May 30 - Commands

1 John 5:3

3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.

If we do not love, we do not know God. We may know who God is, but we do not KNOW him. In order to love, we must love him by keeping his commandments. Christian living is not dull and mundane. It is actually quite the opposite. Sure, there may be trials and temptations that drag us down, but what else can you live for that gives eternal rewards? Living by God's commands is not a chore or punishment. It is a choice that each one of us has to make. We can either live for ourselves and seek satisfaction in earthly ways, or we can seek out God's face in everything we do and strive for holy living. If others cannot see the love of God in you, don't blame it on their perspective. Do a self-check daily and see where your love meter is sitting...

and I will do the same.

If I truly love God, the evidence is simple. Keep his commands.

May 29 - Husbands

Ephesians 5:25

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...

Proverbs 18:22

22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.

As husbands, we are giving something beautiful through the Lord. To have a wife is a blessing and even more so, to have a wife that loves God is greater. If having a wife is a great gift, why do so many husbands, including myself, neglect to show our wives that we care and appreciate them. If someone were to give me a check for $100, I wouldn't put my chewing gum in it or try to make origami shapes with it. I would invest it and take care of it.

The same is true with our wives. We should consider it a gift to wake up to her the next day, to share a conversation with her, to help in cleaning the house, to share a dinner with her, and so much more. Marriage is a beautiful pedestal or platform...our priorities as husbands should be to first of all glorify God and make sure he is sitting high on our platform of marriage. Secondly, our wives should follow to be given respect and honor...just as God designed it.

Christ gave himself up for everyone. He has given us an example to follow with our everyday lives.

We must humble ourselves, not daily, but down to every single second in order to be more like Christ.

May 28 - Living

WEEK 22 (22 Minute Run: 22 Push-Ups: 22 Sit-Ups)

We are called to a life of:

HOLINESS (1 Peter 1:15-16)

15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

* Holiness is nothing less than the conformity of the character of God.

God is constantly calling his people to be like him. We are not naturally holy...we are naturally sinful. He wants me to look like him in everyday life in everything that I do. Holiness is not acting like a perfect person or talking like a preacher. Holiness is carrying ourselves with the behavior and with the mind of Christ.

God did not send his Son to die on the cross just for us to have a free pass to escape hell. God saved us so that we could do something with our lives to bring glory to him and through that life and relationship, we are rewarded with the eternal life in heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

14 For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

As Christians, we are not characterized as sinners. Yes, we sin and fall to the temptations of the world, but we are characterized as followers and imitators of Christ. The gospel tells us that sin has no power over us as believers, because God is bigger and stronger than sin. Christ's death on the cross gives us power to turn away from sin...

A LIFE LIVED FOR GOD'S GLORY

Life is a gift that has been given to me from God. This life was given to us to use for God's glory...not to be wasted on the things of this world and for selfish desires. EVERYTHING is about God...not about me.

Colossians 1:16

16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things we created by him and for him.

God created me to accurately reflect who Jesus is through my everyday life. 

Acts 20:22-24

22 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

Paul recognized that his life was not his to live. He understood that it's not about him...it's about Jesus. This is a beautiful example of fully committing his life to Christ. Whether murder, imprisonment, beatings, or any other persecution...his life was dedicated to glorifying God. 

We should step out of our comfort zones and to glorify God...every little thing in our everyday life should reflect God's glory.

REPENTANCE AND GROWTH

Everyone falls short (Romans 3:23) of God's glory. God has saved us by his grace and he has sustained us by his grace...GOD IS FORGIVING!

God's standard is for us to live a life of holiness...and we will fall short. As Christians, we cannot just take on apathy in our sin, live to a lower standard set by ourselves, hide or pretend that we are doing enough, or not care enough to avoid repentance. Those are sinful responses...

The Lord is patient in our growth. Repentance is changing our mind and heart in accordance to living for God. It's a turn from sin. Confessing our sins is a must every single day. We all fall...every single day. We not only need to confess to God, but we need to confess to other people in our wrongs that we do. This allows for prayer between believers and God to aid in healing and growth.

May 27 - Glory

Psalm 115:1

1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory because of your love and faithfulness...

If I do not focus on bringing glory to God, I will never measure up to the standard at which I NEED to be. Man's standard is no where close to God's standard. If my motivation for life is Christ, that is all I need...

May 26 - Hunger

Got a good run in tonight on the streets of Murfreesboro with some friends...check out the city lights at 800%. Just hit play.

I did not do push-ups or sit-ups today because I don't like to lay in the floor of a Ramada Inn bedroom.

John 6:48

48 I am the bread of life...

Are you hungry for him?

May 25 - Ownership

"In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, 'That is mine!"

- Abraham Kuyper

May 24 - Aliens

1 Peter 2:11

11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

Peter is addressing us as Christians in the passage. It may seem weird at first to be titled as "aliens" or "strangers". It's hard not to connect movies like E.T., Signs, Alien, Independence Day and so forth, when you hear the word aliens. This is not the type of aliens we are being referred to however. We are like aliens in the sense that, the major population of people on this planet live according to the world's standards. This standard is not set high and is preached against throughout the gospel. We are a minority and non-believers look at us without understanding or knowledge of why we live the way we do.

It is our calling to live according to the scriptures and to abstain from the worldly desires that lurk around every corner. The last part of the verse is the most important. The world is at war with your soul...

You have one soul. Only one. Christ has blessed us with one life to live and when we accept him as the way, the truth, and the life, our soul is committed to him. You have two options: roll over and die while giving up your soul to the world -or- fight and battle daily to keep your soul clean and pure from all the impurities that the world reveals.

If you are ready for battle, go check out Ephesians 6:10-18...

May 23 - Redemption

Isaiah 44:22

22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you...

Enough said.

May 22 - Everything

1 Corinthians 16:14

14 Do everything in love.

This is a difficult task. Paul is talking about doing everything in love...everything. The only way to do everything in love is to have the attitude and mind of Christ. The only way to have the attitude and mind of Christ is to be drenched in the gospel and discovering his face, voice, and ways through prayer.

Love.

May 21 - Association

The race went well today. I finished 4th overall. Today began week 21...

Proverbs 13:20

20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

There are a couple of famous quotes that are attached to this verse. The first is, "guilty by association". The second is, "you are who you hang around with". So many times, people fall into trouble and sin because they chose to hang with the people that danced with temptation. If you hang with people who drink, you will most likely drink as well. If you ride in a car with someone who drives dangerously, you run the risk of being in a horrible, life changing accident. If you associate yourself with liars, thieves, and  addicts, you too will walk the edge with those same people.

As Christians, we should associate ourselves with brothers and sisters in Christ. We can build each other up and support each other if we fall. This doesn't however, mean we should avoid non-believers or those who sin against God willingly. Surround yourself with pure hearted Christians with the same objective...glorifying God. Likewise, approach others with the love of God, making it apparent that there is so much value in that love and mercy.

Your existence is not a mistake.

May 20 - Sleepers

[No Video]

Running a race tomorrow, therefore I did not run today.

Ephesians 5:13-14

13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

It's hard to produce fruit and harvest if you are spiritually asleep. It's also hard to harvest crop without the light from the Son.

May 19 - Belief

2 Timothy 3:1-5

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them...

Does this sound familiar to you? It sounds like the world to me. I see all of the described sins everyday at work or at some point. This is in reference to the last days. We are living in the last days...

Again, I do not claim to believe that Christ will return on Saturday...although he has the capability of doing so. I find it humorous however, that the Atheists and non-believers are throwing a "Rapture Party". Here's why:

Atheists are people who do not believe in God or any other god or deity that might be considered as powerful. So here are these people who deny the existence of God or anything else, but yet they buy into the idea of the rapture on Saturday. Therefore, they really aren't atheists because they believe. Whether they come out and say it or not, they in fact, believe that God exists. If they didn't believe they would go about their own business on Saturday without giving any attention to the possibility of Christ's return.

So, to all the Atheists out there...since you have discovered that you believe or at least acknowledge the existence of God, try to continue to believe and attempt to open your heart and mind to something bigger than you or anything on the planet.

May 18 - Cults

1 Peter 4:7

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

With all the talk of Christ's supposed return on Saturday and the Atheistic people who are throwing a party, I find this verse to be fitting. First of all, I do not believe that Saturday is the day of Christ's return. Some might say, "how can you call yourself a Christian if you don't believe Christ will be returning on Saturday?". That's just it...the word of God does not reveal that Christ will return on May 21st of 2011. Is it possible? Absolutely. Bottom line is: Christ will return when God designates the time for him to do so.

Atheism is a cult. A cult is anything that adds to or takes away from Jesus Christ. Christ is perfect and nothing needs to be added or taken away. If you want to go to a "rapture party", prepare to submit yourself to a cult. If you believe that there is no God and that you are the most supreme being in the world...go party it up. I've got news for you though: you will find God. It may be too late at that point, but you will find God and you will either be accepted into his loving arms and given eternal life in heaven, or you will be cast into hell to burn for eternity. "That's too harsh and old-fashioned" you say. Things of this life may be inconsistent, changing, and unreliable...but the word of God never changes.

So...with the end of all things being near, we should have clear minds and be in prayer. Whether it's the end of the world or the end of our lives, our hearts and minds should be prepared for what follows.

James 4:14 says... Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

May 17 - Cuts

Week 20 ( 20 Min Run : 20 Push-Ups : 20 Sit-Ups)

1 Peter 2:24

24 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.

Tonight, our cat, Rhea, decided to climb my back. She left a 7 inch or so deep scratch/cut in my lower back...

After throwing her across the room (I didn't really throw her...although, it would have been ideal for the situation), I thought of how Christ took beatings and was mocked before the crucifixion. He was spat on, stripped bare, forced to wear a crown of thorns, whipped, beaten, and forced to carry his own cross. The weight of the world was literally on his back as he bore every sin that you and I have ever committed. Those sins have been acquitted through God's sacrifice. Peter reminds us that Christ died with a purpose and we should be reminded of it everyday.

No one could ever or will ever be able to sacrifice like Jesus did...perfectly. No one will ever need to do so...

May 16 - Boldly

Ecclesiastes 7:20

20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.

We all struggle, both Christians and unbelievers alike. The world is trying to get its hands on us and make us its own. We all fall short of God's expectations and when we mess up, we fail bringing glory to him.

Christ has made a way for us to escape the grips of the world and to live boldly for God. Nobody should consider themselves better than or higher up than any other individual. Instead, we should be reaching out and ministering to those around us. This is a beautiful message of recovery, redemption, and reconciliation.

From Genesis to Revelation...it's all true.

May 15 - Predicitions

[No Video]

Revelation 22:7

7 "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book".

This morning, I read an article in USA Today about a person/group who believe that Christ is coming back on May 21st this year. I don't know all of the details on this prediction, but I do know these things:

Christ is coming back.
No one knows the exact time or day.
My actions better reflect my love for him.
My heart better be fully committed to him.
Heaven is my home.
God's word is true.

May 14 - Vision

Luke 18:42

42 Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."

In this passage, Christ healed a blind man in Jericho. I cannot help but tie this into the grace and salvation that Christ demonstrates to us through his death. We are all born blind...maybe not physically, but we are born blind spiritually. We have two options to choose from in our lifetime. We can accept Christ and choose to walk with him and in his ways, keeping his commandments and spreading the gospel to a blind world. We can also decline to know Christ and continue to go through this world blindly.

As a blind person without help or guidance walks in an unfamiliar area, the same is true for unbelievers walking through this world. There are traps, obstacles, and hinderances around every corner. These traps are not just baby traps that might feel like a bump on the head or a sting on the arm. These are death traps. From birth we are cursed with death from sin. Talk about a double whammy...we are blind and dead.

Thankfully, Jesus Christ said to me..."Receive your sight; your faith has healed you". Jesus allows me to see right from wrong, good from bad, life from death. I no longer have to worry about walking blindly off the edge of the cliff of the world and falling into a burning hell.

Are you blind or do you see 20/20?

May 13 - Salvation

I could type and type and type on this subject, but instead I will post one verse:

Acts 4:12

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

Jesus.

May 12 - Increase

Today, I was three minutes into my run and realized, “I won’t have an opportunity to run tomorrow”. Innovative thinking kicked in and I decided to double my time from 19 minutes to 38 minutes. It is hard to push yourself and continue to run in heat for twice as long as you have been running typically. Nonetheless, I completed the 38 minutes, which I will split into two parts (one for today and one for tomorrow).

I see similarities between running a physical run and a spiritual run. A question all Christians should ask themselves is: how much time do I spend training spiritually for the long term competition? Honestly, this year has been great so far because my spiritual life has been strengthened through devotions every day.

We should consider though, that we could double up on our training to dig deeper in truth and purpose within our relationships with God. Instead of a 1 minute prayer on the way to work, try a 2 minute prayer. Instead of a 5 minute Bible study while eating breakfast, do that same 5 minutes at breakfast and an additional 5 minutes before you go to sleep.

My body hurts right now. I’m not whining, but I am stating the obvious and I hope you find truth in this correlation:

When we dive into God’s word and communicate with Him spiritually, our spirit and our hearts can hurt (just like hurt follows an intense workout). We don't want to hear the truth at times, because as they say, "the truth hurts"...especially when it goes against the way we have been living. Some might say, “Why would I want to hurt spiritually?” That’s an excellent question that deserves an excellent answer.

When our heart breaks, we become closer to God. When we mourn for the state of our relationship with God, or of the church, or of our marriage, or in any circumstance that is tied to God, we become closer to Him. If we avoid confession, communication, learning, and all other aspects of a relationship with God, we do not get any closer to Him, but yet distance and barriers begin to separate us.

Double up on your spiritual walk and see what happens…

Matthew 5:4

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

May 11 - Goliath

Week 19 (19 Min Run : 19 PU : 19 SU)

Israelites vs. Palestines

We know the story very well. We learned it as we were growing up. It's a story of the underdog...

I encourage you to re-read the story found in chapter 17. The story parallels with the battle we face every day in a sense. No sin is not bigger than us, but we have been called to fight against the ways of this world. David and Goliath go head to head and David walks away victorious. God gave David the courage, abilities, and power to take down one of the biggest Palestinians on the battlefield. This wasn't just given to David though, but through faith, he attained the skills and power to complete such a task. Pay close attention to the opportunity (see May 10) that was laid in front of him as well.

What Goliath's are you facing? As a teacher, I feel the weight of the world beginning to press down on me throughout the day. I have to observe things I don't want to see. I have to hear things I don't want to hear. I have to put up with attitudes that are as close to evil as you could get without meeting Satan face to face (maybe that's a little far fetched). And to offset these worldly things, I have nothing but faith. It's just too bad I have to keep quiet about it though...

Goliath took a stone to the dome from a small teenager who stepped out on faith and followed God. Three views:

1) Goliaths tempt us and can intimidate us daily. How we handle those situations, reveal our love and commitment to the Lord.

2) There are some teenagers today who go to battle every day against the Goliaths in the hallways and classrooms of the schools. These teenagers are very rare and are in need of your prayers in order to continue pressing forward with faith.

3) The Goliaths should be fearful when they see Christians approaching. We may be small in number, but with God...ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

Keep the faith. There is victory in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:57-58

57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain...

May 10 - Ministry

Week 19 (19 Min Run : 19 PU : 19 SU)

Luke 12:48b

48...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

The Lord gives me so much. He gives me food, shelter, relationships, a job, a car, a bed, water, a wife, good children (pets), and opportunities.

Opportunities? Yes, opportunities. We never really think about it, but opportunities to serve God are some of the most moving blessings we can have as Christians. Think about it. If we are given a vehicle, how do we use it to glorify the Lord? In most cases, our main objective with said vehicle is to get from point A to point B. If we are blessed with a turkey dinner on Thanksgiving, the last thing on our mind is how we can bring praise and honor to him through devouring platefuls of food.

With opportunity, when treated in the correct manner, we can glorify God with our gifts and our talents. Also known as ministry. If we set aside our lives and humble ourselves to serve others in Christ, we make God happy.

Answer this question: how often throughout the day or week or month, do you upset God with your actions and decisions? If you are like me, it is a high number. Now, how many times do you make God happy and pleased? It looks like I can count on one hand instances over a week's span. We should be seeking out opportunities to deliver the gospel message to those we come in contact with. We should be discovering our gifts and searching for ways to put them to use in the church. Opportunities are given to us to grow stronger, but most importantly, ministering to others.

The Lord gives much. Much is DEMANDED.

This is our call.

Answer it.

May 9 - Goodnight

Psalm 4:4

4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

Every night, when I lay down to sleep, I am silent...but I don't always search my heart. In the dark and in the night hours, we possibly find the only silence we have had all day. We should take that time and reflect and search, just as the word describes. 

May 8 - Cars

[No Video]

When buying a car and feeling unsure about the decision you are making to trade in your car or not...the last thing you want to hear from a car salesman is:

"I don't want to try and push you towards doing this or not, because that's a decision you have to make on your own, BUT it's only a matter of time in which you get rid of that **** thing".


Honestly, those were the words I need to hear. I had known this guy for about 20 minutes and he thought he had me figured out. He thought I disliked my car and that I would want to get rid of it. Little did he realize, what he said flipped a light on in my mind. I have been blessed with a great car. I have been blessed to financially take care of the payments and enjoy it. Do I care what anyone thinks about me in my ownership of my car? Nope. If they think it's cool...fine. If they don't...fine. I am not my car...


Ask my students about what I think of my car and they will tell you that I say, "it's just a car". I care for it and try to maintain it...but it's just a car. 


What does this have to do with faith?

Well, yesterday at a car lot...I "fell in love with my car" again. Now, I don't necessarily love my car like I love my mom or my wife or even Rhea, our cat. Let me explain further. I don't love my car, but I love being blessed to have it. I know it is against the word to love the things of this world. I love the blessings that God has poured out and into my life, even though I know I don't deserve them. Through an experience though, I realized, I didn't put 30,000 miles on my car in misery. I enjoyed those miles...every single one.

I also find myself falling in love with my wife over and over again. Sometimes, I don't show it...but it's nice to know you've got something grand and you want to take care of it. To make it even better, to know that God has provided me with my car...and provided me with a loving and beautiful wife...it's priceless.

God gives us blessings and we sometimes lose sight on how magnificent those blessings are. Count your blessings and give thanks to the Lord for his endless love.

Happy Mother's Day! Thanks mom!

May 7 - Application

Week 19 (19 Min Run: 19 Push-ups: 19 Sit-ups)

2 Timothy 1: 7-8

7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

Most of the time, we avoid conversation about faith, God, or living according to the word. We avoid it, not because it doesn't interest us, but because we are afraid of what someone might think of us...or that we don't know enough. In either case, there is a solution.

If we are afraid to converse in the love of Christ and all he has done for us, we should be aware that our nature as a Christian should be one of confidence and strength. Being timid, as this verse describes, means that we are spineless and afraid. There are so many verses in the Bible about us being strong in the Lord and finding refuge in him. No matter what, we should be aware that God's word strengthens us and is more powerful than ANYTHING. If I am timid and I do not converse of the gospel, my faith needs to be strengthened and exercised by studying the word and praying.

If we feel we don't know enough about the word, this is the solution: study it. Surround yourself in the message. Most importantly, we should exercise the word and apply it to our lives. Through application, we become more knowledgeable. This knowledge isn't necessarily a head knowledge, but a heart knowledge.

To find the truth, we have to navigate through the lies. Close out the world and open the word.

May 6 - Escape

Jeremiah 26

I encourage you to read chapter 26 of Jeremiah and even chapter 25 as a lead-up to it. In basic, we find Jeremiah presenting the word of the Lord to the people of Judah. Not just the people of Judah however, the officials were present. He put his life on the line, to relay the message from God that this group of people should clean up their act and that the Lord was going to send disaster their way. Change was necessary for Judah. Jeremiah said, take me and do what you will with me, but if you kill me...know that you will bring the guilt of innocent blood of everyone and the city.

The officials and the people decided that they should listen to Jeremiah and spare him because they knew God would bring their city down.

In this passage, Jeremiah could have easily been murdered by the hands of the people of Judah for carrying out the message of the Lord. Instead, he escaped death and the message was spoken and received clearly.

If we examine our Christian lives, we realize that at a point death had it's grips on us, but by stepping out in faith and receiving Christ as our Savior, we escape that death and we are given life. We should remind ourselves everyday that this life is a stepping stone to eternal life in heaven with a magnificent Savior. God has called each and every one of us to deliver his message to the people in our workplace, community, city, state, country, and the rest of the world.

May 5 - Origination

Romans 10:17

17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

If faith is strengthened through the word of God, why are we not concerned enough to drench ourself in its truth? Faith originates through God's word. We should strive to be surrounded by people who live and speak of the word. We should be caught with our nose in the Gospel seeking the answers of life. We should be sharing this growing faith with a dying culture.

May 4 - Simplicity

Week 18 (18 min run: 18 push-ups: 18 sit-ups)

John 14:23-24

23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me he will obey my teaching. My father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Jesus' words are simple and straight from the heart. It makes me think of the quote, "There are those that do and there are those that don't." What's even more beautiful about this phrase is that it is spoken of Jesus, but it originates from the Father. This is a God-breathed message to not just his people, but to the entire world.

It's as simple as:

If you love Christ (to truly have compassion and desire to be of him) then you will live your life according to the gospel. This doesn't give us any right to pick and choose what to live by...it is a relationship and action of love that requires commitment in entirety.

If you don't love Christ (no interest or belief in him or his righteousness) then you will live by the world's standards. You cannot serve to masters...

To live by the word would make it necessary to know the word...

May 3 - Justice

Week 18 (18 Min Run : 18 Push-ups : 18 Sit-ups)

Ezekiel 18:23

23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

Obviously, this is directed towards the popular news of the death of Osama bin Laden. There are three types of people I found in this entire process:

First of all there is the joyous and overexcited person. This person has no lament for Bin Laden or any other Muslim extremist. He or she yells in excitement and possesses the attitude that the US is the strongest, biggest, baddest, and most perfect country in the world. No tears are shed. No good things are said (not that there are really any positive things we can say about a man like that).

Secondly, there is the uneducated or unknowing person. This person is very "out of the loop" and almost apathetic. Disrespect or neglect towards our military is often in this person's character.  Famous lines of this person include: "Who cares?", "Who is Bin Laden?", "Why the big fuss?", "Explicit, {anti-government}, explicit, {anti-positiveness}".

Lastly, there is the Christian view that many of us are struggling with. This person struggles because half of he/she wants to celebrate and feel joy that justice has been brought swiftly through an evildoer. The person behind thousands of deaths and schemes to kill more has been eliminated. We are caught in the middle because our Christian beliefs cause us to feel sorrowful that this man never received Christ as his Savior. We are hesitant to rejoice because we would be rejoicing the death and eternal burning of a human life.

The question that surfaces in my view of this entire situation is that in the third person (the Christian). If we mourn or pretend to mourn because as Christians we are expected to do so, WHY ARE WE NOT TRYING TO REACH THOSE THAT ARE LIVING?!

Honestly, I'm not sure of anyone that would walk up to Bin Laden's doorstep with Bible in hand and preach the gospel. If someone disagrees I have two responses:

It's a lot easier to approach a deadly terrorist with the gospel when they are dead.

and...

Why didn't you, or someone else, make an attempt to reach Bin Laden?

We can take this experience as a learning opportunity and begin to try to reach every person, no matter their level of dangerousness. One thing is for sure though, we can celebrate that we know an awesome God who loves his people and delivers justice where it is needed. It is not our place to celebrate the death of a human life, but we can rejoice that God is in control and justified in his actions.

May 2 - Kings

Week 18 (18 Min Run : 18 Push-ups : 18 Sit-ups)

Daniel 1:5,8-10, 12-17

5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service.

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.

12 "Please test your servants for ten day: Give us nothing but vegetable to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the win they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. 17 To these for young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

A popular fast right now is one that is called The Daniel Fast. When I read this passage, I do envision a group of young men eating at the king's table, carelessly and in a manner that is unhealthy. The purpose of Daniel's stand against the king's food and wine, was to reveal multiple things...but resulting in one main objective.

Daniel wanted to treat his body as the image of God. We have been created to live as men and women, created in God's image. If God sat down everyday and ate meal after meal, without limits or restraint, we would find that God is selfish and irresponsible. Our bodies are temples of God...how we treated our bodies reflects our love and appreciation for God.

Daniel also wanted to show that God would provide his needs through just the basic needs. Sure Daniel could have sat down and been overly stuffed with the king's food and drink, but he knew that it wasn't part of God's plan. God promises to provide for his people. Through vegetables and water, Daniel and his friends went ten days and proved to the king that by continuing down the path they were on, would be unhealthy and deadly. You know that feeling you get on Thanksgiving where you feel like your heart will stop at any moment, your blood is barely moving along, and your abdomen could burst open at any given moment. This is this lifestyle that these men were living under the king's order.

Besides the health and nutritional viewpoints in this passage, the big thing that stands out to me is that we can take this story and apply it in so many different areas of our lives. The world (the king) is constantly offering us the 'finer things' that turn our heads and please us for the time being. We have an option in this situation:

We can partake in what the king has offered us and live in a self-satisfying way

or

We can decline all the worldly riches and trust in the basic needs that God promises to his people.

Are we less human if we don't drive a 2011 BMW or Mercedes? Are we less important if we don't own a boat? Am I a failure if I don't have 5 different credit cards and a 3D TV in my bathroom?

If I have a relationship with Christ...I cannot fail.

At the end of the passage we discover that God blessed Daniel with the knowledge and ability to interpret dreams. This is his gift that God has given him. He trusted God, took a leap of faith, resulting in blessings from God.

The Lord wants to use his people in ways to bring glory to his kingdom and make his Son known to the world. If I live by the world and partake in the sinful desires that tempt me, I cannot bear fruit and utilize my spiritual gifts.

The king offers you temporary contentment and satisfaction. The King of Kings offers you eternal embrace, life, joy, peace, forgiveness, and most importantly a relationship that WILL NOT fail.

May 1 - Promises

[No Video]

How much time do we spend wound tightly, reared, ready for defense?

Being awake many times means we are in some kind of battle.
And some of us feel pummeled.
While others are tired of pummeling.

Let go, for just a moment, and let yourself sigh into a reality of these promises:

1. You will never be left. You will never be abandoned.
2. You will always be forgiven.
3. Everything that happens works to our advantage as believers, even the bad things.
4. You will not die.
5. You will always find help.
6. You will always be heard and understood.
7. You will always have your physical needs met.
8. You never have to worry about what people say about you. Their opinions are not facts.
9. You don't need to compete for attention. You already have it.
10. You will always be cared for.

Don't think, don't analyze.
These aren't steps, they aren't commands.
You don't need to do anything right now.
Do not allow your mind to drift to worry or guilt.

Just sit. It's ok.

We all need to be reminded.

These aren't slogans, and they aren't asking for a donation.
These promises have not been brought to you by an organization, church, or agenda. These promises only come with one condition: that you believe completely in the person behind them.

You may now return to your life of concern...

Wait! We forgot about promise #11:

If you stay, you won't ever regret it.

- Andrew Schwab Fame Is Infamy