My King (Remix)

I know I already let you all know about the speech by SM Lockridge. However, I just found this new site that actually has a video to go along with it. And it is only about three minutes long. So for those of you who were too busy to listen to the six minutes, try this out. It is totally worth your time. Just click here. (And if you haven't noticed, I just learned how to include links and pictures!) The picture is of SM Lockridge.

The Beauty of Simplicity

While I have been at home this break, I have been pondering the simple things in life. So often, I get caught up in immersing myself in complicated issues, discussions, arguments, and ideas. While these events are needed and beneficial for proper maturity, I often lose sight of the most important, yet simple, aspects of it all.

In the spiritual sense, it is so easy to get caught up in current, “hot-button” issues that are fun, interesting, and exciting. Finding a faith-based conversation on homosexuality, the death penalty, abortion, or whatever else is simple. However, how difficult it is to talk about the source and foundation of that faith. Why am I not digging deep into the well of the simple yet deep GRACE of Jesus Christ? How often I lose sight of my sin and superficially take God’s grace as atonement?

See, the ugliness of losing sight of simple yet foundational truths is that these very truths are perceived in a light manner. No longer do we attempt to feel the weight of our sin bearing down. I do not mean this in a way to prevent one from experiencing the freeing grace of Christ. Actually, I mean exactly the opposite. Attempting to understand our very sin helps us appreciate how beautiful and marvelous that saving Grace truly is.

Think of it this way. If you were expecting to get a 95% on a test and your teacher told you that you received a perfect 100% score, you would be pretty excited. On the flip side, if you knew you had earned a 50% failing grade, and your teacher came to you and said that one of your classmates agreed to take the consequence of a failing grade and give you their perfect score, what would your reaction be? My first emotion would be one of questioning. Can he do that? Is it possible? Is it right? After seeing that it is true, legitimate, and possible, I would be so joyous and awestruck. It would not even compare to the excitement I would be feeling if I expected it. At the same time, you would not be able to have that perfect grade unless you accepted it as your own. Just knowing that the offer is there does not mean you actually have the grade. (I know this may not be a perfect example to God’s grace).

People, this is what we have in Christ. We are sinful. We have all done something wrong and these things deserve a failing grade in the test of eternity. However, Jesus Christ, who had a perfect score on the test of eternity agreed to switch grades. He agreed to take the consequence of your sin. He was mocked, beaten, whipped, and nailed to a cross. He died in your place. And He gave us a way to reach Heaven, solely through himself. He gave us this free, undeserved gift. It is not enough to just to know that this amazing gift is there. We must all accept it as our own.

My King (Second Post in One Day!)

I have to let you all know about six minutes of speaking that is unparalleled to anything I have ever heard in such short period of time. If you want to know what I am talking about, go to this link (http://www.theiowaharvest.com/harvestholler/archives/000085.html) and download (MyKing.ra).

For those of you who are not Believers in Christ, this short speech will give you a perspective of why people are so passionate about their faith and have such a peace and joy about what they believe in. For those of you who are Believers, this will blow your mind of what you may have already known but never heard in such a concise, passionate way.

Also, there is a separate posting I will have which is right after this. I just thought that these six minutes were important enough to have its own separate posting.

Christmas, TCX, True Joy

Look at this, I haven’t posted at all in the last few weeks, and now two postings in one day.

Over the past few weeks, so much has been going on: Christmas, TCX, and perspective changes.

Here are some thoughts from each of those events and other things mixed in. By the way, TCX stands for Twin Cities Experience, which is a Christmas conference through Campus Crusade for Christ. It was in Minneapolis, Minnesota from Dec. 28-Jan. 1 and encompassed 1400 college students from six states.

CHRISTMAS
- I probably have the sweetest family ever.
- This Christmas was special because it was my mom’s 50th birthday a few days earlier. So we all celebrated that together with Christmas.
- Throughout the season, it was great to continually focus on why the world even celebrates Christmas. O Holy Night!
- I am cheating a little bit and still listening to Christmas music.

TCX
- God is Big. He is so much Bigger than I can ever imagine. He is more powerful, graceful, caring, vengeful, peaceful, concerned, in control, wrathful, and loving than I my mind can attempt to absorb.
- I realized what my most prized possession probably is. At TCX I lost my prayer journal that I have been keeping the last four years. It was a journal started my junior year of high school that kept track of prayers. It was so cool to look back and see how God answered them in different ways. The thing about the journal is that I did not realize how important it was until I lost it. What a bummer. I was thinking to myself that I would have rather lost my digital camera or cell phone than my journal. Those precious thoughts, reflections, and pleadings are things that can never be remade or bought.

Going of my journal, think to yourself what truly is your most important possession. It has hit me that I would almost trade my laptop for that journal. Why is it that a few pieces of paper bound my cheap wire that probably cost less than a dollar means so much? It does not make logical sense. But think now, what really is important in life?

So often, it is easy to get caught up in the temporary things of life. Maybe it is the new car, or video game, or TV. But really, what does all that really matter? It seems like there is so much more to life than just material possessions. I am reminded of a perspective someone gave me of the people who were on that plane on 9/11 that went down in PA. When many of the passengers knew that they would only be living for a few more minutes, they all made phone calls to their closest loved ones. Most likely, none of them called their bankers to find out how much money they had. Their thoughts were probably not with the new house they just bought or the new promoted position they obtained at work. No, it was with people, those they would leave behind, or on their eternal savior, Jesus Christ.

It seems like so many things in life are just so meaningless. After their immediate luster and glory, they just fade away into rust and distant thought. For example, today was the NCAA Football National Championship. It was an unbelievable game that was exciting to the very end. But really, who is really going to care about the game five years from now? Ten years?

Why is it as human beings we get so caught up in temporary happiness? Why are we not consumed with the search for eternal, consistent joy? To be honest, I think every human being on earth is constantly trying to find this joy, but most find it in empty places that do not provide true joy. See, the difference between joy and happiness is that joy is the big picture while happiness is how you are feeling in a moment. Many attempt to find joy in clothes, position, money, jobs, sports, competition, friends, relationships, drugs, etc. Ultimately, all these things will fail at one time or another. They cannot provide constant, eternal joy because they are imperfect.

There will always be a new trend in clothes. Someone will always have a higher position, more money, or a better job then you. The essence of sports is that someone wins, and someone else loses. No one always wins. Competition is great, but eventually draining. Friends can turn on you or lose your trust. Relationships are broken. Drugs temporarily cover the troubles of the day, but always bring you back to reality.

I was talking to a guy who was 37 the other day. He is currently an executive pastor at a church. He was telling me that he had it all, a great job, expensive possessions, a wonderful wife and family, and money. But in the end, he was unhappy. He was not fully satisfied.

People, there is only one source of true joy. There is only one person who will never let you down (even when you think He might be). You all just celebrated His birthday. His name is Jesus Christ.

So how can you tap into the ultimate source of all joy? Many may say they know Jesus but it is only intellectual knowledge. Others may say they know Him because they go to church, pray, volunteer, or do good things. But these things of itself do not represent a true relationship with Christ. To accept Him into your life means a yielding of your will. It involves understanding that your sins deserve a penalty, and that is eternal separation from God. It means giving up control of your life and asking Jesus, through prayer, to forgive you of your sins and accepting that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins.

Do not get me wrong. Being a believer in Christ does not mean my life is perfect and I do not have unhappy days. It does not mean that everything goes my way and I get whatever I want. However, the peace that comes with eternal joy and satisfaction is special and indescribable.

If any of you have questions or comments about what I have been talking about, please e-mail me. Here are some great sources to investigate: everygopher.com, www.livingwaters.com/good/.