Jesus My Passion

Idols are defeated not by being removed but by being replaced.

The god of entertainment promised us a circus.  And in our adult world, which can be gray and drab, filled with obligations and responsibilities, that sounded pretty good.

We looked for attractions and surprises and amusements to create in us a sense of wonder.  Maybe we would find  it in music or in movies or in games or in sports.  The god of entertainment was hawking them all, like a carnival barker: "Step right up! Be amazed, be amused! Come one! Come all!"

But in the end, the music was flat, the movies were formulaic, and the games were rigged.  The circus would leave town and we wait impatiently for another one to take its place. 

Then we found our passion in Jesus.  If you haven't experienced it for yourself, I get that it sounds ridiculous - how could a dusty old Bible character compete with big-budget movies or action-packed games or soulful tunes? But once you know Jesus and passionately pursue him, it seems ridiculous that we thought we could ever find what we wanted on a movie screen, a website, or a playlist.

Jesus said it in John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Adapted from "gods at war" by Kyle Idleman

Jesus My Satisfaction

Sex is a gift from God...when you're married.

The god of sex promised us satisfaction, yet he left us lonely and ashamed.

He lured and enticed us by distorting what was designed to be a gift and a blessing.  He made it seem as if nothing could be more satisfying than the quick release of physical urges.  Yet nothing could have left us feeling smaller and weaker - as if those urges defined who we were, as if we were beasts of the field and no more.

Then we came to Jesus, who offers the greatest joy imaginable - so much greater and fuller than any physical impulse.  We could see for the first time that the pursuit of the god of sex was never about love at all.  It reduced others to mere objects to be used for our personal pleasure.  But the love of Jesus finds its greatest satisfaction in service rather than use of others.  It exalts them.  It affirms them as Children of God.  It connects them in body, soul, mind, and spirit, rather than simple base instinct.

Jesus is our satisfaction. All along, it was intimacy we really wanted, and he gives us that.  When we have a love relationship with him, an unending honeymoon commences.  Christ grows more wonderful to us every day.

Not that sex is put aside.  On the contrary, it takes on a beauty and resonance we never could have imagined- the opposite of shame.  We have been designed so that the level of intimacy we can have with our spouse is directly related to the depth of intimacy we have with Christ.  Sexual intimacy as God designed it takes a human relationship to a whole new level, because we're not using one another; we're delighting in one another.  The god of sex dehumanized us; Christ restores our wholeness and makes the two of us one flesh - so much the greater than the sum of our parts - as we seek him together.

The god of sex offers a counterfeit joy that becomes more elusive through time, ever harder to please, ever closer to emptiness.  But the love of Christ only opens up to deeper joys, becoming ever greater.

Sexual pleasure, rightly viewed, is a rich gift that shows how much God loves us.  But its ecstasy is only a foretaste of divine glory, a hint of the eternal pleasure of knowing, loving, and serving Christ.  He is our true satisfaction.

-Adapted from "gods at war" by Kyle Idleman 

My Prayer for 9/11

Dear Jesus, 

Today we remember all the lives lost, those in the towers and in the planes and also the hijackers and the many lives to be lost on both sides of war, Muslims and Christians, Iraqi Iranians, afghans, and Americans. Because You love us all the same. For goodness sake you used a former terrorist who persecuted Christians to reach the nations of the world. You used Paul to be your witness so may you also use us. May you use to reach the sinners, because we all are even if we wont admit it. Lord give all families who were affected by this and may we learn to trust in You more each day. Jesus my prayer also is, that we would get past all this division and that we would be able to become closer to each other as nations and as peoples and through that become closer to You through Yourself Jesus and Your redemptive power. May we learn that fighting evil with evil and firepower with firepower, will never solve anything. Only Your love, grace, mercy, justice and peace can save us. Lord, save us from ourselves. Break down the walls and break the chains of prejudice and stereotyping today. I ask for your grace, I think that is something we so often forget when we remember things like this. May we remember You in the storm. May we remember that You are in it all and You are working out all things for the good of those who love you and for Your glory and that You are sufficient and good. 

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Who is your god?

I'm kinda late on updating my blog, better late than never though, right? :)

Todays question of the day: Who or what do you worship?

As I'm reading gods at war by Kyle Idleman...that question popped up about 5 times in one chapter.  It struck me how powerful that question is.  I figure I post it up on my FaceBook page. I got a few responses but mostly just "likes" on the status.  I wonder how many times people just take worship as something that is "religious".  Be reminded, religion doesn't save, God does.  When you accept the Lord as your personal savior, its a tremendous feeling.  You encounter your first love and it seems as though everything you ever wished for came to you at that moment.

Of course, us being human, we have a flesh.  A flesh that is yearning for the things of this world such as sex, drugs, alcohol, you name it...we are living in a generation where power and money is extremely important.  Who or what do you worship?

What or who do you put before your creator? 

We need to come to the realization that we defeat the evils of this world by our belief in Christ, our faith. When we stand firm in our faith and proclaim the good news, we need to be certain that we will not conform to the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2) 

I went to Walmart earlier today and when I came back home I seen a dead dog on top of a garbage can wrapped in reusable shopping bag.  I couldn't help but to feel such pain for that dog.  To think to myself "who would do such a thing?".  Someone who is lost, who doesn't know Christ as their savior.  Instead of putting all these negative things into mind, the best thing I can do is pray for the individual who has done such a horrendous thing and pray that they are reminded that God loves them.  

Think about this question "Who or what do you worship?"

Is this thing, or person worth it? Is it or he/she worth giving everything up for?

I know I cannot ever picture myself worshiping anything/anybody else but my savior, Jesus Christ.  He has paid the price for me, for you, for this world...He became me on that cross. He says we are forgiven, washed clean by His blood.  He has paid for our sins! What greater love can you possibly find?! 

How can we ever repay him? 

I pray that if you are reading this and you have not accepted the Lord as your personal savior that you will take a step of faith and do so, you will NEVER regret it.

Peace & Blessings. <3

The Reasoning Behind It All

My heart's been aching lately.  I'm not talking about physically, I'm talking spiritually.  There's so many young people out in this world who are empty, who are looking for something.  In today's society, it's so easy to follow the latest trend, to listen to what everyone around us is listening to, etc.. Do we know the harm to it all? The answer is no.

I was there once. I was once searching and searching for that one thing that would keep me satisfied, and not just temporarily. I came to a point of complete desperation and came to realize that Christ was sufficient, He was the only thing that would keep me satisfied for a lifetime!

 This blog will talk about my everyday life, my encounters, my experiences, and so much more.  You will truly be walking this spiritual journey with me, my life as a Christian, and know a little more about my savior, Jesus Christ.  I'm 100% confident that God will bless at least one person through these postings and I pray blessings over every single individual that reads it.

Whether you know me or not, we are all on a mission.
Matthew 28:19 (NLT) says Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I love you! & I am excited about this journey I am going to be sharing with you all...Join me! :)