Saturday, September 12, 2015

1 Peter 1:22

"Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit in sincere love if the brethren love one another fervently with a pure heart."

It takes a long time to purify your soul. You can't do it on your own either. You need to accept Christ into your heart and ask for forgiveness of your sins. Although those major sins that you are able to remember immediately are forgiven, you then need to search your heart for those hidden sins. I, myself, from time to time let the power of the Holy Spirit, ask for revealment of those deep hidden sins. The sins that you commit every day and don't realize that you do. Through the eyes of God, every sin is a big deal. But He loves us and is always willing to forgive us.
God calls us to love one another as He has loved us. Romans 12:10, "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.." The love that God has showed me and filled me with has been a blessing from day one. To see His love that He has for me in my everyday life is always enjoyable. To know that there is always someone that loves me, brings me a smile. To have someone to look to for guidance in life is an immediate weight off of my shoulders. To be able to look at Him for purity is such a blessing. 1 John 3:2-3, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." Wow! Right!? And obeying the truth of God brings us to that purity. Loving as He has, obeying as He did, bearing fruit as He does, taking up the interest of others as He did. It's amazing how God can work in us. All the love that He has poured out to me only makes me want to share that love. I can comfortably say that I have a stronger tendency to share that love with one another and be more loving than I was before. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails..." Now replace love with Jesus' name. It makes sense. Now when I replace it with my name, I've got a lot to work on. Gods love is so wonderful that He sent His son to die for us. He is a God of love and forgiveness, not grudges and hatred. James 4:8, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

Acts 2:46-47

"So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of the heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

To continue daily with being in the presence of Jesus is a blessing amongst itself. To come together with others in the presence of Christ is always a blessing. Being in Guatemala in the presence of Christ, daily, and all having the same goal, being in one accord. We are all in Guatemala because God called us down here and provided for all of us to be down here. And from the rooms we stay in, room to room, we all wake up every day, so blessed that we get another day. Every meal we are blessed with, we eat with thankfulness and gladness that we get a meal. Thousands of people all around the world don't get to eat today. Don't get a bed to sleep on for tonight. It's so hard not to be thankful for a meal or a bed. So many won't be getting to bath tonight, and it's so hard not to be thankful for a shower, or running water. We are blessed every day by God. Room to room, person to person, we are all so thankful that He has given us a new day everyday, that He has given us food to fill us with, that He has given us life by dying on the cross. How can you not be thankful? We had communion last night, (9/10/15), for our Thursday night service, and it was a different experience. Pastor Donothan is here this week and the experience we had was just different. Just to remember that Jesus put Himself out there. Gave us His body, to be broken, to be beaten, pierced, spit upon, whipped, struck down, you name it, He let it happen. When we broke the bread, He gave His body for us to be reborn. When we drank the wine(grape juice), to remember that He let Himself, for us, be pierced with a crown of thorns, whipped hundreds of times, being beaten till blood spilled out, His hands and feet were nailed with large nails that gave Him an excruciating pain, blood dripping off of His body, off of the nails. And out of all that blood, that cup of wine He passed around to you and me, is remembrance that we are cleansed of all sin. Our sin, minor or major, is all whipped away by His blood that was spilled. When we come together to worship Him, praise Him, together in one accord, do it to glorify Him. Tonight I will pray for thanksgiving of Him being on the cross, for Him giving His life for me for make me whole everyday after all my sin. 

Acts 2:45

"...and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need."

With the goods you withhold in your house, bedroom, car, whatever it may be, do you know someone that is in need of any of your belongings or valuables? Not from a movie, or getting on the highway and someone is standing around with a sign. I mean, someone that is in great need of anything that you pocess. Someone that you probably see everyday. I'm sure there is someone. Can't think it off the top of your head but you may even see them tomorrow. How about, do you have a multiples of any one item? If so, do you really need the other three? Do you have enough shirts in your closet to get you through an entire month without doing laundry? I'm not going to tell you to sell or give away your belongings that you have excess in, but that question you may want to ask yourself is, "do you need all of those items?" It's a hard question, but if you didn't have much to live with, you would be able to answer that question with ease. In acts it talks about it a little differently. The people gathered together, had all things in common, sold their possessions and goods, divided their possessions and goods amongst the ones that were in need. When I first started studying this verse, I felt convicted. As though I know so many people that are in need and I've said no to giving away. Not so much as giving away but just holding onto all my goods. I had no need for so much of it, but yet I still hang onto it all. I felt convicted because I know so many people that are in need and I do nothing about it. I can honestly say that when I get back home, I will be getting rid of a lot of stuff. The conviction I felt from this verse, was different than your daily conviction of sin. As all sin that I'm convicted of hits my heart, this conviction hit me deep, tore a hole dead center, and left a scar. Not a pretty scar either. So much of my belongings are wants, not needs. I am so thankful for all my belongings and I couldn't deny that. The question that keeps hitting me is whether I need all of that stuff? If there is someone I know that needs something, and that something is something that I wanted. I can honestly say that I know many people that have needs and that I can meet those needs with the stuff I have. Tonight I will pray for forgiveness of my selfishness, and pray that when I get home for my ten days in between training and field time that I will make the decisions to give to those in more need than I.  

Acts 2:44

"Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common..."

all who believed were together. Together how? Together living under the same roof? Together in a sense that they were always together? Together through Christ? Wait, together through Christ would make sense. All who believed in Christ, were as one. 1 Corinthians 12, "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ." Okay, so now all who believed in Christ were together. Each individual is its own member of Christ of the body. Christ is the head and every single individual living for Christ is part of the body of Christ. Being of the body of Christ and being of one we have to take a look at how the body works. Paul points it out in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 very well how the body should or does work as one. Verse 20, "but now indeed there are many members, yet one body." We are each members of Christ. What happens when you get hurt? Break bone, strain tendons, tear a muscle, so on and so forth. Well, what happens to me is it hurts if something gets hurt. I notice it right away. I have a limp, or in crutches, or can't breathe, whatever the member that is hurt, I notice it. Once it's hurt, I get a red flag sent to my brain. "Needing help down hear, over here, your knee, stop what you are doing and fix the problem." Is the signal that is sent to my brain. What happens  in that part of my body is verse 26, "and if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it..." If my knee if going down, practically my whole body is going down with it. Paul relates that to being the body of Christ. Verse 25, "that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another." Relating that back to the body of Christ, if one individual is suffering, all individuals will be suffering. Being on the IGNITE program in Guatemala, I have become a member of the body of Christ with all the others here. When one of us is suffering from family difficulties at home or from physical pain, or just being fired upon by the devil, I hate to see that happen. I may not always ask them if they are okay because that's a self explanatory question. They need prayer and I'm suffering with them. Maybe not as nearly as much but I don't like to see them suffering or in pain and it hurts me. Same goes as if we hear that a follower is being persecuted in another part of the world, God bless him, but let's pray for him or her. Amen to them for doing the lords work and following God, but that's hurts to see them being hurt or suffering. 
We we have come together under Christ and begin to work as one body of Christ, Paul then asks the question in verse 19, "and if they were all one member, where would the body be?" That goes back to acts 2:44, "...and had all things in common..." Okay, so we are a body of Christ, working in unison, now, where would the body be? Good question. God asks us to go into the world and spread His word. He asks us to follow Him. Where would the body be? Well first lets answer the confusion of, "and had all things in common." If we are one body of Christ, and being as one body of Christ, we aim only to serve Him. Everything else, "I also count all things loss for the excellence of knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ." Philippians 3:8. So having all things in common, He is all we need, all we have, and all we want. Being as the body of Christ and following Him, that is where we have all things in common because He is all. Now where would the body be? Well we are of one body of Christ, having all things in common, being together through Christ, the body would be wherever the Head tells it to be. The Head of the body is Christ. Same goes for how your head works. If you tell your body to do something it will do it. So if Christ, being the Head, it telling you to do something, go do it. He knows what is best. He is the Head for a reason. Tonight I will pray for unity in the body of Christ around the world. 

Acts 2:43

"Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles."

then fear came upon every soul, that sounds frightening. Can you remember a time where fear just came upon you? In a sudden twisted moment you were struck with fear. Maybe your heart started pounding, blood was rushing through your veins, you got goosebumps all over your arms and neck, your hair stood straight up, and you felt a little nauseous. Has that ever happened to you? I can most definitely admit that it isn't the greatest feeling. A feeling of, "oh no, something is about to scare me out of my pants and I'll be running as fast as I can, partially crying maybe, all the way home." Maybe that kind of feeling, or maybe even a feeling of "hold me because I'm about to be dragged away and eaten alive." Those two ideas sound like some of the worst, but that is what comes to my mind when fear comes upon me. A time where fear just came upon me was when I was ding dong ditching with two friends of mine. We were at my buddy's house, Kevin, and Chantz was over too. We all thought it was a good idea to go ding dong ditching at one 'o' clock in the morning. (A bunch of the parents that are reading this, please forgive me if you were a victim of my ding dong ditches. I am terribly sorry. I will be praying that you can forgive me. And to all of the teenagers or kids that are reading this, I beg you, please, please, do not get the idea that ding dong ditching is a good idea. Here's why...) My friends and I went out at one 'o' clock a.m. at Kevin's neighborhood. Chantz's was on the other side of town, and mine was ding dong ditched all the time and if anyone was woken they just call the cops immediately. We decided to stay in Kevin's neighborhood, and got dressed up in our darkest clothes, and headed out. We went to a couple houses that we thought were good ideas, a little ways away from Kevin's house. A couple had some lights on, a couple had a couple rooms with people in the them, so we went and ding dong ditched them. Kevin did a few, Chantz did a few, and I did a few. Some of them we ran away from, some of them we stayed and watched to see what would happen. Most of the ones we stayed and watched, no one was home. There was specifically one that we stayed and watched that we had an answer and that one, we definitely had an answer. The house we decided with, we knew he was home because Kevin's mom knew the guy. We all went up to ring the door bell, and ran a short distance and hid behind a tree. Waited a couple minutes, and no answer. I ran up alone, rang the door bell again, and we ran a further distance because we were sure to get an answer. Waited a couple minutes, and no answer. Kevin went next, got to the first step of the front porch, and the light flicked on and Kevin was out of sight before we knew what happened. Kevin went and hid behind the trash cans near the front door, a little out of sight, and the gentlemen living in the house walked out. Chantz and I, breathing heavy form adrenalin rushing through our veins, laying down in the grass behind a tree with getting an answer. Myself laying down, heart pounding out of my chest, having no clue what Kevin is going to do, and getting caught was the worst. The gentlemen walked back inside, and Kevin sprinted towards us. When Kevin got to where we were, the gentleman walked back out with a coat on and with a gun in his hand. At this point, that fear that I was describing earlier, had come upon me. I was absolutely shivering from head to toe with adrenalin rushing through me. Feeling my heart beat in my head and my breathing was all I heard, keeping my eyes fixed on the gentlemen with a gun, sitting on his rocking chair calling out to us. He didn't know where we were, but at this time we were all fixed on him as to what's going to happen next. Trying to figure out a way to get off the gentlemen's property without being seen. We had gotten the answer we wanted, but more than we expected. Finally Kevin looked behind us as there was another group of trees we were looking for. One by one we crawled to the trees, trying to remain out of site. The gentlemen creaking in his rocking chair still looking for us, we were able to slip under his picket fence and down the road. You would be surprised at how sneaky you could be when it's typically a life or death situation. Living in the country, people don't always question what's out there scrambling around in the dark. This fear had hit me like a train and it was not a fear that I would ever want anyone to experience. 
When I had dedicated my life to Christ, Psalm 23 has always been a friend of mine. God is by my side and there should never be anything to fear except for Christ. Thanks to God, I am still alive today, sharing with all of you who are reading of what I had gone through in a fear that had come upon me in a heart beat. 

Philippians 2:5-6

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God..."

Having the mind of Jesus is impossible. I would very much love to have the mind of Jesus, but I'm not God, and as far as my understanding goes, I wouldn't want to be God. God is God and that is the end of my argument. I'm happy just with God loving me. His love is always enough. He knows what's best for me and what's not. I believe that's enough. If He created the universe in the snap of His fingers, I'm going to believe He knows what's best for me. My parents were my guide growing up, and if I had listened to them, well I wouldn't be the person I am today. I probably wouldn't be in Guatemala serving God right now. It's hard to imagine what would be different, but things are how they are now so I'm not going to worry about it. There is so much that we will never understand about God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Just trying to understand the trinity blows my mind. I've always tried to understand it because in my human nature mindset, it doesn't make any sense. But I believe in Christ, I believe that He is God, and I'm going to not worry about that now. I have way more important things in my life to worry about that God has set in front of me. As of right now, one of those obstacles is forming myself in the image of Christ. Now having the mindset for the mind of Jesus is a different question. Loving as God has loved you is possible, but can be very difficult. It brings up the golden rule to me. "Treat others how you want to be treated." When's the last time that you met someone and treated them how you would like to be treated? It's a difficult question to ask. What's even more difficult is if a person you are talking to has that same mindset and you both want to be treated differently. Take for instance myself, ninety percent of the time I'm thick skinned, sarcastic eighty percent of the time, and am a physical person seventy-five percent of the time, but a brother or sister of mine through Christ is sensitive, doesn't understand sarcasm, and hates being touched even doesn't like shaking hands or giving a high-five. And you both have that same mindset. Okay, I quit. That's tough to think about. It hurts my brain to think about. I don't even know where to begin to answer that question. I could start here or there, and end up, upside down and backwards and sounds like I'm speaking a different language. Okay, I give up, God, I need your help. But I challenge you and myself to do so. Treat others as you would want to be treated. We can't serve one another as Jesus did on the cross, but we can serve one another as He did in an everyday life situation. Reaching for the mindset of Jesus is always a blessing. The more we serve with love as Jesus did, we begin to form ourselves in the image of Christ.
Take up the interests of others. It's almost like celebrating someone's birthday everyday. Yes, I understand that you are not going to know what the stranger in the car next to you wants for their birthday. That's understandable. One thing is for certain, everyone wants to be loved. That may not be their interest at the very moment, but you can always remember to love as God has loved you. For this week I will pray for the mindset and heart to focus on loving others as God has loved me and treating others as I want to be treated. 

Philippians 2:4

"Let each of you look out not only for his interest, but also for the interest of others."

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh..." Romans 8:16 as Paul wrote. Look out for the interest of others. Care for one another as Jesus did. Love thy neighbor as yourself right? When I think about it, I find myself running in circles. I first ask the question, do I love myself? It's hard to come by because then I start to sound selfish and that's not what God wants. 
You know what, scratch that, God just put a story in my head of a situation as such so I'm going to tell you about that. 
About two years ago I was hanging out with some friends and we wanted to go and get some frozen yogurt. Can't remember what we were doing but that doesn't matter. We walked in the shop, "hi how's it going?" I called out to the lady behind the counter. "Good, welcome, how are you guys?" My friends didn't answer and kept walking, "good, thank you!" I called out. My friends went and got their yogurt I was behind them. We were all paying separately so it didn't matter if we stood in line together. A young lady came in after us and got in line between my friends and I. They paid and went outside waited for me. The lady in front of me went next. She paid and was talking to the lady behind the counter off to the side. Walking up to weigh my yogurt, "hi, busy tonight? I asked. "Hi, not to bad." She stated. "3.47$, please" reaching into my pocket and pulling out my wallet. Looked for cash, didn't have any, look in all my other pockets for cash too, didn't have any. Went to grab my debit card and gave it to her. The lady behind the counter was talking to the lady that got in front of me. Slid the card, "declined." As my heart stopped. Not extremely worried but not a situation I wanted to be in. "Could you try it once more, it's an old card and magnetic strip sometimes doesn't work." "Sure thing." The lady that was infront of me was standing to my left. She had a face that said, "hi, how are you doing!" as she continued to eat her yogurt as mine was melting in front of me, yelling at me, saying, "ha ha ha, you don't have any money." I knew I didn't have much on my card. Not even having three dollars and forty-seven cents as she said again, "declined." "Okay, one second please." I stated walking out to my friends asking them for some help. "Nah man, I barely had enough to buy this." "Alright, thanks." Walking back inside wondering how I'm going to pay for this. Ruffling through my wallet as the lady on my left knew I didn't have any money to pay for this. I was looking for gift cards, prepaid cards, anything, wait, found a penny, that didn't help. Still looking through every pocket on my shorts I heard, "how much is it?" The lady next to me saying. "Oh no, it's okay, really, I don't need it." I stated. "Oh no, I want you to have it, just remember me when you run into a situation as such. I would hope that you would do the same." "Thank you so much, I really appreciate it." With a big smile on my face and red cheeks because I was so embarrassed. I turned to the lady behind the counter, "thank you." Turned to the lady to my left, "thank you so much again!" I stated and began to walk outside. "Were you able to pay for it?" A friend of mine asked, "no, a lady inside that was in front of me helped me out." "Cool man." They stated as we climb into the car. Still having the thought of what she had said floating around in my head. What she had said impacted me. For me, it was never about money, just having fun and enjoying time with others. As days and week went by, every time I was out I looked for a situation as such to do as she had done for me. It was so nice of her to do something like that. To this day, I'm always willing to help others with money situations. I don't expect anything in return except for your company. Money isn't the world, but Gods love is. She had shared her love with me that day, and I didn't even know God at the time. If I had, I would have never even gone to the yogurt shop that night. The world would say that was good karma. I would say, that was God helping me out because He loves me. So next time you are out shopping or buying groceries or at a restaurant, remind yourself to always look out for the interest of others.

Philippians 2:7

"...but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of man."

In John 13:1-17, Jesus puts himself below the dirt on someone else's feet. "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,.." Jesus knew He was God in the form of man, and still cleaned His disciples feet. He had put His twelve disciples before Himself. He made Himself no reputation that He was better than others, but made Himself a reputation that He is as equal to others. He knew He was God but chose to go to the cross for us. He never made Himself higher than others. He gave Himself a reputation that we could follow. Coming in the image of man, and serving man just as man should. Jesus took on the form of a man, and instead of descending from heaven and coming down to earth He went through the birth of a woman. He put himself in mans shoes so that we have someone to look upon. He put himself as man so that He can prove that man can serve just as He did. Not raising from the dead, but being persecuted, serving one another, not making the blind see or the lame walk, but loving one another before yourself. Putting yourself after others. He tells us we will be persecuted, John 15:20, "Remember the word that I said to you, "a servant is not greater than His master." If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." It's hard to come before those words and know that we will be persecuted. But that's what the devil wants, is you to fear that you will be persecuted. If you are to chose to follow Jesus, then you must bear what He did. He was crucified at the cross, and whipped almost to death. A crown of thorns on His head. Just a brutal death, and He beared it all for you and I. It's time for us to pick up our cross and follow in His footsteps. Picking up that cross as Jesus did, and going into persecution is what we are withheld to do. Having that fear strike us is what the devil wants, but "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2. Through Christ we can do all things He commands us to do, and looking unto Him for faith. I will memorize Philippians 4:13 to remind myself that He is my strength.

Philippians 2:8

"And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."

He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death. WHHAT!!! When's the last time you humbled yourself, and became obedient to the point of dying? Probably never because you are reading this. I am saying the same thing. "Take, eat; this is my body." Mark 14:22. His disciples knew He was going to die, but they didn't know it was going to be the next morning. I can imagine that many of them were wondering, "how is this your body when you are sitting right in front of me handing me bread." They didn't say a word during this time of Passover. Next Jesus said, "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Mark 14:24-25. "Oh my gosh, no more grape juice for Him until He is standing next to the Father." That's not what His disciples were saying. They probably said, "thank you Lord. Shall we sing a hymn?" Not sure if they said thank you, but they defiantly sang. The next morning, He was arrested, beaten in front of many, covered in His own blood and others spit, and made to carry a heavy wooden cross a little ways to where He was going to be crucified. He was then pierced through His hands and feet, and still wearing a crown of thorns. "Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani?" Mark 15:34. "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me." As Jesus cried out those last words with His last breath, had died on the cross. The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and in three days a new kingdom was built, the kingdom of God. 
That's rich stuff. Jesus obeyed every word God had commanded, humbled Himself in doing so as well. Just as it was said in Philippians, "He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death..." Isaiah 53:7-9, "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, He was taken from prison and from judgement, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people He was stricken and they made His grave with the wicked-but the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth." He had even obeyed the Old Testament. Every word of it, humbled Himself, and obeyed. It's difficult to humble yourself when you are commanded to do the worst or the most outrageous thing. But it's encouraging to know that someone before me, multiple people before me, had humbled themselves and picked up that cross and were persecuted to death. 1 Peter 5:5, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 

Philippians 3:8

"Yet indeed I also count all things loss for excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ..."

I love road trips, don't you? That was one of my favorite things to do as a kid was go on a road trip. Being in a car for long hours wasn't the great part, but spending time with one another and opening your eyes to the beautiful scenery as you drive by it. One of my favorite places to drive through is taking I-70 through the Rockies in Colorado. Such beautiful scenery from one hundred to two hundred feet up all the way down to the bottom of the Colorado river. There is nothing like it. As a kid I was always excited to go on a road trip. Last one to fall asleep, second one up, first one to finish breakfast, first one done with brushing my teeth, first one in the car. Maybe some of those I wasn't first, but I was always the most ready. The first road trip I can remember is the road trip my family had taken to California. The part I remember most is of my brother, little brother. We had just stopped at a gas station and all of us kids got to get one kind of candy. My brother had picked out a pack of life saver mints, can't remember what I got. We climbed back in the car and he had opened up the mints, one after the other. Didn't saver them but just ate them. Crunched on them like gummy bears but it wasn't chewy. A couple minutes later, a couple miles down the road, and all the mints are gone. My mom asked, "is he done?" Talking to my older brother, I turned around to see if he did, and right as I did, he puked all over himself and all in his carseat. It wasn't very minty either. I was probably about seven or eight at the time. Years go by and taking road trips still always exciting, but came to a point of beginning to be a bit of a problem. I was getting taller, still really flexible but my legs needed to stretch every so often. Growing seven to eight inches in a single year was awesome but a bit painful and expensive on the price of clothes. Road trips then turned to a little bit of a different story. Still always exciting and fun but came to questions of, "how much further can I go back?" "Can you scoot your chair up a little please, little more? Thank you." "Can I have front?" As I got taller and taller, it was always a fight for room. When having a sizable car, I was always thankful! There was always leg room. When those sizable cars were replaced with a truck or a sedan, I was always looking for ways to get as many inches as possible. Even one extra inch was a lot. Seems like a little but it was a lot for a taller guy. Being above average height by four to five inches on a road trip means a lot. But what was most interesting about all the years that I first started really having to fight for leg room to my most recent road trip three days before coming to Guatemala, was that, even though every one else was getting sleep and being comfortable, i was happy that I was able to sit in the cabin with my brothers and sister. I was happy that I got to be in a vehicle that was in good shape and taking me home. I had made the sacrifice of fighting for that extra inch to going back to looking out the window and enjoying the Rocky Mountains. I was happy looking over at my younger brother and sister and seeing them sleeping and being comfortable. It may have not seemed like it at the time, but if I could go back to looking over at them sleeping with me pushed up against the inside car door, I would have a guaranteed smile on my face. Before I had started writing this ibs, I was really struggling with this verse. I had two thoughts going through my mind. Either making sacrifices for me was really simple because I have lived with a lot and a little or making sacrifices was one of the hardest things in the world for me to do. Nothing came to mind for several minutes. At a point I began to get frustrated and took a deep breath, listened to Ian and went and did something else then came back to it. Came back to the verse and Zach had told me of Luke 9:25, "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost." What do I profit if I were to gain every inch during a road trip and be completely satisfied while everyone around me is suffering? What do I profit if I have everything but I have nothing? It's interesting thinking about what I gained when I gave up that extra inch of space to my brother and sister so that they could sleep. 

Philippians 3:9

"...and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith..."

Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Dead men don't have rights! "Well of corse not Dainon, they are dead. Zombies don't have rights, I knew that." That's not what I mean. I meant was I myself am dead. I no longer live, but it is Christ who lives in me. I am a dead man and I don't have rights. I see you and you see me...hang on, look at it this way, kid. If Christ were to forsake me, I would be moping around like a zombie, not very much color to my skin, probably pale, eyes half shut and blood shot, slurring my words if I were to speak, walking with a limp, trip every so often, very boring to be around, and would most likely smell like a rotten fish. Now since I, that kind of zombie person, looked towards the bible, and mumbled out enough words to say something like, "God take me and use me, I am surrendering myself to you." When I did that kid, Christ's Holy Spirit came upon me and I was no longer living but Christ was living in me. John 5:20, "most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear Him will live." Does that make sense kid? "Well Dainon, how come I don't smell like a rotten fish, or walk with a limp, or have my eyes half shut?" It's a metaphor kid, it's hard to understand, something myself won't understand till I get to heaven. Here kid, listen to this, "how shall we who died in sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life." Romans 6:2-4. You do walk with a limp, not one that I can see but one that God can see. Your eyes don't look half shut, but they haven't seen the love that God has given to you on this earth. So they kind of are half shut. I know, it's hard to understand and I'm not the best explainer either or interpreter. You know kid, have you accepted Christ into your heart? Have you given Christ your life as He has given you His? "Well, no, actually." Have you ever thought about it? "I have been since you said something about Galatians and how dead men don't have rights." See the pastor over there behind you, taller gentlemen, big smile, wants to help you, He can help you with opening your eyes. 
Romans 6:11, "likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." The spirit is constantly warring with the flesh. I had asked Luis on helping making sense of Galatians. Imagine the flesh is a terrorist group in a country, and the government is Christ. Before accepting Christ into our hearts that terrorist group ruled over all. Then came the day where Christ established His territory in our hearts. Since that happened the terrorist group will do everything in its power, sabotage, attack, flank from the left and the right, to get the government to fall. Now the more that we trust in Christ and the more we lean on Him, Proverbs 3:5-6, "trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." the less we will notice attacks from our flesh and ignore it with the power of God. Tonight I will pray for the will to focus, the strength to defend from the flesh, and for the will to trust in Him.

Philippians 3:10

"I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death..."

Psalm 23:1 "Thou shall not want." I'm curious if God makes a merciful pass to want. Wanting to know Christ, wanting to suffer with Him, wanting to die for Christ. Thou shall not want, are those kind of wants taken into consideration? Absolutely, but I'm going to assume that they are good wants, acceptable wants because I don't feel convicted when I want to know Christ. When I want to read His word. When I want to love as He has loved. When I want to give mercy to others as He has given me. When I want to experience the power He did when He was raised from the dead. When I want to experience how Christ was on earth. How He had healed the lame, healed the blind, gave a roman solider his ear back. Is that kind of wanting punishable? Is that kind of wanting a sin? I'm sorry, but according to my calculations I cannot answer that question for you. Paul wanted to know Christ, and wanted to experience that mighty power. He did too. I'm sure I will one day as well, but for now, I've got a lot of work to do before God wants me by His side and there are a lot of unreached people groups in the world before He is coming back too. I can say that one day I will experience that kind of power because Peter and Paul did in acts, George Müller did with His orphanage. Many others of the disciples did too. John 15:20, "...if they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you..." His disciples died for Him as well. They were persecuted and put to death just as He was, some were crucified, some were hung, some were beheaded, but all were persecuted. Not all persecutions will lead to death, but all who follow Him will be persecuted. They put their lives out for Christ, just as Christ did for them, for us. They too shared His death. They didn't die with the sins of every human being ever lived or will live but they died for Christ. Is it bad or wrong to want to die for Christ? It takes a lot of heart, but is it wrong to want as such? Tonight I will pray for a realization to die every day for Christ.

Philippians 3:11

"If by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

Have you ever watched a super hero movie and after it's over just thinking of how awesome it would be to have super powers of the characters? I can say that every time that someone brings up a super hero I wish I could have the super powers of spider man or wolverine. Yes, my two favorite characters. When I was younger, I would sometimes finish that super hero movie and try and do some of the cool moves they did in the movie. Sometimes it ended bad, sometimes it ended good. Realizing that it is only fake, it is still an energy boost going on a fan rampage of how cool it would be to have super powers. Even going online and looking up all kinds of different facts about the super heros. Coming up with a schedule of working my way to become even closer to that super hero. Do you know what happens every time I get that intense into it? Nothing. Nothing. Happens. Ever. It's always just a thought, or a wanna be feeling. I can most definantly say that it is a great wanna be feeling. I could read comics on end, watch movies over and over, play the fan games on my phone or a gaming system, and it all turns out to be nothing. It's almost as if I turn fantasy into reality. Finish the movie, go on crazy nerd rampage, then BANG! Ow, that's my elbow, oooo that's going to hurt for some time. Okay, nerd rampage is over for the time being. Maybe forever. I would lay there, most likely on the floor, with my arm sprawled out, my arm numb and turning green and purple. Then I look over, bringing myself back to reality, and see my bible sitting on my headboard. Bringing my arm back together, I get up and go towards it, sitting on my bed or the floor, open it up and start reading it. Do you know what's really awesome about the bible? Is I get to be a super hero! I get to be that super dude in the movies doing all those cool moves and saving hundreds of lives. I get to be that super guy in the movies that doesn't die in the end. I get to be that super human being with super awesome powers. And those awesome super powers live in me every day. I would call my self, God Guy. I'm that super hero. I am one of Gods best friends. I am His son. The coolest thing about it too, is that I don't die like some super heros do in the movies. Instead at the end of the movie where credits roll, I get to talk to the Guy that gave me those super powers. I get to continue my super hero movie onto another day and for the rest of my life. Not all super heros in the movies get to. Some die for good, some get terribly injured and aren't able to come back. Some get knocked down from an enemy and have difficult time finding the strength to come back to the fight. Now when I face an enemy, I can get knocked down, but not all the way. My Super Powers are behind me holding me up, then they come around and do a super cool move like a super kick to the face of the enemy. And BAM, the enemy is down! And the victory goes to the Guy, standing in the white corner, weighing 135 pounds, with a height of five feet and six inches, full of raw power, goes by the name of: Jesus, Holy Spirit, God, The Creator, The First and the Last, The Lamb Of God. 
I have that Guy behind me. He gives me the strength when I get knocked down. He gives me the wisdom to live my life day by day. He gives Me the mindset to beat my enemies. He always has my back. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1. "I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:1-2. "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:11. 
God gives me the ability to be a super hero. He is the writer of my comic. He gave me the super powers that would best suit me. I'm able to fly, able to lift up big boulders and move mountains, able to walk to the end of the earth. Tonight I will think of my three most favorite super heros and relate to them in a Godly way that He has given me the same strength.

Philippians 3:12-13

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may hold of that of which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead..."

I look at these two verses and am just blown away at how much truth is in them. Paul admits that he isn't perfect, that he presses towards Christ's perfection. He presses forward and forgets of his past to look and to focus at what God has before him. Paul's past was very hectic, he killed Christians, persecuted Jesus as said in acts. He was a real murderer. A lot of us can relate to Paul. When I first noticed that I wasn't perfect, it was kind of easy. That was before I was saved. Now that I am saved, it's even easier. I sin EVERY DAY. I barely know anything compared to Jesus who knows everything. Created everything. 1 Timothy 6:7, "for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." Everything that you see around you, everything that you can imagine, every gaming system, every out door activity thought of, every item of clothing ever thought of, all of it and everything came from God. Everything! we have brought nothing into this world, and never will. 
As each day I wake up and open up into my devotions I attain more of Gods word every time. Each day that I go through trials and climb mountains I have to rely on Gods strength. Each day that I fight the enemy, it's not me who is fighting, it is God. Each day that He gives me new breath into my lungs, and the feeling of the heat of the sun, I look towards Him to get me out of bed. I've realized that I can't press on alone. I press on to take the first step, He helps me with the rest. I press on to speak the first word, He finishes the sentence. I press on to take the first bite, He feeds me the rest. I continue to press on every day to become more like Christ. From reading His word, loving one another, making sacrifices, and dying to myself. It's never easy when I do it alone. But it definitely gets easier when I lean on Him for the strength and wisdom. When I lean on Him for the love and courage. And as far as I go to achieve perfection, I can comfortably say that I will never reach it until I am in heaven standing next to Jesus. Sitting next to Jesus. 
He asks us to focus on the present that we are given. He asks us to forget the past. It's difficult to forget the past when the devil continues to bring it up and shove it in your face. But it gets easier the more of Gods word I read. We are only given a minute at a time. The next sixty seconds are never promised. For every minute we have to start the process of pressing on to looking towards Him. We wonder around down here on earth pulling our hair out, biting our teeth and slamming doors. God is up there, not laughing but chuckling, kind of a "come on, it's right in front of you" kind of chuckle. He finally says, alright, fine, I'll help you out. Here. Then we can take a step back and look at how silly we were to not see it right in front of us. Aiming towards Christ, picking up our cross, and following Him is never easy. Period. He will put us through struggles and trials, only because He loves us and knows that we can do it. Because of His love, you are reading this right now. Whatever the situation is, but God. Whatever the turmoil is, but God. But God. 

Acts 2:42

"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in prayers."

Did you continue today? Did you continue to pray this morning when you woke up? Did you continue with your day? Did you continue getting ready for the day? The apostles didn't stop praying after Jesus died, they continued to pray. When's the last time you stopped doing something when someone died? Yes, it's a little different with Jesus because He came to say His goodbyes before going to heaven, but it's not that much different. Did you stop going to weddings after you saw someone die at one? Did you stop dating when your last girlfriend broke up with you? Did you stop driving when you got a ticket or in an accident? No you didn't, you continued to do so. Probably wanted to even more to replace the old memories of that. Yes, each situation is a little different, always will be. But it's the fact that the apostles continued their doctrines and fellowship. 
Sunday's are always nice. Don't you think so? Sunday was just yesterday, the sixth of September. It was really a lovely day! Even more so lovely because the body of Christ came together and continued fellowship and the bibles doctrines. One of the great things about yesterday's service was that we had communion. Communion is such a beautiful service. "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 1 Corinthians 11:24, 25. God allows us to do communion in remembrance of our savior. He allows us to drink from the same cup, Jesus' blood. And eat from the same loaf of bread, Jesus' body. We get to be refreshed, and reminded, of what He did for us. We get to continue our fellowship as His apostles did. 

Philippians 3:9

"...and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith..."

Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Dead men don't have rights! "Well of corse not Dainon, they are dead. Zombies don't have rights, I knew that." That's not what I mean. I meant was I myself am dead. I no longer live, but it is Christ who lives in me. I am a dead man and I don't have rights. I see you and you see me...hang on, look at it this way, kid. If Christ were to forsake me, I would be moping around like a zombie, not very much color to my skin, probably pale, eyes half shut and blood shot, slurring my words if I were to speak, walking with a limp, trip every so often, very boring to be around, and would most likely smell like a rotten fish. Now since I, that kind of zombie person, looked towards the bible, and mumbled out enough words to say something like, "God take me and use me, I am surrendering myself to you." When I did that kid, Christ's Holy Spirit came upon me and I was no longer living but Christ was living in me. John 5:20, "most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear Him will live." Does that make sense kid? "Well Dainon, how come I don't smell like a rotten fish, or walk with a limp, or have my eyes half shut?" It's a metaphor kid, it's hard to understand, something myself won't understand till I get to heaven. Here kid, listen to this, "how shall we who died in sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life." Romans 6:2-4. You do walk with a limp, not one that I can see but one that God can see. Your eyes don't look half shut, but they haven't seen the love that God has given to you on this earth. So they kind of are half shut. I know, it's hard to understand and I'm not the best explainer either or interpreter. You know kid, have you accepted Christ into your heart? Have you given Christ your life as He has given you His? "Well, no, actually." Have you ever thought about it? "I have been since you said something about Galatians and how dead men don't have rights." See the pastor over there behind you, taller gentlemen, big smile, wants to help you, He can help you with opening your eyes. 
Romans 6:11, "likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." The spirit is constantly warring with the flesh. I had asked Luis on helping making sense of Galatians. Imagine the flesh is a terrorist group in a country, and the government is Christ. Before accepting Christ into our hearts that terrorist group ruled over all. Then came the day where Christ established His territory in our hearts. Since that happened the terrorist group will do everything in its power, sabotage, attack, flank from the left and the right, to get the government to fall. Now the more that we trust in Christ and the more we lean on Him, Proverbs 3:5-6, "trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." the less we will notice attacks from our flesh and ignore it with the power of God. Tonight I will pray for the will to focus, the strength to defend from the flesh, and for the will to trust in Him.