Isaiah 43:2

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." - Isaiah 43:2

Tough times will come.  Tough times always come.  There is never a time in our lives when we can say "Nothing bad can ever happen" and truly mean it.  We live in a broken world, one that is full of pain, sorrow, hurt, violence, frustration, anxiety.  And so, we will always need to endure difficult days.

But this verse is a verse of hope.  No matter how bad things will get during your ordeals - you will not be consumed.  The waters will not be strong enough to sweep you away.  The fire will not be able to set you on fire.  God will be with you in all of your times of trouble and will bring you peace during these times.  Hope to hold onto.  Hope to know that everything will be okay.

God is a God of love.  He loves us.  He is here for us.  And He will never let us be overwhelmed by the negative things of this word.  So hold onto that hope and never let it go.  Let the waters come.  Let the fires blaze.  But our God will be with us always.

1 Timothy 4:14

"Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you." - 1 Timothy 4:14

We all have gifts.  We all have different gifts.  As much as I would like to hope I have certain gifts, like the ability to throw a baseball faster and more accurate than anyone, or kick a field goal from 60 yards into the wind, I must be satisfied with the gifts God has given me.

Over the last few years, I have been wrestling with the idea of doing something, and whenever I gave it a shot, I failed.  I had no clue why I failed, I thought what I was doing was right, but it just didn't come together well.  And so what I would end up doing is giving it some time, and try again, only to fail again and repeat the cycle. 

It was only until today that I understood why I failed.  God gave me certain gifts and as much as I tried to accomplish my endeavor, I would fail because God did not gift me to do that one thing.

As so this verse comes into play because I was neglecting my gift to force myself to have another.  So my prayer for you today is to know who you are - to know what God has given you and to pursue how to use that gift for His glory.  If you're chasing after something God did not give you the gifting to do, it's time to reevaluate your motives and see if you're still doing what God is desiring from you.

Galatians 6:7-8

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." - Galatians 6:7-8

When we come into this relationship with Christ, we have a decision to make.  We can't come to Jesus and keep just doing what we were doing before.  We can't come to Jesus and have it create no change at all in our lives.  When we make a decision to follow Jesus, it is a black and white issue and there is no gray area.  You either believe and chase after Him, or you don't and continue where you were always going.  There is no in between.

We tend to have this idea that faith is just a one-time decision.  We say we want to follow Jesus, we have that ticket to heaven punched, and we wait the next so many years until our time is up.  But you can't do that to God.  You can't trick Him.  He knows where your heart is really at, and therefore, you can't fake belief.

Revelation 3 says that being lukewarm in your faith is so vile, that Jesus will spit you out of his mouth.  If something is spit out of someone's mouth, do they usually take it back?  When you get over the mental image, you know you'll answer "No."  So what makes us think that God will welcome into heaven that which was spit out of His mouth?  It makes no sense. 

That decision is simple - believe and live it, or don't.  There is no middle ground, so we shouldn't try to pretend like there is one.  Following Jesus is not a ticket you get punched, but something you make a decision to do every day.  You may fool your friends, your family, your pastors, even me, but God will not and can not be deceived.  So let's not pretend that he can be.

Philippians 3:8

"I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ" - Philippians 3:8

Our world has this very completely backwards.  If our culture wrote this verse, it would say, "I consider Christ garbage, so that I may gain 'stuff.'"  What is "stuff"? Stuff is the new iPad, the best TV, the next hook-up, the next grasp of power, the next million dollars, the next rise in popularity, the next whatever.  It is putting all the thing of the world before Christ.

But as Christians, we strive hard for what Paul has said.  We want to run after Christ and leave everything else behind.  But what the world has been filling our mind with, what their "scriptures" have been lying to us about, has taken over and made it sound so much better than what Christ has to offer.  So the question needs to be asked - what are you putting before God?  What are you saying is more important than knowing Christ as your Lord and Savior?

It is a tough question to answer.  Because in truth - we all know what it is.  We all know what is stopping us or what gets in the way every single time we try to follow what Paul has to say.  But I feel like we become unwilling to remove it from our lives, because it has a power over us - this desire to not miss an important show on TV, the desire to not miss a single status update from a friend on facebook, the desire to make sure  that next relationship happens, the desire to get the happy feelings from the drugs one's taking, the desire to do your own will above God's.

But I don't want this to be discouraging - I want it to be encouraging.  If you are struggling with something, know that you are not alone.  We all as Christians struggle.  We all make mistakes.  Some people look and think we have it all together, but it is not true.  We need to help each other out, and encourage each other to move forward in our faith.  I write these not as a person who has my life all together perfectly.  Most of what I write is a continued wake up call to myself to get moving and stop making excuses.  And I want others to know they are not alone in their struggles.  And if one person reads something I wrote and gives God honor and praise because of it, and turns their life around, then that is all that matters.

Romans 15:1

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." - Romans 15:1

There is a saying that a group is only a strong as its weakest member.  If you need to run together as a team, and your time doesn't get computed until the last person finishes, the person who is last is the one who stops the clock - not the fastest.  If a team needs to carry something together, you place the strongest people around the weakest to help carry the load.

The same thing goes with our faith.  We all make mistakes, but when we are younger in our faith, it happens more frequently.  We don't need to be harder on those who are struggling to keep up with those who have been living the life for years, but helping and encouraging them along the way.  Life transformation doesn't happen in an instant, and we shouldn't expect it to happen in others. 

During this time, be an encouragement to those who are struggling, instead of using it to increase your pride and pump up your own ego.  We were all at that point once, and over time, I think we can forget what it was like to be on the other side.  It is tough to change one's life.  We need to be willing to support those who need it more and help them move across the finish line.

Psalm 56:11

"In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?" - Psalm 56:11

Just a few words of text, but such power behind them.  "What can man do to me?"  It's a question that I think doesn't get asked much when we think about doing something bold for God, but is something that is always on our mind.  We let what we think man will do stop us from taking that next step.  We think we're going to be rejected, so we don't bring up the importance of God in our lives.  We think we're going to fail, so we don't even start trying.  We think someone is going to make fun of us, so we rather just be the one who isn't at the end of a joke.

We let what shouldn't bother us, get to us.  We have a God who is bigger and better than anything on this earth, and we act like He can't act.  If God can get us over our fear, he can definitely get us through our fear of man as well. 

I just want to leave you with one thought...Why do we put so much emphasis and strength in the fleeting words on man, and diminish the power of the forever words of our Lord.  God created everything, formed everything, developed everything.  We are His creation.  Stop putting the creation on a higher pedestal than the creator.

Lamentations 3:25-26

"The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD." - Lamentations 3:25-26

How many of you go to the Lord in your time of trouble?  I know this seems like such a simple question, but is it the first thing that you do?  When the rain starts pouring down and the storm gets so great you can't run from it, is God the one you ask to save you?  Now let's take it one step further...is God the first one you go to in times of trouble.  I think most Christians eventually go to the Lord when they need help, but is He the first responder or last resort?

God will be there for you when you are down.  This isn't just a feel-good statement but a true fact.  God is present in all situations, and that includes your bad ones as well.

But I think it is important to focus on the last part of this verse.  It's good to wait quietly for the Lord.  I think at times we give things to God, and then tell Him what He needs to do to help us through the storm.  But who are we to tell him how to save us?  We are the ones who need the saving and He will do it by His own way. And at the end of the day, what is more important - being saved or how it was happened?

When it comes to our spiritual salvation, it ends up being the same thing.  We argue with God about how He saves us.  Why can't He save us all?  Why can't we live life our own way?  But we are the ones who needed to break the bonded of sin.  This is the way He gave us - to believe in His son Jesus Christ and what He has done on this earth.  Who cares if it is so radically different?  Who cares if it doesn't makes sense by our logic?  Let's just graciously accept what He has given to us, and in turn give all of ourselves back to Him.

Proverbs 17:17

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." - Proverbs 17:17

Do you have friends who are just around you when things are going well - and when things go wrong, they are no where to be found?  I had plenty of experiences like this during my high school years.  I had many instances where my friends would be around me whenever I was fun to be with; however, when things got rough, things got bad, they all magically vanished.  

This verse tells the difference between a friend and a brother.  We're not talking about blood - as in a real brother - but as a friend who takes that next step from just being there in the good times, into being there for the bad times.  

The question I have to ask is who are you - a friend or a brother?  It's easy to love people when things are going well.  It's difficult to love someone when they are in a crisis.  Are you there for those who are struggling through an ordeal?  Are you there when you see a friend of yours crying?  Are you willing to run towards a hurting person, rather than saying "I'm too busy for this" "I got my own issues" or "This isn't my problem"?

On the flip side, do you have someone you can count on to be in the trenches of life with you?  Someone you can turn to when things are not going right?  Someone you can count on?

Go deeper than being just a friend...be a brother or sister for those you love and care about around you.  And don't stop there...keeps your eyes open to those around you who are hurting, and continually ask God to let you know what to do in every situation.

1 Timothy 4:8

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. - 1 Timothy 4:8

 

How many fad diets are there out there?  I think there are way too many.  I remember watching a TV show years back that said, it is not thinking about what you eat but how you eat it.  If you think about the chews you are taking, you'll end up eating less overall.  I know there are always the SlimFast diets, the South Beach diet, and the Atkins diet all floating around still. Now think about this...how many exercise programs are there?  I feel like every day I watch TV there is something new. P90X, Insanity, yoga, pilates,  etc.  Hundreds and hundreds of programs helping you to lose weight.

Now, if you really think about it...compared to all these products and plans to help your physical body, how many of them are there to help your spiritual body?  The numbers would not be as high.  But yet, that is the most important.  Our bodies that we have will waste away and disappear.  Our bodies are built to only function for like 70, 80, 90+ years if you are lucky.  However, your spiritual self will last forever.  There's no expiration date, no finish line, no ending...ever.

So why do we put more emphasis on fixing our physical self.  Why does looking good on the outside trumps looking good on the inside.  It's time to start working out your spiritual self as well.  Let's stop making excuses or only focusing on the things that will not last, and focus on the things that will.

1 Samuel 17:43

"He said to David, 'Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?' And the Philistine cursed David by his gods." - 1 Samuel 17:43

Sometimes we underestimate people.  I was talking to one of my friends from church the other day, and he is a big Philadelphia Flyers fan. I, on the other hand, love the Boston Bruins.  And we get on the topic of playoffs, and how the Flyers came back from a 3-0 series deficit and a 3-0 deficit in Game 7 to defeat the Bruins and eliminate them from the playoffs in 2010.  I don't know how they did it, or how it was even possible, but they defied the odds.  We underestimate the power of some people.

We look at a task and see it as impossible.  Imagine yourself as Goliath - a big, huge giant - trained from birth the fight and kill - and the only one who would come out and face you is a shepherd named David.  One never trained by an army - and unwilling to hold a sword or wear any armor.  he just...had a sling and a few stones.  And yet, David was able to pull off the amazing feat because God was with Him.

We all read the Bible and we hear all the stories of how God moved in people's lives and yet it doesn't inspire us to act.  We hear what amazing things Christians are doing around the world, and yet, we think we can't pull off the same feats.  Why is that?  Isn't the same God that is with David, and everyone else in the Bible, and these Christians doing miraculous things, the same God that is with us?  So why do we let these thoughts of we're not good enough stop us?

God is with you.  It doesn't matter how big the task may look.  If it is what God is calling you to do, He will give you everything you need to get it done.

2 Thessalonians 3:11

"We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies." - 2 Thessalonians 3:11

This verse stood out to me as I was reading the Bible, because I think this is the one verse Christians do not put into practice as well as they could.  I think we have an attitude problem in most churches.  Most have heard the saying, "In a church, 20% of the people do 80% of the work."  Why is this the case?  Why are there only a few who continually volunteer, and the rest stay idle?

For today, I want you to think about your ministry at your own church.  What do you do?  Do you do anything?  Do you have a ministry?  If you don't, why not?  Are you waiting for an invitation?  Do you just not want to be involved?

Why is it we have to wait to be asked?  Why is it that we don't take the initiative ourselves?  Why do we let idleness take the best of us?  I know many people will argue they're too busy, too tired, too stressed, too overworked - but honestly, if you take out all the time you spend in front of the TV, surfing the web, playing video games, etc...how much time do you spend on it?  I write this knowing I can easily waste hours upon hours a week on useless stuff.

Look at your church and get involved.  But get involved in something you are passionate about.  If you love what you do, then you'll be more likely to continue doing it.  Don't volunteer to help the youth if teenagers get on your nerves.  Don't become the church treasurer if you hate doing math.  Find something you like, and take the initiative to volunteer for that spot.  If the ministry doesn't exist, then start it.  Sometimes, churches are just looking for that one person God called to begin the ministry, and because that one person isn't stepping up to answer God's call, it remains a void in the community.

Stop being idle.  Stop making excuses.  Stop being destructive and start being productive.

Acts 4:12

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." — Acts 4:12

When I was growing up, I enjoyed playing video games.  There was something about getting lost into the story and paving my way through the game.  What was interesting about the game was, there was many ways to play the game.  No two people beat the game in the exact same way.  And so it is up to the player to choose the right decisions so that they can win.

Unfortunately, life is not a video game.  We may think we can go off and do whatever we want and just end up in heaven at the end of our life, but it just doesn't happen that way.  There is only one way to heaven, one road that brings salvation, one road that will lead us back to God - and that is through Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the only name through which salvation happens, so why do we doubt and try all these other routes?  Why do we try to find value and purpose in our lives through all these other idols - whether it is greed, power, fame, sex, alcohol, porn, lying, adultery - you fill in the blank.  

Jesus is the only one that bring you back to a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Nothing else will measure up.  Nothing else will satisfy. Nothing else will bring eternal life.

If you want more info about how to come to Jesus, check out this great video by Francis Chan - http://vimeo.com/17131583

1 Peter 3:15-16

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." - 1 Peter 3:15-16

Hey everyone. So it has been a while since I have written in my blog. Life just got away from me and unfortunately, the devos was one thing that was dropped. However, I hope to now continue writing them again on a regular basis....so let's get into these verses...

Looking at this verse, it seems to say if the first part is true, then the rest will follow. If you give your heart to Jesus - then you will know His Word well enough to tell others about it and live an honorable life. So why is it that these are the two hardest things to do in the world? Why are we afraid to tell others about Jesus? Why are we not understanding the Book we say we believe? Why are we not living upright lives honoring Him?

We as Christians need to do better. Love comes from not only words but actions as well. It is easy to say the words, "I love Jesus." Action needs to back up the words. Saying something doesn't make it true. I can tell you the sky is green, I can tell you the grass is purple, I can tell you snow is black, but just because the words come out of my mouth doesn't make it fact. You need proof. You need evidence. Likewise, Christians need to let their actions speak for them.

So what is stopping you from picking up your Bible? Time? How much time a day do you watch TV, or surf the web? It's not a time issue, it is a priority issue. What is stopping you from telling others about Jesus? Rejection? Why are you letting fear be bigger than your God?

We make excuses time and time again about why we can't let our actions match up to our words when it comes to Jesus. When we love a sports team, we can find the time to love and watch them. When we love a show, we find time to watch it. When we love a person, we find time to show them the attention they need. I think it's time to let our love for our Savior, match up with our actions.