Cheating

When I was young and growing up, my parents didn't have alot of money nor the technical no-how to buy or operate things like video games or television. I actually got the T.V. in my house when I was around 10 years old. Man I would just sit and sit watching all the neat shows on that violent wave projecting machine for hours and hours. But I'm actually glad I didn't get an actual video game or t.v. until I did, because it taught me there was more to life than just those two addictive things.

Anyway, thats another story entirely, my point was, when I was growing up, I learnt other pass times, like riding my bike with my dad, or playing monopoly with my sister or programming with my buddy Decan. Even listening to the radio, man I remember records man, they were so cool, I had the turkish march on one of them, it was awesome. Anyway, my sister was so pro at monopoly. I mean she would win like all the time. I mean Donald Trump would have problems facing her finacial and buisness oriented skills that she had in that game. I now wonder why she is always so bad at budgeting her money now a days if she was so good at in a board game. Anyway, she would always win, and I would really get depressed from playing monopoly, because we all know the feeling of not winning right? It sucks. Well think of how it would feel when we lose at the game "Life", no not the board game, but the reward God has for those who choose him at the end of it. Anyway that is another blog. My point orginally was that I would be so overcome with losing that I would find ways of increasing my chances. Obviously, you've either stopped reading my huge chunk of writing and their is no point to keep typing except for the fact that God brought this occasion up, and their is a loyal person reading what is being viewed on their monitor and has obviously read the title and learnt that I cheated in monopoly. God is funny though, because even when I get $50,000 extra dollars out of thin air my sister would still beat me.

Anyway the point I'm going to make is clear for those that read "The Purpose Driven Life", for those who haven't here is a little story.

Lets say your born again, and your now playing the fun game of "Life for God". Well instead of money, God gives us gifts. Well thats great, gifts are awesome, remember why Christmas and birthdays are the best afterall ( if your me the answer is food, but thats not the point). God gives us these gifts with one requirement, that we use them to serve others. Well, your probably saying, I don't see people to serve. Well you do more often then you think. Maybe you picked up a card from the encounter pile, and you drew "Friend is being bullied" card or the ever famous "Your friends are offering you drugs, and you know it isn't cheese as they say it is" card. Well God doesn't leave things up to chance, he leaves them up to choice ( haha yes you can quote that, it's prophetic). Instead of rolling the dice, he lets you decide whether or not to serve God by serving others. Whether is be standing up for what you believe in, or helping those in need, serving can be done in many ways. Your friend needs a bus ticket, and you only have one? Well you could say sorry, I only got one, or you could give him yours. That is the gift of hospitality and well service. There are many more examples I could give, like, oh your youth pastor is sick and can't go to the youth group meeting in an hour and will have to cancel because he couldn't find a speaker. Well God puts you in these situations for a reason. TO USE YOUR GIFTS. God's not going to put you in a situation where you couldn't do anything to help. Thats what service is, sacrificing something to help someone other than your self. It could be time, money, etc. He puts you in situations to serve people, we just need to read the cards we pick up and instead of taking out a loan, we should use what God has already given us.

Umm..
Well IDK...
Stop cheating others by not using your gifts to serve, whether it be in ministry or through your mission. Heck you can just serve without using your gifts, but it requires sacrifice. What are you so attached to selfishly that is holding you back from serving others?

-Brent

Tried to be as coherent as I could, but it's late. Night y'all.