all is worthless (acts 23)

Everywhere Christ is spoken about stirs up riots. Especially this time when acts was written. Jesus proclaims peace, and has strength to lift us up when we are struck or beat down, or can't go on anymore. And for some reason...people are offended. I don't know ,but I have a theory, we just want our own pathetic way, we don't see the truth. That's what causes so much hate, because we want it our own way, but that's just dumb. If there is someway to go that guarantees life ,joy, and peace, I'll give it all up for that. All else is worthless. Not that we'll be just happy all the time, but joy is something deeper, contentment.

It's like if I was going to for sure give you 10 dollars if you choose to go down a trail with me then you go down another trail that you don't know about, then find some cow dung. Can you see what kind of chooses people make? We make those all the time....and I'm not singling you out...I do soooo much too. More then I should. But Jesus is pleading with us, "come this way." I love you Jesus. You have right direction.

-matthew

before all others (acts 19)

Jesus certainly stirred He stirred alot of things when He came. But why did He come?! He came to heal this world. He came to seek the lost (which is us all). And THAT stirred up alot? Well

only not exactly. We want to just do our own thing. We want to have some sort of power. But in reality we are only lost sheep, getting lost, falling off a cliff, wandering around, getting stuck in ditches. We think we can just do it in our own ignorance. These people were getting all excited because Paul was preaching these things about Jesus. And the fact that we need to put aside everything in life, that isn’t worth much at all, and follow Him is threatening to us because all of the sudden we, ourselves, are contradicted. It’s why anyone in this secular world gets mad at us. It’s true even with the evolution debates.

Lord, we try so hard to make ourselves in charge but that’s really not the truth to pursue. Ourselves will fail in the end. The truth is we’re charge whether we think so or not. So here I am. I admit the truth. You’re our good Father, You protect us. Your will is planned for our lives. It’s a scary thing when we realize we are not in control. But the thing is You are. What do we have to fear? You “lead us beside still waters” I now understand Psalm 23. I never really did before.

I love You.

-matthew

He is life

Hey I think someone I know uncovered a weakness in my heart. I fight with this. Beauty, I tend to make something great to myself....but that beauty can not provide. That beauty is worthless in the end to protect me. That beauty can not be a job,or food. Beauty dies. Beauty is however captivating.

There really is no reason to even make that to myself, an idol. That is my idol. Yes, there's nothing wrong with beauty, but to make it more than it should be....that is a sin.It also hurts me in the end. I can't let beauty be more than it is in my life because their is no benefit. On this outing with the pastors I want to make Jesus more than anything in my heart. After all He is the creator of all beauty. How can I ever have better? He is life He is my purpose. He is my all. All else must be second.

unwaiver (acts 14)

"But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.²⁰But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe."

Hardcore. I by no means see that he did this in his own strength. Paul's will was unwavering. God is for all of us, our protector. That’s why in act 14 the missionaries,Paul and Barnabas went from city to city to city preaching. Paul was even stoned, but Paul knew no fear because God convinced him that he was invincible until the time came for new life with God his father. He couldn’t lose. Even if he died on earth he would be fully alive with Jesus in heaven. It’s the same with us. Nothing can stop us. Through the pain,we’ll rise up and keep going.

What do we have to fear? Of course make calculations and plans but when you have nothing,what should you fear?

the premier post of this blog....Love.

What if love is more powerful than hate? It binds all together,and hopes all things. Hate is the exact opposite. It's constantly negative, constantly betraying, constantly back stabbing. If a force is driven at it's core by hate, how can it stand? God is love. He is life, He is existence. If you were to go against a power propelled by love, you would fall. It's amazing to me that love lasts. We think in this world that hate is stronger. It might win a battle but not a war, especially in this world. Love is eternal wheeeew...what a relief. Nothing at all could exist without love. Love begot creation. Don't you love someone before you have intercourse? Not always, but that does not grow to be a happy child then. Not that the child will ever be happy but it's just a child that grows with challenges ahead..... That's how humanity was designed, by love. God chose us to show His love. Heaven's weapon is love. Love can't be destroyed. Maybe on a small scale but on the large scale it out lives. Hate is destruction even to itself. The bible was right, love never fails, it can't.

Love causes passion. If you love someone you'll fight to protect them, passionately. Now think of that in relation to God and what He did. He came down to save us. He stepped off His thrown and humbled Himself to a small creature just to save us. That is amazing love. For those who will possibly reject Him. He did not stand to let us all be punished for eternity in a place He made for satan and not us. He fought for us.

the Lord Our Strength (acts 7)

I can tell you from even these ancient words written thousands of years ago that the men who heard stephan were impressed.

Father, even, in these things, You speak softly to us. Moses doubted himself, which is good, we should all doubt ourselves a little for power to continue on. we need to rely on You for strength and that Your stronger, that is You. You give me strength to complete the mission. You heal so that we have strength to continue on. Not us, but You have the strength. Remind me of that always. I can't do it, but I don't need to despair because You can do it.

faker (acts 5)

These things I have always need to make me look better than I really am. Lord, Help me to be true to myself. We're all in a Spiritual battle for our very lives. A fake sword just doesn't work.

Their are things we hide to keep for ourselves. We are looking for our own glory. It's not that You don't want us to be proud of the things we accomplish, but You don't want it to be false. You desire real strength and real personalities,real image, not a make-believe look of one. I need to actually be strong, actually be healthy, actually be a good leader, not a false one. Those will fail. Falseness will fail. Only the appearance of something we're not, isn't good enough. The only way we'll last is through authenticity and just doing "it." A plastic lock on a door will just break. It's only the appearance of a lock. Plastic locks are worth nothing, authenticity is everything.