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.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
2009 Year in Review
**There was a correction made. I went to Souda Bay, Crete instead of Moron AB, Spain. Thanks The Coffee.**
This year has been a complete change. I started this year debating to stay in England or return, and was this return w/ or w/o military ties. Shortly after the New Years I broaded a KC-135 and head south to Crete where I was stuck in NAS Souda Bay, Crete. It was an okay way to start the new year. Shortly after souda, I went to the South Eastern Hemisphere for a 50 day deployment to NAS Diego Graica in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I returned to England in April and had to make a quick decision about where I was going to. After finding out that I could not extent in England and after talking to a Christian Brother. I saw that the military full-time was not worth it, even at $20,000. So I applied to Liberty University and applied to 459th ARW for a crew chief position. I received both and June was time to start getting ready to leave. July 13, 2009 was the last time I was in England this year and there would be no returning. Late July road trip to Lynchburg, Va to see the area and also to find an apartment was not a successful as I like. As I left Lynchburg to return home God was faithful and I had an apartment. A 2 bedroom 2 bath for more that I wanted to spend. After being home for a couple days, I spent 2 weeks traveling to Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Utah. What a great time to spent with friend from my military days. In August, I would official move to Lynchburg and had one week to get settled in before school started. I would start as a Senior taking Freshmen classes. After trying to be a better student, I received my first 4.0 semester ever. My class were not that hard but challenging enough because of constant multiple test on the same days.
So as I remember that has happen, it is better to remember what God was doing through out the whole year. He taught me that he is faithful and also that I need to be more faithful in him. This really hit me when I was hard press to find an apartment in Lynchburg. I left a 2pm a mere 8 hrs later then I wanted to return home and I had a hotel booked in St. Louis. He came through as the place that I placed a deposit on would open 30 mins after I left. I had a place, God came through. I was upset and almost losing my man card b/c of emotions but God came through. I had to trust him and he came through. It was tough. So as I started to school again, just like 4 years ago I had to trust him that I was going to make it through Basic Training, I would have to trust him again in school. I thank God that he has been faithful and will to help a wretched sinner like me. What amazing love and grace.
So there you have it, a year in review. I am eager to see what God has for me this summer. I have my plans but what does God have plan for me will be way a better.
This year has been a complete change. I started this year debating to stay in England or return, and was this return w/ or w/o military ties. Shortly after the New Years I broaded a KC-135 and head south to Crete where I was stuck in NAS Souda Bay, Crete. It was an okay way to start the new year. Shortly after souda, I went to the South Eastern Hemisphere for a 50 day deployment to NAS Diego Graica in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I returned to England in April and had to make a quick decision about where I was going to. After finding out that I could not extent in England and after talking to a Christian Brother. I saw that the military full-time was not worth it, even at $20,000. So I applied to Liberty University and applied to 459th ARW for a crew chief position. I received both and June was time to start getting ready to leave. July 13, 2009 was the last time I was in England this year and there would be no returning. Late July road trip to Lynchburg, Va to see the area and also to find an apartment was not a successful as I like. As I left Lynchburg to return home God was faithful and I had an apartment. A 2 bedroom 2 bath for more that I wanted to spend. After being home for a couple days, I spent 2 weeks traveling to Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Utah. What a great time to spent with friend from my military days. In August, I would official move to Lynchburg and had one week to get settled in before school started. I would start as a Senior taking Freshmen classes. After trying to be a better student, I received my first 4.0 semester ever. My class were not that hard but challenging enough because of constant multiple test on the same days.
So as I remember that has happen, it is better to remember what God was doing through out the whole year. He taught me that he is faithful and also that I need to be more faithful in him. This really hit me when I was hard press to find an apartment in Lynchburg. I left a 2pm a mere 8 hrs later then I wanted to return home and I had a hotel booked in St. Louis. He came through as the place that I placed a deposit on would open 30 mins after I left. I had a place, God came through. I was upset and almost losing my man card b/c of emotions but God came through. I had to trust him and he came through. It was tough. So as I started to school again, just like 4 years ago I had to trust him that I was going to make it through Basic Training, I would have to trust him again in school. I thank God that he has been faithful and will to help a wretched sinner like me. What amazing love and grace.
So there you have it, a year in review. I am eager to see what God has for me this summer. I have my plans but what does God have plan for me will be way a better.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Dealing with the Heart.
I was going to title this peice dealing with the Matters of the Heart but it is already a book and I am not going to talk about the same subject that was addressed in the book. I want to lie out a message that I heard and some of the impact since it deals with me. The message was about being a powerful servent for God. In history, we see that many of the top theology or bold witnesses for Christ had certain qualities. The message today at convocation was about these qualities. I want to talk about the last because it has impacted me the most. He talked about being proud in the heart to be elevated above God. It is the motivation that we have when we to something for God. Are we doing it for His glory or ours? I ran in to a case of it yesterday, that is why I think it hit me pretty hard. I went witnessing yesterday and got into some different conversation. I then went to a Center of Worship Christmas Worship. It was so powerful but a thought that keep was someone was getting a feeling from God about what I just did. THIS IS SO NOT RIGHT! That is why I was impacted. Was I really giving God the glory with the people I talked to? I would give you some scripture but I have not taking the time to search but I think we all know that I am talking. So prayer that God sets my heart in the right direction.
Monday, December 7, 2009
A post from another blog that I have posted on my Blog
Here is a post that I font on one of the Christian Satire sites. Enjoy!
n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
1. the science of misinterpretation, esp. of the Scriptures, to such a degree that it causes listeners with any common sense to squirm.
2. misinterpretation of the Scriptures so absurd that it causes one to question whether or not it could possibly be for real.
You can read the rest at Tominthebox.blogspot.com.
Squirmeneutics
squir-me-neu-tics (skwûrm'mə-nōō'tĭks)n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
1. the science of misinterpretation, esp. of the Scriptures, to such a degree that it causes listeners with any common sense to squirm.
2. misinterpretation of the Scriptures so absurd that it causes one to question whether or not it could possibly be for real.
You can read the rest at Tominthebox.blogspot.com.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The Manhattan Declaration
I do not know if the dust that read this blog know about the Manhattan Declaration, and you also may not know about it. The Manhattan Declaration is a letter between Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical leaders about Abortion, Marriage, and Christian Convection. While I agree with the statement that was made, I could get myself to sign it online. The biggest reason is that indirectly it is trying to unify Catholic, Orthodox, and Evangelicals that are far apart theology and do not have the same gospel. I do not know about Orthodox Churches but I believe that they are the same as Catholics with some Trinity theology. I know for a fact that Catholic believe in infused righteousness and working towards heaven by doing the sacraments to receive these grace bits. As a Evangelical, somewhat, I do not agree with joining with other groups that do not believe in the same fundamental Christian doctrines.
I will admit that this reason is why I will not sign it. I do not know if that is a hidden agenda with the Manhattan Declaration. I will encourage you to read two different view of the declaration. They are brothers in Christ and will do Together for the Gospel 2010 in Loiusville, KY. But first is the Manhattan Declaration for you to read (it is about 7 pages). The first view is Albert Mohler who is for it and John MacArthur who is against it. Enjoy!
I will admit that this reason is why I will not sign it. I do not know if that is a hidden agenda with the Manhattan Declaration. I will encourage you to read two different view of the declaration. They are brothers in Christ and will do Together for the Gospel 2010 in Loiusville, KY. But first is the Manhattan Declaration for you to read (it is about 7 pages). The first view is Albert Mohler who is for it and John MacArthur who is against it. Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thanksgiving, oh Thanksgiving.
I hope that everyone has recovered from the Thanksgiving long weekend. I had my first holiday with my family in about 3 years. I was excited maybe because of pride. I mean I have not seen my dad's side of the family for over 2 years. It was not so exciting. I did not realize how much people change in a short time. I knew but I just did not realize. 2 years seem to be short time but yet some much changes. I felt almost like an outcast. I am know that my parents kept people inform but I seem so distant to these people that are to be my family. I think that some of it is that in England, less so in Oklahoma, that we are truly at as family because that is all that we have. Last year, I had Thanksgiving with a great Christian families, Christmas with other families of equal status. It felt like a giant family. So my Thanksgiving was a let down in that since but it was good to spent time with my biological family.
As much as they have changed, I would be dishonest that I have not changed either. I when some orders a salad on top of a burger has changed some how. My family has know that I am more of the L-word (literalist). They often tell me that everyone interprets the Bible and I agreed and also said that everyone read literal. We also discussed women as pastors. Beside that part, I also tend to get uncomfortable around many people especial when I seem to know people. This might be the fact that I spent many hours a day alone. I know a couple people here are Liberty but I usually only spent time with them before or after class. So I have changed too.
I would ask for some prayer. I have been in a slump of not reading my Bible or praying. Also for the replacement of my crown on tomorrow (Wednesday 2 Dec.). This has been a nightmare since my insurance will not pay for replacement crown b/c it has been less than 5 years. Also pray for my Ipod. It is going out on me and it will cost some money that I do not have.
"Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season, and if it be upon thee just now it will be very painful to thee: but there is this comfort, namely, that the Lord makes it. He sends the sharp blasts of adversity to nip the buds of expectation: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes over the once verdant meadows of our joy: He casteth forth His ice like morsels freezing the streams of our delight. He does it all, He is the great Winter King, and rules in the realms of frost, and therefore thou canst not murmur. Losses, crosses, heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other ills, are of the Lord's sending, and come to us with wise design. Frosts kill noxious insects, and put a bound to raging diseases; they break up the clods, and sweeten the soul. O that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction!" C.H. Spurgeon 1 Dec Morning Devotional.
As much as they have changed, I would be dishonest that I have not changed either. I when some orders a salad on top of a burger has changed some how. My family has know that I am more of the L-word (literalist). They often tell me that everyone interprets the Bible and I agreed and also said that everyone read literal. We also discussed women as pastors. Beside that part, I also tend to get uncomfortable around many people especial when I seem to know people. This might be the fact that I spent many hours a day alone. I know a couple people here are Liberty but I usually only spent time with them before or after class. So I have changed too.
I would ask for some prayer. I have been in a slump of not reading my Bible or praying. Also for the replacement of my crown on tomorrow (Wednesday 2 Dec.). This has been a nightmare since my insurance will not pay for replacement crown b/c it has been less than 5 years. Also pray for my Ipod. It is going out on me and it will cost some money that I do not have.
"Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season, and if it be upon thee just now it will be very painful to thee: but there is this comfort, namely, that the Lord makes it. He sends the sharp blasts of adversity to nip the buds of expectation: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes over the once verdant meadows of our joy: He casteth forth His ice like morsels freezing the streams of our delight. He does it all, He is the great Winter King, and rules in the realms of frost, and therefore thou canst not murmur. Losses, crosses, heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other ills, are of the Lord's sending, and come to us with wise design. Frosts kill noxious insects, and put a bound to raging diseases; they break up the clods, and sweeten the soul. O that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction!" C.H. Spurgeon 1 Dec Morning Devotional.
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