Balaam's Donkey

Something a professor once told rich mullins:

"God spoke to Balaam through his ass and He's been speaking through asses ever since. So if God should choose to speak through you, you need not think too highly of yourself. And if on meeting someone, you recognize right away what they are, listen to them anyway, because God spoke to Balaam through his ass and He's been speaking through asses ever since."

Favored by God (part 1)

Luke 1:30
And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God..."

Having favor with God, what does this mean?

Well let's take a look at Mary's life:

• Mary was set to be married to Joseph, historically it is assumed she was between the ages of 13-16. At this time, she was told she would receive a child, from the Holy Spirit. This meant she would have a child out of wedlock, and not fathered by her soon to be husband. Not to mention the pressure of a junior high aged girl with the responsibility of giving birth to and raising the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

• Anyone who heard about her would think she was adulteress, and this was a crime that was usually punishable by dressing a woman in rags, dragging her into the streets, stoning her, spitting on her, degrading her, beating her and leaving her in the street as an example.

• Now Joseph,being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. However an angel came to him, and by God's grace, Joseph stayed with her. Most others, on the other hand, would view her as a liar and a blasphemer for saying God impregnated her, and a whore, for being adulterous, for the rest of her life. People would come to Jesus in His adult life and say "at least we know who are fathers are." referring to His mother being an adulteress.

• When Mary was ready to give birth to the Son of God, there was no room in the inn for her. She had to give birth in a stable with the animals.

• Then Herod tried killing all male children under the age of two in the area. So Mary and her new family had to flee.

• On top of all this, she would eventually have to see the torture, and crucifixion of her own son.

Most of us would not see God in this, we would not feel favored and would be in despair, thinking everything was going wrong for us at every turn.

Troubles and trials await anyone who seeks after God and follows Christ. He Himself went through troubles most of us could never imagine. However there is hope. In my next blog I will talk about why these trials are a blessing and why we can be sure God is guiding us through them for His perfect purpose and our benefit.

The Word of God breathes Hope.

Here is something that helped me recently, I hope it is a blessing to you. I encourage you all to stay in the Word of God

Eph 2:1-10 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (ESV)

Peace and Grace to you. Be blessed.

He'll use the weak to overcome the strong.

1 Cor 1:27-28
"God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are"

Once Saint Francis of Assisi was confronted by a brother who asked him repeatedly, "Why you? Why you?"
Francis responded, in today's terms "why me what?"
"Why does everyone want to see you? Hear you? Obey you? You are not all so handsome, nor learned, nor from a noble family. Yet the world seems to want to follow you," the brother said.
Then Francis raised his eyes to heaven,knelt in praise to God, and turned to his interrogator:

"You want to know? It is because the eyes of the Most High have willed it so. He continually watches the good and the wicked, and as His most holy eyes have not found among sinners any smaller man, nor any more insufficient and sinful, therefore He has chosen me to accomplish the marvelous work which God has undertaken; He chose me because He could find none more worthless, and He wished to confound the nobility and grandeur, the strength, the beauty, and the learning of this world."

The Shack: Blasphemy?

Found this interesting. Thought I would share.



Thoughts?

Desiring heaven or desiring God?

"Perfection comes when the pride of seeking heaven is sacrificed

for the pleasure of pleasing God" - Eric Lampkin

In the 1700's David Brainerd wrote in his journal about a woman who came to hear him preach. she was very upset and kept talking about how she was going to hell, and deserved it, and she didn't deserve God's grace saving her. He prayed for her over a period of time and when he saw her again she was quite happy, joyous in the Lord. He approached her and questioned what had changed, she told him she had realized even if God sent her to hell, she would happily go to be in His will. she later realized that it was God's will for her to be saved and spend eternity with Him.

This woman realized that seeking heaven won't bring us anything, but we should seek to follow God's will.

I had a thought about a year ago, that I still ponder upon to this day: "If I knew, for a fact, that when I die I would go to hell, would I still praise God and serve Him? If not, do I truly love God, or do I just want what He can give me?"

This is a good question I think we need to ask ourselves. It is not an easy one to answer. While I'd like to say I would continue serving Him and praising Him, I can't honestly be sure.

I do know, however, that we need to desire God, love Him truly, and serve Him, not just seek our ticket into Heaven. We will find that truly seeking God will fulfill our needs and desires, bringing us true joy. Everything else just brings temporary satisfaction, that pales in comparison.

Matt 23:25

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence."

Don't follow God for your own selfishness, follow Him out of love, because He loved you first. (1 John 4:9)

Forgiving the Unforgivable

(Corrie ten Boom tells her story of forgiveness when approached by one of her concentration camp guards.)

"It was in a church in Munich where I was speaking in 1947 that I saw him--a balding heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat, the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones.

Memories of the concentration camp came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor, the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister's frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment of skin.

Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland. This man had been a guard at Ravensbruck concentration camp where we were sent.

Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: "A fine message, fraulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!"

It was the first time since my release that I had been face to face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

"You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk," he was saying. "I was a guard there. But since that time," he went on, "I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein--" again the hand came out--"will you forgive me?"

And I stood there--and could not. Betsie had died in that place--could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

For I had to do it--I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. "If you do not forgive men their trespasses," Jesus says, "neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses."

Still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. "Jesus, help me!" I prayed silently. "I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling."

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

"I forgive you, brother!" I cried. "With all my heart!"

For a long moment we grasped each other's hands, the former guard and former prisoner. I had never known God's love so intensely as I did then.

With Corrie's willingness came God's power to forgive her former captor.

When you and I are willing to see our need for God's forgiveness, He is willing and able to forgive our sins. The Bible says that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 3:23; 6:23). But it goes on to explain that "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)."

We could all learn from this.

What fruits are you producing?

Sitting on the porch the other night, I talked with my dad about many things, as we sometimes do. We were talking about how you can never know a man's heart, only G-d can. Then, I brought up that we could know a man by the fruits he produced, as the Bible says.

To this my dad replied with something that dumbfounded me... "What fruits have you produced?"

I didn't know what to say... I was racking my brain for something... anything... I eventually named off a few things I could think of and we continued our conversation. However, this stuck with me. I think it is a question that we should daily be asking ourselves. "What fruit am I producing?" and maybe even with every action, "what fruit will this produce?"

The Bible says "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew5:14-16) and 2 Corinthians 5:20 calls us "Christ's representatives." If we are looked at as representatives of Christ, we need to be aware of what fruit we are producing and showing to the world.

I found myself at a lack of words with this question and realized, a plant producing no fruit is just as bad as one producing bad fruit, both are worthless and will be pulled up. I could eventually think of some fruit I had produced, but I realized this is not something I have ever had to think of before.

Remember to ask yourself "What fruit am I producing?"

John 15:2
"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes"

Matthew 7:15-20
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."

Are you being persecuted?

John 15:18-25
18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'

Christ says if we belong to the world it will love us, but if we belong to Him, it will hate us. Are you hated by the world? Do you live a life that shines G-d's light so brightly, that the world is blinded by it? Or are you living a dully lit life, so that the world can't see how you follow G-d and therefore does not persecute you.

Paul says in 2 Tim 3:12
"In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted"

An old-time evangelist once said, if I preach in a town and dont get chased out, I wonder whether I preached the right gospel or not. If we are preaching, and not facing persecution and hatred, it may be wise to seek G-d on whether we are preaching His true Word or not.

Matt 5:11-12
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 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.

And remember brothers and sisters, when you are persecuted, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse" - Rom 12:14

It's not how much you make. It's how much of it you give away.

There is a lot of talk of how much money Christian's make and even some presumptions on whether a person is a so-called "true Christian" by how many zeros are on his paycheck. But I submit that it not how much one makes but how much of it one gives away that shows where their heart is. Money is not the root of all evil, but it can be held and used very selfishly.

Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” G-d says in Job 41:11 , “Everything under heaven belongs to me.” Haggai 2:8 says, “'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty.” Psalm 50:10-12, “All the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. Every bird of the mountains and all the animals of the field belong to me. If I were hungry, I would not mention it to you, for all the world is mine and everything in it.”

It's pretty clear G-d is saying, He owns everything. It is all His. It's not a new thing for people to forget this, in the first chapter of Isaiah G-d says, “The ox and the donkey know their owner, but my people do not know who owns them.” Obviously as Christians we believe that G-d created us, and if that's not proof enough of His ownership then, think of Jesus and the price He paid for us, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says “You are not your own. You were bought at a price”

So G-d owns everything, including us, but we're only expected to give a tenth and then we're good right? Wrong. G-d owes us nothing. As a matter of fact we owe G-d a debt we can never repay. The Bible says we are to pay a tithe (10% of our income) This is to be a representation of our submission that all we have is G-d's. When we make money, it is a blessing, a gift from G-d. He blessed us with the job and the ability to do it, then He blessed our employer with the money to pay us. We are to be stewards of G-d's money that He bestows upon us and be in constant prayer over what He wants us to do with it.

G-d could bless a person with a million dollars and that person could give it all away, wisely praying about where to give it. He could then give another person twenty dollars and that person could go buy beer, cigarettes and gamble the rest away, without a thought or prayer of what G-d wants. Who do you think is in the right? The Christian who brought home a million or the one who brought home twenty dollars? 1 Corinthians 10:31 says “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” I believe this means, we should always be prayful about what we do with all our resources, dying to ourselves and our desires. For everything we do, we should do for G-d by His good and perfect will.

I leave you with a passage in Mark, where the opposite side of the story is seen, but the same lesson is taught. It's not how much you make. It's how much of it you give away.

Mark 12:41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

Regretting and Learning

When in Kansas City, I went with some friends to help feed and hang out with homeless people.



Sydney kept asking people to play tag, and eventually a bunch of us were literally running wild in the streets. A few of the homeless guys played and a whole lot of them cheered on and laughed joyously.




There was, however, one older man standing a ways behind me, who was not enjoying himself. I kept hearing him cussing and being pretty upset at us for some reason, and he eventually came up to me, to make sure I heard him. He was really upset that we were having fun and playing games. He kept bringing up all the sadness and how everyone playing was ignoring how horrible everything was and he said his wife was in the hospital dying...

I kind of tried to ignore him, because I'm pretty shy and unconfrontational and just didnt know what to say in general. One of the other homeless guys kept telling him things like "everyone else is enjoying themselves" and "no one else seems to mind man". I almost found myself upset at this guy who was taking such a beautiful joyous thing and being so against it. He eventually went away.

I left and didn't really think of him too much more... until I was on my way home, and the memory of him being right there by me, being so upset came rushing back and in my head, I turned and hugged him, and told him there was hope and that G-d cared for these things and loved Him and I prayed with Him. I broke down with the thoughts of what could have been... I feel like I failed to show G-d's love to this man who was so hurt... I'll never be able to forget this. I can't think about his face or words without crying.

And I hope this encourages you to show G-d's love. Always. When you uncomfortable, when your scared, when you just don't know what to do. We are called to be His hands and feet... and I kept my hands to myself that day...

plastic gods

Dear Dummy

Sometimes I feel like I get little messages from G-d.
I got one earlier and it went something like this...

"Dear dummy,

SHUT-UP.

-Love, G-d"

So let me give a little background as to why I got this message.
I was hanging out and thinking about one of my favorite bands, GISM, a japanese punk group. I was recalling the violent antics of their singer... instead of paraphrasing or something I'm just going to show you an excerpt on their front man from wikipedia...

"G.I.S.M. were widely known for violence present in their lyrics & live shows. Sakevi attacked the singer of Jagatara on national television. On stage, Sakevi would often be dressed on stage wearing a balaclava & bullet belt, waving lit flares in audience members' faces, using microphone stands as clubs, & attacking concert goers as Vietnam War footage was projected behind him. In the past he has attacked photographers for taking pictures of him & has chased audiences with a flamethrower."

So I was thinking about this. and some of you may find me pretty sick for it, but I was thinking... "that's so awesome." Kind of laughing to myself.

Violence is what is to be expected at punk shows, and the thought of a japanese punk front man chasing people with a flamethrower, was a thought I found pretty entertaining. It probably would have been different if it said he maimed a bunch of people... but just chasing them I found to be a great image in my head.

Anyways, I was thinking of it while I was on my way to grab a bible and read a bit while I waited on a download. So I open it up and here's the first thing I read...

Pslam 37:1-9
1 Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9 For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

Message recieved loud and clear.