas, the Thomas all the same,

just recognized as a man with a different first and last name.

Give me strength and the honor to stand like Stephen stood,

before the stones brought him down, for believing in what is good.

And as I revisit the cross on the hill of calvary,

I hear a soft, gentle voice, that is always near to me.

The life you lived and sacrificed, was perfect and so true,

"Father forgive them, for they know not what they do"

-cm

January 30 - Turmoil

Today is Sunday, therefore, no exercises.

Psalms 3

1 O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." 3 But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. 4 To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. 5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. 7 Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. 8 From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

Egypt (Cairo) is in turmoil. It's people are uprising and revolting against the government. We have all seen the news and read it in the papers. Muslims are attacking and killing Christians. Many of the Psalms pertain to prayer of protection, justice, peace, trust, and deliverance.

I will not say much on this topic, but the words of Psalm 3 are very clear and direct to this situation and any situation we as Christians may face in America.

These are very clear points:
1) God is the only true and real god.
2) Many religions doubt and speak against God and His existence.
3) The Lord will protect His people and will deliver justice against those that harm them.
4) God hears the prayers and cries of His people over the sounds of gun fire, broken glass, and sirens.
5) There is rest and peace in the Lord...physical and spiritual.
6) In many areas of the world, Christians are minorities. Christians are hated...just as God is hated.
7) The God of Love is also capable of fighting for His church. Buddah, Muhammad, hedonistic  
    believers, and many other false gods cannot stand a chance against God and His might.
8) God will deliver: from harm in escape from attack or upward to our heavenly home to reside with
     Him.

God's word is true. We have nothing to fear if we rest in His truths and His arms. As Christians, we may face turmoil, ridicule, anger from enemies, and mockery, but one thing remains true...God.

Pray for Egypt.
Pray for America.
Pray for Christians.
Pray for Reconciliation.

January 29 - Kindness

Today is the first day of week 5 (5 push-ups, 5 sit-ups, 5 minute run). The weather was outstanding today. I regret that I didn't find enough time to wash my car. I had a lot of happy birthday wishes yesterday...thanks if I didn't thank you already.

List 5 ways you can be kind to someone in your everyday life (mine are listed below):

1) Hold the door for a stranger or someone you know.
2) Pay for someone's meal in the drive-thru.
3) Pray not only for someone, but with someone.
4) Return a stranger's shopping cart for them.
5) Surprise someone you work with, with coffee or breakfast.

How difficult was it for you to come up with your list? I will be honest, I had to think mine out a little bit. Truth is though, throughout the day, I personally find myself doing things like holding a door for someone or picking up a dropped item on the ground, but when it comes to praying with someone it's a whole different ball game. We are instructed to show kindness within our lives, because God showed His kindness through Christ.

Ephesians 4:6-7

6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

We are held to a higher standard than non-believers who are conformed by the world. We have been transformed, in our hearts and minds, to live like Christ. Obviously, sin and temptation hinder this at times in our lives, but we have a greater calling. I know I go back to it a lot, but how awesome is the gift that God has given us? His only Son was sacrificed so we wouldn't have to suffer.

Kindness does not get you into heaven. A lot of people have acquired this mentality, which is scary. Giving donations to charity, holding doors open, and volunteering at a soup kitchen will not gain you salvation. The relationship that you have with Christ will however.  We are to be examples to those around us in the love of God. By letting someone have a parking spot in a packed lot may be a "dumb decision", but when you compare that to giving up someone you truly love for the sake of another's life, it's hard to argue to stupidity in it. Really, think about it.

You have a choice in this situation: It is raining outside and a family has locked their keys inside their van and you have a 200 yard walk to get into the mall. Do you:

A) Give them your umbrella and run through the rain and go inside as planned.
B) Keep your umbrella to yourself and act like you don't see them.

Hopefully you would choose "A" in this situation. Most malls have stores that sell umbrellas, so at least when you leave you can have some shelter. The family could be out in the rain for 10 minutes or more, but your kindness could provide them with some dry environment while they wait on a locksmith...oh and by the way, offering your cell phone to them to call someone would be another way to show kindness.

Now, a new situation: A stranger and her baby have depressed a trigger on a land mine in a grocery store (happens everyday, I know). The only way that they can live is for someone to hold that trigger down while they escape. The store is sold out of everything heavy enough to depress the trigger so it has to be a humans weight. Do you:

A) Apologize and walk away and wish them luck
B) Tell the stranger that you will take her spot and follow through with it.

Tough decision huh? Thankfully this isn't a very realistic scenario that we would face in our average trip to the supermarket, but it all makes sense when you look at the big picture. Christ saw the world standing on land mines. Each and everyone of use had depressed our own personal trigger. If we move, we die and we burn in hell. Jesus saw this and took action. He said, I love each and every one of you, even though you aren't consistent in your love for me and some of you even hate me. I will take this land mine for you, and you, and you...

What is the limit on kindness? I think we (and I speak to myself when I say we or you) get too uncomfortable to easily. Ephesians 4:32 states: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.

Christ forgives us over and over again. He died to let us live...and truly live. We have the opportunity to live with him in heaven if we only accept him.

Look for ways to be kind...

January 28 - Patience

I decided not to do my push-ups, sit-ups, or mile today since it is my day of birth. My wife loves me...that is a great gift.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15

14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

The instructions here are simple and meaningful. The words of God are not just random words and letters pieced together to make pretty sentences. We do not attain eternal life or bring glory to God for simply reading the bible. We do however get rewarded for believing and living out the truths we discover in each book, chapter, verse, and word.

Paul gives orders to the Thessalonian Christians in this passage that is backed spiritually by God's commandments throughout the Bible. First of all we are to warn those who are idle. These are the Christians that proclaim their faith, but never act upon it. "Lukewarm" Christians is a term that has been popularly used to describe the idle state of some believers. Many of us have been or are in this state. We are to also help the weak. This isn't necessarily describing someone as being physically weak, although we should reach out our hands to help the sick, but it's describing someone who is spiritually weak. Our friends at work, our family who have fallen due to bad decisions, and even people within our church family can become weak and weary. We should help these people by motivating, praying for them, and setting a Godly example for them to live by.

Preventing someone from seeking revenge on someone who has done them wrong is almost impossible. When human hearts get broken, humans begin to start acting ugly. As Christians, we are to remind those people of the love that Christ shared with humanity. The love of God is greater than any love I have ever felt or known, simply because I know that A) I am made in His image B) He gave His only son as a sacrifice and C) HE FORGIVES ME. Why can we not take that message to the hearts of our co-workers, friends, and family. People do wrong to people everyday. I am sure I have hurt someone in 2011 and we are not out of January. Vengeance is never the answer and thankfully, that is not how the Lord operates.

On a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being greatest), how would you rate your kindness level? Just be honest with yourself. Rewind your day and think about ever instance you can think of. Did you approach everyone with a servant's heart? Sometimes it's hard to be kind to those we are close with and those we barely even know.

It's amazing the witnessing opportunities we have with our lives. If we mold our lives after things of this world, that is who everyone will see. If we base our decisions and actions on biblical truths, then the work of the Lord will be carried out. I think of two wads of play-dough. You can take both wads to the beach and take them out to play with them. There's one simple difference though. One chunk of play-dough is enclosed within a plastic ziplock bag and the other is open and exposed. You drop both in the sand and one obviously stays clean. Our lives can be like the sandy play-dough, which has remnants and traces of the world's lies, scum, dirt, sins, and anger or our lives can be enclosed in biblical truths such as the ones listed above, in which people look at us and think, "that is pretty awesome...I want to be like that".

Lastly, verse 16 and 17 state: "Be joyful always; pray continually".

Make your life a prayer...a constant prayer. Our actions communicate to God our intent. If we love God truly, we will live out our lives as sacrifices, giving the most we can give to Him.

I want to be patient with those around me, because Christ is patient with me...

January 27 - Peace

I had a great workout with my distance runners today. I am looking forward to track season...tomorrow is the last day of week 4. Things are soon going to be more difficult...

Philippians 4:4-7

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understand, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I told myself I wouldn't blog about this, but I know it's only perfect for the subject. Before I dive into this one, I will not take any credit or pride in this story. The only thing I want is glory to be given to the Lord. 

Tonight, my wife and I made a run to Dairy Queen for a Birthday Eve treat. As we were driving along, we noticed a man holding a sign at the top of our exit. It was at least 29 degrees and he had a shaved head. We immediately turned to one another, wanting to do something for him. So, we decided to go to Dollar General and try to purchase a toboggan and maybe a few little things to help him out. Turns out, all they had were kids toboggans (I suppose adult heads do not get cold). After searching the store for a few minutes we decided to leave and pick up some dinner for him. We drove and got our treats and then headed to McDonald's, which was about 200 to 300 yards from this man.

All the while, I am thinking thoughts like, "Is this really a good idea?", "I am in shorts and I am going to freeze", "What if that guy pulls a gun on me", "What will people think if I am walking out there to him?"...and so forth. So we purchased a burger, fries, and a drink and I parked the truck. I looked at Shelley and said "I love you".

As I opened the door and took my first few steps of the 250 yard trek, I began to feel a comfortable peace around me. I was anxious up until this point. I had been warned all my life to stay away from people like this because of the harm they might do...and it's true, some people may intend to do harm. As I closed in on him, the sun was almost completely settled and it was growing dark. Cars were passing and stopping nearby at lights. It didn't bother me at all. I had one mission...to share what the Lord had blessed me with, with this man. A stranger.

I approached him and explained my intent and offered the free meal and he gladly accepted. I asked about his story and why he was out there. Traffic passing by prevented me from hearing everything that was said, but I knew that God was well aware of his past, present, and his future. Through conversation, I closed the meeting out by asking if I could pray for him. Harry said, "sure".

So, here I was, in the protection of the Lord, off of an exit from the interstate with traffic all around, in 30 degree weather...with a perfect stranger...in prayer. Just a couple of weeks ago, I had blogged about praying in ways that put us in a position of humbleness and uncomfortable settings. While I intended in that blog to have prayer like that in solitude with just the Lord, it seems so applicable in this scenario. Glass all around from car wrecks, 30 degrees, loud traffic, darkness, and a stranger...definitely and humbling experience.

These verses hit me hard tonight...in a good way. I sometimes feel that most of the Bible is made up of do's and don'ts and rules to follow. While that is true (thankfully), there is so much more to it. 

- While I was sharing my possessions and time with Harry, the Lord was near (v.5)

- As soon as I set out to meet him and share with him, my anxiety and nervousness disappeared (v.6)

- In prayer and conversation, I was surrounded in a peaceful protection that only God could provide (v.7)

In hindsight, I am so thankful for the opportunity to share with Harry if only for a brief moment. I am also thankful that God is a loving God who promises to take care of His people. We felt a calling to reach out to Harry and in faith I knew that I would be okay. Could Harry have pulled a gun or a blade on me and killed me dead on the asphalt? Absolutely he could have. I have a peace with God, that if that were to happen, I would be living eternally with the Lord. That would be the best way to go out...to die for the One who died for me! (Although, I would greatly miss many people and mostly my wife).

In closing tonight, again...I take no credit for what my wife and I did tonight. All glory belongs to God as He watched over and cared for me. Verse 4 is so simple and so true right now: Rejoice in the Lord always! I pray that Harry will rejoice in the Lord for the 2 minutes that not only was shared with a stranger who gave him a meal out of love, but the love that was shared through God. Maybe he doesn't know the Lord. Maybe I should have tried to take the conversation to a deeper level instead of just simply praying for him and buying him dinner. Or maybe, what the Lord did through me was just a seed planted. I pray that the seed will grow and truth will find it's way into Harry life.

I realize that Matthew 6:1-4 instructs us not to announce our gifts to the needy. My intentions here are not to brag or boast...as that is the reason I was hesitate to not blog about this in the first place. I feel that maybe this experience will motivate you to take that step out of your comfort zone and help those around you. Local missions exist within our lives...whether through an "organization" or simply by taking a leap of faith.

Praise be to God...

January 26 - Grace

So, Youtube has this deal with all of these recording companies that prevent people from using music on their videos. Why? I don't know. So, I believe I will start hosting the videos on the blog. If you didn't start this program at the beginning of the year, just remember it is not too late to start. You can start on week 4 now (4 push-ups, 4 sit-ups, and a 4 minute run or walk) or you can make this your week one. The most important aspect of this is to become more like Christ and stronger spiritually.

2 Peter 3:18

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Grace is a gift from God and it is a repeating term in the bible. This gift is the love and salvation that God gives, even though we do not deserve anything but death and hell. God's grace goes deep and is true. We sin and we break our Father's heart everyday, but His grace is so amazing (yes, just like the song), that He is willing to wash us clean. God is flawless. We are not. If we had the forgiving and loving heart that God has, the world could truly see the eternal promise and truths, instead of hypocritical people.

Earlier in chapter three, Peter reminds us of God's love and grace, but at the same time, His promise of returning and taking us home:

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

God is promising to be patient and understanding towards us with our sinful mistakes. All He wants is for us to recognize Him as a loving God who wants His children to repent and turn to Him for every need and desire. God's promise is eternal. Verse 10 further explains His promise. The day of the Lord will come quickly and stealthy. We will not have any kind of warning and that's why it is important to fear Him and make Him the Supreme Ruler in our lives. The skies will dissipate. The elements will cease in fire. The earth and every creature, person, and object will be demolished. At that point, His promise is fulfilled that if we believe and we have a relationship with Christ, we will be in the loving safe arms in Heaven. If we neglect this choice accepting the free gift of grace, we will spend eternity in hell...forever.

God's grace is beautiful. God wants to answer our prayers. He is not a bully or a punk. He doesn't look for opportunities to strike us down, slap us, or inflict pain on us. The Lord just wants to embrace us as closely as possible, regardless of the dirt and flaws we may have. Our works and deeds do not get us into heaven and into God's presence. Christ has made a way for us through the death on the cross. Acceptance of grace seems like a no-brainer, but sadly there are some who turn away for whatever reason. Whether they feel that God has no love for them because of a terminal illness in their lives, the loss of a job, the death of a family member, the hurt of a spouse, or whatever circumstance...God is fair, just, and loving. We can help tear down the walls of misconceptions that have been built in these person's lives. I work around people like this. Most likely, you do too. Share grace...

"By grace, you have freed me. I will not suffer anymore..."
- Inhale/Exhale

January 25 - Joy

There is supposedly a large winter storm front coming this way. I can't do anything about that. I have accepted this.

We are going to look at a few examples of joy within the scriptures. First off though, let's look at the definition of the word joy. Joy is defined as, the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying. I have found that this definition is partially correct in my view of joy. A big part that is missing and not connected with this definition is the aspect of love. Love is a reoccurring theme in the pages of the Bible, as well as in my time spent with God.

John 15:11-12

11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Philippians 2:2

2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Philemon 1:7

7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Here are three prime examples of joy and loves correlation. In John 15, Jesus wants us to experience the joy that he has readily available for us to experience. He wants us to be complete and alive for him. We need to live for a greater purpose instead of investing our time, money, and energy into earthly things that are worthless in the end. He goes on to explain that we are to love each other, just as He loves us. This isn't just a request, this is a command. We are to show love to Christians AND non-believers. Christ didn't take on the Christ and say I am just going to save my friends, my mom, and some kids. He loved everyone so much that he gave his life up, just as his father commanded. God commanded his Son to suffer torture, take nails through his wrists and feet, and take upon death. Jesus did it. Jesus commands us to love each other with the same sacrificial love that he shows us daily. Do we do it? It is not an easy job to follow Christ. As a matter of fact, it's not even a job. It should be a joy.

In Philippians, Paul presents us with a similar verse. He is talking about a complete joy (sound familiar?). Paul recognizes the call of Christ and is dedicated to fulfilling that call. As Christians, we should be like-minded, which means we have the mind of Christ. Imagine having the mind of Christ. What a beautiful experience! To dwell constantly on the scriptures. To understand the call of God. To be willing and humble enough to go and carry out God's commandments. Our minds are so handicapped at times. We give in to temptations and think about junk throughout the day. The one purpose that Paul is talking about in this verse is the same purpose that Christ presents to us in that we should love each other as He loves us. Just to back this up and make sure we are clear on this, John 14:15 explains it further:

15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command..."

Paul addresses Philemon and commends him of his love. He explains that seeing the impact of Philemon's love and passion has given him joy and encouragement. So, from one Christian to another, joy is experienced because of the love expressed in spiritual living and living out the commandments of Christ. That means I could be a source of love and joy for those around me! I have the opportunities throughout the day to cause pain, neglect, hate, discouragement, and emotional turbulence. I also have the opportunities to share the love that Christ has placed in my life and show joy, hope, forgiveness, understanding, patience, and so much more! I was once a slave to sin, living for the world and the things within it. The devil had a smile on his face while I fell into the holes of sin and despair. I am no longer a slave to sin as Christ shared his love with me when I was 10, regardless of the dirt on my record.

This gives a whole new meaning of "joy to the world"...

January 24 - Infancy

So far, so good. Physically, I am getting stronger...at least in the sense that I am becoming accustomed to setting aside a period of time every day for exercise. I feel I am also becoming strong spiritually, as everyday I am opening my Bible and getting into the truths embedded in the word. God's love is outstanding. I am still struggling with becoming motivated and comfortable with sharing with those around me more. I hope that you are seeing improvements as well if you are joining in...

Hebrews 5: 11-14

11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

One question: would you rather be a baby or an adult? Honestly, in my opinion both have their pro's and con's but the adult side wins it for me. As a baby, think about the thought process of seeing things. You have no idea what a ceiling fan is. You have never been taught what a bird is. You don't know colors, numbers, words, or what smells belong to what objects. That seems horrible to me...but at the same time, a baby has no responsibility. You need to use the bathroom? Just go. Someone else will clean it up. Feel like hurling your Gerber's everywhere...go for it. Mom's got a rag.

Now, enough of the nasty and gross descriptions of the life of a baby. However, as an adult, it's not much different. No, we don't go around puking on people and using the bathroom on ourselves during a meeting or at lunch. We make our share of messes though. Our thought process gets us in trouble and we suffer the consequences. As an adult, we have lots of responsibilities - whether you are married or not. Homeless or a home owner. No matter what.

In this passage, we see that some Christians are like babies and some are mature adults. Babies need milk, which is a liquid and easy to take in. It provides all the nutrients (for the most part) that an infant would need. The comparison here is relating Christians who struggle to live and understand basic biblical principles out in their everyday lives. We should be "teachers" of the gospel, but truth is, some do not understand the basics enough to share it with others.

On the other hand, the mature Christians who eat solid foods, are trained in the gospel and in faith to react to sin in their lives. These Christians are strong in the word and can recognize evil and good. Living by bread (solid food) instead of milk, is much harder, as there is much more responsibility involved and expected.

No matter our situation, we should recognize that someone has taught us and helped us along the way. As a baby, you were taken care of by somebody. My mother took care of me. I am thankful for that. She understood that I was incapable of doing the basic of things. All I could do was look around and spit up on myself. She knew my needs and she met them. Likewise, Christians who can teach and share should minister and provide for those who are in need of growth and improving. Being able to live on "solid foods" or living by the spirit in righteousness carries much responsibility and is not an act. It is a true way of living. Maybe there are areas in your life, as there are in mine, that we can improve on to become more mature in our walk with God.

I don't want to be a baby...

January 23 - Comfort

No video or exercise today....

Psalm 142

1 I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. 3 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. 4 Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no cares for my life. 5 I cry to you, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." 6 Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. 7 Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

In this chapter of Psalms, David shows his dependency of God's love and mercy. He is not afraid to actually speak aloud, or even cry aloud, in prayer to God. In response to his prayer, God comforts David. We don't know exactly from reading this one chapter that God delivers him from evil and provides for his needs. We do know however, that God hears his children. He listens. He cares. He acts. He protects. If we live in faith, God will always be a prayer away.

David mentions specific things about himself: 1) he has complaints 2) he has troubles 3) his spirit is growing weak 4) his path is uneasy 5) no one cares for him 6) he is desperate 7) he is a prisoner

David also mentions specific things about God: 1) God is merciful 2) God is a listener 3) God knows David...everything about him 4) God is a refuge 5) God is David's portion...his desire, need, and necessity 6) God is stronger than any man 7) God is worthy of praise

Without God, David is weak. We are all weak spiritually in comparison to the Lord's strength and power. Why would anyone choose to live by his/her own standards and by walking their own path, instead of trusting a fool-proof life in the protection and care of God? This week, if I feel I have been cheated, I am going to try to go to the Lord in prayer. If I feel weak spiritually as temptation creeps at me, I am going to place my faith in the Lord.

We may not be God, but He gladly bestows his love and power in our lives. In times of trouble or grief, He will provide and comfort.

Make a list of everything God is to you (I will help get you started if you agree with these):

Protector. Warrior. Beautiful. All-Knowing. Father. Creator. Redeemer. Safe Haven. Holy. Worthy of Praise. Provider. Amazing. Listener...

January 22 - Sincerity

Today is the first day of week 4. This means four push-ups, four sit-ups, and a four minute run.

Romans 12: 9-10

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

These two verses sum up our calling as Christians. They are not difficult verses to understand. We are to love sincerely...that is the difficult part. Sometimes, my aggravation and emotions get the best of me and a wall is constructed between me and the person I am communicating with. I think we all can get carried away and distracted from our ultimate goal here on earth. The mission to love includes sharing Jesus with a dying world. That also is a difficult thing to do. It is easy to understand the instruction, but difficult to follow through in carrying it out.

We are instructed to hate. Who said that Christians are to never hate? Do you really think God only loves? God hates sin. After all, sin is what nailed His Son on the cross to save this world from suffering forever. We are to hate sin, just as God hates sin. That doesn't mean that a person who is an alcoholic will be hated by Christians. The sin is not the sinner. If we went around hating the sinner, we would all hate each other...and that wouldn't be a very pleasant sight.

Finally, we are to love one another above our own selves. God tells us in John (chapter 15, verse 13) that, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends". This verse isn't only talking about the willingness to sacrifice our lives for those we love, but that we sacrifice our time, our money, our possessions, etc. I believe if we all would begin to put our friends, family, and even strangers, above ourselves, we would experience life in an entire new way.

Love sincerely. Hate sin. Place others first.

January 21 - Imitations

Snow day. Today was the last day of week three, which means starting tomorrow reps and minutes bump up to 4.

Ephesians 5:1-2

1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

What was your favorite halloween costume growing up as a kid (or even as an adult, as some still dress up)? This past halloween, I was forced to wear a costume, so I cut Mickey Mantle's face out of a magazine and put it over mine. Cheapest halloween costume ever...

As kids we imagine ourselves as astronauts, professional athletes, actors, soldiers, cowboys, ballerinas, and so forth. As an adult now, I still imagine myself playing sports like certain athletes. Even at 25, I still have role models...most likely you do as well. Here is where I am going with this:

1) We are to imitate God, with the love and affection that Christ shows towards us.

2) If we live in this manner, we will become excellent role models for those around us.

Christ was not boastful in himself. He didn't seek to have his name in shiny lights and pasted all over billboards. He doesn't ask for salary raises or 4 year contracts. He would give up his sports car to anybody who needed it. His mission was and is to love. We are to imitate that within our own lives. Others need to know why we are humble, gentle, sacrificial, and loving. If they don't see that in us, then there won't be any curiosity.

As a teacher, I have a great opportunity to turn things around in the youth in our community. If I present myself to them in a manner that is pleasing to God and reflective of Christ's love, then lives can be touched. This calling is not to pretend to be like Christ...but to live our lives in a Christ-like way.

Imitate Greatness...

January 20 - Enemy

Long day at school. Got home at 10:15 or so. Hoping for a two-hour delay.

1 Peter 5:8-11

8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

The devil is real. As Christians, he is our enemy. He is waiting with deceit and temptation in his heart. Failure is what he thrives on. Setting traps and snares in our paths, he wants to see us fall. Sadly, we play right into his plans at times. Verse 8 describes his intentions...

The devil is illustrated in this passage as being a roaring lion. Lions are ferocious animals. If you have a cat as a pet, just magnify it by a thousand and pump some steroids in it's veins. Then smack it across the face with a newspaper and see what you've got. He is looking and waiting for someone to devour. This isn't a playful lion cub who rolls around and nibbles on things. This is a full grown, adult male, angry and abused lion. It wants revenge so it's going to devour you...and as verse 9 explains, it's going to devour me as well.

The devil is going to rip off our arms, our legs, our ears, our eyes, our heart, our everything. We are the body of Christ and he is planning to do harm to each of us. When body parts start missing, the church or Christ's children begin to fall apart and miss the mark. We each play a role, maybe we are the arms, but it's hard to hold out our hands and give to someone with out arms to support our hands. When the church becomes disabled, the ministries of Christ begin to dwindle and become desolate. He tempts us with what hurts us the most. It could be addictions, or lust, or theft, or greed or anything that causes separation from our heart and God's. There are so many avenues the devil uses against us and when we give in, it distances us from God. This is a battle that must be fought.

The devil is our enemy. He hates us. Satan wants to see us die. We should have our defense up at all times. Our spiritual guns should have our crosshairs on his head and ready to pull the trigger. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as squeezing off a round into the devil's head. We have to be smarter and stronger, spiritually. See, the devil is smart. He knows our weaknesses and he knows what can pull us away from God's will.

Verse 10 explains that through Christ Jesus and the suffering that he endured and that we will endure through oppression and temptation, we will become stronger and resistant to this kind of behavior. The word says that he will bring restoration to our lives. We are truly blessed to have such a loving and almighty God who is willing to train us and work with us, through our failures and mess ups. The devil only wants to see us fail and fall. Between the two, I believe serving Christ is the most logical and perfect way to go. The power is found in God our Father.

Pull the trigger...defend yourself with the Word.

January 19 - Bears

These full school days are wearing me out. Today, I had a mild, but very useful wake up call on the example I set for others around me. It's amazing that the words we speak, no matter if there is intention for hurt or not, can have such great effect on those that hear what we say. My goal for living in the upcoming days is to speak positively and withhold any negative feelings or emotions.

Galatians 6:1-5

1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.

In this passage, I see two sides. The other is the load that we bear on behalf of our brother or sister. One side is the load that we carry ourselves. We are obviously called to counsel and help others who are struggling in life and in spiritual battles. We should gently and with love, approach that person in efforts to let Christ use us to touch the heart of that person. Verse one alerts us though, in that we should be aware that we can get caught up in the sins that our friend or family member is struggling with.

Verse two is the root of bearing another's burden. We are instructed to carry each other's burdens, but only in a manner in which it glorifies Christ, not ourselves. Many times, we get an ego boost or feel good inside because we are counseling and aiding someone when they are at a low point. Don't get me wrong, you should get a good feeling from carrying out the call that Christ has placed upon your heart. To know that you are living out the word is a very good thing. Sometimes, we carry burdens with a thought of making ourselves look holy or better, with everything figured out. Our intentions should be from the heart to serve God, not ourselves.

Individually, we can serve and help others find their point of spiritual restoration, but as a church we can do the same. We think that a week of missions a year and financial giving is enough. Truth is it is a constant love. As God's people, we are to bear the burdens of the poor, the prostitute, the filthy, the rich, the young, the old, the addicts, the drunk, the intelligent, the dumb, the homosexual, the lame, and the list continues. God loves the man who has a dollar in his pocket, just as much as the man who has $100,000,000. We should do the same, with a heart of compassion, not selfish ambition.

The side that we bear ourselves is found in verses 3 through 5. Verse 1 and 4 clearly warn us that we should watch ourselves because we could be tempted. A famous line comes to my mind, "check yourself, before you wreck yourself".

2 Corinthians 13:5

5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves...

If we aren't strong enough to withstand the possibility of temptation in faith, we should be careful of bearing another's load. At the same time, if we approach bearing the load with the wrong mindset and heartset, then we could also be tempted. 

Through testing ourselves, as verse 4 instructs, we can find a sense of humility in examining ourselves, not in comparison to someone else, but in comparison to the word of God. To reflect on yesterday, we are all unrighteous. We all have sins and burdens to bear. We are responsible for this load.

So, in summary, we can bear two loads. Our load and our brother's load. We have to be careful how to approach taking part of someone's load. We must check ourselves, or we might wreck ourselves and fall into sinful desire or even let that person down. We have to live by faith. Our measures and standards that we are to live according to are not found in this world, but in the gospel. 

If your heart is right...bear someone else's burden. If you are spiritually weak, find restoration in your life and seek counsel in someone who is willing to bear your burden in the right way. People need the love of God. It is our duty. 

The first step is sometimes the hardest...

January 18 - Righteousness

Rainy day. I had a good nap when I got home, although it was one of those naps in which I was so tired, I hit the snooze on the alarm clock, but I don't remember it at all.

Romans 3:10

10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one..."

This is a simple and truthful verse. There is no way to escape the truthfulness in these words. Nobody measures up to God's standards. Every single person is guilty of falling short of God's standards as well as defacing God's truths. We are told not to steal, yet we take extra long lunch breaks. We are ordered not to lust, but we catch a glimpse or more of the girl or guy who is in the next checkout line. We are instructed to not put any other "god" before our God, but we consume hours of internet and hours of TV without even touching our Bibles or praying to our Lord.

You may think though, I have been going to church since I was 7, I am righteous. No, you're not. It doesn't matter how long you've been attending church. You may say, well I have stopped sleeping around with my classmates and I have stopped drinking and smoking, that makes me righteous right? No, it doesn't. To live out God's instructions and and will without flaw is to be righteous...and none of us do that. All people have gone astray. None of us are righteous...and that places us in a tight spot.

See in Romans 1:18 it says, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness..."

God could have it out for us, for our unrighteousness enrages Him. The wrath of God is capable to destroy us and send us to hell. Scary though huh?

Rewind just one verse back though. Verse 17 states, "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."


In the word of God, righteousness is revealed. The gospel reveals that Christ made an escape route from the grips of hell and the wrath of God, in that if we believe, faithfully, that Christ died and rose again, he will save us. God demands righteousness in our lives. Through us, we cannot achieve righteousness. God provides this righteousness though...what love our Father has for us.

Surprisingly, we still have a pride issue. We care too much of what people think. We should be spreading this good news to everyone. We should talk about it at dinner. We are ashamed though. We hide it because it makes us uncomfortable and probably makes other people uncomfortable. I don't want to be a minority in a conversation. Paul has something to say about this...

Romans 1:16

"I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..."

Christ took the cross to save us from the wrath of God. I need to take the pride down and ready myself to share this with those I come in contact with. The gospel is called the Good News for a reason. We dance around the subject as if we are breaking the news to someone that they have just been diagnosed with a severe illness or disease. Rightfully so in that case. No one wants to deliver bad news. This is the crazy part though...

The anger and wrath of God (the severe illness or disease) is cured (by faith in Christ Jesus). The good news is that there is a cure. Why would we hide that?

People are dying of a severe disease. There is a cure. We must share it with them...

January 17 - Ephphatha!

Today seemed long. I got a lot accomplished though. Got a few things checked off my list for the week....ready to add more things to the list now. Tonight, I had the opportunity to play some basketball at a local church just down the road. It was fun and rejuvenating, but something stands out in my mind more than anything dealing with basketball. The devotion halfway through the night was based from Matthew 22:37.

37 Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'

Enough said. Exciting new things are coming this way...thanks be to God for each and every one.

Mark 7: 32-35
Mark 8: 23-25

32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. 33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. 34 He looks up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). 35 At this time, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" 24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Two instances in which Jesus performed healing miracles (though, not the only two). He healed three forms of handicap, the inability to hear, see, and speak. The characteristic that stands out to me about Jesus in these two examples, is that he is willing to get his hands dirty and humble himself before the lame to bring their sight, hearing, and speaking abilities back to their bodies. Christ has a way with working with people, no matter the situation. These men experienced these miracles firsthand and people heard about it, even though Jesus had told them not to talk about it.

This same man that performed miracles was crucified and strung up on a cross. Something isn't right with that picture. It seems as though Christ should have been living in a palace in a high place for all the mighty acts he had performed and the life changing experiences he brought to people. That's not how the story goes though. Thankfully, we can't change that. Thankfully, Christ was man enough to carry out the will of God on the cross for us. By the way, Christ is in a high place right now, waiting on his children to come home. That's a comforting and excellent thought to ponder on.

I gather one more thing from these two examples. If Christ is willing and able to heal the lame in these two passages in Mark, what is to keep him from healing us? Not necessarily in the physical sense, but in physical and spiritual. Why do we doubt his power and his love for us? Why do we think we can do everything on our own? These are serious questions that we (myself included) need to get right. Christ performs miracles in our lives everyday. If you doubt that or question that statement, think about how you received our salvation. Everyday we are saved from our dirty sins that we continue to fall into.

Why not let Christ touch your life? Why not show that love to others?

January 16 - Standards

No video or exercise today, as it is Sunday. This 5 day week is going to feel like 10.

Amos 7 (7: 7-9)

7 This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the Lord asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" "A plumb line, I replied. Then the Lord said, "Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. 9 "The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam."

I first learned what the phrase "plumb line" meant at the age of 24 when my father-in-law helped me put up our privacy fence. I had seen a plumb line be used before growing up, but never knew the terminology used for it. Here is dictionary.com's definition of plumb line:

Plumb line - a cord with a lead bob attached to one end, used to determine perpendicularity, the depth of water, etc.


The plumb line in our case was used to check the line and level of the privacy fence we were installing. I am sure my father-in-law has used a plumb line on more than one occasion since he builds decks. Without using the plumb line, we may have been able to set our fence correctly and level in all forms: both vertically and horizontally, but I honestly doubt that judging with the untrained eye we would be able to do so. Amazingly, we used a technique that had been around since at least 800 B.C. 


In Amos, God's standard for the people of Israel is representative of the plumb line. He clearly showed the illustration of the plumb line used on a wall built in the city, but shows the truth and relevance by saying he would set a plumb line among His people. God would bring destruction upon Israel later on, but the important message we find here is that God has a set standard for His people. This standard goes for Adam and Eve, the people of Israel, Jonah, people in the wild west, and us in modern day time. The crazy thing is this: God's standard never changes.


Just because our times and culture changes, doesn't mean God changes with it. My wife and I were in discussion today and it was brought up that some teenagers who claim to be Christians are drinking, being sexually active, doing drugs, going behind their parent's backs, smoking, etc...all the while having a guiltless conscience. Something is wrong with that picture. 


I can remember when I first saw a pornographic image growing up. The guilt that came from that almost ate me alive. I knew I had done wrong and had gone against everything I had been taught growing up. It was a totally different world I had stepped into and the guilt gnawed at me. The standard that God had set for me had not been met. I fell short. I have fallen short many times in many different areas of my life. 


The difference is the intentions of our culture. The problem is not the mind-set of our society, but the heart-set. Guilt for doing wrong against God is not something these teenagers or other people experience. Guilt for getting caught and suffering the punishment of a parent or police officer is more ideal. If we claim to be Christians and truly experience the relationship with God, there will be guilt. 


God's standard is high. His standard is perfection. Nobody walking this earth can meet that standard. There's not a preacher, monk, or nun that can even come close. The only One who was perfect was sacrificed for our imperfections. God can destroy lives to provide hope and understanding of the purpose of His high standard and love.


Choices made daily can better or destroy life..

January 15 - Isolation

First day of week three. 3 push-ups, 3 sit-ups, 3 minute run. It was such a nice day compared to the past couple of weeks. I hope you are staying active: physically and spiritually.

Mark 14:32-38

32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch." 35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 "Abba, Father", he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." 37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

I see two examples within this passage:

The first example is that of Christ Jesus. He understands that he will be arrested soon and his human life would soon be coming to a painful end. Nonetheless, he knows that he NEEDS his Father (yes, the same Father that betrayed him and set him up for agony and mockery). There is a plan though. Jesus chose the path of isolation to connect with his Father. He told his disciples to hang back and watch for him. They weren't on guard to alert Jesus if someone was coming because he was ashamed of praying, but they were watching for the soldiers coming to arrest him.

In isolation, away from all the distractions that were present even in those days, he was one-on-one with God. When was the last time you were one-on-one with God? For me, I honestly can't remember. I can recall prayers in which I was connected to God: praying at dinner with a TV on in the background, praying while driving to a destination, praying while running, praying while taking flight on a plane in a thunderstorm, praying while a preacher is praying...all of these examples have some sort of distraction involved. Jesus needed that isolation though. So he went away from everything and what he did next is something very few of us have ever done.

In verse 35, Jesus fell to the ground and prayed...

This is not carpet ground or tile floor that he fell to. This is dirty, soily, dry, dusty, hard, ground. He humbled himself to the lowest possible position at that time. He would later humble himself into God's will to save humanity. When we pray, we are lying in bed, sitting in a booth, chair, pew, or car seat. Sometime we choose to stand to pray and sometimes we go to the alter. It's very rare though that I will go to my front yard away from TV, PS3, laptop, comfortable couch, DVD player, etc and drop to my knees. I cannot recall the last time my face was planted into the dirt and grass just begging for God to be in control. To take this one step farther, Jesus prays that he would do what God's will would be for his life. What an example we have in Christ!

God tells us to change jobs...we ask, "why"? He calls us to do work in the church...we say, "not right now". Our Father says, "go", and we simply stay stationary, because it's comfortable. Christ on the other hand had it all together. God said, "take agonizing beatings, let them spit on you, watch your 'friends' turn away from you, suffer with nails in your hands, a spear in your side, and crown of 3 inch thorns in your forehead, while your blood drains and your body begins to fail". Christ did not say "not right now". or "I don't have time", or "pick someone else". No, he said, "okay, I'll do it. It's your will and it will be done".

Our second example is Simon Peter. Jesus comes back from praying and finds him sleeping. Jesus, trusting that he would be on guard and alert, is disappointed that he failed at doing something so simple at such a crucial time. To make matters worse, Jesus went away to pray again, and found Simon Peter sleeping again, and once again after that. Three times, Christ found his disciples sleeping instead of praying.

Does this sound familiar? It does for me. I can't recall praying, humbled in the dirt, but I can recall many times praying while slowly drifting to sleep in bed. We are called to be on guard against this world. We are to be in prayer to avoid temptations, but we spiritually and physically fall asleep. Attempt to find isolation and humbleness in prayer.

I assume it's harder to sleep praying on the dirty ground than in a comfortable bed.

January 14 - Courage

Today was the last day of week two. Tomorrow starts week 3: 3 push-ups, 3 sit-ups, 3 minute run. I hope if you have joined me, you will continue to follow this program and I would love to hear from you. Now to the most important thing...spiritual matters.

Deuteronomy 31:6

6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.

I found a daily Bible quotation and memorization section in the back of my old Bible tonight. Today's verse is the one listed above. I dug deeper and here's what I found:

Moses, at the age of 120 years old, was called by God to go and speak to Israel the word of God. His message was to go forth into the nations that God had just destroyed and take possession of their land and their things. Since Moses was so old, Joshua was sent as the forerunner. Twice in the first 8 verses of chapter 31, Moses reminds Israel and Joshua to be courageous, unafraid, and to know that Lord would not forsake them. Obviously, God meant business as He destroyed homes, building, people, families, and possessions. He had a bigger picture and a better picture in mind for the people of Israel. Joshua would be the new leader to fill the shoes of Moses, but the plot thickens later in the chapter as God calls Israel out for being rebellious and tending to turn away from the will of God.

What can we take from this? The biggest thing that stands out to me is that God is able to do anything. I mean ANYTHING. If he wants the walls of my house to collapse while I sleep soundly, He can make it happen. If he wants a tree to fall on me while I am running and break my arms and legs, He can make it happen. The Creator of this world is in full control. Just as in this chapter, He has a plan for the people of Israel, Moses, and Joshua. He made His plan clear and He carried it out, with full authority. The people of Israel were to be strong and courageous, to not be afraid or to be terrified. What would help protect Israel from harm and fear? The latter part of the verse explains that the Lord is with them and that He would never leave them, or forsake them.

God is calling us, His people, to go forth through the destruction and filth within the world. He has a plan for each of us. Just because this message originates around 1400 B.C. doesn't mean it's not applicable in our modern day society and within our community. Our actions can change things. Our words can touch hurts. At the same time though, our words and our actions can break hearts. We should not be afraid of this world or the people in it. We know that God is with us and is not going to leave us. God knows that we are going to rebel against Him. Whether it be small sins or huge mess ups. He knows. Thankfully, though God has mercy and grace on us...through his Son we have second chances.

Am I being strong? Are we being courageous?

January 13 - Dirt

Today was our fourth day out of school. In a way, I have enjoyed this secondary winter break, but at the same time, I'm ready to get the ball rolling. We are continuing the 2x2x2min workout today. Tomorrow will be the last day of week 2. Then we are bumping it up to 3x3x3 minutes. I sure hope it warms up quickly.

1 John 2:15-17

15 Do no love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Let's begin by looking at Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". From this verse on, we see evidence of God's creation. He made this world. John the Apostle is telling us to not have love for the world. Confusing, right? Well, when we dig deeper into the verse we find that he is specific in his examples of what we shouldn't love in the world. The cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and bragging or boasting about the thing he has or does.

God's created universe was beautiful and perfect. Then in the garden, Adam and Eve perverted and changed the course of history. Since then, humans have been warping and twisting God's creation in every direction. God wants us to love His world. The animals, trees, the ground we walk on are all great things they are evidence of His might and power. However, when we begin to desire and show feelings of want and idolatry to things such as: alcohol, porn, money, boats, fancy cars, jewelry, stocks, violence, drugs, etc...we end up hurting God and hurting His image in us. Just because we have a sinful nature embedded in us, doesn't mean we can just give up and give in to the world and it's darkness. Just as verse 15 states, if we love the worldly things we are surrounded by, we do not have or show the love that God has for us in our lives.

We are to be useful tools for God. We should speak against things like pornography, drugs, alcohol, pre-marital sex, affairs within marriage, but to be honest, we don't. We turn a blind eye to those things, because we don't want to be involved with it at all or we are involved and we don't want anyone to know about it. God's love is strong. It is stronger than any worldly object or idea. Our sinful nature prevents us from letting that love grow and expand into the lives of those around us.

I can save up my money for the next 30 years to buy the sweetest spaceship that Nissan or Ferrari is selling at that point, but when I die, I can't take it with me to Heaven. I can spend hours watching dirty movies and listening to awful music, but in the end, I'm just wasting minutes and hours of my life (while perverting my mind). I can drink myself to sleep at night and pop pills to kill any pain in my life, but after all is said and done, I have destroyed my life in addictions and wasted my money.

We take nothing to Heaven with us when we die...except for the crowns of glory that we will lay at the Father's feet. What's worth living for? What's worth dying for?

My answer is the same for both questions.

January 12 - Provider

Not much to say about today. Didn't leave the house. Spent more than 10 hours working on school related inservice matters. I'm tired of looking at this screen. This is going to be short...

John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. 18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

I decided to continue the Provider topic as I began to think that God was a provider for the world, just as He was with Jonah. These verses are some of the most recited and memorized verses in the Bible, especially verse 16. There are some important keys to remember when reading these verses:

- God had a plan from the beginning. To share His love with the entire world.
- His love was translated to us through His Son, Christ Jesus.
- We have been provided an escape route from condemnation, or eternal life in hell.
- God is real. He is as real as the chair or seat you are sitting in.
- God's word is real, embedded and surrounded in truth.
- We are to live out our lives, according to the Word of God, exposed in truths and righteousness.

But there are still a couple more keys that we should notice:

- We mess up.
- We have been given a way to erase our mess-ups. That way is the truth and the life...found only in Christ.

It's as simple as:
- Believe in Christ and have life eternal in heaven.
- Refuse Him and His grace and when your life on earth ends, it will get hot fast.

Last thing we should remember:
- Hell is real. It's fire is real. It's continuous death is real.
- Heaven is real and is available for those who believe.

I do not know why I do not share this personally with those I am around in my everyday life. I think part of it is fear of what someone might think. In the words of dc Talk, "What will people think when they hear that I'm a Jesus Freak"? Think about it. So what if I run the risk of someone thinking I am crazy or a "Jesus Freak". I have a truth in my heart that is to be shared with everyone. That Truth must be shared...

Reveal the Truth in your life...

January 11 - Jonah (Pt. 3)

Today, I got my run in twice. Another camera malfunction. It's all good though. I also biked on the new bike trainer while watching a movie. I'm pleased with it. It's a great workout on these snowy days.

Jonah 2:1-6a

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said: "In my distress I called to the Lord. and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. 3 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.' 5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever...

So, Jonah was cast overboard into the waters. We know from reading that as soon as Jonah was thrown into the water, the seas and storm was calmed for the sailors he was with. God held up His end of the deal. However, being tossed into the  middle of the ocean is not a very good situation to be in. Jonah slowly dropped into the waters, deeper and deeper. If you've ever tried to hold your breath underwater for an extended amount of time, you know it can get pretty scary. As the currents tossed him around and the waves crashed over him, he thought that this was it. Jonah said, from the depths of the grave he called for help. That is a pretty low and desperate place, but the beautiful thing is that God listened to his cry. Not only did He listen to his cry, but He acted in mercy and grace by saving his life.

Jonah 1:17

17 But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

You probably thought I forgot about this very important verse. God provided a great fish to swallow Jonah. In our most desperate times, God provides for his people. People who struggle due to unemployment will be provided for as long as they have faith in God and act on that faith. Think about the homeless man with the "golden voice". God provided for him. In interviews, he thanked the Lord numerous times and spoke of how without God he couldn't have shaken the habits that was ruining his life. People who struggle with drugs, alcohol, lust, greed, malice, anger, and many other issues can turn it all around. God may not send you a horse on the interstate when you car breaks down, but you may be able to use that cell phone that HE has provided for you. God provides for His people everyday. Whether it be the small things like having power in your house or food on the table, or big things like landing a steady job or even being swallowed by a whale when you are drowning in the ocean.

Pay more attention to the blessing and care that God provides for you...

Also, if I missed anything, this little girl should take care of it:

January 10 - Jonah (Pt. 2)

Working three days a week doesn't seem like a bad idea. Too bad, after one more snow day we will have to start making days up. Today, we bought a bike trainer (for my birthday), even though it's for both of us. Sometimes those are the best gifts...I plan on riding a while after dinner. Please remember to pray for those who were involved in the shooting in Tuscan and the families grieving losses and injuries...

Video note: you should notice that I completed my 2 push-ups, 2 sit-ups, but I also added in a little extra exercise...the cat press.

Jonah 1:13-16

13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, "O, Lord please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O Lord, have done as you pleased." 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.

Yesterday, we saw that Jonah ran away from God's call and it ended up bringing a lot of trouble to some strangers that he was sailing with. Reading further into this passage, it seems that these sailors aren't as bad as we imagined. Modern day sailors would have filled the pages with explicit words and drowned their despair in alcohol. These guys took into consideration the life of Jonah. The last thing they wanted to do was to toss this guy overboard, even in their frustration and anger. They also realized that Jonah's God is a true and mighty God. It's amazing that even in our moments of rebellion and fear, God can use us to witness to others. The men prayed to the Lord. This is a big moment in the story. These men had their gods that they chose to worship and trust, but after realizing that the Creator of this world was causing this raging storm, they placed their faith in Him, trusted Him, and the storm was calmed.

Jonah ran away from Nineveh, because he felt God was putting him in a tight spot. God still used Jonah. We think sometimes we are not in a position to witness or share the love of God with others, but in reality, God can use us in situations from small scale to big scale. In this case, these men found God in an extreme situation. Yes, Jonah could have preached the gospel in a big city that had been turning corrupt, but God used Jonah on that boat. The important thing I need to always remember, is that if God is calling me, I must listen and do as He says.

Trust is a very important aspect in any relationship. Whether it be with a friend, co-worker, spouse, family member, or even your pet. In these four verses, we see trust in three different ways:

1) The sailors trusted that if they threw Jonah overboard, God would answer their prayers and calm the storm.
2) Jonah trusted God to spare the sailors lives as he accepted full responsibility and told them to cast him overboard.
3) God trusted that Jonah learned his lesson and was ready to come back to place of humbleness, willing to be used by Him.

Tomorrow, we get to look at Jonah disguised as seafood...