Monday, February 8, 2010

Confessions


Its early in the morning, and I just got done listening to "While Im Waiting" by John Waller. This song is so awesome, and reminds me of so many times in my life, when I have taken a step back, and realized the worlds ways and how its so easy to get caught up in all that is ugly in this world. The change can be painful in times. It takes time, dedication to the Lord, and a strong will to change a nasty habit. And this song reminds me of so many times I have waited on the Lord. I grew up, you can say, very wild and free, having to learn God’s ways the hard way. Going through high school, many people probably viewed me as somewhat of a free spirited person, not having many cares as to what the consequences of doing things were. When I was younger, my friends and I would celebrate our freedoms of being 18 by buying pornography, and watching it. This is probably a norm to any 18 year old male in the world today, sadly enough. And as I moved away from home, pornography became an addiction to me. But as I have gotten older I have realized how degrading it is to women, and how it causes men to view women as objects. I changed my habits, it was painful at times, but I waited on the Lord to change me while I pursued him. I once walked through an airport in Cancun, and I came across a poster at the entrance of the baggage claim. It was the poster of a Native American woman, staring into the camera as the wind blew through her hair, and the poster read, “The woman mans most untapped resource." And that picture really hit me. It was so true, and it becomes more and more true the longer I live in this world. The love that comes from a godly woman’s heart, is like nothing the world has ever seen. It’s so beautiful and pure, and if the male race would only tap into and teach from that, the men, as elected leaders of this world, would cause this world to be a much better place. I believe that the man has destroyed the world we live in today, by his hardened heart, and pride. Do I believe that the world would be better off if women running the world, at this point, yes. But that is not what God calls us to do. Men are to be the leaders, and more men need the learn from the woman, on what it means to love and care for things more, all while being a leader who serves God. The women today have to take the roles of a male, because mankind has totally turned around the fact of what it means to be a man. Today to be a man, you need to sleep with a lot of girls, or drink more beers than the other. And if you don’t, your considered a “pussy.” Does anyone else see the problem here? Am I the only one? Doesn’t it take “a man” to love only one woman for his entire life, and serve only her? Doesn’t it take a stronger “man” to drink a water instead of twelve beers? I challenge every man in this world, who believes that the more girls you sleep with the more the man you are, or any man who would rather get wasted than open up the bible, to consider it. What’s the matter? Not “man” enough now? Dedicate your life to serving the Lord with me. Maybe together we will find the man in both of us, while we wait for our Lord. My bible verse today comes from one of my favorite passages, 1 Corinthians 13


Love

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

11
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

John Waller "While Im Waiting"

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Takeing every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

Monday, February 1, 2010

The World We LIve In Today


Today was the first day of February.... and I have made it through the first month of reading through the bible in a year. It’s amazing the wisdom that is surpassed in the reading just from the first month. I could only imagine the wisdom that comes from reading the bible for one’s lifetime. I have currently started the book of Leviticus, and am in Chapter 5. Today in my devotionals I was convicted of wrong doings. I have realized that the sincerity of my words has been very watered down over the past year or so. When I was younger, it was a frequent accordance when, I would be hurt by someone who didn’t commit to the things they said that they would do. I would tell myself that I would not be one of these people… and yet here I am. Today, being a person who has frequently not held to my words and promises in the little areas of my life. Whether it’s telling someone,” yeah, I will be able to make it to your basketball game to watch you,” or “yeah, I will be able to do that,” I have allowed other things get in the way of me keeping my word. In Mathew 5:37 Jesus warns us against swearing (in the sense of making vows or oaths) when he says simply to let your “Yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.” Our words shall be enough. If we feel we have to strengthen our words with an oath, something is wrong with our sincerity. A wise and self- controlled person avoids making rash promises.

In the world today, we look all around us and can see the sin that devours our lives. And so much of it goes unnoticed. We are all going a hundred miles an hour, not being able to get from one place to the next fast enough…. Will this world ever slow down and just stop, take one look at itself, and realize the mess we have all caused? When Israel turned from God, his glory and presence departed from the temple and it was destroyed by invading armies (2 Kings 25). Just like Jerusalem, we in America, have turned our back on god, wanting to take… “In God we Trust,” out of everything, then we sit and mock this fact and people say, “Is there a god?” We need to wake up, and restore our nation that was based on the foundation of God. We have gone so far astray that no one knows what the truth is anymore. In the past two years, how many husbands have come out and said that they had an affair on their wife…. It is disgusting. If we don’t start, opening up our bibles, studying our god, restoring our relationship with him, doing what is right, and putting other people's cares before ourselves….If we do not start doing these things.... It’s only going to get worse. Its this kind of change that America needs, not "Obama change."