I Don't Have An Answer.

Today I spent church in HBIC which was my church home for half of my college life and today I was reminded why I love that place. Pastor Woody is a crazy crazy man who has a lot of stuff to say and when he really wants to penetrate with his words, he can. And today he did that exact thing to me.

He preached out of Matthew 10:16-39 which is the end of the Jesus' Sermon on the Mount which is the greatest sermon that was ever written to my estimation. At the end of this "sermon" Jesus talks about persecution and brings the parallel that since he was persecuted and eventually killed, we as Christ followers should expect the same. It's the reason why Paul says in Romans that "to die is gain."

Pastor Woody dug even deeper on soo many levels but one point he hit was that the reasoning Christians should readily accept death is because we, as Christ followers, are already dead. Jesus commanded us to take up our cross, which was the ultimate instrument of death, and to follow him.

Wow. That got me to think if I was really willing to die. I know that I've said it before but is it actual reality? Furthermore, it got me thinking on Worship and worship songs.  It made me think about how many songs I sing as a worship leader and if I was to put myself on the psychologist's couch, I honestly don't mean. Let me give examples of what I'm talking about.

From the Old Gospel Tradition: I Surrender All

I surrender all,

I surrender all;

All to Thee, my blessed Savior,

I surrender all. 

Do I really want to surrender everything to Jesus? No, I wanna hold on to my selfish tendencies, I wanna live my life My Way as the Frank Sinatra song says.

Urban Gospel: I Give Myself Away

Take my heart,

Take my life,

As a living sacrifice;

All [of] my dreams,

All [of] my plans,

Lord I place them in your hands.

Sure, it's nice to say that I'll give my entire life to Christ. That Jesus can have all of me but do I mean it to the extent of the lyrics? Probably not.

Contemporary Christian: From the Inside Out

In my heart, in my soul,

I give you control,

Consume me from the inside out.

Once again the selfish tendencies take over. I don't want to live entire as Christ. I don't always want to love my enemies. That's stupid. It's difficult. Meh.

Let me take it a step further. This sermon got me to think about the extent of what I believe. No, I'm not claiming any loss of faith on my end.  But this has brought out a questioning side of me like none other. In some way or another I enjoy having some type of answer to any question theological or practical. But on my subconscious side, there are just some questions that I can't fathom no matter how much I BS it.  Questions that I come to God as ask why? For the first time in my life, I'm completely humbled to the fact that I don't have the answers to some questions.

Let me give examples of said questions:

Why is there sin in the world? I mean fundamentally, God reigns over everything but decided to give us choice and one choice is sin. Why even give us the choice?  That just made life more difficult and overly annoying.

Why do the most righteous people I know suffer? I understand that the world is going to persecute Christ followers but why would God allow us to suffer from diseases such as cancer. I already surrendered [most of] my life to Christ so why do I need to still suffer physically?  It doesn't make any sense.

Why isn't the Bible completely historically accurate? If bible readers were to be honest, they would say that some weird stuff go on in the Bible. What's up with that!?  The academic side of me is puzzled by it.

I can keep going and going. 

It's ok. It's ok that I don't have the answers. That's what faith is for. Faith is believing and knowing that there is a reason to all the pain and the seemingly discrepancy tendencies of life.

I broke down. My life was shattered. I was humbled. I'm ready to be restored by Christ.  

Last thing I'm going to say is that answers to the aforementioned questions are in my noggin but the doubt doesn't fully go away. So I don't want people to think that I can't answer those questions.

Blessings, 

MJA

God Is Good!

I'm going to try something here that I don't know whether it's going to work or not.  I'm going to post the 3 reasons that I love Jesus.

And I want to see how many different responses we can get.  So for any of my readers, I invite you to comment on the bottom of this posting and post your reasons you love Jesus.

Despite the fact that this might be a dark and rainy time in your life there are still sooo many things to be happy about.  Sometimes we need to force ourselves to look at the positives when our life for the moment is filled with gloom.

I would like for anyone that is reading this blog that might feel down to be able to view this post and look at how mich people have been blessed and have no choice but to put a smile on their face!  Awwww man that would make my day!

1. I am just thankful that He gave me a life to live.  A life where I have the freedom to make mistakes, have failures, and learn from them.  Because I know personally, if I was forced to follow Him, I definitely wouldn't have.  So I'm just in love with his ability to love an imperfect being like myself.

2. This man, lived a sinless life, went up on the cross for me....for everyone, died a humiliting and excruitiang death.  I mean come on.  That should speak for itself.  Took on the depths of Hell.  Wow.  He deserves all my praise.  He deserves all my love.  Thank you Jesus for dying, coming back to life, ascending to heaven, and coming back.

3. He's the ultimate Comforter.  He's there when I always need him.  When my close friends are miles away or are just busy with their lives and I need someone to talk to, I always have him.  He's omnipresent.  Everywhere at all times.  24/7 365/yr.  When I don't feel the best about my appearance, dealing with self-esteem issues, uncertain about life, or just angry.  I know that I can go to God in prayer and I will be comforted

I know this is a weird blog with no guarantee to work, but lets give it a try!  It doesn't have to be 3 reasons like me.  It can just be one!  Lets be a blessing to others!  

Love God.Love People

--MJA

I'll Make It

I'm going to be completely honest, I'm not as all chippy as sometimes my blogs may portray me as.  Currently, I am a college graduate, unemployed and stuck in my parents house which is driving me absolutely INSANE (no offense to my parents).  It doesn't help that I look around and see successful preachers and I keep asking myself, How can I ever be that successful   These men of God have PH'Ds, leading choirs, singing while they are preaching, like MAN. How in the world would I EVER be able to do that.  Next thing I know, in the middle of a revival service, I'm just down....the complete opposite of a revival service.

One of my greatest issues/weaknesses is the need-to-be-needed.  The need to feel important.  The past four years I was part of a family, my UVP family (Messiah College's Gospel Choir) and for the last 3 years I was a selected leader part of that family as well as the choir director of my church choir.  However, that season has passed in my life, and I find myself just doing nothing.  No job, no life, no money. Just blah.  I feel like I went from the pinnacle of Mount Klakilaki (My made up mountain..don't judge me) to now the bottom of the grand canyon.  And no matter how much I try to climb through those walls to get into leveled territory I keep slipping.

The more I think about my future, the more I become nervous and become stressed out.  Will I ever direct a choir again?  Will I actually ever preach again in my life.  The foreseeable future is uncertain about that and that drives...me....BONKER$!!!

Where in the World Do I go from here?  Sometimes when I blog about struggles, I write that "I heard a still small voice telling me that it'll be alright" but to be honest.  I'm not hearing that right now.  Where I am right now, is I'm at a place in my life where I need to be.  I am in a place in my life where I need to be fully dependent of God.  Somehow I'm still able to pay my car note because money is literally coming out of nowhere.  Somehow I can be down in the dumps for the entire day, but out of nowhere something happens to lift me up.  Sometimes I feel abandoned by God, and I, like the great psalmist David cries out: Where are you Lord? Why aren't you listening to my prayers?  You know my needs, why aren't you supplying them?  Why am I still in this place in my life?? (An example of David crying out can be found at Psalm 22)

It's frustrating.  It's very frustrating.  But after going to revival I actually feel a little better.  After hearing the preacher preach, I do feel a little encouraged   Hopefully I can pass this along to one of my readers.  The preacher preached from Isaiah 43:2 & 5.  And the part that really spoke to me is the end of verse 2, where it says: "When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."  The preacher pointed 2 points of emphasis   The fact that the passage says "when" and the fact that the passage says "through".

When you walk.  When you walk.  Not IF you walk through the fire. I mean think about it.  We will walk into the fire.  We will struggle.  We will be down.  So we need to prepare for it. We need to put on the full armor of God.  The myth that followers of Jesus won't struggle is asinine!  God does NOT taking away all of our sufferings   Sometimes, we need to suffer in order to become new.  A caterpillar doesn't become a butterfly with a snap of finger.  It has to eat, get fat, and stay ina tight, annoying cocoon until nature (erm...God) tells it that it's ready. Struggle isn't always bad.

The second point is through.  The fact that the passage says that you will walk THROUGH the fire.  You aren't going to get scorched   You will not become set ablaze.  Wow.  That's encouraging.  That though we will have to walk through the fire, we will survive.  We will make it like the Hezekiah Walker song.

Even though I get annoyed with myself.  Even though at times I feel like God has abandoned me.  Even though I don't know the future.  I know that I will make it.  I know that I know that I can Stand.  No matter what may come my way.  My life is in YOUR hands. (My Life Is In Your Hands) Mannnnn....I'm encouraged!  I'm being completely honest with ya'll, at the start of this blog, I was down.  But the more I wrote, the better I was feeling.  So, this blog in general isn't just to encourage you the readers, it also helps me express myself and answer my own questions.  So, I thank you for reading.  I pray that you've been encouraged as I have been.

God Bless You All!
--MJA

Created and Called for....Friends

I honestly can't believe I'm writing this, but this blog kinda is an advocate for my Created and Called for Community Class (CCC) at Messiah College.  Lets be clear, the class within itself, I am not necessarily advocating for, however, I am advocating for it's literal message.  We, as human beings, are indeed Created & Called For Community.

Whether you believe that the story of Adam and Eve was a literal or figurative story isn't a debate I'm trying to have here.  But, if you just take the lessons and what God said throughout the story, you would notice that God made Adam first (sorry ladies but don't worry, thats not the main point).  However, Adam was alone with all these animals and fruits and plants and cells and gooey stuffs (maybe?) when God realized that maybeeee something is missing.  Maybe, just maybe, man should not be alone. (Genesis 2:18)  In fact, it is not good for (man) [or people] to be alone.  So, he made Eve!  What does this tell me?  That we are created and called for community.  We are created and called to be around other people.  We are created and called to laugh with other people. It's part of necessary structure to stay alive.

I'm going to be honest here, this is a pretty simple blog to write, and basically anyone could've written this.  But for me, this is a personal blog post.  This is a blog post where I am thanking my multitude of diverse friends far and near for accepting me into their community and becoming part of mine.  I've been extremely blessed to have all types of friends; all different shapes, sizes, races, and genders.  And the amazing thing is that I know that although we might not always agree on everything, that when it comes down to it, they have my back.  And I wanna say thank you to them, for loving, cherishing, and just being there for me.

Awwww, wasn't that sweet...Ok, now back to business.

I personally think that it's important for everyone to have a set group of friends.  Now obviously, there are going to be friends that you "like" more than others.  There are friends that you will just naturally wanna be around with more than others (Unless you are me because I AM the exception to the rule...just kidding).  And that's great and peachy.  So, you may be like me where you have Childhood friends, Grade School Friends, Freshman of College Friends and other College friends.  And if you have those I pray that you continue to cherish them.  I pray that you continue to love them.  Friends, are just amazing.

But, what I've learned is that there is one sub-sub-sub category of friends, that just seemingly transcends months, years, and decades.  I'm talking about Spiritual Friends.  Friends that you have a spiritual connection with.  Friends or a friend that, every time you hang out, you just become closer and closer.  You can't seem to put your finger on it, but somehow it just happened.  Those friends in my opinion are the rarest to find and if you happen to find one, consider yourself extremely blessed.

The Biblical example of probably the greatest spiritual friendship is between the (apparent) heir to the throne, Jonathan and the actual heir to the throne David.  Now check this out, these two fellas were actually competing for the same exact throne!  Jonathan was the son of the current King Saul but David was the king God had foresaw.  Now lets be clear, Jonathan was a baddddd man.  He slew people by the dozens but he came across a thing that he couldn't even defeat.  Goliath.  And David was just a little shaped   My man Jon, the warrior, wasn't able to kil goliath.  But my boy David, was able to with a rock and a slight shot!  What!?

Now, David didn't really care about the glory.  But when he gave the head of the giant Goliath (see what I did there? Double G...ima stupid) to Saul, it was all a wrap.  And you know what Jonathan did? He could've been jealous that he lost his throne, but he wasn't.  He was happy for David.  And it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  A friendship where they had love, connection, vulnerability  loyalty, and prayer.  What more can you ask for ina friend! (For more info on this connect check out 1 Samuel 18-21-ish)

I am not trying to bash any friends here cuz I appreciate every single one of mine and I'm sure you do of yours, but when you find that spiritual friend do not...I repeat: do NOT let him or her go!  It's a great friend to have.  It's a great person to rely on...Now I'm personally not going to say who my Spiritual Friend is because this is a public thingy, and I don't wanna put alllll my life out there.  But he knows who he is, and he needs to know that I thank the Lord for his friendship and his prayers.

Welp, that's all I have for this post.  Do me a favor.  Send a text, facebook, phone call, tweet, airplane, shout over to your friends.  Let them know that you appreciate them all!  That's what I'm going to do! Until next time my brothers and sisters.

--MJA

I Understand (Answers)

This post is part two from my previous post titled "I See You."  I would advise you to open two tabs and read each story simultaneously to  understand because this post is going to be the "answer" to the stories. The response that God says.  The response that the Bible tells us.  In the long run, my prayer is that someone is reading this that is going through a situation and one of these responses make them feel at least a little better...thats my prayer...

A.
     My son, why have you done this to your life?  Are you looking for something more?  Are you looking for answers?  I want you to realize that I'm hear.  I've been hear all along.  I've watched you tear your life apart. But I've also watched you succeed.  I've watched Satan just trample over your life, but I never let go of you.  I am what you need.  Humans are consistently looking for something...something greater than themselves when in reality, it's right in front of their face.  Look around..look at the sun, the stars (unless you are ina city), the cars...Just look at it.  I just need you to trust me.  Trust that I'm there for you.  Here's the thing, I won't make you trust me just like I'm not going to make you stop drinking.
     Realize my son, that you have people praying for you.  You mother, your father...everyone!  They love you to death...they just don't want you to see you hurt yourself.  You just have to honestly, believe in your heart you can beat this because you can.  I've made you stronger than any addiction!  I'm not promising that you will quit cold turkey cuz everybody can't. However, I can assure you, you are starting at the right spot: calling out to me for help.  I hear your call, and I will happily respond.  You just have to believe!

B.
     My daughter, no woman should have to go through what you went through.  No woman deserves it.  What your father did tore you down, down to the ground.  But let me pick you back up.

The problem that humanity has is that too often they define fatherhood and then place God in their definition.  They place God ina humanly context.  But it should definitely be the other way around.  God is the Great I Am.  He defines the perfect parent (mother and father). He's ever present, loving, caring, wise...etc. So we as humans err big time when we place God in that box.  

     I can promise you that I am greater than your father.  I can promise you that I will never hurt your like your father.  I sent my only begotten son to die for you.  If I did that, why would I ever want anything else to happen to you? I love you. One thing you have to do, is you have to forgive...you have to forgive your father for what he did.  You want to know why?  Because it wasn't his doing.  Humans by nature do wrong, they miss they mark, you miss the mark on a daily basis.  PLease don't hold his sinful nature against him. (Romans 3:23)  Don't forgive him for his sake, you have to forgive him for your sake.  Can't let that woud fester.  Once you forgive him...the devil won't have that lock over your heart...that spot over your heart, you'll be able to trust again.
     Forgiveness is the healing to those wounds. (You've Got To Forgive..my sermon)  Just remember this promise: I will love you and hold you better than any father...better than any mother..you just have to let me...

C.
     My little girl what has you troubled so much? When I look down on you and see what you've become I can do nothing but smile.  You've made your mistakes, you feel like you've made the biggest mistakes ever but trust me you havent.  You may feel alone, you may feel like no one understands but you are mistaken.  Veryyy mistaken.  I am here!  I'm want you.  I love you!  You ask me about my grace and my love.  Let me tell you this, My grace is made sufficient for you, my power is perfected in your weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9)  Often times I let my children his rock bottom, let them follow their own paths, fall at their own feet. But I never leave them there.  I'm right there to pick them up.  It's at those moments that they realize that I'm there, that I was always there.
     You may think your family doesn't care, that's not true.  You may think that they abandoned you.  But thats not true.  Many of the situations they just don't know what to do.  So they just do what they think is the best...that doesn't always feel like what they did is the best for you.  But just remember that their love probably didn't just evaporate...they want to love you..they just don't know how to.  Help them understand your pain...pray for them.   I do not condemn you.  I accept you scars, tears, and all.  Let me love you little girl...let me love YOU.

D.
My son, my son, my son.  Fathers leaving their kids is an egregious act of selfishness.  You might relate to my son Jesus who exclaimed out while he was being crucified: "My God my God, why have you forsaken me." (Matt 27:46)  I mean, I left him there to die on the cross.  Just for sinful humans.  I mean that was naive.  I'm sure that there aren't many human would do that, but I'm God.  Look at what I said to the abused daughter.  Please don't define me by humanly standards.  Think about what you look for in a father and multiply that by a thousand and that still isn't enough to express what I can be to you.
     You want confirmation?  How about the greatest confirmation...How about when your time on this life is done when I will tell you "Well done"  Well done my son. (Matt. 25:21)  You just have to trust me.  I know it's kinda hard to believe..just give me a try.  If it helps envision me as a mother.  I'm everywhere you want me to be and I'm everything you need me to be.  Real Rap.

E.
     You are a little different  You are in a different situation.  You want to help others.  You are the one praying for your mom.  It seems that your brother's untimely death just blind sided your mom.  She's afraid to lose you.  She drinks because she doesn't know what else to do.. She doesn't know how to grieve.  But my daughter, I'm right there walking along side of her.  You've come to the right place!      
    You've turned to the right direction.  Something like this however, she won't be able to fix herself.  She's going to need help.  She's going to have to accept her issues...her problems.  But for you, you have to grow up.  You have to experience life.  No parent initially wants to see their child leave the house in reality.  It's a scary thing, but eventually she'll manage.  It's like weening an infant from a bottle.  The difference is that you are still around.  You are only a Skype call away.  That's the beauty of it.  She probably won't want you to leave right away, but sometimes you have to take the initiative and go out on a limb and trust God to take care of her as well as yourself.  I have your back!  Just trust me.

So that's the end of this series.  If you have any questions or comments feel free to comment on it.  This post is just trying to help someone...anyone.   The most important thing we need to do brothers and sisters is pray for our family members that are hurting.  Because, the prayers from righteous people works! (James 5:16)

God Bless All My readers.

I See You (The Stories)

A.
I see you....young man.  You've come from a pretty privileged lifestyle.  You've never experienced a truly rough moment in your life financially.  You've now grown up and have your own job, your own life, your own career...your own money.  Life is good.  You somehow thought that money would make you happy.  I mean it seemingly made your parents happy all their lives right?  But for you, you was looking for something more...You have even more money than you can spend.  But you need something more.  So you turn to alcohol...then drugs.  Eventually you find yourself so caught up in a cycle of addiction that you start getting angry. Angry at God for allowing this to happen.  "God, if you make me stop drinking I promise I'll serve you forever."  But it hasn't happened...Why hasn't it happened.

B.
I see you woman.  Your dad abused you when you was younger.  Not only did he abuse you sexually, but verbally and physically as well.  Before high school he could be described as an absentee but present father.  He was working all the time.  Never reaching out to talk to you, to teach you about his love.  Never to appreciate you.  But now little girl has all grown up into her high school body, and now he's no longer an absentee but present father.  He's an always present, always thirsty man.  A man of authority in your life that made you do horrendous things.  Things that you'll never forget forever.  It haunts you that you can still remember these things.  "Why did this happen to me!"  You fall in a cycle of clinical depression that drives you up the walls.  You have a hard time trusting any man in your life so why would you trust God the Father...why?? What hope is out there...

C.
I see you...Scared little girl, that's entering this big scary world.  With no direction.  With no hope. With no support.  I mean there is direction and hope but you don't see it.  You have loving parents.  You have a family that has done everything to prove their love to you in the past.  But now you've grown up.  Made some mistakes you regret, and now you have to live with them.  You feel like everyone has turned their back on you.  Those close to you act like they still love you, but do they really?  Do they really care about you?  Cuz if they did, they wouldn't have abandoned you at your weakest hour...at your weakest moment.  Then you turn to God, and you question Him...."How could you let this happen.  I've heard stories about your love and your grace but how could you let this happen to me!"....So you continue through life....

D.
I see you bro.  All your life you wanted to have confirmation.  Confirmation that what you was doing was the right thing.  Confirmation that you was good at sports.  Alll you wanted to hear was the man in your life say: "good job son."  But you never heard it....And you grew up hating your dad for it.  You didn't grow up with a father...you had a mom.  And sure, your mom tried, God bless her soul she tried and did an excellent job filling that void...but it just wasn't enough.  You go through your life angry at the world.  Angry at everything.  You've learned to turn that anger into productivity, but that anger still resides in you.  You reach out to other "Father" figures, but its not the same.  And now you here a preacher to tell you to call God your Father.  Are you kidding me???  Trust God, whom you've never met before.  Nah man, you trippin....

E.
I finally see you girl.  You grew up with a single parent.  And for he most part you are fine with it.  But there's a kicker to it.  Your mom is an alcoholic and extremely possessive.  There were two of you, but your bother died when you was younger and ever since then, she hasn't been the same.  She doesn't want you to go off to college.  She doesn't want you to grow up and leave her.  She's afraid of losing you...afraid of being alone.  So she guilts you into staying.  She makes you stay.  But you know that you have to get out.  You have to leave.  You've been out of college for a while and you see your friends moving on in life.  Jesus, why won't you just cure her of her loneliness and help her let me go.  It drives me crazy with her mood swings due to the alcohol.  I can't keep living like this!  I'm calling on you to help my mom.  Will you help her...please???? I pray for all the time.

These are just the stories that you may or may not be able to relate to.  I don't expect anyone to relate to any of these stories 100% but I expect most people to relate to some aspect of the stores.  This blog is about what I see, through my humanly, finite eyes.  The next blog post is going to be my attempt to describe what God sees and how God wants to help.

Grace Amazing

I'm currently reading this book called Grace by top selling author Max Lucado and it's very enlightening.  It talks about the single topic of God's Grace.  Wow.  An entire book dedicated to that phenomenon.  Why would someone want to devote an entire book to that?  Maybe because we still don't understand it.  Sure we talk about God's Grace in our songs, hymns, sermons, and daily Bible discussion but do we really...I mean really understand the ramifications of God's Grace??  I know that I don't/didn't.  It's not something I can wrap my heads around it.  Like Jimmy Needham's song says: "You got that Grace AMAZING."

Do you realize what Christ did??  I mean do you really realize what Christ did for you?  This man, who came from God, came to the earth NEVER sinned, but took the punishment for the greatest sinner.  Bore the most humiliating death at that time!  I know I've noted that before but mannnnnnn...

Today (August 27th) is my parents wedding anniversary.  This year (2012) they will be celebrating their 35th Anniversary.  And I'd like to think that if you were going to ask them to sacrifice me to die for this wicked world they wouldn't do it. (I could however be wrong...sigh) But GOD did it!  Jesus willing died for us ALL.  Why??

Why the heck would Jesus die for this world?

There are something that I just...can't understand.  That's why His grace is AMAZING.

Not only is His grace amazing but it's free!  How does the saying go: The best things in life are free.  So you are telling me, that I get:

1. A peace that passes all understanding (Philippines 4:7, John 14:27)
2. Salvation; Eternal Life (Romans 10:9)
3. Forgiveness for ANYTHING I do. (Ephesians 1:7)
4. Love...not just any love but UNCONDITIONAL love. (Psalm 86:15)
5. Protection. (Psalm 23:4)
6. Power (2 Timothy 1:7)

All for FREE!  I'm sooooo thankful for God's grace.  This undeserving grace towards me.

I could've been dead!

Sleeping in my grave;

But God blessed me to see

Another Day

And even when I did wrong

You were still there

I'm so glad that

God

Still

Hears

A

Sinner's Prayer

Of course it ain't all that simple.  There is a force, there is a pow'r, there is a being that HATE's God's Grace.  He/It/That Thang wants us all the die...to perish!  You know what I'm talking about.  The great Accuser.  The devil doesn't want you to love God's grace.  He doesn't want you to accept God's Grace.  He wants you to look at it with skeptical eyes.  Blind eyes.  Lucado, in my favorite paragraph of the book so far talks about how the Great Accuser tries to make you feel bad...tries to blame you for everything..tries to pervert God's Grace.

"Satan never shuts up...Day after day, hour after hour.  Relentless, tireless.  The Accuser makes a career out of accusing...Satan's condemnation brings...regret.  He has one aim: 'to steal, and to kill, and to destroy' (John 10:10).  Steal your peace, kill your dreams, and destroy your future....He enlists people to peddle his position.  Friends dredge up your past. Preachers preach all guilt and no grace. And parents, oh your parents.  They own a travel agency that specializes in guilt trips.  They distribute it twenty-four hours a day.  Long into adulthood you still hear their voice: 'Why can't you grow up?' 'When are you going to make me proud?' Condemnation (is) the preferred commodity of Satan."

Now I'm not saying all this is true about everyone because I don't personally fit the parents section.  I've always felt loved by my parents but I've certainly felt the other mentioned ones as well as others not listed and I know you have as well.  As my previous blog, "No Condemnation" says, Jesus repeatedly said that he did NOT come here to condemn us, but to love us.

That's why Ima Christian.  That's why Ima Christ follower.  Jesus loves me, he gots my back no matter what!  I can talk bad about him under my breath (which God still hears), I can yell/argue with him about life, I can vent to him, I can boast about him...No matter what I do, He will still love me.  He loved me enough to die on the cross for me.  I just wish, I just pray that everyone one day will realize God's grace.  Will realize that He loves you.  Realize that he wants your heart so he can guard it and keep it safe.  God doesn't want your heart to eat, he doesn't want your heart cuz he's selfish.  He wants your heart because He knows that it's the only way to keep it safe for an eternity.  It's a fail-proof lock ya'll.

Ima end it with the song we used to sing at the end of my old church service:

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin.

"No Condemnation"

I'm reading a book along with my pastor as part of my spiritual development called: "A Good and Beautiful God."  In this book, the author addresses talks about the different aspects of God and how we, as a culture have produced false narratives.  The author's task is to combat those false narratives with biblical references.  Along with the practical theological arguments, there are exercises called "Spiritual Disciplines" which are every day tasks which can get us closer to understanding and gaining knowledge of God.  Some of those disciplines are just practical.  A lot of them have to do with our workaholic culture where we always have to be busy and the author is just challenging the readers to slow down.  To be still "and know I am God" type of thing.

Welllll, I've recently gotten finished reading a chapter entitled: "God is self-sacrificing"  Where is addresses the fact that Jesus died the most humiliating death known to man at that time and for what?  To save us!  The question arises whether or not it really needed to be done.  Why couldn't God just snap his fingers and humanity be saved?  Nowww that question may be answered in another blog post, but for this one I have an entirely different agenda.

Moving forward..at the end of this chapter, the Spiritual Discipline that the author challenged me to do was to read the entire book of John in 3 days.  Now, I have to admit, I failed that challenge.  I only got half-way through the book because I, like every other American, fail to make time for God.  But, reading through the first 12 or so chapters of John I came across something that Jesus repeatedly said: I came not to condemn the world, but save it (or some variation of that).  He said that repeatedly (I'm too lazy to count the exact amount).  The importance of it is that he kept hitting that hammer on the nail for emphasis.

I mean what does condemnation mean?  According to the KJV Bible Dictionary, it means: "to prononunce to be utterly wrong; to utter a sense of disapprobation against; to censure; to blame..."  Sooo, you are telling me, that the Lamb of God.  The one that did no evil.  That had no blemishes on his coat.  The one that DIED for a wicked humanity.  The one that would have every right in the world to comdemn and to judge, didn't come to condemn us.  He came so that the blind would see. He came so that the sick would be healed.  He came so that they that didn't believe, believed.

Wow, that just hit me.  I always hear the phrase (which 2Pac is always quoted saying): "Only God can judge me."  And I gotta be honest, I'm always quoting that phrase because honestly, who wants to be judged?  Especially if you are being judged by another sinner!  Buttttt reading/listening to the book of John, I've come to realize that Jesus doesn't WANT to condemn us.  He's not here to look down on us. He wants all of us to be saved.  He wants all of us to not hurt.  He wants ALL of us to be Loved!

I mean seriouslyyyy!  Jesus....the ONE that literally has every right to look down at us, the fallen creation, humbled himself, was known as the meek one and still didn't condemn us.  People ask me why is there a Hell.  If God loved us so much, why does Hell exist.  Well let me tell you something, God doesn't send people to Hell per say.  People send people to Hell.   The decisions we make, the most important decision we make of whether or not we allow the Gospel to enter into our hearts and penetrate our souls...That's what sends people to Hell. 

Once you fully believe in the Gospel and the Holy Ghost dwells in you, you aren't going to Hell.  Hell isn't a punishment.  Hell is a choice!  I'm not here to condemn anyone.  I'm here to love everyone.  I'm not here to judge anyone.  I'm here to understand everyone!  For we ALL have sinned and fall short to the Glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, Jesus. ~ Romans 8:1

Praise the Lord!  Thank you Jesus for dying for my sins.  For dying FOR ME.  This is something I'll never understand.  I'll never comprehend the vastness of what you did.  But all I can say is: I'm glad you did.

Let Em Uz Ya!

Abraham was a jolly old man, yet God used him to be the father of the world.

Moses had a speech impediment, yet God used him to deliver Israel.
David was a nobody, yet God used him to rule over millions.
Paul one of the greatest persecutors of Christians, yet God used him as one of the best advocates for Christianity.
Jesus was born ina manger, yet God used him to save sinners (aka everyone).

What does this tell us?

That no matter who you are, what your "issues" are; God can and will use you. The only question is: Are you holding yourself back?

Just take a quick look at me: I'm the Student Director of the United Voices of Praise (Messiah College's Gospel Choir), I'm the Director of Tapestry (Harrisburg BIC's Gospel Choir), I'm part of the select few planning the Baccalaureate coming, AND I'm planning on going to seminary next Spring.

Now, it may look like I'm boasting but hear me out, I'm not.  If you know anything about the real me, you would know that I am one of the most shy/reserved guys you will ever meet. I process just about everything and I am completely introverted. Most people don't believe me when I tell them that, but its the absolute truth.  It takes me forever at times to muster up the courage to do simple acts.  Granted, the older I've gotten, the better I've become at being outgoing, but all in all I'm just a shy introvert.

How does that make any sense? To be honest, I have no idea.  I joke and say that when a spotlight gets on me or when I get in front of people I become bi-polar and that outgoing manic, but once its gone, I just fade to the background.

The point is, if God can use little ol me, He can definitely use you.  You just gotta open up yourself and present your body as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1).

So, as I borrow the phrase from my God-Brother Calvin that in english says: "Let Him Use Us" but in 'Calvin' it says: "Let Em Uz Ya!"

Easy? Yea..Right

Matthew 10:22 Says:
"You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."

You thought that when you dedicated your life to Christ that it would somehow become magically easy?  I mean it makes sense in theory: you dedicate your life to the Savior and He supplies all your needs and makes life easy...like the kid born with the silver spoon. Slight problem with that theory...Jesus wasn't who everyone expected him to be.  Everyone expected the "Messiah" to be a counterrevolutionary.  To over throw Caesar (the Roman Government) and to be fearless and ruthless. Well...Jesus entailed one of those characteristics, He was indeed fearless, but he was the complete opposite.  He was loving and cared for those that others persecuted.  Isn't that more reputable in the long run than the violent heroes? Due to his loving nature, no one could tear him down when at least they tortured Him, placed him ona cross ontop of a mountain, placed nails in his limbs and a crown a thorns on his head and left him to die.  It wasn't a quick death...it was a slowly slow death where one by one each organ started to die.  They say we have ten pints of blood, well just imagine the pain of each ounce of blood lost due to the piercings...what a death!

Because of that death of Jesus we cannot expect our life to be easy.  We are in fact misfits...we don't fit in in this world. We are like Katy Perry's ETs.  Chances are, most of us aren't going to become martyrs to the extent that Jesus was but we, as Christians will be hated just as they hated our Savior.

So, why would you want to be a Christian? One word: salvation.  The only thing we have as Christians is faith.  Without it, we are dead.  We have the faith that this fallen world will be changed when God calls all his saints to heaven where we will bask in his glory.

Besides, it won't be all bad.  The bible reminds us that trouble doesn't last always (Romans 8:18). Jesus makes a promise to us in the verse at the top of this blog..that those that stand firm in the end will be saved.  I fully believe every word he says.  Emotions and problems are temporary...they will all wither away but we have the Prince of Peace on our side and as the songwriter wrote: If I God is for us; then who could ever stop us. And If our God is with us; then what can stand against [us].

If you are going through something (which everyone is) just remember that God didn't promise that this was going to be easy.  In fact he was "real" with us and told us its going to be hard. However, just as the Lionel Richie song states: "Jesus is Love." The devil is the Prince of Darkness and he wants nothing more to rip, tear us, and destroy us.  But as long as you got King Jesus...you don't need nobody else. Just keep believing and keep the faith...cuz it's the only thing we have... 

What is Your Purpose?

We go to grade school to learn how to count, to learn basic civic stuff...to basically get educated on a human level.

Then we go to high school where our identities are challenged, questions are really beginning to form in our heads, and most of us come out more confused than ever while in the process trying on many different "masks" only to find out that not one truly fits.

Then we go to 'higher education' where we travel through it and by the time we finish, its like we are a small fish in a huge aquarium called life.

This whole process is supposed to teach us one thing: our purpose in life.

So I ask the question: What is your purposed in life?  What is that gift that God gave you that makes you unique, that makes you different from everyone else.  We are all created in the image of God (don't believe me read Genesis 1-5) but it's also mentioned that we all have specific roles or tasks that will further the kingdom.

Romans 12:4-8 says:
⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Everyone is useful in the advancement in the kingdom of the Lord.  I don't want ANYONE to ever feel unloved or just a waste of time/space/energy.  

I have a firm belief that one of the reasons I was put on the earth was to help the hurting in Spirit.  To help the broken hearted.  To help those that just needs that word of encouragement or just someone to listen.  I hurt for those that hurt but I also rejoice for those that rejoice.  My heart is glad when I see someone succeed especially when I know they travailed through the depths of whatever Hell they were in and they came out SUCESSFUL!

My journey, the people I have encountered and helped has affirmed this call in my life.  I'm not saying that this is the only thing I'm called to do, but it's a huge part.  So I challenge whomever is reading this to find one of your purposes in this world.  Every fish is NECESSARY in this Big Ocean called Life. Do you have a knack for helping people? Encouraging People? Listening To People? Advising People? Mentoring People? Teaching People? Loving People? Showing Mercy on People? ________________ for people?

For Each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ, we, through many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 

It's A God Thing

I know that its been a while since I've posted, but a lot of things have been going on with the end of J-Term and the beginning of the Spring Semester that I've been slightly overwhelmed, but I'm back!

I head a sermon on January 30, 2011 at Enon Taberbernacle that really made me think.  It was titled, "It's a God Thing" and the primary basis of it was that God has his hands in everything that we do.  

Have you ever had one of those instances that something amazing or spectacular happened that you know that there is no way you could've done it?  No matter how big or how small this accomplishment was, God had His hands in it.  Sometimes I just have to give him PRIASE!

*I, I gotta praise...I gotta praise and I gotta let it out...I got a praise*

I don't know what you, as the reader is going through or what miracles He has pulled you through but what I DO know is that everyday he does something amazing in my life which is waking me up in the morning.  Yes, sometimes I don't feel like gut I am getting out of bed because I'm a lazy, grumpy, human being, but, I am blessed that he woke me up.

For some people waking up is not a miracle, some people may need more evidence, and what I have to say about that is that God works on HIS time, not our time.  He doesn't have to prove Himself to us, and we should NOT expect things just because we ask for it.  He knows our life and our needs better than we THINK we know it.  He is OMNIPOTENT, ALL-KNOWING, and ALL POWERFUL.

There has been a miracle in my life that happened on monday during the United Voices of Praise practice.  Today was the first day for auditions and I honestly didn't know what to expect.  Fall Semester's turnout was really good, I would estimate about 75 people were there.  This rehersal had an astounding 88 people in it.  I told the choir that I never thought I would see a number bigger than the Fall Semester but praise the LORD I did.  And it wasnt from anything that I did.  I would love to boost my ego claiming that it was my doing or even the choir's doing in persuading people to join with their performance but in reality....IT'S A GOD THING.

There have been performances that I've been nervous because not enough people showed up in my opinion, but guess what? We still rocked it.  Why?  It's a God Thing.  So, anything concerning UVP, I am no longer worried about because I know that He has his hands on this choir.  Originally, I was quite nervous about the studio session that we will have ina week but I'm not now and you already know why......BUT if you don't know I'm gonna let you know....

IT'S A GOD THANG!!