We are still in Beta.

So I need to go to sleep but I just can’t. This post is parts of what are running through my head right now and what I’ve been just talking about with friends and God. So most of these thoughts came about after listening to Leah talk to me about IYC and then seeing Kelsey’s post about it. It fired me up for God just seeing them stoked for him.

Man this is AMAZING!
I mean
thats only 2 people I’ve talked to from IYC
and man its crazy!
They are stoked!
I seriously think that God is moving
like ive never seen this

I mean I don’t know but just since January I’ve seen tons happen.
Part of it is just that i have been growing more
and praying for all my friends specifically
and its like
just watching them
slowly grow and connect
and piece these things together

youth group has been growing
and everything

Well yah know before January
I knew who was a Christian kinda…
and my friends knew
but now its like
we can really stand up for each other
and such
It’s fellowship

thats why this Bible Study is a GREAT idea

I’M STOCKED!
even though i didnt go to IYC

thats why im so excited
because
it makes me all happy
everytime i get down
like
“Man God I’ve been praying every day
and I’m not seeing anything”
and “I don’t know God
I’ve prayed every single other day for each person by name
today i dont think i really need to”
I want to just do a “God work in all my friends lives” and leave it at that
but I don’t
and then POW God’s all “no somethings happening”
haha
and seeing others on fire just makes it all the cooler

and I know im not alone

I mean for me
I try really really hard
Every day is a struggle and it just sometimes seems worthless
like before when I got up during a movie and left because it was inappropriate
someone told me they noticed
that helped
I thought no one noticed
that was hard
but I did it
and i dont think it really does that much
but it does

I mean if one person tells me they’ve noticed I’m sure others did
and then when another tells me, I know they do.

and just when people see me do something like get up during a movie and say “hey I wish I could do that”
it helps me to do it more
and that keeps me holding strong in my faith
and be a stronger leader

and then a friend talking to me today
and reconfirming
just saying “I know your a strong Christian”
it boosts it

I mean I need it
as much as I know I’m supposed to just care what God thinks…. I know I care what others think. I mean you know why people who are popular, or funny like to be the center of attention and be told they are cool or funny? Well it’s because they care what you think and it’s hard without it.

cause sometimes it feels like no one notices my stands for faith
I think they just see me
as this guy who trows parties and stuff and that im just normal
which I am, but I’m not.

Sometimes I feel like crying cause it’s so hard
other times I feel like crying its sooo cool!

and then God’s got his Krebs Cycle Booster (or something)
as Winkley calls them
where God will boost your walk
with a great conference or talk or just his nature and beauty
it could be anything
suddenly your on fire again

and then
myself just being the overanalyzing freak I am
I always think I can do better
which i can
I mean look at Jesus
HE WAS Insane!
in a good way
he stood up no matter what!
and I’ve know at times I dont
like right now, I’m going what are people gonna think when they read this?
Should I really click that button that says publish?

but the thing is I notice that sin
and its cause I’m stickin up for God more
its like Kelsey said, in response to my last post
the more light im filled with the more darkenss I see

man….
and you know what
its not easy to Read the bible every day, and my devotion and pray and read other Christian books
but it really is good
and once i start
I love it
but it will never get easy
it will always be hard
because the world is currently controlled by Satan
and he will do everything he can to stop me from practicing my faith

So in my faith
to show my strength in Christ
say in games like truth or dare or compromising situations
I will play or stay until I judge that its bad, then I’ll say hey no thats not right, we shouldnt be doing that and if we keep doing it I’m gonna leave.
and then follow through
if they still do that stuff
I’ll leave
if they say ok whatever we will stop
then its fine
and then thats when I need others to fight
like you and other Christians

When I see others on a spiritual high (as Kaitlynn says), it encourages me to stop disobeying

Its hard for me to stay strong
when I hardly see anyone else

I mean I have to have role models to

and friends who stand strong
and let me tell you
I dont see many doing it
I mean I dont do it half the time
so for me to excpect others to
is hypocritical

but the more you try
the better you will get
the more you fall
the easier it is to get up the next time
the more you struggle the stonger you get
like building up an immunity to poison

James 4:6-8

“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

So yeah. The comment about the bible study, that was because I am planning on starting a bible study. I don’t think I have ever said this but I seriously think God is calling me to do it. I see all my friends at youth groups and I want to get to know them, and talk with them about God but youth group doesn’t meet your needs on a deep spirtiaul level always, and we all are commited to our churches. So a bible study will be great. I can be fed. I can converse with friends about God so we can grow stronger together. I don’t know where God wants me to take this yet, but I know I will soon. Even if it’s just every once in a while friends getting together to just talk about God, with no agenda, it will be great. Though I am hoping for more structure. It will take prayer. So pray for it. I hope to see you grow in Christ. Stay strong.

Acts 2:42
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Phillipians 3:10
“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”

One thing I love about reading the Bible is coming upon passages that are directly spoken by God and just show his power, and yet his love. I love reading his commands for us and the promises that accompany them, like in Deuteronomy 6.
“These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.”
See it starts with saying these are the commands, and then it says why you should follow them. It’s not “obey these commands because otherwise something bad will happen.” It’s obey these commands so that I can reward you with a long life among other things. Then in verse 5-9 it says “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
This is showing that you have to apply it. Don’t just read it and dismiss it, discuss it, write it places, talk about it, think about it, and definitely don’t ignore it. Then it says more reasons to obey his commands
“Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; 15 for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.”
So that would be another reason to obey, not just to get rewards, but so he doesn’t destroy you!
And still more reason
“Do what is right and good in the LORD’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land”
Seriously obeying God is not to be taken lightly. He will reward you in Heaven if you obey, and on earth. He will destroy you if you don’t obey, or at least he has the power to. So why would you want to disobey?

So I updated the song on my site to Goodbye my Lover by James Blunt. I put this song not really for the words but because of the piano piece which I am now learning. I think it’s a great piece hope you enjoy it. If you can’t hear it head to this linkGoodbye my Lover-JamesBlunt.mp3

i try to think of all the good things in my life, and all the things that i have, and then i can feel thankful. and i love that feeling. of being thankful. and being blessed with so many different thigns in my life. you’d be amazed at what we take for granted. and even if we say oh yeah, running water it’s great! honsetly, do you thnik it’s that great. going to mexico for me, opened my eyes to how priveliged we are, and how much we have. we can hear about God just anbout anyhwere, if we really wanted to. but down there. you have to travel to find a church. and it hurts to know that people don’t have our kind of access to bible studies and pastors. and idk. just re-evalutate your life and see how much you have, becuase if you really take the time, you’ll be amazed. i loved going to mexico not only for helping and showing others the love of god, but the experience and emotions that i got from it. if you ever have a chance to do soemthing like. DO. because it’s a once in a life feeling when you hand the family the keys and see their faces. theres no amount of words that could explain their expressions.

So people ask all the time, “if God is so good and great, why does he let bad stuff happen?” and my answer is usually well without evil, there can’t be good. Just like there can’t be light without darkness. Well recently I was reading a book and it was talking about heaven. Actually it’s from somebody’s viewpoint in heaven and they say “I feel my desires, my yearnings my thirst is greater than ever. How can this be?” To which she is told later “Without the thirst, where would be the pleasure and joy? Without the desire, how could the desire be filled?” Which I know realize is so true. Recently I have been growing closer and closer to God, and yet it seems I still want more. I though the more I read the Bible and read Christian books, prayed and lived for Him the less I would hope for more. I though the more I grow the less I will strive to grow. The more I follow him the less I will thirst for Him. Instead I have found the opposite. Instead of it getting easier to follow Him, I find it harder. The more I try and live for him the more I notice my mistakes, and thus have to try and put a stop to them. But, the good news is that the more I desire, the more I’m filled. The more I recognize my failures, the more I can strive to stop them. The more I grow, the closer I get to God. Yet without desire, there would be no filling. Without thirst there would be no quenching. Just like without light, there would be no darkness. Without evil, there would be no good. Without pain, there is no joy. There has to be an opposite.

Sometimes we idolize people. Not just bad influences but good influences to. If I idolize my pastor, or youth leader, father, mother, uncle, aunt, friend, cousin, brother, famous musician, or if I idolize anyone other than God it presents problems. This is not what God wants. It’s a good thing to look up to someone with more wisdom and knowledge than you. It’s good to look up to those Godly women and Men in your life but you don’t want to idolize them.

2 Chronicles 26:3-5
“Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.”

Isaiah 6:1 “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord”

Uzziah was a great man. Isaiah was another great man and he had a book full of prophesy. He saw lots of visions and followed the Lord but what does that verse say? “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord” He saw the Lord after King Uzziah died. He saw him before that to but it says he saw him “In the year that King Uzziah died” specifically. God could have used his death as a wake up call.
Another example would be Elijah and Elisha. Elijah was a great prophet of God, but sometimes I think Elisha was idolizing him. There were times when Elijah would say “Stay here”(2 Kings 2:4 and 2:6) but Elisha would say “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”(2 Kings 2:4 and 2:6) This prevented Elisha from being used to the full potential by God. Imagine if Elisha and Elijah had gone seperate ways! They would have impacted the world even greater than they did together! Elisha’s real ministry only started after Elijah was taken up to heaven.

2 Kings 2:11″As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.”

So you need to stop idolizing people. You can look up to them and ask for advice; thats great, but trying to be more like them than Christ is not right. You must love God and follow him before anything and everything else. He is a jealous God, he does get jealous if you put others first, so don’t! Put God first. Follow him with everything you have. Love him with everything you have. Do it because you want to. Not because you have to.

Exodus 20:5
“You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God”

Deuteronomy 6:5
“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

John 15:15 “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

So why do you follow God? Why do you obey him? What’s the point? What’s the difference? I’ll tell you. It’s a relationship. You don’t follow God because it’s a bunch of rules that make life better, or because if you don’t God will press the smite button. No it’s that you want to follow him.
Let’s give an example. Say you like someone. Why do you do what the person you like wants? Why do you go to movies they want to go? Why do you put them first? It’s not because if you don’t they will leave you. It’s because you want to. It’s a relationship.
So why do we so often treat the Bible as a bunch of rules. It’s a love letter. Why do we treat our relationship as a set of rules!?This relationship is supposed to be what you “want” to do not “have” to do. God loves you, you are supposed to Love him. It’s about love, it’s about a relationship, it’s about wanting, it’s about Jesus Christ who saved us from sin. It’s also about the reward. You have to admit that you don’t just run a race without hoping for the prize. You don’t go to work without thinking of the money you will make. So why do we try and follow God without thinking of the reward in heaven? Heaven will be great I can assure you and to think anything less of it is just stupid. Your ignoring God if you don’t dream of heaven.

Matthew5:12 “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Ok so I don’t want to disrupt the posts of my 3 part series but I just wanted to let you all know that my Shoutbox is being spammed. So it is currently down while I try and figure out what’s going on, how to stop the spamming, etc. Sorry about that! It might be a while because I am currently at the beach and to get a connection to the internet I have to go sit outside a neighbors house, in the sand, roasting hot. So yeah. I will work on it but don’t expect it to be up for a while! Once again sorry!

Numbers 30:1b-5″This is what the LORD commands: When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

“When a young woman still living in her father’s house makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the LORD will release her because her father has forbidden her.

So I read this last night and I got from it that if this is a daughter listening to her parent, shouldn’t this apply to all sons and daughters? For example if I make a promise to my friend and say I will meet them somewhere in 30minutes but then my parents tell me that I can’t go, I have to obey my parents. See even though my “vow” or “promise” to a friend was made first I still have to obey my parents first. This is the right thing for me to do, because the Lord says so. It’s doing what God wants and what my parents want. Now I wouldn’t just leave my friend to wonder where I am, I would somehow get in contact with them if possible, but I must obey my parents. So if this is true for me obeying my parents shouldn’t this be more true when God tells me it? If I make a “vow” or “promise” to a friend or brother, maybe even to my parents and God says “no, that’s not what I want you to do” then you follow God. So let’s go extreme here. Let’s say that someone has made a vow, not just any vow but a vow of marriage, this person is engaged. So you’re engaged and happy, you can’t wait till the wedding day etc. etc. Now what happens if God suddenly tells you that you should go on this mission trip to say Zimbabwe. Are you gonna listen? If you have read the story of Jonah when he ran away from the Lord there was great consequences and God still got him to do what he wanted.

Jonah 1:12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”

Jonah 1:17 “But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.”

So back to the obeying. Even when you have probably the greatest vow ever on you head you still have to follow God. If you truly follow God in this situation and hold off on the marraige, your wife or husband will understand, and if not then why are you marrying them at all? Vows and pledges are powerful things, but the will of God is greater still.

So last night while reading my devotions I had a moment of inspiration. Or at least kind of. Basically I had these three great ideas about posts on obedience and following God. Or something like that. I promptly wrote them down, but since I’m going to Manzanita this week I decided I could set up the site to give you a post every 2 days from this pre-written series. The first post will be Saturday.

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It’s all set up and boy am I excited! These posts turned out better than I expected I can’t wait for you to see them!