Thursday, June 28, 2012
Looking Forward
The past few days have been a marvelous display of God's commitment to communication. Whenever we are faced with opportunities that we greatly desire to pursue yet find ourselves tied by various responsibilities, we must look for the message God is communicating. I have known far too many people who find themselves in a great gig, serving in a ministry right where they belong, when another opportunity presents itself. They immediately jump on the fresh avenue and abandon all they have worked for feeling certain that this new path would not have opened if they were not meant to traverse it. I do not believe this is always the case. Sometimes I truly believe God is just showing us the expanse of our possibilities in Him and uses this broadened perspective to help us appreciate the path we are on.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Daniel Ch. 12
Happy Monday! This weekend was great. On top of it being my birthday on Friday I got the opportunity to go home and spend quality time with my family, my roommate, my girlfriend, and my oldest friend Jake who is moving to Arizona in a few weeks. I am so blessed to have the friends and family that I do!
Final thoughts from Daniel (chapter 12):
So this wraps up the conversation Daniel is having, or rather listening to, with this great angel. He is told that at the end of time the dead will arise, some to eternal life and some to everlasting contempt. Two other people appear before Daniel and ask the angel when these things will take place in which they receive the vague answer "for a time, times and half a time." That really clears things up for me..
One of the last things the angel says to him is that "none of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand." This is what I would like to ponder.
I have always found much hope in this idea. This does not mean that if you are smart enough you will get it and all the ordinary people will just miss out. I believe it is talking about at the end times, the wise and the wicked. The wise would be those who lived their life with wisdom, who heeded advice from others, obeyed the law, did what they knew to be right. At the end times I believe they will see clearly the purpose behind all of their best efforts, and "understand" how they were part of a greater plan. The wicked, those who act with their own agenda and out of their own desires will be clouded by their wickedness, they will not be able to see clearly and understand. I think this verse from 1 Corinthians 13 shows this point well:
"Now we see but a poor reflection in a mirror; then we shall see face to face."
This is of course the verse at the top of my blog, it is one of my favorites. Paul is of course talking about those who are in Christ Jesus, those who live by wisdom and by the Truth. So here is the encouragement to all who believe in the Way: that even though it is very hard to see the point of living most of the time, one day we will see clearly... we will understand. Perhaps an example will illustrate this clearer:
When I was an employee at Chick-fil-a, there were many times I would work "behind the scenes." I would be working in the kitchen making chicken, wrapping it up, and then throwing it up to the front to be sold. There was a very meticulous method for assembling the chicken sandwiches into the bags, the top needed to be folded down three times to make sure the insulating layer was completely enclosing the sandwich. This often seemed like an unnecessary chore to me, and it would have been easy to get away with not doing it every time. Now what would happen if I never folded down the tops of the bag and then was given the opportunity to meet each one of the customers that had eaten one of my sandwiches. They would be angry they had a cold sandwich, and I would probably not feel as if I meant much to the company. Now if I had regularly took the extra time to fold the bag correctly and then met all the customers I had made sandwiches for, they would certainly be grateful for my efforts and I would be proud of the work I had done. In the first case, I would not understand as I would in the second case. This is just how it will be when we see our work here on earth for what it truly is. So there is the challenge, to do all things unto the Lord, as if we are being watched and one day will be judged.
That's all I got, stay blessed and highly favored!
Final thoughts from Daniel (chapter 12):
So this wraps up the conversation Daniel is having, or rather listening to, with this great angel. He is told that at the end of time the dead will arise, some to eternal life and some to everlasting contempt. Two other people appear before Daniel and ask the angel when these things will take place in which they receive the vague answer "for a time, times and half a time." That really clears things up for me..
One of the last things the angel says to him is that "none of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand." This is what I would like to ponder.
I have always found much hope in this idea. This does not mean that if you are smart enough you will get it and all the ordinary people will just miss out. I believe it is talking about at the end times, the wise and the wicked. The wise would be those who lived their life with wisdom, who heeded advice from others, obeyed the law, did what they knew to be right. At the end times I believe they will see clearly the purpose behind all of their best efforts, and "understand" how they were part of a greater plan. The wicked, those who act with their own agenda and out of their own desires will be clouded by their wickedness, they will not be able to see clearly and understand. I think this verse from 1 Corinthians 13 shows this point well:
"Now we see but a poor reflection in a mirror; then we shall see face to face."
This is of course the verse at the top of my blog, it is one of my favorites. Paul is of course talking about those who are in Christ Jesus, those who live by wisdom and by the Truth. So here is the encouragement to all who believe in the Way: that even though it is very hard to see the point of living most of the time, one day we will see clearly... we will understand. Perhaps an example will illustrate this clearer:
When I was an employee at Chick-fil-a, there were many times I would work "behind the scenes." I would be working in the kitchen making chicken, wrapping it up, and then throwing it up to the front to be sold. There was a very meticulous method for assembling the chicken sandwiches into the bags, the top needed to be folded down three times to make sure the insulating layer was completely enclosing the sandwich. This often seemed like an unnecessary chore to me, and it would have been easy to get away with not doing it every time. Now what would happen if I never folded down the tops of the bag and then was given the opportunity to meet each one of the customers that had eaten one of my sandwiches. They would be angry they had a cold sandwich, and I would probably not feel as if I meant much to the company. Now if I had regularly took the extra time to fold the bag correctly and then met all the customers I had made sandwiches for, they would certainly be grateful for my efforts and I would be proud of the work I had done. In the first case, I would not understand as I would in the second case. This is just how it will be when we see our work here on earth for what it truly is. So there is the challenge, to do all things unto the Lord, as if we are being watched and one day will be judged.
That's all I got, stay blessed and highly favored!
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Daniel Ch. 11
Today was a success of a day. Got the grass mowed, tires put on my car, and made some money. I am pretty tired and am ready for a relaxing birthday weekend up at the lake!
Here is the thing about Daniel chapter 11. I had an extremely difficult time following what was happening and I had a lot of trouble thinking of something to write about. So, here it is:
sometimes things are just over our heads!
Stay blessed and highly favored!
Here is the thing about Daniel chapter 11. I had an extremely difficult time following what was happening and I had a lot of trouble thinking of something to write about. So, here it is:
sometimes things are just over our heads!
Stay blessed and highly favored!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Daniel Ch. 10
Another relaxing day. Intended on going to Savannah to talk with people on the streets, but had to postpone because of the rain. Instead me and Dan spend a great deal of time talking about the importance of language and being able to speak clearly in both translating between languages and in "translating" ideas by using pictures and other oratory tools. Interesting stuff!
Tomorrow will be a great test for me. Here's the to-do list:
Tutoring at 10 a.m.
Mow grass at CCF
Take car to get new tires
Get packed to leave Friday
Go to CCF
Just have to stay focused and do what I need to do! Here are my thoughts on the 10th chapter of Daniel:
You would think at some point Daniel would get a break... but no, he has another terrifying vision; this time of a man with a "face like lighting, his eyes like flaming torches..." This entire chapter is Daniel trying to find the strength just to listen to what this man has to say.
"When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said 'Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.'" (19)
I think a lot of times we lose the strength to listen to God. Now why is this? What a ridiculous thing to say! I believe it is because we see listening to God some great chore, or rather, we feel we need to be in a certain environment to listen to God. On the beach, in a church, alone and away from our worries... what a hassle to find the strength to find the time to listen to God! But here is the problem we will find ourselves in if we live with this mindset, we will never find the strength! God is right in front of us with His hand over us, pleading with us to listen to His voice while we fill our minds with the noise of the world around us. The ironic thing is that the only thing that will give us the strength to listen to God's Word is His voice, "When he spoke to me, I was strengthened..."
Why won't we listen to Him when He speaks right to us? If we would just stop and listen, we would find the strength to keep listening. God's voice is our source of strength. His Word is what gives life to our bodies. Never let anything interfere with hearing His voice.
Short and sweet. Stay blessed and highly favored!
Tomorrow will be a great test for me. Here's the to-do list:
Tutoring at 10 a.m.
Mow grass at CCF
Take car to get new tires
Get packed to leave Friday
Go to CCF
Just have to stay focused and do what I need to do! Here are my thoughts on the 10th chapter of Daniel:
You would think at some point Daniel would get a break... but no, he has another terrifying vision; this time of a man with a "face like lighting, his eyes like flaming torches..." This entire chapter is Daniel trying to find the strength just to listen to what this man has to say.
"When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said 'Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.'" (19)
I think a lot of times we lose the strength to listen to God. Now why is this? What a ridiculous thing to say! I believe it is because we see listening to God some great chore, or rather, we feel we need to be in a certain environment to listen to God. On the beach, in a church, alone and away from our worries... what a hassle to find the strength to find the time to listen to God! But here is the problem we will find ourselves in if we live with this mindset, we will never find the strength! God is right in front of us with His hand over us, pleading with us to listen to His voice while we fill our minds with the noise of the world around us. The ironic thing is that the only thing that will give us the strength to listen to God's Word is His voice, "When he spoke to me, I was strengthened..."
Why won't we listen to Him when He speaks right to us? If we would just stop and listen, we would find the strength to keep listening. God's voice is our source of strength. His Word is what gives life to our bodies. Never let anything interfere with hearing His voice.
Short and sweet. Stay blessed and highly favored!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Daniel Ch. 9
Well today was eventful indeed! My bike is all fixed up and ready to go... but of course it rained all day! Made some money this morning tutoring. Considered doing a great many other things.
Got a taste of interning tonight at CCF. I helped out with the worship band getting everyone on the same page, transposing keys for people, and encouraging everyone to stay focused. It is a desire of mine to let everyone play who wants to play, and sometimes there is a great test of patience that comes along with such a vision. Nevertheless we got it done and we will see out worship goes Thursday night!
Now for some thoughts on Daniel chapter 9:
So Daniel is reading through the book of Jeremiah (what a thought!) and "understands" that the destruction of Jerusalem will take 70 years. He then proceeds to pray an intercessory prayer for the people of Jerusalem that is quite beautiful.
One verse I would like to point out: "Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy." (18) Here is the idea:
the attitude of prayer
Back in my old room there was a quote written on the door, "Prayer is not asking, it is experiencing." What is prayer? Certainly some part of it is asking... Daniel is certainly praying here and asking something of God. But what I would suggest is that the reason Daniel's prayer is answered immediately has nothing to do with what, when, or how he is asking. What does Gabriel tell Daniel? "As soon as you began to pray [before he asked for anything!], an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed." HA! What does that mean? It sounds like to me that God did not just "decide" to answer Daniel's prayer. It sounds like to me that God was planning on doing exactly what He was going to do regardless of what Daniel's prayer said. The reason God sent Gabriel to Daniel was to let him in on His plan. Daniel had the attitude of prayer.
What does that mean, the attitude of prayer? Go back to verse 18. Daniel acknowledges that it is God's city that He is pleading for, that it is for God's glory that he desires it to be saved.
Step 1: Have the right motive!
If we do not have in mind the things of God, but rather the ambitions of man, we do not have the right motive for praying. If we think we have some righteousness or worth on our own accord, if we think that God "owes" us something, we have the wrong motive. God's mercy is our ONLY plea. Always.
Step 2: Stand on God's promises, not our agenda.
We are called to experience God's plan. To be a part of it. We really do not get a lot of say in what God ultimately does, which is why it is so important that we get to know Him and understand His heart. The more we seek to understand Him, to have the right attitude, the more He will reveal to us. And that is a promise!
That is all for now, stay blessed and highly [esteemed]!
Got a taste of interning tonight at CCF. I helped out with the worship band getting everyone on the same page, transposing keys for people, and encouraging everyone to stay focused. It is a desire of mine to let everyone play who wants to play, and sometimes there is a great test of patience that comes along with such a vision. Nevertheless we got it done and we will see out worship goes Thursday night!
Now for some thoughts on Daniel chapter 9:
So Daniel is reading through the book of Jeremiah (what a thought!) and "understands" that the destruction of Jerusalem will take 70 years. He then proceeds to pray an intercessory prayer for the people of Jerusalem that is quite beautiful.
One verse I would like to point out: "Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy." (18) Here is the idea:
the attitude of prayer
Back in my old room there was a quote written on the door, "Prayer is not asking, it is experiencing." What is prayer? Certainly some part of it is asking... Daniel is certainly praying here and asking something of God. But what I would suggest is that the reason Daniel's prayer is answered immediately has nothing to do with what, when, or how he is asking. What does Gabriel tell Daniel? "As soon as you began to pray [before he asked for anything!], an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed." HA! What does that mean? It sounds like to me that God did not just "decide" to answer Daniel's prayer. It sounds like to me that God was planning on doing exactly what He was going to do regardless of what Daniel's prayer said. The reason God sent Gabriel to Daniel was to let him in on His plan. Daniel had the attitude of prayer.
What does that mean, the attitude of prayer? Go back to verse 18. Daniel acknowledges that it is God's city that He is pleading for, that it is for God's glory that he desires it to be saved.
Step 1: Have the right motive!
If we do not have in mind the things of God, but rather the ambitions of man, we do not have the right motive for praying. If we think we have some righteousness or worth on our own accord, if we think that God "owes" us something, we have the wrong motive. God's mercy is our ONLY plea. Always.
Step 2: Stand on God's promises, not our agenda.
We are called to experience God's plan. To be a part of it. We really do not get a lot of say in what God ultimately does, which is why it is so important that we get to know Him and understand His heart. The more we seek to understand Him, to have the right attitude, the more He will reveal to us. And that is a promise!
That is all for now, stay blessed and highly [esteemed]!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Daniel Ch. 8
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| New bike - back tire! |
Competition had started being a theme throughout my days recently. I am reminded of Psalm 73 verses 2-3: "But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." As a physics major, it has always been a challenge seeing my colleagues around me succeed. One of my friends is going to Cornell next year, several others to Georgia Tech. I know that God has his own timing and will fulfill the desires of my heart, but sometimes I find myself asking why I am taking a year off from school, why I am going to work at a ministry making nothing. I have to constantly remind myself of the opportunity I have right now, before "the days of trouble come" and I am left struggling to make it. One day I hope to have a family to provide for, and I may not have this chance again. So for that I am thankful.
Now for thoughts on Daniel chapter 8:
Daniel... maybe needs to watch what he's eating. He has another crazy vision, this time of a ram with two horns, one longer but the other growing, and of a goat with a horn that breaks and is replaced by four others. We are told Daniel is in bed sick for days after having this vision, I guess I can't blame him after Gabriel comes and tells him to "seal up the vision" for it concerns "the time of wrath".
I don't know about you, but it I do not frequently have dreams of goats and rams and angels telling about the days of wrath. So what can we learn from this chapter we most likely have difficulty relating to?
As we grow in our faith and and become spiritually mature, God will begin entrusting us with wisdom that we may not understand right away. But think about what wisdom is... wisdom by definition is a form of foreknowledge that is intended to help us at some later point. When I would hear stories from my dad about different challenges that I may face in my life. I may not have fully understood at the time what the moral of the story was, but I would take it for what it was, a story. Later on in my life, often when I would least expect it, I would face a similar situation as one of the characters I would hear about as a child and be better equipped to face that particular challenge.
So what can we take away from this vision? I don't really know. Maybe I haven't faced what this vision was intended to prepare me for. The way I see it is that this is just one more facet of God's wisdom that I have had the privilege of taping into and I will be better because of it. Other than that, a story is just a story so enjoy it=]
That's all for today, stay blessed and highly favored!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Daniel Ch. 7
Today was a great day to relax and rest from the stress I had been putting on myself. I gave some guitar lessons to a friend and spent some time in fellowship. Me and Erin cooked dinner together and made some corn on the cob, honey lime chicken, and black beans. It was delicious! Looking forward to a relaxing weekend here in Statesboro.
Daniel 7:
Well I really have no interest in discussing the implications of Daniel's dream. I knew it would be a challenge in the last few chapters to stay objective and not put a whole lot of my personal interpretation into my discussion, so I will try to focus just on one verse.
"But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever-yes, for ever and ever."
There are some crazy things going on in this chapter. Crazy things. But the parallel I think is important is that there are crazy things going on in our world today. Not just in the news, but in our daily lives. Things that are not very well understood, that are both vague and out of reach. As we face the uncertainty of the events ahead of us, there is one thing we must remember. That we are part of a greater Kingdom than any on this earth. We serve a King who is greater than any of the kings on this earth. What happens to the four kingdoms? They are allowed to live for a period of time, then pass away. But if we will take hold of the Kingdom today, renounce our citizenship of earthly kingdoms and live for eternity, we will possess life forever.
I had some Jehovah's witnesses come to my door the other day. Their entire message was the impiety of political participation. This is not what I mean by renouncing our earthly citizenship. I believe we have a responsibility to our government, to elect officials who will lead with integrity regardless of their religious beliefs. But we must place our faith in our eternal Kingdom, knowing that the earthly kingdom we serve here will one day pass away. This is the goal, to stay focused on where we truly belong and not be swayed by what is at hand or what is to come.
That's all I got for tonight! Good night and stay blessed and highly favored.
Daniel 7:
Well I really have no interest in discussing the implications of Daniel's dream. I knew it would be a challenge in the last few chapters to stay objective and not put a whole lot of my personal interpretation into my discussion, so I will try to focus just on one verse.
"But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever-yes, for ever and ever."
There are some crazy things going on in this chapter. Crazy things. But the parallel I think is important is that there are crazy things going on in our world today. Not just in the news, but in our daily lives. Things that are not very well understood, that are both vague and out of reach. As we face the uncertainty of the events ahead of us, there is one thing we must remember. That we are part of a greater Kingdom than any on this earth. We serve a King who is greater than any of the kings on this earth. What happens to the four kingdoms? They are allowed to live for a period of time, then pass away. But if we will take hold of the Kingdom today, renounce our citizenship of earthly kingdoms and live for eternity, we will possess life forever.
I had some Jehovah's witnesses come to my door the other day. Their entire message was the impiety of political participation. This is not what I mean by renouncing our earthly citizenship. I believe we have a responsibility to our government, to elect officials who will lead with integrity regardless of their religious beliefs. But we must place our faith in our eternal Kingdom, knowing that the earthly kingdom we serve here will one day pass away. This is the goal, to stay focused on where we truly belong and not be swayed by what is at hand or what is to come.
That's all I got for tonight! Good night and stay blessed and highly favored.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Daniel Ch. 6
A very important lesson learned today for the millionth time. I can not do everything. I need to rest. I don't get it, this used to be my motto and now I am completely neglecting it! Oh well, going to take it easy this weekend =].
Thoughts on Daniel 6:
This is just a beautiful story. I am quite tired and this story has greatly comforted me. Such a display of God's faithfulness. A few highlights that really stick out:
When we are walking in the favor of the Lord, there will be people who are filled with jealousy.
Daniel is so steadfast in his walk with the Lord that there is no hesitation in continuing his routine when the decree is ordered.
King Darius's intercession for Daniel. Such a powerful yet simple prayer, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"Darius sees that there is something special about Daniel and reacts in true humility.
Well it is bed time! As always, stay blessed and highly favored!
Thoughts on Daniel 6:
This is just a beautiful story. I am quite tired and this story has greatly comforted me. Such a display of God's faithfulness. A few highlights that really stick out:
When we are walking in the favor of the Lord, there will be people who are filled with jealousy.
Daniel is so steadfast in his walk with the Lord that there is no hesitation in continuing his routine when the decree is ordered.
King Darius's intercession for Daniel. Such a powerful yet simple prayer, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"Darius sees that there is something special about Daniel and reacts in true humility.
Well it is bed time! As always, stay blessed and highly favored!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Daniel Ch. 5
Good day! What a wonderful day to be alive.
Picture of the day:
Now for some thoughts on Daniel chapter 5:
Picture of the day:
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| Me and my roommates on our camping trip to North Carolina. |
Now for some thoughts on Daniel chapter 5:
Like father like son eh? So we have this new character King Belshezzar who is said to be Nebuchadnezzar's son. I am guessing that the whole "honor God and worship only Him" business was not talked about at their dinner table because Belshezzar absolutely did not get the message. He brings out the sacred dishes the Babylonians had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and partied it up. God runs out of compassion and sends the hand down to right the condemning words. The king consults his wise men first with no luck. His mom reminds him of this guy Daniel who seems to be real good with puzzles so the king sends for him. Daniel tells him the writing on the wall in essence says that he is about to die and his kingdom removed from his hands. So at the end of the rope, Belshazzar has a choice, and I think it is really interesting the choice he makes.
First let's generalize Belshazzar's situation. I believe it is safe to assume he knew he was running from God. This most likely was not a "spur of the moment" incident with the gold and silver dishes. This is a guy who is consciously choosing to live in sin and God is giving him his last chance. I can relate a great deal to this situation just as most others. I grew up hearing the mistakes that my friends and family had made in their past and the strong warnings to honor God with my life. I chose to rebel anyways, and spent many years running from my own guilt and shame. So what kind of response are we going to have when God meets us with such a direct sentence? Here are a few I can think of:
1. Keep running from the truth.
Anger, fear, shame... all of these emotions can keep us in a state of solitude from the helping hand of repentance. Guilt will drive us to crazy ends... and if we don't let down our pride and repent quick we will surely parish into the loneliness of being separated from grace forever. This is how King Ahab responded to Micaiah when placed on the hot seat... and soon found an arrow in between his armor.
2. Try to replace a "good" for what is "best".
This is probably what we do most often when we have been accused, and it is what Belshezzar did after Daniel gave him the interpretation of the words on the wall. But this reaction, even more so than running from God, shows ones ignorance on the true nature of God. We think that we can justify our actions by doing some small "noble" act right at the end. Maybe we offer up a few favors to our accuser or start listing all the reasons we start listing off all of our meaningless accomplishments. For Belshezzar it was making Daniel the third highest ranking leader of his kingdom. But we see what this amounts to... Belshezzar died in his sleep that night, and we surely will too if we do not see what is the "best" thing we can do in any situation.
3. Humble ourselves before God.
This is the best choice always. There are no guarantees on what God will do in any situation, but the bible says that if we humble ourselves before God, He will lift us up in due time. =]
That is all! I have a lot on the agenda today do until tomorrow, stay blessed and highly favored!
First let's generalize Belshazzar's situation. I believe it is safe to assume he knew he was running from God. This most likely was not a "spur of the moment" incident with the gold and silver dishes. This is a guy who is consciously choosing to live in sin and God is giving him his last chance. I can relate a great deal to this situation just as most others. I grew up hearing the mistakes that my friends and family had made in their past and the strong warnings to honor God with my life. I chose to rebel anyways, and spent many years running from my own guilt and shame. So what kind of response are we going to have when God meets us with such a direct sentence? Here are a few I can think of:
1. Keep running from the truth.
Anger, fear, shame... all of these emotions can keep us in a state of solitude from the helping hand of repentance. Guilt will drive us to crazy ends... and if we don't let down our pride and repent quick we will surely parish into the loneliness of being separated from grace forever. This is how King Ahab responded to Micaiah when placed on the hot seat... and soon found an arrow in between his armor.
2. Try to replace a "good" for what is "best".
This is probably what we do most often when we have been accused, and it is what Belshezzar did after Daniel gave him the interpretation of the words on the wall. But this reaction, even more so than running from God, shows ones ignorance on the true nature of God. We think that we can justify our actions by doing some small "noble" act right at the end. Maybe we offer up a few favors to our accuser or start listing all the reasons we start listing off all of our meaningless accomplishments. For Belshezzar it was making Daniel the third highest ranking leader of his kingdom. But we see what this amounts to... Belshezzar died in his sleep that night, and we surely will too if we do not see what is the "best" thing we can do in any situation.
3. Humble ourselves before God.
This is the best choice always. There are no guarantees on what God will do in any situation, but the bible says that if we humble ourselves before God, He will lift us up in due time. =]
That is all! I have a lot on the agenda today do until tomorrow, stay blessed and highly favored!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Daniel Ch. 4
So I learned an important lesson this weekend. I want home to stay at my parent's new lake house to spend time with my Dad on his 50th birthday. I had a wonderful time, but I realized quickly I would not be able to blog while I was there since we had no internet. At first I was frustrated, but quickly was reminded about the importance of rest and escaping. Here I am! Refreshed and ready for a new week of preparation.
Picture of the Day:
Now Daniel chapter 4:
Nebuchadnezzar. What a character! I think this line describes him quite well, "I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid." The epitome of "riding your circumstances" if you ask me. If his kingdom is prosperous he has no worries. He issues decrees as they are ordered to him, doesn't think for himself. He has one dream and all of his peace goes out the window. Then he is disciplined.
Discipline.
I don't know anyone that enjoys discipline. We like to float along like Nebuchadnezzar was doing. We like to give money away, as long as we have plenty for ourselves. We like to help people out, if we have the time to do it. We like to do whatever it takes to make people happy and keep our circumstances in high esteem. But think about how this affects our relationship with God. God desires our praise, adoration, respect, and worship regardless of our circumstances. If we break down and run to our "wise men" first as Nebuchadnezzar did when things get tough, how does that reflect our loyalty to God's name?
What are the "wise men" (things we cling to when things get tough in our lives) in our lives?
God wants to break us of those things. Whether it is a relationship, our prosperity, or maybe just our sanity, God is more than willing to strip us of everything, make us eat grass for seven years, anything to get our attention and turn our head toward Heaven. Pretty simple. But He will always leave the stump for us=].
Well that is all for now! Stay blessed and highly favored.
Picture of the Day:
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| Me and my fellow Georgia Southern Christian Campus Fellowship graduates! |
Nebuchadnezzar. What a character! I think this line describes him quite well, "I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid." The epitome of "riding your circumstances" if you ask me. If his kingdom is prosperous he has no worries. He issues decrees as they are ordered to him, doesn't think for himself. He has one dream and all of his peace goes out the window. Then he is disciplined.
Discipline.
I don't know anyone that enjoys discipline. We like to float along like Nebuchadnezzar was doing. We like to give money away, as long as we have plenty for ourselves. We like to help people out, if we have the time to do it. We like to do whatever it takes to make people happy and keep our circumstances in high esteem. But think about how this affects our relationship with God. God desires our praise, adoration, respect, and worship regardless of our circumstances. If we break down and run to our "wise men" first as Nebuchadnezzar did when things get tough, how does that reflect our loyalty to God's name?
What are the "wise men" (things we cling to when things get tough in our lives) in our lives?
God wants to break us of those things. Whether it is a relationship, our prosperity, or maybe just our sanity, God is more than willing to strip us of everything, make us eat grass for seven years, anything to get our attention and turn our head toward Heaven. Pretty simple. But He will always leave the stump for us=].
Well that is all for now! Stay blessed and highly favored.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Daniel Ch. 3
Another great day! Had the opportunity to give some guitar lessons to my friend Jessi, drink some milkshakes with my buds Ant and Kinley, and study a good bit of physics. Tomorrow my Aunt Susan is coming to pick me up and take me up to Atlanta to spend time with my family=].
I had a lesson in patience today as well. When I checked my account, there was a transaction for $140.00 for some mouse rugs? No idea where it came from and after an hour of dialogue over the phone it was all worked out. Good news!
Now for some thoughts on Daniel chapter 3:
For whatever reason Nebuchadnezzar orders the whole kingdom to bow down to this large gold statue of himself. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendago, however, want nothing to do with such worship. Am I the only one who is wondering where Daniel is during this story? So anyways the "astrologers" (probably some of the same people that Daniel saved in the last chapter) catch on and order the king (order the king?) to order them to be thrown into the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar, being the nice guy that he is, gives the trio one last chance before turning up the furnace 7 times hotter than normal and roasting them. Now it is their turn to make the choice, which leads us into my thought for today:
Waiting upon the Lord.
Read S, M, and A's reply: "King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us it...but even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." What do they decide to do? Wait upon the Lord. Whenever we are faced with a crucial decision, this is always the best choice. So what does this look like? Here are the two crucial steps I see:
1. Do not try to defend yourself.
Defending ourselves is always our first instinct. Any time we are put on the spot, maybe we have made a mistake and got caught or been falsely accused, we want to explain ourselves. Explain why it is not fair, how others do not understand; and maybe we are right. Surely S, M, and A were "justified" in not bowing down to the idol of gold. But they did not try to defend themselves, they knew they were honoring God and let their actions speak for themselves.
2. Wait with expectancy and not expectations.
This is huge! Often times when I think about waiting on God, I think about Him doing a specific act in His own timing. God will give me a girlfriend in His timing. God will heal me of this disease in His timing. God will give me a job in His timing. We put our to-do list in God's agenda. No! That is not how God works at all. What did S, M, and A say? Our God is able to deliver us. Not our God will deliver us, He is able. They even lay out how what will happen if God does not. They will still praise Him! Their hope is in the Author, not the outcome. They have expectancy that God will do what is best for them, with no expectations of what will happen. Waiting on the Lord. It's what we are called to do each and every day!
Have a great weekend and as always, stay blessed and highly favored!
I had a lesson in patience today as well. When I checked my account, there was a transaction for $140.00 for some mouse rugs? No idea where it came from and after an hour of dialogue over the phone it was all worked out. Good news!
Now for some thoughts on Daniel chapter 3:
For whatever reason Nebuchadnezzar orders the whole kingdom to bow down to this large gold statue of himself. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendago, however, want nothing to do with such worship. Am I the only one who is wondering where Daniel is during this story? So anyways the "astrologers" (probably some of the same people that Daniel saved in the last chapter) catch on and order the king (order the king?) to order them to be thrown into the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar, being the nice guy that he is, gives the trio one last chance before turning up the furnace 7 times hotter than normal and roasting them. Now it is their turn to make the choice, which leads us into my thought for today:
Waiting upon the Lord.
Read S, M, and A's reply: "King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us it...but even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." What do they decide to do? Wait upon the Lord. Whenever we are faced with a crucial decision, this is always the best choice. So what does this look like? Here are the two crucial steps I see:
1. Do not try to defend yourself.
Defending ourselves is always our first instinct. Any time we are put on the spot, maybe we have made a mistake and got caught or been falsely accused, we want to explain ourselves. Explain why it is not fair, how others do not understand; and maybe we are right. Surely S, M, and A were "justified" in not bowing down to the idol of gold. But they did not try to defend themselves, they knew they were honoring God and let their actions speak for themselves.
2. Wait with expectancy and not expectations.
This is huge! Often times when I think about waiting on God, I think about Him doing a specific act in His own timing. God will give me a girlfriend in His timing. God will heal me of this disease in His timing. God will give me a job in His timing. We put our to-do list in God's agenda. No! That is not how God works at all. What did S, M, and A say? Our God is able to deliver us. Not our God will deliver us, He is able. They even lay out how what will happen if God does not. They will still praise Him! Their hope is in the Author, not the outcome. They have expectancy that God will do what is best for them, with no expectations of what will happen. Waiting on the Lord. It's what we are called to do each and every day!
Have a great weekend and as always, stay blessed and highly favored!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Daniel Ch. 2
I met with my friend Dan Barber today, he is a great brother who is fluent in both Spanish and French. He taught me some new Spanish verbs and then we discussed possibly doing some homeless ministry in Savannah this summer. Exciting stuff!
I purchased a new guitar on Monday which I consider both a graduation present to myself and a ministry donation to CCF as we do not have an acoustic-electric guitar for summer worship. My old acoustic guitar I gave away in Peru, and after being blessed with a new guitar right before going to Costa Rica I also gave that one away. Hopefully I will keep this new one for a while! I will get the opportunity to play it tonight for CCF's Thursday night bible study. Here is a picture:
So now onto Daniel chapter two!
We find Daniel living in Babylon working for the king, being faithful to God, and finding favor in those around him. King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that troubles him greatly and sends for all the magicians and astrologers to not only interpret the dream but give the details as well. The wise men see this as an impossible task and are greatly distressed when the king ordered them all to be executed. When Daniel hears of this decree, he makes a decision to intercede for the other wise men.
Let us think about the idea of intercession.
First of all, when is intercession necessary?
Intercession is one of those words that has a lot of different connotations to different people, some people may say that it is intense prayer, others may say it is an act of sacrifice. I do not like to get caught up in definitions, I prefer to look at functionality. I believe intercession is necessary whenever there is a specific need that no natural means will fulfill. This happens all the time in our lives. All the time. A family member becomes terminally ill, someone you know gets laid off, or maybe we are just going through a slump and cannot seem to find joy in anything we do. I will make one discrepancy between prayer and intercession. While prayer is ubiquitous for all needs, in my mind intercession involves the needs of others. Going back to Daniel, it was not just him who was going to be executed if the dream was not interpreted. He was standing in the gap between the king and the other wise men of Babylon.
Next, how do we intercede for the needs of others?
For this question, let us go by what the bible says. I will summarize the steps of intercession in three points:
1. Identification
When Daniel heard that the king was to kill all the wise men of Babylon, he returned to his friends and "urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven, so that he and his friends might not be executed..." It was very easy for Daniel to identify with the needs of the wise men, for he shared that need. But this is not always the case. Many times we will have friends who have a need in their life in which we do not understand. Even if this is the case we can always identify with man's inherent fallibility, and this is the key to intercession. When Nebuchadnezzar asks Daniel whether or not he could interpret the dream, he identifies with the sorcerers', magicians', and wise mens' inability to retell the dream and gives God the opportunity to claim the victory.
2. Thanksgiving
I have always seen thanksgiving as the biggest part of having faith. If we remain in the attitude of a beggar, waiting and pleading for God to act, we are not acting in faith. As soon as we know God has heard us we should give thanks knowing that He will act in the best way possible. As soon as God tells Daniel the dream and interpretation, he begins praising God and giving thanks for hearing his plea, even though the need is not yet fulfilled. Faith is in what God is going to do, not what He has done.
3. Action
Part of being in a healthy relationship is it not being one-sided. Growing up I loved helping my mom cook. Sometimes I would ask her to prepare a specific dish for me that I loved very much. She would provide all the ingredients, set up the instruments, and give me instructions, but in the end she always left me to execute the cooking. Even though she was right there watching me it was often terrifying, my greatest fear was messing up. But if she had made it for me I would have never had the opportunity to learn and to grow. The same is true with God. It would have been easy for God to strike down the king and prevent the executions himself, but that would not help establish His relationship with man. God is always setting up opportunities for us to grow closer to Him, if we are willing to act. By standing before the king and believing in the preparation God had given him Daniel partners with God to save the lives of many people. We have that same privilege each and every day, to partner with God and to grow closer to Him.
So that is the big idea. When we see a need, we must identify with those in need, give thanks knowing that God is the fulfillment of that need, and be willing to act in whatever way is necessary. Intercession!
That is all for today, stay blessed and highly favored!
I purchased a new guitar on Monday which I consider both a graduation present to myself and a ministry donation to CCF as we do not have an acoustic-electric guitar for summer worship. My old acoustic guitar I gave away in Peru, and after being blessed with a new guitar right before going to Costa Rica I also gave that one away. Hopefully I will keep this new one for a while! I will get the opportunity to play it tonight for CCF's Thursday night bible study. Here is a picture:
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| New Guitar |
So now onto Daniel chapter two!
We find Daniel living in Babylon working for the king, being faithful to God, and finding favor in those around him. King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that troubles him greatly and sends for all the magicians and astrologers to not only interpret the dream but give the details as well. The wise men see this as an impossible task and are greatly distressed when the king ordered them all to be executed. When Daniel hears of this decree, he makes a decision to intercede for the other wise men.
Let us think about the idea of intercession.
First of all, when is intercession necessary?
Intercession is one of those words that has a lot of different connotations to different people, some people may say that it is intense prayer, others may say it is an act of sacrifice. I do not like to get caught up in definitions, I prefer to look at functionality. I believe intercession is necessary whenever there is a specific need that no natural means will fulfill. This happens all the time in our lives. All the time. A family member becomes terminally ill, someone you know gets laid off, or maybe we are just going through a slump and cannot seem to find joy in anything we do. I will make one discrepancy between prayer and intercession. While prayer is ubiquitous for all needs, in my mind intercession involves the needs of others. Going back to Daniel, it was not just him who was going to be executed if the dream was not interpreted. He was standing in the gap between the king and the other wise men of Babylon.
Next, how do we intercede for the needs of others?
For this question, let us go by what the bible says. I will summarize the steps of intercession in three points:
1. Identification
When Daniel heard that the king was to kill all the wise men of Babylon, he returned to his friends and "urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven, so that he and his friends might not be executed..." It was very easy for Daniel to identify with the needs of the wise men, for he shared that need. But this is not always the case. Many times we will have friends who have a need in their life in which we do not understand. Even if this is the case we can always identify with man's inherent fallibility, and this is the key to intercession. When Nebuchadnezzar asks Daniel whether or not he could interpret the dream, he identifies with the sorcerers', magicians', and wise mens' inability to retell the dream and gives God the opportunity to claim the victory.
2. Thanksgiving
I have always seen thanksgiving as the biggest part of having faith. If we remain in the attitude of a beggar, waiting and pleading for God to act, we are not acting in faith. As soon as we know God has heard us we should give thanks knowing that He will act in the best way possible. As soon as God tells Daniel the dream and interpretation, he begins praising God and giving thanks for hearing his plea, even though the need is not yet fulfilled. Faith is in what God is going to do, not what He has done.
3. Action
Part of being in a healthy relationship is it not being one-sided. Growing up I loved helping my mom cook. Sometimes I would ask her to prepare a specific dish for me that I loved very much. She would provide all the ingredients, set up the instruments, and give me instructions, but in the end she always left me to execute the cooking. Even though she was right there watching me it was often terrifying, my greatest fear was messing up. But if she had made it for me I would have never had the opportunity to learn and to grow. The same is true with God. It would have been easy for God to strike down the king and prevent the executions himself, but that would not help establish His relationship with man. God is always setting up opportunities for us to grow closer to Him, if we are willing to act. By standing before the king and believing in the preparation God had given him Daniel partners with God to save the lives of many people. We have that same privilege each and every day, to partner with God and to grow closer to Him.
So that is the big idea. When we see a need, we must identify with those in need, give thanks knowing that God is the fulfillment of that need, and be willing to act in whatever way is necessary. Intercession!
That is all for today, stay blessed and highly favored!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Daniel Ch. 1
So far so good for my agenda this summer. Here are my daily goals:
1. Blog a devotion everyday.
2. Learn Spanish (or improve my Spanish...).
3. Spend a good amount of time working on getting a paper published.
4. Pray for my wonderful students I will be leading next year!
5. Write music.
It is a quite ambitious but I have to stay disciplined! I never would have imagined how hard it is to have all the free time in the world. But for now I have a little less than an hour before I have to take Erin to work so I will give my thoughts on my reading today, Daniel chapter 1:
As I have grown older, my perspective on biblical stories has changed drastically. In the case of Daniel I would say that I have begun to pity him less and less as a refugee to Babylon against his will and begun to see the opportunity that was placed in front of him. He certainly was taken to Babylon on a decree from King Nebuchadnezzar, but think about who Daniel was. The bible says he was a young man "without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning..." and that he himself was from a royal family. Now taking some liberty with my characterization I see a lot of myself in Daniel, perhaps write before I was going off to college. I am not from a royal family but I certainly had a passion to learn new things and a huge heart for adventure. Part of me thinks that Daniel may have been very excited at the opportunity to move to a new place and begin working for such a prestigious kingdom.
So we have Daniel, along with his three friends Shadrach Messhach and Abendago, living in the kings palace. Right away they make a key decision to honor God with their bodies and because of this we are told that God "caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel..." This is a very big point that I think we often take for granted. If we choose to honor God with what we have, His favor and providence is guaranteed! No matter what circumstances we are under the people around us will notice something different about us and we will be "healthier and better nourished" than those who choose to defile themselves with what the world offers.
To pull it all together, I believe we will have great opportunities in this life. Opportunities to travel to other places, meet people who think differently than we do, or work for people who may or may not treat us well and sometimes these opportunities will be out of our control. What we can always control is what we choose to do with the opportunities we are given, to be faithful with what God has given us and to honor Him as best we know how. If we can do this God will give us knowledge, understanding, and great gifts just like He gave to Daniel. And those gifts could possibly save our lives.
Well that is all for today, hope that you all stay blessed and highly favored!
Matthew Just
1. Blog a devotion everyday.
2. Learn Spanish (or improve my Spanish...).
3. Spend a good amount of time working on getting a paper published.
4. Pray for my wonderful students I will be leading next year!
5. Write music.
It is a quite ambitious but I have to stay disciplined! I never would have imagined how hard it is to have all the free time in the world. But for now I have a little less than an hour before I have to take Erin to work so I will give my thoughts on my reading today, Daniel chapter 1:
As I have grown older, my perspective on biblical stories has changed drastically. In the case of Daniel I would say that I have begun to pity him less and less as a refugee to Babylon against his will and begun to see the opportunity that was placed in front of him. He certainly was taken to Babylon on a decree from King Nebuchadnezzar, but think about who Daniel was. The bible says he was a young man "without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning..." and that he himself was from a royal family. Now taking some liberty with my characterization I see a lot of myself in Daniel, perhaps write before I was going off to college. I am not from a royal family but I certainly had a passion to learn new things and a huge heart for adventure. Part of me thinks that Daniel may have been very excited at the opportunity to move to a new place and begin working for such a prestigious kingdom.
So we have Daniel, along with his three friends Shadrach Messhach and Abendago, living in the kings palace. Right away they make a key decision to honor God with their bodies and because of this we are told that God "caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel..." This is a very big point that I think we often take for granted. If we choose to honor God with what we have, His favor and providence is guaranteed! No matter what circumstances we are under the people around us will notice something different about us and we will be "healthier and better nourished" than those who choose to defile themselves with what the world offers.
To pull it all together, I believe we will have great opportunities in this life. Opportunities to travel to other places, meet people who think differently than we do, or work for people who may or may not treat us well and sometimes these opportunities will be out of our control. What we can always control is what we choose to do with the opportunities we are given, to be faithful with what God has given us and to honor Him as best we know how. If we can do this God will give us knowledge, understanding, and great gifts just like He gave to Daniel. And those gifts could possibly save our lives.
Well that is all for today, hope that you all stay blessed and highly favored!
Matthew Just
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Costa Rica
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
This past week, May 13-19, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Costa Rica with a group of 10 from Georgia Southern's Christian Campus Fellowship and work with an organization called Strong Missions. Strong Missions was founded by Charlie Strong who is an incredible brother with a powerful vision to reach the people of Costa Rica. To read more about Strong Missions and Charlie's story visit the Strong Missions website.
The first three days of the trip we were working at the local Methodist Church in a town called Carillos near the capitol San Jose. We worked everyday from 8-4 with an hour for lunch at noon. The first two days three artists in the group painted a mural in the park while the rest of us dug out a trench for a side walk to be poured. The final day was primarily mixing and pouring concrete along with finishing up a drainage ditch along the side of the church. We also had the privilege of joining in on a worship service Wednesday night.
The fourth day was a break from manual labor but a bit challenging emotionally. We first visited a teenage mother's home not far from where we were staying. The home was a mission of the Catholic Church that looked after young moms under 18 who were in difficult situations at home. The mission taught several different types of skills including sewing, cosmetology, and pet care. Next we went to a rough are in San Jose where we worked at a church to feed children who typically only get fed once a day. After we all ate, we played with the kids for hours and had a blast! It was an incredible experience for all of us.
The final day we were in Costa Rica was our day off. First we hiked up an active volcano and stood by the crater! After hiking some more we went to a zip-line place in the mountains where we zip-lined down through the canopy. One of the flights was 600 meters long and 100 meters off the ground! After exhausting ourselves we ate at a nice restaurant with fresh natural strawberry juice and then visited the world's largest oxcart.
Thank you all so much for your love and support for this trip! It was an incredible experience for our team and we all grew very close. Eight of the ten will be back at Georgia Southern CCF next year as leaders so I am very excited about what God will do! There has also been talk about coming back to Costa Rica next year and working with the same group, so that is very exciting as well. God bless!
This past week, May 13-19, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Costa Rica with a group of 10 from Georgia Southern's Christian Campus Fellowship and work with an organization called Strong Missions. Strong Missions was founded by Charlie Strong who is an incredible brother with a powerful vision to reach the people of Costa Rica. To read more about Strong Missions and Charlie's story visit the Strong Missions website.
The first three days of the trip we were working at the local Methodist Church in a town called Carillos near the capitol San Jose. We worked everyday from 8-4 with an hour for lunch at noon. The first two days three artists in the group painted a mural in the park while the rest of us dug out a trench for a side walk to be poured. The final day was primarily mixing and pouring concrete along with finishing up a drainage ditch along the side of the church. We also had the privilege of joining in on a worship service Wednesday night.
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| This is the ten of us who went all dressed up about to go to church. |
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| A mural that Kim, Kayla, and Jessi painted on a wall in the park down the road from where we were staying. The verse is Psalm 121:1-2. |
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| Digging a drainage ditch at the church. |
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| Digging out the trench for the sidewalk to be poured |
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| All of us after finishing up at the church |
The fourth day was a break from manual labor but a bit challenging emotionally. We first visited a teenage mother's home not far from where we were staying. The home was a mission of the Catholic Church that looked after young moms under 18 who were in difficult situations at home. The mission taught several different types of skills including sewing, cosmetology, and pet care. Next we went to a rough are in San Jose where we worked at a church to feed children who typically only get fed once a day. After we all ate, we played with the kids for hours and had a blast! It was an incredible experience for all of us.
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| A "horse" race with the kids in San Jose. |
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| Playing soccer with the kids. |
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| Look at me! I'm a caballito! (little horse) |
The final day we were in Costa Rica was our day off. First we hiked up an active volcano and stood by the crater! After hiking some more we went to a zip-line place in the mountains where we zip-lined down through the canopy. One of the flights was 600 meters long and 100 meters off the ground! After exhausting ourselves we ate at a nice restaurant with fresh natural strawberry juice and then visited the world's largest oxcart.
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| Me and Alex in front of the volcano crater. |
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| At the old crater which is now a lake! |
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| Hiking through the "cloud forest". |
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| Zip-lining! |
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| World's largest oxcart. |
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| The whole gang plus our two translators/guides Scott and Rebecca and Ryan an intern for the summer. |
Thank you all so much for your love and support for this trip! It was an incredible experience for our team and we all grew very close. Eight of the ten will be back at Georgia Southern CCF next year as leaders so I am very excited about what God will do! There has also been talk about coming back to Costa Rica next year and working with the same group, so that is very exciting as well. God bless!
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