what I think

Well I have a lot on my mind so here goes one of my rants. And If I offend someone I'm sorry but this is how I feel. There have been a few things going on lately that have really got me thinking . Why is it that Christians are always labeled by the secular world as hypocrites? It seems that when something goes wrong or someone makes a decision that isn’t right and a Christian tries to help they automatically get called a hypocrite? I think to answer this question we need to look at the church as a whole and put ourselves in the shoes of the secular world. If you step back and look at the church as a whole we can easily find the answer. We have so many people in this world walking around professing to be Christians and then completely deny their faith by the way they act. I mean when you have some one like Pastor Jeremiah Wright saying things like “The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America.’ No, no, no, God damn America, that’s in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.”.
How is the world not going to see this a hypocritical? I mean everything he says he veils in Christianity and makes it look like that’s what all Christians think. There are many other examples of “popular” preachers that give Christians a bad name. Fred Phelps, Pat Robertson just to name a couple. But I think we need to look a little closer to home, and look at the individual parts of the church that make the body.
I was raised in church my entire life. I accepted the Lord as my savior when I was 8 years old. I didn’t quite fully understand the full meaning of being a Christian but I knew I sinned and I need to be forgiven. My walk with the Lord was strong for the next 3 or 4 years, then I hit Jr. High. I still had all of the same friends that I had in grade school but things were different. I realized I was using bad language more and not praying as much as I used to and as I entered high school things only got worse. I drank quite a bit in high school and then I got into pornography. Things at that point were just about as bad as they could be, until my friend Paul got interested in church. I took him on a friend day and a few months later Paul gave his life to Christ. The next few months were hard for me because Paul changed, I didn’t have my drinking buddy anymore. And not to mention Paul already knew the bible better then I did, this pushed me back to God faster then anything else could have. I started to change and low and behold my witness started to come back.
That is just a part of my testimony. There is a lot more I could say but I just can’t type it all. But the reason I put that in there is because in all things I want to be transparent. I think that is where the problem lies in the local churches. There is no transparency in most churches, and this is where the hypocrite word comes in. I think people come in off the streets who have never been to church before want to know that the people who are teaching them are real. Not just the teachers but the Media guy, the praise and worship leader, the deacons and elders and the list goes on. The last thing you want to happen is for someone to come to church for the first time and say..WOW that person goes to church? I saw them the other day doing this and this, or I saw some pictures of them on the internet that looked they weren’t Christians at all. I am guilty of this. Sometimes I do things that I know aren’t pleasing to God. But I know in my heart I need to change. I don’t want anyone to call me a hypocrite. It’s hard to live a blameless life but as someone who holds a position in the church I feel I owe that to God. So before the next time you go and do something or say something you know is wrong..think about it and ask yourself , Is this bringing glory to the throne of God? Trust me, it will humble you real fast. It did me.

PSA

Because I'm a man , when I lock my keys in the car, I will fiddle with a coat hanger long after hypothermia has set in.Calling AAA is not an option. I WILL win.

Because I'm a man , when the car isn't running very well,I will pop the hood and stare at the engine as if I know whatI'm looking at. If another man shows up, one of us will say to the other, 'I used to be able to fix these things, but now with all these computers and everything, I wouldn't know where to start.' We will then drink a couple of beers and break wind, as a form of holy communion.

Because I'm a man , when I catch a cold, I need someone to bring me soup and take care of me tenderly while I lie in bed and moan. You're a woman. You never get as sick as I do, so for you, this is no problem.

Because I'm a man , I can be relied upon to purchase basic groceries at the store, like beer, milk or bread. I cannot be expected to find exotic items like 'cumin' or 'tofu.' For all I know, these are the same thing.

Because I'm a man , when one of our appliances stops working, I will insist on taking it apart, despite evidence that this will just cost me twice as much once the repair person gets here and has to put it back together.

Because I'm a man , I must hold the television remote control in my hand while I watch TV. If the thing has been misplaced, I may miss a whole show looking for it.....though one time I was able to survive by holding a calculator..... ( applies to engineers mainly ).

Because I'm a man , there is no need to ask me what I'm thinking about. The true answer is always either sex, cars, sex, sports or sex. I have to make up something else when you ask, so don't ask.

Because I'm a man , I do not want to visit your mother, or have your mother come visit us, or talk to her when she calls, or think about her any more than I have to. Whatever you got her for Mother's Day is okay; I don't need to see it. And don't forget to pick up something for my mother, too.

Because I'm a man , you don't have to ask me if I liked the movie Chances are, if you're crying at the end of it, I didn't ...and if you are feeling amorous afterwards....then I will certainly at least remember the name and recommend it to others.

Because I'm a man , I think what you're wearing is fine. I thought what you were wearing five minutes ago was fine, too. Either pair of shoes is fine. With the belt or without it, looks fine. Your hair is fine. You look fine. Can we just go now?

Because I'm a man , and this is, after all, the year 2008, I will share equally in the housework. You just do the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning, the vacuuming, and the dishes, and I'll do the rest...... Like wandering around in the garden with a beer wondering what to do. This has been a public service message for women to better understand men

I'm Back

WOW it has almost been a month since I have posted on here! Things have been really crazy lately. But I’m back (I think). Lets see since that last time I posted I have started school. This has been a culture shock for me. I feel old when I’m there. I mean the boy’s are smart mouths and the girls…PUT SOME CLOTHES ON..It’s called modesty and you should try it. This is the part that makes me feel old.I was sitting in class the other day and one the kids asked my professor a smart mouthed question, I had to fight the urge to turn around and tell him to shut up and that people were trying to learn in here. Could it be, that I am turning into an adult finally? Next to the professor I am the oldest person in the class. Oh well, I am only going back for me and my family, not for them. As far as the rest of my life is concerned everything is well. I FINALLY get a month off of running the projector at church(thank you Elizabeth). We are staying with my Mother and Father in law this week because some people decided to dig a ten foot trench all the way around our house. Now I understand they need to fix the foundation but after last night’s rain I’m guessing we now have a moat, anyone have any extra alligator’s or piranha’s I could have? Well there is a great deal more and maybe I will have some time to post more tomorrow but as for now I am off to see how I did on my first math test.

Truth

The following I think is how most people treat Jesus, myself included. We use him when we want him and throw him away. This song really shook me and if you get the chance look it up on youtube or any other site. The name if the song is Wedding Dress and Derek Webb sings it.

if you could love me as a wife and for my wedding gift, your life should that be all i’ll ever need or is there more i’m looking for and should i read between the linesand look for blessings in disguise to make me handsome, rich, and wise is that really what you want

i am a whore i do confess but i put you on just like a wedding dress and i run down the aisle i’m a prodigal with no way home but i put you on just like a ring of gold and i run down the aisle to you

so could you love this bastard child though i don’t trust you to provide with one hand in a pot of gold and with the other in your side i am so easily satisfied by the call of lovers less wild that i would take a little cash over your very flesh and blood

because money cannot buy a husband’s jealous eye when you have knowingly deceived his wife

Thankful!

I am so thankful I have a wife who understands what it means to be a Godly woman.

Me, Myself and Others

I have been rather observant of other people lately and I am starting to really not get excited about what I see. I try very hard not to be a judgmental person because I know I have done things that I’m not proud of, but it’s hard to see what’s going on around me and not feel….well flat out repulsed.

In my younger life I was a drinker. I could drink just about anyone under the table. It wasn’t a rare occurrence to see me with a giant bottle of Jack in one hand and a bottle of Rum in the other. I would go to parties and have a good time and get drunk. I would act like I was 5 years old again without a care in the world. At this point in my life I had completely lost my focus on God. I figured I would go out and do all of this stuff now so I wouldn’t miss out on what I perceived to be anything “fun”. But something happened. I grew up! I met my wife Brooke in the fall of 1999. I was just starting to get out of the drinking scene and trying to be an adult. She was (and still is) the best thing that has ever happened to me. As we dated I started to notice my thinking was changing. I didn’t see going out and getting drunk as a fun thing to do anymore. I was amazed, I didn’t think that could ever happen.

Flash forward a few years to..well…today. I look back at that part of my life and I don’t regret it. It’s amazing how God has used that as a witnessing tool to help show His glory.
But here is what has been getting to me lately. I have been around many people lately who are my age and are still acting like they are 18. I mean the other night I had a beer, I drank it in like 3 seconds and it tasted awesome, but I didn’t go over board. I started thinking this week about what the bible says about being a stumbling block to others and these are the verses that touched me.

1 Corinthians 8:9
9Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Romans 14:13
13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

This really hit me hard, here I am professing to be a Christian and I still act the way I did when I was 17. I know changes need to be made, I do NOT want to be a stumbling block for other Christians or Non-Christians for that matter. I serve in our church, and I don’t want to do anything that would jeopardize that. I believe when you are put in a position of serving the church you should have some humility and be able to conduct yourself in a Christ like manner. So I am going to work on myself. Will I give up having a beer every once in awhile? No! I am just not going to be stupid about it. I will also work on my mouth . I say some pretty crude things sometimes and I’m often baited into it by other people as well. I am working on that to. I’m sorry this is so random but hey..it’s me.

Just how I feel Today

I was sure by now That You would have reached down And wiped our tears away Stepped in and saved the day But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls I barely hear Your whisper through the rain "I'm with you" And as Your mercy falls I raise my hands and praise the God who gives And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm And I will lift my hands For You are who You are No matter where I am Every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand You never left my side And though my heart is torn I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind You heard my cry You raised me up again My strength is almost gone How can I carry on If I can't find You
As the thunder rolls I barely hear You whisper through the rain "I'm with you" And as Your mercy falls I raise my hands and praise the God who gives And takes away
I lift my eyes unto the hills Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord The Maker of Heaven and Earth