Last night I was talking to a friend about temptation. He was saying that he was afraid of falling into the same temptation that had cause some ill feelings in the past, and I told him that temptation was like the fire swamp. He fell into temptation in the past, so now, if he keeps his eyes open, he can avoid falling into the temptation in the future. I feel like this can be a good lesson for anyone. Sometimes it seems like we keep falling into the same temptation over and over again. But if we keep our eyes and ears open, and look out for the warning signs of temptation, we will be more able to avoid falling into sin in the future.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Terrors of the Fire Swamp
We all know the terrors of the fire swamp - the flame spurt, the lightening sand, and the R.O.U.S.'s, of course. And we all know how to avoid them - there is a popping sound preceding each flame spurt, you can spot the lightening sand if you keep an eye out for it, and you can also keep an eye out for the R.O.U.S.'s, although sometimes they attack you on their own.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Getting Distracted with Martha!
This is not a post about Martha Stewart, but pretty close! This was a passage of the Bible I read awhile ago, but it didn't really affect me or make me think till recently.
Luke 10:38-42 (NRSV)
Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
First of all, I wonder what Martha Stewart's thoughts would be after reading this passage? Did she read it as a child and knew that her calling was decorating and cooking for the USA? On a serious note, this week has been very distracting for me (my car, job searching, packing, physical, car shopping, and just plain life) and I found it really hard to make time for God! There have been a lot of stuff on Facebook and YouTube (Take a look at this video!...if you want to [warning: might be hard to watch]) this week that really hit it hard for me and made me rethink things that I prioritize. God is the creator of Time! We should make time for Him not pencil Him into our schedule or make it a to do list item. He deserves more from us and really wants to bless and connect with us. Shoot I want some of that! That is why I earnestly seek Him and realized that last week and this week I was distracted along with Martha and worried about dumb things!
This is not me saying that we all should become Hippies get rid of every form of technology and live in a community that does nothing put sits at Jesus' feet...even though that does sound pretty amazing. Also I am not saying there is a formula to how much time per day we need to spend with God. For me this verse was more about not worrying about the tasks that we face, but to really trust and listen to God because He knows what is best for us, and will not be taken away from us like some of the things we deal with.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Finding Hope in God!
Psalm 42
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon--from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me--a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long "Where is your God?" Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
I went on a youth prayer retreat this weekend and really had a blast. I got to be a counselor to a group of guys that didn't know each other and hear what God was doing through them. They were amazing, but on top of that and more important I had an amazing time experiencing God's love and hope this weekend. One night we had prayer stations set up where we could go around and experience God in different ways/pray for different aspects of our lives. There was this one section called the inner courts, which was cool because it dealt about praying for others (being the church) and also spending time with Jesus! So I sat down and asked God for a word that He had for me. The word was "Hope" and then I went and looked up verses that dealt with hope and found one (I have a weird but cool Bible "The Green Bible" so that is why I only found one). Nevertheless, this verse was what God wanted me to read because it was what I was/am facing right now. It is cool how God knows what you need and when to give it to you! Our Heavenly Father is AMAZING! Just saying...anyways, I have been in this pit of hopelessness and sadness. Tears have been my food day and night. So I had this verse and was receiving God's Hope and Joy and just looking around and seeing a whole bunch of people calling out to Him...what a cool sight!
Then I went to another station were were had a plate and we were suppose to write what we are part of and what we spent our time doing, then asked God what He wanted on "our plate." Well since I have no job and have all the free time in the world I didn't spend to much time on this, but instead God asked me "What are you putting Hope in?" I thought about it and I found myself putting Hope in my resume, experiences, education, friends, family, the church, America, and the world. I sat there and I really thought hard and the tears started to come. I definitely was not putting all my Hope in God! Oh Shoot! So I took time putting my hope in God, and it wasn't till I went to small group last night that I learned I still had hope to give back to God. My friends helped me realize that finding a job is not going to fulfill my hope. I first need to be fully satisfied in God because If I find an amazing job then there will be something else that I look forward to or put my hope in. Therefore, I want to be fully satisfied in Him and seek what He wants me to do right now and listening to what He wants me to do. If a job comes up that God gives me then cool because I know it will be what He wants me to do. I have a long way to go to be fully satisfied in Him and seeking His will for me!
God Bless You! Keep on the Sunny Side,
~Nick
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon--from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me--a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long "Where is your God?" Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
I went on a youth prayer retreat this weekend and really had a blast. I got to be a counselor to a group of guys that didn't know each other and hear what God was doing through them. They were amazing, but on top of that and more important I had an amazing time experiencing God's love and hope this weekend. One night we had prayer stations set up where we could go around and experience God in different ways/pray for different aspects of our lives. There was this one section called the inner courts, which was cool because it dealt about praying for others (being the church) and also spending time with Jesus! So I sat down and asked God for a word that He had for me. The word was "Hope" and then I went and looked up verses that dealt with hope and found one (I have a weird but cool Bible "The Green Bible" so that is why I only found one). Nevertheless, this verse was what God wanted me to read because it was what I was/am facing right now. It is cool how God knows what you need and when to give it to you! Our Heavenly Father is AMAZING! Just saying...anyways, I have been in this pit of hopelessness and sadness. Tears have been my food day and night. So I had this verse and was receiving God's Hope and Joy and just looking around and seeing a whole bunch of people calling out to Him...what a cool sight!
Then I went to another station were were had a plate and we were suppose to write what we are part of and what we spent our time doing, then asked God what He wanted on "our plate." Well since I have no job and have all the free time in the world I didn't spend to much time on this, but instead God asked me "What are you putting Hope in?" I thought about it and I found myself putting Hope in my resume, experiences, education, friends, family, the church, America, and the world. I sat there and I really thought hard and the tears started to come. I definitely was not putting all my Hope in God! Oh Shoot! So I took time putting my hope in God, and it wasn't till I went to small group last night that I learned I still had hope to give back to God. My friends helped me realize that finding a job is not going to fulfill my hope. I first need to be fully satisfied in God because If I find an amazing job then there will be something else that I look forward to or put my hope in. Therefore, I want to be fully satisfied in Him and seek what He wants me to do right now and listening to what He wants me to do. If a job comes up that God gives me then cool because I know it will be what He wants me to do. I have a long way to go to be fully satisfied in Him and seeking His will for me!
God Bless You! Keep on the Sunny Side,
~Nick
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