So I realize I am terrible at letting you know what is going on in my life, I guess that means I am to busy for you. Or it just means I am to busy to sit down for 30 minutes and blog about what is going on in life. Either way I am sorry, I wish I could say it will get better but let’s be honest in the last three posts I have apologized for not blogging as much.
So I was sitting at Jimmy Johns (the greatest sandwich place I can think of) and as I was digging into the gigantic pickle (yes i eat the pickle first) I saw a sign that read “16 Things It Took Me 50 Years to Learn” you may know the sign that I am talking about; well I have read this one many times before but it never really registered in my head to make it apply to my life. I am, or at least will be, a preacher/communicator/teacher so application is a key word in my vocab. (as the kids would say) Before you go on read the what the sign said (for all you old, but very wise, people just click on the title of the sign and a screen will pop up)
To relieve your senses I will not break down all 16 points, just a few that I find very important in not just my life but in all of our lives. I should point out the number 1 is very important, I thought about trying it just to see what happens, but I don’t want to be “that guy.” I am all about bringing people to Christ. I mean that is what I want to do, and have been called to do, but for myself I make it a key point to build a relationship with a person first. This may require me to forget about my agenda for a bit and ask them about their life and as the sign says, maybe ask about their religion. Martin Luther King Jr. says “”How can you be worried about changing the sole when you don’t care about the body that holds the soul?” When we build a relationship first with someone, rather than pulling our bullhorn out and screaming and forcing our “religion” at them then the likelihood of them listening is much greater.
I can’t dance, but you better believe that doesn’t stop me from dancing. Ask any of my friends, I can two step like a champ. The Stanky Leg? I got that on lock!!!
The last three in my mind stood out to me the most. #14, I have friends that I could never see myself leaving, emotionally that is. The reason I stayed in Indianapolis to finish school rather than go back to Tennessee (which I love) is because of friends. The reason I make time at least once a summer to go on a fishing trip isn’t because the fishing is great (even though it most certainly is) it’s because of friends. When I go and plant a church I don’t plan on doing it on my own, I hope and pray God will allow my friends to come with me. No matter my screw ups (and there are MANY) my friends have always been there. #14 While I agree with Mr. Barry that we shouldn’t be afraid to try something new, the thing that stood out to me most here was God placed a calling on Noah to build the Arc to change the course of the world. If you have been feeling a calling to try something new for the sake of the Kingdom, DO IT!!! Prayer should be your very first thing you do, ask God to show you the way, ask Him to be clear with what He wants done; If it is for the Kingdom you must expect that Satan will not like it!! (haha and this is an understatement.) Satan will do everything to make you not do it, he will give you excuses, fears, insecurities, other options, terrible advice, and a lot of discouragement. But if it is for the Kingdom and if it will, by grace, save men-women- and children from a miserable death filled life in Hell, how can you not try it?!!? George Muller was a man who had the idea of taking in the orphans in Bristol in Great Britain in the 1800’s. He saw a need and knew that if God wanted it done then God would take care of their needs; at one particular occasion George and his wife realized that they had no food to feed the kids for the next morning. The next day a baker came to the house and said he couldn’t sleep the night before thinking that the kids may be in need of food and so he dropped off freshly baked bread. If it is a God ordained calling have faith that He will provide for your every need, don’t let Satan get in the way of a calling from God #16 His point is probably true, but again grace is the first thing that came my mind. We are all fallen sinners in desperate need of help, luckily Jesus Christ came into this world and saved us from the death we all deserve for the sins we all commit. Just like the woman stomps the crap out of a man to make him acceptable, we are made acceptable to approach the throne of Christ through the his sacrifice. Instead of us getting the crap stomped out of us so we could be made somewhat good, Jesus (a perfect sinless man) came to this earth and got the crap beat out of him, blood spilling from his body- all so we could be made clean. It doesn’t seem right does it? This is the love of Yahweh, the love that I don’t deserve but that is given to me anyway. Without grace I am just a terrible tasting grape, but because of it I am a sweet taste.
Pt. 2 to come soon, I can’t guarantee it will be tomorrow, but soon. Right now the Cowboys are getting ready lose, I mean play, the Giants and I want to watch it all!
