Amazin ain't it?

2012-01-25T05:43:00.000-08:00

I don't know if everybody knows this already but we are moving in many different ways. First, we are trying to sell the house and get some land and build an affordable house so that we are debt free. We feel God moving us in different ways, for example we are changing churches. VERY HARD! I love fellowship... a lot! But I don't and I think most of us in the family feel that God is calling us elsewhere. SO, Dad accepted a position as Youth Pastor/Music guy. I really think God will teach me something through this and hopefully influence the people around me in a positive way.
We have been out and about a lot recently looking at land/houses. FUN! I REALLY LIKE THAT! But it is very hard to not get attached to a place or set my affections on something. There is a place I really like... Really like. But it might not happen. I don't know why but it probably wont, so I'm trying to just let it go. I really wont be here much longer anyways. I think. Needless to say there is much uncertainty. I don't know what house we will get, I don't know what I will be doing at our new church. I don't now this, I don't know that. I feel God moving me toward the Military. The Army Rangers. Scary, Exciting, Hard. It's a mixture of the three. Mom doesn't want that to happen. She thinks that if someone is to be shot its me. It could be, it might not be. Yesterday Mom brought up real estate since I enjoy finding properties and planning a route and researching those things. She said I should look into it. You have to be 18. Figures. I was thinking it could be a good part time job until I go to the Army. So I said "Hey Mom, I have to be 18 to be a real estate agent... That's to bad." She says "That's not far off." She didn't take the hint. I may be wrong but she was trying to make me consider something else. I will. But what God says goes. Thanks Mom.

2011-11-30T11:59:00.001-08:00

It is almost December. YAY!!! It is one of my favorite times of the year. This Christmas is particularly exciting because it lands on a sunday!!! Wow. I am really looking forward to it. Our church is going to be doing something special with christmas music... I'm not excactly sure about what all is going to happen but I am really looking forward to it. I don't know how many people will be there. Everyone could be on vacation, or everyone and their brothers freinds will come... I am hoping for a good turn out.

AWANA is tonight. Finally!!! I have really missed my class. The table in my classroom is too small now so Lou made some special little cushions for all the little kids. Thank you Lou!

School has been great. I looked at all the requirments for my transcript recently and I am almost finished with all of them. I need to finish the two science classes I'm in now and finish economic and algebra 2. After that I will be done with all the reqiurements. Accually I need to take some language courses. But that is for later I just need to finish out the math, science, and history reqiurements, and I will be freed up to do a little bit more. But since I am only in my sophomore year I can relax a little... No need to panic.

2011-10-16T18:23:00.001-07:00

A good day... I got some money refereeing a soccer game. Church was good the music sounded great!

300!!!

2011-09-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

This is my 300th post!!!! O yeah!
I read my Henry Blackaby devotional this morning, it was about king Asa. He faced powerful enemies from Ethiopia(I think it was Ethiopia) he trusted in God and was delivered. The next time he faced an enemy it was weaker and he didn't trust in God. He relied on the strength of his army and he failed.

As I read that I thought about his enemy. The weak one. WITHOUT relying on God THEY were delivered.
God supported them??? No. I think it is interesting how God taught and helped Asa by supporting his enemies in battle. Asa probably thought God had turned against him, it was just the opposite. I wonder how many times I have felt abandoned when God is working right beside me to teach me.

2011-08-22T17:34:00.000-07:00

Ive been thinking really hard recently. But I don't really want to talk to anyone about it. I've only told one person about what I've been feeling. I'm a bit scared, inspired, excited. Praying a lot.
Pray for me to make good decisions.

Getting set up

2011-07-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

I have been really wondering/worrying about what I am setting my life up for. I spend most days now doing school for about half the day and then swimming, reading, or doing something with my siblings. What have I accomplished in life.
Strangely I feel that the greatest time in my life, when I felt most worth and fullness was when I played soccer. Particularly in Colorado. I had the best chance to share God's word with my teammates then I have ever had anytime else. I have many regrets for the way I did some things then. Sometimes I felt as if I had totally failed, that I was working against the kingdom of God.
But I always had something I was praying for or working towards, I could think on it and it was also a great lesson to me. As we moved to Arkansas I left that. Still sometimes I wonder what good it really did. If anything changed because of all that happened, or did I just build a hate for Christianity.
Recently I have wondered to myself what I am doing now. What purpose am I working toward. Think of Math... A great part of my life has been devoted to math. It is something that I find myself thinking about quite often even when I am not really working on it. What good is it?
My Mom and Dad don't remember the algebra they learned at my age because they have no need to. Who cares what X is? Not them. Math does help me develop my mind, it gives me something to think on, but will I need it later? Probably Not. But it is good to have that around to help me think and to fill my time. But I am starting to realize that it doesn't really matter. All the times I get stressed and worn out trying to finish a lesson are unnecessary because it simply doesn't matter. What should I fill my time with? What should I pursue? Or more accurately, What am I pursuing?
I have a dream to start a giant ministry in a sports complex. A sport will pull someone into a building nothing else. I haven't worked out all the details yet but I would like to have an all year VBS type of thing going. It would explain the Bible throughout the year in a chronological order.
There would be many different thing happening. That is my dream. I don't know how it could become possible, or exactly what i would do in it, but I have a few ideas forming and to me it's worth a good bunch of thought and prayer.
I'm not sure how I am working toward that, but I am trying to have a direction in life.

Part 2

2011-07-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 7:2
New International Version (NIV)
And when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.

Is God against fighting? God just told Israel to have no mercy and kill all the nations that oppose them. God told them to fight. He wanted to secure His people. He was being a good steward of His chosen people. Protecting them. Shouldn't we do likewise?

John 2:21
But the temple He had spoken of was His body.

This verse was after He told the pharisees "Tear down this temple and in three days I will build it again." Our bodies are the temples of God! We should take care of each other! Protect each other and ourselves.
That is one of the reasons that martial arts are beneficial.

Why do we do what we do? part 1

2011-07-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

Dad brought up a question the other day that got me thinkin.
"What eternal value is there in studying martial arts?"
Well I really like taekwondo so I really considered the question. We are to live for God in everything we do, how are martial arts part of God's work?

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Matthew 5: 38-42

Does this say do not fight? It says, "If ANYONE slaps you," turn the other cheek.
I looked into this verse. Notice the last part. Give to he who begs and do not refuse the one who would borrow. This verse is about retaliation. It is not saying when someone comes up to you in the alley and punches you in the face, let him punch you in the stomach also. It is saying that we should react to things differently that the world does.

Luke 6:32-36
English Standard Version (ESV)
"If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

We do not lend saying "don't mess it up!" We should lend saying. "Enjoy it."
The use slap is like a parable. Slap is an offensive deed, not always a physical punch but and insult. Just like the use of the phrase, "if anyone would take your tunic."
To clarify I will use and example. I lend someone a blanket when he is sick and he throws up on it. I really would not want to use it again but I should offer up something else. Rather than responding with resent and holding back what I have. Even sinners lend expecting something back but as believers Jesus wants us to respond better than the world.

2011-06-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

We have been working on the boat a lot recently. Lane and I managed to get the bottom plank of wood out and I am hoping to get outside to clean it out later today.

Mom has gotten pretty good at cooking Vegan. She makes great vegan enchiladas, and we can even make ice cream that tastes just like store bought ice cream. Mom is awsome.

Josh beat me at HORSE in basketball yesterday, he was pretty excited about that.

I have been thinking a lot about VBS coming up. I am doing the wordless book every night but other than that, I don't now what to do for class time. Maybe my assistant will have some ideas.

2011-06-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking, that it's kinda funny that God created the earth.
God had everything planned out and he did it for his own glory. It took much pain and sacrifice on His part though. God had to create us and then come down to save us and get killed. Then he rose again to show the world that He created that he was God.
It is kinda a funny thing to think about.

Been sleeping... A lot!!!

2011-06-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Some how, I slept from about 5:30 pm to 8:00 this morning. I don't know what made me sleep that long. Even when I am sick I don't sleep that much. Strange.
Buzz slept inside last night and set about to try as hard as he could to keep me awake all night. He failed. I slept a bunch. But I did wake up a couple of times for a moment or two to see/hear Buzz whining while resting his head on my chest.

2011-05-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 66:18 (English Standard Version)
"For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory,

My goal today is to value my time, try to not do what is of no value, and try to do what is of value. Things of no value being... talking during school, worrying about what everyone else is doing etc...
Of value would be: Working quickly and well, spending time in the afternoon with my siblings, or working out. Something like that. There has been to much strife coming out of my mouth, so my goal is to stop that. For the time is coming when He will gather us all to see His glory.

2011-05-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

John 17:12 (English Standard Version)
While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

God Protects us from the evil one, we should not fear satan, we should fight to keep trusting in Jesus and the Father will intercede for us.

1 John 4:4 (English Standard Version)
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

God is greater than satan. Jesus Himself has prayed to the Father to keep us from the evil one.

John 17:15 (English Standard Version)
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

We should not Fear
2 Timothy 1:7 (English Standard Version)
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

I don't know...

2011-05-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

If I should go to the TKD tournament this weekend. I have talked to Mom about it and she said, to pray about it. I don't think she wants me to go. She said that Dad says he doesn't care. There is some benefit in comparing myself to others and seeing how well I can do, but mom doesn't want me to get hurt. What Mom wants is very important to me so I have a bunch of questions to ask the people who run the tourney.
Is it TKD or MMA.
What kicks are allowed and which are not.
Blocking with legs?
How I will be grouped.
ETC...

Mom said Ethan can take me to FSTA (Fort Smith TaeKwonDo Academy) to ask about the tourney.
I am praying and training. It is this Saturday.
Maybe I'll just go watch...

2011-05-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

School has been great today. Math was well, OK I got an A but I didn't do as well as I wanted to.

Here are a few things I want to do today.

Call Nana Because she is in bed with a broken ankle and she cant get up or do anything.

Clean out my desk.

Workout.

Clean our kicking pad.

Maybe get my books ready for the sale on Friday.

I got all caught up on my devotionals on Sunday, then I forgot to read one yesterday!!! So today I need to get caught up again.

I would like everyone that reads this to state one random math fact in the comments box, Math facts are fun!

Where is the rain!!!???

2011-04-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

There has not been any rain today... I miss it already *sniff*
It is nice and sunny, a few cirrus cloud spattered about in the sky but it is cold!
It was 44 degrees when I woke up. It is supposed to rain on Sunday so... be ready.
I finished math today before ten and we all watched a video on the Inca civilization... those guys are so weird. You know the people on the history channel that think every city was built for human sacrifice? Well, there was some of that in the video. It was kinda a silly thing to watch. Not even very informative, but at least we saw lots of pictures of the cities. Dad cant come home for lunch today, That's something I don't like about Thursdays.
It has been a pretty good day so far.

2011-04-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

It has been like the year of changing light bulbs.

A light bulb is something that lasts quite a while and every few months you replace it. Well in the same way, things like car tires and computers last about 5 years then you replace them. This is the year we have to replace stuff. Lots of extra expenses!

2011-04-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

Angels have the right perspective on things.

The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

“You are just in these judgments, O Holy One,
you who are and who were;
for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”
Revelation 16:4-6

That is an angels perspective... AKA: "God You are right."

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
Revelation 16:8-10

Man's perspective: "God You are WRONG." Those are quite the opposites.
We are a fallen world.

2011-04-22T06:23:00.000-07:00

I have had a hard time dealing with my sisters recently. My younger sister is 13 and she is eating me alive. Everything that happens brings out an explosion. Her logic seems to be something like this: I make a joke, she doesn't see how it's funny= me being imature.
To me this thinking is very wrong...
Oh well, Lord please give me patience.

2011-04-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
Job 1:9-11 (New International Version)

Satan said that if God put Job through a hard time he would stop believing, curse God, his prayer life would cease. If God puts us through a hard time should we stop believing? NO.
Just because life is hard at one time and you cant see God helping you or working around you, it doesn't mean that prayer is worthless. If nothing else prayer confirms your relationship with God. If I pray in the hard times, that says. "Lord, you are still in control, I still trust in You and believe in You. I come to You with my life."
If prayer ceases during the hard times, or you question prayer working, that is an error in your faith. You cannot believe in God and not be in prayer trusting that God hears and works in it. There are many verses in the bible that speak of prayer. Never negative, always in a positive way. It works, whether you see it or not.

2011-04-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about my future. What I am going to do, how I could support a family, what my college major should be... and so on. I have wants and needs. I would like to have a job that I like (law enforcement or something) but I need to have a job that makes me capable of supporting a 8+ person family (finances, engineering....etc). I like dealing with money, but I don't think I want to be doing math for a living, not that that's all to the job, but I would really like to not have a job at a desk. Law enforcement, from what I have learned about it does not pay extremely well $30,000 - $55,000 or so. Average.

I have a dream to start up a sports facility. Indoor/outdoor. I would buy a little land, build some buildings, and have my own company. I could have my kids playing in some events or whatever. I think it would be an awesome thing to do. However, as a law enforcement officer how would I come up with the money to do that. Finances might make enough money.
One thought comes to mind. Stocks. I have read on the news about people who are millionaires just from stocks. Not everyone can do that those people are experts. But I think there is more than one way to make money. It might not all be LABOR. LABOR. LABOR. Work yourself to death. There could be more family friendly ways to go about MONEY. I am still thinking I have a few more years till college...
I am praying about it to. There are quite a few decisions in life. :)

2011-04-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 5:21 (New International Version) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus came and died for every sin that men have committed.

Isaiah 64:6 (New International Version) All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Isaiah said it best, all our best deeds are filthy rags! Yesterday I was cleaning out our swimming pool, I scrubbed of all the algae and dirt and pollen off the bottom of the pool. My rag was pretty nasty. A filthy rag is not really good for anything. Imagine having an ant in your service, you would let that ant into your house if he was completely perfect, and did everything that you had commanded. But, the little ant kept breaking the rules. But you wanted that ant to get to experience life inside the house so you went out side and laid down your life to ensure that he was given a chance to enter your house. Maybe that wasn't the best example, but that's what I thought of when I hear or read about the gospel. Christ came to save us so that we might enter the kingdom of heaven and be with Him forever.

2011-04-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

I just finished playing a fun game with the littles (Mayf, Z-boy, and Bird) on the trampoline. I would lay on my back and fling them over my head with me feet making them do a flip in the air. They loved it! It was fun for me too, cause after each time they landed they would burst out in laughter and talk about how cool it was when they flipped in the air. They are a lot of fun!!!

2011-04-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

It is Birthday season at the Tagg house. There are about 5 B-days in 4 weeks, lots of fun! I Finished turning all the pages in my new bible and I discovered a page that was bent down flat in the corner and that page had been improperly cut by the factory. That page literally sticks out, maybe God is telling me something, I should go read that page. Flipping all the pages in my bible was a very neat thing to do, I stopped along the way in some places to read and it was really kinda cool just to see everything my bible had and just to browse over it. I think I am going to study the revelation, and then the 3 gospels. What is their difference and the like. I think it would be a good thing to look into. I found that school has been blocking up my time with God. Kinda... not school in itself but the way I have scheduled. I do some at night and in the morning and all through the day. I am going to stop working on it in the mornings and mostly at night. I typically wait for all my brothers to fall asleep while doing math, and then when it gets quiet I pull out my bible. I like doing it that way but doing it in the morning makes me forget about my devotional book and I get behind. I really like working with Dad. It is something that I don't do often. I often work for Dad while he is working on something else, but I don't usually work with him. I got to do that a lot this weekend setting up the flower beds. It was nice and the weather was perfect. The projector bulb at our church went out halfway through the music practice. CHAOS!!! We had three different guys trying to get song printouts three different way, it was kinda funny. It has been I nice week so far and Mom was feeling good yesterday! That always brightens my day.

2011-04-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

Mark 14:41 (New King James Version) Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. I pasted this to my blog because Lane wanted me to prove that copy and paste was possible on Blogger. This verse was going to be what I was going to post about anyway. The disciples failed to stay up and pray with their LORD. It was a moment when the Son Of Man was to be delivered to the pharisees to be crucified. It could have been the most special moment that God would ever spend with his disciples and they were content to miss it. Their sleep tempted them and they fell to the temptation and missed the most pivotal moment in human history. Jesus finally just had to pray alone his only comfort was His Father in heaven. Men are constantly failing in the bible as we are now. As Adam failed to resist the fruit in the garden, the disciples failed to stay awake to comfort their LORD.

2011-04-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

I have been working on getting out my spring clothes this year. I am going through the same this doesn't fit and I have enough of these, as I have every year. But this year I might be short on a lot more than I thought. BUMMER! I went to story time with the little kids today, the library didn't have any ACT study books. Just SAT. Btw, does anyone know if Tom Clancy's "Shadow Warriors" book is any good. I'm thinking about checking it out but I need a review first. Of course the only people that read my blog are probbably in my fam! I am boring! :)

2011-04-05T18:21:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about how our nieghbors are... uptight. Everything must be peacefull and perfect and clean. The first day I ever saw our house, one of our nieghbors was out washing his TRASH CAN... I have a hard enough time dusting! I found it has influenced us in a way. We try not to upset them, WHICH IS VERY HARD TO DO, or annoy them in any way. Which is not bad at all, but I kinda think that we have been trying to match thier way of living... A neat perfect orderly way. BUT here is the important part, they try to make everyTHING perfect, not everyONE. That has translated into our lives some recently. Some of the younger ones in our family have not really been taught good manners... When we moved back to AR we had to stay in a rent house that was in not such a perfect neighborhood, and the house we stayed in was really gross. We mopped and scrubbed but dirt was just "in the air" there it could not be clean. But anyway things were loose and free. We stayed next to neighbors that were happy, playful, a bit rowdy, but it was relaxing! People in our family were layed back more there in the busy time of moving and buying a house than we are now that we are settled and living normally. I am not saying that dirty is good or that taking care of things is bad. I am saying that we seem to have been a bit tight. I am very happy to live where we are now but everything is so uptight and clean and about things! It is hard to explain... I have been reading a book called, THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR. It is a good book. I was reading about people being UAW (under accumulators of wealth) because of the neighborhood they live in. They are forced to uphold the reputation of a $6,000,000 house with other expensive things. I think that can also match what we have done. Kinda. AHHHHHH!!!!! It is soo hard to explain and I cannot find the words! I like our house, I love the people in it, I don't like the neighbors, they are perfectionists! I like things to be nice but there is a limit. Work has been put before character in some ways. If I have offended anyone or said anything inappropriate or in the wrong way please tell me. I'm not trying to be a hater of cleanness or orderly people.

2011-03-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

I missed a day posting! I was really trying to go two full weeks without missing a day... Failure. I guess I must start again today. We just watched a movie called fly me to the moon... silly... I guess it might not be to a child from 3-10 years old, not recommended. I have found that blogging is kinda fun... I never really liked blogging before but now that I have started to get into it doing it every day I can... Its pretty cool. Mom made a good recipe today. It was taco lima beans, or something like that, basically it was a replacement for taco meat and it was pretty good. I really feel like watching comedy but I cant, too bad. Cant have everything :) Life has been good recently.

2011-03-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

School went well today! I was looking at all the things on my birthday list and I don't think there is one thing under twenty dollars! So I am trying to think of cheaper things I would like to have... Mom made black bean burgers! They were ok... but she has made some pretty delicious vegan food, like vegan enchiladas! I think I like those more than the regular ones! I have been thinking a lot about all the different versions of the Bible... The NIV the NKJ the ESV and all those others. They have different words in them but they are supposed to mean about the same thing. Do they? The NIV interprets sentence by sentence while the ESV does word for word leaving the interpretation to the reader. Do some translations mean different things then others? Psalm 127:5 (New International Version) Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court. Psalm 127:5 (English Standard Version) Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. Those are very different statements... the NIV says quiver is full of them, ESV says fills his quiver. There is a lot more responsibility involved in the ESV version of that verse. Anyway, I'm not sure I like all the different versions of it.

2011-03-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

We did a bunch of work in the yard today... it has been a quite relaxing day. Not much goin on... Church was interesting, since the pastor wasn't there and he also leads the music... a bunch of people filled in and everything went pretty good, it was just different. My B-day is coming up! Yay...

2011-03-26T13:34:00.001-07:00

I was going to put this post into a cool font but all of them look the same...or I cant figure out how to use them, too bad.
My Aunt, three cousins, grandma and grandpa came on Wednesday and stayed until today.
Talk about fun! We played football, frisbee golf, and jumped on the trampoline a lot. The cousins came to TKD and even participated! And we had lots of yummy, but unhealthy, food!
It was a really good time and it was sad to see them go. Hopefully they come again in the summer.

2011-03-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

It has been a pretty good day... I did well on school and got done in good time.
Bird and Zekerbeakers had fun today on the zip-line. They are so cool! The zip-line is about 3 times their height and they just jump off when they go down!
Pretty adventurous.

2011-03-17T13:29:00.000-07:00

A new rule has been established in our house recently that makes me kinda sad. It was rightfully established, but I still think it is sad.
No one is allowed to ask anyone else to do anything for them. You also cant tell anyone to do anything either. As I said before, it was rightfully established and I think it also should be established in some other households. But, it is sad to think of mankind being so lazy and selfish that someone has to go to such extremes to stop it from happening. Some of us are more lazy than others but it is an "infectious disease" and people catch it easily.

2011-03-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

I usually don't like working in the kitchen. At all. But today I was making pancakes for dinner and I heard Meg in the dinning room giving all the little kids a lesson about color.
They know that she does that kind of thing at college and they were really enjoying it, at least from what I could hear. I looked in there to see all the little kids sitting around the table with a bunch of paints all creating colors and pictures and then calling Meg over whenever they made a new discovery. She was helping and every once in a while she would teach them something special. It was really a joy to listen. She is a sweet sister.

The Negative of late

2011-03-11T17:44:00.000-08:00

Mom has RA... Sadly this makes me mad. Im not mad at anyone in particular... I find myself mad at God. I know this is wrong, there should never be anyone mad at God, but I ask myself:
WHY!!!!!!! God would create such a perfect mother and person and then she has RA. WHAT?
Mom says we live in a "Genesis 3 world." Shes right, man is fallen, not worth any health or happyness. It seems like she handles it better than I do... Ahhh! It is so frustrating.
She has gone on a Vegan diet and someone has recently called Vegan food "slimy and destcusting." Now Im thinking, cursed be them... Kinda. How dare they talk about something that she is forced to do and strives to do so lightly. Maybe lightly is not the right word. Basically, how dare the said person make fun of what Mom has to do. "Oh me" is what our neighbor would say, and I agree. Oh me, this is frustrating. I need to talk to God.

Hard Times

2011-02-08T09:10:00.000-08:00

It has been a difficult year... Some of us have had health problems, while others have had attitude problems.
Something has come up quite recently that has greatly hurt me and displays poor character.
I am have been quite upset about Mom's arthritis possibility.
God is preparing me for something or testing me for something I feel.
I kinda feel like Job. That's probably silly though.

Hmm....

2011-01-09T16:46:00.000-08:00

It is amazing how easy it is to see mistakes in others.
Now that there is a thirteen yr. old in the house again I wonder how many annoying things I did.
Not to say that the thirteener is all that annoying, I have just noticed some small things like short term memory loss.... I wonder how many times I accuse people for things they didn't do.
I think I might find out some shortcomings of a fourteener in a year.
I am trying to see my problems now, before it is too late to fix them.
After they are realized I can try to eliminate them.

Resolutions

2011-01-03T17:23:00.000-08:00

I have a short list of "resolutions," But I think I can fulfill them.

I want to be more thoughtful with my gift giving, not to just cross names of my gift list.

I want to really take advantage of this refereeing season.

I want to do "Fantasy Stock" to practice for when I get an investing account.

I want to set up a successful/efficient budget.

I want to be faithful to read my Bible with my devotionals every day.

Making a difference

2011-01-03T17:09:00.000-08:00

Joseph was strategically placed in Potiphars house to become ruler of Egypt and save his family.
Esther was placed in the kings court to save her people from Haman.
God puts us where we are for a reason, we can do Gods will from our location. Laney is thinking about how to get "Ministry Mouth" (A ministry of advertising other ministries) on its feet.
She is working with what God is giving her. Not everyone needs to go to China.
I read about that in my Henry Blackaby devotional. I really like that book.

Oh hey wake up guy!

2010-12-03T14:27:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up to see Zeke sitting at the foot of my bed reading a book. As soon as he saw that my eyes were open he said, "Oh hey wake up guy." And he lifted up a pile of about ten books onto my bed. I read one of them to him and started to pick another one up but he was already asleep beside me. I guess it was kinda early about six o'clock. He is such a precious little boy.
It was a good morning.

The Secret Faith

2010-12-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
Exodus 3: 7-10

God was sending someone from the "opposition" to save the Israelites. Moses was Hebrew, but he was known as an Egyptian. He was hated in the eyes of the Hebrews just as much as Pharaoh was. They see him as a traitor.

Exodus 2:14
The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?”

The Israelites don't know that God is sending this man as a deliverer, to them he is an everyday Hebrew beatem uper just like the slave masters.
But when he tells the people that God sent him, they were glad to follow him. They didn't trust Moses they trusted God to keep them safe.
As the people continue things start to brighten up. They pass through the Jordan, they drink from a rock and God starts to show Himself to them in miracles. But throughout Exodus, they doubt Moses. It seems to me like they are expecting a trap from Moses.

Exodus 14:11
They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?

Exodus 14:12
Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

It sounds a lot like the Israelites are trying to get Moses to spill the Egyptian plan or something. They don't think that he will really lead them, everyone expects him to try to find a way to kill them, but he doesn't. But by doubting Moses, they unknowingly doubt God. They think that they have a super faith in God but they have doubted Him on every turn.
Finally they all together quit on God. The golden calf is built and they desert everything God has done for them.

Exodus 32:19
When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.

Moses went down and punished them and their faith was brought back. The Israelites had a faith in God but they never chose to reveal it. In Exodus they looked like stubborn faithless people because they did not show their faith in God.
It is often the same way with us as Christians today. We can have a strong faith, yet it never be known because we hide it. We should trust God in every situation.

2010-08-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

I havent posted in a long time...
I like to do my quiet time at night, it helps me to concentrate. I have started reading through the bible from Genesis to Revelation-From start to finish. I read last night about God testing Abraham and about the servant that chose Issac a wife.
I noticed the similarity in the test that God gave Abraham, and the task that God performed later.
God gave up his Son to die for us. Abraham had to give his son to God. It's almost as if God was finding out if God was important enough to man, so that God would give up his son. Like a trade.

Later, Abraham sent his trusted servant out to pick a wife for his son.
So the sevant asked God for a sign.

"Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

Now I think that this guy was kinda smart. He asked for a sign that would help him to succeed. His Camels needed water to get back home, so he asked for that sign.
Now the exact thing that he had asked for happened.

And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.”

" So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not."

He wondered if God had made his journey successful? It seems clear! I like this servant, he is very cautious.
And the bible says that he picked a pretty woman to.

The difference of God

2010-05-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about the price that God bought us for. There are two sides to this story. When we killed Jesus he saved us. He was the ultimate sacrifice. If I were Jesus' father, I would be like: OK you guys killed my son every one of you guys are going down! But it seems like God was respecting Jesus' final wish.
"Father forgive them they know not what they have done."
The whole story is amazing. Really the reason was that the only thing good enough for us was Jesus. The only thing that was...powerful enough to save us was Jesus. The best part is that Jesus was willing to come down for us! He is completely opposite of this world.

OUR GOD IS AN AWSOME GOD!
O Yeah!

What our list of "Importants" should look like

2010-04-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

     1- The Godhead, Jesus, The Father, The Holy Spirit
     2-  Family, Loved ones and family in Christ
     3- What do we need, what do we want

Mark 12:31 (New International Version)

The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these.

How do you love yourself. Really it is getting/"providing" What you need or want.
That is what it really is. There is no real "love" it is just care, or selfishness. I care about ME. I would not say "I love myself."
So put in the worlds terms, so that it is easy for us to understand. Care for others in the same measure that you care for/about yourself. Of all people I have a real problem with this.

2010-04-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

1 John 3:9-10
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

This verse is first talking about two things: Convictions, Forgiveness.
It says: No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him. Because you would know what God wants, If I have God's seed in me... or re-phrased, His words in me then I will understand and remember what God would have me do. Also, Forgivness. When we are born of God that means that we trust in Him. And when we trust in him, we are forgiven by Him. So when I recognize a sin before or after it is done, through His conviction, I will be forgiven. Or led not to sin.
Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God
That a tough one. But remember what the verse just said. You see if we claim God as ours and continue sinning without care, and without changing we don't have a relationship with Him. It is that simple. If I don't care that I am sinning, I can not say that I know God. That means that I would not care about God. And finally we are to love each other! I think this is really relating our sins against God, to our sins against man. This is saying that our sins against man are still sins against God.

2010-03-25T05:48:00.000-07:00

Matthew 24:4-8
Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

Think about Haiti and Chile. Those earthquakes were some of the worst EVER. Matthew 24 is all about the future. Could these be the beggining of, as my bible says, "sorrows?"

2010-03-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

Today I read about Jacob and Esau!
The story spoke about the wife having Jacob as her favorite, and the husband had Esau as his Fav.
It seems to me that there would have been strife in that Family, before Jacob stole Esua's blessing.
Notice that throughout the story, Jacob only looks out for himself, he had no trouble stealing the birthright, then stealing the blessing. His only hesitation was if his disguise was good enough to fool his blind Father!
Hmm.... I wonder if they were happy. I don't like Jacob at all! I'm probably wrong about this too, but almost all the stories about Jacob include him tricking someone else. Think about When he was working for Laban, He was going to get to keep all of the spotted sheep, so he put something in the water to make them all spotted! One of my posts last week didn't post!!!

2010-03-11T04:46:00.000-08:00

we have been memorizing the ten commandements. Not just, You shall have no other Gods before Me, You shall not have any Idols, you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
O no, It is much more than that. Most people, don't know them!

And God spoke all these words:

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

"You shall have no other gods before me.

"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Yes that is one commandment!
"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

"You shall not murder.

"You shall not commit adultery.

"You shall not steal.

"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Yes it's 17 verses, for 10 commandments!

Today I read Mark 3-4

2010-03-10T07:16:00.000-08:00

Give ear to my words, O LORD,

Consider my meditation.

Give heed to the voice of my cry,

My King and my God,

For to You I will pray.

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;

In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up.

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,

Nor shall evil dwell with You.

The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;

You hate all workers of iniquity.

You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;

The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;

In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;

Make Your way straight before my face.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;

Their inward part is destruction;

Their throat is an open tomb;

They flatter with their tongue.

Pronounce them guilty, O God!

Let them fall by their own counsels;

Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,

For they have rebelled against You.

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name

Be joyful in You.

For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

This is an encouraging paslm, I like it.

2010-03-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

I often imagine a battle between God and the angels and Satan and his demons, when I am deciding what to do. I see an angel coming down and saying to me, "go ahead, God will be pleased." Then Satan saying Well what if this happens. Today I found that instead of basing what I thought was from God by the bible, I was basing it off of what I thought was right. I was accually thinking backwards.
I am trying to base my thoughts off of the bible now.

Good day so far, school is going well, I'm going to a movie later in 3D!

2010-03-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

Whenever God is ready to do something, He always reveals to a person or His people what He is going to do.

Before the Lord God does anything,

He tells his plans to his servants the prophets.
Amos 3:7

It is true isn't it. How many times have I posted on people that were spoken to by God.
He still does, sometimes in different ways.

2010-03-08T11:45:00.000-08:00

How did we arrive at a time where our culture does not have a point of reference.
~Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias said that. Why don't we have a point of reference?
What does he mean by, "A point of reference"? The ultimate point of reference is the bible.
A point of reference is something that brings something into due relation to surroundings.
Why don't we use the bible as a point of reference? How did people turn away? It started with only Believers, now it is mostly not. The devil is powerfull, he tries to remove that point of reference that some still use today. Are we going to let him? NO

2010-03-05T06:10:00.000-08:00

Your kingdom will go on and on,

and you will rule forever.

The Lord will keep all his promises;

he is loyal to all he has made.

The Lord helps those who have been defeated

and takes care of those who are in trouble.

All living things look to you for food,

and you give it to them at the right time.

You open your hand,

and you satisfy all living things.

Psalm 145: 13-16

This is part of David's praise psalm. This is really saying that God is the self existent One the self sufficient One. He doesn't need us we need him. If God needed us, we would have always been around. We look to Him and He provides.

Jehovah-Jireh, The Lord will Provide.

2010-03-04T08:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a good day. we had friends over, and I got a lot of school done too. We went to the feast, played soccer. It was just a good day. But on the way home from the feast, I saw this little bird. It jumped and fluttered it wings, then it cocked it's head. For some reason that just topped off the day. It made me very happy. I don't even know why, I could have seen that anyother time, and it wouldn't have phased me. But this time it made me very happy. I can feel the God put that there just for me. :)
It seems silly but it was very pleasing.

2010-03-03T09:13:00.000-08:00

There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged. When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
Acts 28: 14-16

Did you notice after reading this, that the brothers there had heard about him coming? Back then, the world of Christians were a team. They communicated, they warned each other and helped each other. They were an army. They worked together, attacking vulnerable places, and building up there. They attacked cities with the gospel. We don't do that anymore. We don't communicate. These guys were willing to go anywhere. They were, "Fighting overseas." With all the technology that we have now, it would be easier to come together and help each other. You would think that we would be more sound, and effective. Somehow when it was harder to communicate, things got around better.

2010-03-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

I have started to like writing! The class I go to has really helped me to get creative.

I read Genesis 1-2 today.
You have to love Genesis. It isn't like the new testament, full of teaching and wisdom. But Genesis teaches by example. It tells stories about people who were good, or bad, and we can learn from them. It's my way to learn. 3:) Interesting, and fun, but I can still learn from them. Not many things are like that now!

2010-03-01T06:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, our pastor briefly told a story. He talked about about his little boy, and how he used to throw him up in the air, as high as he wanted, and his son would go as high as he could go. Over time his son kinda got scared, and he grabbed on the his dad's thumbs everytime he woulld try to throw him.
The pastor mentioned, how he had never given his son a reason not to trust him.

Well I thought about that, it's like that in the world.
God never lets us down. We sin and then we twist it and turn it and then say, God let this happen.
Isn't that weird? God is totally against sin, and still when we sin AGAINST HIM, we blame God, and start to trust more in the world. Thats strange! Thats not right.

2010-02-26T06:05:00.000-08:00

I have never read all of Jude so today I did.

You can read it in your own Bible, or Here.

But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

Here, Jude is encouraging the righteous. He is saying, "Take heart, the wicked will be punished by the Lord. He will deal with them."
"Even the Arch angel, the very top angel decided to wait upon the Lord's judgment, than to rebuke Satan Himself."

There is something I really like about this book, and that is, It feels so personal.
In some of the other letters of John and paul, I don't feel like they are talking to me, they are just talking to the church. But this feel very personal and very relevant.
And its encouraging.

2010-02-25T07:14:00.000-08:00

The end of a matter is better than its beginning,

and patience is better than pride.
Ecclesiastes 7:8

Our family is feeling this verse as much as anyone could feel it!
The science fair is today, and it is good to know that. I am excited that we are about to be finished with it.
I have been trying to keep my bible around more.
So when I am in bed.... getting my computer started I have my bible open ad I am reading.
I am also trying to be more carfull about reading my bible every day. I want to have a certain time period dedicated to reading my bible every day.
I want to be more faithful in that way.

2010-02-24T07:48:00.000-08:00

I read the sermon on the mount today. If you haven't read it, read it.
It is Matthew 5-7 I think everyone should dedicate sometime to read the whole thing at one time.
It is well worth it. Everything seems clear and totally right.
It isn't easy to obey, but it is right.

2010-02-23T08:01:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 1:21-23 (New International Version)
See how the faithful city
has become a harlot!
She once was full of justice;
righteousness used to dwell in her—
but now murderers!

Your silver has become dross,
your choice wine is diluted with water.
Your rulers are rebels,
companions of thieves;
they all love bribes
and chase after gifts.

They do not defend the cause of the fatherless;
the widow's case does not come before them.

Doesn't that sound like America?! I mean that is like, totally exact!
Were did "Making America become a righteous place" go?
It has become,"Making America a cheaper place"
We changed. We were founded by righteous, but now there are murderers.
Honestly, if you looked around, who do you see that really cares?
If anyone does, it's because they are afraid for themselves.
Do we really want to make America a good place, a Godly place?
It seems as if the American philosophy has changed. Why even celebrate the fourth of July? That was when people wanted to make America a good place, and in God we trust was put on coins for a reason!
Because of thier belief! They trusted God! They didn't hope for luck.
"O maybe if we throw this on a coin, we will have good luck."
It's seems like now that is just an extra precaution.
The silver has become dross. It has become waste matter!
My goodness

Pray for things to change. For a good ruler. For caring people.

For a Jesus Christ THE Lord loving nation.

2010-02-22T07:08:00.000-08:00

Is the old testament relevant today?
Does the old testament have meaning today? People used to go out and stone someone for a single sin, but things have changed right? We don't have to do that, and I am glad. But why?
Why does all that not mean anything now?
Many would say, the Holy spirit came into the world. That was at Pentecost though. Jesus was stopping the stoning before that.
I see that the law of Moses still applies but just not in the way that the Pharisees put it. We know creation is relevant. Has the old testament become a book of old stories, and ancient battles?
I'm confused. Stoning isn't relevant, but God doesn't change the rules.
Can someone help me understand?

2010-02-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

Our pastor preached on Gods rest. He talked about how we are already in Gods rest if we believe and we will contiue to enter into his rest. How is that?
How can we be in something and still enter into it at the same time? Well I like to answer question like science does, first I form a Hypothosis then I test it by asking for your ideas.
I think that it is because with every new discovery and every new thought about God brings more rest.
More of Him means more rest.
Please comment! That is the only thing that I could think of and I think it's right.

2010-02-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 28:28 (New International Version)
When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.

Solomon, the wisest man ever wrote this.
Was he stating facts or telling us what we should do? Should we go into hiding or do we? The way I see it, that is what happens but what should not happen. When the wicked rise I say we fight!
That is what is happening now. The righteous are hiding because the wicked are thriving.
I have always overlooked this verse, until I read it this morning.
It is an important verse. That should not happen! We need to rise up!

2010-02-01T06:49:00.000-08:00

Matthew 27:22 (New International Version)

"What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked.
They all answered, "Crucify Him!"

Would you say that. these people were confused. they thought O this guy is the Lord this is it! But when there are charges for acting like He is the Lord, then the people think that the Chief priests know. They really don't know what to think. These people had not spent tons of time around Jesus like the disciples had. The disciples knew He was God because they were often around Him. These people were not. I feel bad for them. Imagine if they found the truth, they would think back on those words: "Crucify Him!"
I feel sorry for them.

2010-01-29T06:08:00.000-08:00

We have been reading though the book of John. About how Jesus was Crucified.
Judas played an Important role in that. He betrayed Jesus for 30 coins.
How did he feel in doing that? I know that later he felt awful and he killed himself, but how did he feel doing that to Jesus. I would think there would be to much attachment to do that. Jesus choose him as an apostle out of everyone in the world.
One of the most amazing parts is that Jesus still loved him. He still loved his betrayer.
I don't see why the people of palistine needed to pay Judas. All Judas did was lead them to a little garden. Everyone saw Jesus all the time. To me they just wasted money on Judas.

2010-01-26T06:20:00.000-08:00

Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.

How it is true! Mom had a moment of that at the driving licence place. After that, I said the same thing as Mom did. I am probably going to fail my drivers test, when I turn 18.

2010-01-21T09:30:00.000-08:00

Judges 13:1-4
Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children. And the Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.

I love how God comes to all these women and tells them what is going to happen. I think it is so that they can give praise to God in their childbirth and they could say God told me this was going to happen, then others might believe. It also makes me think of the reassurance that it must give to accually see, or phisically hear God. Or to even see one of God's messangers.

Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean.

Now God is saying watch your diet. And don't stand on the curb of drinking wine.

For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Can you think of what it must be like to hear that your son is going to save a nation, or begin to save a nation.
That would be cool.
I really like it when God comes to people. I always like to imagine their reactions.

2010-01-19T09:42:00.000-08:00

The pastor in our church (Fellowship bible church) is really good!
Recently he spoke about your AND. It is one of the ways that the devil get a hold in us.
Like I need God AND this car. God AND ______
What is your AND.
He said it is what you think about in your extra time. It could be entertainment.
It could be anything. Maybe there isn't something even with God, but is the second thing creeping up there on the list?

2010-01-18T06:44:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

I love this verse! I read it for the first time this morning.
It really says that God makes it possible. He makes it low enough for us to overcome. Also it says that He provides a way to get rid of it, to stand under it, to dislocate it, to get rid of it. So that then we do not have to directly face it all the time.

2010-01-14T06:38:00.000-08:00

You know, I was thinking: How did John come to be the charecter of Elijah, or play Elijahs role?
It was by the things he did, the things he thought, the things he believed.
Who is the next Elijah? If the bible were written today, would you be Noah?
Are you so strong in your faith that you would be noticed. Would you be chosen to be one of Jesus' disciples? If you were, would you be Judas?
Is our faith that strong today?
Those can be some troubleing questions.
What does it take.

2010-01-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet

Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
Malachi 4:5-6

That is how they knew he was coming again, they were told directly that he would come. This was said after Elijah's death. So Elijah was dead and they were told that he was going to come.
In my opinion, they were as anxious about Elijah coming as they were about God coming.
This obviously comes from a wrong view of things. They were excited about Elijah becaue they had heard and seen the miracles he performed through Jesus. But they did not see that the miricles were all done by Jesus through him. They didn't think about the wonder of the miracles God could do in His own body.

They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"

He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."
John 1:21

That was the people questioning John. They asked him who are you and he said I am not the Lord. Then they asked about Elijah.

As John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:

" 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
Matthew 11:7-14

So John is the Elijah. He is not the man Elijah, but he plays Elijah's role in life. So Matthew 4: 5-6 was a right, he did come but not in the exact same form.
The life of Elijah is very interesting and confusing. But... that is what I think.
The prophesy has been fulfilled, and the people had a wrong view of Elijah, over God.

2010-01-12T05:39:00.000-08:00

read 1 Kings 21:17-28 and 2 Kings 1
I think I am on the verge of discovering why everyone is excited about Elijah.

2010-01-11T07:26:00.000-08:00

Mark 3:17 (New International Version)

James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); +2- semester test

I want to look into Elijah but I don't know where to start. I wanted to figure out what the big Elijah hype is all about. Everyone in the bible is always asking, are you Elijah?
I am going to start with the story of Elijah which is in the book of Kings.
I really don't know what it is with Elijah and it is going to take a couple of days to figure it out and even after then I might not figure it out. SO I am going to tell you what I am reading and you can read it and try to figure it out as well. I will post my solution. I am reading 1 Kings 17- 19.

2010-01-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

Something revealed or disclosed, esp. a striking disclosure, as of something not before realized.

What book of the bible is that?
If you said Revelation, congratulations! This book of the Bible is all about God revealing Himself and His kingdom as He never has before.
The title sums up the whole book.

Revelation 1:1-3
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

The time is near. That says allot! It is pretty scary actually. But it is also glorious, think of God coming down to earth in all his splendor! It is a scary wonderful thought.

2010-01-07T06:24:00.000-08:00

A while ago I talked to a freind that thinks that in the end the world will be taken over by robots. He also thinks that heaven is not real. He has also apparently looked into this and studied this because he said if heaven was real then you wouuld remember it from before you were born.
This statment troubled me. It is not true but it made me very sad, for him, and for the millions of others that think the same. Last sunday the pastor talked about God being a speaking God and that he spoke us into being. It is still the same. Every day god speaks people into being. I often just forget and just think God has set a script and He's just letting it run till the end days. God doesn't do that, He is still working.

2010-01-04T07:48:00.000-08:00

I was looking for these guys today in my bible. Anybody want a cool code name, how about the name of one of these guys!!! Incredible! That one dude killed eight hundred guys by himself!!! 800!!!!!

These are the names of David's mighty men:

Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.

Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated, but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.

During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!" So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. "Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!" he said. "Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?" And David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty men. He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
Among the Thirty were:

Asahel the brother of Joab,

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

Shammah the Harodite,

Elika the Harodite,

Helez the Paltite,

Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

Abiezer from Anathoth,

Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite,

Maharai the Netophathite,

Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

Benaiah the Pirathonite,

Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash,

Abi-Albon the Arbathite,

Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

the sons of Jashen,

Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite,

Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,

Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite,

Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

Hezro the Carmelite,

Paarai the Arbite,

Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,

the son of Hagri,

Zelek the Ammonite,

Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

Ira the Ithrite,

Gareb the Ithrite

and Uriah the Hittite.

There were thirty-seven in all.

2009-12-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

I read Revelation today and just reading that is scary. To think of what those things might mean. There are so many things unexplained.

I wonder will we see these things and witness these happenings? Will we understand these things while we are on earth?
No man has fully understood all of the bible.

Revelation 11:1-6
Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.
2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for
forty-two months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth
and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days
of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire."

I was thinking that these Two Olive Trees are people that we will see in the end times, they will be sent down from heaven by God.
Oh wait these two guys are probably going to come to help people after all of the Christians have been called up. Too rid the world of sinners. Too save people.
So I think that thins passage could be hinting to us that one of these guys is Moses. Notice he used 'waters to blood' the same thing Moses did. I'm not sure who the other guy is. It could be jerimiah because he was called the fiery prophet but I'm really not sure.

2009-12-30T05:25:00.000-08:00

1 Kings 9: 1-9

When Solomon had finished building the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, 2 the LORD appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The LORD said to him:

So Solomon desired this great task with all his heart. He looked forword to doing this.
Building a temple was no easy job either. Even if he didn't build it with his own hands, he is using his builders for God when he could be using them to build himself a castle or something like that.

"I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

4 "As for you, if you walk before me in integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, 5 I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.'

Now Solomon pleads before God to accept this structure. And God does. He is so kind to man. In heaven he has places far more magnificant than anyone on earth could ever build yet God chooses to come and be there.

6 "But if you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 8 And though this temple is now imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' 9 People will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the LORD brought all this disaster on them.' "

2009-12-29T05:48:00.000-08:00

It seems to be wrong, according to the bible, to keep secrets.

Deuteronomy 27:15 (New International Version)

15 "Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol—a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of the craftsman's hands—and sets it up in secret."

Psalm 10:8 (New International Version)

He lies in wait near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent,
watching in secret for his victims.

Psalm 101:5 (New International Version)

Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret,
him will I put to silence;
whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,
him will I not endure.

There are tons of them and usually all things that are secret are seen as wrong.
This could be one of the sins of deceit. What do you think. I think it's surrcumstantial.

2009-12-28T09:15:00.000-08:00

O my I am having some serious anger issues!
Today I just looked for verses on anger.

Proverbs 29:22 (New International Version)

An angry man stirs up dissension,
and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.

I figured proverbs would hold the secrets.
A hot-tempered man. What is a hot tempered man?

I looked up hot-tempered on dictionary.com
easily angered; short-tempered.

dissensiion-
strong disagreement; a contention or quarrel; discord.

difference in sentiment or opinion; disagreement.

I always like to look up words to make sure I know what they mean since it is so easy.
My goodness God just holds the keys to life. And the best part is he doesn't keep them secret.

2009-12-25T04:03:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Thank you God for sending your son!

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

2009-12-23T05:44:00.000-08:00

2 more days till Christmas!!
Last night I woke up at about 1 O' Clock, it was raining and I fell back asleep in about 0.2 seconds. It was nice.

I learned a fact: America consumes more electricity than any other country in the world, twice as much as the second place, Russia.

Wow we consume allot. That made me start thinking of why we consume all that and how considering that Russia is bigger than America. what else do we consume, or try to consume.
Often it's the stuff we are trying to consume which is the problem. How about attention? Is that good to try to consume? Often it is not especially when are being stupid to try and get it.
How about money? Money can be a good thing to consume, if you are using it wisely, and if you didn't steal it. It all boils down to the same thing.
It CAN be good, it is up to you how you it.

2009-12-22T06:10:00.000-08:00

11- The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one Shepherd.

12- Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

13- Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.

14- For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12: 11-14

I looked goads because I had no clue what that meant!

Goads- anything that pricks or wounds like such a stick.
something that encourages, urges, or drives; a stimulus.

I am going to start on verse 11, What in the world is this talking about! hmmm....... ok after much thought I think I have figured it out.
It says that the words of the wise are encouraging and their sayings are like firmly embedded nails, by firmly embedded nails I think it means
that it seeps into you and you remember it. You want to remember them.

Then in verse 12 it says be warned my son of anything in addition to them, or in other words, something other than wise words.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. So there it is saying, don't get lazy, watch out for those things that are false.

Verse 13. It says now all has been heard and it sums up the whole chapter: Fear God and obey Him for this is our JOB!
This is what we are made for and here for.

Verse 14. God knows what we do, and He will eventually see us face to face and let us know what we did, or the other way around.
When that happens, your sitting in the JUDGMENT SEAT, doesn't that just sum it up. He know all, Sees all, hears all.

2009-12-21T08:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas is coming on fast isn't it, only 4 more days!!!!!!

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
Luke 2: 7-15

This is the verse or verses that we have been memorizing. This passage just tells us about the ultimate gift. God gave this to us. He gave His only son to us.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

He was born to us, born to you. I love that!!!!!!!!!!!
He did it special for us not even thinking about himself.
Then the angels told the shepards. Why?
Why did they tell the shepards? It could be that the Shepards were the only ones awake, besides the wise men. I think it is because God wanted to choose just the right people to spread the news of our Savior. After the shepards saw Him, they went out and spread the news.
I think that another reason that God chose the shepards was because they were near to the place, it made it possible that they could go there and see that. If some other guys 80 miles away came in and said that people would be all like, Get out of here. You know?
God always has the perfect plan.

2009-12-17T06:13:00.000-08:00

Now the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night. So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.” Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.”

How sad would that be. To hear God regrets choosing you for something. I also feel bad for Samuel. I mean he had to go up to the king and break the news. I don't see why he didn't just go up and build a memorial for himself. Why do you think Samuel cried out to God all night. Was it because he was scared to go tell the king? was he sorry for the king? Was it because he dearly loved Saul? I am not sure which one it is but I am pretty sure it is one of them. I can just feel the sorrow in all that, for Saul, Samuel, and God.

Ask, seek, knock

2009-12-16T06:01:00.000-08:00

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Why does God tell us to ask Him for things? Well I think it is to show humility. We shouldn't try to act like we don't need anything cause we need.
Why does He want us to seek? He wants us to look for God and seek His wants. If we seek what Jesus seeks, it will be given.
Knock? I always thought about knock as knocking on the doors of heaven. Following Gods ways and then having God say, "just knock on the door, it will be opened."

2009-12-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

So God saw him as blameless, following God's commands.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

So Zacharias was fear full of the Lord. That's good, but wouldn't everyone? I think this really shows us how awesome God is. He did this to strengthen Zach's faith. There are always areas where we can improve and God knew what Zach needed to improve in, his faith. Also this would help Zach in a huge way because he would have proof that God exists. He would be reassured.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

What if this was a test? Was he ready? Did he respond correctly? Are you ready? Will you respond correctly?

And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

2009-12-11T06:01:00.000-08:00

I read Matthew 7 today. Nothing hit me. There was nothing new that I saw.
I wondered is that wrong? I thought and thought. I sat and listened and nothing came out to bite me.
IS THAT WRONG?

2009-12-10T05:59:00.000-08:00

Zavi Zacharias told a story he had heard, about a couple living in a village, he wanted to take her in to the city. This was the first time she was going into the city, he was a businessman. He brought her in to enjoy the lights of the city and the fun of the city. And as he went away to do his business work for the day, he left her. She looked across the street and saw all the men walking here and there, going about their business. She began to live a teenage dream the she once had. She thinks this is her only opportunity and might never have it again. But she is afraid that if she crosses this line there would strife among the family. So she doesn't make the decision. He comes back takes her out to dinner, they check into a hotel for the night. They get into bed, his head hits the pillow and he is soundly asleep. All of a sudden she finds herself, while her husband is sound asleep, thinking of what an opportunity she had and how she would never have it again. She keeps thinking about it and she decides that she can slip out enjoy the lust of the night and return. so she does, when she returned she finds that she cannot sleep and she starts to cry louder and louder trying restrain her tears. Then her husband awakes and asks whats a matter. and she replied, Nothing just Nothing.

Ravi said "The loneliest moment in life is when you experience that which you thought would deliver the ultimate and it has let you down."

She felt lonely. She had experienced her dream, what more was there to life. She had done something that she thought would deliver ultimate happiness and it let her down. She like so many other people was let down by us. Everything that we make that people think will deliver the ultimate will let them down. The ultimate is God. So belief in Jesus is the ultimate. After that we have heaven.

2009-12-09T06:23:00.000-08:00

What a world God has made. It is wrapped in his splendor, it is clothed in his wisdom.
There is no man that can match his understanding or stand up to his wrath.
The Lord can build with the dust and make something out of nothing.
He knows all things, for he made all things.
And its funny, we think we know everything.

2009-12-08T05:42:00.000-08:00

Well........ I was hoping for more of a list of things last post but.... that didn't come through.
My whole point was that people are afraid. We are afraid to do different things including, share our faith. I know each one of us probably saw an opportunity every once in a while. I think we all had a chance to share our faith. Maybe even more than once. I know I have seen more than one time.
In the bible it says do not fear like... I think over one hundred times. Do not fear, Do not fear, Do not fear. imagine seeing a sheet of paper that God used to write DO NOT FEAR for us over a hundred times. I think that he means it.

Fearless

2009-12-07T08:39:00.000-08:00

Imagine your life without fear. I want to ask you this: If you had no fear what would you do?
Would you learn to do every trampoline trick there is in the book?
Would you go buy a motorcycle? :)
Would you go skydiving?
What would you do?

if you read this please comment your reply.

2009-12-04T05:39:00.000-08:00

2 Chronicles 24:1-21

Joash Repairs the Temple
Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada chose two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters.
Some time later Joash decided to restore the temple of the LORD. He called together the priests and Levites and said to them, "Go to the towns of Judah and collect the money due annually from all Israel, to repair the temple of your God. Do it now." But the Levites did not act at once.

Therefore the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said to him, "Why haven't you required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by Moses the servant of the LORD and by the assembly of Israel for the Tent of the Testimony?"

Now the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the temple of God and had used even its sacred objects for the Baals.

At the king's command, a chest was made and placed outside, at the gate of the temple of the LORD. A proclamation was then issued in Judah and Jerusalem that they should bring to the LORD the tax that Moses the servant of God had required of Israel in the desert. All the officials and all the people brought their contributions gladly, dropping them into the chest until it was full. Whenever the chest was brought in by the Levites to the king's officials and they saw that there was a large amount of money, the royal secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and carry it back to its place. They did this regularly and collected a great amount of money. The king and Jehoiada gave it to the men who carried out the work required for the temple of the LORD. They hired masons and carpenters to restore the LORD's temple, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the temple.

The men in charge of the work were diligent, and the repairs progressed under them. They rebuilt the temple of God according to its original design and reinforced it. When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made articles for the LORD's temple: articles for the service and for the burnt offerings, and also dishes and other objects of gold and silver. As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were presented continually in the temple of the LORD.

Now Jehoiada was old and full of years, and he died at the age of a hundred and thirty. 16 He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and his temple.

The Wickedness of Joash
After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God's anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem. Although the LORD sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.
Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, "This is what God says: 'Why do you disobey the LORD's commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.' "

But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the LORD's temple.

How could Joash go so wrong?
For years he had done what was right before the Lord, how could he suddenly go wrong.
He went from building sacred artifacts for the Lord, to killing those whom the Lord sends.
This is our culture today. We will go to church and be "righteous" in front of those who are righteous, then go back to the bar. I do not know how to change this.

2009-12-03T11:20:00.000-08:00

Psalm 119:47
for I delight in your commands
because I love them.

I was trying to find something in the bible on loving God and treating his commands as if I love them. I have a hard time loving Gods commands.
Why?
Because it is hard to love them. They are difficult for us to obey.
Many people including me, tend to put off loving his commands... like it is not important to.
What do people do in now times. We do what we love to do, Or what we have to do. In a way we have made it sound like we don't have to obey scripture or obey God, This is in someways true if you do not want to be in heaven. We say God has given us a choice if to obey him, because he has given us a choice to be with him. Thus in a way we do not have to obey him but, do we want to obey him, do we love even the thought of obeying him, then later one day being with Him? Do we love that?
As I thought deeper into this I thought of the people that did not love obeying Gods commands, even those who were Christians. Who do you think falls into that category.
A well known man is Balaam.
Read Numbers 22. It is the beginning of Balaams story.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=numbers%2022&version=NIV
AFTER READING THAT, do you think God was happy.
It says God was not happy. Balaam kept saying,"I can't do anything without God's consent."
But he kept pushing. He knew God did not want him to go but he still did.
Is that how you want to be? I don't want to be like that.

2009-11-11T05:29:00.000-08:00

Today I read about the seven plagues and how God led the Israelites out of Egypt.
There was nothing that stuck me at all, the weird thing is, all I could think of is that when God blesses us we should be thankful not worry about it going away.
I really felt like I needed to share this. Weird huh?
I hope that this helps someone because I really felt like I needed to say it.

2009-11-04T05:18:00.000-08:00

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Matthew 7:1-2

Do not judge.
I love how clear this verse is! To me it is easy to remember because of how clear it is. There is no saying things over and over, I just love it.
I remember when I learned this verse, and memorized it.
I was sitting in church listening to Pastor Dale preach, and I was flipping around in my bible reading different verses and I read Matthew chapter 7:1-2 it has stuck with me ever since.
I also have allot of trouble with this verse, doing what it says to do.

2009-11-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

I would like everyone to read Matthew 4: 1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and,
‘ In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’
Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”
Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

Jesus fought Satan with scripture. This passage is a clear statement of how powerful scripture is.
If it can fight off Satan it is powerful, if it is GOD'S HOLY BOOK then it is powerful.
If it is something that GOD thinks is holy, then it is powerful.
If GOD says it is holy, then it is powerful.
The bible is a powerful thing. God has given us this powerful thing and we can use it to our advantage over Satan.

Will or plan

2009-10-29T05:25:00.001-07:00

I was thinking last night, and I thought of somethin.
Have you ever heard someone say this: I really think that this is Gods plan. Or I just want to fulfil God's plan because that would be obeying.
That, in my opinion is wrong. God's plan for us is not always to have us obey Him.
His will is for us to honor Him and love Him and obey Him, but we don't always do that.

I will define the 2 different words and that should explain everything.

God's Will: What God wants us to do.

God's plan: What God has set in stone for us to do.

If we can make God's will His plan for us... That would be the ultimate accomplishment!

2009-10-27T05:43:00.000-07:00

Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”
And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

There are a few things in this passage that I really like.
Jesus' disciples followed Jesus, and it wasn't always easy, but here God rewards them with two things: Confidence, and the sight of Jesus transfigured.
I think that they were the only ones that ever got to see that.
Also Elijah. Is he the same guy as John the Baptist?
That is how they speak of him. Jesus said that he had already come, and the disciples knew that he was talking about John the Baptist, then they must be the same.
I think that since Elijah went up in a fiery chariot, he could come back in the end times.
I don't know why I think this. It is probably because I want him to.
Maybe he will be one of the two prophets standing near the wall in the end times, able to defend themselves with fire!