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New Orleans Mission

So, just a little bit about me real quick. I have never been on any sort of mission trip. I would like to go on a mission trip to New Orleans in a few weeks with our college age group at church but there is something keeping me from doing so. Jobs have been increadibly scarce around here and so I don't have one. Thus finances are beyond low.

So, that being said... I need some money to go help rebuild New Orleans for a few days. I need about $300 total for the trip and that would pay for everything. So if there is any way you can help, whether it be ways to make some fast cash, a donation, prayer, etc, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Obedience...

Romans 6:16

Don't you realize that you become a slave of what you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

What are some things that we choose to obey that aren't God? Lying. Sex. Drunkenness. Vengeance. Pride. All of these things are rooted in evil. All of these things ruin the world we live in. All of these things are desires that our flesh longs for. All of the things, they all lead to death. When we choose to obey sin, our lives are dark. When you are a slave to sin, it creeps up in everything you do. Its a disease that will infest your entire life. 


But when we choose to obey God, then our lives are full of the everlasting light that darkness cannot defeat. Being a slave of Christ leads to righteous living. 

So how do we obey? I mean, the simple answer is... you just do it. But if obedience toward God were simple for us, those of us that want to obey Him would always do it. Yet we tend to dis-obey. So there has to be more to it.

I think we have to suffer. Hebrews 5:8 says that Jesus learned His obedience through His suffering. Though I'm still not sure what exactly that means. So we also have to ask God for the wisdom to understand what it means to obey and the strength and will to do so accordingly. We can't just say "I want to be obedient to God" and expect it to happen. We have to have a desire that isn't empty in discipline and principle.


What do YOU think?

Submission Sucks

This is going to be one of those blog posts in which I am extremely honest... again. You've been warned.

I want to follow God whole heartedly. I want to spread His fame all over the world. I want people to know what God has for them and what Jesus did for them. I want for there to be a well-spring of life flowing from within my heart and flooding my life so that others may see the Lord I serve.

I want all of these things, but still I don't trust in God all the way. I mean, I do trust Him. And I do live for Him more than a lot of people in this world. But thats not what He asks of me. I have to give all of myself in order to truly love and trust Him. James chapter 4 says that "if I draw close to God, He will draw close to me." I know this to be true. When I read the word and pray/talk to Him, He does amazing things. And when I don't do these things my life suffers.

See, right now, I put up a pretty large front. I appear to be happy to most people. But on the inside I am a total wreck. I can go from "happy" to angry/sad/down/shut down mode in a matter of seconds over the dumbest things. It has began to effect a friendship and has gone farther than it should. Sometimes, I just write it off as something that happens from time to time. But its become so frequent that I often fear that it is depression.

But here is the thing. I know what the problem is. I don't try to draw closer to God a lot of the time. I don't feast on the flesh of Jesus, nor do I ask the Father for wisdom, knowledge, or even an appetite for the word. all of these things I should do yet I do not. Isn't that silly? Foolish? ABSURD?!

I think it is.

So if you are reading this and have any sort of advice (other than read the word and pray) please share...

 

Something is wrong when christians are more passionate about politics than living out the gospel

This is a post a friend of mine did on his blog.

I’m ready for this election to be over. I’m ready for the stupid email forwards to stop. I’m ready for these low budget, mud-slinging tv ads to stop. These local politicians look more like used car salesmen with these cheesy ads. I’m ready for people to stop saying you have to vote for McCain…if you are a christian. I’m ready for people to stop voting straight republican because they are simply a Christian. Im ready for people to stop saying you can’t be a Christian & vote Democratic. The last time I checked…the democratic philosophies line up more to the Gospels…than the Republican philosophies (we will save that topic for another day) I’m ready for Christians to stop waving the banner of pro-life…all the while waving the banner of pro-war. That mindset seems to contradict itself to me. It doesn’t make sense to me. You can’t be against killing babies, and supportive of killing terrorists. I guess we skipped over the whole love your neighbor & enemy as yourself command. ‘I can’t kill babies, but man I’m right there with Toby Keith on this war on terror…that Osama Bin Laden has got to pay for what he did to us’.
Im ready for Christians, who base their vote simply on the issue of abortion, to step up and actually help these moms who have these babies. I’m ready for pro-lifers to start being pro-adoption. If you want abortion stopped…then you need to step up & make yourselves available to adopt these children. If you are too old to adopt…then help out families who are adopting. I’m ready for people, especially Christians, to stop putting their hope & trust in a guy running for president. One man alone can’t change the situation we are in. It will take a group effort. It will take the Church actually doing what it is called to do.
It’s sad to see Christians have more passion & fervor about politics than they do about living out the Gospel on a daily basis. When did we start putting our hope & trust in the Republican or Democratic party? When did we start putting our trust in the stock market & our 401k? It seems like we have gotten so far away from what it really means to be a Christian.
When are we going to start being the change that we want? When will the American Christian realize that the answer is not the Republican or Democratic party. The answer lies within each & everyone of us. The answer & course of history & the state of which this world is in…depends on believers like you & I living out the Gospel on a daily basis. Change will not come as a result of who you vote for to be the next president. Change will only come when we decide to live a life of sacrifice & love. Change will only come when we decide, as Christians, to live out the story of the redeeming love of Christ.

"And your name is?"

1 John 2:15-17 says this..

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love for the Father in not in him. Because everything that belongs to the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one's lifestyle - is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God's will remains forever.

There are so many people who say "I love God" and probably think that they do indeed love Him. They are at "church" on Sunday and Wednesday, know the words to worship songs, and have their bibles with them at every service. As far as one could see, these people would truly love the world. But so many times, there would be another side to these people. They have a different set of friends that they "go out" with. They are known for their partying and desire for a "good time". The truth is, outside of the church building, nothing screamed Jesus. But that's okay, right? At least they are in church on Sunday and Wednesday, which is better than most people can do, right?

But if what 1 John says is true, then the love for the Father is not in them. The love of the world and its lustful sins are what truly resides in their heart. And like the verses say, "the worlds with its lust is passing away." So would that mean that someone who calls their self a Christian and "prayed a prayer" yet still lusts after the world is going to remain forever or pass away? More on that in a bit...

Now, the person I have been talking about above is someone you, the reader may know. Honestly, it is me. Or at least it was. But for you to understand this, I have to confess something to you.

A few weeks ago, I hung out with some friends of mine on a boat. We had some beer while we were out but nothing out of line. We stayed out for about 5 hours before coming in. There was a party happening that night for my friends that were leaving the next weekend to go back to school in Knoxville. I knew there would be drinking going on and I went with a friend to get some drinks to take over there. When I got to the party, there were quite a few people there. I had some good beer from a local brewery in Nashville and that's all I had planned on having. One of the guys who lived at this place had a few guitars and He and I began jamming a little. The people in the kitchen were drinking way more than I had thought and I decided to have some too. Later, something in my head decided i should try to catch up to those who had been drinking more, so I took more shots than I should have. Long story short, I got drunk. I had never felt this drunk in my life (only been drunk a few times, and that was years ago), and it didn't feel very good. But I didn't care too much. While I was trying to help someone, who was passed out on the deck, try to sit out of the way, I had a sobering-of-the-heart (not mind) moment. I kinda heard the question "why are you here?" The rest of the night I focused on this question as much as I could. I did get sick, and I did feel terrible the rest of the night.

The next morning was Sunday, and I made it to church for service. I couldn't sing to God. I wanted to but as hard as I tried I couldn't. It wasn't until I addressed the problem with God that I felt okay to sing. Like God had been asking me "Are you seriously about to stroll in here like nothing happened last night?" So I knew I needed to talk to God and confess my sin, and thats what I did.

(Before I continue, I must apologize. I'm sorry about claiming the name of Christ and doing these things. If you read this and are angry with me for it, know that I am so very sorry for what I have done and please continue to read.)

The week after all of this I felt like complete garbage for my actions. And the week after that, I met someone who was on fire for God. And as the conversation that we were having continued, I began to see the face of Jesus in her. She was moving her lips but the Holy Spirit was doing all the work and speaking to me. She talked about how she had been "saved" when she was younger but it wasn't until 2 years ago that Jesus had Lordship over her life. That blew me away because I thought to myself "Is Jesus the Lord of my life?" And the answer was an obvious NO. The Holy Spirit then said this through her:

Matthew 7:21-23

Not everyone who says to Me "Lord, Lord!" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in Heaven. On that day many will say to me "Lord, Lord! Didn't we prophesy in Your name, drive out deamons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?" Then I will announce to them "Depart from me! I never knew you, you lawbreakers!"

I thought to myself, "Man, if I die right now, is that what Jesus will say to me?" The thought scares me. So for the last few weeks I have really been trying to live for God. I have allowed Jesus to have Lordship over my life rather than on Sundays and Wednesdays and sometimes throughout the week. He has renewed and appetite for the Word, showed me how to recognize the opportunities He gives for me to share His Word, and He has developed friendships with people in which I can learn more about His Word. All this because I have allowed Him to rule my life. I truly gained life by giving it up!

We all go to heaven, and are all held accountable for our lives. The question is, will Jesus know your name and account for you?