The Way

The Way is the title to the new Jeremy Camp song, and once I heard it, it really drew me back to the simple truth in the Bible. Jesus said " I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me." That statement is so simple, yet so true. I watch as people around me try to find happiness, try to find purpose to their lives, yet none of them do except those who truly know God. They run around working hard to get money and buy happiness. Others go around do good works to help others with charity and good deeds. First of all, you can't buy happiness. I can almost guarantee you that I am happier than the richest men in the world. Secondly, the good deeds and charity are exactly that, good, but they won't get you into heaven. There is only one thing you can do in this life that will give you eternal life, accepting that Jesus died for you to save you, and following his commands. I'll admit, I sometimes think that if I do this, it will help me get into heaven. Later I realize my foolishness in that thought. To whoever reads this, don't fall into that trap, don't go around doing good things to try to get into heaven, but rather do good to spread the good news of Christ. Also, don't fall into a legalistic trap like the pharisees and sadducees did. Jesus warned about that, how they go around to the street corners and in the public places to pray to show the people how "religious" they were. Jesus said that they have received their reward in full. Rather, it is the ones who do things to honor God and who really know Him who get their spiritual reward. That brings me to another point, even when things are going bad in your life even though your devoutly following the Lord, don't stop following Him. And even when you see non-believers living more comfortably and are richer, don't forget that that is all the reward they will get, because those who believe in the Savior will receive their reward in Heaven, and that reward is eternal, while the reward here is so small. Romans 8:35-39 "³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?³⁶ As it is written:

   “For your sake we face death all day long;
   we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[j]

 ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Foolishness

In chapter 1 of 1 Corinthians, scripture says that God chose the foolish things to shame the wise, and the weak things to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things (dying on a cross would qualify). It makes me want to be foolish for God! I don't really want to live comfortably if it is against God's will. I honestly don't care about money, how much my job pays or living comfortably, whether or not i have modern technology or safety, if i would be killed for living for the Lord there. I really don't care because I know it is in the Lord's hands and wherever He puts me He will do with me as He pleases. The American "Dream" consists of being safe, living comfortably, having an office job, living in the suburbs in a nice house with a family and then retire when you get old. To me that sounds like a nightmare. I feel safe in God's hands, to me that's my dream. Letting myself go to Him, to let God guide my life. The bible says that we have been freed of our sins, of our chains that bind us! I want to use that freedom to live for Christ! In Philippians Paul said that to live is Christ and to die is gain.  I want to live for Christ, and if i die, then i will finally be home. Because we are tourists on this earth, just passing through. And if you have ever watched tourists at amusement parks and stuff, they do some pretty foolish stuff that makes us think they're crazy because they won't be staying their long, they won't be trying to make friends. They are trying to fulfill their purpose of that trip. We should be the same way. We shouldn't care about whether we act foolish or not, even though i do, i shouldn't though. We should use our life as tourists on this earth to fulfill the purpose of us being hear, to spread the news that Christ was resurrected and that he freed of us sin and death! They say when in Rome, do what the Romans do, but the Bible says to not conform to this world. Be set apart. And always be open to God's perfect and amazing will, no matter where it takes you. For me, i don't know if i will get married or not. I don't really care right now, because even though I love most women and they are a beautiful creation of God and they are super awesome,  well most of them, I think that many are better as good friends instead of partners in relationships. I've tried my hand at dating, and it shipwrecked. My navigation system got focused on the wrong things and not on God. I know now that God has reserved me for His purpose, and I know He will guide me to the woman of my dreams and that will be best for me and I for her. And even if I don't get married on this earth I know that i will still be married to Christ because I am apart of the church which is the bride of Christ. I guess what i am trying to say is that, God works for the good of all people, and even if you are in a time of trials or temptations, there is a purpose and that in the end everything will work out, even if you don't see that reward or good until you get to heaven.


(And yes, I know, it is 2 am when I'm publishing this, but hey, it's summer =))

Life of Purpose

God has really been teaching me recently how you have to serve to be a disciple and a leader. The bible says in Galatians that a man reaps what he sows, gives what he puts out. If you serve and give everything good your all, then you will get something good out of it. I am honestly, not a good servant. I'm lazy, procrastinating, and usually complain. I really need to do it more. In my last blog I said that I looked down on people often, but instead of looking down on them, I need to serve them. In Jamaica, my youth pastor was teaching us about discipleship, and one night he made us wash each others feet as Jesus did. Even though it seems so simple, it was so inspiring, not necessarily then, but now. When I was doing it, I was complaining in my mind, I thought myself to be better than the task I was asked to fulfill. Looking back now, I realize that to be great, you must first serve. Look at Jesus, He was the savior sent to save the world, the Son of the Most High God, He was greater than His disciples. Yet He still washed their dirty, filthy feet. I want to serve like that, to step down from my arrogance and pride and be willing to serve people of this earth as an ambassador of the kingdom of God. In the same way Jesus served us when He died to save our sins, He washed our dirty, filthy hearts. I really want to spend my life serving the Lord, I'd rather die for the sake of Christ than to live for the sake of myself. Because in death, I'd find more life than I would living. I really want to live for Christ, wherever He wants me. Honestly my faith hasn't been as strong as I want it to be. I haven't been spending enough time in God's word and in prayer. My life is meant for Christ and Christ alone. I've made mistakes in the past, there's things I regret. I have tried to go my own way, living on my own abilities and desires. Let all who read this know that that road of this world, is nothing compared to the road to the kingdom of heaven. I've tried to satisfy myself with worldly things, things that everyone says makes them happy. And yes, they can make you happy, but only for a short time. You keep having to go back and get more and more to be satisfied. But unless you're with Christ, you will not be satisfied. You may work all the time and get money to support your family, have a nice house, drive a nice car, and not be happy. That is because you are without Christ. He is the one who WILL make you happy! Nothing on this earth compares to the joy that comes from and in Jesus. And He is the one who gives your life purpose. Don't try to find satisfaction in things of this world, because your search will be in vain. If you live for Christ, then your life will be a life of purpose.

Wayumi: A Trip to be Remembered

Throughout my trip to a camp called Wayumi, God has taught me not to be selfish. In thought it seems so simple, so small. Nonetheless, God has shown me that I am selfish in so many ways. There's two specifically though, in mind and in spirit. In mind, my thoughts were selfish. I looked out for only the betterment of me. I never put anyone but myself in first. In spirit, I considered myself greater than those who were smaller in faith and even those who have not heard the good news that Christ died to save them. God showed me, humbled me to the point where I realized, that I am a sinner just as much as the ones who have not heard. I am in the same boat as those who I have been commissioned to save! If it were the Titanic, I thought myself to be first class, top of the line. Even though the ship would be sinking, I wouldn't risk my life to help save those who were stuck in the lower levels of the ship to help them be saved. In the same way, I considered myself higher, greater, than those below me and not as mature in my faith. Even thought the Bible says that we cant do anything to earn my salvation, and even though I knew that, I didn't act like it. God really challenged me on this trip to put myself behind and put Him first. In one of my journals I wrote, "I know I have faith of some sort, faith that God exists and did what His word tells us. But even that is not enough faith. I need to have faith to let God do with me what He wants, and for faith to know that in whatever that may be, everything is under His control and that I will be safe in His arms. I've realized that this life is not about living, but dying. Dying to sin, myself and this world, to be crucified with Christ. And through the death of those earthly things, to find life of the eternal kind in Jesus' blood." This has really been the call of my heart ever since I wrote it. I need to be focused on Christ only, for once you eat of His bread and drink out of His cup, you will never have to eat or drink again because He will satisfy you. That has really come into play this week. I've realized through God that earthly things may satisfy you, for a short time. With sin you keep having to go back and do it more and more to be satisfied while in Christ you only have to go once. There is nothing on this earth that will satisfy you  more than Christ. I hope to spend the rest of my days glorifying Him, whether in speech or actions or both. This life is not yours to live for yourself, but for God. And even when your living for God, you may be called to sacrifice your earthly body because of Him, but it would be so worth it. In all honesty, I would be honored to give my life up for Christ because through that death, life would be gained. This trip has showed me a lot more than that but that's all that's on the top of my head. Don't be like Jonah, and don't waste your life!