Is Love Really Unconditional?

This time of year with all the busyness creeping up like Halloween, the election, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years; its easy to forget to love the person right in of you. Rather it be the mom taking a little bit too long in cashiers line with screaming kids, or that one family member you just tolerate until the function is over. Its not easy to love someone you don't you like or even know. Lets face it not everyone that comes into contact with is going be your cup of tea (or in my case a gallon of sweet tea), and vice versa. That doesn't excuse us from not loving that said person, even if  we cannot stand the individual. God loves us so much that he sent his Son to die as a criminal upon a cross, while we still deep in our sins. Did he like our sinning? Of course he didn't! But that unconditional love of his was master plan to redeem humanity. He also didn't wait for us to get our act together, but instead he reached down and took a hold of us. He breathe new life into us, and he still does it for us on a daily basis. God love us where we are not where we should be.

        Romans 5:6-9" You see just at the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone died for a righteous person, through for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have been justified by his blood, now how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him"! 

If God can love us while we are still sinners, can't we love our neighbors or even our own family members? It is tough especially when American culture is so individualize. Jesus said all the commandments rest upon these two love your God with heart, soul and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. Smile more, help someone lift a heavy item into their cart, listen before you speak, be positive and try to strike up conversation with that family member, have empathy, honk less. These little actions (there are a lot more you could take) could help you develop a unconditional love. Remember the most important thing that God loves you unconditionally as well!

Fear Is a Liar

Today while waiting for my mother sitting in the car, I turned on the radio to a popular Christian station. We had stop to pick up my prescriptions, and I had opted to sit in the car with it running rather than walking into the store. Well the song by Zach Williams  Fear Is a Liar, came on, and it was just a reassuring message of hope and God's grace. In February a neurologist diagnosed with an auto immune disease. This condition affects my balance, primary causing walking to become more difficultly or impossible if not being assisted at some times. The good news this condition is totally curable with medication. However, my doctor told me it could takes up 9 months to see results. It been about 7 months now, and rather than seeing improvement the condition seem to have worsen.  Back to sitting in the parking lot listening to the radio as this song comes on. Fear is a liar as I believe it is the greatest weapon the devil to use against us. The chorus is as follows:

Fear, he is a liar
He will take your breath
Stop you in your steps
Fear he is a liar
He will rob your rest
Steal your happiness
Cast your fear in the fire
'Cause fear he is a liar 

 Satan wants us to live anxious, depressing, sorrowful lives. When something in our lives doesn't go right he swoops down to tell us convincing lies at the most vulnerable times. A elder at a church I attended back in college described Satan once as a rat with a huge megaphone. He is right Satan might tell good false hoods to us, but God works everything together as good according to his perfect will. Jeremiah 29:11,"For I know the plans I have for you,'declares the LORD,' plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". I can't see God's plan of how he going to provide healing for me in this instance. Sometimes to be honest I say to myself,"well will this time God doesn't have a plan for me?". I am just reminded that Satan is a liar, and truth only comes from our Lord. The songs ends with the chorus, but the last two lines above is this. Oh, let Your fire fall and cast out all my fears let your fire fall your love is all I feel. Trust God with all our heart no matter what you are going through, or have been through. Don't let past or the present be fearful for you. God has a plan and he is in control despite whatever you might think or fell. Because Satan he is just a liar. Fear Is a Liar- Lyrics Video

You Concerned Now?

The whole Duck Dynasty issue needs to end. First of all let me say I support Mr. Robertson's beliefs, however some of the comments could have been portrayed in a different manner. What upsets me is all of the people who have come out of the wood work. Where were these people who claim to be share Phil's ideals, when homosexual characters first showed up on network television?   The show Nashville takes place right smash dag in the middle of the bible belt, but people are not mad about a gay character or an adulteress being portrayed. Are the people writing ABC demanding that Miley Cyrus be removed from the lineup of Ryan Seacrest's Rocking New Years Eve Bash?   By the way there is a  commercial promoting the Rocking New Years Bash by saying you just have to tune in to see what she does next. Where is the outrage? People need to stop complaining if they see this non-christian lifestyle in our society day in and day out, and say nothing about it. Citizens should have the right to free speech, but don't just support the Duck Commander Brigade because you like the show. If you fully agree with his viewpoints, but don't speak out on more pressing issues concerning the morally of our country regularly. Ask yourself this do you tolerate the things you believe are sins in our media and just ignore it. If you do then why are you so concerned now? 

The Church & Young Adults

For many churches there is a generation gap where 18 to 25 years old feel out of place or forgotten. When I left my youth group after high school, I thought that I would still have support from my home congregation to mature in my faith. The support was simply lacking many people that I graduated with left the church, or went to colleges not within driving distance. I took a year off between high school and college. When I started my Freshman year, I found a campus ministry to get involved with. Could that be my church? The answer was no, it is only a place where everyone around same age. Don't get my wrong campus ministry is a great tool when it comes to having a relationship with Christ while in college. Well enough about my experience lets get back to the main topic.

Many churches has abandoned the idea of college and young adults ministry, because it difficult to make this ministry function well. This is a vital part needed in the church to ensure the congregation doesn't just fade away. If the church is not building up leaders for tomorrow, who will step up and lead? Another part of is where are those 18-25 maturing in the faith, or are they at all? How can someone go from a youth group setting to sermons and singing only every week. They can't they needs a people to care within the church.

This reminds me of the parable of the sower. Luke 8: 5-8 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.  Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”


"College-age people don't necessarily need another weekly program or service--the key is to provide mentors who are available and willing to walk with them during the life challenges they are facing."- Chuck Bomar (College Ministry 101)

When you have people who care about your spiritually in the church, that can make all the difference. Over the past year I have to a little church about two miles away from campus. I would say this have attendance of 120 on a given Sunday. What they lack in size they make up in passion! They realizes the need for college people to feel a part of the church! I wish this same kind of attitude could be part of all churches, including my home congregation.

If you for a great read on what college ministry looks like read College Ministry 101 by  Chuck Bomar.

The Race Is Won!

1 Corinthians 9 9:24 "Don't you know that in a race all runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way that as to get the prize."

We are all runners in this race that Paul is describing, who gets the prize at finish line? Do we? Yes if we believe and accept Christ into ours hearts. Here the cool Christ has already won the race for us over 2,000 years ago. All we are doing is running our victory lap around the track. Jesus is running beside us along with his Holy Spirit, enabling us to run perfectly our entire life here on earth. We have won the gold medal around our necks each day, not to boast in our own abilities but give God all the glory and thanks.

God's salvation is freely given to everyone on the Earth (John 3:16). The reaction on our part is to say thank you and accept it. There is absolute nothing you can do for God to take it back! God also promises that he will be with always. No matter what you have done, or in what situation you are in God will gladly give you the gold medal. All you do is live like you are running that victory lap. Yes you may not do it perfectly, but with Jesus and the Holy Spirit you will not fall. You will endure when the race has already been won by the perfect and holiness runner of all time! All you have to do is accept the prize!