If there was a level higher than cloud 9 I would be on it. God has blessed me beyond belief in just the past 2 weeks. He blesses me all the time but these past two weeks have been nothing short of unbelievable.
In these blessings God has taught me a very important lesson. Who to share these blessings with. He has taught me not to simply share my news with just anyone, but first to share them with the closest people in my life. These people are the ones who truly want to see me succeed.
We can become discouraged when we try to share our news with people we think care about us and our life. Sometimes these people can be our own family members. As humans I think we have an inherent desire to want our family to want the best for us. I know I have that desire. I want them to celebrate with me and I don't mean that in a pious way. I mean it in a celebration of how much God loves and adores us. In all of my blessings I want others to see that i do not deserve these blessings. God only blesses me because He loves me.
I always want to be obedient to His commands because I trust God with my whole heart. He knows what is ultimately best for me and I never want to take away from how great our Heavenly Father is.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
What is your Greatest Pursuit in Life?
My greatest pursuit in life is God.
I purposed this question a few months ago when i asked the difference between pursuing and seeking God. What are you doing?
Now I felt God guiding me to write about what is your motivation while you are pursuing your goal. Is it the blessings themselves? Are they becoming your motivating factor? Blessings should be an effect from the blessings that come from God. It should never feel like the end game. We should never feel that we now are all set because we received this one blessing. Blessing are awesome and they weren't mean for them to give you a false sense of security of independent strength.
Yes we receive this awe-inspiring blessing does the blessing become a driving force or does it become a by product from obeying God's word and commands he has for his children.
God always wants to rescue us. Our motivation should not be focused on the money he blesses us with or any other attractive blessing. Our true pursuit and motivation should be to seek God more. Can you imagine our Heavenly Father loves to bless us because he knows eventually we will come to him and really talk to Him. The question are you going to Him because you love and adore your Heavenly Father? Or is it because you need more blessings? Do you receive the blessing and then when you feel your independent weakness setting it you realize how much you need God again.
In life our society has created this independent persona. As if we only need ourselves to be strong and to "take on the world". This is extremely sad because all my Brothers and Sisters know how much they need our Heavenly Father.
To be honest I started writing this tonight after reflecting on all the wonderful blessings that have come into my life this weekend. I must remember not to get caught up in the attractiveness of the gift but in the giver. The Giver is the one I desire, the one I Love. If anything I don't want these blessings to stop not because it means I get more things but because it means I will press into Gods word and His presence like never before.
I purposed this question a few months ago when i asked the difference between pursuing and seeking God. What are you doing?
Now I felt God guiding me to write about what is your motivation while you are pursuing your goal. Is it the blessings themselves? Are they becoming your motivating factor? Blessings should be an effect from the blessings that come from God. It should never feel like the end game. We should never feel that we now are all set because we received this one blessing. Blessing are awesome and they weren't mean for them to give you a false sense of security of independent strength.
Yes we receive this awe-inspiring blessing does the blessing become a driving force or does it become a by product from obeying God's word and commands he has for his children.
God always wants to rescue us. Our motivation should not be focused on the money he blesses us with or any other attractive blessing. Our true pursuit and motivation should be to seek God more. Can you imagine our Heavenly Father loves to bless us because he knows eventually we will come to him and really talk to Him. The question are you going to Him because you love and adore your Heavenly Father? Or is it because you need more blessings? Do you receive the blessing and then when you feel your independent weakness setting it you realize how much you need God again.
In life our society has created this independent persona. As if we only need ourselves to be strong and to "take on the world". This is extremely sad because all my Brothers and Sisters know how much they need our Heavenly Father.
To be honest I started writing this tonight after reflecting on all the wonderful blessings that have come into my life this weekend. I must remember not to get caught up in the attractiveness of the gift but in the giver. The Giver is the one I desire, the one I Love. If anything I don't want these blessings to stop not because it means I get more things but because it means I will press into Gods word and His presence like never before.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Apologetics: Part 2-The Sun and The Son
The Sun and The Son.
The sun is such a magnificent creation. I use the word magnificent because the pure beauty of the sun doesn't deserve anything less when describing it. The maker of the sun had a special purpose in mind when He created it. If you look at the probability of millions of other stars being created all the time it's beautiful. Then you see a creation of the sun. The probability than another sun will ever be created is near impossible.
Another beautiful aspect to this probability is looking at what makes a star illuminate light. Normally we only see the brightness of a star in all in greatness until it is dying or colliding with another star. So it's fair to say we only see a star's true beauty in its death.
Now lets look at the sun. Also considered a star it never loses it's brightness and it also never decreases in size. Just one inch of the suns surface is equal to 650,000 birthday candles. Further, the temperature of the sun's surface is 10,832 degrees fahrenheit.
I think it is equally magnificent in what the sun does. It is not just merely a big ball of light and heat existing for its own sake. It helps things grow. We are uniquely situated far enough away from the sun so that we don't burn up instantly. How perfect is it that we are just the right distance away to heat up the earth's atmosphere and provide food via photosynthesis for our plants and food.
Plants need two things to grow 1.) Light and 2.) Heat. How many people take for granted how marvelous everything works together. A plant cannot survive on just heat or just light. It needs both to survive and thrive.
Now lets look at The Son. A man who can never be duplicated. While still a man no one will ever be perfect and without sin as He is. He is described as "The Light of the World".
He is the one who gives us life and helps us to grow and thrive. Without Him we would be hopeless. His light shines on us and through us as believers.
Is it really a coincidence we pronounce these two names exactly the same?! It may be easy for a non believer to look at these two things and opposites or not in relation to one another. Is it a coincidence that the sun was created as a foreshadowing of The Son. Before the Sun was created there was nothing but darkness. When the Sun was created life could flourish.
if you are reading this you are most likely a child of God. If for some reason you are not lets take a look at a scientific method known as Occam's Razor. It is the principle that when looking at multiple hypotheses the simplest explanation is the right answer. When looking at this process we must also take into account our personal definition of a simplest explanation is indicative of our personal beliefs.
Jesus said it best multiple times when he said..."He who has an ear, let him hear..."
The sun is such a magnificent creation. I use the word magnificent because the pure beauty of the sun doesn't deserve anything less when describing it. The maker of the sun had a special purpose in mind when He created it. If you look at the probability of millions of other stars being created all the time it's beautiful. Then you see a creation of the sun. The probability than another sun will ever be created is near impossible.
Another beautiful aspect to this probability is looking at what makes a star illuminate light. Normally we only see the brightness of a star in all in greatness until it is dying or colliding with another star. So it's fair to say we only see a star's true beauty in its death.
Now lets look at the sun. Also considered a star it never loses it's brightness and it also never decreases in size. Just one inch of the suns surface is equal to 650,000 birthday candles. Further, the temperature of the sun's surface is 10,832 degrees fahrenheit.
I think it is equally magnificent in what the sun does. It is not just merely a big ball of light and heat existing for its own sake. It helps things grow. We are uniquely situated far enough away from the sun so that we don't burn up instantly. How perfect is it that we are just the right distance away to heat up the earth's atmosphere and provide food via photosynthesis for our plants and food.
Plants need two things to grow 1.) Light and 2.) Heat. How many people take for granted how marvelous everything works together. A plant cannot survive on just heat or just light. It needs both to survive and thrive.
Now lets look at The Son. A man who can never be duplicated. While still a man no one will ever be perfect and without sin as He is. He is described as "The Light of the World".
| |||
Is it really a coincidence we pronounce these two names exactly the same?! It may be easy for a non believer to look at these two things and opposites or not in relation to one another. Is it a coincidence that the sun was created as a foreshadowing of The Son. Before the Sun was created there was nothing but darkness. When the Sun was created life could flourish.
if you are reading this you are most likely a child of God. If for some reason you are not lets take a look at a scientific method known as Occam's Razor. It is the principle that when looking at multiple hypotheses the simplest explanation is the right answer. When looking at this process we must also take into account our personal definition of a simplest explanation is indicative of our personal beliefs.
Jesus said it best multiple times when he said..."He who has an ear, let him hear..."
Sunday, July 1, 2012
The Desire to Belong
As I read "The Inner Ring" a speech by C.S. Lewis I felt a kindred spirit with one of my favorite authors. He touched on a major desire planted in all our hearts. That desire is to feel like we belong. I've been meditating on this subject for quite some time. I have noticed how often people want to make connections with others. I see it a lot with my job as we are in the business of helping others. At times I talk to people that just want to tell you their story. They just want to feel like someone cares about what they are dealing with. It is with this deep desire to feel like we are "in the know". As Lewis points out it is good to feel that you are "in the know" as it builds fellowship and connections with our fellow brothers and sisters. We were created for relationship.
I've lived in Colorado now for two months which has been a radical change from the tropical island we were on. From a lush tropical landscape to a high desert climate. I can imagine Adam and Eve felt the same as they walked out of the Garden of Eden. They walked away from what they knew into unknown dangers and obstacles.
I have moved a lot throughout my life because I love change. I don't like to get comfortable and laxidasical. I love change because it always presents new challenges for me to be better. Because of my desire for change I haven't felt really tied or close to a community in a long time. For the first time in a long time it is nice to see people I know in the grocery store and for them to remember my name. I value that sense of belonging. Especially as I get older it is becoming more important. My heart burns for that desire to be fulfilled.
Our society has been engrossed with the idea that because you have been to places so radically different from where you grew up, that somehow equals success. As I'm sure we have all heard someone say, "Wow he/she is really going places". Where is the value in going to these places? Is it to pride ourselves on tropical islands or obscure cultures? Somehow the unfamiliar has become a pursuit. That being said I like to experience the unfamiliar but I think we have to look at our motive for this pursuit.
"Is it for His glory or for yours"?
I've lived in Colorado now for two months which has been a radical change from the tropical island we were on. From a lush tropical landscape to a high desert climate. I can imagine Adam and Eve felt the same as they walked out of the Garden of Eden. They walked away from what they knew into unknown dangers and obstacles.
I have moved a lot throughout my life because I love change. I don't like to get comfortable and laxidasical. I love change because it always presents new challenges for me to be better. Because of my desire for change I haven't felt really tied or close to a community in a long time. For the first time in a long time it is nice to see people I know in the grocery store and for them to remember my name. I value that sense of belonging. Especially as I get older it is becoming more important. My heart burns for that desire to be fulfilled.
Our society has been engrossed with the idea that because you have been to places so radically different from where you grew up, that somehow equals success. As I'm sure we have all heard someone say, "Wow he/she is really going places". Where is the value in going to these places? Is it to pride ourselves on tropical islands or obscure cultures? Somehow the unfamiliar has become a pursuit. That being said I like to experience the unfamiliar but I think we have to look at our motive for this pursuit.
"Is it for His glory or for yours"?
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