The theme of this blog entry is the greatness of God. God is greater than we ask or imagine if we let him work through us. This theme is from Ephesians 3:20 that discusses how God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine according the power at work within us.
An example of this is God's working in the Old Testament for the commitment to the people of Israel's good. God is always faithful to the people of Israel. God is able and faithful but the people are not. God still cares for his people after all their sin after he brings them out the exile.
Two verses that also talk of God's greatness in relation to Ephesians 3:20 passage are Matthew 1:17 and Luke 1:35-37. Matthew 1:17 says, "Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to Christ." This verse in Matthew discusses God's movement through his people and what he can do through us.
Luke 1:35-37 when the angel Gabriel answers Mary's questioning of Jesus' birth says, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." This last verse describes how God moves in mighty ways. God cannot be underestimated with his power,glory, and ability to move in our life.
In our ministries and life, we have to surrender the sins that weigh us down so that God can move in our life. God is mighty, powerful, and has the ability to save us from anything that hold us down. For God is able to to more than we can ever ask or imagine in our life; Ephesians 3:20.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Thankfulness
This past Thanksgiving I was reminded of the many blessings that God has given me in my life. I am thankful for God blessing me with best friends from high school, college, and D-focus.
I am thankful for the good and bad times God has brought me through in my life. I am thankful for D-focus and it's impact in my life. The last area I will talk about in this blog entry is that I was thankful TCU was able to put the beat down on UT on Thanksgiving night and I was able to hang out with my roommate from college.
The first area I will discuss is that I am thankful that God changed my circumstances from doing this Young Life year-long internship to doing Discipleship Focus that summer. God changed my plans because he had something bigger for my life. It was during this time in my life that I grow in maturity and faith in Christ. God showed me how much I need to depend on him in all circumstances and present things to him. God also revealed to him that he is sovereign over all things. I put all these things into practice during the next year when I was going through a hard time in my life after graduating from college when I wanted to do was not working out.
God helped me present and abide in him during this time in my life. He gave me faith in this time. He used this faith to give me the strength to be able to surrender more things to him and become mature in him.
God used an important time in my life during my sophomore year of high school when I met Christ at Frontier Ranch. It was during this time, I met some of my best friends from high school. These friends have been with me through all my life.
God has also blessed me with some good friends from college through BYX and Young Life. These include: Jim Douglas, George Cagle, Andrew Sullivan, Will Hopkins, and EJ Governator. These friends have also helped me grow in my faith and walk with God.
God used some hard times in my life to help me grow in him. One of these was hard times during my junior year of high school when I had to car wreck that took me down and path of doubt, frustration, and unbelief. During the next year of my life in my senior year of high school he helped me realize how much to depend on him. Other hard times include trying to figure out my life after I graduated from college and the frustrating time waiting on the petition to graduate in my senior year of college. In retrospect, I had to go through these hard times in order to be mature in Jesus Christ.
The last thing I am thankful for is that TCU was able to play and beat UT on Thanksgiving last Thursday. It was cool to be in the DKR and see the Frogs put the pounding on the Horns. I am so excited that the Frogs are finally in a big time conference. In a couple years Gary Patterson will take us to the national championship.
I will end this blog post by reminding all the readers of the many blessings of friends and family. Remember what God has done in your life today and what he will keep doing until the day of Christ Jesus; Phi 1:6.
I am thankful for the good and bad times God has brought me through in my life. I am thankful for D-focus and it's impact in my life. The last area I will talk about in this blog entry is that I was thankful TCU was able to put the beat down on UT on Thanksgiving night and I was able to hang out with my roommate from college.
The first area I will discuss is that I am thankful that God changed my circumstances from doing this Young Life year-long internship to doing Discipleship Focus that summer. God changed my plans because he had something bigger for my life. It was during this time in my life that I grow in maturity and faith in Christ. God showed me how much I need to depend on him in all circumstances and present things to him. God also revealed to him that he is sovereign over all things. I put all these things into practice during the next year when I was going through a hard time in my life after graduating from college when I wanted to do was not working out.
God helped me present and abide in him during this time in my life. He gave me faith in this time. He used this faith to give me the strength to be able to surrender more things to him and become mature in him.
God used an important time in my life during my sophomore year of high school when I met Christ at Frontier Ranch. It was during this time, I met some of my best friends from high school. These friends have been with me through all my life.
God has also blessed me with some good friends from college through BYX and Young Life. These include: Jim Douglas, George Cagle, Andrew Sullivan, Will Hopkins, and EJ Governator. These friends have also helped me grow in my faith and walk with God.
God used some hard times in my life to help me grow in him. One of these was hard times during my junior year of high school when I had to car wreck that took me down and path of doubt, frustration, and unbelief. During the next year of my life in my senior year of high school he helped me realize how much to depend on him. Other hard times include trying to figure out my life after I graduated from college and the frustrating time waiting on the petition to graduate in my senior year of college. In retrospect, I had to go through these hard times in order to be mature in Jesus Christ.
The last thing I am thankful for is that TCU was able to play and beat UT on Thanksgiving last Thursday. It was cool to be in the DKR and see the Frogs put the pounding on the Horns. I am so excited that the Frogs are finally in a big time conference. In a couple years Gary Patterson will take us to the national championship.
I will end this blog post by reminding all the readers of the many blessings of friends and family. Remember what God has done in your life today and what he will keep doing until the day of Christ Jesus; Phi 1:6.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
God's ability to produce Godliness
God has used different ways and things in my life to produce Godliness in me. He has used these things and ways to produce maturity in me as a believer.
One main way in which God has produced Godliness in my life is through his guidance. Proverbs 3:5-6, says that we should "trust in the Lord with all of our heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Trusting in God's ways and not own will produce Godliness in our lives daily.
A time in my where this was evident was after I graduated from college when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I thought I wanted to go into Broadcast Journalism but God had other plans. God closed down that area of my life when the jobs I interviewed for did not work out.
God helped me trust and surrender this situation to him. He reminded me that his plans are greater than mine when I gave control to God. I presented this situation in an abiding nature of submission to God after what I wanted to do didn't work out. After I presented the situation, God gave me faith and also a peace of mind during that time in my life. It was during this time in my life that God really showed me what an abiding, maturing, relationship with him is and I truly became a friend of God.
God used the things I learned before that time in my life at D-focus to prepare me to be able to trust him. I gained a clear understanding of how to surrender/present things to God with an attitude of supplication. This study showed me how much God loves us and wants us in a daily desperate dependent relationship with him. If we are depending on God daily, then he will give us the strength to trust him with all of our life. We can't do anything our own, all we have in this life comes from Jesus, the Vine.
The last area of my life in which this was evident was during my junior year of high school. I was going through a hard time in my life at the time when I had just gotten into a car wreck. I was really doubting the meaning of life, my faith, and why this happened to me. God used some friends from high school that God put in my life that previous summer to help me trust in him again. During the beginning of my senior year, I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ. God used that time in my life of doubt and frustration to help me so that would be able to trust him in the future.
We as Christians cannot produce any Godliness on our own in our lives. We are the vine, and we are the branches. Depending on Jesus Christ in all that we do will produce lasting eternal Godliness in us.
One main way in which God has produced Godliness in my life is through his guidance. Proverbs 3:5-6, says that we should "trust in the Lord with all of our heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Trusting in God's ways and not own will produce Godliness in our lives daily.
A time in my where this was evident was after I graduated from college when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I thought I wanted to go into Broadcast Journalism but God had other plans. God closed down that area of my life when the jobs I interviewed for did not work out.
God helped me trust and surrender this situation to him. He reminded me that his plans are greater than mine when I gave control to God. I presented this situation in an abiding nature of submission to God after what I wanted to do didn't work out. After I presented the situation, God gave me faith and also a peace of mind during that time in my life. It was during this time in my life that God really showed me what an abiding, maturing, relationship with him is and I truly became a friend of God.
God used the things I learned before that time in my life at D-focus to prepare me to be able to trust him. I gained a clear understanding of how to surrender/present things to God with an attitude of supplication. This study showed me how much God loves us and wants us in a daily desperate dependent relationship with him. If we are depending on God daily, then he will give us the strength to trust him with all of our life. We can't do anything our own, all we have in this life comes from Jesus, the Vine.
The last area of my life in which this was evident was during my junior year of high school. I was going through a hard time in my life at the time when I had just gotten into a car wreck. I was really doubting the meaning of life, my faith, and why this happened to me. God used some friends from high school that God put in my life that previous summer to help me trust in him again. During the beginning of my senior year, I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ. God used that time in my life of doubt and frustration to help me so that would be able to trust him in the future.
We as Christians cannot produce any Godliness on our own in our lives. We are the vine, and we are the branches. Depending on Jesus Christ in all that we do will produce lasting eternal Godliness in us.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
God's grace
God's grace has been showered on me in the hardest times of my life. These are times when I was frustrated at God for what happened to me during that time. In the end I look back and realize in God was working during these times in my life.
The first time in my life where God's grace was over me was during my high school years when God led me to Frontier Ranch through the encouragement of Loren Jones, who was on Young Life staff. I don't know where I would be today if I didn't go to Frontier Ranch the summer of my sophomore year of high school. I gave my life to Jesus Christ during that week in July of 2004. I had gone to church all of my life, but it was then at that time that I finally came to realize the depth of my depravity, sinful nature, how much God loves me, who God is, and how to have a relationship with him. God also led me to my best friends from high school during that time in my life.
Another example of God's grace upon my life was during the middle of my junior year of high school. I was a month into my driving experience in during that time. I got into a car wreck while I was driving home from school that day. I was driving from Briarmeadow crossing to Cline Primary by my house. I was not able to judge the distance between the other person and myself before I hit a woman in the other vehicle. The woman went to the hospital but was not injured very bad.
God's grace was over me during the time in my life due to the fact that God sustained my health and had mercy, compassion over me. In hindsight, God kept me alive for a reason. I did not know what the reason was at the time because I was not a in good state mentally from the accident.
I found out during my senior year in high school that I have a disability that affects my ability to judge distances that are far away. This may have caused my fist wreck during my junior year of high school, as well as the one following at the beginning of my senior year.
God's grace is a gift and we need to cherish it. He gives us mercy in times of trouble and hardship. Our God is a compassionate God that shows his love to us even in the hardest times.
The first time in my life where God's grace was over me was during my high school years when God led me to Frontier Ranch through the encouragement of Loren Jones, who was on Young Life staff. I don't know where I would be today if I didn't go to Frontier Ranch the summer of my sophomore year of high school. I gave my life to Jesus Christ during that week in July of 2004. I had gone to church all of my life, but it was then at that time that I finally came to realize the depth of my depravity, sinful nature, how much God loves me, who God is, and how to have a relationship with him. God also led me to my best friends from high school during that time in my life.
Another example of God's grace upon my life was during the middle of my junior year of high school. I was a month into my driving experience in during that time. I got into a car wreck while I was driving home from school that day. I was driving from Briarmeadow crossing to Cline Primary by my house. I was not able to judge the distance between the other person and myself before I hit a woman in the other vehicle. The woman went to the hospital but was not injured very bad.
God's grace was over me during the time in my life due to the fact that God sustained my health and had mercy, compassion over me. In hindsight, God kept me alive for a reason. I did not know what the reason was at the time because I was not a in good state mentally from the accident.
I found out during my senior year in high school that I have a disability that affects my ability to judge distances that are far away. This may have caused my fist wreck during my junior year of high school, as well as the one following at the beginning of my senior year.
God's grace is a gift and we need to cherish it. He gives us mercy in times of trouble and hardship. Our God is a compassionate God that shows his love to us even in the hardest times.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Being Bold for God
I heard a message on Wednesday that talked about how we as Christians have to step out in faith and allow the Holy Spirit to do supernatural things through us. God can use in his power and grace if we step out boldly for him to use us. Our God is a big God and can do immeasurably more than all we can ask and imagine, according to the power that is at work within us it says in Ephesians 3:20.
The passage that illustrates this stepping out in boldness for God is in Matthew 14:22-33 when Jesus walks on the water. If we are going to step out in faith for God, we have to take courage in our boldness. Jesus tells Peter in verse 27, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Jesus said this to the disciples when he was walking on water to not be afraid. They thought he was some kind of ghost. While in verse 30, Peter walked on the water in trying to go to Jesus he was afraid of the wind.
We cannot be scared about taking a risk for God, we just have to boldly step out in faith. God will use in when we step out in courage in our boldness.
God also calls us to take a step of faith in boldness when we allow God to us supernaturally. We as Christians have to step out of the boat like Peter did in verse 29. This stepping out of the boat, or leap of faith gives God a greater opportunity to use us for his kingdom.
We fall back into laziness and spiritual apathy if we don't make decisions to follow Christ boldly in faith. Only he can use us if we desire for him to use us.
My last point is that we have to be fixed on Jesus when stepping out in boldness for him in order for him to use us supernaturally. At the end of this passage in Matthew of Jesus walking on the water in verse 31 after Peter was sinking Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. Jesus can use any situation for his purpose whether it is good or bad. Jesus can do anything through us if we trust him in boldness, faith, and courage to use us in any and all times. Our God is trustworthy and in control of our life.
The passage that illustrates this stepping out in boldness for God is in Matthew 14:22-33 when Jesus walks on the water. If we are going to step out in faith for God, we have to take courage in our boldness. Jesus tells Peter in verse 27, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Jesus said this to the disciples when he was walking on water to not be afraid. They thought he was some kind of ghost. While in verse 30, Peter walked on the water in trying to go to Jesus he was afraid of the wind.
We cannot be scared about taking a risk for God, we just have to boldly step out in faith. God will use in when we step out in courage in our boldness.
God also calls us to take a step of faith in boldness when we allow God to us supernaturally. We as Christians have to step out of the boat like Peter did in verse 29. This stepping out of the boat, or leap of faith gives God a greater opportunity to use us for his kingdom.
We fall back into laziness and spiritual apathy if we don't make decisions to follow Christ boldly in faith. Only he can use us if we desire for him to use us.
My last point is that we have to be fixed on Jesus when stepping out in boldness for him in order for him to use us supernaturally. At the end of this passage in Matthew of Jesus walking on the water in verse 31 after Peter was sinking Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. Jesus can use any situation for his purpose whether it is good or bad. Jesus can do anything through us if we trust him in boldness, faith, and courage to use us in any and all times. Our God is trustworthy and in control of our life.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Should TCU still play SMU annually?
Should TCU still play SMU annually? I will be discussing whether or not the TCU Horned Frogs should still play the SMU Mustangs every year.
My first argument will discuss why TCU and SMU should keep playing.TCU and SMU have been playing each other in non-conference action since 1915, a rivalry that spans 92 years. The series had so much history in the past when both teams had much success in the early Southwest Conference years through the years Dutch Meyer coached the Frogs.
During those years, both schools played games in which they battled for the Southwest Conference titles. These games as older fans would say where some of the greatest games of all-time. One of the greatest games of all-time between TCU and SMU was in 1935 when Sammy Baugh led the Frogs to tie the game in the fourth quarter on a long pass. The Frogs would go on to lose that game 20-14.
My second argument is to why TCU and SMU should not play again annually. The contract for the series expires in 2016. The series means more to SMU every year than it does to TCU. The Mustangs have more to gain than TCU in continuing to play the series. Both schools should continue to play again when SMU is actually competitive again.
This game is not even fun for the Frogs anymore. The players on SMU's side are always getting chippy, stepping on our players legs, playing dirty, therefore injuring our players. SMU's players took cheap shots against TCU QB Casey Pachall on Saturday night in the rain soaked game.
The players from TCU don't get fired about this game anymore. In 2011, the players weren't motivated about the game, leading to a big time upset for the Mustangs. Last Saturday, the Frogs pulled out the win 24-16.
I personally can handle both schools not playing each other when the contract is up in 2016. If SMU is actually winning consistently only then would I play them again.
My first argument will discuss why TCU and SMU should keep playing.TCU and SMU have been playing each other in non-conference action since 1915, a rivalry that spans 92 years. The series had so much history in the past when both teams had much success in the early Southwest Conference years through the years Dutch Meyer coached the Frogs.
During those years, both schools played games in which they battled for the Southwest Conference titles. These games as older fans would say where some of the greatest games of all-time. One of the greatest games of all-time between TCU and SMU was in 1935 when Sammy Baugh led the Frogs to tie the game in the fourth quarter on a long pass. The Frogs would go on to lose that game 20-14.
My second argument is to why TCU and SMU should not play again annually. The contract for the series expires in 2016. The series means more to SMU every year than it does to TCU. The Mustangs have more to gain than TCU in continuing to play the series. Both schools should continue to play again when SMU is actually competitive again.
This game is not even fun for the Frogs anymore. The players on SMU's side are always getting chippy, stepping on our players legs, playing dirty, therefore injuring our players. SMU's players took cheap shots against TCU QB Casey Pachall on Saturday night in the rain soaked game.
The players from TCU don't get fired about this game anymore. In 2011, the players weren't motivated about the game, leading to a big time upset for the Mustangs. Last Saturday, the Frogs pulled out the win 24-16.
I personally can handle both schools not playing each other when the contract is up in 2016. If SMU is actually winning consistently only then would I play them again.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
God directed wisdom vs the foolish
The past few weeks I have been going to a Bible study over Proverbs. The main theme we have been studying is examining the fool in us. We have been looking at the difference between those that seek wisdom and follow God vs the fools that turn their ways against God.
Proverbs brings out this comparison of the fool and those that seek wisdom in God in the beginning of Proverbs. Proverbs 1:7 says this in comparison between the fool and those that seek God for wisdom, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Those that fear God seek him for wisdom in all their decisions. In comparison, the fools turn against God daily in their decisions that they make. The fools do not use wise discipline, discernment, and don't think about how their decisions may effect others in the future.
The things we do and the decisions we make should reflect God and we should go to him for every big decision we face. If we do not do this, then we will become the kind of fool Proverbs is talking about. After college, I tried to decide my future on my own without including God in it. I tried to make life and financial decisions without God's help. The summer after college, God led me to this discipleship program which helped me realize how much I need God and how foolish I am to not depend on him for life's biggest decisions.
Fearing God involves trusting him with our daily needs. It is realizing he is bigger than our concerns, frustrations, feelings, worries, sins, at the moment. Through this fear of the Lord, we are showing a certain level of reverence and awe in his power, glory, sovereignty, grace, and forgiveness in our life. It is shown through hatred of evil in Proverbs 8:6; and avoidance of sin in Proverbs 16:6.
To seek God's wisdom is realizing God directs our life in all that we do. Proverbs 20:24 NLT says, "The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?" Those who are seeking God in wisdom are surrendering to God all their decisions, cares, causes, and concerns for the day. God already knows what we are going ask before we ask him it says in the book of Matthew. Proverbs 16:9 NIV is very similar when it says, "In his heart a man plans his steps, but God determines his course." The last thing I want to mention is that though we try to do life on our own sometimes leading to our foolish nature, ultimately God is in control of our life.
I used be a fool, making decisions on my own without thinking about them, not recognizing their cause and effect, immature, but God has matured in me and helped me make wise decisions with him in mind. I used to be a fool despising wisdom, focusing on things that bring me joy, and going against God in everything I do. I was very foolish in the past, only doing things my way; becoming selfish and impatient with the world and everything in the world. Now, I have realized my foolish ways and have asked God for forgiveness for my past ways and now God is directing my life in all that I do.
Proverbs brings out this comparison of the fool and those that seek wisdom in God in the beginning of Proverbs. Proverbs 1:7 says this in comparison between the fool and those that seek God for wisdom, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Those that fear God seek him for wisdom in all their decisions. In comparison, the fools turn against God daily in their decisions that they make. The fools do not use wise discipline, discernment, and don't think about how their decisions may effect others in the future.
The things we do and the decisions we make should reflect God and we should go to him for every big decision we face. If we do not do this, then we will become the kind of fool Proverbs is talking about. After college, I tried to decide my future on my own without including God in it. I tried to make life and financial decisions without God's help. The summer after college, God led me to this discipleship program which helped me realize how much I need God and how foolish I am to not depend on him for life's biggest decisions.
Fearing God involves trusting him with our daily needs. It is realizing he is bigger than our concerns, frustrations, feelings, worries, sins, at the moment. Through this fear of the Lord, we are showing a certain level of reverence and awe in his power, glory, sovereignty, grace, and forgiveness in our life. It is shown through hatred of evil in Proverbs 8:6; and avoidance of sin in Proverbs 16:6.
To seek God's wisdom is realizing God directs our life in all that we do. Proverbs 20:24 NLT says, "The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?" Those who are seeking God in wisdom are surrendering to God all their decisions, cares, causes, and concerns for the day. God already knows what we are going ask before we ask him it says in the book of Matthew. Proverbs 16:9 NIV is very similar when it says, "In his heart a man plans his steps, but God determines his course." The last thing I want to mention is that though we try to do life on our own sometimes leading to our foolish nature, ultimately God is in control of our life.
I used be a fool, making decisions on my own without thinking about them, not recognizing their cause and effect, immature, but God has matured in me and helped me make wise decisions with him in mind. I used to be a fool despising wisdom, focusing on things that bring me joy, and going against God in everything I do. I was very foolish in the past, only doing things my way; becoming selfish and impatient with the world and everything in the world. Now, I have realized my foolish ways and have asked God for forgiveness for my past ways and now God is directing my life in all that I do.
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