Unrequited love. There are poems detailing a person’s agony because of this emotion. There are songs written by artists describing how horrible and helpless this beast makes you feel. Suffice to say- its a big deal.

Here is something I read recently in Hosea:

Hosea 11:1-5
 1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him,
       and out of Egypt I called my son.

 2 But the more I called Israel,
       the further they went from me.
       They sacrificed to the Baals
       and they burned incense to images.

 3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
       taking them by the arms;
       but they did not realize
       it was I who healed them.

 4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
       with ties of love;
       I lifted the yoke from their neck
       and bent down to feed them.

 5 "Will they not return to Egypt
       and will not Assyria rule over them
       because they refuse to repent?

This passage of scripture is something that normally, would make me feel great about what God does for me, about the love He has for me. Not so. In fact, this passage makes me feel horrible. It makes me feel like an ungrateful, disgusting, unworthy piece of filth (which for all intents and purposes- I am).

How could I know that God loves me so much, yet continue to break his commandments? How could I continue to spit in His face with my actions, and the way I live?

God is many things for many people, but for me, he is my father. He is what a father should be, all the time. He knows my faults, and wants only the best for me. And most importantly, I yearn for Him to be proud of me. In fact, if nothing else, that is one of the things I crave the most from God- knowing He is proud of what I am doing. But do my actions reflect that? No. Because it is easy to lose my focus and take my eyes off of Jesus, and most importantly, because I’m a sinner.

Now, hear my heart, I know full well that God’s grace is what gets me into heaven, not my works. But with that said, I long for an encouraging word from my Father. God has shown me that He is proud of something that I am doing many times in my life as a Christian, and every time He does, it is easily the most mind-blowing thing ever.


Father, I love You. I ask that You would have me be in awe of You everyday. That You would be the only person that I look up to. You astound me on so many levels, yet somehow I fall away from You constantly. Father, guide my steps to walk Your path, and follow what You would have for my life. Please Lord, give me strength, because I know it is only by Your grace that I am who I am today. It is only by Your love for me that I have any hope in true fulfillment. Thank You so much for Your Son, and His sacrifice for me. Help me live my life to the full, as You have promised, and help guide my steps to glorify You in everything.

Amen.

by Daniel J. Phillips

For ages, people have found Jesus to be an uncomfortable figure. He claimed honors belonging properly only to God (John 5:22, 23), held Himself out as the only solution for sin (Matthew 20:28), and accepted worship as God (John 20:28). What's even more threatening, He backed up these claims by a succession of unequaled miracles (John 15:24), climaxing in His own bodily resurrection (Matthew 12:39, 40).

Like many of Jesus' other ideas, these claims are clearly "incorrect," politically and socially. Worse still, they're unpopular!

Not to worry! If you don't like the Jesus of the Bible, you can make your very own "Jesus." Here's how to do it, in six easy steps.

Begin with demolition work. First, paint the Gospels as fundamentally unreliable, unhistorical, and biased. Now, this will mean rough going, for several reasons. If you are to pull this off, your audience has to be unaware of the last hundred years of New Testament (NT) studies. Otherwise, they will know that every attempt to discredit the NT has failed miserably. They will remember that archeological, linguistic, and historical studies have systematically shown the NT to be factually reliable in every testable area. If they know the facts, it could hurt your theories. So. . . .

Second, flash some impressive academic degrees. This might inspire people to reason thus: "He must be right — after all, he's a [doctor, professor, what-have-you]!" Pull this off, and you can wave aside the Gospel histories as "biased." With your degree, your hearers will forget that you, too, are biased. They won't wonder too loudly what your biases are. They won't even note how neatly your conclusions match your biases.

Third, stress the fact that the NT writers were believers in Jesus, as if this consideration in itself totally disqualifies them as witnesses of history. With any luck, this will strengthen your case for "bias." Maybe only the lawyers will notice that your reasoning is akin to telling a defendant, "Now, you can only call witnesses who believe that you are guilty!" Besides, probably over half of your audience won't remember that the NT writers did not, in fact, start out as believers. Therefore, they won't realize that these writers' minds were changed by the evidence. Maybe those who do remember will not throw back at you, "Then what you are saying is invalid, too, because you are a dis-believer! Bias is bias!"

Fourth, make a great deal of the fact that the Gospels were written after the events. Imply (against all evidence) that nobody in the first century ever took notes, or knew how to memorize. Your readers may be unaware that the hard evidence does not demand a date of final publication more than ten to forty years later than the resurrection. You go ahead and talk as if it were vast, yawning geological epochs later. Maybe no one will notice. So few actually read the Bible today, that they are unlikely to recall that the Gospels embody eyewitness testimony (Luke 1:1-4; John 21:24, 25). If someone brings this up, simply shout, "Are not, are not!" — and maybe wave your diploma again.

With luck, your hearers won't reflect on the fact that they all implicitly trust in history-books written centuries, or even millennia after the events. With a lot of luck, they won't point out that you yourself live a full two millennia after the gospel events, and that (even if true) fifty or sixty years is much closer than two thousand.

Fifth, claim to be using "the scientific method." Actually, it doesn't much matter what method you employ; people are not too analytical these days. Dust off the radical whimsies of nineteenth-century Tübingen, or the fantasies of Rudolph Bultmann. Shred logic to confetti. Who thinks rationally or logically today, especially about religion? You can recycle negatively-biased methods and arguments that have already been answered decisively, dozens of times, in print, for decades — as the perpetrators of the Jesus Seminar and the book The Five Gospels just did! It doesn't matter. Simply intone, reverently, "Science...science...science," tap your diploma meaningfully, and hope for the best.

Sixth, nuke all those nasty things Jesus said. Clear your throat and announce that He never claimed, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Proclaim that Jesus never invited anyone to "come to Me, all who labor and are heavily-burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:26). Use a little verbal "white-out" on Jesus' predictions that He would give His soul as a ransom-price for many (Mark 10:45), that He would be crucified and buried, and would rise again on the third day (Luke 9:22), and that He would physically return to set up His kingdom on earth (Matthew 24 — 25). Declare that Jesus never really said that the one who rejects Him as God incarnate will perish in his sins (John 8:24).

You see, this way you have taken that frightening, still-living character who treads through the Gospels, and whittled Him down to something much more bite-sized. Trash the facts, and you can make Jesus into whatever you want Him to be! "Discover" that He was really an environmentalist, and declare that He only made lovely little remarks about lilies, fig trees, and grape vines. "Learn" that Jesus was a social activist, and retain only the sections about poor people. Folks will love you for it! Publishers will actually print your notions! Without any icky facts in your way, you can play with Jesus like a lump of clay!

Isn't that nifty? Think of it: when Jesus' contemporaries wanted Him out of the way two millennia ago, they had to have Him actually put to death. (That worked out poorly, however, since He apparently did not coöperate by staying dead.) It's so much less messy, now!

All we have to do today is snag a degree, and write a book.

Revelations 2:2-4 reads:

[2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.]

Now, this verse begs the question- what is our first love? This is a priority issue, not a chronology issue. Well, if we have learned anything as Christians, it is apparent that Christ is our first love.

I have compromised my relationship with God many a time and have internally raitonalized it to be nothing more than a "low period", where God's plan just didn't call for high spirituality. This left me a little confused, because if I didn't feel as spiritually connected with God (for whatever reason), then why was I a part of all these Christ-related activities? Bible study, youth group, playing in a worship band, so on and so forth.

Not until I read those verses in Revelations did I realize what the problem was. I had forgotten my first love, Jesus Christ. I could do all of the "good works" I wanted to, but it would amount to nothing because I was not motivated to out of a love for Christ, but rather because it was expected of me. With God receiving no glory, how could I hope to achieve a level of fulfillment in my deeds?

1 Corinthians 1:31 [Therefore, as it is written, let him who boasts boast in the Lord.]

Just as a worship leader must be a worshiper himself before he can lead others into worship, one must be in tune with God before he can give God any glory.

Being in touch with the Lord is the only way to know His will, and if you don't know His will, how can you expect to glorify Him?

Proverbs 3:5-6 [Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.]

We might feel that we are doing what is right at times, but our choices, unless guided by the Lord, can lead us further away from Him because they are based on your own understanding.



All I can say is, no matter what the cost, do not forget your first love. That same passion that you have for Him the day He saves you should not dwindle, if anything, it should grow stronger.


-The center of the M51 "Whirlpool Galaxy"
-The Heavens declare the glory of God-

Romans 13:1- Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.



.In 1787 delegates from numerous states had gathered in the city of Philadelphia to construct the U.S Constitution, a plan of government that has now stood the test of time for over 200 years. However, things weren't going too well during the first few weeks. There were heated debates over petty issues and the whole project was on the verge of total collapse. There had even been a proposal to dismiss and return to their respective states.In the midst of all this frustration and tension, the old statesman of the gathering, Benjamin Franklin stood to his fee, leaned on his cane, and addressed the President of the convention, George Washington. Here were the words he spoke on June 28, 1787:


"Mr. President: The small progress we have made after four or five weeks close attendance and continual reasonings with each other - - - our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ayes is, methinks, a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the human understanding. We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom since we have been running about in search of it.In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights, to illuminate our understanding? In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings, that 'except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel: we shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and byword down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.I therefore beg leave to move - - - that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."

I'm just not that religious.


I hate that saying.
Its a cop-out.
Its a lame excuse.
Its stupid.

Allow me to explain...
(1) First and foremost, God does not call us to be religious. "Religion" and "religious" are words we as a flawed creation have created.

In the Bible, whenever the word "religious" is used, it always shows how stupid the idea of religiousness is. But, the proof is in the pudding...

[Acts 17:21-23]
21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived their spent their time doing nothing talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:
                                        TO THE UNKNOWN GOD
Now, what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.


Alright, so if you are "religious", you obviously have no spiritual backbone. You don't have a One True God. You are just doing what is cool. You dont have set, firm beliefs, and you definitely can't act on said beliefs...because you don't have them.


[Hebrews 10:11]
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

So, religious duties then become a routine. An act rooted in nothingness. That seems to fit just perfectly with what the book of Acts says about religions.

So, a rundown...
(1)A religious person has no real beliefs. His "faith" in a god(s) changes almost with the seasons.
(2)A religious person's works and rituals will accomplish nothing. They are symbolic of nothing. (Plus, they will probably be doing other rituals in a month or two.)


I encounter too many people, especially in school, who stand by (adamantly may I add) the fact that they just aren't that religious. But, you know, if they're a good person and stuff...they'll get to heaven.
But; that is another blog altogether.

   

Ignorance is bliss.

This might not always feel like the case.

I don't know if I've ever heard this from anyone else, but this is my experience with being in the dark, knowing it, and hating it...

As written in my last blog, I felt like I was devoid of Christ in my life. Sure, I knew my Bible verses. I knew my worship songs. And I knew that Christ died for me, which is amazing. But even with all of that, I felt devoid of His presence. His love. To use the cliche', I felt like God forgot about me.

The Bible tells us that God is everywhere, always with you, on a walk spanning from salvation till death. I knew that. but I couldn't believe it at this low-point in my relationship with Christ.

So, I prayed and prayed, and nada.
I read my Bible vigorously. Zero.
I listened purely to worship songs and tried to connect with them. Zilch.

I didn't realize it, but I was becoming more involved with Christ then I had ever been. Then, in the span of about 2 days, my prayers were answered. The importane ones anyways.




So, in case my point hasn't been made (which is probably the case...seeing as I just rambled), your bumpy sections on the road while walking with Christ are set there for a reason (from my experience at least). Your daily routine for prayer and Bible reading might be good for a while, but eventually, God will demand more of you, because essentially, you're only doing the bare minimum to be sated in your walk.





Sure, not the most comprehensive or verbose blog... but I am just venting.
This isn't written for your enjoyment.

Ya' jerk.

Sometimes you just need to be carried.

I can't honestly say that I'm walking with Jesus in my life right now.
The proverbial "walk" is happening, but I'm not doing any of the walking.
He is. He is pushing it 200%, pulling my dead-weight.

Seems like I've just run into a quarry's-worth of stumbling stones. I haven't only stumbled. I've tripped, fallen, rolled, and crashed.
Hitting a real low point in my walk with Christ.

And it pains me, because I know His blessings. I know His love. I know His perfect will is setting out, making only the best for me.
I know all that, but right now, I can't make it materialize. I can't see all His goodness in my life. A good friend said to me the other day:

"Your relationship with Christ doesn't go too smoothly when you're chasing your desires"

That statement seemed so meaningless to me. In fact, I thought it kind of stupid of him to state the obvious like that. But now it rings true, and I realize the profound truth in those words, and I really hate haivng to find out first-hand.

I don't even know what the point of this blog is, but I'm writing it anyways.
I need to vent this. Maybe it'll stir up enough courage in me to come before God and truly repent.

I don't want Him to have to carry me anymore.
I don't want to be dead weight.
I don't want to stumble so much anymore.
I don't want to have any dirty laundry in my life that I feel like I should try to hide from Him.

I do want to be filled with His goodness, to lift His name and give glory to Him.
I do want to delve into His word.
I do want Him to be apparent in my life, not just an invisible watcher and judge that I should fear, but rather love having around.

Guess now is as good a time as any.


 

Why is it that as humans, we put such a high price on what other humans think about us?
Why do we care so much about opinions?
Why do we care so much about opinions that change with time?
Because we're stupid I guess.

We let this worry of what people think hinder our actions. For example:

Last week, I had to go up during worship at my youth group and sing "How Great is Our God". I was definitely excited about it, but as time drew closer to get onstage, I regretted volunteering to do it more and more. I was afraid of what people's opinions on my singing might be. But then God sent me a wake up call in the form of our youth group's intern, Faith (fitting name, no?). She reminded me that worship was dedicated to God, it wasn't the time to be worried about looking God. So, long story short, worship went off without a problem, and I felt great singing to God, not to everyone else.

When we are hindered by people's opinions, our confidence suffers. Why is it that we let our confidence dwindle while the Bible states

Phillipians 4:13- I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Proverbs 3:26- For the Lord will be your confidence and keep your foot from being snared.

Jeremiah 17:7- But blessed in the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.

God has nothing but love for us, though we might (and will) waver from Him. He shows us time and time again that he loves us. He empowers us to succeed. But, don't get all happy on that note. You won't succeed if you don't have faith in Him.

Time for one of my favorite stories in the Bible. I call it "Peter need a new loincloth". Here's what you need to know... the disciples are out on a ship on a huge lake.

Matthew 14:25-31 - During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost" they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them. "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "Tell me to come to You on the water."

"Come." he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, and came towards Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," He said, "why did you doubt?"


I find it awesome that Jesus enabled Peter to walk on water. All Peter had to do was put all his faith in Jesus, but such a simple thing as waves would scare him enough to stop trusting Jesus. That's a double-edged sword to me. It gives me some consolence that a man such as Peter, who had seen Jesus' miracles first hand would still doubt Him, but it also teaches me that with all my faith in God, anything is possible.

Walking with God

I lift my eyes unto the hills.
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of Heaven and Earth.
                        ---"Praise You in This Storm" by Casting Crowns.

I've found that in my rather short walk with God that there are many points where things seem darker than they should with God on my side. Now, not to say that there aren't high point, because my walk with God is quite possibly the best things that's ever happened to me, not only because of salvation, but just from the pure happiness of knowing that I am a flawed being, full of fault, and yet God's eyes would still look at me with nothing but love.

But even with all of this happiness, there have been times where I think to myself, "Wow, apparently I'm not too high on God's priority list right now". I mean, as I write, I know that such a thought is completely unfair and untrue. God has nothing but love and mercy for me. I mean, if I wanted to talk fair, then I shouldn't even be here right now. But there are still always those low-points in life that may come very far apart, or all together. And at those low points, that's when we need God the most. Yet sometimes we decide to push God away, even if unconciously, by turning to others first.

I recall one event in my life in which I definitely doubted God's will. Stupid right? Yeah, I know that now.

I had a core group of friends whom I was really close to. I mean, I pretty much grew up with a few since I moved into my neighborhood a good eight years ago. So, suffice to say, we were tight. And one day, I decided to talk crap about one of our not-as-close friends. I'm not one to talk crap behind someone's back. In fact, I think that was the first time ever doing it (being a more mature person that is). Fast forward about three weeks... my friendship with all of them has fallen apart. I had just lost most of my closest friends, and sadly enough, blamed God. Not to say I outright blamed him for everything that had happened, but in my mind, I was definitely a little irritated that the Big Man upstairs would let all of that happen. I was also mad at my ex-best friends, but that's all covered a little later on... But, in the end, it all worked out for the better, and served me the most. So goes God's perfect will.

So, now that I look at it in retrospect, I would like nothing better than to go back in time and b-slap myself across the face and say "Wise up". But, so goes life. I didn't write this blog just to vent though.

I'm hoping that you can think of a time in your life where things looked down, and you turned to close friends and family first, instead of God. It happens and all, but don't make a habit of it. You learn from your mistakes, and a huge mistake is not making God your first source of comfort.

Love thy Neighbor
        
       John 15:12-     "My command is this:
                               Love each other as I have loved you."

    When I stop and think about it, that seems like a stupid thing to do. There are going to be people who want nothing but the worst for you. Not everyone has any interest in what is good for you, so long as it's good for them. Pretty much the only person who has your best interests in mind all the time is God. Not too hard to love God is it?
But there are mindblowing accounts of people having love for those that would harm them. The best of all would probably be the evangelist James.
 
When the high priest Anais tried to make James deny the Lord, James refused. To his refusal, he was cast down from a pinnacle of the temple, which broke both his legs. Bleeding out and half dead, James raised his hands to the sky and said "Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do". To this, the Jews stoned him and killed him by bashing in his skull with a club
If someone would have broken both my legs, I would probably be saying some outlandish, vulgar things, wishing nothing but eternal damnation for them. Yet, in that situation, James asked for forgiveness on their part, wishing them nothing but the best. That to me is pretty awesome.

So as for my friends (the ones mentioned before), I have nothing but love.

Forgiveness
 
       Okay, while Love is one of the hardest things, Forgiveness is probably my worst pitfall. I can hold a grudge like nobodies business. But, God has definitely sapped that attribute out of me. Not to say that I let everything go, but I'd like to think I'm a lot more flexible now. Yet while it's hard to completely remove the ability to hold a grudge, God seems to not have the ability at all.

        Acts 5:31- God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

        Acts 10:43- All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

        Acts 13:38- Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of your sins is proclaimed to you.

And all that is just what the good 'ol book of Acts had to dish out on the matter.

In fact, let's go to that oh-so awesome story of the Prodigal Son.

There was a man with two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me". And the father divided his property among the two sons. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all his things and left, journeying into a far country, and there, he squandered his share in reckless living. And when he psent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of the country, who sent him to the fields to feed the pigs. And he longed to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything.

But when he came to himself, he said "How many of my father's servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father and I will say to him 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants'". And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran to him, embracing him and kissing him. And the son said to him "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." But the father said to the servants "Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." And they began to celebrate.

There's a last part to the story, but it doesn't relate much to what I will say.
Even after the son squandered his share of the property with partying, drinking, prostitutes, and gluttony, the father accepted him with open arms, giving him all he needed and more. Such is the way we should be towards everyone else. Just as God is to us. We stumble time and time again. We walk off the path of the Lord time and time again. We disobey, wanting to indulge in selfish needs time and time again. Yet God forgives us, and continues to push for our well being. Aah! That's so amazing! I want to hug something at this point, and hopefully, you do too.

Obedience (only a small portion covered)
         
          Now, we might have forgiveness and salvation down pack, but does it mean that we now have a license to sin? NO. As a Christian, you should still be striving to uphold God's Word the most you can. There are definitely a bunch of struggles in everyday life, but as stated in the "Walking with God" part thingy: You turn to God first and foremost to help you through those struggles. God is the ultimate dad. You don't disobey your dad do you? Well, you don't most of the time.

(It's August 1st at 10:27. I lost my train of thought on Obedience, but it will be finished as soon as that Holy Spirit hits me with something.)


Prayer
       Quite possibly the most powerful and most overlooked thing God has given you. And it's also one of the things that displays God's amazing power and love for you the most. Pray for it, consistently and genuinely, and it will happen. I mean, this isn't a subject I can really elaborate on for you to realize its potential. But whatever you do pray for, just remember, don't be praying for frivolous desires. It has to be from the heart. Also, don't expect immediate results. As a wise sage (Ms. April Lovins) has informed me (which I have found to be true time and time again), God is a just-in-time God.

In the end, prayer should have like 20 pages repeating words like "Amazing", "Mindblowing", or "Supernatural". It's that good.


Grace
    Ever feel like you're not worthy to be serving God? Ever feel that you're nothing but a sinful slob compared to what God expects you to be? Well, you are.
Don't beat yourself up about it though, because God has bestowed upon us this amazing thing called grace. You being alive is purely by his grace. I mean, God doesn't need us to perform his perfect Will, but he still wants us. To quote Casting Crowns again...
                   "How refreshing to know that He doesn't need us,
                             but how amazing the thought that he wants us."
Awesome.
Great example of grace...

             Phillipians 4:13- I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Errthing nikka. Can a normal man walk on water? No. But Peter did. Through the power of who? Could a normal man part the Red Sea, summon plagues of locusts, or fire from the sky? No way. But Moses did. Through the power of who? God, that's who. So next time you have a really good day, stop, appreciate it, and thank God for it, because it was his Will that you had that good day.

Glory
       Do we owe God something? We owe him everything. Can we actually give him something? Yup. One, very important thing. Glory. God does everything he does for his glory. If ever you endure a hardship, God allows it to happen, because when weak, you turn to God. This admittance that you need him is what he wants. That's why he is the God who gives and takes away. Here is an example of God giving grace for his name to be praised.

          1 Peter 4:11- If anyone speaks, he should do it as one who is speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with all the strength that God provides, so that in all things God may be oraised through Jesus Christ. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

All the strength that God provides would be used to bring glory to his name. I had a conversation with my friend about this, and she said she couldn't imagine living under a God who used man only for his glory, bringing them no happiness. Well, that's the great part. The closest thing to Heaven that I can think of on earth is serving God and doing what he would Will me to do. At some point, God instills in you this feeling that even though you are not your own, you are still doing the greatest thing with your life imaginable. And you know what? I love that feeling.


That's about all I've got for now.
I've decided to just keep updating this blog everytime I hit a realization that gives me a stronger relationship with God.
So yeah...Just check back every once in a while.