Raffle

So this weekend my family had our Yoder Camp-out. It consisted of around 50-60 people this year. It is a time of fellowship, food, and fun. Usually occurs on two days, saturday and sunday.

This year a family inside our big family had faced some struggles. As a result the big family decided to support this family. They put together a raffle which consisted of a lot of random prizes. Each ticket cost $1. But it was mentioned that you could purchase them for more if you choose to. All of the money raised went toward the family in need.

Coming into the day i did not know we were doing a raffle and it took me by surprise. But i was entirely impressed by my family. In one day we raised/gave $840. There was only 300 tickets so figure that one out! :) it was so awesome to see my family come around and support this one family. God can do great things if we just give Him what we have!

A simple question.

So this morning started a little rough. Let's just say God was not at the center of things, where he ought to be. Thinking about this morning, i asked myself - "If someone were to ask me how my day was, what would i say?" My first response would of been - "i feel like crap." As i thought more, i realized even though i started slow, God quickly regained control. Heres how:

-God created this earth
-God created us
-God created everything in and on this earth

Because of my birthplace, i can experience His Love for us. i have a roof over my head EVERYDAY. i have a bed to sleep in EVERYDAY. i have food to eat EVERYDAY. i have clothes to wear EVERYDAY. i am healthy EVERYDAY (well almost...). i am loved by my family EVERYDAY. i have hope EVERYDAY. Jesus died for our sins, i have forgiveness EVERYDAY.

If i were born in the Mathare Slums of Kenya or Cap Haitian, Haiti or El Millon, Mexico or Nepal or the Democratic Republic of Congo or Rwanda or many others, then i would have none of these. i would not have a roof, bed, food, clothes, health, love, hope, and knowledge of forgiveness EVERYDAY. Because of where i was born, i know that i am saved. The least i can do is not complain and praise my creator EVERYDAY!!! Thank You, God! You are great!

Slow down, there is so much more.

This time of year brings many things. For me it brings fantasy baseball, playoffs for basketball and hockey, the end of the school year, and a missions trip. Everyday at work i see many people rushing in and out of Martins Supermarket. Everyone is in a hurry to buy their groceries whether it is one item or one hundred. Some neglect their children and don't care to be respectful. Their only desire is to get to the next thing, whether it is a spring concert for their child, someone's birthday, a child's baseball practice/game or even home to relax. Not many stop and think. What's there to think about? Here's a few:

So often I hear of the father's in families neglecting their children and becoming a missing part in many children's lives.
I see people disciplining their child in front of the world without a care, as long as they are pleased.
Someone slips and falls but no one stops to pick them up.
People try to gain the riches of the world, of which none will leave this earth with their soul.
Men can't find enough time to set aside sports for one night to spend with their family. On the ride to a restaurant they have to check the score or even check while they are eating.

God calls us to do HIS WILL, not ours. His will is for us to LOVE. Everything above can be seen as selfish to some extent. In Mark 1:6 we see a man portrayed as a true LOVER. John the baptist wears camel's hair and eats locusts and honey. I can't imagine eating a bug or wearing an animal as clothing. Yet this man's desire is to be with the ONE who created him. He doesn't care how he looks or if he hears the "outcome of the big game". GOD created us to be unselfish. As HIS creations, our job is to LOVE HIM and LOVE OTHERS. Stop and think for a second, when Jesus returns do you want to be watching a baseball game? or do you want to be sharing time with the poor and giving up what you have? The latter is exactly what GOD calls us to do. Someday there will be 1000 years of heaven on earth. Someday Jesus will return and save us all. Until that day our job is to reach out and LOVE OTHERS.

Join me in this mission to change our desires from self-centeredness to others-centeredness (those are words now).

Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the FATHER and of the SON and of the HOLY SPIRIT, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Hope

This is why I call myself a Christian. I recently began reading Understanding Bible Prophecy for Yourself by Tim Lahaye. As you could guess, it is about the future and prophecy in the Bible. Courtesy of only a few chapters in this book, ive learned much. I've had clarity on what I believe and what is to come. The second coming of Christ must be important, the apostle Paul mentioned it 50 times! That is only one person. He spoke of communion only twice and baptism 13 times. Overall the Bible mentions it over 300 times!

Why don't people speak of His returning as much as they should? Isn't this the foundation of our beliefs? We place communion and baptism at such a high importance because Jesus said to be baptized. Didn't He also say He is going to return to save us all? Actually He even said to "sell everything you have and give it to the poor" Luke 18:22. As Christians we ought to believe He is going to return. We think of and even speak of witnessing or evangelizing to others but never know what to say. Why not talk about this hope we have? Instead of trying to convert so many people, I feel I can show more Love to others by telling them what I believe will happen and how we can be saved. Here are a few things I believe and have began to ask God to remind me of these throughout my days.

I believe that someday Jesus will return.
I believe that Jesus will take with Him the believers and saved to be in His father's house that He has prepared (John 14:1-3).
I believe He will resurrect the dead believers then rapture those alive (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17).
I believe after the rapture, Jesus will judge the believers (Romans 14:10).
I believe there will be the Tribulation period of 7 years, where the world is ruled by the antichrist (Daniel 9:27).
I believe Jesus will then initiate the Kingdom Age, where there will be 1000 years of heaven on earth (Revelation 19:11-20).
I believe there is God who created all these people with the most delicacy possible, He created every single leaf on an Elm Tree (thats 6,000,000 leaves!) of course He created us with precision.
I believe His desire is to have a personal relationship with every person.
I believe He created a divine plan to rescue His people from the earth.

He will return someday!

EVERYTHING!!!

Sell everything you have and give it to the poor.

Right now God has been molding me in many different areas. God is shaping me by how I judge others and my first impressions of them. In many situations I would look at another persons life and try to find out what they need to fix. Everytime I would do this, Satan would take the initiative to attack me in some way. I used to look at my father negatively and never would give him a chance. God has shown me through his word that love overcomes. Numerous times my father seemed as if he did not want it, he did not desire to go to church or pursue what God has to offer. I would look at that and try to find ways to talk to him or influence him that he is wrong in this. So many times I would realize this is the wrong step and I would be reminded of God's love. I was tired of looking at him so negatively that I decided to look positively into his life. Since my change of view, my dad has seemed to be in a better mood and I feel much more love in our family. I was reminded to love others and love God.

Another area God has shaped me is with "sell everything you have and give it to the poor". I started reading Irresitable Revolution by Shane Claiborne. It is about his life and his encounters with desiring to be radical christian for God. So many times we go to church, give to the needy when it makes world news, and do "good things" to make ourselves feel good. God calls us to LOVE, to give to the needy all the time. Everything is this world is not mine, it is all His.

"You guys are all into that born again thing, which is great. We do need to be born again, since Jesus said that to a guy named Nicodemus. But if you tell me I have to be born again to enter the kingdom of God. I can tell you that you have to sell everything you have and give it to the poor, because Jesus said that to one guy too." - Rich Mullins

So as i look at my life and decide if what i am doing is enough, i am always reminded that it is not. Nothing in this world is mine, so why do i still try to hold on to things. Jesus said sell EVERYTHING i have, as a christian am i willing to step up and be that radical for Him or will i fade away. Giving up the judging, the worries of what others think when i do something Christlike, and my possessions is what a true radical does.

School and Life.

So its been awhile since I last posted. This school year has had its ups and downs so far.

Downs: all the sinfulness and plain fakeness that surrounds me at school. It is hard at times to remain focused when there is so much sinning around. It is also tough at times to bring up God and share about him. Each day I have given it my all to live out my life for God the best I can. Compared to past years this is probably my only down, the year has really been good to this point.

Ups: the juniors decided because of K.I.N. (kids in need) we are going to fast one day at school during lunch. We decided to fast our wednesday lunch because that is normally the day we are served the best food. It has been encouraging each wednesday to see the people that are fasting praying as a group for K.I.N. We also decided to fast the first monday of each month. Another up to this year has been small groups. Going into small groups i knew that my group has had a problem with being fully open. Each sunday night we meet and we are going to be going through Crazy Love soon. We are having someone in the group sharing their testimony each night and then we can ask them any question about them. This past sunday was my turn. I knew that we needed to be more open so i decided to challenge the guys to stay focused and remember why we are here. The night was great and growth truly occurred with all the guys in the group. I can see the group making giant leaps this next year and it is very encouraging.

Also before i forget, Brant Nine and I will be sharing this Thursday at FCS (fellowship of christian students). I will be talking about God's love for not only us but the rest of the school and world. Brant will be sharing his testimony. I am extremely excited for tomorrow. My prayer is that the people listening will have their heart's open and ready to experience God's love.

Student Section.

So lately I have been very disappointed in the senior class at Northwood this year. At both home football games they have dressed up but have not come prepared for anything else. What really grinds my gears about this is that they are not prepared to cheer. For example we have a junior leading some of the cheers, sad. Half of the game the seniors carry on their own conversations and barely pay any attention. The junior and few seniors leading the cheers start the cheers at the worst times, while a team is in the huddle for example, just totally random and pointless spots in the game. They make the game no fun to watch or join in with the few cheers we have.

At the same time I'm considering myself a hypocrite while saying all this. Since school started I have struggled with doing my T.A.W.G. (time alone with God). I have even listened to some little lies that satan throws at me through some days. I have realized it is tough to live sold out for God at school to start out with but it is even tougher when you are not spending any time with Him. It is about time I realize this before it is too late. You may not think spending time with God makes any improvement right away but the act and making it a habit goes a long long way.

I look at the seniors and say they don't want it. I look at the beginning of my school year and say I don't want it. This is no more. I want it and I know where I'm going I will not be afraid to step up. Jesus said "Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me." I will see my friends in heaven some day and will not let them cave into satan's lies.