Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Sir, You are not allow to solicit here.

Going to the mall to witness to some people has been a highlight because you just do not know who you run into. When street witnessing in England, you knew they were not Christian, for the most part. I had 2 good conversations today while at the mall. The first was to 3 young men. I used the curve illusion with the ticket to heaven, and some MDB. There were 2 ladies but the left. Two out of the three guys said that will go to Heaven and the other said to Hell because he has been bad. I would take them through the good person test and would watch them seem pretty convicted. They would probably never guess that on a field trip for DECA that they would have been witness to. It was a nice conversation since 2 of they had cross necklaces on. Please pray for them. I do not remember their names but God knows.

The next conversation would get kick out of the mall for soliciting. This man is name Isa, Jesus in Arabic, who was Muslim. He was sure that he would be going to heaven because he has done enough work. I used the law once and now realize that I should have used it again. It might not have mattered since he would never apply the law to himself without having other people involve. His friend was not that great of help even if he claimed to be a Christian. His friend would say that he has a faith so he is good and who am I to judge Isa. I told me that I was not judging but if the Bible is correct, his friend would go to hell because he does not understand Jesus rightly and that he has sinned against God. Isa would also never admit that every deserved Hell because he had sin against a holy God. I did tell him that lying lip are an abomination to the Lord and that all lairs will be thrown into the lake of fire. One mistake that I took away was that I was trying to convince him with knowledge and not always with God’s word. I need to remember that I do not save people, it if God and that God’s word will convict him. Even though it was not a great witness encounter, I learned a little about my tactic. One thing that I thought was interesting was that he would never admit that he was working to Heaven with work-righteousness. He could never say that but that is all that he said.

So reason for the title. I was told this by a security guard from the mall to end the conversation.

Friday, January 22, 2010

2 Days, 2 Blog posts, and something else.

This is a huge event. For the first time in 2010, I will write 2 blog post on back-to-back days. I want to give you want this blogs does not offer much. I have been thinking about what this recent car crash I was involved in has taught me. It has thought me that God is in control. It just happened that I was listen to Wretched Radio and the host Todd Friel has been talking about why part does God have in Haiti. He talks about how know matter what happen, God is still in control and it happened because God allowed or ordained it. This has been what has get me on the straight road with this trial I went/going through right now. I am sorry that I am not the get with Bible verses to help but I went in search because I know that God is faithful. Is I was looking for a verse is Psalm 140-149, I do not remember what Psalm it was in, I remember a what my EVAN 101 special guest said today, from Psalm 55. David starts out in verse 1 saying, " Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan(.)" (Psalm 55:1-2, ESV) David is talking about enemy is that is drawing near. In verse 4, David talks about that he heart is heavy and how he fears that we will not make. Starting in verse 9, David pleas that God destroys those evil people. Then in verse 16 David says, "But I call to God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me." (Psalm 55:16-18, ESV) How great is this God that is able to help us when we are low and are trying to understand what is going on. James tells us to rejoice in all trials (James 1:2-3), while Peter tells us that God test our faith to make sure it is genuine (1 Peter 1:6-7). As I finish this post, I just think how much Jesus also suffered here on earth and how much more on the cross. Yet he defeated it all and God received the glory. How much must I submit to his will and give him to glory for what he has done. This car crash has reveled that.

This small trial has reminded me although I may not finish this semester, God is in control and I must submit to his plans. He will not leave me or forsake me and yet even when we get surrounded with problems, he has a plan that helps us and not harm us. O, how great is our God!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Pics from Wreck.

Here some pictures of the cruiser. The front grill is right on the engine and not attached to the bumper as the picture looks.


Here is an little update. One person has gone in for additional medical help for headaches. Please pray for him and a quick recovery. I am currently waiting for my money to buy a 1996 Hinda Accord 4 door. It is weird that every car I have bought has been older then the last. It started with an 06 Chevy Cobalt 2 door coupe. Then it went to the PT, which is an 2002. Now a 1996, I was 10 btw, Honda Accord. I am expecting my next car to be a 1986 Mini, just kidding. I do not know if I will keep the Honda because it is an automatic instead of a manual, which means that the Honda is the first automatic transmission I have owned. I might give an overview of what God did. That will depend on my school work. I have a fully book schedule and now I am trying to get another job for updating some equipment like a new laptop.

Monday, January 18, 2010

4-Car Crash

This is going to be a public announcement of sorts. I was involved in a 4 car crash heading to church. The traffic stop suddenly and being in the proper distance from the car in front of me, I hydroplaned into him because it was raining and the road where wet. A Liberty Student hydroplaned into me shortly after. I was the only one to not drive off. Praise God that no one was hurt. The car in front of me because of my impact hit the car in front of him but very little damage was done. I was formal charged with Reckless driving: failure to maintain proper control as was the lady who was behind me. This charged is given to anyone who rear-ends another car. I have to appear in court but the max fine is $30 plus court fees. The officer told me that the judge could throw it out since it was raining and I was not doing anything wrong. It will also depend on my driving record which has been clear since I was pulled over last, according to my US driving record, in Oklahoma in 2006. My neck hurts from the impact but other than that I am fine. A problem that now arises is the fact that financially, I can not handle buying a car or $500 to fix the PT. Even thought this has happened, I am trying to not get anxious over it. I need to trust in God that it will work out for the good to bring him glory and not myself. As of right now, I am examine myself to see if God might be trying rebuke me for sin or was it an opportunity to witness to someone. All I know now, is that God is still in control and he allowed it to happen so His grace can be on display. In response to this unfortunate crash, I will lay the burdens down at the cross and let God work and let him lead and I will follow like a little child.

Prayers that this will be resolved and everything works out. I am expecting that they will be hiccups to test me. Pray that I will have an unwavering trust in God to handle it. Thanks to all.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Sometimes You Just have to Feel Humbled because of God.

I just got off the phone with a friend. Just before we hung-up he was talking about how he was been thinking of how God is orchestrating this cosmic play. I just think of all the people I know from Utah to England and in between. The fact that God had ordained me to know people and get to know people as I make choices that impact my life. I can honestly say that when I think of all the people that God has placed in my life to help develop into the person I am . The person I was on the phone with is the person that shared to me for the first time the gospel. This was 5 years ago when a mutual friend said we should meet. At the time was not a Christian. It would take the beating down for 1 week in Basic Training to see my need for a savior. Just think about all the people that you know. What makes it more amazing is that we are connected because of God. God has placed people in ours lives and had us established relationships with them. It shows that God is truly bigger than one can imagine. That he knows all and observes all. Then you have Sunday, when all you worship the true God come to give Him the praise. We often wonder why God places in different areas. That was a battle I fought while in England. As much as I enjoyed my first trip back to OKC in Jan. 08, it hurt me in the battle. I see know why God would place me there. I would what grew me the most as a Christian but sharing my faith on the streets, among different world views. The fact that God had place me there and the people I now know and might get to see again, if I ever get married or go on a nationwide road trip.

I think that why I feel humbled is because God has been good to me when I do not deserve it. All that really I am is a sinful human saved by God. The fact that God would save a wretched evil man like myself is beyond my knowing but he did because he loves. How can I ever blame God for not being good show how I really am.

I also want to pass on a great worship CD. It is called Exalted Worship by Scott Krippayne and Kirk Cameron. You can download it from iTunes or buy it from Amazon or WretchedRadio.com. It is a mixture of God honoring and man humbling prayer. The hymns are not your standard man centered worship songs but hymns that teach theology about God. It is some of the best worship I have had from a CD. You can check the lyrics out at WretchedRadio.com.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Waiting for a download so I am writing a blog.

I do not know what I want to say so this is true randomness. I have been thinking, after listening to Paul Washer, that the American Church reduction of the Gospel to this say this prayer is changing the focus from God to man. Paul Washer said something that I never realized but know that there was something wrong with getting people to say the sinners prayer. To clearify, I believe that people need to pray to God because they see that they have offended the true God but I am against having people repeat a prayer and then pronounce them saved. Paul Washer said what I have found in witnessing at the mall, people stake their eternity on a prayer that THEY said and not on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This is work righteousness and the more I think about it, the more I think that those people are not saved because they trust is wrongly placed. I did not say the "Sinner's Prayer" so does that mean I am not saved because I said a prayer. What Christ did on the cross will be fathomed but us humans and the fact that we degrade to a point that we have to say this prayer and no mattered what, we are saved. I am all for assurance of salvation but my assurance is in the Christ alone because of the atoning work on the cross. I took some advice from C.J. Mahaney's book A Cross-Centered Life, it is that we should preach the Gospel to ourselves everyday. What is more assuring that a wretched sinner has be saved by God to do God's work here on earth. The more and more I think about my life and how self-centered my life is, the more and more I see my need for Christ and a cross-centered life.

I have also been thinking about how can I celebrate Christmas rightly. When I figure it out, I will post.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Singleness, thoughts on my current status is life.

Before I was a Christian, I hated happy people. The main reason, I was not happy myself. I was asked to usher at my cousin's wedding. I was force to by my parental authority, even if I had a concert about 30 mins away. I really hated weddings since everyone was happy or at least seemed. So today, I attended a wedding with a friend that I have not really got to know. He became good friends with a person as I remember tried to avoid me back in middle school. So in 6th or 7th grade, I was friendless to say the lest. This does not help me at that time. So throughout middle school and high school, I was pretty much a loner. So pretty much throughout most of my life, I have lived in a state of singleness. I remember in college, I would go from room to room looking to be accepted. When I joined the military, I would spend tons of time by myself. It was less in Oklahoma and towards the end it would be better. Then I moved to England. This would be challenge. I would hangout once-in-a-while at a friends dorm room but I would spent days by myself. It was hard to do anything since I was by myself. I would have loved to travel more but it would not have been fun. I remember going to London to watch the New Year Parade. I was so lonely.

So now living in Lynchburg and seeing friends get married. It has taken a toll on me. I still long for that friendship with someone who lives close. I still have this thing about weddings but today I wanted to enjoy it. I wanted to rejoice with those rejoicing. I would look on Boundless, a Focus on the Family for 20 and 30s single people, for an artcile that would cover this issue. I found one and it has help. I read that even if I am not getting married or even have a friend living close that share time, God has blessed me in different ways. It is a comfort (and as I grow I hope it will be a better comfort) to know that God has blessed me with where I am at. I might not be getting married or even have a really close friend, but God has bless me with in different ways. I can go on knowing that even if I long for a relationship I really do not have, God has bless with relationships. It is tursting God that where He has me now is where the right place.

I think the main problem is a little known sin called self-centeredness. I have to admit that I try hard to dress to impress. I try to do the little things that know would ever care, like shiny shoes. I often wonder why people put up with this. Just thinking about it, this might be why I am not married. I am not in a place yet to set myself back and serve others. Remembering a quote by J.R. Miller, he said that a godly man is like dew. Dew always work at night when no one is looking and you see the effects when the dew is done. It is a man ever working for the glory of himself but you can also see their work.

As I shift gears again, I guess that is why I write blogs. I want to that close friend to speak to, unfortunately blogs do not talk back, but I want the subject to be about me. But I look at myself and I force to see that I, who has never dated anyone mind you, am not that great of a person. I see that even talking to a girl I meet through a Bible study, that I am not that Godly man. I was talking to the pastor of the church that a couple of friends attend and he has said something that struck me. It is about the heart. It is clear that because of my self-centeredness, that my heart is in the wrong place. I am focusing on the wrong things. I am focusing on my plans and want I want, not what God wants from me.

I need to leave this but I would like you to pray from me. The one think I guess you can take from this is that I am not that great of a person when it comes down to it. My sins will have me fall further away in despair but there is a God who cares. He cared enough to send a Savior who will take this burden. That is the focus, it is the cross of Christ.