Monday, September 21, 2015

"I don't like them....."

The title describes something I think we have all found ourselves thinking to ourselves or even saying out loud at times. This thought comes across our minds about our dislike for someone. This can be caused by a number of reasons. If a person wrongs us. If they wrong someone we love or care we tend to develop a dislike for that person. If they do something that we don't like.

Recently, this happened to me. While I was at work. I saw someone do something (I’ve actually seen this person do it multiple times) but my mind said once again: "Man, I don’t like that person." Not only did I think it, but I even told one of my coworkers. I went on with my day, not thinking about it too much.

God really convicted me later on though. I realized: I am ‘that’ person. The one who I looked at with eyes of judgement. I am that person. How many times have I wronged Christ? How many times have I failed him, let him down, sinned against him. Done stuff that He has clearly said is wrong. I fail him daily.

And yet, God doesn’t look at us with eyes of dislike and disgust. In fact, His response is the complete opposite. No matter how many times I’ve wronged Christ, His love still abounds for me. He is faithful and His arms always open wide for His children to run back to Him and ask forgiveness. How much more of a reason does God have to dislike us when we fail him over and over again, on a daily basis. 

What a convicting/humbling thought. Now, I'm not saying it's easy, not even close. We will all fail. But by God's grace may we respond with love and compassion rather than hatred. 

In John 13:34-35 Jesus says:

"A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Pray for grace and strength as we try and live out these verses. 


Monday, February 2, 2015

A Lesson from Unbroken

"It's too cold." 

"I'm soooo tired."

"I don't want to go to work."

"Eww, that's gross."

All of these little phrases may or may not sound familiar. I know they do from me. These little guys are known as "complaints". Something we may not even think about as these words flow out of our mouths every single day.

Recently, me and my siblings went to see the film 'Unbroken' in the theatre. I highly recommend it by the way. It's a remarkable story of a soldier who went through an unimaginable couple years of difficulty during his lifetime. Stuff that we don't see hardly at all these days. For a more detailed synopsis of the movie you can look it up. Or even just go see the movie. :)

But I was convicted about how much stuff during the day that we take for granted. How many little things that we complain about.

"Great. Look at all this snow." 

A recent one, for many of us I'm sure! Instead of complaining about the snow. We could be thanking God for such a beautiful creation of His.

Instead of focusing on how cold it is. We could be thankful to God that we have heat. And a roof to cover our head.

We get so caught up in the little trivial things that aren't what WE like, or what WE want to do. And we complain about it. When in reality there are people that are in much worse conditions than us. We are truly blessed in America. The freedom we have that other places do not. The resources that are available to us, that other places don't have.

I pray that I would complain less, and be thankful more. That God would give me a heart of thankfulness. And joy when things aren't going my way or tough times come, that I would give thank and praise God in the good times, and the bad.

Psalm 100:4 - "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."

Colossians 3:17 - "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

~JD




Sunday, January 4, 2015

He is everything...

A friend recently shared this video and I thought it was such an amazing illustration of the meaning of this song. Take 5 minutes outta your day when you have time and watch this:





So much truth in this song. All we have is Christ. He is all we need. Life will soon be over and the things of this world will pass away. None of it will matter. At the end of our life the only thing that matters is where we stand with God.

Its so easy to get caught up in life. So easy to have our set schedules running from one place to another. Having many activities, and although those are important don't forget what truly matters. Make time for the One who is our all in all.

"Hallelujah, all I have is Christ!
Hallelujah, Jesus is my life!"

-JD

Friday, January 2, 2015

Welcome, 2015!

Hello there. This is actually happening. A new post. One of my hopes for this year is to start blogging more. Even if it's just a couple times a month that is an improvement for me. Oh and by the way Happy New Years! Can't believe its 2015! That means that we are now closer to 2030 than we are to 2000. Just a random factoid.

Anyway. Well I guess I'm just gonna try and explain some of my goals for the new years. I'm gonna call them goals or expectations rather than 'resolutions'. Why? I have no idea.

Goal #1) Get in shape. ("but Joel round is a shape") one of my friends recently told me. Haha very funny. As true as that may be when I say 'get in shape'. I don't mean lose weight. I mean to get in shape so that I can run down the street to chase after the basketball that is rolling down the hill without having to stop for a rest 3 times. Ok, it's not that bad. But you get the picture.

Goal #2) Read 52 books. I'm going to admit it folks. 2014 I read practically nothing. Nada. Zip. It was bad. I read a book here and there but really not as much as I would've liked to. So yes. My goal although it may seem crazy to some. And to others it might be like a "Pfff. I read 52 books in a week." But that is my goal. I may not reach it. But even if I'm close I'll be happy with it. So any good book recommendations would be appreciated as I'm not fully sure for books as of yet.

Goal #3) Memorize Scripture. I don't really know how this'll work yet. Or how I'm gonna do it. But I know that I didn't get nearly enough Bible memorization in last year as much as I wanted. I don't have a specific amount that I want to attain but I want to dig into the word of God and apply it to my life and part of that is having it in my head.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Goal #4) Graduate. As silly as it may seem to put as a goal. Its really gonna take some hard work to finish up all my school work to graduate in May. That's going to be so weird. Not having to do highschool anymore.

Well I'm sure more goals will make an appearance as time goes on. But for now this is all I have. Are you bored to tears yet? If you are reading this I'd like to congratulate you on completing what could be known as the most boringest (yes I do know that is not correct grammar) blog post that was ever posted. Thanks for reading. Until next time, which hopefully will be soon.

- JD