Jars Of Clay

Yesterday I went to the Mid-State fair with some friends. We had an awesome time hanging out. In the evening we went to see Jars Of Clay. It was a great concert. My brothers and their friends were all upset because the band was wearing really short shorts. I was shocked at first but got over it. The music was great and I had a good time.

God's Prescription For Healthy Relationships Pt 4

Six Tips For Controlling Our Anger (Proverbs 14:29)

Patience means slow to get angry

Tip #1: Realize the cost of my anger (Proverbs 29:22; 15:18; 14:17; 11:29)

Tip #2: Resolve to manage my anger (Proverbs 16:32)

Tip #3: Reflect don't react when angry (Proverbs 29:11; 19:11, Philippians 4:5-7)

Stop and ask "Why am I angry?"
Think about "What do/did I want?"
Respond with honesty "I feel hurt when..." "I feel afraid when..." "I feel frustrated when..."

Tip #4: Release my anger appropriately (Ephesians 4:26)

Don't repress anger
Don't suppress anger
Don't express anger
Confess it!

Tip #5: Renew my mind and friends (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:22-24)

Anger is contagious (Proverbs 22:24-25, 1 Corinthians 15:33)

Tip #6: Rely on God's help (Romans 15:5)

God's Perscription For Healthy Relationships Pt 3

Five Practical Steps For Unity & Peace

Four ways to handle conflict

The ghost method
The general's method
The gang method
The God method

Philippians 2:1-2

To Conquer Conflict We Must Start With Being Like-Minded
Having the same love
Having the same spirit
Having the same purpose

1. Defuse Competition (Phil. 2:3, James 4:1-2)

2. Delete Conceit (Phil. 2:3, Proverbs 13:10; 16:18, Matthew 7:3)

3. Decrease Criticism (Phil. 2:3c, Ephesians 4:29, James 4:11-12, Romans 14:1,4)

4. Demonstrate Consideration (Phil, 2:4)

5. Develop Christ- Likeness (Phil. 2:5-8, Galatians 2:22, Ephesians 4:3)

Studying Through Romans Part 13

5:1-2 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

We are justified and forgiven. We have peace with God through Jesus. Jesus is the mediator and peacemaker. We rejoice in the thought of seeing God's glory.

5:3-5 "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

Trials and sorrows make us persevere. If life was easy there would not be the word persevere. Pressing on and never giving up develops our character. And if Godly character is there, we have hope. Hope never disappoints. I do not understand why hope never disappoints.

5:6-8 "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

It is interesting that Christ died for us while we were sinners. We had nothing to offer Him. Nothing to give Him. But while we were ungodly, caring nothing about God and having nothing to do with Him, He died for us. What love! It is the truest love that has been shown.

5:9-11 "Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

WOW! I think these verses speak for themselves. There is nothing that I can say about them.

Small Miracle

Last weekend I went down to my Grandma's house in Beaumont (near Banning). I drove down with my Father and three brothers to pick up my Grandma's truck (she is giving it to Isaac). On Saturday afternoon I drove the truck home with Isaac. My Grandma's truck is almost thirty years old so we were not sure if it would make the drive home. It lugged down on the hills coming home but did very well until we were coming up out of the Gaviota Pass. There is a long steep hill right there. The truck bogged down and Isaac put it into first gear. But then the truck started to sputter and I pulled over just as it died. The truck would not start back up. We sat there letting the engine cool. Then Isaac put some water in the radiator. I tried to start the truck again but nothing happened. So we prayed and then called our Father to pray for us. Then I tried again. But nothing happened. I knew that God had the power to start the engine so I turned the key again and it started!!! We said, "thank you God" and started slowly chugging up the hill. We made it to the top and all the way home.

I thought it was cool that God kept us safe, started the truck and brought us home. People say that there are no miracles now days, but there are. I just witnessed one.

One more thing. My brother Isaac has been unable to start the truck again.

God's Prescription For Healthy Relationships Pt 2

3 Keys To Building Joy In Our Relationships

Happiness is about "feeling good"- it's dependent upon what happens and is based on...
Circumstances
External
Chance

Joy is in dependent of what happens - it's a "positive confidence" in God and based on...
Christ
Internal
Choice

Three Joy Killers

Joy Killer #1 Selfishness (James 3:16, 4:1-2)

Joy Killer #2 Resentment (Hebrews 12:15, Proverbs 11:29)

Joy Killer #3 Fear (Proverbs 12:25; 15:15, 1 John 4:18)

In relationships fear makes us...
defensive
distant
demanding

Three Joy Builders

1. Focus on giving rather than receiving (John 3:16, Philipians 2:3-4, Acts 20:35)

2. Focus on healing rather than hurting (Colossians 3:13)
Stop rehearsing and start releasing the pain and hurt (Romans 5:3-4)

3. Focus on God's power rather than our problems (Psalms 62:8)

Why Can I Be Joyful In Spite Of Circumstances?

Because God is with me (Isaiah 43:2-3)
Because God has a plan for me (Psalms 50:15, Jeremiah 29:11)
Because God will help me (Psalm 43:5)

God's Perscription For Healthy Relationships Pt 1

5 Ingredients For A Lifetime Of Love

Two Misconceptions About Love
1. Love is only a feeling
2. Love is uncontrollable

The Truth About Love
Love is a matter of choice (Colossians 3:14)
Love is a matter of conduct (1 John 3:18)
Love is a matter of character (2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Ingredient #1 Time (1 Corinthians 13:4)
Patience involves humility and gentleness (Ephesians 4:2)

Ingredient #2 Kindness (1 Corinthians 13:4)
Avoiding deposits in the bitterness bank involves choosing a tender heart and forgiveness

Ingredient #3 Trust (1 Corinthians 13:4)
Envy+Bragging+Pride= Insecurity (Ephesians 4:29, Proverbs 26:24, 28)

Ingredient #4 Giving (1 Corinthians 13:5)

Ingredient #5 Action (1 Corinthians 13:7)

Facebook

I finally bowed into the pressure of joining a social network. Since I had said I would not join myspace, I went with facebook. My brother Matthew said facebook was better than myspace so that is why I did it. I guess I just have too much time on my hands this summer. When school starts I won't have time for all this stuff.

Clinging To God

I am just clinging to God. I have been asking Him for guidance in an area of my life and I have received an answer. I don't like the answer. My heart feels like it was stabbed. It's not anybodies fault that I feel this way. I feel like this because my flesh wants one thing and my spirit wants another. But I have put my identity in Christ. I have to accept what is given to me (or not given). God and I will always have a relationship even when everything else falls away.

Taking Our Mission Seriously Part 3

How To Be Used By God To Turn Our World Upside Down (Mark 16:15, Luke 14:23, Philippians 1:27, 1 Corinthians 3:9)

Five Steps To Be Used By God (Romans 6:13)

1. I Must Purify My Heart (2 Timothy 2:21, Joshua 3:5, 1 John 1:9)

2. I Must Sanctify My Body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Psalms 119:73, 1 Corinthians 6:13; 9:25)

3. I Must Simplify My Life (Hebrews 12:1, Matthew 6:24; 16:24, 2 Timothy 2:4)

4. I Must Fortify My Faith (1 Peter 4:2, 1 Timothy 4:7b)

Four Things To Help Us Fortify Our Faith (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Proverbs 19:8, 1 Peter 3:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:11)

A) Study the Bible
B) Read christian books
C) Write out our testimony
D) Join a small group

5. I Must Apply What I Know (James 1:22)

Studying Through Romans Part 12

4:1-8 "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about-but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

If Abraham was justified by his own works he had would have something to brag about. But not to God. Since Abraham believed God it was credited to him as righteousness, not as an obligation, but as a gift. Our righteousness comes from God who makes us righteous by forgiving and covering every sin that we have committed. We are blessed.

4:9-12 "Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised."

I am going to compare the practice of circumcision with baptism again. Is righteousness only received by the baptized? No! Is it received before or after? It is received before because baptism is a sign or a seal of our belief in God.

4:13-17 "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring-not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed-the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were."

It is amazing that God has made salvation available to all nations and peoples. That is why God's promise comes by faith. It is by God's grace that we are saved and made righteous. Abraham is the father of us all. We look to him for an example of faith. I don't quite understand why God has made Abraham father of us all. But he is our father in God's eyes. The God who raised the dead and calls things into being.

4:18-25 "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead-since he was about a hundred years old-and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness-for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."

Abraham is a great example of faith. He believed that God would give him a son in his old age. He knew that God would keep His promise to make Abraham's descendants as numerous as the stars. Every time we have faith in God our faith is strengthened.