Prayer V

God, what am I doin'? I'm so stuck in my ways. I so badly want all the desires of my heart. Why am I so selfish? Why is my heart so focused on everything but you? I'm so tired of this, I'm so tired of the pain and disappointment of this world. Yet I still seek it more than you. I hate it! Even now when I try to focus on you my heart is being given away to earthly thoughts, hopes, and desires. I hate it so freaking much! All I want is this world, but all I need is you. I cant want you on my own, I will always choose to not want you as much as I want sin. So please, please, give me strength though your love and grace to overcome my wicked heart.

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
    who draws strength from mere flesh    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
    they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
    in a salt land where no one lives.

 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

The heart is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?

 “I the Lord search the heart
    and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,    according to what their deeds deserve.”

I don't know what the future holds for me. I don't know what Ill be doing, or who will be apart of it. I know what I want, I know what I desire, and its not wrong but putting it above what you might have planed, that's wrong. I'm scared out of my mind that it wont be what I want, it wont be what I think I need. But you are greater than my plans you will not disappoint me. you will bless me with the true desires of my heart the desires that will honer and bless you. It's so hard but I trust you. I know that you will is greater than my own. I will fallow you. Please heal my heart, give me strength in my darkness. I need my King more than ever.


My friends you are in my prayers please keep me in yours. You are so loved!! 

Joyful In My God

The Lord is testing me. He is testing my heart, my mind, my soul, my faith. I don't know why, I don't understand, I'm confused and hurting. I long for a time not to long ago when I had everything I wanted, everything I "needed". I long for love, I long for happiness, I long for peace and assurance, but I get none. I feel like this time in my life isn't getting better, its not going away. I feel like the Lord isn't answering my prayer, isn't hearing the deepest cry of my heart. I long for Him to hear me and answer me. I long for this time to be taken away. I will wait and I will pray, He will, in time give me peace. Suffering produces endurance and perseverance. 

I urge you all to read the book of Habakkuk. Like Lamentations its a great reminder that God no matter what we go through and experience is still God. He is love, peace, joy, and happiness. The King of ALL. We should take joy in that and know that His love is good and our suffering is nowhere near as painful as the suffering He did for us. I have hope in my God, He is and always will be the the only sure thing in my life on this earth. I will be joyful in my God. The Lord is my portions therefor I will hope in Him.

 I heard and my heart pounded,    my lips quivered at the sound;decay crept into my bones,
    and my legs trembled.Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
    to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,    he enables me to tread on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:16-19)

You are in my deepest prayers my friends, please keep me in yours. You are loved by a great God!!

What Summer Holds

Its been to long since I last posted. I will do a better job of keeping all of you who read this (which is probably no one) up to date with my life and what the Lord is teaching me every day. This post is more of a list of things that I want to accomplish this summer. Hopefully it will be fun to read and hopefully I can write a post at the end of the summer saying that I accomplished all of my goals for the summer. Will see what happens, and maybe some of you will even be apart of my summer bucket list, which would be awesome cause I love adventuring with friends. So hear we go, with no particular order.

• Read Two books (Working on Reasons for God right now)
• Read all of the New Testament 
• Work on building a stronger foundation as a Christian
• Seek being a man of Christ like never before, work at being the man of God He has called me to be
• Grow in my faith more than I ever have
• Spend at least and hour ever day with my creatore 
• Become a Christ like leader
• Ententualy reach out to unsaved friends and love them like Christ
• Love others/ mentor and encourage others in their walk with Christ
• Work on humility 
• Work on loving others as Christ loves me
• Run 300 miles 
• Walk from Gardner to Olathe
• spend on day and night in the wild with only Christ
• spend more time outside Hammocking, walking, running, instagraming..(etc)

So far that all I can think of, but I will update the list if anymore come up. Mostly I want this summer to be about growth and adventure. I wont learn how trust in the Lord and give my all to Him no matter what life brings my way. I know He will bless me this summer. It should be an awesome time. Hope I cant enjoy it with all you at some point.

Keep praying for me, I'm praying for you, you my friend are loved.

A Year from Now

Today is my last full day at my first year at Kansas State University. Its hard to really explain how I feel about this. See this year has been by far one of the best, most amazing years of my life. I have gained and grown in so many new friendships. I have grown In my walk with Christ. I have learn that my God is so good, no matter what.

This year began with so much hope and excitement. I couldn't wait to get here accomplish great things. I was so full of life, I was so passionate about my God and my faith. I saw the Lord working so evidently in my life, bringing new amazing people into it. I saw the Lord work more so in the first half of this year than I ever had before. Life was good, it was great. Everything I wanted I had.

But I got content, I lost track of who I was and what my goals where. I started to drift from God and His word. I put other things above him. So the blessings and gifts that He gave me earlier He took away. He wanted me to see that He is all I need. He is the only thing that will give me true joy. I did so well for a long time. But then I got selfish and, well, I hurt a lot of people. I disappointed not only myself but others that I loved.  I know the what kind of man I am, I know that I'm the guy that I was at the beginning of the year. But God had to show me the hard way, put me through hard times to get refocused on Him.

But God is so good! He has helped me grow in the last few months more than I thought I could. He has opened my heart His will not my own. Even thought this year was so good and feels like its ending bad. He is good and I see his perfect plan working in my life. I cant thank Him enough for his Love and grace that I don't deserve.

This year has been amazing! So many amazing memories with people that I love. I was blessed to gain a friends that changed my life forever. I was blessed to grow with so many good friends. Even though this year is ending rougher than I thought or wanted. I wouldn't change it for anything in the world.

I wouldn't give up trips to the library with my friends, "Doctors" visits with Ryan and Aaron (love advice),  late night talks at Seaton, movie nights with friends, late nights walking home to West, late night pranks with my roommate, adventures in KC, graming in Gardner, snow day adventures, and all those long fun drives from Manhattan to KC. there are so many smaller memories that I can think of but those are just some that I wanted to share.

All I can say is, Lord you have blessed me more than I deserve. You are a great God. Thank you so much for an amazing first year at K-State. I also want to say thanks to Morgan, Sarah, David, Aaron, Ryan, Josh for an amazing year. Your friendship means the world to me. I couldn't ask for a better group of friends. Thanks!

You are all in my prayers. I hope your summers go well and are honoring to the Lord. I hope they are filled with growth in Him. You are loved!

Idols of the Heart

I recently watched a sermon by Tim Keller called The Gospel and Idolatry. It goes over Acts 19: 21-41 and how Paul looks at and deals with the idols of his time. He also talks about how we can compare them to idols of our time and how we must see these idols and deal with them as Christ would deal with them. Here is what God word say in Act 19:21-41.

²¹ Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ²² And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

²³ About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. ²⁵ These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. ²⁶ And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. ²⁷ And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

²⁸ When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”²⁹ So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. ³⁰ But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. ³¹ And even some of the Asiarchs,^[e] who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.³² Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. ³³ Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice,“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?^[f] 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸ If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹ But if you seek anything further,^[g] it shall be settled in the regular assembly. ⁴⁰ For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” ⁴¹ And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

The fact is this, as sinful people we love to make things our idols. We put things above God because we like to put whatever gives us satisfaction on earth about Him. To be completely honest with you, and I, are idol worshipers. We may not be on a knees praying to some statue, but we do give our lives over to "worshiping" the idols of our hearts, minds, and flesh.

The question that pastor Keller bring up is this. You know something is an idol in your life if you cant live without it. So what I what cant you live without? could you live without your parents or children? could you live without your husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend? Could you live without social media, internet, cell phone, TV? could you live without money, a car, a house?

You may seem easy to say that you could live without those people or things. But really think about it, would it "ruin" your life? would it hurt who you are as a person? would it dramatically change you to for the worse or  to mediocrity? Would you be upset with God if he took the "non idols" out of your life? would you be able to look at Him and say "you are holy, you are good"?

I will come up with a list of my idols and post them on this post later. But I want you to also to pray and think and to come up with a list of idols that you "cant" live without. Now obviously you can live without anything but its the how you react to the idol being gone that Im talking about. So come up with a list of things that you "cant" live without.

Know this, God is good. He is the only thing that give you and me true satisfaction in life. Not your wife, not your kids, not a car, or house, or even money. All of that is fleeting with time. All of that will hurt and will end disappointing you. Only Christ will fulfill you, love you, and satisfy you. God is the only God. He deserves all of us and no one and no thing should ever take our hearts and our love more than Christ.

You are in my prayers. Keep me in yours. You are loved!

Valley Maker: Abraham & Isaac

I was introduced to the awesome band Valley Maker earlier this year and have loved them since the first song. The album created by Austin Crane, was made for his senior thesis project. The album is basically the book of Genesis sung. Its really great I suggest checking them out at Valley Maker.com.

Today I was thinking about Abraham. I was thinking about how long he waited for Isaac. How much faith he put into the Lord to provide him with a son. Then after years of being patient God delivers on his promise and give Abraham a son. But then after all of that, after God gives Abraham everything he ever wanted He asked Abraham to give it back. And what does Abraham do? He takes his son up to the mountain and prepares to sacrifice the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. He was faithful to God. 

How awesome and encouraging that is to me. To know that God has a plan, he has a promise but it all goes through Him. He promises to give us the desires of our hearts but only if we are willing to give them up for him. We all have "Isaac's" in our lives. Things that we wait for, things that we love, things that we give us hope, peace, identity. But the main question is this, can we be like Abraham, can we put all of are trust in God even if we have no idea why He is doing what He is doing? I hope so. I know its hard to think about, I know its a hard thing to deal with. But I hope we can look at Abraham's faithfulness and see that God is good. I hope we can be like Abraham and be willing to give up what we love most in this world for God. It wont be easy, it will be really hard to do, but be faithful because you serve a faithful God.

Here are the lyrics to the song hope they encourage you. You are loved by a faithful God.

Oh great teacher 
Are you a promise keeper? 
It’s time to go son 
The work must be done 

Oh great father 
Would you call for slaughter? 
We waited so long 
I waited so long 

Oh great provider 
Have we made you tired? 
Am I to blame now? 
Am I to blame somehow? 

Burning torches 
Is this how I worship? 
It’s on the way now 
The lamb is on the way now 

Am I to say how? 

All that you hope 
All that you know 
All that you thought was yours to hold 
Burn it alive 
Learn to set fire 
Learn to fear what you sacrifice 


Oh great servant 
You have served your purpose 
Put your hand down 
Put your hand down 

Oh great promise 
To finish what I started 
Is not too much now 
To spread our son out 

You will not see how 

But I swear by myself 
I swear to your health 
Just as I saw you lay him down 
Ram you come out 
Ram you come out 
Ram would you lay your body down 


Oh my father 
I see the wood and fire 
But where’s your lamb now? 
Where’s our lamb now?

Pron to Wander He finds my Heart

This will be a short post. I saw some of the song Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing on a friends Facebook status today. I couldn't help but thank the Lord. I looked up the song and listened to it. Again all I could do was prays the Lord for his love. 

I wanted to share this with you because, well, today like many days this past month has been hard. I have felt like my wondering heart will never find a place to stay. But its always had a home, Christ has always held it in his hand. How great is our God. How great is his Love. Before we were in the womb he new us. He has always had our hearts. He is love.  

Jesus sought me when a stranger

Wandering from the fold of God

He, to rescue me from danger

Interposed His precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I'm constrained to be

Let that grace now, like a fetter

Bind my wandering heart to Thee

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it

Prone to leave the God I love

Here's my heart, O take and seal it

Seal it for Thy courts above

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

Streams of mercy, never ceasing

Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet

Sung by flaming tongues above

Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it

Mount of Thy unchanging love

The Fruits of the Spirit: Faithfulness

Faithfulness, is really hard. I love that people can have faith in me to be there for them whenever they need me. I love people knowing that I am on their side that they can count on me. That they know my friendship my love my loyalty is not changing.

Pistis – faithfulness.

Definition – Loyalty. Courage. To be principle-driven, committed, utterly reliable. True to one’s word.

Opposite – Opportunist. Fair-weather friend.

Counterfeit – Love without truth. Being loyal when you should be willing to confront or challenge.

As much as I love being faithful to others I have a hard time trusting people to be faithful to me. I just have a hard time with it. To many times I have see people tell me one thing and do something different. To many times have I lost faith in those around me. But you know that's what happens when you put you faith in sinful people. They will always disappoint you. Always!

For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 108:4 

 For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:4

 I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. Psalm 89:1 

Christ Is the only thing that remains faithful to us. He will never give up on us. He will never leave us. He will never forsake us. No matter how hard life gets, no matter how good life gets, no matter how far we run away, he is faithful.

I needed this today more than ever. I so disparately needed to know that someone wanted to be faithful to me. Me a no good worthless sinner. I needed to know that there is someone who wont give up on me.

I really need prayer tonight. Ill be praying for you. You are loved by a faithful King.  

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 & the Office

I have been wanting to do a post on the Office for a long time now. The Office has to be my favorite TV show of all time. Its got everything you want in a show. Its funny yet serious, it has great characters and great plots. It also has so many amazing quotes that I use every day. Every episode is good you never leave disappointed (that's what she said!). Sorry I had to through that one in. The show is great and if for some crazy reason you've never watched it I highly suggest you do so. Its just fantastic.




As great as all of that is the best part of the Office is the relationship between Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly. For nine seasons I have watched this relationship grow. It stared as just a guy who had a crush on the engaged receptionist. All he did was try to be her best friend, he talked to her, he listened to her, he cared about her. He was always there for her when she needed someone to talk to. " I was just a guy who had a crush on a girl, who had a boyfriend. And I had to do the hardest thing that I've ever had to do, which was just to... wait".

I waited for three seasons for Jim to tell Pam that he loved her. I waited  four seasons for Jim and Pam to finally date each other. I waited six season for them to get married. I saw them through the good time and the bad, through the flirting and the prank polling, to special moments and the disappointing moments. Iv seen Jim put everything on the line and get nothing and it seems as he will never get the girl of his dreams. Iv seen Pam lose all hope and realize that she might never get the chance to be with the her best friend.

And now after we see all of the pain and joy withing their relationship we hit season nine. We see their greatest challenge yet. We see that love and marriage, no matter how perfect, still has hard times. I love the Office, I love Pam and Jim's relationship, and seeing Jim and Pam's relationship go through such a hard time was really hard for me. For awhile it looked like they might not make it.



But as always, when things got bad, when hope seemed lost, they didn't give up on each other. This last episode it looked like it was over for them. As Jim is about to leave for Philadelphia Pam runs out to give him his umbrella. He hugs her but she doesn't hug him back. He hold her tighter as if bagging her to love him. Then they show a clip from the wedding where the pastor is  quoting 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.

The Office is great, but its just a show, its not real. Pam eventually hugs Jim back and all is good and it looks as if there problems are behind them. As unreal as this show is, its still a good reminder of what love is. Pam and Jim never gave up on each other. Like wise Christ never gives up on us, no matter how far away we are or how hopeless things seem, he will never give up on us. The bible tells us that husbands should love their wives as Christ loves the church. He gives us the definition of how to love. Its not easy that is for sure. Love is not easy, its really hard. But If you truly love someone or something you wont give up. You will be like Pam and Jim and work though the hard times. You will be like Christ and Love when love is the last thing that person deserves.

I know its just a show. But love is love. It might not be what TV tells me it is. But you know what, its better. Love is worth all the emotions that go with it. Love is worth the joy and its worth the pain. Because love is the reason Christ created us and died for us. Love is what hold my relationship with Christ together. Love hold all thing together.

Love sucks, but its worth it, and its worth fighting for.


You are in my prayers. keep me in yours. you are LOVED!

Fruits of the Spirit: Kindness & Goodness

So here is my second post of the day. This post is going to continue my posts on the fruit of the spirit. Tonight will be about kindness and goodness. Both kind of the similar ideas, both have amazing effect for Christians and through Christians.

As Christians we need to love others, that's what we are called to do. We do this though kindness and goodness. Christ showed these things like no one else has ever done on this earth. We need to fallow in his footsteps.

Chrestotes – kindness

Definition – Practical kindness with vulnerability out of deep inner security.

Opposite – Envy. Unable to rejoice other’s joy.

Counterfeit – Manipulative good deeds. “Right hand knowing what left hand is doing.” Self-congratulation and self-righteousness.

Agathosune – goodness. (integrity)

Definition – Honesty, transparency. Being the same in one situation as another.

Opposite – Phoniness; hypocrisy.

Counterfeit – Truth without love. “Getting it off the chest” for your sake.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

When thinking about kindness and goodness I thought of one person. This person will remain nameless and that probably how they would like it. This woman of God that I know shows more love, kindness, goodness, helpfulness than any other person I have ever met. She is always helping people. She works at her church for the children's  ministry, she is a mother, she helps out at her children's school with EVERYTHING they put on. She is literally apart of every thing that her church and her daughters school puts on. I had the chance for the past few month to get to know her and see her sweet heart at work. She has been a real inspiration and encouragement  to me in my faith. She does all of this not for her own glory but for the Lords. She loves others because she loves the Lord. She sacrifices because she as been given life though Christ sacrifice. 

Friends look around, look for people that you know that show these amazing qualities. Observer them and then fallow in there ways. Look at Christ and see the kindness and goodness that he showed to people. Kindness could mean lots of things. Kindness with words, actions, and thoughts. Goodness is more of how people see you though those things. Be like this awesome woman of God, be like Christ. Go out help, serve, give, love. Do onto others as you would want them to do to you, and then some. 

This is a new week go out and be a difference, love other and serve them. Be like Christ. Be a light to others. 

Friends you are in my prayers. Keep me in yours. You are loved. 

Prayer IV

I have so much I want to write today. Ill probably have more than one post today, so keep your eyes open for any new posts. I need to write a post on kindness and goodness for my fruits of the spirit post but I just cant right now. I just feel like I need to pray. So here is a short prayer for my morning.

My father, I am so worn. I'm worn before the day has even started. I go to bed worn and I wake up worn. All day long my heart and my mind wonder. I seek to change the past, I seek to change my future. Knowing that no matter what say or do in my head I can do nothing to control of change my life. I am so worn. I am so week. Only you give me peace.

I cry out to you to give me strength. I cry out to you to give me peace. I need you, I long for you. I have found fleeting joy in this world but only you can truly satisfy me. I'm trying so hard to please you. I'm trying so hard to be a man after your own heart.

Lord I am stuck. I want to fallow you. The changes that you have put in my life are so evident so true. But to others it looks like a show. Oh Lord, give me peace. How awesome have your works been in my this past month. How awesome is your love. I pray for patients Lord. Give me strength to keep working hard in your name. Let the doubter of your work in me see that the fruit in my life is not fleeting but true, and pure. Let your work in me shine like a light to all Lord.

I ask for your strength and love. Show me your ways. Open up the hearts and eyes of those who doubt me. Let them see you in me. Give me strength to face the day. Amen!

Fruits of the Spirit: Peace

Today I will talk about peace for most of the post. But I will end with an awesome time in prayer that I had today, why? because today has just been one of those days that I felt so down yet so amazed with Gods love for me.
When I first though of peace I honestly didnt know what to think. I really didnt know what peace meant in the eyes of Christ. All I could think of was peace that ends war. I guess God could give me peace in in hard times. But that takes time and I thought that everyone eventually finds peace after hardship. So what is peace?


 Irene – peace

Definition – Confidence and rest in the wisdom and sovereignty of God more than your own.

Opposite – Anxiety and worry

Counterfeit – Indifference, apathy, not caring about something. “I don’t care.”

Well peace is the Lord. Its my confidence in him. Its my knowledge that no matter what the world puts in front of me, good or bad, Christ is with me and loving me. Peace is knowing that the Lord is all I need in all situations. Peace is being comforted in my hope in Him and His plan for me and my life.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philipians 4:6-7)

I struggle with having peace in the Lord all the time. I always get worried about what may or may not happen. Im sure this hurts me because I tend to not put all of my faith fully in the the Lord and his plan. I dont have peace. Im always expecting another fight or conflict.

The fact is this I need to have peace in the Lord. I need to understand that life is hard and it will suck sometimes. I will always be at war with this world and my flesh. But has week as I may be, as defeated as I may look, Christ gives me strength and he gives me peace.


God is peace. He is love. He is always there for us.

Today was a day that I really needed peace. Today for some reason was really hard. It was completely different than other hard days recently. Everything was just fine for most of the day. But all of a sudden I just felt this burden on my heart, this pain that I couldn't shake. I needed to pray, so I did. It was AWESOME!! the best time in prayer I have ever had. The Lord just destroyed my heart with love and peace. All I could do was just fall on my knees in prayer and cry out the Lord. It was just amazing time with my creator.

So my friends, know that peace is only given by the Lord. His peace is more than enough. His peace surpasses all of our understanding. He is so so good! Have peace my friends. Find peace in the the Lord.

You are in my prayers. Keep my in yours. You are loved!

Fruits of the Spirit: Joy

Wow...Its been way to long since my last post. I have wanted to post something ever day for the last few days but just haven't had the time to do so. So back to the fruits of the spirit.

Chara – joy

Definition – Delight in God and his salvation for sheer beauty and worth of who he is.

Opposite – Hopelessness, despair.

Counterfeit – Elation that comes with blessings not the Blesser! Mood swings based on circumstances.

Today I will be talking about Joy. If you asked me what Joy was seven months ago I could have told you without any hesitation a couple dozen things that brought me joy.  If you asked me a few weeks ago what I found joy in, i would probably tell you nothing and that I would never find joy again. Well, obviously that's crazy of me to say and to think but that's what happens when you put happiness and joy in earthly things and not in Christ.

Psalms 5:11-12 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Se joy, is the delight in God and his beauty, love, and salvation for us. Joy is to delight in Gods character. Joy is finding that no matter what you do, say, or think, Christ will always fill you up. He will always bring you peace, love, and happiness. Maybe not happiness through earthly things but through himself.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

I see all of this and think to my self, how could I not have joy in the Lord? How could I ever not be satisfied with the love of the Lord and be happy and joyful in Him for what he has given to a very undeserving, unworthy, selfish man like me.

Psalm 13:5 
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

Times are hard. It hard to find joy right now. But that's me looking at things through what the world tells me to see. As hard as this time in my life has been, I have never found more joy in Christ than I have in the last few weeks. I have never looked for Christ more and he has never given me so much joy in my life. I take joy in his perfect loving plane. I find joy being in the Word, I find joy praying, I find joy in loving others, I find joy sharing the good news with others. I find joy in giving up all I have to Christ. See as always, the world will never live up to Christ. We will never be satisfied with it. We may find joy in it for a time but eventually it will go away. Christ is joy, and He will never go away.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

So I ask you, what do you find joy in? Is the joy you think you are getting out of that more important than Christ? Do you find joy in Christ and in your relationship with Him? My friends the Lord is the true joy of our hearts. Joy is only found though Christ. Knowing that I urge you to take joy in Him. I urge you to share that joy with others.

I love this part of the song All the poor and powerless by All Sons & Daughters. we have joy now do this...

Shout it
Go on scream it from the mountains
Go on and tell it to the masses
That He is God
We will sing out
Hallelujah
And we will cry out
Hallelujah

You are in my prayers daily my friends. Let me stay in yours, I need them. Pray that I continue to seek Christ above all other things. Pray that I am a light to those around me. Pray that I continue to become a man of God. Be joyful my friends because you are Loved!

Fruits of the Spirit: Agape – love

So I was thinking the other night about the fruits of the spirit. I was wondering if I was truly living them out the way the Lord wants me to. I thought hard about it, and came to the conclusion that as well as I do most of the time in  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control I need to do so much better. So I will regularly be posting about each of the fruits of the spirit and share my verses and thoughts about it. Hope you enjoy.

Today is Agape – love 

God is love and He wants us to love Him, and He wants us to love others. I think that I do a good job of loving others for the most part. I love my family and my friends. But do I love everyone? I haven't really ever thought about it. Do I love others like Christ loved me? Would I give my life for a random unsaved person on the street? I would hope so, but Im not sure if I would. I know that I want to give up my life (that is desires of money and worldly American possessions) to serve unsaved people in some mission field around the world. So, I guess that is love. But love is something that I should still work on. I need to show love to everyone just like Christ. I need to show love to those who don't love me.

Hear are verses about love in the Bible. They speak for themselves. They encouraged me and I hope they encourage you

"If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

^8"Love never fails"

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-7;8;13)

 A new commandment I give to 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. (John 13:34-35)

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you.  No longer do I call you servants,for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:12-15)

Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:14)

This week I will work on love. I hope you do the same. Keep me in your prayers, pray that I will go to be the man of God that He has called me to be. Pray that I will love like Christ loves. I will keep you in my prayers. You are LOVED! Now love others.