Your Meme is Wrong: Volume 1 Prayer and Doubt

Before I get started with this blog, I'd like to say that I will be using the word "ignorant" Often in these blogs as time goes on. I do not mean that word in a hateful way, and it doesn't mean that you're stupid if it applies to you. Ignorance is the lack of information, not the lack of intelligence. Stupidity is the lack of ability to gain information, whether that be by lack of intellect or abundance of pride. 

So lets hop to it :)

     This meme came across my feed today on facebook, and it really saddened me to see the blatant ignorance of the things of God, the goodness of God, and the understanding of God's word. You know how it is people see a meme that they like so it must be true, right? No! Absolutely not.

     This meme is wrapped up in ignorance, and even goes so far as to decided for one who prays, why they would even be praying in the first place. Well that's a good solid overstepping of boundaries, now isn't it.

     So let me ask you this, reader..... What exactly is prayer, and why should one do it?

     Throughout the bible we see people do one of two things, try to get through things in their own power, or submit things to God, and allow Him to handle it. The former always ends badly, and the latter always ends good as well as in the midst of the handing things over to Him, turns the one that is praying, back to Him if they've gone away, or keeps their eyes upon Him, if they've not. 

     It is quite simple... the lack of faith pushes people to do things their own way, but prayer is absolutely the genuine trust of His plan, even after we've filed by doing things our way. This meme is almost backwards and shrouded in ignorance. 

     Prayer puts or keeps the focus on God and His will. This is no lack of faith. This is everything! This is pursuing the faith even more, or turning back to it in order to further pursue it. Prayer puts the anxious heart at peace, knowing that the loving God of he universe, who is all powerful, now has the situation in His hands, but we must first give that over to Him. He does not force His help upon us. He offers it throughout the scriptures, and it is only by faith that we will ever cash in on this. Again HE DOES NOT FORCE IT UPON US, just as He doesn't force His salvation upon us, we must turn to Christ IN FAITH. 

Jesus said  28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28-29 And He also taught us how to pray in the gospels. In conclusion Prayer is not the lack of faith, but the proper usage of it. God will not force us into it, and will not force us to have faith in Him When we try it on our own, we will fail, and even still, He is faithful and will answer when we call. YOUR MEME IS WRONG!

Where my research has brought me.

Proverbs 6:16-19

16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

      About 2 weeks ago I was still struggling in where I stood on the issue of abortion. My belief was that it is always tragic and sometimes evil, unless the mother was dying and needed an abortion to save her life, or if the baby had high chances of no viability(chance of life).

     I've prayed, I've researched the scriptures and cases of abortion, and I've watched. I've watched people and seen their hearts. I can honestly without a shadow of a doubt say that this is pure evil. It isn't about saving lives... it's about killing babies for the sake of convenience and I can no longer give any room on it at all in my heart. Reading this scripture alone I can say that it is evil to do so, and that is what leads my heart here.

As I look more into scripture, I also find that in old testament times if a baby were to die in the womb due to 2 people fighting and accidentally killing the baby, that the life of the one that killed the baby was forfeit. The scriptures(Exodus 21) lead me to understand that it's just never okay... I mean that's just accidental killing, can you imagine how God feels about purposefully slaughtering children outside of His judgement? Well you don't have to... read the scripture at the top again. He hates it. 

     I've seen the wickedness displayed in the pride of people taking the chance of life away from children, and excusing it with something as small as.... "Well I just didn't want kids." or "Well it's none of your business what a woman does with her body." But these people are destroying others bodies. There is a victim here and it isn't the woman. To be so foolish to claim that we can't call it evil or should mind our business based upon our gender or the fact that it's not us personally killing the child.... is foolish. That's like saying that I shouldn't stop a rapist if I see him raping a woman... after all... it isn't me penetrating that poor victim, so why should I have a say or get involved... It's evil.. that's why. 

     One of the craziest things that I have seen was that it's now a joke. There are now abortion jokes. They think that it is cute. I will say it again... and again... and again...

The hearts of man are desperately wicked. We have taken what is evil and applauded it. We've celebrated it, and God is not amused. He is just though and there will be justice for these children whose lives are taken away so proudly by their parents and doctors. 

Everyone will pay for their sin in one of two ways.... 

Their souls forever in Hell or Christ on the cross..

It is not too late if you are still breathing, you don't have to live in your sin.

Repent, give yourself over to Christ and be saved. He will forgive you. We are told that if we confess our sins, that is to agree with Him that we have sinned against Him, yes that what we've done is evil, that He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleans us from all unrighteousness.

Again.. we don't have to live in our sin.

Hell doesn't have to be the destination, we can have abundant life

Free from what we've done and what's been done to us in Christ.

The Wrth Upon The Sinner

The Wrath Upon The Sinner

We are in a dire place. We’ve left the bad news that makes the good news of the Gospel out of the gospel. We’ve stopped preaching the truth about God’s wrath upon sin, and started coddling sin. Man now lives as if he is good apart from God and as if God would be lucky to have him. We’ve not taught that the responsibility for ones sin is upon themselves, so everyone has become a victim. No one takes responsibility for their own sin, but shifts the blame to someone else and ultimately God. So now evil people believe that they are good and that everything evil about them is the fault of someone or something else and God. “You put me in this situation.” 

“You made me like this.”

“God knew I’d be like this when He made me.”

“God has to accept me because He made me like this.”

“It’s not my fault! My parents were abusive so now I do bad things.”

“It’s not my fault!”

This is what we’ve coddled. Intentionally? Maybe not, but it is what we have coddled. It happened when we stopped preaching on sin and just how terrible it is. It happened when all of our music stopped being about how Holy and Righteous God is and became mostly about how He sees us as good, and in Christ He does, but apart from Him we are disgusting in His eyes. We see in the book of Isaiah chapter 64:6 “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we shrivel up like a leaf, and like the  wind our sins sweep us away.”

Even the most righteous deeds we have to offer, the things that make men say “Wow that is a noble person.” Are sin stained filthy rags. They just don’t hold up. 

We often see illustrations in todays culture from pulpits using a formula in a glass that tends to be blue. The person giving the sermon gives a part of the gospel and tells us about how Jesus washes our sins away. He then pours something into that glass and the blue turns clear, and everyone is wowed. The problem here is that even when we are in the blue, we see ourselves as pretty. It’s a pretty color. To be more correct with this illustration, the one giving the sermon would need to fill a brute with crap, and then make that dung disappear. Do you see where I’m going with this? 

We aren’t pretty apart from Christ, we are more comparable to a large garbage can full of feces than pretty pitcher of pretty blue liquid. We’ve stopped talking about how in need of saving we are. We’ve diminished sin and in doing so we have diminished Mercy and Grace. We have said “It’s okay, we know you have had it rough in life and that’s why you are this way.” And in doing so we have given off the impression that God is okay with it, but such is not the case. God tells the sinner that they will die not due to the sins of others but their own sin, in the book of Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul that sinners, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon in, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”

There is no inheritance of wickedness or righteousness. One must choose which one they will be regardless of where they have been, where they are, or where they are going. God does not play the victim game, He does not diminish sin. He sees us as we truly are, whether righteous or wicked, and there is no hiding behind the coddling and claims of victimhood. 

Christians we must not diminish sin, for in doing so we will diminish grace. Why is grace so amazing? Have you ever asked yourself that? Have you ever stopped to think about how the only thing that is stopping the sinner from being crushed this instant by the wrath of God is the mercy of God? It is not the claims of victimhood and it is not the coddling of sin that saves the sinner. It is when the sinner comes face to face with his state of sin and acknowledges that he is in desperate need of a Savior. When the sinner stops shifting the blame and looks into himself and says “I am no good!” 

When the sinner repents from his sin and is brought to the Savior, Jesus Christ. This isn’t about asking God into our hearts, as if He’d be lucky to have the invitation, it is about asking Him to SAVE US FROM OUR SIN!

When we diminish sin, we diminish the Gospel. Without recognizing that we are actually in need of saving, we can never be saved. We can show up every Sunday morning for the rest of our lives and still miss it because we don’t understand that we need a Savior. We can preach many uplifting sermons and have churches filled to the thousands, and still miss it because no one ever told us that we are wicked. Friends apart from Christ we are wicked and under wrath, and it is a crushing wrath, and the only thing stopping us this very moment from being destroyed and entering into eternal death... is mercy.

Do not be deceived. 

The Gospel is such good news because apart from Christ 

We are disgusting and headed for judgement

We need saving

The good news is that in that state of being under His wrath and scripture even says that we, apart from Christ, are at enmity with Him, yes Warring with the King of the universe. The one that could crush us! Destroy us! In that state of being, He still came to rescue us. 

Romans 10:9-10

9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord.” And believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

And remember.. if Jesus is Lord, and Jesus is the word become flesh that means that your Lord agrees with the entirety of the scriptures, Him being the embodiment of them, and this also means that you are no longer in charge. Lord doesn’t mean buddy, it means you now serve Him. He is a good master, better than any of us could ever be to ourselves. Us living for Him is not His privilege it is ours. So let us live and die to honor Him.

Joy, Patience, Faith pt. 2

Three words...

"Patient in affliction"

     Woah... Now there's something we aren't just naturally drawn to having. First of all God is calling us to be patient... like even at all, and then further he calls us to be so in affliction.

     Let me ask you something. What afflicts you? Like what is your current affliction that God is calling you to be patient in? 

     Now for some of us, it really is something that the world sees as small. Maybe you're having a hard time at work. You have that one co-worker that just irks the mess out of you. God doesn't see this affliction as small and has called you to be patient during it. He has called you to count on Him in this thing that the world sees as small, or just everyday life. 

     Or maybe you're going through things that the world sees as massive! A divorce though you didn't want it. Your house got robbed or maybe you just went through a serious loss. God is not far from you, and He is calling you also to be patient in your affliction. Remember He's not far off.

     In our afflictions, however the world looks at them, God is there. He calls us to be patient in them, for He knows what He is planning for His glory and our good even in the affliction. Here's the deal... there will be many opportunities to have patience in affliction in your life. There will be! And there will be many opportunities to miss out on the peace that passes understanding, even in the midst of your afflictions too....

Don't miss out on that peace...

A prayer

Father, Remind me that I can be patient in understanding your purpose for even my afflictions.

Reming me not just that I can be patient in them, but that You are also there with me.

You hold me and give me peace that passes my understanding, or lack thereof, of my situation.

I don't always understand what is happening in my life or why it is happening,

but, Lord, remind me that I can trust in You.

The more that I trust in You, the more You show me that I can

So help me trust.

Also it might be a great idea to write down some ebenezers and to start raising some up from now on.

Joy, Patience, Faith pt 1

An awkward combination of words, right?

Well.. maybe not so much.

Be Joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer

Romans 12:12

     Joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 

This is what we are encouraged into through scripture. 

Lets take a moment today and just dive into the idea 

of being joyful in hope. 

     I mean let's really think about that. Are we ever in

any situation where our hope can afford to not be in God?

And if the answer is no, then are we ever in any situation

where we can afford to not rejoice in He from whom we 

find hope?

     This is the God that breathes out existence. Think about

that. This is the God whose roar brakes the cedars (Psalm 29:5)

GO READ IT! It says it right there, and it's not like His voice

just kinda barely breaks the cedars. His voice breaks them in

pieces, the scripture goes on to say. I mean we have this God

that IS ALL POWERFUL, and He tells us to place our hope

In Him!

     This is the God that makes and fulfills every promise.

He has always done this, and He has said to us that we

WILL be with Him. He has said to us that He will never

leave or forsake us! He has said to us that we can rest in Him

and we can! 

     Rejoice. Be joyful in hope. We can. I get it. Life is not by any means

easy... Especially if you're REALLY LIVING! Furthermore, especially

if you're living for the kingdom. We're literally at war, scripture tells us

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,

against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,

against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesian 6:12

And scripture isn't wrong here. Again... not easy, BUT!!!

We also know, from the mouth of Jesus Himself that, He

has overcome the world!

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye

might have peace. In the world ye shall have

tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:3

Once again... Joyful in hope, being of good cheer.

     A prayer

Father, I acknowledge that You are not only great in power, but also good to me.

Help me to find my hope in You in any situation and to rejoice in the fact that my hope

is in the One that is infinitely greater than I or anyone or thing that this world could ever offer.

Help me to remember the good things that You've done, the messes You've made beauty out of.

Help me to look forward to the things that You will do!

Help me to remember that my hope is in You through any tragedy!

Help me remember even when I'm going through something 

that my cultured mind sees as small.

Help me to remember that You care and You move on my behalf when I trust in You!

In Christ's name I pray, Amen

2/25/17 The Battle Continues

Ah depression old friend, how you come to find me in the strangest moments.

     Have I made a difference? Am I going anywhere? Is everything going to be alright? These are the questions that are haunting me today and really messing with my head. 

     I have dreams. They are big dreams, and sometimes I forget about the journey. It's not easy knowing that many will skip the journey that I've been on for years to accomplish some of my dreams and sometimes that sense of envy gets to me and I forget all of the blessings that I've seen on this journey and all of the lives God has allowed me to touch on this journey. 

     At some point in life, I looked out and said "By the time I'm _ _ years old, I will have led worship at a student life camp or something." I've passed that age... and I have yet to live that dream. It usually doesn't bother me because I'm usually basking in the glory of what God has allowed me to do so far. To be clear basking in how glorious He is and how He has allowed this stuff, but lately... lately I just feel like I'm going nowhere. Like I'm just sitting here, and maybe that's because I like to be busy and sometimes forget how to rest. How to just be still. I dunno.

    I don't even know, at this point, if those dreams are even in God's will for my life and I'm trying so hard to just be like "Okay ya know what, Vincent, God has got this. Just till the field, delight yourself in the Lord, and commit your ways to Him." But today it is just a hard day. I'm in a bit of a funk and maybe it won't last long. Heck could last for a few hours, but i know that I'm not the only one that goes through these kinds of things. Where it all just seems like... it's for nothing.

    It's a battle and here's the funny thing. I've been working with our youth more lately and it seems that God is using me very well here. Night of Worship 2 is coming up and the planning is going good and it even seems that He is creating a team for future Night of Worship Panama Citys. Like I can see that God has me doing things and plans to do a great work through me, but my mind is stuck on this one thing that I wanted to do and I'm at war with me. I work at a school in a class full of kindergartners that literally tell me they love me before I leave work and know that if they never see love from another man that I do love them and I believe that He uses that too. I got our youth together to plan a night for the church and it seems to be going well and I can see that He's going to use that too. Again He's allowing me to do all of these things that don't exhaust me and bring glory to Him but today my mind won't walk away from this one thing for a little bit to just focus. 

Looks like I'm going to have to take a page out of Furtick's book and "Crash the Chatterbox." 

     I've got depressing thoughts in my head today, but I cannot allow them to win. Maybe they are all my thoughts, and maybe they are a mixture of thoughts of my good dreams mixed with lies from hell to stop me in my tracks of all of the good that I have going on now. But I have to focus... 

But for now...

I will be still and know that He is God
I will rest in the truths of who He says I am
Despite accomplishments

I will rest in Him knowing that even in the war of the mind
He is victorious 

I Was Made to Soar

     We were made for more than just barely living, more than just going to work and making pay checks, and more than the American Dream. To live for either of these things is to live a cozy life that just won't satisfy, but to find our lives in Christ is to find our lives abundantly. There is an enemy that will do his best to convince you that the safe place is the mundane life and that enemy will have you so busy that you feel that you have no time to use your gift. When we choose not to use the gifts that God created us to use for His glory, we choose to miss out on abundant life and the enemy will make missing out look and feel like a good deal, but only for a while. 

     After a while of the mundane, we begin to feel trapped. We think to ourselves "how can I ever find time to do what God has called me to do. I've got bills to pay. I have this. I have that. I work too many hours." 

     We find ourselves missing out on what He has for us. 

     Sometimes we even begin to wonder what we are going to do with our lives. Do we even understand that sometimes we forget what we are passionate about? We bury our talents under the burdens of this world instead of investing in them so that we can hear the well done. 

     We were made to soar, to reflect the One who is majestic, and to bring glory to Him so that all the creatures of the earth would see Him in us. 

First we crawl, then we walk, then we soar. In all of these seasons of life we will take bumps and bruises but the view from up there is far more glorious than the view from below, bumps and bruises and all. We weren't made to crawl all of oh lives. 

     What gift were you given? How can you use it and bring glory to God while doing so?

     Let's not just think of gifts as talents(modern day definition) but just things that you do that you're passionate about. Do you love to work with youth? MAKE TIME TO DO SO! Maybe you love helping people do their taxes and work on their finances. MAKE TIME TO DO THAT! Whatever it is that you are passionate about. Whatever you do that you feel brings you to a place of feeling the presence of God right there in the midst of your actions, DO THAT! Make time to do that! For the glory of God, do that! 

Soar! 

     It's been a while since I felt that I was soaring. This past few weeks I've felt it. God has allowed me the opportunity to teach my youth group and I've felt so alive. I feel alive when I get to minister in different ways to youth. I also feel alive when I have a band of people that fit together and I get to lead worship with that crew. This has been a thing lately too. My Wednesday's and Sunday's bring me such great joy. I feel MOST alive when I get to go into battle with a full band and lead worship for a retreat or a camp. This past weekend I was able to do this. It was such a beautiful experience. I got to see God move in others and feel God move in me. I feel abundant life. Honestly even right now all I want to be doing is working with youth or helping out at a youth retreat. I barely want to continue typing... 

I'm excited to see what He has in store for me and these gifts that He's given me next. Right now He's called me to a period of resting so I will rest and praise Him. Just 2 more days til Wednesday though :)

Soar!