Some people say life is like a box of chocolates or life is a journey. Life sometimes is described as a mountain that you climb, but for me life is like a tandem bike ride. The other Person on the bike is God...
Proverbs 16:1-4, 9
We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.
People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,even the wicked for a day of disaster.
We make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
These verses are a great reminder for me that God is in control not us. No matter what we think God is leading us so are we going to follow or be like Jonah and run away...we know how that ended :) If not read the book of Jonah in the Bible.
Sometimes I even think that my plans are good and I am doing a good thing, but no matter how pure or good I think my plans are God looks at my motives. Wow, God is deep! Therefore, whatever we do or plan to do we should pray and seek God's leading on things. Commit it to God and see what God wants you to do. If we don't it is like the back person on the tandem bike trying to turn the bike a different direction or is backpedaling when the front person is pedaling forward. It doesn't work and seems to be a failure when in fact God had this planned a certain way and we should have sought Him out and committed our actions to Him. Then we would succeeded instead of thinking we failed. We make our plans but God determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9)...what a great way to live. Just pray to God about our actions and live life to Glorify Him and you will succeed.
Some of you might be thinking about the concert that happened here in town and how that fits with this verse. No we did not get the attendance we were "planning" but that doesn't mean it was a failure. There was a lot of people there with God moving and working in hearts that night. We had people receive Christ as their Savior and a lot of hearts refreshed and renewed too, which is awesome! "In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!" (Luke 15:7). In human eyes it did not succeed but in God's eyes it was successful. Because in the end God's opinion is what matters! The concert did what was planned to accomplish...to reach out to the community and share the Gospel through this concert. God is awesome and reached out to who He wanted to reach out that night. We made the plan but God determined the steps.
Some people in this world might think they are in the front of the tandem bikes taking total control of their own lives, but these verses tell us that in the end God is in control and all of us are in the back of the tandem bike. God has made everything for His own purpose. Even Non-Christians cannot destroy what God has planned. Again, we make our plans, but God determines our steps!
For me I am praying and committing BUMP to God and let Him work how He sees fit. We made goals as a youth group and we will strive for it, but we cannot do more than what God wants us to do...in the end we will succeed because God is doing the work not us.
SO..Life is like a Tandem Bike...we are pedaling but God is steering and helping us along the way. Are you going to give God total control of your life and commit your plans to Him? Live life glorifying God and you will get to see amazing things!
~Nick Waldron
P.S. I want a tandem bike so bad
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Thursday, May 22, 2014
God teaching through Black Beans
So for lunch in the office I eat a can of black beans...that is it. I normally get this one kind of black beans, but when I went to the grocery store to stock up I couldn't find that kind anymore. All I found was this new can that has "no salt added." So I got it and decided to try it without seasoning...I can tell you it is not better than beans with salt. So I added salt to improve the flavor and make it soooo good! After this experience this verse came to my mind...
Matthew 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
So I pulled out my good old Expositor's Bible Commentary and started to read specifically about this passage by D.A. Carson. It was interesting to learn the differences that salt was used back in Bible times. The two that a lot of people know is to preserve meats since they didn't have refrigerators or ice boxes (for those who are older than I) so salt was used to keep meat from spoiling fast. Then it was used for flavoring like my black beans to make things taste so great! Then I found another reason that it was used for. They would take savorless salt and scatter it on the soil of flat roofs to help harden it up and prevent leaks. That is what Jesus meant when talking about be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. Since rooftops were the clubs/living room/play grounds back then people would trample on the salt.
So what does this mean for us as Christians. Well first of all we need to be preservers of how God wants us to live and to make more disciples. We need to disinfect the horrible morals of the world and bring them back to what God teaches in the Bible. This is done by being the salt and the light of the world. To show them the way to live and to share the Gospel. Because just like salt God makes bland life into something AMAZING if we truly live life for God and strive to be Holy like it says to be in the beatitudes which is right before this passage. This verse as well as Romans 12:2 and John 15:19 really make people think about how do we share the Gospel effectively to the world and not be of the world. What is the level of balance that we need to be to be great salt that preserves and brings flavor and not the salt that is trampled on?
Well some people have taken this and said oh well if I don't do what they do then they will reject the message of God. Therefore, I will be the "cool Christian" who acts similar but will not retain the holiness that God has called me too because I am forgiven and He loves me no matter what. They then hope the friends see being a Christian as nothing too different from their life style and convert. This is what I believe Jesus is saying is salt that has lost its saltiness. This savorless salt are those Christians that throw away God's virtues of being holy to live life how they want because God forgives and loves us. Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! (Romans 6:15)
On the opposite end are the people who seclude themselves from the world and live their lifes for God. There life is as follows: Read the Bible, homeschool the kids, go to church small group, hang out with church people, go home and read the Bible some more and talk about Jesus to their family. Totally secluded from the outside world and not affecting anyone to come to Christ in their own home but will go on mission trips to do it across the world or in the state next door. This sometimes looks good because we are growing more in Christ, but we are not being the light of the world. These people are the lights hidden under the basket. They are growing in Christ but do not want to share it with those who need it. Mark 2:17 and Luke 15:7 talk more on that.
So the salt warns disciples of the dangers of compromise and conforming to the world and the light warns against withdrawing from the world which does not lead others to God. But they both speak on how we should live our lives holy and pleasing to God in order to shine/delay the decay or the darkness and sin of the world. As well as to be an example for those around us of how to live for God and to bring others to Him and make disciples. This is what it means to be salt and light. We need to live like God wants us to live, but we need to be sharing the Gospel to those around us that are lost in the darkness. We need to bring the awesome flavor of God into this world. What kind of flavor are you bringing to the world or are you just being trampled on?
Matthew 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
So I pulled out my good old Expositor's Bible Commentary and started to read specifically about this passage by D.A. Carson. It was interesting to learn the differences that salt was used back in Bible times. The two that a lot of people know is to preserve meats since they didn't have refrigerators or ice boxes (for those who are older than I) so salt was used to keep meat from spoiling fast. Then it was used for flavoring like my black beans to make things taste so great! Then I found another reason that it was used for. They would take savorless salt and scatter it on the soil of flat roofs to help harden it up and prevent leaks. That is what Jesus meant when talking about be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. Since rooftops were the clubs/living room/play grounds back then people would trample on the salt.
So what does this mean for us as Christians. Well first of all we need to be preservers of how God wants us to live and to make more disciples. We need to disinfect the horrible morals of the world and bring them back to what God teaches in the Bible. This is done by being the salt and the light of the world. To show them the way to live and to share the Gospel. Because just like salt God makes bland life into something AMAZING if we truly live life for God and strive to be Holy like it says to be in the beatitudes which is right before this passage. This verse as well as Romans 12:2 and John 15:19 really make people think about how do we share the Gospel effectively to the world and not be of the world. What is the level of balance that we need to be to be great salt that preserves and brings flavor and not the salt that is trampled on?
Well some people have taken this and said oh well if I don't do what they do then they will reject the message of God. Therefore, I will be the "cool Christian" who acts similar but will not retain the holiness that God has called me too because I am forgiven and He loves me no matter what. They then hope the friends see being a Christian as nothing too different from their life style and convert. This is what I believe Jesus is saying is salt that has lost its saltiness. This savorless salt are those Christians that throw away God's virtues of being holy to live life how they want because God forgives and loves us. Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! (Romans 6:15)
On the opposite end are the people who seclude themselves from the world and live their lifes for God. There life is as follows: Read the Bible, homeschool the kids, go to church small group, hang out with church people, go home and read the Bible some more and talk about Jesus to their family. Totally secluded from the outside world and not affecting anyone to come to Christ in their own home but will go on mission trips to do it across the world or in the state next door. This sometimes looks good because we are growing more in Christ, but we are not being the light of the world. These people are the lights hidden under the basket. They are growing in Christ but do not want to share it with those who need it. Mark 2:17 and Luke 15:7 talk more on that.
So the salt warns disciples of the dangers of compromise and conforming to the world and the light warns against withdrawing from the world which does not lead others to God. But they both speak on how we should live our lives holy and pleasing to God in order to shine/delay the decay or the darkness and sin of the world. As well as to be an example for those around us of how to live for God and to bring others to Him and make disciples. This is what it means to be salt and light. We need to live like God wants us to live, but we need to be sharing the Gospel to those around us that are lost in the darkness. We need to bring the awesome flavor of God into this world. What kind of flavor are you bringing to the world or are you just being trampled on?
Friday, May 16, 2014
Trusting God and not the Weather!
Psalm 148
Praise
the Lord.
Praise the Lord from
the heavens; praise Him in the heights above. Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His
heavenly hosts. Praise
Him, sun and
moon; praise
Him, all you shining stars. Praise
Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the
skies. Let
them praise the name of
the Lord, for at His command they were created, and He established them
for ever and ever—He issued a decree that will never pass
away.
Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do His
bidding, you
mountains and all hills, fruit
trees and all cedars, wild animals and all
cattle, small creatures and flying
birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and women, old men and children. Let them praise the
name of the Lord, for His name alone is
exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens. And He has raised up for His people a horn, the praise of all His faithful
servants, of Israel, the people close to His heart. Praise the Lord.
There is always one lesson that God keeps on teaching me and that is that God is control not our apps. So many times we as humans trust our apps or Internet too much and tend to be the opposite that happens. When we get sick we will check WebMD to see what we have..."Honey, the Internet says that based on my symptoms I have Progeria!" Most times WebMD is wrong or scares us into thinking we have a horrible disease. In one area that I need to give to God is weather when I have planned events. A lot of time I will check the weather just to see what the day will bring. When I have a planned event or outdoor activity I want to do and see that it is going to rain I think automatically of plan B's and indoor activities. That is mental after reading this verse. I should just come to God and pray for it. I should trust God and not weather.com. I have seen God change the weather plan so many times in my life after prayer. It has happened so many times that I feel like Elijah praying for rain in 1 Kings 18:41-46.
I had to relearn this lesson these past few months and have seen God work in so many great ways! One way was during the CUSTER FUN DAY that was planned. As a youth group we planned to come and enjoy a wonderful day in Custer...well when we got closer to the day weather.com showed horrible weather (rain, snow and cold)...COME ON! SNOW IN APRIL AND MAY!!!! Sorry that line was for those in warm places complaining that it is cold :) Anyways back to Custer Fun Day. We went and it turned out to be an awesome day weather wise...Not too hot and not extremely cold. The rain was held off till that evening when The Mother of Storms decided to come and water our plants. Even right before we went on a wonderful neature hike it was getting pretty dark and cloudy. Well I remembered God controls the weather and prayed for Him to hold the weather just a little bit longer...well right before we go on our hike the sky clears up and the sun comes out. Wow such an amazing God we Praise!
I just had another moment this week with planning Messy Games. The weather was going to be awful, but I prayed and kept on checking...well that isn't really faith that God will work. So eventually I just had to stop and say, "God you are in control I am going to trust that You will do what you need to do." I knew in my heart that God could make the weather good for us to play outside and if He did not God will give me a way to make it work. So no big deal and the night turned out to be awesome! So our God is great and is in control of weather! So PRAISE THE LORD.
Keep on the Sunny Side,
Nick
P.S.
Weather men and women,
I appreciate all you do to predict the weather, but God controls the weather and if God says it is not going to rain He will part the clouds or make them disappear. So no matter what percentage Weather Bug, Weather.com, Yahoo weather or any other weather app says just know that God controls it.
Thanks,
Nick
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