We're here in Fayetteville, NC packing for our 4-5 hour road trip back home. I couldn't have asked for a better trip. Sure, it had ups and downs. Nothing out there is perfect, but I can say that I can't ask for a better family.
This trip was the first family trip we've had since 2006. It felt really good living under the same roof once again as a whole. Great way to end the summer as we go back to the daily grind of work and school.
I could feel this family getting closer and closer to the Lord as our trip went on. We did bible studies, went to a Bible-themed theme park, and we even prayed together! Two things I love the most in the world, the Lord and family, came together under one roof.
Even with all of the things that happened in the beginning of the summer, it is safe to say that this is the best summer I've ever had.
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
[Psalm 133:1]
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Your Love Is Strong - Jon Foreman.
So here I am in the beautiful city of Orlando, FL. Everyone's asleep and I'm up listening to some praise and worship music. I came across a song and the lyrics just spoke out to me. Like really, this song speaks out to me on so many levels. Here it is. Jon Foreman - Your Love Is Strong:
Heavenly Father
You always amaze me
Let your kingdom come
In my world and in my life
You give me the food I need
To live through the day
And forgive me as I forgive
The people that wronged me
Lead me far from temptation
Deliver me from the evil one
I look out the window
The birds are composing
Not a note is out of tune
Or out of place
I look at the meadow
And stare at the flowers
Better dressed than any girl
On her wedding day
So why do I worry?
Why do I freak out?
God knows what I need
You know what I need
Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong
The kingdom of the heavens
Is now advancing
Invade my heart
Invade this broken town
The kingdom of the heavens
Is buried treasure
Will you sell yourself
To buy the one you've found?
Two things you told me
That you are strong
And you love me
Yes, you love me
Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong
Our God in heaven
Hallowed be
Thy name above all names
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
Forgive us weary sinners
Lead us far away from our vices
And deliver us from these prisons
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. [1 Peter 5:7]
....I want to cover this song ASAP
Heavenly Father
You always amaze me
Let your kingdom come
In my world and in my life
You give me the food I need
To live through the day
And forgive me as I forgive
The people that wronged me
Lead me far from temptation
Deliver me from the evil one
I look out the window
The birds are composing
Not a note is out of tune
Or out of place
I look at the meadow
And stare at the flowers
Better dressed than any girl
On her wedding day
So why do I worry?
Why do I freak out?
God knows what I need
You know what I need
Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong
The kingdom of the heavens
Is now advancing
Invade my heart
Invade this broken town
The kingdom of the heavens
Is buried treasure
Will you sell yourself
To buy the one you've found?
Two things you told me
That you are strong
And you love me
Yes, you love me
Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong
Our God in heaven
Hallowed be
Thy name above all names
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
Forgive us weary sinners
Lead us far away from our vices
And deliver us from these prisons
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. [1 Peter 5:7]
....I want to cover this song ASAP
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Faithfulness brings true riches.
Taken from my daily scripture book:
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteousness wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?" - Luke 16:10-11
Your character is tested in the small choices you make. Cheating in a little thing is cut out of the same piece of cloth as cheating in a big way. Just as a small drop of dye will color even a large glass of clear water, a small act of deception colors your whole character. God promises that when you are honest and faithful in small ways, he will give you more and greater opportunities to do good.
------
In my McArthur Study Bible, it referenced Matthew 25:21 for verse 10: His master replied, 'Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share you master's happiness!'
In verse 11, it talks about the "true" riches. This doesn't mean money or power. Think heavenly treasures. Here' what the Gospel of Matthew says in chapter 6, verses 19-21, 24: "Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." In these verses, the bible clearly states that money is an earthly treasure, and you can't love both. God will provide [2 Corinthians 9:6-15]
How do I store up heavenly treasures you ask? Devote time to the Lord and submit all areas of your life to God.
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteousness wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?" - Luke 16:10-11
Your character is tested in the small choices you make. Cheating in a little thing is cut out of the same piece of cloth as cheating in a big way. Just as a small drop of dye will color even a large glass of clear water, a small act of deception colors your whole character. God promises that when you are honest and faithful in small ways, he will give you more and greater opportunities to do good.
------
In my McArthur Study Bible, it referenced Matthew 25:21 for verse 10: His master replied, 'Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share you master's happiness!'
In verse 11, it talks about the "true" riches. This doesn't mean money or power. Think heavenly treasures. Here' what the Gospel of Matthew says in chapter 6, verses 19-21, 24: "Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." In these verses, the bible clearly states that money is an earthly treasure, and you can't love both. God will provide [2 Corinthians 9:6-15]
How do I store up heavenly treasures you ask? Devote time to the Lord and submit all areas of your life to God.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Beautiful Letdown - Switchfoot.
So I was on Jesusfreakhideout.com and I was looking up Switchfoot lyrics. A cool thing about that website is that it shows the background to the song lyrics quoted by the artist. I found one that caught my eye and is pretty relevant to me. The song is by Switchfoot and the song is The Beautful Letdown. Here is what the lead singer/songwriter (Jon Foreman) had to say about the song:
"Physics tells us that everything on this planet will fail us eventually. Trust someone, fall in love: your scars will tell the same story. Entropy, pain, beauty, love, hope... mix them together and call it living. The choice that remains is where we go to find meaning and truth. The biggest failures and disappointments in my life have led me to look beyond what money or power or friends can buy. When you’re face down at the very bottom of who you are, and there is no formality or pretense to cling to, all your masks fall off. In this broken place, our lives can be seen for what they are, no more no less; we are ourselves. The question is this: What happens after the twin towers in our lives fall? Do we become bitter and hateful or does redemption come into focus? I’ve been on both sides...only one is beautiful."
And the lyrics:
It was a beautiful letdown
When I crashed and burned
When I found myself alone, unknown and hurt.
It was a beautiful letdown
The day I knew
That all the riches this world had to offer me
Would never do.
In a world full of bitter pain
And bitter doubt
I was trying so hard to fit in,
Until I found out
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
I will carry a cross and a song where I don't belong.
It was a beautiful letdown
When You found me here
And for once in a rare blue moon
I see everything clear
I'll be a beautiful letdown
That's what I'll forever be
And though it may cost my soul
I'll sing for free.
We're still chasing our tails
And the rising sun
And our dark water planet
Still spins in a race
Where no one wins
And no one's one.
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
I'm gonna set sight
and set sail for the kingdom come.
Your kingdom come.
Won't you let me down!
Let my foolish pride forever let me down.
Easy living, you're not much like your name
Easy dying, you look just about the same.
Would you please take me off your list?
Easy living, please come on and let me down.
What a beautiful letdown
painfully uncool
the church of the drop outs, the losers,
the sinners, the failures, and the fools.
What a beautiful letdown
are we salt in the wound?
Let us sing one true tune.
...Think about it
P.S. This CD is one of my absolute favorites!!!
"Physics tells us that everything on this planet will fail us eventually. Trust someone, fall in love: your scars will tell the same story. Entropy, pain, beauty, love, hope... mix them together and call it living. The choice that remains is where we go to find meaning and truth. The biggest failures and disappointments in my life have led me to look beyond what money or power or friends can buy. When you’re face down at the very bottom of who you are, and there is no formality or pretense to cling to, all your masks fall off. In this broken place, our lives can be seen for what they are, no more no less; we are ourselves. The question is this: What happens after the twin towers in our lives fall? Do we become bitter and hateful or does redemption come into focus? I’ve been on both sides...only one is beautiful."
And the lyrics:
It was a beautiful letdown
When I crashed and burned
When I found myself alone, unknown and hurt.
It was a beautiful letdown
The day I knew
That all the riches this world had to offer me
Would never do.
In a world full of bitter pain
And bitter doubt
I was trying so hard to fit in,
Until I found out
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
I will carry a cross and a song where I don't belong.
It was a beautiful letdown
When You found me here
And for once in a rare blue moon
I see everything clear
I'll be a beautiful letdown
That's what I'll forever be
And though it may cost my soul
I'll sing for free.
We're still chasing our tails
And the rising sun
And our dark water planet
Still spins in a race
Where no one wins
And no one's one.
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
I'm gonna set sight
and set sail for the kingdom come.
Your kingdom come.
Won't you let me down!
Let my foolish pride forever let me down.
Easy living, you're not much like your name
Easy dying, you look just about the same.
Would you please take me off your list?
Easy living, please come on and let me down.
What a beautiful letdown
painfully uncool
the church of the drop outs, the losers,
the sinners, the failures, and the fools.
What a beautiful letdown
are we salt in the wound?
Let us sing one true tune.
...Think about it
P.S. This CD is one of my absolute favorites!!!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
God has a purpose for suffering
"Number one, God uses suffering to reveal our spiritual condition...our spiritual character. God uses suffering to reveal our spiritual character. You really do not know the truth about someone spiritually when everything is going well, right? It doesn't surface because basically they appear to be at peace and happy and with a measure of joy and satisfaction and fulfillment in life because superficially and on the surface everything is okay. Then when things begin to go wrong, reality begins to surface as to their spiritual condition. And the worse things get, the more their spiritual character is un-bared. When you strip away the blessings, and you strip away the successes and you strip away the prosperity and you strip away the health and you begin to peel it all back, then you're going to find out what somebody is really made of spiritually."
An excerpt from How God uses Suffering - Part 1 by John MacArthur
An excerpt from How God uses Suffering - Part 1 by John MacArthur
Monday, June 15, 2009
Three of the devil's weapons
The devil has many ways to trick us and get into our heads to make things go his way and against God's.
Some of his tactics are used when we are most vulnerable - when we feel saddened or are experiencing pain or grief. His "3 Ds" as I like to call them are distraction, disillusionment, and discouragement.
Distraction. The world has many things out there that are pleasing to the eye. But ask yourself if they are pleasing to God. It's the devil's way of distracting you from what you should be doing.
Disillusionment. Being oblivious is the devil's way of covering up your sins, acting like there's nothing wrong with what you just did. You think everything's fine, when in reality, things are crappy. God appreciates your honesty when coming clean to things...hopefully sooner rather than later.
Discouragement. It's easy to get discouraged over something. You may have done wrong to hurt someone or something. The feeling of guilt is going to take over your body. You must then ask for forgiveness and ask the Lord to give you strength whenever you are feeling weak. Move on!
Note: The devil has many more ways to get in our heads than these "3 Ds." Be aware that he isn't limited to just these.
Some of his tactics are used when we are most vulnerable - when we feel saddened or are experiencing pain or grief. His "3 Ds" as I like to call them are distraction, disillusionment, and discouragement.
Distraction. The world has many things out there that are pleasing to the eye. But ask yourself if they are pleasing to God. It's the devil's way of distracting you from what you should be doing.
Disillusionment. Being oblivious is the devil's way of covering up your sins, acting like there's nothing wrong with what you just did. You think everything's fine, when in reality, things are crappy. God appreciates your honesty when coming clean to things...hopefully sooner rather than later.
Discouragement. It's easy to get discouraged over something. You may have done wrong to hurt someone or something. The feeling of guilt is going to take over your body. You must then ask for forgiveness and ask the Lord to give you strength whenever you are feeling weak. Move on!
Note: The devil has many more ways to get in our heads than these "3 Ds." Be aware that he isn't limited to just these.
(How do) I know God is real.
Sometimes, we become too complacent with many things (school, work, etc.). I became complacent towards the Lord. I only looked to him with all my heart whenever I needed him the most and then pretty much forgot about him after that. Then, the moment I do something against his word, he changes something in my life. It's just the way the Lord works to show that he is all powerful and to teach you a lesson. I admit that I am weak. I let my pride (thinking I could get by on my own when I got back from school) and my emotions get the best of me, and I am most certainly paying for it. [Proverbs 16:5]
In [Hosea 11:4], the Israelites were stuck in the desert with nothing to eat. The Lord cared for them because he loves them, and provided them with food to eat. But then the Israelites were oblivious that it was God that had helped them out. The Lord was forgotten once they became satisfied [Hosea 13:4-6]. The Lord became angry with them and took their king away [Hosea 13:11].
King Solomon also showed his disrespect towards the Lord by disobeying his command [1 Kings 11:1-13]. Solomon held his love with 700 wives from different nations. The Lord didn't want him to do this because they would turn his heart towards other gods. So as he grew older, he wasn't fully devoted to God anymore. Thus, he became angry with Solomon because his heart was in the wrong place. Solomon didn't keep God's command...so guess what the Lord did next? He told Solomon that his kingdom will be ripped away from him, but only being left with one tribe [1 Kings 11:13]. But the thing is, he was going to do this to Solomon's son. Not Solomon. But imagine how that must feel. Knowing that your child will be given less than what you had because of a selfish move that you made.
So what does this have to do whether God is real or not. Well it just shows the Lord's almighty power. He can take anything away from you in an instant; the moment you disobey his command. God IS real and you should be living in fear of what he can do to your life. This isn't some spiritual high that I'm experiencing because of the troubles I'm facing in my life. It's the fear of the Lord that is now fueling my life.
"Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." - Hosea 14:9
"Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through fear of the Lord a man avoids evil." - Proverbs 16:6
In [Hosea 11:4], the Israelites were stuck in the desert with nothing to eat. The Lord cared for them because he loves them, and provided them with food to eat. But then the Israelites were oblivious that it was God that had helped them out. The Lord was forgotten once they became satisfied [Hosea 13:4-6]. The Lord became angry with them and took their king away [Hosea 13:11].
King Solomon also showed his disrespect towards the Lord by disobeying his command [1 Kings 11:1-13]. Solomon held his love with 700 wives from different nations. The Lord didn't want him to do this because they would turn his heart towards other gods. So as he grew older, he wasn't fully devoted to God anymore. Thus, he became angry with Solomon because his heart was in the wrong place. Solomon didn't keep God's command...so guess what the Lord did next? He told Solomon that his kingdom will be ripped away from him, but only being left with one tribe [1 Kings 11:13]. But the thing is, he was going to do this to Solomon's son. Not Solomon. But imagine how that must feel. Knowing that your child will be given less than what you had because of a selfish move that you made.
So what does this have to do whether God is real or not. Well it just shows the Lord's almighty power. He can take anything away from you in an instant; the moment you disobey his command. God IS real and you should be living in fear of what he can do to your life. This isn't some spiritual high that I'm experiencing because of the troubles I'm facing in my life. It's the fear of the Lord that is now fueling my life.
"Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." - Hosea 14:9
"Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through fear of the Lord a man avoids evil." - Proverbs 16:6
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