The Ten Commandments for Toddler Bedtime

I have three children; Isaac (3), Selah (2), and Anorah (6 mos). Isaac and Selah, being toddlers, share a room, and have a love/hate relationship with each other. They are the best of friends, and yet in less than a second they can become the worst of enemies. Every night, bedtime is a war. Mommy and daddy versus Isaac and Selah. Battles over band-aids, potty trips, and water are routine. I'm assured veteran parents that this is a short season and "goes by so fast". I'm sure this is true (in fact, my son will be 4 soon, and that's crazy to me!), but it doesn't feel like time is slipping away as Olivia and I make seemingly fruitless attempts to get our two crazies to sleep night after night. It must be a perspective thing. Olivia is leaving for a trip to Baltimore tomorrow with Anorah. In preparation, I am writing the Ten Commandments for Toddler Bedtime. Hopefully Isaac and Selah will heed these commands and we can all win. 

1. Thou shalt STOP TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER!
2. Thou shalt not go potty until the morning. 
3. Thou shalt not have one last drink. 
4. Thou shalt not climb into thy sister's bed to pinch, bite, or pull her hair. 
5. Thou shalt not try to frame thy brother for pinching, biting, or pulling hair if he is innocent. 
6. Thou shalt not jump on the bed. 
7. Thou shall remember the evening time and keep it holy so mommy and daddy can spend more than 30 seconds in rational conversation. 
8. Thou shall sleep through the whole night. 
9. Thou shalt not ask for any more band-aids, thou art fine. 
10. Thou shalt not covet thy sibling's teddy bear/dolly/horsey/blanky/pillow/sheep/panda/doggy

I do love my kids, and enjoy the heck out of them. I honestly look forward to coming home to them everyday after work and reading books, playing, wrestling, and riding bikes. It's awesome being a dad. The bedtime battle just comes with the territory I guess. I'll make sure to soak it in and enjoy it while it lasts. There are some pretty cute and fun parts of bedtime (they were holding hands earlier tonight). 

Why I Dislike Blogging and How I Plan to Change It

So I made it a goal in 2016 to blog at least once a month. It's not a ton, I know, but it's a start. I made the goal because I want to become a better writer, and be in the practice of writing a little more consistently. It's a good goal, and I'm glad I made it, but I've procrastinated two months in a row now. It's almost the end of February and I haven't written anything. I have a few ideas and topics written down, but I decided to pass on them this month. Instead, I would like to share some self-reflection. Anytime I find myself avoiding a known responsibility, I try to uncover what's behind it. There’s something in me that usually needs to change – either an unrealistic expectation, a misunderstanding, or something else that’s causing me to slow down. So, over the last couple of days I've been asking myself "Why do I not want to write that blog post? What about it is bugging me?" After giving it some thought, I believe my pride is at the bottom of it. 

I have some unrealistic expectations for myself and blogging. I have believed a lie that if I'm blogging, the content needs to be original, insightful, intriguing, or at the very least funny. Of course, I hope my writing has some of those qualities. But at its base, this expectation reveals pride. I want people to think I'm smart and wise and funny. This is yet another instance of seeking the approval of men. I need the gospel to speak to this area of my soul. While I hope to write quality posts that are worth a few seconds of somebody's time (if nothing else, my wife will read this, and maybe my mom...), my main goal is to sharpen my writing, not to get people to tell me I’m good enough, smart enough, and doggonit, people like me. My identity is found in Christ, not a blog. I am consciously dropping this expectation of myself. I intend the content to simply help me articulate thoughts on any given topic. Hopefully this will sharpen my thinking and writing skills. 

Additionally, I've felt like the blog post needs to be long. I don't know why, but I've always had this vague feeling that my blog posts need to be more "professional." I imagined them being really long, and include complex arguments and take a lot of energy to structure and write. Again, pride comes in. I have realized that I'm thinking more highly of myself than I ought to. I don't need to prove myself to anyone, and even if I did, a blog isn't the way I'd go about it. So, I've decided to set a reasonable length requirement that will keep me writing a decent chuck, but not too much. The requirement is at least 400 words. This sentence ends the post at 490 words. 

Goals in 2016

Blogging hasn't really been my thing. As you can tell by the sporadic method of posting, I'm on-again off-again when it comes to writing on this blog. However, I recently attended a conference on prayer and leadership in Jefferson Oregon (info here), and was encouraged and convicted to be intentional with personal goal setting. I want to become a better writer, which would require writing more frequently. So, I have made it a goal for 2016 to write one blog post per month this year. You can see this one is written on the last day of January, so procrastination wins this time. But no longer! Starting in February, I intend to write at least one blog post before the month is over. As an encouragement to you (and an added sense of accountability for me), below are my personal goals for 2016.

1.       I will read the Bible in 60 days during the months of September and October.

2.       I will write my final speech to be delivered at my funeral.

3.       I will read 24 books, and keep up with magazines.

4.       I will write a personal mission statement.

5.       I will go skiing 3 times, one of those times will be with Olivia and the babies.

6.       I will increase my prayer time to one hour every day by the end of the year.

7.       I will recruit two people (other than Olivia) who will agree to pray for me consistently.

8.       I will do the Wallowa Lake triathlon with Olivia.

9.       I will take each of my kids out individually on a daddy date once per month.

10.   I will call my little brother Conner once per week.

11.   I will write a blog post/article once a month.

12.   I will begin the habit of ending my day with a time of confession of sin.

13.   I will listen to at least one sermon podcast each week.

14.   If asked to preach, I will read the given passage and its context at least 50 times, and pray for a total of 1 hour during the sermon prep.

15.   I will pray with Olivia three times a week.

16.   I will write a prayer of daily commitment and start the habit of beginning each day with this prayer.

17.   I will memorize 24 passages of Scripture, writing each new passage down 10 times while also reviewing previously memorized passages.

18.   I will study and complete book overviews, including charts, for 8 books of the Bible.

19.   I will make a final decision regarding seminary, submit my application(s), and spend time looking for grants and scholarships.

20.   I will go see Brian Regan live in the Tri-Cities with Olivia on Valentine’s day.

21.   I will review these goals no less than once a week. 

Bible Study: Genesis

So it's been almost a year since my last post. Wow! I'd like to be more consistent about posting here, but I have a life outside of blogging that takes up quite a bit of time ;)

Anyways, I thought I'd share with you some of my personal Bible study practices. I recently started a new Bible reading plan and I'm really enjoying it. Here's how it works: I read through one book at a time. Each morning, I (usually) wake up before my children and read for about a half hour. During that half hour I read a chapter, and then give that chapter a title and write a one paragraph summary. After that I move onto the next chapter. So here's a typical morning: Wake up, get woken up (splash cold water on my face, put contacts in, etc.), short prayer, read Genesis 1, title and summarize Genesis 1, read Genesis 2, title summarize Genesis 2, read Genesi STOP - babies woke up. Pick up Genesis 3 tomorrow or later today if there's time/desire.

After I finish the book, I reread all the summaries and write a "Plot Synopsis" attempting to summarize the main flow of the book in a concise manner. I identify key themes, characters, verses, settings, etc. From there I distill "Timeless Truths" from the text. These are Biblical truths about God, us or the world that are true no matter when or where you are (example: God always keeps his promises). They are taught either explicitly or implicitly in the text. From the timeless truths, I try to find personal application and takeaways: how does the fact that God keeps his promises affect me right now? How should I respond to that truth?

Here's my work on Genesis. 

I recently started Matthew and will be working through that, hopefully finishing before the summer camp season starts. I hope you find it helpful and encouraging. Feedback is always welcome.

PS - I plan to write a personal position paper soon regarding the issue of whether or not Christians should use firearms for self defense (specifically, whether or not I should use a firearm for self defense). I'll probably share those thoughts here, stay tuned.

Sermon: Philippians 3:7-11

I recently had the privilege of preaching from Philippians 3:7-11. Below is the sermon. If the audio player is working, just follow this link.

Why Did God Kill The Canaanites?

It's been a while since I've posted. I've put some serious time and thought into a question I've had for a long time. I was always taught that God loves everyone. But I've had a growing discomfort with God's treatment of the Canaanites in the Old Testament. It was time to hit this issue head on. I ended up writing an essay on the subject. I've posted the essay online in hopes that it may help any others struggling with this issue. Below are the introductory paragraphs:

"In Deuteronomy 7, God commands his people Israel to annihilate the inhabitants of Canaan. After they enter the land, he says they “must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.” (Deuteronomy 7:2). This appears to contradict the loving merciful God who, as John says, is love (see 1 John 4:8, 16). How could this God command the killing of all these people? This portion of Scripture receives little or no voluntary attention because of its difficulty. For many of us, this is one of those quiet questions that festers in the back of our minds – conveniently forgotten until it’s forced upon us by our Bible-in-a-year reading plan.

This essay will attempt to answer the question of why a good God would command the killing of the Canaanites. Theologically, this is referred to as herem warfare; when God’s people totally destroy all living things – men, women, children, and animals – offering them as a sacrifice to God. The problem could be stated like this: If God is merciful and loving, how could he commission the killing of an entire people? To the modern reader, the command seems unfair, bigoted, and racist. Only a serious and thorough examination of the Scriptures can address this issue."

If you would like to read the full essay, click here.

What are your thoughts?

Sermon - Guard Your Heart

I recently had the privilege of preaching from God's word at my church, First Baptist Church of La Grande. The text is Proverbs 4:20-27. The sermon is titled, "Guard Your Heart" and is 43 minutes long. Constructive feedback is always appreciated.




(If the audio player above does not work, then follow this link)            

              My son, pay attention to what I say;
         listen closely to my words.
               Do not let them out of your sight,
         keep them within your heart;
               for they are life to those who find them
         and health to a man’s whole body.
               Above all else, guard your heart,
         for it is the wellspring of life.
               Put away perversity from your mouth;
         keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
               Let your eyes look straight ahead,
         fix your gaze directly before you.
               Make levelb paths for your feet
         and take only ways that are firm.
               Do not swerve to the right or the left;
         keep your foot from evil.

Have A Drink of Water

The Bible is a great book! One of the many reasons I love the Bible is that there is always something to learn. I just recently finished reading through the Bible and one of the things I did as I read through it was underlined areas where water is mentioned in the Bible. I used a blue colored pencil and my underline was in the shape of waves. This post is about what I've learned about how water is used in the Bible. Generally speaking, I think most uses can be placed into one of five broad categories. There are certainly more, but these are five big ones I found.

1.       As a setting for or means of a miracle

This category included times when God actually uses water to do something amazing. It can be that water is actually used in the miracle itself (i.e. splitting the Red Sea) or it’s in the setting (i.e. Jesus’ Baptism). There are a plethora of verses and sections of Scripture that would fit here. Probably the most obvious example is the parting of the Red Sea as the Israelites were running away from Pharaoh’s army in Exodus 14. Also included would be water flowing from the rock (Exo 17), Jesus walking on water (Matt 14:25), Jesus calming the storm (Matt 8:23ff), Jesus turning water into wine (John 2), the healing of Namaan (2 Kings 5), the crossing of the Jordan  river (Joshua 3), and many others.

2.       As a positive description of God

There are many times in the Bible where God describes himself using water. One of my favorites is Jeremiah 2:13, “My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” Certainly Jesus is drawing upon this passage and others when he is talking with the Samaritan women in John 4, and again at the Feast of Tabernacles in John 7:37-39. Other verses that fit here are Zech 14:8, 1 Cor 10:4,all throughout Isaiah, Hosea 6:3, and many others.

3.       As a form of judgment and wrath

God also uses water to judge. One clear instance is the flood in Genesis 6. You also have the storm that came upon Jonah’s boat when he attempted to flee. Hosea 5:10 says, “I will pour out my wrath on them like a flood of water.” This may be one reason that John says in Revelation 21:1 that there was no more sea.

4.       To establish God’s power or faithfulness

God’s control over water is often used as evidence for his power and might. Psalm 104 describes God’s incredible strength and greatness. One phrase sticks out, “at your rebuke the waters fled,”. Additionally, throughout the Scriptures, we find authors referring to past events of how God used water as a reason for trust God in the future. Repeatedly the splitting of the Red Sea and the water coming from the rock are used as means to encourage people to trust in God for provision. Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 9.

5.       Simply to mean water

Occasionally, the Bible uses water just to mean water. When describing the rebuilding of the temple in Ezra 3, it says that cedar logs were brought by the sea. There are a couple of times when it simply means water and is not being used as judgment, as a setting or means of a miracle.

By the time you get to this paragraph, you've probably already realized that a fair amount of times water is used in the Bible, it’s used in more than one way. For example, the splitting of the Red Sea is a miracle of God, a form of judgment, and is used to establish God’s power. Jesus calming the storm is a miracle, and also a method by which he establishes his own identity as God. We can’t squish the Bible into categories. What I've done here is simple show 5 ways that water can be used in the Bible.

Finally, before I end this post, I’d like to say something about baptism. I think one of the reasons baptism is so significant for believers is that is shows that God has worked in our life. When God cleansed the earth of evil, he did it by the flood – thereby establishing Noah and his family as the new race on earth, when he brought the Israelites out of Egypt and established them as a nation, he did it through the Red Sea. When he brought the Israelites into the promised land, he did and  it through the Jordan River. The point is this: God’s people pass through water to be cleansed, washed, or even “reborn” if you will. In fact, Paul says that the Red Sea was a baptism for the Israelites (1 Cor 10:1) and Peter says that the flood symbolizes our baptism (1 Peter 3:20-21). In baptism, we identify ourselves among God’s people who have reborn by passing through water. He washes and cleanses us and we declare his work in our hearts. 

On The Brink

Bungee jumping is an amazing sport. After getting harnessed up and tied into the rope, the jump master will tell you to get on “the platform.” The platform is about 4 square feet (2ft by 2ft). It’s tiny. There’s only two things you can do from the platform (three things if you count peeing your pants): stand there, and jump. Once you’re on the platform you look straight ahead the jump master counts down “3, 2, 1, JUMP!” And then you bend your knees and fly! In my experience, it’s best to just jump when you’re told to jump. Don’t psych yourself out and don’t second guess it, just go.

As I write this, I am sitting on the brink of a major change in my life. It’s 1am on Dec 30^th, 2012 and later today, there will be a commissioning service in which my wife and I will be sent off by our church. Monday morning, we leave for La Grande, Oregon where everything I know is about to change. I won’t be near my family or friends, I’m switching churches, and I’ll be starting an entirely new job. Life is about to become very different for me. Inside my heart, anxious dread mingles with nervous excitement. I kind of feel like I’m on the platform and it’s about time to jump. I’m looking forward to everything that this change will bring. Olivia and I will make many new friends, discover new interests, and have more time as a family. On the other hand, I’m starting to finally appreciate the closeness and security my life in Portland has brought me. I’m going to miss my family, I’m going to miss my church, and I’m going to miss my friends. There’s so much ahead, but there’s also so much behind. I’m excited, but I’m also scared. I think we all feel this way, at least a little, when we’re on the edge of change.  

When the Israelites were on the brink, they were scared too. They didn’t trust God to lead them out of Egypt (Exodus 5:20-21). When he did, he led them straight to the edge of the Red Sea, where they didn’t trust him again (Exodus 14:10-12). Over and over God brings the Israelites to the brink, where their only job is to trust him, and they don’t. When it was time for the Israelites to enter the Promised Land, 12 spies were sent in. When they returned, only 2 were brave enough to believe God’s promise. The other 10 spread chaos and created havoc. They were scared.

When God brings us to the brink, we get scared. It’s not just the Israelites, it’s all of us. It seems that we always prefer where we’ve been to where he’s taking us (even if where we’ve been is bad). For Olivia and me, it’d be safe to stay in Portland. It’d be comfortable to stay with friends, family, and our church. The struggle for us is that we want to stay with what we know; it’s safe. But God has seen it fit to bring us to the brink. He’s decided that it’s time for us to move. It’s time for some change. He’s put us on the platform and started counting. We’ve decided to jump because where God is taking us is where we want to be, even if it’s scary. This is how God grows people; on the brink.

Why I Believe in the Bible

For one of my classes, I was asked to write a paper discussing why I believe in the Bible. I was challenged to think regarding what exactly I believed about it and more specifically why I believed that. It was difficult to fit it all into one page and articulate my reasons in a clear and concise way. Anyways, here it is:

I believe that the modern translations of the Bible are authoritative for all matters of faith and practice. It is the final authority for Christians. I believe that the words of Scripture originated from God, not man and thus I believe it to be accurate in everything it records. It is historically reliable, internally consistent, it answers many of life’s deepest questions, and finally it provides the most reasonable (albeit miraculous) explanation for the empty tomb of Jesus.

I believe the Bible because it is the inspired word of God. It is reliable and truthful because it did not come from man, but from God; and God does not lie. The words of Scripture come from the mind of God through the hand of man. This means that while the human authors were writing in their individual styles and vernacular, they were writing exactly what God by his Spirit was intending. Because I believed God inspired and oversaw the writing of the biblical autographs, I believe the modern translations to be authoritative and accurate for my life.

I also trust the Bible because it accurately tells me what the original authors wrote. The 39 books of Old Testament (and what was written in them) were agreed upon by many different people and groups; radically conservative Jewish cults, ancient Hebrew commentaries, early Christian converts (and their opponents), later Jewish historians and rabbis, and even Jesus himself all agreed on what books belong in the Old Testament and the very words that were in those books. I doubt that there can be such widespread agreement by such a diverse crowd across hundreds of years without the Old Testament being true. Furthermore, the New Testament was being copied for hundreds of years across 5 different cities in the Mediterranean. The copies produced were abundant and widespread. The Bible was being spread like wildfire. There is a high amount of doubt in my mind that one man or people would have been able to quench this fire. The sources for the New Testament are (and were) too diverse in both time and location for any one person for people group to realistically manipulate ALL the sources available to us. The Biblical canon could not have been altered; too many people from too many religious traditions across too many miles and over too many years knew too much. So I believe it too.

The Bible is internally consistent. This strengthens my belief because it was written over thousands of years by over 40 authors in three different languages. The 40+ people who wrote the Bible came from all sorts of different trades; prophets, kings, fisherman, businessmen, doctors, etc. Additionally, the Bible is written in many different literary genres styles; it contains narrative, poetry, discourse, prophecies, parables, travel plans, letters, etc. Despite all of these differences and nuances within the Bible, it remains consistent in teaching us about a Holy God who fervently and passionately rescues people from sin and death. The story of salvation is simply too complex to come together by mere coincidence.

Another reason I believe in the Bible is because it provides reason for the world around me. It answers some of life’s biggest questions: is there a God? What is this God like? Where do people come from? Where are we going? What happens after we die, if anything? Why are we here? Why is there hurt and pain in the world? What can we do to fix the hurt and pain? The Bible gives reasonable answers to each of these questions and helps me make sense of the world around me. In my experience it has been truthful in answering these deeper questions. If I were to reject the Bible, I would have to account for the world around me by some other means, and I cannot think of any other reasonable explanations.

Last, but certainly not least, I am not convinced by any other hypothesis for the empty tomb of Jesus Christ. While it may sound fantastic (as in – it sounds like a fantasy), the biblical account of the resurrection is the most likely explanation for the absence of Jesus’ body. It was not stolen, hidden or burned. Archaeology cannot find his body and science cannot explain his resurrection. Jesus did die, was buried, and was raised again. I can think of no other explanation that would account for such things as the large stone being rolled away from the entrance of the tomb, the complete oversight of the Roman guards, the unprecedented courage of the disciples, and the conversion of Saul the Pharisee to Paul the Apostle. If the biblical account of the resurrection is valid (and I believe it is), I am forced to ask why it happened. I believe it is because Jesus Christ is, as the Bible teaches, the Son of God, the promised Christ-Messiah, and the atonement for my sin. Therefore, since the Bible, more than any account, adequately explains the resurrection along with its reason and effects, I hold it to be trustworthy. If the Bible can explain the most significant event in history, I accept its teaching in everything else.

Intro Excerpt from "The Jesus Storybook Bible"

This is from the introduction of "The Jesus Storybook Bible." I like it a lot:

Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should and shouldn’t do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn’t mainly about you and what you should be doing. It’s about God and what he has done.

Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it, but (as you’ll soon find out) most of the people in the Bible aren’t heroes at all. They make some big mistakes (sometimes on purpose), they get afraid and run away. At times, they’re downright mean.

No, the Bible isn’t a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a story. It’s an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne – everything – to rescue the ones he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

It takes the whole Bible to tell this story. And at the center of the story, there is a baby. Every story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in the puzzle – the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.

Love and Justice

God's love and justice are not irreconcilable. The truth is that God hates sin and all humans are sinful. God's justice demands that his wrath and judgement come down on sin. This is a very scary thing. In fact, while talking about God's judgement, one Biblical author said "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31). God is angry at sin and his wrath is coming. This is a reality that is not popular in our world, but it is nonetheless true.

However, God also loves us and wants a relationship with us. He is not a malicious God. God does not like it when people reject him and suffer his wrath. God says in Ezekiel 18:23 "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" God doesn't want people to turn from him and die. He wants people to have life. That's why Jesus came on cross and died for our sin. Because Jesus lived a sinless life and died on the cross, he was able to divert God's fury, wrath, and judgement from sinners onto himself.

That's the reason people need to believe and follow Jesus. Anyone who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior is no longer guilty. They have the righteousness of Jesus; this doesn't mean they don't sin, but that their sin is forgiven and God has given them new life so they can fight sin and become pure. However, anyone who rejects Jesus and does not follow him faces the reality of God's wrath and judgement.

This is the gospel: "Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous (Jesus) for the unrighteous (you and me), to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:18)

The most important decision people make in their life, even if they neglect to make it, is whether or not they will worship Jesus.

The Biggest Lie in the World

If you obey God, you won't be as happy.

Leave a Legacy

I recently attended the memorial service for a Christian man who had died six days previous. Even though I never knew the man, I was inspired by the service. I had spend the last week with his children and grandchildren. The memorial service was a testament to the immense impact this man had on his family. Almost his entire family are committed Christians who live gospel-led lives and practice the teachings of Christ. This man had led his family well. His children honored him and loved the Lord. By his life, this man had left a noble legacy of character. I was inspired. As Christians, we should pursue a legacy that honors Christ. We should live in such a way that at our funerals, our children praise God and honor us. There was no mention of this man's financial status, material possessions, or career advancement. The focus was his love for Jesus, his love for his wife, and his love for his family. Today's culture fosters an immediate-fortune mentality. More weight than is healthy is placed on worldly treasures. We are taught that financial gain and personal advancement are the end goals in life. A high salary and a multi-syllable title are more worthy of our efforts than healthy marriages and strong families. We rarely think long-range. We don't often consider what will be left in our absence until it's too late to make a real difference. I would suggest that we start playing with the end game in mind. Live in the present, but do it with the future in sight. Lasting impacts and noble legacies are not accidents. They are results of intentional living and, for the Christian, Spirit-led action. As Christians, let's live with divine perspective, with heaven in mind. Let's consider what will be said at our funeral and, more importantly, what Christ will say to us when we stand before him. Let's leave behind us a legacy of faith, hope, and love. Let's inspire our children to emulate us. My goal is to live in such a way that if someone who doesn't know me comes to my funeral, he will leave inspired to live for Christ and then blog about it.

A Blameless Bride

I recently attended a wedding of a friend. It was an extremely beautiful wedding that clearly reflected the gospel. As I turned to see the bride walking down the aisle I was blown away. She was breathtaking. Her face was shining with excitement for her husband. She had an aura that was exuding deep love. I watched as she approached the altar, the groom waiting eagerly to accept his bride. Weddings are so beautiful, especially in light of Ephesians 5:25-27 where we are told that Christ sacrificed himself for his bride, the church. He washed her and cleansed her so that she could be presented radiant, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Christ gave himself up for his church, of which we (Christians) are a part. We have been made a beautiful bride, walking down the aisle excited for her husband. As a Christian, I have committed my life to following Jesus Christ. He is my king. Because of the price I was bought at and because of my commitment to him, God has every right to be jealous for me; a husband has a right to be jealous for his wife. One of many great things about God is his fierce jealously for us. God's heart is jealous for me, and I am his. Why would a bride, pure and clean, throw herself into the arms of another man? Why would I, forgiven and redeemed, defile myself and insult God by worshiping another "god"? Why did the Israelites build the golden calf? They were bored and impatient (Exodus 32:1). How moronic! How blind can some people be? They were there when the ten plagues happened, they saw the Red Sea parted, they ate food that fell from the sky. The Israelites had experienced firsthand God's total faithfulness, yet they couldn't remain faithful themselves. Oh God! How I don't want to be like them! Let us never forget his love for us, let us never forget his faithfulness to us, let us never forget his pursuit of us, let us never forget Jesus.

My Life

I spent one week this summer in Idaho with my family. We visited an old historic town from the 1800's. It was interesting to see all the antiques and artifacts. We visited the cemetery, and many of the graves looked like this. They were beat up and ignored. The name on this grave, and about 90% of all the other graves in the cemetery is "Unknown." It struck me that this person had been dead for at least one hundred years, probably close to two hundred. No one knows who he (or she) was. Nobody knows what his occupation was, if he had a family, anything. I started wondering if this person had any significance in life at all. Was the world any different because he had come and gone? What gives a human life significance? God knew this person. This person was made in the image of God. He had significance because he was created by the creator of the universe. Every person on earth has some meaning and significance because of who God is and who he created us to be. Life has meaning because we were created by God and for God. A proper response to that would be a life of worship. That means my whole life would be something that honors God and honors who he made me to be. When I pass, and hundreds of years are gone by, I would hope the world is a better place because I lived in a way that showed the love of my creator to the people around me.

An Issue Of The Heart

In Luke 6:43-45 and Mark 7:18-23 we learn that what we say and how we act are results of what is in our hearts. It seems to make sense and it's easy enough to comprehend. But the more I look at my relationship with Christ, I find that I get hung up on sin management, just trying to please God by sinning as little as possible. I try to mask what's in my heart by just trying to stop whatever sin might be coming out. Lately I feel like God has been showing me that my heart is the issue, not my sin. Sin is the result of my sinful heart. Luckily there is hope, when I accepted Jesus as my savior, God sent his Holy Spirit into my heart. The Spirit calls out "Abba, Father." Because of this Spirit, God accepts me as his son and he is helping me clean up my heart. I am prompted to pray what David prayed in Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a pure heart, O God." When God sent Jesus to die on the cross, he didn't do it just so we would all behave like good little children. He did it so that we might realize his deep love and come to repentance. He did it so we would be able to fall totally and completely in love with him, so that we would love him with all our heart.

The First Post

Just thought I'd give blogging a shot. The content will consist of a mixture of thoughts, tales of adventure, and musings. Please make sure to keep your hands and feet inside at all times. Thank you.