Friday, May 20, 2011

Fulfillment of the Law

"For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Romans 13:9) KJV

Staggering into my room around midnight is nothing new to me, but collapsing onto my bed after traveling around the world was. My trek from Italy back to Florida took a total of 24 hours. Looking back over the nine days the marching band spent together will be a memory I will cherish forever, as well as the lessons we learned about each other.

We were like four brothers rooming together. We loved each other one minute and would love to give each other a swirly the next. It's one thing to say you know someone, but it's a whole other story once you live with them for a few days.

Oh, we had lots of fun; I remember holding down Chad when he got this bright idea that he would steal my bed as Matt introduced a wet towel to his rear end. I also remember seeing that same person dazed and confused when the girl he liked didn't like him in return. Then we had Derrick, who was God's gift to women, then Matt, who just stayed in his own little world most of the time. Last was myself who joked around and sat back and watched the events unfold.

I believe Paul knew how much it meant to love one another; he was beaten, whipped, and imprisoned for trying to save people's lives. When he wrote the book of Romans he spoke of experience. What experiences do you recall? Have you had times when you felt unloved and alone? Remember the times when you first met Jesus? Remember the warmth and comfort and security you felt when you accepted Him into your heart? Now you know what Paul continued with the next verse. "Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." May peace be with you.

(www.tddm.org)

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Through His Eyes

"Let your light shine before all men so they can see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) NKJV

What would it be like to look through those awesome eyes, full of love, compassion, and submission? Wow, what a thought. To think of the multitudes they came in contact with, the grief they saw, the pain and suffering they witnessed. Then to see a tear break their lids like a water fall as it runs down His body to the nail drove deep into his feet. Every time I think about the events it's not my eyes that water, but my brain that tries to comprehend such a love. What could I ever say to let Him know what the cross means to me, what could I ever do to repay the blood that was shed for me?

The vision Jesus saw when He placed himself in the hands of the world was of a single person, of a person who deep down inside knew what right and wrong was. A person who He could one day sit down and talk face to face with and call them Son. What did Jesus see when He made the decision to put on flesh? He saw you.

As Christians we are called to be the light during these dark times; we are called to be the hope for the hopeless, and the eye in the storm. Remember how you felt when you first accepted Jesus into your heart? Remember the peace and the love you felt? The joy that only a Savior can bring? Jesus not only wants us to feel that but He wants your best friend to feel that, He wants your next door neighbor and even the bully in your 6th period class to feel that.

The best way we can be that light is by the way we act. Do you see a light house in the middle of the Atlantic? Never. Yet we try and put ourselves in the middle of everyone and everything and push Christianity on people. The best way is to let people see what you have. Boats always come to shore sooner or later, so do all of God's people, we just have to be prepared to lead them safely to shore once they come in, because it's then that Satan will use the rocky coastline to tear them apart.

In today's world words seem meaningless. Just a bunch of letters thrown together. When people see Christians talking the talk one day then drinking the beer the next, there is no wonder why witnessing with words can be a lost cause. Think of someone today that needs to be saved. Then start praying for them. Get to know them and let your example shine so when they are caught in the darkness of the world there will be one light that will always lead them home. May peace be with you.

(www.tddm.org)

Monday, May 16, 2011

Cast Your Cares

Missy was the kind of girl that everyone wanted to know. She had lots of friends, was always happy, always looked at the positive side of things, was always there for her friends, and always had the time to listen and make you smile. She was one of those people who, when you asked her how she was, never said bad, and 99% of the time her answer was "great." She always found joy in something, something that often many wondered where she got the strength to find it in.

"Ask, using my name and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." John 16:24 NIV

Missy found her joy, and the joy she shared with others, in God. Her God, her Heavenly Father, and her best friend Jesus. That's how people always saw her as happy and cheerful. The past few days though, Missy had a strange feeling within her. She had a full day at school, went to volleyball, and now was at home finished with her homework. She sat on her bed holding her pillow in her arms, as out of no where tears began to pour down her cheeks. For a reason unbeknown to her, Missy couldn't stop crying. For the past days, sad feelings had building up inside of her, and her heart weighed heavy. Nothing in particular had been terribly wrong, but little things had piled up and eventually poured out. Missy needed peace with herself, and with her issues.

"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

Friends, sometimes there are times in our life that pile up on us, and rain over us like rushing floods. But our God is there for us, to give us love, peace, joy, and an understanding.

Especially as teens, we go through times where sometimes we just don't know who we are anymore, but God is there to show us our path. "Cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you." Turn your cares over to him.

(www.tddm.org)

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Compliments

Do you play a sport for school or for your town or city? Do you play an instrument? Do you sing in a band or for competition? Do you ride equestrian? Are you on the debate, chess, or math team? Are you on student council? Do you have anything that you are really good at such as painting, sculpture, or drama?
I thought so. How many of us can raise our hand to at least half of those questions. I am not saying that's a bad thing because I can too. Now though let me ask you another question.

Have you ever gotten a compliment on any of the things that you said yes to before? Ahhhh, I thought so. That's cool though because I am absolutely 100% positive that you deserved it. Think, though, for a second; after someone gave you that compliment, how did you feel? Those things make you feel pretty good don't they? It makes you feel successful, important, skillful, talented, noticed, popular, and all those things are good things, so if that is how you feel please don't feel that you have done anything wrong.

Today after a volleyball tournament, I began to think. I thought about all the players and how many compliments we take each day. The key two words in that sentence, though, are "we take". As Christians we know God our father, we know he made us and he loves us. He knows everything about us to the very first details.

Jesus said to them "through man this is impossible, but through God ALL things are possible." Matthew 19:26 NIV
Have you ever though about what you would be without God? Would you be able to do the things that you do, to the extent to which you do them? Would you be able to handle your schedule? Would you be you without the talents that God gave to you to make you special?


Next time that someone says "good job," or "awesome play," or anything like that to you, thank God; thank Him for making you who you are with the gifts that you have. And share with people who tell you these complimentary things how you got good at the things you do.

Live in His grace always.

(www.tddm.org)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Fearing Fate

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 NLT

I was not about to take any chances. I knew death was quickly coming, and my ticket was about to be punched. As I sat down in the chair of doom, I realized I might not live to see another day. I realized it was time for my wisdom teeth to come out.

It would be an understatement to say that I was scared. The English language cannot comprehend the feelings and thoughts that raced through my head. But one thing was for sure. Before I went under, I was going to repent for everything I had ever done since I was born, from the time I took the little boy’s ice cream from him and ate it when I was in second grade to cheating on a math test I knew I was going to fail. I was cleaning my soul at 90 mph.

Once the IV entered my skin, I knew it was only a matter of minutes before I would be out. It was time to witness to the doctor. As the room began to spin, I told my doctor that Jesus loves him, and that if he would just accept him into his life, he would live forever. I told him about the heavens and the angels and the pretty birdies (at this point I was high on laughing gas, so I made up the concept of heaven as I went).

I remember waking up, and by the grace of God, I was still alive. I wish I would have seen the look on the doctor’s face. I wondered if he took mental notes on how much Novocain he should give his patients in the future. I encourage you this week to share the gospel with a friend. Don’t wait till your back is against a wall to ask for forgiveness of your sins, and don’t wait until a loved one is on the death bed before you share the gospel with them.

(www.tddm.org)

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Born to Lie

The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. Proverbs 12:22 NLT

We were born to lie. From an early age we find out the best way to avoid a punishment was to come up with an excuse, and there have been some classics. “I have no idea how that got there, honest.” “Seriously, the dog really did eat my homework.” “It wasn’t me, I was dead at the time!” Yet, it seems like our parents and teachers have some sort of special power to see right through our little white lies. I never really understood how sinful we are, even at birth, until I had children of my own.

I heard a loud bang and somehow my two year old son managed to build a tower out of toys and climb over the security gate that was intended on keeping him in his room. A couple of minutes later I hear another noise and this time I heard him climbing over the kitchen gate. Still half asleep I knew it was time to get up.

Before I could get dressed and out of the room I heard the strangest popping noise coming from the kitchen. This couldn’t be good. I quickly run out and to my surprise an egg goes soaring past my eyes and slams into the wall. I turn the corner and there he is covered in egg shells. “Kaiden! Did you open the refrigerator? He looked up at me with yolk dripping off his hand and says, “No daddy.” Wow, even at that age, he could look me straight in the eyes. As cute as it was, it proved my point.

The problem with lying is that it not only hurts your integrity but also can hurt others around you. Even if you can fool your friends and family there is still one you can’t trick. Take the time to think before you tell a lie and if you get caught in one, don’t use another lie just to cover it up. “Oh, I was just joking, I really didn’t mean that.” Seriously? Thankfully Jesus didn’t lie when he promised to die on the cross for our sins.

(www.tddm.org)

Friday, May 6, 2011

Loose Spark Plugs?

For the word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I had just done an oil change on my car, and Dad recommended we run a compression test. (You don't need to know what that is- I didn't until yesterday.) While running the test, we discovered that the spark plugs were a lot looser than the service manual specified they should be. Once the test was done, we made sure the spark plugs were tightened to specs and fired up the car. It roared to life, sure as anything, but we were greeted by the sight and smell of blue smoke puffing out the exhaust pipe!

Now, for those of us who know about as much about cars as I did before I bought this one, blue smoke coming out the back is not a good sign. It means your car is burning much more oil than it ought to. As it turns out, the loose spark plugs were very likely left that way to cover up a more significant engine problem- the one causing the blue smoke. The car I bought two months ago is suddenly a lot closer to the end of its lifetime than I thought it was.

Sometimes sin problems in our lives can be covered up by cheap fixes like those loose spark plugs. When we find a problem in our attitude or habits and decide it's not worth the effort needed to fix it, we'll ignore it and deaden our consciences to it. However, the problem is still there- and often it gets worse when we fail to address it. Sin problems grow, and they affect our relationship with our Father in heaven. As with my engine, sooner or later there's going to be a breakdown. Fortunately, you and I know the Master Mechanic, and He's perfectly willing to fix the root problem- at no cost- if you're willing to swallow your pride and surrender your life to Him.

You know what strikes me as illogical? We often give a lot more attention to problems with our cars, our homes, our toys, or our bodies, than we give to spiritual problems in our own lives. Compared to your life, a car is completely disposable. A car will reach the end of its lifetime and fall apart; it serves its purpose and then we stop caring about it. You, however, will live forever. Shouldn't you then pay attention to warning signals in your life more so than signs that your car is falling apart? The Bible will let you diagnose any issues in your life; your loving Heavenly Father will help you overcome them. Don't wait until you're broken down on the side of the road to consult the manual and repair your engine.

(www.tddm.org)