Skylar's Blog

Harry Potter and You: Destined for Disaster

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:35:00 +0000

Verse: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

James 1:2

Note: Harry Potter is a fiction book, and our church has no ties with any sort of witchcraft or black magic, nor do we support such things. However, there are principles in J.K. Rowling's writing that lends itself to Christian thinking. If you are upset by this blog please notify me.

Where my Harry Potter fans at?! Some of you might not have the maturity to enjoy the Harry Potter series, and because of this I am sad, but as for the rest of you well-mannered, grown up, goal oriented guys and girls you will be able to relate with what I'm about to talk about (by the way I was just kidding about the characteristics of Harry Potter fans, we're not all well-mannered). Harry Potter is a wizard born into very difficult circumstances. Even before he is able to put a word together the entire wizarding world knows his name and his story. Can you begin to imagine the pressure he had to experience after he found out who he was and what everyone was expecting of him? Then, as if the day to day pressures of being the child who saved the wizarding world wasn't enough, the dark wizard who had almost killed him comes back to life and makes it clear he wants his revenge. Harry Potter is a fiction book, it's a made up world, but within this world Rowling paints an interesting picture of a boy who seems to have the odds stacked against him. Have you ever felt like this? Do you have days when you get out bed and it feels like the world is out to get you? How about those days when it seems like everything is going wrong, do you have those?

James (the writer of the book of James ; ) starts out his letter with the statement I wrote above. I want you to notice one word, a word that has always stuck out to me, it's the word "when." Why is that word so important? Because of the phrase that comes after it: "you face trials of many kinds..." Notice he doesn't say, "if", "it's possible that", or "you may want to look out for." He says: "when". What do you think this means? Personally, I think it means we, like Harry Potter, are destined for some hard times. Now, my purpose in writing this isn't to paint this dramatic picture of being a Christian, in all honesty I'm just being realistic. Hopefully, you all acknowledge the existence of Satan, and his desire to pull you from God. On top of that, you hopefully know the culture we live in doesn't promote the same morals and values we do. Because of this, whether we want to admit it or not, we're living in a world where the odds are slightly stacked against us. Life is not always cheery and happy. We all have doubts, we have questions, we grieve, we feel alone, we don't always believe God is there with us, and we definitely don't always trust God. In my experience, it sometimes feels like this life's sole purpose is find some way of creating a wedge between God and me. I am not saying we should be hopeless, if anything Christians should be the most hopeful of any group of people. We have the sovereign God of the universe working for us and loving us. However, I am asking all of us to take a hard look at life and come to a point where we know bad things will happen, but after we understand this we look to God and put our hope in the day where bad things will never happen again. The point of being realistic isn't to find some way to cope within ourselves. The point of being realistic is understanding there is nothing in this world we can place our whole hope in, instead we must look outside this world to our God and Savior and put our whole hope in Him and in the day He comes back and rescues us for forever.

I always feel like somebody's watching me! The facebook phenomenon.

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:31:00 +0000

Verse: And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24-25

I ask this a lot, but how many of you have a facebook? If you do, and I'm sure a good chunk of you do, how often do you check your facebook a day? One, two, three, twenty times? It is surprising how addicting facebook can be. What makes facebook so addicting for you? Is it all the apps (farmville, bumperstickers [which is one of my favorite], mafia, etc.)? Is it getting a chance to poke fun at your friends pictures and profiles? Whatever it is facebook has now become the second most visited site on the web. Can you guess number one? It is...Google! That means Facebook has passed up Yahoo, Myspace, ESPN, Ask Jeeves, and everyone else for the most visited website! That's insane seeing that Facebook isn't a site that holds information that people need. So, my next question is this: why is Facebook so popular? Why do we (because we are a part of this number) so attracted to what Facebook has to offer?...What do you think? In my opinion, Facebook offers something that every single one of us want, and that is: ideal human connection. What does that mean? Let's start with the first word. What does ideal mean? Ideal means satisfying one's conception of what is perfect. In other words, facebook offers friendships that match up with our idea of perfect. How does it do that? Facebook offers a lot of control of what people find out about us. We have a lot of control over what other people see about us. This means it is very easy to create the ideal (there's that word again) you. So, people see us as we want them to see us and we see them as they want us to see them.

On to the second part, it offers human connection. We all want this. We all deeply desire to have relationships with other people. Some of you might think you are better off being isolated, but the second you slip and step into any relationship your perceptions change almost instantly (Don't believe me? Watch the movie Up in the Air). When God created humans he saw it wasn't good for us to be alone, and that is still the case today. Facebook provides a consistent, everyday outlet for us to experience some kind of connection with other people. However, does facebook totally satisfy what we are looking for? What do you think?...

I'm going to say it doesn't. While facebook is a great place to make people feel special or make them laugh, it isn't a place where you can really talk to someone and form a friendship. To do that we have to get our hands dirty, we have to hang out with other people and let them experience who we really are. The verse I gave you at the beginning of this blog is the verse we base our Rock Groups on. Life can only be lived to its fullest if we have other people in it who know who we really are. Life is only enjoyable if you have a group of friends who know your shortcomings and have made it clear they love you. Living becomes much more exciting when there are people you can count on and trust. However, I realize this is hard. There are many of us who find facebook a better alternative because we've been hurt by people we've trusted with who we really are. There is a risk when we come into relationship with imperfect human beings. However, in my mind and in my experience, if you are wise who you allow into your life, it is definitely worth the risk. So, my advice, put that laptop down, turn off your computer, and ask a friend out for coffee, to throw a baseball around, to go shopping with you, to hike with, or whatever it is you do. Be yourself, and let those people in your life be themselves, too. And after all of that watch God bless you with what you've been created for: a real-life, ideal human connection.

What's in a Name?

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:43:00 +0000

Verse: Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you, ' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM sent me to you.' "

Exodus 3:13-14

Quick english question: can you guess where the title of this blog came from?...If you said Romeo and Juliet you are correct! You have won...the satisfaction of winning! What is in a name though? Let's look at it this way: are there certain names that you when you hear them certain memories or faces pop immediately into you head? We have many experiences with different names. However, it isn't the name that effects us, it's the face or the experience behind the name. This isn't how it's always been. Names weren't always so insignificant. When you read the Old Testament you'll see a person's name is a HUGE deal. Look at the story of Jacob. Jacob is wandering around and while he is doing that he encounters God. He tells God to bless him, and God does. How? He ends up having his name changed by God to Israel, which happens to be the nation God would use to change the world. There are several stories of God changing the name of one of his servants to represent a new stage in their life. There are also tons of mothers in the Old Testament who name their children based on the circumstances they're born into (see the story of Jacob and his wives). Have you ever thought of your name as a representation of you? Maybe you haven't, but let's look back to the beginning of this conversation: there are certain names that have certain effects on us, which means your name has a certain effect on other people. Names, whether we realize it or not, are a representation of a person. The starting point for all friendships is learning the other person's name. They are also what help us categorize the people we know. However, let's say you meet someone and you don't get their name, well you can't say you too are that close because knowing their name is that first step.

Now, look at the verses I laid out for you at the beginning of this. What's happening here is Moses is talking to God, who is being represented in a burning bush. God tells Moses to go to Egypt and lead his children (Israel) out of slavery. Moses is scared and unsure, how can he trust this God, so he asks for God's name. This is what we call bartering. Moses is saying, "Ok, I'll go, but first I need your name so these people don't think I'm off my rocker (this is my interpretation)." You have to imagine he also wants the name of this God because he wants some sort of security that He will stay with Him when he goes off, he wants someone to call out to. So, what does God share with him? He says, "I am who I am." What does this mean? I'll tell you what it is not, it is not His name. It is a description of Him. Have you ever thought about God's name? Is God His name? Or is that a title? I tend to lean towards the latter. What does this mean? It means we don't know God's real name. Well then what relationship do we have with Him? How can we be friends if we don't even know His name? Simple, He knows our name and has actually done what we couldn't do: He brought us into relationship with Him (Romans 5). I say all of this to make this point: how can we get bored with a God whose name we don't even know? How do we figure out how to fit him in a box when we don't even know what to call Him? Jesus told the Pharisees and the religious leaders that their attempts to try and figure out his ministry was like putting new wine into old wineskins, or, for a more modern example, it's like putting a square block into a round hole. God is so much bigger, and so much more complex than we can even imagine. He says, in summary, as the heavens (the universe) are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). However, this is the same God who humbled Himself to the point of making Himself human. Who not only gave us a name but a face in Jesus. I want you to think about that today, and know that the God who is so much grander than us, who refused to share His name, who we can't corner or box in, is the God who came as a human to love, hurt, and die so His children could relate with Him. What a magnificently complex God!

Tim Tebow Ad: Was it the right move?

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:29:00 +0000

Ok, so most of you probably saw the Tim Tebow ad last night at the Super Bowl. I want you to watch this YouTube video of some of the responses from Florida students:

[U OF F RESPONSE]

As most of you know abortion is a right for all Americans. It is also one of the most hotly debated issues in America. I can't think of many things more divisive than the issue of abortion. What are your views on abortion? Is it right? Is it wrong? Why? One of the guys interviewed made an interesting point. He said, "They (Focus on the Family) could probably find better ways to spend their money." Do you think this was a wise investment by Focus on the Family? Just an FYI a 30 second commercial slot during the Super Bowl costs close to 2.5 million dollars. Was it effective? If you believe abortion is wrong, then how should we go about fighting it? Are there peaceful and loving ways we can help diminish abortion? What can you do specifically?

If you would like to watch the Tebow commercial, here it is:

[TEBOW AD]

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:35:00 +0000

Verse: Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God...Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Romans 5:2; 14:4

Where are my seniors at? Pretty soon you will be going through one of the most exciting times of your lives: graduation! It's a great time, believe you me. All the friends and family around you, all the presents being brought to you. School is finally going to pay off! I can remember my graduation like it was yesterday. I can remember all of my friends walking across that stage. Seeing them simply walk, standing tall, being honored for their hard work for 14 (I count preschool) or, for some, 18 years...just kidding, hopefully. Anyways, back to graduation, you could see the sense of accomplishment in all of my friends. Then came my turn to walk across that stage, a side note: before the ceremony I was joking with a close friend that she was going to trip and fall while walking across the stage...can you guess what happened?After they called my name something popped in my head and I became distracted for a split second and that was all it took for me to miss a step and fall flat on my face in front of all my family, friends, and their family.

There is something unusually humiliating about falling, even if it's not in front of a whole bunch of people. Imagine for a second, you're walking by yourself around a park and all of a sudden you trip and fall; remember, no one is watching, are you embarrassed? Maybe you wouldn't, but I would be. It is much more satisfying to be standing, walking straight and tall somewhere. All of that is to say this: we would rather be standing than falling.

The verses I gave you at the top are some of my favorite. Read Romans 5:2 first. There's a phrase that I have remembered since my days in college: "...this grace in which we stand." What does that mean? It means grace is the only stable ground we can stand on. Have you ever tried to stand on a trampoline while everyone else is jumping as high as they can? How about this; have you ever tried to stand on one of those exercise balls? If you haven't try it, and remember this when you do: anything else we try and stand on, your friends, your family, your success in school, your success in sports, how good you are, is just like that. You are in a constant state of adjusting, leaning one way and then the other, not knowing where you're going to have to go next. Standing on these things is unpredictable, unsafe, and unhealthy. Grace is our only firm foundation. It is standing on a rock: steady, firm, and never moving. This means we stand our friendships, our school, our family, and anything else on grace, God's grace!

That last verse I gave you is from Romans 14: 4. Reread that last part: "And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand." It seems obvious now that grace is what we should rest on, but in actuality it's very hard for us. We do not inherently desire to rest in God's grace. We would rather try and do it ourself. We would rather stand on the edge of a cliff on a patch of sod than on the firm rock God has offered. God knows this, and because of that He takes the initiative and He is the one who makes us stand. He puts it in our heart to trust Him and to desire His grace, and then, after all of that, He is the one who makes us stand. He is the one who picks us up, sits us where we always wanted to be, and holds us up. That is a good God. That is our God.

Tomatoes: The Secret to Life

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:27:00 +0000

Verse: Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 10:39

My great grandpa (we called him "Gramps") had his own tomato garden in the middle of Cincinnati, Ohio, and whenever we went to visit him he would almost always have a fresh tomato for me to eat. They were so delicious!!! I can literally still taste them whenever I think about Cincinnati. Recently I've realized there is a lesson we can learn from the tomato, actually from all food. Have you noticed it is from food that we receive life, but it is only after food has died that we can eat it. It is from death that we receive life. Rob Bell put together a Nooma Video about this, and in it he asks a very interesting question: in what ways do you see death bringing life? Well, what do you think? How about the cycle of life with plants. It is only when a plant dies that other plants can come to life (it has to die for seeds to be dispersed). How about the verse I gave you above? How do we gain life by losing it? Look at the parts of your life that do not follow God's will for your life; the parts that look down on others, or judges, or lies, or knowingly rebels against God. According to Paul those parts are already bringing death (Romans 5:12). Jesus calls us to allow those parts to die so he can offer us life. It is only through death that we can receive life.

Something HUGE (The Circumference of Skylar's Head)

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:56:00 +0000

Verse: In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

Isaiah 6:1

There are select GIANT things in this world that inspire us when we see them: the Eiffel Tower (A HUGE steel structure), the Statue of Liberty (a HUMONGOUS statue), the Notre Dame (a GINORMOUS church), the Grand Canyon (A GIANT...well a giant canyon), and...my head. Yes, I will admit I have an abnormally large head. This has been my burden since I was younger. To be honest it's a lot better now than when I was in middle school. As a 7th grader I was trapped in a smaller body, but the same head size you see today (I'm sure some of you are laughing right about now). Disproportionate? Definitely! However, I always explained to people that it's only bigger because I have such a huge brain (now most of you are definitely laughing). I've been called many fun little nicknames like: peach on a toothpick, bobble-head, big head, etc (all of these are so creative aren't they). Do you want to know the circumference of my head? You'll have to ask me in person! Bahaha! Anyways, there are much more grandiose things to gawk at in our world today. I listed a few, but have any of you really thought about how big God is? Probably not. Read the above verse again. Let's break it down real quickly: as for this train of a robe talk, the train of someone's robe is the part that drags on the ground. The temple Isaiah is talking about is a HUGE place! The room Isaiah is probably referring to is 90 x 60 feet! This means that the very end God's robe fills up this entire room. Now, does this mean God is only so tall? Could we measure God? Definitely not! What Isaiah is giving us is a concrete picture of the fact that God is big.

However, how does this affect us in any way in our daily lives? Easy, because we serve a big God, a God who holds the earth we live on in His hand. The God who placed the stars which are millions upon billions of lightyears away into this solar system. He is the God who sustains the very gravity that holds our planet in place. And He is the God that is in control of everything that happens on earth for forever. This is the God who says He loves us (Isaiah 43:4), gave up everything to save us (Romans 5:6-8), and will eventually create a new heaven and earth so we can be with Him for forever (Revelation 22:12-13). He is big, and He is loving, and because He is so big there is no need to worry or stress because He's always there with you (Joshua 1:9.

How are Crunchy Cheetos Made?...Will anyone ever know?

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:07:00 +0000

Verse: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:1-3

I used to watch the Food Network all the time. Yes, I just wrote the Food Network. When you only have five channels, the Food Network actually can become quite entertaining. Anyways, there is a show on the Food Network called, "Unwrapped." This show takes you behind the scenes and shows you how different foods are made. One of the shows introduces America to how Cheetos are made. They show you what goes into them (it's actually not that gross, I still eat Cheetos), and they show you how they get the powdered cheese onto each individual Cheeto. However, they skip something in between. They skip showing us how they form the Crunchy Cheetos into those unique and tasty little crunchy snacks. After they finish explaining the formative process of the Crunchy Cheeto they explain. The host informs America that how FritoLay actually fries/bakes the Crunchy Cheeto is a secret recipe that no one outside the factory knows. Doesn't that just kill you?!?! Well, maybe it doesn't, but we are so used to having any knowledge about anything accessible at any time. For example: look at wikipedia. A website dedicated to giving you any random knowledge you can come up with at any time. We are not used to not knowing things. Let me give you another example: if you hear something about a close friend that you didn't know, for instance that they have a girl or boyfriend and you had no idea, you will do anything and everything to find out the truth. We don't like not knowing something.

When Jesus came to earth He claimed something that, if it is true, goes beyond our comprehension. Jesus claimed when He came to earth He was fully human and fully God. Read through any Gospel, and you will hear Jesus say things like: "I and the Father are one" or "My Father who is in heaven" or "Your sins are forgiven (only God can do this)." Read the verses I gave you. Can you guess who the Word is? It's Jesus. How can someone be fully human and fully God? Are there limits to what He knows because He's human? Or does He know everything because He is God? Does He choose to feel pain or does it happen just like it would with a human? We will never know. Why? Because no one has or ever will be fully God and fully human like Jesus. Some of you might disagree with me. You might believe Jesus was God, He just had a human body, but He couldn't be both. Or maybe you believe Jesus was a liar. How could a human being be God? Jesus left us with three options because of what He said and did. We can either consider Him a liar, crazy, or who He said He was. It is up to you to decide, but make sure of one thing: don't discount Jesus because you can't figure out how He could be both. There are things we are not meant to know. That's what makes Christianity so exciting! The mystery set before us because of our infinite God and Savior. If you do believe Jesus is who He said He is: do you see Jesus as mysterious. Do you see Him as infinite and impossible to figure out? Have you ever considered how God is both just and gracious? Our God is mysterious. He is seemingly contradictory, and He is definitely provocative. Take a minute, and praise God for this.

Shoelaces: keepin' it tight yo'!

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:35:00 +0000

Verse: So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

John 8:31-32

To me, shoelaces are a lot like an appendix. I'm sure you're thinking that's completely random, but let me explain: you never really consider or think about your appendix until it isn't functioning correctly, the same goes with shoelaces. I realize some of you girls use shoelaces to accessorize or to add to different outfits; however, I would dare to say very few of us really give our shoelaces any consideration until they break or someone steals them out of our shoes. Then they become a HUGE deal, because we all know you can't wear a pair of shoes comfortably without shoelaces (unless of course you're weird and you enjoy no shoelaces). Since we never really appreciate shoelaces let's take a second and give them some respect. What is the purpose of the shoelace? More or less the shoelace exists to keep your shoes tied tightly together. Because of this you are free to run, jump, skip, crawl...whatever it is you do in your shoes without worrying about your shoes falling off or getting stuck in something. I'm actually going somewhere with this, I promise.

I would argue there is a very important principle at work here. You might be confused (then my work here is done...just kidding), so let me explain. It's because of the shoelaces ability to tighten your shoes together that you are free to do whatever and be free of worry. What I'm trying to get at is this: it is when we live under structure and in submission to something else that we are truly free. How is this? Let's take living in a country, how about living in America? What if America were to just drop any and all laws that have existed for over two and a half centuries? How would living in America go for everyone? It probably wouldn't go well at all. People would do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. Murder, theft, rape, etc. would all increase unchecked because all the rules are gone! People would be restricted to safe houses and basements because of he fear to go outside. This is why it is within structure that we are truly free. Now, the culture we are living in says that truth is relative. That whatever you find as true does not necessarily mean that I will find it true as well. This sounds good and well. This might even sound freeing. It might sound like you are now free of answering to anything at any time!!! How incredible! However, Jesus makes a comment that goes right against this. He says: "...you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Jesus says it is the truth that sets us free, and not just any truth, but the truth that He is Lord and we may only be saved through Him (this truth means we must live a life according to how He asks us to live...we're under His authority). Wait a minute...that doesn't sound freeing...that sounds kind of restrictive. Look back to what we were talking about: structure and boundaries = freedom. Jesus is God and is our Savior, and it is only when we believe that we truly experience freedom. Paul makes it clear in Romans 6:16 we will be enslaved by one of two things: sin or righteousness. The former (sin) leads to death, and the latter (righteousness) leads to life. It is only when we surrender to God, and offer Him our life that we find freedom. It is only when we are a slave that we are free. Weird huh? It's just like with shoelaces!

The Ultimate Color!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Verse: So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

If I had to create a category of ultimate things it would be as follows: double bacon cheeseburgers (the ultimate food), Shelby Cobras (the ultimate car), Penguins (the ultimate animal), Chuck Norris (the ultimate person), and Baby Blue (the ultimate color). I am not going to explain all of these (mostly because they don't need explanation for being ultimate), I will just talk about baby blue. Now, it should be obvious why baby blue is the ultimate color, but I know that there will be some haters out there so let me explain why it is the ultimate color. First, have you ever checked out the sky on a sunny day? What color is it? Baby blue, that's right. Let's remember that God created the heavens, this includes the sky, and it is obvious he decided the best color for the sky should be the ultimate color, baby blue. On top of that, this is the color of the nations ultimate college basketball team. That's right, the University of North Carolina. I think that is reason enough don't you?

We all have our selected favorites. Maybe some of you think orange is the ultimate color, maybe you think tofu is the ultimate food (gross, but hey, to each his own). Paul, one of God's disciples, had some ultimates he held to. Paul wrote one letter to a church that was blessed, but young and immature. Because of that Paul was trying to help them see the "ultimate" characteristics that the Corinthians could hold onto and live by. Now, a lot of us have a real struggle with trying to figure out what should be important to us as Jesus lovers. Is evangelism supposed to be number one? Is it making sure we live a clean and moral life? Is the best thing we can do spend lots of time reading our Bible and praying? Should we try and do all these things? Is there no one thing we can latch on to? Paul knew they were working through this, and in response he wrote 1 Corinthians 13. Read it real quickly, don't worry I'll be here................what is Paul's response to these questions? What is the "ultimate" characteristic that should reign in a Christians' life? It's love. And at the end of this beautiful soliloquy on love Paul throws out this claim: So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. The ultimate trait, the ultimate fruit that can exist in a Christian's life is love. But, this idea of love is so vague...what does love mean? Look at 1 John 3:16: "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." Need something more specific? Look at John 13:1-17. This is one of the most beautiful pictures of love; this is God washing the dung and dirt and nastiness off of the men who would eventually run out, abandon, and betray him. Now, God wants us to spend time with Him, He wants us to live moral lives, He deeply desires for us to tell everyone we can about Him, but the only way any of that will happen is if we love Him. Sure, you can try and do those things, but there will be very little to no motivation. You will be doing them as if they are a chore, as if someone else told you that if you didn't do this you wouldn't get what you wanted. No, when we love God, what we want is all of these things. The same applies to our relationship with our friends and family. If you are looking for what to passionately pursue in this life, look to what Paul said: a passionate love for Jesus Christ. So, in summary: the ultimate color = baby blue, the ultimate gift to pursue in our relationship with Jesus = love.

Shampoo is better...No! Conditioner is better!

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:33:00 +0000

Verse: So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James 2:17

I don't know how many of you have seen the movie Billy Madison. I would not recommend it, but in it is an interesting debate. Billy (Adam Sandler) is taking a bath, and while taking the bath he begins a fight between shampoo and conditioner. He goes back and forth explaining in a way only Adam Sandler can pull off the pros of each product. I have a question, this one is for guys mostly (because I know most girls use both): do you use shampoo and conditioner or just shampoo? I was a shampoo only guy for quite a while. That was until I made two discoveries: first, how conditioner acts with shampoo and actually makes the hair softer and more awesome, and second, the invention of the two-in-one shampoo plus conditioner. With these two combined I converted to using conditioner as well as shampoo. I have found that it is actually better to use both. If I were to ever go back to using just one I would find my hair in a worse state than when I used both. These two were meant for one another! You need both.

Look at the verse I gave you at the beginning of this blog; can you see any way that shampoo and conditioner can tie in with this verse...I only ask because I think they go together quite nicely. In chapter two of the book of James, James (the writer...just pointing out the obvious) begins talking about faith and works. If someone were to examine these two things on the surface they would not look like they go together at all. Faith is all about trusting something you cannot see. It is very abstract. While works is very concrete, and it, in a sense, puts the trust in what you do. However, James says they cannot have a healthy existence without the other. According to James, they need each other. How so? Read 2:15-16. What is James point? His point is this: it is silly to believe it is good to help the needy, and when you encounter a person in need you wish them a good day and move on. It's like believing food will help you to continue surviving yet you refuse to eat. If you are in a relationship with God, great! However, if you are in a relationship with God, and you do not attempt to take on the lifestyle He has called you to then James says your faith, your relationship with God, is dead. This is what James is getting at. It is not ok to say you're a Christian, and to not act accordingly. If you have faith in Jesus Christ, my challenge for you is this: does it show? In Billy Madison, Adam Sandler argues which is better: shampoo or conditioner? I would say: neither. They need each other. The longer I have used shampoo and conditioner the healthier my hair has become. If you will begin today acting on your faith and doing what God has challenged you to do, then your relationship with Him will act in the same way.

Rubber Duckies: Friend or Foe?...

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:29:00 +0000

Verse: I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:1-2

There it is, all innocent...floating in your bathtub. It looks innocent enough. It's yellow, rubbery exterior floating easily over the waves you're making. Is it peacefully enjoying the bath with you...or is it waiting...biding its time...waiting to strike? Maybe you've thought such things of a rubber duck, Elle Uldrich has, and I think it's time we all started really processing the "innocent" things in our lives. What do I mean by "processing?" Well, I will first say that I am completely kidding about feeling paranoid about your rubber duck. However, I am being partly serious about really sitting down and judging the "innocent" and "good" things in your life. Now you're thinking I'm about to drop a conspiracy theory and or I'm about to explain how aliens do exist and unfortunately I am not (how impressed would you be if I did though?...you wouldn't be...ok). What I'm getting at is this: there are good things in your life that probably distract you from what is best for you. What does that mean? Look at the next paragraph!

There is a saying that travels around our church staff frequently. That saying is this: good is most often the enemy of best. That means this, what is good will often get in the way and distract us from what is best. Let me give you an example, in college I started leading a small group for freshman guys and it was awesome! After a few weeks I knew this is what I needed to be doing. I was always totally excited about Wednesday and getting to see my guys. However, a couple of months later some college leaders approached me and asked if I wanted to lead a small group for college guys. I was blown away and honored. I said yes of course, and so began some of the more stressful days of college for me. Oh, and on top of all of that I was going to school, working, and I had a little brother through Big Brother Big Sister. Just writing all that down honestly exhausts me. I have no idea why I thought I could do all of those things, and I definitely did not do any of them well. I was so addicted to the good that I had lost sight of the best.

After a year of stress and mediocre leading I stepped down from being a college small group leader, and I cut back on work. I wish I could say that after that all was well in my world, and I was the greatest High School small group leader and Big Brother. However, I still struggled with doing too much stuff. I want you to learn from my example. Because just like with sex, alcohol, and many other things the Devil has manipulated and perverted even ministry opportunities and turned them into a weapon. You will be presented "good" things to do the rest of your life, and if you get involved in them you will be doing good things that go right along with God's will. However, you will probably be stretching yourself too thin, and you will be cheating yourself and the people who could be truly blessed by you because you're doing so much "good" stuff. I want you to do this right now, really think about what you really enjoy doing and what you are good at. These two things will help show you what you should spend your time doing. Now, think about how you spend your time (even write down the things your involved in during the week). Now, after you have done all of that I want you to pray. This is where Romans 12:1-2 comes in. The only way you will find balance and contentment is if you will submit all of this to God. I know the verse says sacrifice, and this sounds quite painful. However, it is quite pleasurable. Now I sound masochistic. I mean this: if we will submit our talents and our time to God He will guide us into true and fulfilling life. How do I know? He says so, just read Psalms 23 and John 10. We are in a relationship with a good God, and He will lead us to still waters and green pastures. We need not worry about Him leaving us, and even if He feels distant it doesn't mean He is actually far away. Take your time, take your talents, and even take those rubbery little yellow friends in your bathtubs and submit them to God and see what amazing good will come out of your life.

Can I trust you?...

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:40:00 +0000

Verse: Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,

forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave

you.

Ephesians 4:32

Do you have any weird ticks or quirks you do in front of people but you don't even realize you're doing them. I have a few, and one of those is clicking pens. I will sometimes click a pen for 30 to 45 minutes straight before I realize I'm really loud or someone else helps me realize how annoying I am being. There is something we all have a habit of doing with people that I would say we are completely unaware of most of the time. When we meet someone new and we like hanging out with them we tend to try to find ways to spend more time with them. This process continues, but while we are spending more and more time with them there is an underlying process that is going on. While we get to know this guy or girl we are trying to figure something out about them...can you figure out what that one thing is?...We're trying to find the answer to this question: can I trust this person? Now, does everybody do this? No! However, some of us will subconsciously feel around a new friend and see if they are trustworthy. This is a natural process, it does not make you paranoid, it does not make you weird; in fact, I think this is a healthy process. Why? Because we live in a fallen world, and not everyone is going to be seeking out the best for us. Does this mean we put every person we meet through a rigid application process and background check? No, it just means you are wise with who you share your life with. Now, does this mean the people you put your trust in will never disappoint or hurt you? Definitely not. Like I said, we live in a fallen world, and even the solid Christian people in our lives suffer from the same fallenness. Because of this they will disappoint and hurt you, too. However, the difference (and this is what you want in a friend) with these friends is they will seek you out and make sure to apologize and reconcile with you.

I want you to go back to yesterday's discussion. We talked about what it means to forgive, and why it is so important to God. I want you to wrap your mind around one question before you go back to homework, your XBox, or your texting. Are you ready and willing to forgive those people even before they mess up. I don't mean you are always preparing for the worst, or you are constantly expecting to be disappointed and hurt. I mean this: has Jesus' unconditional forgiveness washed over you, and has it inspired, empowered, and brought you to where you're love for your friends is so deep and rich that it actually has the ability to cover over the different ways they will mess up.

Are you the type of person that is always just waiting for your friends to hurt you or betray you? If you are you need to learn to trust your brothers and sisters. God did not save you so you could live in fear of rejection. He created you to be free to trust and to love and to forgive as He has done all those things with you. If you don't struggle with this but you have been wronged recently by a friend how are you dealing with it? Have you talked to your friend? Are you holding onto some resentment against him or her because they haven't acted sorry? I will say this to you. Trust God. He has called us to forgive unconditionally, and this may seem unjust and the wrong route, but we must trust that God has set before us the best way to live life. This person might be refusing to admit they are wrong, but that is their deal. If you want to be free and if you want to enjoy life then we must trust God and forgive. Will you trust Him?

Obey your thirst!

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:29:00 +0000

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink."

John 7:37

Have you ever heard a slogan or commercial and you couldn't get it out of your brain? For the longest time I was stuck on Burger King's slogan, "Have it your way." Or, how about Nike's slogan which has been running strong since the early 80's, "Just do it." How about local commercials? The most catchy commercials I have ever seen are the Tucson Appliance ones where the owner dresses up like Indiana Jones, the Hulk, Spider-man, or pretty much who or whatever is the hot item. Then there is his little pitch at the end of EVERY commercial, "Where low prices are our priority." There is (more like was, but oh well) a popular commercial campaign that has also stuck with me, and it's by one of the tastiest carbonated beverages out there, Sprite. And their slogan for the longest time has been this: obey your thirst. This one is extra peculiar because Jesus said something similar. Reread the verse I put at the beginning of this. Think, what on earth does Jesus mean by this? If you think that is weird read the chapter before this one Jesus says something even more bizarre:

"Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day (John 6:54)."

What is with all this talk about drinking? Why on earth would we be thirsty for Jesus? And how creepy is it that he wants us to actually drink his blood? What is Jesus really getting at with this thirst thing?

Jesus spoke a lot (especially in John) in symbols and parables. So, it's safe to say Jesus didn't really mean he wanted us to preserve his blood, and as often as we can drink it. So, let's look at the alternative. What are some synonyms for thirst? Webster says: dryness, dehydration, desire,longing, yearning, hunger, hankering,keenness, eagerness, lust, appetite. Thirst is a round about way of describing something we desire greatly. For instance, when you don't drink anything for a long time you begin to desire liquids, or you're thirsty.

Why am I talking about thirst though? What does this have to do with anything with what Jesus was talking about? Here's the point: there are things you desire to be in your life. A new game system, certain friends, maybe a member of the opposite sex, good grades, popularity, an elf, whatever it is we all have things we desire and the things we desire most will make their way into the center of our lives. Like Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21)." All this points to this: the thirst Jesus is talking about is every human beings' thirst for true life, and Jesus is making it clear: do you want true life? Do you want a life that is worth living? Do you want fulfillment? Then come to me. Question, do you think this is a command? Is this Jesus pleading? It's neither, it's an invitation. It's Jesus telling us He's got what we want, and if we want to find the eternal thirst-buster then we need to look no further than Him. Because in Him we find real, living water, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that l will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:13-14)."

One way

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Verse: And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no name under heaven given to men which we must be saved.

Acts 4:12

There is a conversation that has circulated churches, classrooms, and different spiritual beliefs that I want to throw out and talk about. The question is this (and I want you to answer it before we go on): is there any other way to heaven besides through Christianity? In other words, let's say there is a person born into a tribe which is totally isolated. Because of this the Bible is never translated into their language and they also never receive the Gospel. However, this people group are seeking after a God figure who they know created everything supernaturally. They do not know who this God is, but they seek after him/her. They want to know him/her better but unfortunately they have no way of knowing this god. They follow closely to what God calls for in His children, so in essence they're living the Christian life, but they just can't figure anything about this God. Will this person enter into God's kingdom? Before you go on, read one of these articles or both about this attitude shift in America and you'll see what I'm talking about:

http://www.wdef.com/news/americans_say_more_than_one_way_to_heaven/06/2008

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1817217,00.html

In Peter's second sermon he's addressing a band of angry religious leaders, and in his sermon he proclaims something, that something is the verse I put up top: "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."However, Jesus threw out one better: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)." What do these verses say about this question? What do you think?...

Do you want to know my answer? In my mind there's two things that need to be said: first, just as Jesus said: there is no way to God, therefore there is no way to heaven, except through Him. Jesus made it clear that the path to heaven was a narrow path, and true Christianity would never be something the masses would get really excited about/something they would accept. In my mind, to say someone can stumble into heaven like we were talking about is the same as saying someone can earn their salvation, and the Bible is clear this is not possible (Romans 3:23-26, Ephesians 2:8-9). The second thing is this, God realizes this is a problem. God does not enjoy casting people into hell (1 Timothy 2:4). However, take a step back. We are always to quick to blame God for this, but wasn't it God who called us to take His Gospel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Now, this is not a plug for more missionaries. However, there are too many times when we point the finger at God and too few when we look at ourselves and ask if we are allowing God to use us. The times in my life where I have truly sought out God's desires and His will are few and far between. Maybe I'm the only one, but maybe it's time for all of us to seek out what God wants for this world. Maybe it's time we turn the finger pointing at God and turn it back on us and allow God to speak into our hearts and allow Him to place His desires into our hearts. Maybe He will place in your heart a desire to reach those isolated villages spread out across the world who have never received true life. Maybe He will ask you to minister to your next door neighbor. Both are incredible callings; however, warning: if you seek this out God will answer and He will start something in you that will forever change your life.

A Second Hand Relationship

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:48:00 +0000

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Psalms 34:8

I never realized how much stuff I experience stuff secondhand. One huge way I experience things secondhand is stories. I have friends who tell these amazingly funny/sad/exciting stories and it will sometimes leave me thinking: man, I wish I could have been there. Have you ever said that to yourself? I have a buddy who took a roadtrip up to Minnesota, but what was so cool is he did it on a motorcycle. I thought that was so cool. He told me a few of the stories along the way, and I muttered that fateful sentence: man, I wish I was there. It is so much better to experience something firsthand; whether that's jaw dropping sports highlights, incredible concerts, really funny moments, or life changing speeches it is always better to have that firsthand experience. I realized something else I experience secondhand a lot, and that is God. I realized today there are times in my life when I am content reading about God and what He is doing instead of engaging Him myself. I have perfected the art of really taking to heart what God has been doing around the world but not pursuing that in my own life. A question for all of us is this: when was the last time you didn't settle for learning about God and instead pursued Him, yearning to engage Him? I want to encourage you: do not settle for Satan's lie that just reading about God is enough. God makes it clear through the psalmist He wants us to taste Him, He wants us to reach out to Him, and to call on Him and experience Him; He dares us to seek Him out and see what He does. Who knows, maybe something crazy will happen. Maybe God will answer!

That's My King

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:02:00 +0000

Before you do anything please watch this video (copy the address and then paste it in your browser) and then we'll talk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z15FlTONVo

...Do you know your king? I don't mean have you heard stuff about Him...do you know Him? I had the privilege of talking to the Sophomores and Freshman at their retreat this last week, and while I was there I was confronted with this so I confronted these guys and girls, too. How long have some of us just settled with knowing things about Jesus instead of knowing Jesus. You may be slightly confused so let me explain: I know a lot about different historic figures. However, I do not know them. I cannot explain to you the softness of Abraham Lincoln persona or the wisdom laced in Solomon's speech. I cannot help you see the personalities of these people because I do not know them, I only know things about them. Are there times when Jesus is just another historical figure you occasionally discover things about Him? He's not dead. He's not rotting in some grave. He is alive, and He wants a relationship with you right now. Do you know Him?

Above all else...

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:17:00 +0000

Verse: Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the

wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23

Have you ever had those classes where you spend the whole class zoning out. You know you're teacher is talking, but all you're really doing is staring at their mouth moving, or your counting how many little dots are in the ceiling (If you'd like to see a video of me falling asleep in class then go to my facebook profile and check out videos of me). However, there are a set of words that will catch your attention in a split second. Can you guess what those words are? Whenever I would be zoning out in class I would immediately snap out of it when I heard: and this will be on our next test. You hear that and you have pencil/pen in hand ready to write down anything that slips from your teacher's mouth.

There is a book in the Bible written mostly for young men, but there are most definitely principles in this book that can be applied to women. The book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom writings to the young men of the day, and at then end of Chapter 4 the writer starts laying out all these pieces of advice one after the other. He writes things like, "Put away perversity from your mouth...Fix your gaze directly before you...Do not swerve to the left or the right." However, before any of this the write says this: "Above all else..." It sounds like what he's about to write is going to be VERY important, and he says this:

Above all else, guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23

We talked yesterday about being patient with love, and one of the reasons was because if we just jump into love without really counting the cost then we could be setting ourselves up to be broken pretty badly. The question now is: why is protecting our heart so important? The writer makes this clear, "...for it is the wellspring of life." Well, that makes the heart sound pretty important...but what does that mean? First you need to understand the writer is not speaking about our actual hearts. In Jewish culture the heart symbolizes the sum total of person's emotions, soul, and spirituality. In other words, the heart symbolizes everything about us: our personality, our tendencies, our likes and dislikes, who and what we love...EVERYTHING. Out of the heart flows what we commit too, what we invest in, who we invest in, and if we don't protect that we will probably end up hurt and broken. The writer of the Proverbs and God know how deeply we are affected by the things we give our heart too, and because of that we are asked to guard it. We are asked to not give it away freely but to prayerfully and patiently offer to those people and things that deserve it.

Show Me Something!

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:34:00 +0000

Verse: The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation." And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

Mark 8:11-13

I am currently looking for a car (because my car is...well, a little under the weather), and just this last Saturday I made my first trip to a car dealership. I'm not sure how many of you have tried looking for a car, but in case you're unaware cars cost a good chunk of money. Because of this, everyone who buys a car wants to make sure their car is worth the money the care people are asking for it. So, car dealerships will allow you to "test drive" your possible future car. This principle applies to a lot of major purchases...it even applies to music. I know some of you out there like to "test drive" CD's before you buy them (if you ever buy them). As Americans (or just human beings) we like a "sign" to make sure we're getting what we're being promised. Now, this desire didn't just pop up when America came to be. Human beings, for as long as time, have desired assurance when they invest in something, and God knows this. In fact, in Psalms 138 God commands his people to help their children remember what He had done for them so they could be assured He is God and they never need to fear because He was going to take care of them. However, that "assurance" only went so far. There are countless stories in the Bible where God's people forget what God had done for them, and because of that fall into some pretty rough stuff (see pretty much the whole book of Genesis, Exodus, 1 & 2 Kings, etc.). When Jesus came around he did a LOT of really amazing stuff. In fact he did so many miraculous things that people were actually able to move passed Jesus' background and believe He was (and is) the Son of God. However, the Pharisees weren't buying it, and even after the countless signs he provided they still asked for a sign. Jesus knew their heart though, and refused to give them what they thought they needed. In fact, he was so disappointed in them that he walked away from them to somewhere else.

Last week I wrote about the importance of remembering. Do you remember (gosh I'm hilarious)? If you stopped to think about all the things God has done for you, I bet you were overwhelmed with how many things God has done for you; and even if you couldn't, the fact he died so you could be with Him forever is a pretty huge one. However, when things start to not go the way we planned them we immediately throw up our complaints, disappointment and anger towards God. I'm going to stop here, because what I just wrote might have struck some of you the wrong way. I am not saying we should never search and struggle with the things that happen to us. Our God can be a God of mystery, and he openly admits we aren't going to ever really understand Him. However, to point your finger at God every time things go a little of course and never trust Him reveals how we haven't really bought into God's goodness.

The mentality that God needs to prove himself to us over and over again when we're a little scared or anxious goes right against what God desires. So many of us want another "sign" from God so we can better trust Him, and all the while God has probably done more than enough to prove that He will provide. What God desires is our trust that He is going to take care of us. So, before you ask God for another sign, I encourage you to really think about (like I did last week) what God has already done.

P.S. God's grace is more than enough to cover over all our doubts. If you struggle with this, and you are in need of help God will provide. And if you happen to mess up in this area, remember God has already provided and you are free from your sin.

Remember

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:51:00 +0000

Verse: So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.

Genesis 28:18

I have always longed for the gift to remember things that happen to me and my friends in such detail that I could create these huge and entertaining stories. Unfortunately this gift has alluded me my whole life, so I've had to resort to lying to make my stories semi-impressive (that's a joke...sort of). Now, there are some of you out there who have these things called photographic memories, and you can remember even the smallest details of almost anything, and you don't know how blessed you are to possess such a gift. A good memory is always a huge plus in almost any area of life: school, work, socially, etc, but on top of all of this memory is important to guide us in life as we try to discern our purpose. For example, just this last weekend we were asked to remember the lives lost and the difficult battles fought and won to grant us the precious gift of freedom. There are loads of memorials, holidays, and museums dedicated to helping us remember, to jog our memory. However, there is a place in most of our lives where our memory lacks, and that is in what God has done and who He has been to us. The verse I wrote out finishes up the story of Jacob's dream. Jacob has just run away because his brother, Esau, has threatened to kill him because he stole his birthright. Jacob finds this cozy place, lays down, and God comes to him during his sleep promising to take care of him and to bless him. Jacob wakes up and stands the rock he was sleeping on upright as a memorial to what God had done there. Jacob didn't want to forget. It is unfortunate, but many of God's children suffer from spiritual amnesia. Remembering what God has done for us in this life or before it is not a priority for most. As a result, we live out half-hearted relationships with the God who has done so much for us. I've been thinking about the things God has done for me, and there is quite a list. What do you think would happen to your relationship w/ God if you were to take some time today and write down the things God has done for you (you can even go back to Jesus...actually you definitely should)? How would it impact your relationship with Him? I'd say you would find a stronger desire to praise Him and to stick even closer to His side. So, let's try and remember today what God has done for us. Let's look back at the small and large things God has brought us through and everything in between, and let's see what that does to how we see our Father.

Do you trust me?

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:32:00 +0000

Verse: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

John 11:25-26

Have you ever been involved in a group project? When it comes time to dish out the responsibilities are you the person who wants to take almost all of it on because you're worried all of these other people aren't going to follow through at all and your grade was on the line. I was most definitely that way in high school and during parts of college. However, I can remember the first time I actually allowed other people to do some work. It was nerve racking as the day the group assignment was due came up. I walked into the class and for a brief moment stared directly into the eyes of my group to see if I could notice any worry or stress on their faces (sure signs they hadn't followed through). However, class began, we put our project together and turned in totally completed. I learned a lesson that day. I learned to trust other people in a different way. Just last week we heard for a whole week about Jesus the teacher. However, we also heard about Jesus, the expression of God's love. In the verse you just read up top you are seeing Jesus, the expression of God's desire. This verse comes in the middle of the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, and Jesus is talking to Martha, Lazarus' sister. At the end of Jesus sentence is a question God offers to us everyday..."do you believe this?" "Do you trust me?" We will all (if we haven't already) struggle with the idea that God is good and he has the best for us. This is because one of Satan's main aims is to break us away from the thought that God always has our best at heart. Mary and Martha's brother just died and Jesus was asking her, "Do you trust that I am in control?" So, do you? Do you trust God? When tough times come into your life do you and will you trust him?

Now say thank you...

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:11:00 +0000

How many of you have heard those words?... Time after time we are faithfully reminded by our parents to say thank you when someone does something nice for you or to you. Yet, in our wisdom as little children we decide this is something that should not be done; so, to rebel we grit our teeth, make the most uncomfortable face ever and say "Thank you" with as much regret and disdain in our voice as we can muster. That way the person we're saying thank you too will know NEVER to do anything nice for us ever again, unless he would like the masterfully degrading "Thank you" once more. Have you ever said thank you to someone for doing something mean or initially bad to you. For example, you're standing with your friends in line for lunch and you're very hungry. However, the young lad in front of you decides to let his friend sneak in and cut right in front of you. Have you ever had the urge to say, "Thank you sirs for cutting in front of me. Allow me to express my appreciation for that kind gesture." I didn't think so. The same thing happens with God. Things go well and we thank Him, but if things in our life don't go as planned or even horribly wrong it never really crosses our mind to thank God. Here's a story of someone in the Bible who had a rough go at life for bit of time: his name was Job, and he had everything you could ever want at that time. He had a wife, kids, cattle, a new IPod touch, all sorts of good things were happening to Job. Then one day it was all taken away from him. His kids were killed in a freak accident where the house they were in fell apart, his servants were killed by foreign armies, and all of his livestock was killed as well. So, let's imagine you lost everything: you're house caught fire and burned down, you're parents have decided to abandon you in light of losing the house, and on top of all that your dog and/or cat dies. How would you respond? This is how Job did:

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground

and worshipped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall

I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

Job 1:20-21

In essence Job is worshipping God. This probably isn't your first thought after bad stuff happens to you, but Job shows us something with his response. He shows his absolute trust in God's goodness. How much do you trust God? Do you trust Him like you trust your car: whenever you need it you have faith it's going to respond and run? Or do you trust him like a surgeon who has you under the knife in a time where life and death are involved? Do you trust God to the point where you are completely committed to Him, or do you trust Him to the point where you'll walk with him only when it's convenient. We need to learn to trust God so much that even when the storms raging all around us there is still a deep desire to look to God and say, "Thank you" because you know that He is in control and He is working even in the down times for your good.

Eatnomore!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:56:00 +0000

Ok, so question: who here has gone the longest without eating? It could be for anything...I can remember I went two whole days without eating...and I thought at the time it was seriously going to kill me... However, we all know that it didn't, but I did think at times that my stomach was eating itself (wouldn't that be awesome). Another question: what is the best thing to eat when you are super hungry? What's my answer, well I'm glad you asked. My favorite thing to eat when I'm really hungry is pizza. I don't care what's on it as long as there are no ONIONS!!! However, after I hadn't eaten for two days I could care less what I was eating I just wanted food. It's amazing how much better any food tastes when we are desperate for it. It's also amazing how fast we eat it, and then it's amazing how quickly we want more food. Have you ever thought of the cycle we all live with. We get hungry, we eat, we wait for a little bit, we get hungry again, we eat again...and the cycle repeats over and over again. What if we could stop the cycle? What if we never had to eat again?!?! Well, I'm about to rock your world!!! This week only you can buy the Eatnomore!!! It's a revolutionary patch that will take away any desire for you to eat or drink for that matter!!!...Actually that's a lie, but what if there was something like the Eatnomore which took away all your cravings? Well, if there was and you used it you would die because you wouldn't be taking in nutrients and your body would shut down. We will never be able to beat our need to eat or our need to drink. So do you think Jesus was being literal when He said in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." Do you think He was actually saying that if you will believe in me you will never have to eat or drink anything ever again?!?! The Jews He was talking too thought He was saying that. However, I don't think that is what Jesus was getting at. What Jesus was trying to get across was actually something even more exciting! We all have longings/desires. We have these big abstract things we want like happiness, peace, self-control, etc. but it seems like they're made up because we can never quite grab a hold of them and because of that our lives are never quite fulfilled. But wait! Jesus is saying He is the answer to these longings. It might seem like He is being ridiculous in John 6:35, but He is speaking of spiritual things in earthly terms. What Jesus is saying here in this verse is one of the most important things you can apply to your life now. He is saying: "The only place you will find complete fulfillment is in relationship with me. It's not in getting good grades, a beautiful girlfriend, a good looking boyfriend, lots of awards, or lots of friends. What you have always been looking for is found right here in me. I am the bread of life, and if you will look to me you will never hunger or thirst for happiness, contentment, joy, peace, etc. ever again." Let's trust Jesus and turn to Him today!

Zombie Movies and Easter

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:52:00 +0000

The last good zombie movie I saw was Dawn of the Dead. The gist of this movie was like most other zombie movies. Some virus takes over a group of people and they start biting other people to infect them, too. Eventually the whole city is infected and only five people remain untouched by the virus or the zombies. I'm pretty sure you're all thoroughly confused what zombies have to do with Easter, but it's actually kind of simple. At the center of every zombie is this unusual process people go through to become zombies. It goes like this: someone is bitten or scratched by a zombie initially killing them. However, they don't die, do they? Instead, they come back to life as this completely different...thing. Now is the time to pull all of this together. All of these movies with people coming back from the dead have really taken away from Easter. Why? Because they have turned the idea of someone coming back from the dead as a wild tale, a fantasy, or a stupid twist in a movie. So, when we hear the story about Jesus coming back from the dead we don't realize it, but we sometimes put His story on the same shelf as zombie movies or The Matrix (sorry if I ruined that movie for anybody). Maybe you're not like me, but there are times I hear about the resurrection of Jesus and it just isn't real to me. It's almost like those tall tales you hear when you're little about Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox etc. The reason I think some of us do this is because of how we live. If we really believed Jesus came back from the dead...if we really believed Jesus beat death then there would be more excitement present in everything we do. Why? Because death, universally, is the number one fear of almost all people, and we don't have to be afraid because Jesus beat it. It's not permanent! In fact, death is a gateway into something better! Something perfect! This Easter, sit down and read Luke 23:50 through Luke 24:49 and really try and grasp what it's saying. Think about how Jesus did come back from the dead. Think about how He is not a stupid zombie movie, an ancient Egyptian dark wizard, or any made up character for that matter. Think about how He is the Son of God who was born in Bethlehem, lived 33 years, died a humiliating and horrible death, and after being dead for three days came back to life not as a ghost or spirit but as a resurrected being. Think about His disciples feeling the holes in his hand (Luke 24:38-39) and Him eating food with them (Luke 24:40-43). Think about something radical: think about Jesus overcoming death...beating death...and making it so we would never have to be afraid of it (death) ever again!

Dead

noreply@blogger.com (Skylar) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:08:00 +0000

Death to probably all of us is considered a bad thing. No one likes dying, not too many people want to die, so it's safe to assume if someone says they're going to die you're not going to be super excited and want to throw a pre-passing away party. On the other hand, death is a good thing. If you have ever watched Rob Bell's nooma video Tomato then you might have an idea where this is going, but in fact death is actually needed in a lot of cases for their to be life. One perfect example is in the plant world. A plant springs up, grows, and turns into a beautiful flower, cabbage, or (insert random vegetable here). However, after it reaches it's peak of life it begins to die, but before it dies it does something...can you think what it is? It releases seed. Now if this process never happened and if plants never died then there would be no new plants. It is only through death that life can occur. This puts Paul's teachings in 2 Corinthians in a whole new light! In his letter Paul says:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Cor. 5:17

And this isn't the only time the Bible talks about our death bringing new life. How about Romans 6:1-4, Ephesians 2:1-5, Colossians 2:13, etc. Isn't it weird how important death is. Paul, Peter, and the rest of the Bible are clear: it is only after we die that we can truly live. We have to die to ourselves...to our focus on what we think we want, our selfishness, our anger, our lust, our greed, we have to die to the idea that we have rights and things we deserve from God. We must let go of all of those things that distract us from our true purpose: to glorify God. If we do not die to ourselves and make Jesus our One Thing (remember...this last Sunday...City Slickers) our lives will be miserable, unfulfilled, and chaotic. Today, think about one way you can die to yourself. Whether that's talking to that person who annoys you, or sitting next to that guy who know one likes, or letting know your parents how much they mean to you and offering to help around the house in some way. Let's truly live today!