Ancient Times

             Being rooted in Christ takes a lot of work. You always hear from either me or from those around you that in order to "be one with Christ" you have to know everything about him. Yes that is true to some extent. We don’t need to know what God ate when he lived on earth or what kind of sandals he wore but we do need to think back to those ancient times. As soon as you think back to biblical times you probably think Jonah and the Whale or David in the Lion's Den. Those are stories that stick out to you from childhood teachings. But we need to go deeper. Ask yourself, what did God do on earth? If you can't fully answer that question right away then flip through the Old Testament and you will find daily occurrences of God's did here on earth. You will encounter stories such as God feeding thousands by a couple loaves of bread and two fish. Or how he would heal the blind and cure the sick. There is no doubt about it that God perform some amazing miracles as one on earth. But my point of this week’s lesson is to go back in time. In order for us to understand God now and later we need to know who he was. Now you might be thinking, well I didn’t live back in Jerusalem with Jesus so how would I connect to that Jesus? God is always the same person and that never changes. And there is one fact about the ancient times that links us to him. Even though we weren’t alive back then, the things that God did and said made the reflection of who and what we are today. The truth is we were a part of God's life back then and the crucifixion on the cross itself stands as proof. I don’t have much to say this week because this is one thing that everyone discovers on their own and everyone comes out with their own view on what they find. We can all spend hours talking about the great stories there are about God working through glory but that doesn’t help us come deeper in our relationship with him ourselves. So I challenge you over the next couple of days or weeks to find old stories in the Old Testament about when God show any amount of his glory. Once you understand the story evaluate it and apply it to your life. Think about what God's motives were for taking such actions and ultimately how does it speak to you. Now I know not all of you are one for study history and going back in time. But I firmly believe that in order for us to go forward into the mystery of God we need to understand who we were before now. We need to dive right into the undiscovered territories of the prophets, the slaves, the prostitutes, the blind, the weak, the sinful...to see where God's glory shines no matter what. I think that it's amazing to look back into history to discover the story that went on in a time so familiar to ours. The people "back then" thought the same things that we struggle with daily. So going back in time to hear about God should be like fresh air to use because it is so unknown. Don’t be afraid to go back in time to discover not only what God did but also what his followers did and what those around him did. Look deeper into who he is because I can guarantee that he is no boring average Joe.


Words of wisdom: " For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
                                   ~Philippians 1:21

Dreamers

    Being a child seemed like a time that was acceptable to have dreams. To have the idea that one day your gonna be a princess or your gonna be the next pop star. Once we grow up those dreams may come a reality but they also might go down in flames. Right now if you were to take a sheet of paper and record every single dream you ever wanted up until today, I sure you could sit back and laugh at some them. Or you might look at some and think....what am I waiting for? I have touched base before on not waiting to make the next move in the spiritual part of your life. Because we shouldn't wait for the "right time"...the truth is, there never is a right time. We can never control when we are going to have a dream. I'm sure you've heard of all the things you can eat or do right before you go to bed in order to have a dream. I'm sure you've also heard that your dreams are just a glimpse of people and things that you know. Most times when we dream it's not only about something we already know but it shows us what we want to happen with a certain person or thing. As a person of faith you know that even when we dream that doesn't mean that God is gonna give it to us. But it should be worth a try right? I say its worth more than a try. When we picture God deciding what he wants for us I'm sure we all picture God doing a bunch of paperwork that determines every ones due responsibilities. But did you ever view it as...God is making his dreams come true? Once God sends down his individual plans to each of us he is also casting down his dreams. Yeah sure God can make anything happen if he wants...but he can't make you follow what you've been given. He can put the right situations and people in your life at a certain time but unless you recognize those things and take action on them. They will only remain dreams. Let's go back to your list of dreams...look at it carefully. What do you see? If it's written or in your head...your dream list is more realistic than you think it is. If going back to school is on the top of your list, what's holding you back? Money? Time? Family? Life? Or if becoming a writer steals your heart when is comes to dreaming...why don't you make it happen? Even if you are tired of living a life that seems dead where you are now, why not move to that place that makes you feel whole? Why? WHY NOT?

  We all down play ourselves as just being humans. Well yeah, we are just humans but we are humans that were made out of an extraordinary design. And if you think for a minute that your dream is way to far to catch...then your wrong. Because your denying Gods wisdom. Where do you think your dreams come from? The Sand-Man? Mother nature? Tinkerbell? Yourself???? How about God. I could be wrong but I believe that our dreams are way too close to what are life is SUPPOSE to be like. I'm not saying that if one wishes to become a murder that that's a dream sent from God. You can depict Godly dreams from earthly dreams any day. So God gives us our dreams...so what. He gives us a lot of things but that doesn't mean that they play out. Most of your dreams don't play out...it's not everyday that you get signed a deal at a recording label. But you know what...if it's a burning desire in your heart that you just can't let go because you strongly believe that God has set it in your heart. I say follow it. FOLLOW IT! God gives us dreams so that we know what our life is to be like and if our dreams don't work out he never stops from dreaming. If you step back and look at the business of entertainment. Songwriters such as Taylor Swift or actors such as Anne Hathaway or even evangelists such as Joyce Meyers. Every single one of those people came through several steps to become who they are today. Did you know that Taylor Swift first got into the music market by becoming a songwriter? Or did you know that Joyce Meyers was a abused before she stood up in front of thousands to share the gospel that lies on her heart so heavily? Every popular icon came a long way from what they once were. And I can guarantee that they looked at their list of dreams and thought psshhh yeah that's never gonna happen! To some degree they were right because it wont happen if you sit there and just stare at the list. I'm sure we all wish it was that easy but its not. The journey to the things we want most is what teaches us the most. We are all dreamers. Those that have there dreams come true once had a dream that seemed impossible. Just let that soak in. EVERYONE dreams and only about half of us follow them. I don't want to go all Disney magic on you...but no dream or goal is ever too big for you to make your own. God has set things in your heart for a reason and even if money or time or family goes against you in what your gut tells you. He will then soon show you what gives you the ultimate prize in the end. We should be asking ourselves WHY don't we follow the dreams God "sets"  in our minds instead of always asking how am I ever gonna make this dream come to life. Evaluate your dreams, your motives, and what holds you back. What you truly NEED is what you truly will want. Follow your ambitions even if they seem to far to even consider. God didn't create a careful people, in fact he looks down a realizes that we are now a dangerous people. So be dangerous in the Lords name by setting his dreams, that he has so graciously set in your mind, into motion. Remember that he gave them to you for a reason. Don't make God do all the work by bringing heaven down to a bitter world start bringing the world to him. Your gonna need to figure out your dreams, evaluate them, pray over them, maybe even cry at times, be in awe at them, and make it happen.



Word of the Day: " You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream..."
                                                ~C.S. Lewis




Check this out...it's a little pep talk ;)

Those with the Feathery Wings

       When we think about the followers of Christ we automatically think of people here on earth. Yeah that makes sense but what about those beyond this earth? The ones I'm talking about are messengers, protectors, fallen, and are a type of Christ. You often have heard of these special people in your childhood when Jonah was in the whale or when David was in the lion's den. These things always seem to be there when were surrounded by trouble. We think that God can't protect us all the time so we picture God sending these little "things" to fly down to surround us. Then we automatically think that we are safe and were fine. If you haven't guessed already these "things" are angels. We often use angels to top our Christmas trees or to decorate our greeting cards. Or you see them attached to a car visor that protects you while you are driving. Angels get the rap of something that protects us... we can't all physically see angels but they are all around us. It's hard for people to think that Satan was ever an angel. I always thought it was so hard to look at something that became so evil that was once so good. That right there is the prime example of a fallen angel. But if you really think about it...aren't we all fallen angels. God wanted to create this world with a sinless record but he knew there would be a change of plans. We are always going to be sinful but we will always be those fallen angels somehow. When you live in this world it's hard not to become fallen. Angels are like God's mascot. They are the one's that spread their feathery wings out beyond their stark white dressings. But angel's are so much more than that...they are so hard to depict because they are so mysterious but they bring us such great news. They brought Jesus followers comfort when they thought their God was truly gone once he was hung on the cross. No matter how tough the situation is the angel delivers the message of "do not fear, for the Lord is with you". I think that angels are sent to us daily. They might not be the picturesque angel with the big white wings standing right next to us. But when we hear that song about forgiveness on the radio right after fighting with our friend or when you just got fired from your job and that night you get a call from your friend saying how he needs help running his sinking business. These thing may not happen to everyone or they might seem like consciences. But they aren't. These things happen for a reason and I always knew they were a sign from God. When we go through times where we don't talk to God or we claim that we don't have time for him anymore. Many great religious leaders will claim that when you go through a period of silence with God, he will also act the same to you. God will never abandon you but when you abandon Him he wont be as prominent as usual and that's where angels come in. The physical things on earth are the things that amaze us... the people that we meet, things we do, things we say, what we see. I think that's angels working around us. That's fair to say because angels aren't mystical creatures that you think that just come down. They aren't just in a fairytale. Their real.

Angel's in different forms:
*As a messenger: "Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God!" ~Luke 1:30
* As a protector: "For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go." ~ Psalm 91:11
* Fallen: " Then the king will turn to those on the left and say, ' Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.' " ~Matthew 25:41



Word of the day:  " Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And let peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
                                                       ~Philippians 4:6-7

All that without a bag of chips

      Becoming a follower of Christ seems like a lot of work. And I firmly believe that the hard tasks given by God may be brutal. But its a good kind of brutal. Think back to the time right around before you became a Christian. It was confusing and hard was it not?? But it was also one of the best times of your life, was it not? For everyone their story is different but everyone that goes through the process of being born again can testify the heart breaks. Discovering a relationship with God is like finding a diamond in the rough. You can find the diamond with enough determination but once you get it out it will still be caked with dirt. In order for the diamond to be displayed in a ring or in a glass case in a museum it requires tons of work for it to display its potential that it was made for. Now once we work for what God wants us to reveal through our relationship with him we almost become "set" or "finished". But the truth is, we are never finished when it comes to our relationship with Christ, because if we knew everything God has planned for us to know, then we wouldn't need to live as long as planned. Now if you are a believer you might think, "Okay, I feel like I have fulfilled my purpose with God but I continue to grow and there are times where I feel as if I don't have the whole package." If you are a non-believer you might think, " Well I have seen several spiritual people go through some pretty horrible stuff and that whole relationship with God thing seems like a lot of work that I could do without." First lets go back to the thoughts of a believer. This may be different according to where you are in your spiritual journey but do you feel like being a child of God is tough sometimes? In John 16:33 God states " I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." Wow...first off I just think that's is beyond words how the Lord himself says that the world is pretty much gonna be harsh and bitter towards us all. Fighting against what holds most of us believers down is a huge struggle and it upsets us half the time because it feels as if the Lords not out there for us. The more we fight the more our strength is shown in the end, and those who fight DO get through it. Now once we get through the rough times in the spiritual aspect we might start to question well how come the girl that steals from my company gets the promotion? Or how come I'm the only teenager in my group of friends that is the most honest but yet that outstanding guy wont even look at me? As I have stated before, none of us will ever fully know the reasoning behind the mysterious acts of the Lord. But we can make sense of them while they fester in our lives. Some believers get mad when they see others that don't give a crap about God but yet they have the best partner or the best house. And this causes followers of Christ to really question God's authority. Well if you are a believer with those kind of thoughts let me just tell you that you are not alone. We all tend to question Gods authority at times and that's an amazing thing. I know it sounds like an oxymoron to say its good to question the big mans motives but if we didn't then how would we grow? Also realize that it doesn't matter if your friend has a boyfriend or girlfriend. Or if they have always been smarter than you because those things don't even compare to the importance of your faith. So whether you have worldly possessions or not, realize the difference between that and your faith. Now for non-believers that may be reading this, you might think that become a Christian is way too much pain and work. Well you are right. It's the hardest thing you will ever do. But let's connect this to a real life example....if you play a sport or have a hobby its the same process as being a child of God. What ever you love to do you work hard at it and yeah it might hurt sometimes to the point where it doesn't feel worth it. When you work for something for so long the reward seems much bigger than the award you would of gotten without putting your all into it. So when you see a believer down it doesn't mean their God has failed them its because the world has failed them. But if you stick around long enough you will see their heads rise up because in the back of their mind they know that the effect of jealously and hatred will never hold a flame to their God. So pay attention everyone!! If you feel like you have worked so hard to become the Christian you want to be and yet the people around are " all that and a bag of chips." Remember that those chips are fattening and they only last for a little while until they begin to become stale which makes them unappealing. So yeah keep holding on because your dream job is coming or the dream girl or that dream guy or that dream house or maybe even that dream child. Its all on its way because you are all that and a bag of chips every single day. One last word for those who believe or don't believe...if you are looking from a distance and it seems way to hard because you have enough heart ache in your life. Try getting closer and you might pick up a little more trouble but I promise it will all go away a lot faster than it came.



Word of the Day: " Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
                                                                    ~ Joshua 1:9