Psalm 13

How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?
   How long will you hide your face from me?
² How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
   and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
   How long will my enemy triumph over me?

 ³ Look on me and answer, LORD my God.
   Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
⁴ and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
   and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

 ⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love;
   my heart rejoices in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing the LORD’s praise,
   for he has been good to me.

Walk Away, and Never Turn Back

John 5: 6 & 8
- Do you want to get well?... Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.

John 5:1-9 tell the story of the invalid who sat by the well. This man sat by a well for 38 years hoping, that when the water was stirred, he would be the first one in and be cured. But not until Jesus comes along is he healed. Jesus asks him the most peculiar question, but at the same time the one with the most obvious answer: "Do you want to get well?"

Of course the man wants to get well! He's been sitting beside the same well for 38 years, unable to care for himself, and all he wants is a normal life... But I don't think Jesus' question means as little as we think it does (as his questions hardly ever do). I think Jesus asked this question directing it to everyone else who lived or would ever live. As he asked this man, he also asks us if we want to get better.

Our obvious answer is yes, because we are outwardly hurting... However, the way Jesus phrases his question gives it a spiritual pause at the end. As if he is saying, wait! Think about your answer... See what he is asking is not if you want your physical ailments to be healed, but your spiritual ones. He is asking if we are truly ready to let go of the world and let him heal us of our sin.

How does he heal us? Just like he told the man: Get up! Pick up you mat and walk. So that is what we must do. Quit complaining and having ourselves a pity party. I must get up, brush off my sin, walk to Jesus and never look back!

So are we ready? Are we truly ready to be rid of ALL our sin and never look back?

Passionless Hope

Somewhere along the way I lost my passion for what I believe in. It has become a stagnant, everyday process; as common as a thorough brushing of a person's teeth. my passion for Christ Jesus seems to have faded away somewhere. Yeah, sure  have I have occasional moments here and there where I feel his unsurpassed love overflowing in me, but only for like a week or so.

But why do I feel this way? I know I'm not the only one, but sometimes it feels that way. Is it because I find myself caught in a desire to live the life I've turned away from? Because it way easier back then?... Is it because I don't feel God anymore? Due to the fact that I've blocked his voice out because I think mine's more beneficial... Or is it because I don't feel loved? I feel like my brothers in Christ have outcast me from community with them, my family shuns me for doing ministry, and the only people that remotely want me are the ones pursuing the desires of the flesh.

I know, on the surface, that these things I've convinced myself aren't true. They are ways Satan draws us away from God. He wants us to fill our lives with distractions, he wants to convince us our way is best, and most of all he wants us to feel alone. He wants us to feel unwanted and unloved. I can sit here and say this, but do I truly believe, deep down in my core, that these things are a lie?

It's so hard to grow in Christ when Satan is constantly trying to take your passion away for him. It seems impossible to live a life God has planned for you when, even in ministry and community, Satan can deceive a person into sinning. That word impossible definitely shoots up a red flag in my mind. I'm right, it is impossible for me to live a life blameless and good. Which shoot up another red flag word: Me... It's Impossible for Me to do anything. However, with God, everything is possible.

When Jesus said pick up your crosses, he didn't say; "pick up your crosses and come find me." Jesus said, "pick up your cross and follow me." So when I'm trying to find ways to be loved or find ways to fight Satan's lies I don't need to whip myself for it. That's the beauty of Jesus dying for us. In our weakness we are strong with Jesus. He covers us from Satan, and we follow close behind. Hand in hand, we run toward everlasting life.

So why try to crucify ourselves and go at this struggle alone, when Jesus has already done it for us. It's okay to be weak, we have Jesus. We never have to be alone, we have Jesus. We are not unloved, Jesus loves us more than anything

I want my passion back. I want my passion for the hope I have in Jesus back. Like a slave in bondage, who among them wishes for freedom without all the passion in their heart. So let us, knowing that we will one day be free, follow Jesus in our weakness. Let us follow him with all the passion in our hearts.

A Cup of Tea

Whenever you have the opportunity to make a positive difference in someone's life seize it. They may not come very often, and they don't have to be big. It's amazing the power of simply going out of the way to talk to someone if they're lonely, buy a meal for someone if they're hungry, or to just exchange name to show that they are wanted to be be known. Simple acts of love opens the door for God to step in. Even if it's just buying a cup of tea for a man out by your dumpster.

Weight of the World On Our Shoulders

When Jesus was raised from the dead he showed himself to many people before he ascended into heaven, and these people, amazed, ran to the the corners of the world spreading the good news: Our Christ has died and has risen. This news, however, was rejected in disbelief by many people, including the Israelites. God's own,  chosen people rejected their king, his son. They rejected their SAVIOR. Jesus saved us from a very much deserving death. He saved us from eternal suffering.

How can people not see this? How can people not look at what he did and just cry out of happiness and love that Jesus left his thrown to come and save us, die for us? The part that baffles my mind is that a lot of people know the gospel, know that Jesus exists, know that God exists, they know the word of God, and they either don't believe or don't care. How can someone believe Jesus exists and not care that he suffered for us, that he became sin to take ours away, and that he wanted to save us even when we wanted nothing to do with him? The sad part is, is that I take this for granted every day. Sometimes I forget. Sometimes it becomes completely bland to me that Christ died for me even when I didn't love him back.

Who am I? Who are we? I deserve to be thrown in the eternal fire, no questions asked. But Jesus wanted me to live with him instead. He wanted to guide me, and be my father. He wanted to be my comforter. And I forget this? Why? That's the most amazing news ever. News that I don't have to fear death, I don't ever have to worry or stress because God is there to guide me and lift me up through this world. All I have to do is say, "Here God, please take this because I can't do it without you." And He'll take it and turn your troubles and trials into something beautiful. Sometimes we feel like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders. Well God can take that off. All we have to is take that leap, and have faith that He'll catch us.

Video of the day: Beloved

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CUGTIWCFyo

Slaves to The One Who Set Us Free

The word slave has a pretty negative connotation doesn't it? Being "owned" by someone, and them having complete control over everything you do. In Romans 6:18 it says, "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves of righteousness." But why would a loving God make us his slaves? Well to begin with he's all powerful and can do whatever he wants. Have you ever heard the saying I put you into this world, and I can take you out? God kind of has the right to do that. You can also look at it from another perspective. Romans 6:11, "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." Personally, I would rather be alive than dead. Now look at it from a follower of God. Man turns ideas and practices into things they shouldn't be, just because we are naturally sinners. God is love and loves, so when become slaves to righteousness we become slaves to love (which isn't really slavery at all). 

God died for us so we could escape death to sin. And we die with him. We were baptized in Christ so we are also baptized in his death. With this death of our mortal bodies God breathes a new life into us in order that we may become dead to sin and alive in Christ. This is such an undeserved blessing and a sign of God's never-ending grace that Christ enters into us when we are baptized in his death and made slaves of righteousness. With this new life, we no longer have to fear death, sin no longer has control of us, and we are no longer instruments of wickedness.