Wow. I finally took the time to sit down and spend some one on one time with God.. you know that time we always say we need to do more of.. and man did it pay off. Just thought I'd share it with ya..
Larry, my campus minister spoke on temptation last night, but it didn't really click until I was reading through Titus tonight. By the way.. if you haven't read Titus, get on that. It's about a ten minute read and I can almost guarantee you it will reignite your fire for Christ and your appreciation for His perfect word.
Titus 2:6-8 "Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." then it goes on.. 2:11-14 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope -- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."
With that in mind, if we've truly accepted the grace of God, we'd be living our lives for Christ and seeking Him in everything. That's when what Larry said really hit home for me.. basically he said, the best way to avoid temptation, is to constantly serve. If you're not serving, find fellowship. If you're not in fellowship, seek Him.
If you're always doing these things, temptations will be nonexistent! And think about it, if we're living our life for God, what else is there?! Nothing! Serving His people and spreading His love, pushing each other towards Him, or quiet time with Him. There is nothing else that matters. How convicting is that..
So a challenge for you and I.. let's fight the good fight. Let's run His race. And let's truly live for Him.
1. Serve
2. Seek Fellowship
3. Seek Him
Paul's words put it best... Philippians 3:13-14 "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold if it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Years!
First off, I want to apologize.. for two things. One, for stopping in the middle of the Gospels. There's nothing I can really say about that but I lost my priorities. Second, for the rambling that is about to take place. This isn't going to be the biblical based post I've been trying to stick to..
I believe the problem with this world comes down to one basic idea... we're incapable of doing the big things and we're ignorant of doing the little ones. We think of these huge ways to change the world and their just not plausible, not possible. So then, we think of the little ways we can change the world, but we decide it's not worth it. It's not worth doing the little things because we won't get awards for doing the little things. It's not worth doing the little things because it would only affect one life instead of millions. It's not worth doing the little things because little things don't get in the news, get books or scripts written about them. Therefore, we're not doing the big things, we're not doing the little things, so we do nothing. We do absolutely nothing. Our lives consist of superficial emotions, superficial relationships, and superficial spirituality.
So my challenge, quit trying to change the world. You won't. You can't. That's God's job. Change yourself. Change yourself by giving yourself to God. Change yourself by diving into His perfect Word. Change yourself by being yourself, not the person the world wants you to be.
My New Years resolution is exactly that. I'm going to quit wasting my life thinking of how to change the world, and I'm going to start giving my life to being the change.
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth" -1 John 3:18-19a
I believe the problem with this world comes down to one basic idea... we're incapable of doing the big things and we're ignorant of doing the little ones. We think of these huge ways to change the world and their just not plausible, not possible. So then, we think of the little ways we can change the world, but we decide it's not worth it. It's not worth doing the little things because we won't get awards for doing the little things. It's not worth doing the little things because it would only affect one life instead of millions. It's not worth doing the little things because little things don't get in the news, get books or scripts written about them. Therefore, we're not doing the big things, we're not doing the little things, so we do nothing. We do absolutely nothing. Our lives consist of superficial emotions, superficial relationships, and superficial spirituality.
So my challenge, quit trying to change the world. You won't. You can't. That's God's job. Change yourself. Change yourself by giving yourself to God. Change yourself by diving into His perfect Word. Change yourself by being yourself, not the person the world wants you to be.
My New Years resolution is exactly that. I'm going to quit wasting my life thinking of how to change the world, and I'm going to start giving my life to being the change.
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth" -1 John 3:18-19a
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