Generic_Blog87

Blogs to come

2008-04-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

I've gotten away from my routine of daily scripture devotionals. It's because the verses I'm reading lately are keying in with my Spirit.

I haven't grown lazy, just I've been told to be quiet for a little while.
Will update soon hopefully.
Not that anyone actually reads these.

2008-04-12T17:19:00.000-07:00

Scripture: "Hang my locket around your neck, wear my ring on your finger. Love is invincible facing danger and death. Passion laughs at the terrors of hell. The fire of love stops at nothing— it sweeps everything before it. Flood waters can’t drown love,
torrents of rain can’t put it out. Love can’t be bought, love can’t be sold— it’s not to be found in the marketplace..."
-Song of Songs 8:6-8

Observation: In Old Testament times a seal was used to indicate ownership of a person’s valued possessions. So the beloved asked to be her lover’s most valued possession, a possession that would influence his thoughts (over your heart) and his actions (over your arm). Such a demanding request required the explanation which she gave in verses 6b-7a. These verses sum up the nature and power of the love depicted in the Song. It is as universal and irresistible as death, exclusive and possessive (in the sense of being genuinely concerned for the one loved) as the grave, passionate (as blazing fire) and as invincible and persevering as many waters and rivers. And all this is true because love is supported by the Creator who possesses all power. The words like a mighty flame are, literally, “like the very flame of the Lord” . Thus the Lord is portrayed as the Source of this powerful loveThe final statement about the love depicted in the Song is that it is priceless. All one’s wealth would be totally inadequate to purchase such love. In fact such money would be . . . scorned, because love cannot be bought. Any attempt to “buy” love depersonalizes it. If love is priceless, how then can it be obtained? The answer is that it must be given. And ultimately love is a gift from God. The epilogue explains how the beloved received this priceless gift of love.

Application: What a beautiful description of God's love for us. I really chose this verse to uplift someone; and all you women out-there who never read my blogs should definitely favorite this one. But God's love really is like a love-affair. He really does place a locket around his beloved's neck, and proposes to ask us to be his husband. For guys this can be quite odd... but hang in there. He died just so we could be his friends. He knew what was right for us; and we all know how long it takes for us to admit defeat, but he paid that price in full, just so we wouldn't have to. Pretty swell guy if you ask me. Definitely worth keeping in your "My five." Nothing can separate us from God's love; this theme has been surfacing alot on my blog, but it's even clear with the Old Testament. God's love hasn't changed. He's always there with open arms waiting to take us in.

For the ladies, will you accept the proposal?
For the guys, will you suck it up and admit your wrong so you can go back to making up some lost time?

-Brent

Everything I say and do

2008-04-12T17:12:00.000-07:00

Scripture: "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."
- 1 Peter 4:11

Observation: Context of preparation of end times, and being ready for Christ return. Peter distinguishes the a separation in ministry roles according to some scholars but I argue it leaves the context of the verse.

Application: Every thing we say and do should be in an attitude of worship to God. That's the point. If you can get that; you've succeeded at being a Christian. I'm not talking salvation, nor works show true faith. But I'm talking about that if we really intend to do or say anything we need to be sure that it uplifts God in the process.

We can also be assured that God will provide the strength and the words to say; so we should just rely on him to guide us along the path of righteousness.

It's simple, straight-forward, and easy to do. We are the ones who complicate it.
Let's re-fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith so we can continue down this path of righteous living.

Unequaled Love

2008-04-10T19:35:00.000-07:00

Scripture: "Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: 'They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us.' I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us."
-Romans 8:35-38

Observation: Context of God's love for us, not our love for him...
"These things—stated in increasing intensity—do not separate Christians from Christ; instead they are part of the 'all things' (Rom. 8:28) God uses to bring them to conformity to His Son. Then Paul quoted Psalm 44:22 to remind his readers that in this life the people of God must face much affliction, including even martyrdom for some. In the early days of the church one or more Christians were martyred every day, or faced the possibility of it. Their persecutors valued Christians’ lives as nothing more than animals to be butchered (The Bible Knowledge Commentary 2:475).

Application:
God's love is permanent. Once we belong to him, you think our silly trials, our silly stumbles allow him to regret accepting us in? Absolutely not! We can persevere in Christ love and ask him for more of his to make up for ours lacking in times when we desperately need it. Even though we may stumble and fall, God always meets us at 100% love to help pick us back up.

Practice makes perfect

2008-04-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

Scripture: "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me -- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
Philippians 4:9/NIV

Observation: Context- Paul Spurring Phillipi to do what he's instructed and what he left them with when he began that church.

Application: Even though Paul is saying this to the church of Phillipi; imagine the context towards us from Christ. Whatever we learn about him, teach it; whatever we receive, use it; what ever we hear, testify to it; whatever we see in him, strive for that ourselves.

Imagine if we put that mentality in our minds. Spiritual leaders are essential to our Christian life-style. Look for Christ like attitudes in people, and mimic that. Read the scriptures concerning Jesus and his ministry, and apply that to your own life. Imagine yourself sent out personally as a disciple of Christ to do his work.

Well the truth of the matter is, we are called to as Christians, to be imitators of Christ.

But if we do what God has shown us, what we learn, and apply it, we are promised peace.

That's worth the effort? (Plus, you know, eternal glory... that's cool too)

What are you "attracted" to?

2008-04-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

Scripture:
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
-James 4:7-8/NIV

Observation: from "The Bible Knowledge Commentary"-
"Like a magnet, the call for commitment has both positive and negative poles: submit . . . to God and resist the devil. “Submit” is a military term “to be subordinated” or “to render obedience.” “Resist” (antistēte) means “take a stand against.” Take a stand against the devil, and he will flee. On the other hand draw near to God and He will come near in response. To draw near to God, however, demands His cleansing. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Both “wash” and “purify” are verbs that refer to ceremonial cleansing, a figure that spoke eloquently to Jewish converts. The need for cleansing is clear from the way James addressed his readers, “you sinners” and “you double-minded.”

Application:
In the context of true humility we see that knowing who you are is essential. Are you allowing the world and the voice of Satan be your influence? Or are you, as a result of salvation, allowing Christ to lead you in the way you should go? We need to take a stand against the forces of evil, the sin that easily corrupts us. Let us not be double-minded, but instead let us wash our hands of anything sinful, and anything that will cause us to stumble. It's better to live an uncomfortable life of self-sacrifice than it is to allow the sinful life to influence us any longer. As it says in Thessalonians, "throw out anything tainted with evil." So what holds us back? Why do we allow there to even be a division between spirit and flesh? Are we no longer slaves to the world or to our flesh? So how is it that we compromise so easily as Christians due to laziness, or personally bias. We're to be in the world and not of it correct? So why do we download music illegally, let apathy to crisis and need grow, and choose to ignore what happens in the field of abortion and homosexuality. What do we let into our lives that we shouldn't? So let us submit ourselves to God, and turn away from the old and begin living anew in the grace and atonement of Christ.

We're dead

2008-04-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

Scripture: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
- Galatians 2:20

Observation: Context of salvation through grace alone, the law does not save us; Christ does.

Application: All that agony, that pain, that sorrow was for was for us. But we we're put to death that day as well, did we go through a literal crucification? Gosh no! He bore that for us, it was the punishment (and beyond) that we deserved. But we we're put to death that day. Our sin, our old lives, and the bonds of the enemy were crushed that day. Our old lives we're nailed to that Cross. We are dead, but made alive through Christ who rose again and now lives in us! Our old lives lead to death, but now that we have Christ we have Eternal life! How does this not excite you?

Ignorance is SIN

2008-04-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

Scripture: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”- 1 John 3:16

Observation: A great contrast between sin and love; and an even better analysis of what it looks like to be apart of the kingdom. Conviction and assurance are the context of the verses surrounding, and Christ's love was exemplified in this action.

Application: This is a true model of love, and the context surrounding this verse is clear that if we do not show love, are we any better than those who live in sin? In our culture where ignorance is bliss, should we as Christians remain apathetic to the problems our culture faces? Certainly not, and certainly we should strive to lay down our own "lives" for our brothers and sisters.

Perfecting One's Public Life

2008-04-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

Scripture: "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
-Colossians 4:5-6/NIV

Observation: Context: Paul before this gives reference to the importance of personal prayer life, than discusses instructions for our actions towards "outsiders." Outsiders here in the King James is phrased as "those that are without," the original Greek meaning away or strayed.
Wisdom is reference to spiritual wisdom or maturity; while we see that "making the most" is actually phrased as "redeeming the time"- time implying infinite or "at all times". Conversation is bigger in the sense that it means "your manner of speech."

Application: We are to not to just know how to act around others, but we are to act in a manner of wisdom; weigh the outcome of our actions at all time. Using all opportunities in our daily regiment to the furthering of the kingdom. Yes, we are suppose to evangelize to others, and love our neighbor, but Paul strains that this should be our priority every time we open our mouths or act around anyone, especially those who are without Christ. The Gospel of Christ through our lives is the first people will ever see before they read anything ever written in the Bible. Remaining graceful and seasoned with salt is essential, but that requires personal and individual desire to grow, and acting out in that mannerism. As Paul mentioned earlier, we should be praying continuously, wanting the church to understand, prayer is not a luxury but is essential for growth. How can we expect to be seasoned with salt if we jump out of the salt shaker? Our personal growth will flow over into our public life, but we need to still strive and follow the instructions Paul gives us while acting around others. Are we as Christians making the use of every situation to further the kingdom?

Revelation 4:11

2008-03-16T01:02:00.000-07:00

He stands on the mountains
and rides on the clouds
he is all the water there is to be found
he's mighty and gentle
without any seem
all creation points to his glorious theme

He's love is boundless
his rule is supreme
bore our transgressions to makes us redeemed
And through redemption
we can stand face and face
to shout of his mercy, his magnificent grace

All Glory
Honor
Power
and Praise
Belong to the Lamb who was slain

2008-02-03T17:04:00.000-08:00

Why is it that I care so much about my physical appearence?
Not so much I worry that I don't look good enough, but more so, I always want to change it.
Why do I feel the need to be constantly changing?

Devotion II: Are you a shrewd manager of what God has given you?

2008-01-31T09:43:00.000-08:00

Scripture: Jn 16:1-16
“Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.”

Observation: “Jesus told this Parable of the Unjust Manager to teach that His disciples must use their wealth for kingdom purposes. ”

Application: If our goal is to win the world with Jesus, we should be on the look out for creative ways to do so. Not malicious ways such as the shrewd manager, but ways that will grab people’s attention. Putting to use your talents, your interest, you material possessions, in order to get people onto the right path. God didn’t give us these things for us to sqander but for us to use to serve others and to point them to God.

Prayer: God let my hearts cry be that I could use my talents and abilities always for your kingdom. Also lead me in a path not of manipulation but love unlike the manager you told. Thank you YHWH for your gifts, let me use them well.

Devotion I: I do not get prophecy in the OT

2008-01-23T17:22:00.000-08:00

Scripture:
Matthew 1-2
Observation:
I love the Geneology now that it makes more sense of the importance of it. I never knew without going to bible college the significance of the women, the names of Jesus' decendants, nor that each of the 14 lists represented the story of the bible from the covenant to the fall of israel to the salvation of God's people.

But that is not what I'm writing about. No; in fact, I'm more concerned verses 14-15 in the second chapter. (The reason I'm specifically writing about it is b/c I stopped on it during my read through of the gospels and acts for NTS survey)

'So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."'

The real question I'm dealing with here is the verse in quote from Hosea 11:1. Looking at that verse
"When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son."

you can see the context for this verse is not directed at Jesus but at Israel (and directly looking back into the past when God delivered them)

Now I get that Jesus is the true salvation of God's people, a final solution to the deliverance of his people from oppression (of sin). I can see how one can interpret that Egypt was God delivering Israel from oppression (of the egyptians) and how Jesus could be applied to this verse. But I don't get how Matthew would interpret this verse in Hosea to a messianic one. Is it really prophecy of the messiah, or just a history recap from the Lord's prophet.

I don't know. That is my conclusion. I'm not a devout Jew. I don't know how they would interpret scripture. All I know is Matthew wrote the correlation between the "prophecy" in Hosea in connection with the life of Jesus.

Application: Don't take the face value of scripture. I heard this alot while pondering this text over in my mind. Don't be afraid to question the scriptures declared Holy, for in question often times God will reveal more of his amazing complexity, a complexity that we cannot put into a box nor describe at times.

Prayer: Lord please shead some enlightenment on the prophets words so I can have a better understanding of your word.

Break V.S. Break up.

2008-01-13T23:23:00.000-08:00

For all of you who read Brent's last post he was wrong.

I told him that I needed to re-connect with God, just me and God.
I happened to use the term "Break" to describe our relationship, even though I have every intention of still having one, not ending one.
I just need to figure out this God thing on my own.
So, my definition of break, is to spend time with God, instead of with Brent.
Not to break up with him.

So this one year, two month, eight day relationship has not come to an end.
Atleast not by my doing.
I'm sure that Brent will have the patience to let me get close to Jesus, and that we will both trust in the Lord to take care of us. Whether that be us seperatly while I figure things out, or seperatly forever (which I doubt..) or together once I'm in a position to love Brent, but to love Jesus more.

Two Conversation; one conflict, one celebration

2008-01-10T23:37:00.000-08:00

The highlight of my previous day (Wednesday) is that of such a 10 hour sleep gave birth to this one making my morning good. Even though I needed not be at school till 9:10am I left my house in the comfort of 6:47am's rain and skipped towards the circus that is Surrey's transit system.

I arrived early like stated, realizing that my life of lying tries to surface in a place I've chosen to retain of purity. I love my school. I love my holy spirit classes. And my omen of Serena asking me the question "girl issues?" when commenting on the expression I gave her would spell out the worst part of my day.

Holy spirit was awesome until I learnt I had successfully failed my attempt to record the first half of class; and in hindsight, I am now left with half a class of audio and the other half without.

Like I stated, I was unaware of my love's plight of confession and admittance of guilt she had been holding onto, and how yesterday might have spelt out the end of relationship. No, such an occurance was saved for today, of all days, the day where nothing was going to bring me down. Not even a one year, two month and five day relationship coming to an end was going to dampen my spirits because God was on my side.

With that said. This calamity to most, actually was prophsized early by allusions and the sermon preached in chapel. With sad times comes God time, and indeed my sorrow left me in a moment to spend in recommitance to my Lord. And so I sit, on my laptop, fulfilling with what the Lord has asked me humbly to do. To thank him for this wonderful and stay commited to blogging every wednesday this year, even though the last two blogs I've posted were on thursdays.

The celebration part was talking with Derek Walter about evolution. I will post the conversation at the end of my blog.

Which is now
-----------
Brent says:
hey
Brent says:
you there?
Derek W says:
yah, kinda
Derek W says:
im doing my reading for bio
Derek W says:
what can i do for yah?
Brent says:
I got this assignment for Science and the Bible at my school; and we need to ask these 9 questions to someone who knows something about evolution... or something like that, and your the smartest scientific person I know!
Brent says:
do you think you can answer 9 questions for me
Brent says:
It will probably take 5-10 minutes
Derek W says:
yah haha this is funny because that is what im reading right now
Brent says:
NICE!
Derek W says:
my biology course is gebetics, evolution, and ecology
Derek W says:
genetics*
Brent says:
I need to know for myself, do you believe in evolution
Derek W says:
yup
Brent says:
sweet
Brent says:
I'm biased growing up in a christian house believing in creation, but I got nothing against evolution as a theory... anyways
Brent says:
it could be right for all i know
Brent says:
ok question 1)
Derek W says:
haha and i have nothing against creationism haha
Brent says:
(BY the way I didn't make these questions up)
Derek W says:
ok haha
Brent says:
1. Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view
Derek W says:
I'm boarderline agnostic haha so not enough to say yes
Brent says:
so could you explain what that means
Brent says:
like there might be a god?
Derek W says:
well it asks if i believe in god... and that is a problematic question, because i respect people believing that there is a god, or gods, but technically i don't so we'll just say 'no'
Derek W says:
to make life easier for everyone
Brent says:
ok
Brent says:
good enough for me!
Derek W says:
haha, don't hate me for my answers, im taking evolutionary biology and philosopy, you shopuld see how much they contradiuct each other haha
Brent says:
I love your answers
Brent says:
There giving me free marks
Brent says:
plus for all i know I could be completly wrong with my whole jesus thing
Brent says:
anyways
Brent says:
2. How do you think the universe began?
Derek W says:
you really want me to say Big Bang don't you?
Brent says:
no
Brent says:
I just want your honest opinion
Brent says:
i'm not trying to trick you
Derek W says:
that is my honest opinion, but i wish i could word it differently
Brent says:
well i don't know the specifics to the big bang
Derek W says:
oh well big bang theory is the technical term
Brent says:
ok but what is the big bang?
Derek W says:
a massive release of energy caused by matter and anti matter freely canceling its self out, the 'winner' of the back and forth being matter, which then expends to fill the known universe, and anti-matter to be shoved way off to the edges where we can't see it
Brent says:
wow
Brent says:
i have no clue what that means
Derek W says:
hahaha
Brent says:
but i can think of one word
Brent says:
bonus marks
Derek W says:
hahaha
Brent says:
oh wait
Brent says:
that was two
Derek W says:
well let me explain it a little simpler here
Derek W says:
i love talking about astro physics even though im not taking it
Derek W says:
so yah, you have matter, no actual molecules or atoms or anything, just tiny specs of real matter
Derek W says:
its floating around in a void, and it is there along with its opposite
Derek W says:
which is anti matter
Derek W says:
when a particle of one touches another, they eliminate each other and energy is released
Derek W says:
the big bang is just a massive scale reaction, that left more matter left over than anti matter
Derek W says:
(the theory is that there was always more matter to begin with)
Brent says:
sweet
Brent says:
thanks for the explain
Derek W says:
any time
Derek W says:
so yes, that is how i think the universe began
Brent says:
cool; see i'm not just getting free marks, i'm also learning
Brent says:
woops
Brent says:
*not just getting*
Brent says:
ah crud
Brent says:
that whole sentence sucked
Brent says:
anyways
Derek W says:
hahaha
Brent says:
3. How do you think life originated?
Derek W says:
now this is a great question since we just talked about it for an hour yesterday in bio
Brent says:
nice
Brent says:
did anyone bring up creation?
Brent says:
guess not...
Brent says:
lol
Derek W says:
no haha, that is what people talk about in arts courses
Derek W says:
which im also in
Derek W says:
but thats a different story
Brent says:
yup
Brent says:
sorry i got you off track... probably had a whole sentence already typed
Derek W says:
ok so from this stand point, life originated when non living molecules became attracted to one another, and formed the first RNA type molecules
Brent says:
sweet
Derek W says:
RNA is in our cells, and are the molecules that help our cells produce proteins, which is what all cells need to function
Derek W says:
now RNA eventually changed shapes and started picking up nutrients ect... and the RNA began to change
Derek W says:
once it started changing, it can technically be considered "alive"
Derek W says:
because it was adapting
Derek W says:
so, that is the very most simple origin of life
Brent says:
sweet
Brent says:
i like your use of adapting
Brent says:
another word for it; evolving...
Brent says:
right?
Derek W says:
technically yes
Derek W says:
but afdaptation adn evolution are technically different
Derek W says:
but it did both
Derek W says:
and sorry about my spelling haha
Brent says:
well is adaptation more of micro evolution and evolution is what scientist term as macro or am I way off?
Derek W says:
you are close, an adaptation would be within one generation, and evolution takes place over many generations
Brent says:
i see
Brent says:
ok ok
Brent says:
sorry
Brent says:
I'm not actually suppose to sway from teh questions until I finish the course and can actually throw what I learn in class into the discussion.
Derek W says:
hahaha
Brent says:
anyway 5. How old do you think the earth is and why?
Derek W says:
a bunch of billions of years old, because geology says so by using carbon dating, core samples, and also because of plaeontology (digging up prehistoric things)
Derek W says:
but carbon dating core samples from the Earth is a sure fire method
Brent says:
cool
Brent says:
6. Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens or UFO's?
Derek W says:
Yes, Yes, and Yes though for UFOs that depends... they would have to be some really advanced aliens to be able to make it out of their own solar system haha
Derek W says:
but i certainly do believe in them
Brent says:
ok
Brent says:
(someones been watching STargate SG-1 a little too much) oh look i broke the rule again
Brent says:
>_>
Derek W says:
hahaha meh
Derek W says:
rules are there to be bent and broken
Brent says:
yup
Brent says:
in my case
Brent says:
I believe that if GOd wanted to create them he could, and it even says in revelations we are to rule over something... not specified.. so maybe it's these aliens you speak of
Brent says:
haha
Brent says:
Ok ok...
Brent says:
7. Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?
Derek W says:
evolution will keep happening after humans are dead and gone, it is a constant process that can not be stopped until there is no more life. Every living thing evolves, and there isn't anything that can stop that except the end of a species
Derek W says:
the end result... well that is impossible to tell
Derek W says:
anything is possible really
Brent says:
do you think humans will further evolve?
Derek W says:
yes, but into what i can't say
Derek W says:
evolution isnt things like growing extra limbs, or getting a bigger brain
Derek W says:
that isnt it at all, most evolution happens at a microscopic evolution
Derek W says:
did you know that 5% of Earth's population is immune to HIV/ AIDS
Brent says:
nope
Derek W says:
lets say that 5% does better, and passes those genes along, eventually humans will be immune to HIV and AIDS
Derek W says:
that is natural selection
Derek W says:
and thus evolution
Derek W says:
scientists know those genes are transferable
Derek W says:
and so eventually in the future we might have humans who are immune to cancer, and to AIDS
Brent says:
nice..
Brent says:
8. do you believe in life after death? Explain
Derek W says:
hmmm.... not really no...
Derek W says:
as much as i wish it were true, i dont really see how its possible
Brent says:
ok
Brent says:
i'm not looking for the answers i would give anyway
Brent says:
this is the last question, but it's phrased really weird
Derek W says:
ok
Brent says:
9. How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?
Derek W says:
hmmmm haha well i guess it makes me feel like my purpose is to pass on my own bit of genetic code to the next generation in hopes of helping create a brighter future
Brent says:
sweet
Brent says:
ok, thanks alot
Brent says:
i am so getting 100% on this one!
Derek W says:
no problem
Derek W says:
glad to have been helpful
-----
It was a great moment of evangelism, learning and bonus marks... I love bible college homework.

-Brent Out

2008-01-05T12:43:00.000-08:00

Well, today is my official blogging day I decided to take, so I'm blogging.

So I have this really bad habit of planning things by day of the week, instead of day of the month and it got me into trouble yet again today.

Also, I've just been an idiot for about the past 48 hours. So, I'm sorry.

This blog sucks.
So did this morning. (- the breakfast I had.)

2008-01-03T22:45:00.000-08:00

Thanks Brent.

I do have some knowledge of spelling and grammer, I just choose to ignore it because it makes life, and typing easier.

Now, since I have a blogging day for the war college blog too (which you all should read, even though I haven't been posting since before kettles..) and that day is Saturday, I will make my day to blog on this blog saturday as well.
You have no say in this matter Brent.

It's another year after

2008-01-03T22:23:00.000-08:00

Happy New year bloggers, if any of you actually still read blogs that is.

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Tangent
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Speaking of which I've noticed; and I'm not one to talk, that the blogging community has died off this last year. Checking all my friends posts or reading their comments has pretty much ended for me not because I don't have time to check; but because like me, they seem to have decided to move onto better things. Namely... facebook.

Tangent aside; people stay commited with something; eventually something will come along to replace facebook (even though, years earlier "myspace" was around that did pretty much exactly the same thing)
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Tangent End
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I'm making a note to blog more; or at least post once a week. I set apart Wednesdays as my day, and then I noticed today was thursday and my coversation with myself went as follows:

Brent- It's Wednesday time to blog!
Brent- *checks date* CRAP! It's thursday!

Anyhoo, If you haven't noticed my better half has joined my blogging center of inane idiotcracy and both of us decided to not proofread anything we post. Which is good, cause I seldom do it with my time restraints and efforts I push towards each post, and the fact that Jessica has no grammer nor spelling knowledge and I'm only openly declaring this so you won't notice her giant mistakes in proportion to mine.

YAY!

Fuzzy stickers are fun.
That is all
-Brent Out

Christmas YAY ^_^

2007-12-26T16:06:00.000-08:00

Brent:

Yeah, Christmas is over; I don't know about you all out there in blogging land but Christmas time is becoming less and less exciting and more and more stressful.

BAH HUMBUG is an understandment of my Christmas season. There is the pressure of getting people presents, the stress of my family deciding what to do for Christmas, the stress of my mom, being my mom times 11 because it's Christmas.

But enough about complaining; my Christmas was turning to be disappointing until my beautiful lovely better half decided to hang out with me for Christmas. I was still disappointed to a point; but the fact that I had someone I could talk to, someone I could hold was really relieving to me. It reminds me about the access we have to Jesus through his spirit; how when in trouble we can always find our father ready to embrace us in his arms and to cheer us up. Or other times to push us forward to meet our goal. Like when we lose our cell phones and want to give up looking when you are driven to continue looking for it and eventually discouvering it in the snow.

Maybe this makes completely no sense, but to me it is insightful. Or not... bleh whatever.

Ok, your turn Jessica..

Jessica:

Christmas this year taught me a few things.
1) 6 hours a day of kettles is too much.
2) I'm way to unorganized.
3) I focus on silly things too much.

This was not a normal Christmas for me. I didn't get to do any of my usual Christmas time traditions, spend any time with my mom and sister before hand, or really, prepare for Christmas is any way.
I only got a few gifts for a few select people. One of which, hasn't even come in yet. I can't wait until Brent's present gets here. He's going to love it.

Christmas carols had a whole new meaning to me this year.. The one they are supposed to have. Last year I understood maybe a little bit about it.. But this year, I got a lot more of the actual meaning out of them. Singing 2nd, 3rd, and 4th verses to songs I thought only had one verse, understanding the idea of "round yon virgin mother and child, holy infant so tender and mild" and so on. It made kettle shifts more interesting. Up until Christmas day I could focus on that, but on Christmas eve and Christmas day I got distracted and focused on the old meaning of Christmas for me. Family, feasting, and presents.

It was cool to have Brent around for Christmas, 'cause, he's a kinda cool guy.
And by that, I mean it was probably my best Christmas yet.

Sorry about my gramatical/spelling errors Brent, I know you'll point them ALL out to me later.

What if his people prayed? (Music Video)

2007-12-06T15:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally got a new computer; so I made compiled this video together with it's tremdous video editing power;

check it out:
What if his People Prayed
And for my college friends who can't access youtube due to dans guardian...

GodTube Link

And man my html editing is getting rusty I need a website to make...

December.

2007-12-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

Kettles make my feet cold.

Free coffee makes my heart warm.

Christmas this year, has so much more meaning than all the previous years, partially because now I actually really care about the whole Christ's birth thing, and also, it will be the first time I'm not living at home. Even though I will be there anyways.

Should Pastors be put on a higher standard?

2007-11-15T10:58:00.000-08:00

It's an open question.
Discuss.
-Brent

How can a young person stay pure?

2007-07-18T05:53:00.001-07:00

By carefully following the commands written in your book.

Powerful words, yet do they really apply today?

More on this later.

A winding road

2007-07-13T00:30:00.000-07:00

A winding road
A story untold
A heart unknown
A journey foretold

Deep dark pain in the middle of the night
The sharp regret of shame and fright
A bleak removal of everything right
Leaving you breathless without might

White roses across the sky
Give new hope to even try
To find new paths of this love
Will you soar forth spotless dove?

Now so free you still façade
To believe in misery a life decayed
Yet not to those you light ok?
Your gifts are his splendor forever portrayed

And so to one accord I say
To live a life of only one way
To be who you are and not to see
Who others than him believe you to be

RAW '07

2007-03-22T22:26:00.000-07:00

This year of RAW I was blessed enough to attend for free.
Also I was able to bring along my girlfriend Jessica as well. Kinda signed her up against her will, and when I say kinda I mean, most definitly.

You see she was planning on attending VFS(Vancouver Film School) to learn more about filming, because that is her gifting. However she was crushed when it was cancelled. I had told her about RAW, and she asked if she could still go, last minute. Jon was willing to let her come for free, and film RAW, so I signed her up, then told her about it.
*GUYS* Learn from my mistake, never do this, always ask your girlfriend if she still wants to go. Anyway, she was forced, although my argument, is that she wouldn't have asked if she didn't want to go.

Man, 614's organizational skills are chaotic. We get there, we don't know who's cell were in, what are missions will be, how were getting to cariboo, yet god made it all happen.

We did missions, and Jessica got to film lots, but that's not the important stuff that I got from RAW.

I did learn, that if I truely want my church to evangelise I need to do it. Don't wait for them to do it, show them how it's done. So I have an action plan for the community, school, and my home on how to evangelise.

The main thing I got to see at RAW didn't even involve me, it was concerning my girl.

Jessica, accepts Jesus into her life. Ya it was done before, but I think she fell from the path a little and never came back. But she recommited to God, something I've prayed for since I've been dating her. It was totally awesome. Because before that, all the worship at RAW I was distracted by her, and whether or not she was involved. The one time I fully surrender to Christ 100%, commit to full worship, kneel and weep to my God, she comes over to comfort me. As I kneel there, surrendering to God in full for the first time in my life(which is a totally different story) she says in prayer "Me too, I want you to be a part of my life."

Understanding that this is the same person who is afraid to pray outloud, and was struggling understanding this whole Christian thing. It wasn't just a verbal thing either, I could see from that point, through her worship, her heart, and her new wisdom, that the change has really happened. She is freed from her past, her flesh. I have never seen this kind of change in a person so personal to my life. It's amazing.

I could talk about this all night, but my computer is lagging as I type. So I'm going to update this later.

See His Love(UpDAteD*)

2007-03-11T00:57:00.000-08:00

this is my second and final draft of it.

What if everyone cared?

2007-03-02T22:48:00.000-08:00

Man, I'm working on a music video for the Casting Crowns song called "What if his people prayed" and I just can't stop at remembering how much the music video "What if Everyone cared" by Nickelback had an impact on me.

Seriously it's a great vid, I'll give ya'll a youtube link to watch it. It's great.

Ski-weekend

2007-02-25T23:09:00.000-08:00

Hey all, it's been awhile eh?

Well, recently our church went up to Vernon for a ski-trip.
I went tubbing and skating...

the pics our on the youth site which you should all check out, cuz well, I made it!

HAHA...

anyways here are the pics
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As for me, I'm doing this 40 days of lent thing with our youth group. It's actually pretty neat, we got a pamphlet for 40 days of scripture and little action tidbits to do daily. I'm going to put some discipline into this and stick with it.
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I'm having problems coming up with something to give up for LENT... if you guys have ideas that'd be neat... I could give up wearing a shirt... but you know, that might not sit well....

Any idea would be cool.
-Brent

Let's act on Homeless(ness)... as if we weren't already?

2007-01-25T22:06:00.000-08:00

I was reading the 24 free newspaper at the sky train and I read a poorly written article about solving the problems in the GVRD.

It's a good read, if you want to chuckle.
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Let's act on homeless- *note* Typo? That was the exact title, not homelessness.
by: Erin Airton
(RIGHT ON)*note* this was posted underneath her name as to signal her writters voice.

It is finally time for innovative solutions for the homeless in our province.
Years and years of throwing money at the problem hasn't worked - the number continues to grow and taxpayers are weary.

In fact, what we've done is develop a whole network of government and non-profit agencies devoted to helping the homeless stay homeless. They provide emergency food, shelter, and medical care. There is an old adage in economics: If you want to encourage something, subsidize it; if you want to discourage something tax it.

Right now, in a sad way, we are encouraging homelessness, making it "bearable" to be homeless by providing these "emergency" services.

Now, before you get all twisted up, I'm not saying it is pleasant to be homeless and I'm not saying anyone wants to be homeless.

But let's not forget we have built up a substantial industry of well-meaning people who make their livelihoods and defend their funding on the basis of supporting a homeless population.
The 2005 GVRD counted total homeless population (in a 24 hour counting period) at 2,174. I would suggest the number is higher, just because of survey techniques... Let's say 3000 people in the GVRD are homeless. These, of course, are the truely homeless without access to a friends spare sofa and not knowing from night to night whether they will be sleeping in a crowded, fetid shelter or over a vent at Georgia and Burrard.

From GVRD reasearch, they are likely medically or mentally ill and struggle with some form of addiction. Most startling was the information that 55 per cent of homeless had some form of welfare, a pension or disability benefits.

So here's one radical idea and I'm sure there are more.
Why don't we gather together each and every homeless service organization at B.C. Place along with each and every homeless person? Why not take each person, one at a time, diagnose the issue at the root of the inability to find or maintain housing and then put a planned place for each?

More money for homeless services isn't going to rid us of homelessness. In fact, it will do the opposite. If we take those funds and direct them to removing each person from the streets, we may actually make some lives better.

In short term, we can house them at BC place while we sort it all out.

It is not right to help people stay on the streets. The only morla course of action is to remove them, forcibly if necessary, and assist them in building a new life.
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Comment your hearts out bloggers

-Brent

Following a yellow brick road.

2007-01-19T09:36:00.000-08:00

This week has been tough for me. Not only is the first school semester coming to an end, but also that I've realized that society really doesn't expect much from people.

I was in a play this week, A wizard of Oz production set in a high school setting called 'Oz High', and as I played a metal head rocker Tim, the Tinman... I enjoyed every laugh from every audience member I recieved. I took my role, added my own quirks and said my lines in a manner that I knew would get laughs out of even the most depressed people in the audience. Applause at a theatre is almost required in our day and age, ovations are not. To get people to really look at you, you need to go beyond the average. I realized the other day, that society is much like that.

My highschool year is coming to an end and I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do for a career. Part of me doesn't see the point in having one. I mean a career for the sake that people say you need one to do well, doesn't seem like a just cause to break my limbs to obtain.

I'm not saying I'm lazy, even though alot of me is most of the time, I'm saying that I'm at a crossroads and I have a lot of decisions to make in a short time. That's the stress society forces on us, even though I have my whole life ahead of me and in realistic sense, tons of time to think things through.

The bible brings up a very good example of how we should lead our lives, and that is the example of Jesus, but that golden standard is realistic terms is impossible to follow. I'm pretty glad my version of realism and God's version aren't the same. Anyways, my goal now is to keep follow my yellow brick road, and I'll hopefully end up back home again when my story ends.

-Brent

--> I just realized the Wizard of Oz has alot of Christian symbolism.

Jr. Combat Unit

2006-12-11T22:53:00.000-08:00

Questions

2006-12-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

"Questions change people. They unlock secrets and dreams that lie hidden in the heart."

Through his questions, Jesus inspired people to recieve healing, confront struggles, and expose secrets that they didn't even know they needed, had or had kept.

I've been reading a book that has about 600 eye opening questions and been going through asking people them as I evangelise daily.

Some are pretty practical that get you to know more about the person that your speaking to like...

If you could visit any place~real or imaginary~where would you go?

If you could meet any character in any book, whom would you meet?

If you could be any age, how old would you be and why?

I'm really enjoying the book, and some of these questions are so good, I'm going to give you a few more to just ponder about... or you can leave your comments, theres going to be quite a few, so you can comment more than once.

If you only lived to be 30, what would you hope to have accomplished (or if your already or older, what did you hope to accomplish)?

What was the hardest thing you ever had to apologize for?

If you had to spend 10 years of your life in jail, which 10 years of your life would you choose and why?

If you could choose dying with your best friend and dying alone, which would you choose?

If your plane was about to crash, but you had about 5 minutes to write a note, what would you write? Who would you write it to?

Of all your family members, whose death would affect you the most?

If you could change one about your physical appearance, what one thing would you change?

What has been your biggest accomplishment so far?

If you could ask God any question, what question would you ask?

Who is the best example of a Christian that you know and why?

In your opinion, what is the biggest obstacle that keeps people from believing in God?

If God agreed to do one thing to prove he exists, what would you want him to do?

If Jesus went to your school, what one group would he hang out with the most?

If God is good, why does he allow pain and suffering in the world?

If Jesus wanted to hang out with you this Friday night, where would you take him?

If there's only one God, why do you suppose there are so many religions?

What parts of the bible do you have the hardest time believing?

If someone were dying and asked you how to know God, what would you tell that person?

Do you think God is happy with the way he is represented in the world?

If you had one minute on national tv to say something about God, what would you say?

If Jesus were to follow you around one day, is there anything you'd differently?

Do you believe it's acceptable to watch R-rated movies?

Do you believe there's music Christians shouldn't listen to? If so, what music? What about TV? If so, what shows?

Do you believe it's okay for Christians to have guns in their homes? Why or why not?

Is it okay for Christians to drink if they're of age? Why or why not?

How would you define racism? Is it still a problem today?

Do you believe a Christian can be a homosexual? Why or why not?

Is abortion ever ok? If so, when?

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Those are just a few...

A'ight bloggers,

-Brent Out

Answers, or just false hope?

2006-12-06T09:40:00.000-08:00

I was in Celebrations awhile back, (which for those who are unaware a Christian merchandise store) and I'm all for the "Jesus Saves" t-shirt and what not.. but I haven't been in one of those stores very often and I glanced around it looking at all the hip-new Christian stuff.

The clothes, the books, the coffee mugs... sure Christianity is a lifestyle, but we reflect it in our actions, not by what we wear or drink out of. This type of merchandising isn't harmful, but I'm getting the impression that it's almost like wearing the hip new Christian stuff as a trend.

I was glancing at the books sections, and even though everything pointed to God, some books I worried about whether or not they actually provided the answers to certain questions or gave Christians a false hope.

Before we digress further into my thoughts of what I saw let me point out, I'm not trashing Christian merchandising. I'm just pondering that like most things in this world, we need to not keep our eyes open to everything we see, even if it has the tag of Jesus on it.

Glancing back in that book section I picked up a book called "How to become a man in 17 simple steps".... umm... ok... as I read the back, it mentioned it was a book to help the Christian man become a man after God's own heart in 17 simple steps... I wondered if really a book could simply do this, or whether or not it could just point guys in the right direction with these 17 steps. Seriously... some books just screamed self-help with a Jesus sticker put on the front and in the margins.

I don't know, maybe there isn't anything underneath the top-layer of Christian merchandising, maybe I'm just imagining that we need to be careful... but with all the money this generation is spending on Christian merchandising, could it possibly become an idol?

I'm not saying don't buy Christian merchandise.... but maybe I'm getting at spending a couple bucks on kids who need it as well. OH wait... here's an idea, buy children in Africa christian merchandise!.. mmm... nah... I think food and water is a better idea..

mmm... I'm at school and suppose to be working on an advanced program in web design, but I'm stuck, so I decided to ponder about my day yesterday...

-Brent Out

Commitment, and going to far

2006-11-22T17:08:00.000-08:00

Being a servant is enlightening, but I find evangelism one of my most difficult tasks to carry out on a daily basis. I'm worried that my quest to open the eyes of the nations will interfere with my quest to build relationships with those around me. Is the goal to win people to Jesus? Or is it to be a friend to those in need? Of course both go hand in hand, but sometimes you have to choose between them.

I was sitting on the bus, and a man was curteous to allow me to sit next to him. I don't get the chance to speak to alot of elderly people on the bus, so I decided to try and make a new friend. Long story short, he wasn't the talking type, at least not in a crowded smelly bus atmosphere. I didn't even get to learn his name to interceed for him, sigh*. I worried, that my quest to make a new friend turned him off from me as a Christian. For those who aren't aware I'm now wearing my uniform at school, and everywhere, pretty much, at least the tunic jacket to distiguish me amongst others. Anyways, wearing that jacket makes me very self aware of my actions, and I have to be constantly on guard to not turn to my flesh for answers on what to speak or do next. It's cool, try it, you never know it might work for you.

On the way home, off the bus, I saw this guy, whom was carrying a recycling bin(the whole thing, not just like a small one, but the big blue park bin ones) on the back of his bike, and he stopped to talk to me(maybe noticing my uniform, or not, I don't know). I was going to offer to help him with his stuff up the hill, but I noticed a dismantled bike in the back of the bin, and I was contimplating if it was a good thing to do to help someone transport what appeared to be, stolen goods. He asked me for a light... I didn't have one, other than Jesus who was shining through me, and he was on his way. I was still thinking about whether or not I did the right thing, and I'm waiting for God's response on the matter.

Maybe he'll speak through your thoughts about this post so far, sheesh I love it when he does that.

mmm... that's about it for my day. I felt more convicted to post on here with my thoughts about my day, or just an update to let all you, my wonderful supporting readers in on the exciting life of Brent White. So you'll probably see more posts like these, the poorly written, not proof read ones, that are quite simple.

ANyways, keep me in your prayers.

-Brent

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”- Colossians 3:15

Just some notes for myself

2006-11-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

John 9

Religious Leader Talk

Church experiences- Hallway church?

Apologizing to friends whom I've not been a good friend too

Making friends with kids in all my classes

10 minutes to find and memorize one scripture

Not helping

2006-11-14T00:24:00.000-08:00

Ok sorry too all those who are like... what happened Brent you used to be so cool, posting like once every two weeks...

I'm not helping much by switching my blog template to incorperate Java script and flash..

The changes will be coming soon, and my blog will be down for like two days... but this won't happen for like a week, I just wanted to basically draw your attention to this, so when it is done you all notice it and are like "dang... Brent's blog looks cooler than usual"

The Uniform prevails again.

2006-11-14T00:10:00.000-08:00

Alright this is actually a post about what happened to me on SundayNovember 12th 2006. But I had an interesting conversation with a bunch of people in the past day or so that have prolonged me from actually updating my long-over due blog.

Haha I'm back..

Anyhoo...

Here

We

Go!

So on Sunday I decided to wear my uniform but my alarm didn't wake me up at my desired time so I woke up and... bleh COLD WATER in the showers, so no... I decided I'm not going to take a shower. But I still said I was going to wear my uniform... what to do what to do... I know! I wear my tunic jacket with regular clothes on to not get my unclean skin to rub up against my nice clean uniform and make have to clean all of it when I get home... anyways, I do the same when I'm out and about anyways so, this won't make a difference right? Apparently it does. Apparently it's "disrepecting the uniform"... well people are intitled to their opinions, but Christ is about love and love is about compromising your own opinions to respect others, so I decided to take off my jacket like some asked me to and went about my normal sunday buisness. No harm no foil.

ANyways, that day me and my sis were going to see a movie with Ami because that day was her birthday, I bought her a Teenage mutant ninja turtle costume to wear the whole day, but she refused to wear it... why I asked? She didn't have an answer... fun wrecker... ANyways movie had to be watched at 7:00pm... sigh... so I cancelled my Cariboo Plans... Sorry Darren Hails...
and finished it about 9:00pm... took the skytrain home ^_^ YAY!

On the way home a man and his wife were harassing this girl on the train, so the spirit within noticed that she was uncomfortable so I drew their attention away by talking to them, they came over and I chatted up the drunk couple, about bicycles recently purchased for $50, where they were heading too, why Nanimo is on Vancouver Island and not the mainland, but the conversation turned for the better, when the man noticed I was wearing a Salvation Army Uniform Jacket. YAY for Jesus telling me to put that on in the morning. Anyways, after talking about Creationism, Jesus, Sin and it's redemption, and how my testimony works to point out that I was just like him, they had to switch to the expo line at Columbia... sigh... no salvation. But here's praying.

Anyway, just goes to show you that even though the uniform deserves the respect of being worn in full the evangelistic power of it can still be in good use when only worn in part.

Praise the Lord.

-Brent

Successful life?

2006-09-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

What is a successful life?
The world tells us it's 'being all that you can be', that you are 'unique'; and they are right in the fact you are unique, but how come the lobbyist of any company tries to convince you that you need to be like everyone else; to purchase and consume as much as you possible can, in fact more than anyone else; in their eyes having more than everyone is unique and successful.

What's the truth though? Well you can't be successful in those circumstances, you are fordoomed to failure. For you can never have enough, there is someone always out there who has more, or is better in some way. It's a never ending cycle, you won't find success in the eyes of the world, at least not more than the typical 15-minutes of fame.

So then how do you live a successful life? Well here's some more truth, from the beginning of our life we have been destined to end up 'failures' because no matter how far we get in life the end result is that it will all end, that there will be a point to where we won't be successful of inhabiting this earth.

So what then? Well if you understand those truth then let me convey another truth your way, God is real. To facade around the idea that you are alive by some random chance in the universe is almost some plain insanity. The fact is God has created you to have a successful life.

But wait, didn't I already say we were destined to fail? Yet God created us to have a successful life? That doesn't make sense right? It's true, living a life that results in failure does seem pointless right? Well even though God created us to live a successful life, we can't do that alone. Why you might ask? Because of our sinful desires. I have them, you have them, we all have. From birth we have had them, as soon as we come out of the womb we are already crying for attention, trying to acheive a successful life (at least get 15-minutes of attention from Mommy and Daddy), but it's sinful desire to do it on our own, is what will end up in failure. The only way for us to even come close to a life of success is to follow the man who gave the perfect example of a successful life. Jesus Christ.

Not only was the guy successful in his life, he is successful even after his life on earth. Who is talked about more, Adolf Hitler( a radical man who affected the world entirely with his selfish attempts at success in his eyes; in the early 1900's... the not too long ago period) or Jesus, the guy who even are calendar is based off of. He had some much of a influence we even based our timeline off the guy. How successful is that?

But really he was successful because he was truely and ultimately the perfect example of how we need to live if we want this success.

Here's the kicker as well, not only does Jesus live the successful path, he dies in it as well, and makes our path of ultimate failure have a road to hope. He can make our lives a success, a life that does not go down the roads of failure but instead ends at a successful everlasting destination.

How's that for success, even succeeding over death. Jesus did it, he conquered the grave. He gives us hope and a guide to how to live a successful life.

Thank you Jesus for all you have done. Praise the Lord.

Asymmetry

2006-09-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

Asymmetry;

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he denounced them. "You brood of snakes!" he exclaimed. "Who warned you to flee God's coming judgment? Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. Don't just say, `We're safe--we're the descendants of Abraham.' That proves nothing. God can change these stones here into children of Abraham. Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever your roots. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn't wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn't wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn't wisdom. It's the furthest thing from wisdom—it's animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you're trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others' throats.
Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

I do not spend time with liars or go along with hypocrites.

Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

How can you think of saying, `Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

YHWH give me a clean heart. Lord I want to not be two-faced in situations of my lifestyle. Lord you want the heart in everything we do, and Father I need to surrender every aspect of my life to you so I can absolutely-without-a-doubt-undeniably-no-turning-back live for you. King of Kings, I am a hypocritical Pharisee. Jesus, the amount of times I've read your law and not used it as a road map for my whole life. I made excuses saying "I'll just follow these directions from here to here" instead of looking at the whole and in the end I just ended up getting lost. Rescue me Abba, save me from my pride Christ, remind to constantly stop and ask directions so I can continue down the right road. Beautiful One tear off these masks I've created and reveal to the world who I am in you! Only then can your word flow through me Emmanuel. Saviour thank you for your saving grace for redeeming me and declaring me worthy enough to die for. God you are for me, none can stand against you, even my egotiscal pride and selfishness, kill it off. Let your elders declare today that I am sanctified in your presence and unless that holiness in all aspects of my life.

Google's great dictionary services provided me with great defitions of the word God recently revealed to me before I wrote this.

Asymmetry: the depiction in a work of art of two sides as being not identical without impairing the general harmony of the work. Asymmetry is used to prevent a work from appearing static and superficial, as no two sides of a life form are identical.

Lack of balance.

Lack or absence of balanced proportions between parts of a thing.

Got an idea of what the word means? If not well how's this it means all the sides of an object don't match. That's exactly what I've been called on in my life.

I have a great idea of who God is, and what it looks like to be a Christian. At Battle School, Danielle Stricklen gave us a great eye-opening shocker that has stuck ever since, and has been developing ever since I got back. Many times Jesus calls the Pharisee's two-faced. They act that way in the synagogue, but when they leave they become a totally different person. Which in turn makes their prayers not from the heart, it makes their sacrifices ugly, and makes their faces two-sided, wished washed and straight up hypocritical. Usually we go, ya, those Pharisee's they deserved what was coming to them, and it's true, unless they turned from their selfish, hypocritical ways, they sure in fact were not going to be apart of the kingdom. But what is interesting, is that if you compare me to anyone in the scriptures I'm alot like a Pharisee. I know the law, I know what God wants, I have the gifts and the talents for his kingdom, people recognize me as a leader, etc. But even in my own life, I am a hypocrite.

It was really bad before Battle School. I disrespected my parents, used and abused my friends, and was honestly really only looking out for my own interests. Not so much now, that I've started to realize what it looks like to be a Christian in my family life. But school, man that's hard. What does it look like to be a Christian in the school anyway? Sure I made a post about what "actions/outward" signs you could do to be an ideal Christian in school, and that's great in theory, but honestly it's really hard. Your Athiest friends are talking about smoking pot, sex, pornography, or that friend at school who's a real big loser. The list continues, they talk about how school sucks, or swear about this or that, about how they just jacked some guy from his ipod, or even about the latest trend or about Jeni told Cindy who told Sara that Lorean totally flunked yesterday's test. What does it look like to NOT conform and to love everyone. It's so hard, so much easier to just go with the conversation. For me, when I know nothing about the story or have nothing to input from experience, I just fabricate one to look cool. It happens alot. I'm really really good at it. I can trace my roots back to fibbing to my parents about who broke the picture frame. Anyway, as Christ followers, we are called to live the example of Christ in all aspects of our lives.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

That last one might seem strange in this context; but let me reveal to you what God recently layed out about it. Laying down our lives, actually looks like giving up are "easy" life we have around our friends and families and instead taking up Jesus' Cross and boldly living a Christ like life in even those circumstances.

God hasn't called us to do the idiotic, the reward is there, if we want this holiness/sanctification that God has ordained for us, we need to live in Christ.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

New School Year

2006-09-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

Well it's that time of year again, when everyone is going off back to school (Well not everyone, but a lot of people my age that's for sure) and your probably wondering "Brent, what are your plans for your last year of highschool?" among other questions such as "Brent, what is some advice for being a Christian in your school?" or my favorite "Brent, what are some things I should do in order to make this year at school a success".

Well your in luck because this blog is dedicated to all you school-goers alike. But first, a look at last year.

Well last year was a good year for me, it opened my eyes to see that a vision can actually shape others around you. Most of you know God planned for me to start a Cell-group in my school, so I took him right up on his offer, and at first it had some good results. Evendently do to my egotiscal controlling like personality it soon had some bad results due to the fact that Jesus was still teaching about leadership. Still it was a year to open my eyes to see what doesn't work in Cell Group formats. That is, doing it alone, will have you end up taking it alone. I lost God's direction and went ways off from what he had in mind. But at least I did make a few new friends and learn a lot along the way.

It was also a year of good disciplining from Cory, a great end to XLR:8 and probably the thing that impacted my life the most; the year in which I took upon the Battle School Program. I've been shaped in so many ways it's almost hard to recognize me anymore. At the start of the year I had good understanding of what a servant was, and how to serve God whole-heartily but God wasn't done with me there. I've had my gifts of evangelism, prophecy, and leadership go through intensive toning. God's plans for me have been way more wide and almost hard to grasp, and I've only been looking at the narrow version I had figured out.

The one thing I did pick up that I find has shaped my views of God; is the intimate relationship he longs for with us. I've learned how to overcome the flesh with spirit, how to listen to God's voice in all circumstances, and to shut-up when I want to say something and to speak what God wants to say instead (very hard lesson, I'm still trying to master).

Now then onto this year of School... hooray!

What are my plans for this year of School?
Nothing other than rely on God and his guidance this year. I'll only do what he tells me and follow as he says. What that looks like is still being revealed to me, but I do know I get to put into practice daily evangelism (ie. Like making friends in the hallway, like talking about Jesus in every circumstance, not holding back anything due to the fears of the world... etc. I actually can't think of anything right now, it'll be a difference experience daily.) I am probably going to get a few good friends in my school together at lunch for a small cell group, where we look at the bible intensely and a place where you can bring your friends. I really want to look at concrete footings for Christianity. I find too often we forget who Jesus was, what he did, why he did it, how he did it, and pretty much the basis of the early Christian church; figure out what it means to love in pratical ways. But that's an idea, I'll pretty much go as the spirit leads. I am taking guitar class, and history, chemistry, and english. Not sure about taking Math or not. Drama, web design and going to be changed Portfolio class (Praise the Lord).

What's my advice for being a Christian in your school?
Be who God created you to be, and follow his direction. Pretty much if you do that, you'll go far.
Practical ways? Don't conform, uphold your school rules, pretty much be like Jesus. If you wanna do extreme things... how about, mmm buy your whole first class candy bars, go early and put them on everyone's desk and attach like a Jesus loves you note... or something. My idea was sell all your possesions including your clothes, and only buy like two pairs of pants, two shirts, two pairs of socks, one pair of runners. Give all your other clothes to charity or something. Who knows, the list is limitless with Jesus; Even sitting down with a person you've never met and talking to the whole lunch period is pretty extreme. If you Be who God created you to be, and follow his direction; everything else will fall in line.

Making your school-year a success:
TOP TEN THINGS IMP You Should do to make your School-Year a successful one.

1) Make one new friend and have a strong relationship with them
2) Know all your peers in all your classes
3) Buy a Hampster for your science class as a "pet"... if there is some rule against it, then ask for the rule to be enulled, if that fails, buy one and put it in your locker.
4) Start or join a ministry in your school
5) If you don't have one; get a mentor, if you do; take on a disciple
6) Read your bible for 5 minutes a day
7) Spend 30 minutes in prayer a day
8) Eat at least 5 chocolate bars, everyone loves chocolate
9) Excersise at least 5 chocolate bar lengths a day (what that even means, I have no clue)
10) Come up with a list of things you'd like to do yourself.

Praise the Lord,

-Brent

Get your own!

2006-08-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

Opinion.

Mine is mine.

Where did I get mine? Experiences in my life. From reading the bible. From people who impacted me in my life.

Where do you get yours? Same place. But for you not me.

Clear?

PS. I'm not saying this to point out people take my opinion, but I think people's beliefs are too richly based off others opinions instead of their own. Well that's what feel anyway.

-Brent

I'm for Christ

2006-08-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my friend on msn today.

Derek and I were discussing my beliefs and we started to discuss religion.

I simply added my view of how I view Christianity.

"Religion is about Power, Christ is about Love, I'm about Christ."

When the government couldn't control Christians they established the clergy.. and through that power and selfishness took place over love, and the maintaince of this system became vital.

Revivals have occured now and again to show the love of Christ in a way "out of your comfort zone" but if we look at modern church-goers who all flock to a single place to "do" their worship, we are still controlled by the government, aren't we?

Not saying we need to revolt, but I'm just putting my thoughts onto paper again.

I'm not really making an argument, just stating my point. I'm for Christ. I really don't care for religion, or at least my view of religion.

-Brent

Beach Day

2006-08-17T20:34:00.000-07:00

I had a reunion with some of my "distant" relatives at the beach today. We met up at White Pine Beach, which is a lovely beach about 35 minutes from our house. When we arrived it was nearly empty and breezy. When I say empty I mean, on our side of the beach (their are actually two beachs on the coast of the lake we were on) there were about 50 people or less. Which is like no one compared to the like 300 people packed on a small space of land like the last time I recently went.

Anyway, we met up with our relatives had a picnic. Discussed Battle School, and then because I was fairly bored, I wanted to toss a football my dad recently pulled out of his back-pack. Because none of my family wanted to, I went on search to make a new friend at the beach. The first kid I walked up to couldn't be older than six. I met him on a rock, and we said our hi's and how are you's, mostly with me asking him, and him giving me short answers. Then he was off, wearing his towel like superman to go into all sorts of 5 year-old adventures. Anyway, I was out of luck for making a new friend, so I sent off in the other direction to try and make a friend. I saw a man on a towel sitting by himself, so I went over to talk with the fellow. I said hi, and how are you, and he just was sitting there, responding much like the kid. Then he said "I don't want any company" so I said "Ok" and I was off. After that all I could see were kids swimming and people sun-bathing, so I returned to my family and eventually pursuaded my dad to play with me.

I was amazed how hard it was to make a new friend at the beach, compared to my six weeks at Battle School, where I probably made at least 150 new friends. Then I look back in my community, how no one smiles at each other, we all converse with our work colleges or peers and when we walk outside, we keep our heads down and don't speak to anyone we don't know.

I know children aren't suppose to talk to strangers, but grown adults are scared of a little social conversation? Come on.. something is terribly wrong with this generation. I should know, it wasn't so long ago that I would spend 8-12 hours in my basement playing computer games, and only talking to people on my msn buddy list. But if we are going to bring Jesus to the people of this world, it can't be done from our basement. You can argue me on this, but evangelism requires a one on one interaction between the person and Jesus within us.

Anyway, I really did have fun, I got to read alot more of Luke today, which I have to say is my favorite gospel now. I understand the parables alot better when I read Luke's version, and I find he has all the timbits I missed in the other Gospels.

-Brent

Be Ready

2006-08-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

It's a large part of Jesus' teachings. I was reading Luke 12 today when I finally got out of my stubborn laziness and sat down and did my rations to the sound of "Fire Fall Down" by Hillsong United.

What stuck out to me was the parable Jesus taught of interpreting the signs of this age, and how they point towards Jesus' resurrection. What I got confused on was when he said:
"Why can't you decide for yourselves what is right? When you are on the way to court with your accuser, try to settle the matter before you get there. Otherwise, your accuser may drag you before the judge, who will hand you over to the officer, who will throw you into prison. And if that happens, you won't be free until you won't be free, until you have paid the very last penny."

Then looking at it in context it all came together. Jesus wasn't only literally talking about how to settle grivences with one another before we take it to the court, he was also referring to our crime against God. The sin in our lives that we will be guilty of unless we settle the grievence here on earth before the day of judgement.

Then once I had that revealed to me the whole chapter made sense, I knew why Jesus told us to fear God and not man or death, I knew why Jesus pointed out we need to acknowledge him, I knew why he told us to not to store up earthy goods but lose our relationship with God. It all made sense. These were guides on how to live the like the servant who is dressed and has kept his lamp burning.

All I got to say is I've learnt I needed to settle my grievences with God before the day of judgement comes so now I can be ready all the time for my master's return.

-Brent

Lie of this generation

2006-08-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

" You shouldn't be ashamed of who you are."

Ponder about it..
I'll update this later.

-Brent

Character

2006-08-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

A good one is crucial to leadership. Not just leadership either, every part of your life, good character will turn you from a "Christian" to the guy who people want to aspire to be.

Danielle Stricklen gave us a great class about character, and how it applies to leadership.

She gave a great analogy about a sailboat and its comparison to our lives.
All the parts of a sailboat are esscential to making it work. Most of the time people only see the part of the boat that is above the water, this is your gifts/abilities, which are esscential to making the boat go anywhere, but there is the bottom of our boats that people can't see that are also there so we don't sink. This is our character. People might not be able to see it up close, but it's still very crucial for a sailboat to have. Especially a strong, sturdy, good character. Our character is how we act in every situation, it's how we are in all circumstances, and it's what people are looking for in good leaders.

Your character needs to be one like Jesus, and often times our bottom of our boat needs alot of work. I noticed the one thing I lacked in my leadership was good character, and only recently have I learnt to be a servant leader, one who listens, encourages and helps the group instead of being an aggressive, selfish, egotistical know it all.

I still got lots of work to do, and I need you guys to hold me accountable and to help with with this part of my life. I believe we can't be two faced about who we are, and we have to be the same person we are to our friends, as we are to our enemies. That means a caring and loving person in all circumstances. Like for me it's serving even the people who tell me "how it's done" or encouraging those who just insulted me. It's reading my bible everyday, and asking questions to a trusted friend when I don't understand, other than letting my pride get in the way and being stubborn and refusing to ask.

How is your sailboat?

-Brent

Intimacy

2006-08-13T16:52:00.000-07:00

God's been laying on my heart most recently that I need to work on my intimacy with him. The Battle School was a great way to do this.

"A scheduled life is a simple life" after all, and it helped me to focus on what's really important. I had to sacrifice my video games and my computer time at Battle School, because God called me to instead spend the time reading his work and in time of prayer with him.

Now I come back with a schedule, that no longer includes six hours of video games with friends topped off with three hours of television. Instead those things no longer matter to me at all. My scheduled day starts off with a shower, a meal, and rations (reading the word for 45 minutes).

God has been teaching me that the fundamental goal in life is not to serve, nor is it even worship (sorry Karyn Baker, but I totally am firm about this belief) it is to have intimacy with our Creator.

Truely, how can you even serve for the right reason if you don't know why your serving? If you serve to make people happy, there will be a time where people will spit in your face for helping them. If you do it for God your service will always matter.

How can you worship something if you don't even understand what that something is. I realized that in my life I was producing gifts for God without even knowing who God really was. I was missing intimacy. I was serving, doing ministry, worshipping, disicpling others, but I wasn't reading God's word, nor was a I praying as much as I should've.

I should have been spending more time with God, and letting those things come out of what I learnt about him.

One last thing, and it's something I've just been starting to dig into hardcore, what's with Christians who don't know God's word? Seriously you can't really grasp God without his word in your life. You can't understand who God really is by listening to the sermon, or worshiping him up on a platform. You understand someone through spending time with them. How do we spend time with God? Reading his word and praying. Raw basics of our Christian faith.

Time to shape up though, I've had six weeks of discipline spending more time with God, and now that I've experienced it, I never want to lose it.

-Brent

My Battle School Synopsis

2006-08-12T23:18:00.000-07:00

To say Battle School was a while new experience for me would be like saying the 700 dollars to get there was easy to obtain.

But the difference between a mission trip to the DTES and living an incarnational ministry out for 6 weeks is contrast of large proportions to say the least.

First theirs living in community with your fellow Battle Schooler's, and mine were the "cream-of the-crop".

First there's Jordan, who's stubborn attitude and perfectionism ideally suited a lot of the situations we faced living together in the apartments. Not to mention she is soft hearted, has a tight fatherly relationship with God, and her freedom in worship can encourage you to keep on trucking till you bleed.

Then comes Chris, this guy can make you smile as soon as he opens his mouth, and then about in 5 seconds make you want to hit him so he stops talking about your mother. This guy can serve, I would have to honestly say I've never seen him complain while given an instruction or task, something that encourages me a lot and a aspect that I need to have while I serve. His willingness to follow along with anyone in the group is another crucial character trait that makes him awesome. This guy will do anything with anyone, and not give a second shake on the subject.

Finally there is Ed Bell. Enough said.

Honestly though, that kid is like the squirrel from "Hoodwinked" on 5 cups of coffee. He has more energy (when he gets out of his "morning phase") than all the electricity on this planet put together. Ed's able to talk to anyone without a fear in the world. Now he is usually picking fights with them in the conversation eventually, but still loving them with the same love Jesus would give. I think.

Next I'll talk about the people who discipled into my experience during Battle School.

Jeni was always trying to wake us up in the morning, to get us roaring for the rest of our exciting day. She loves God passionately more than I love monkeys, and her experience with him as a healer and comforter really showed in her classes as she caused us to lay things aside that distracted us from the real reason we were at Battle School. To love God and to Love others.
We went through the experience of "fun" workbooks but her attitude while teaching is what brightened your day up and made you want to actually "play" with the kids at Oppenheimer instead of just watching them.

Let's move onto Danielle. This lady classes I found were the most upbeat for our group. Comfortable couches, movies as homework, questions that made you think. Man my type of class. Her knowledge of God and experience with leadership opened my eyes to a whole new playing field of what it really meant to lead. Her ability to be humble with who she is and where God has placed her in her life inspires me to go deeper in finding a firm "character" of who I am as not only a leader but every aspect of my life. Plus, as I meationed earlier, we watched movies as homework. How sweet is that?

Then there was Stephen Court. His classes were like taking a test, long, annoying, agitating, and you left feeling relieved that it was finally over, until the next test. Steve was very in our face about everything. Especially when he switched from teaching us "Inner city Mission/Ministry" to just plain old Evangelism. It's not like his classes were hard, it's just his "fun-loving" character he brought to each one of them that made them so exciting. I did get to learn about the Bridge finally, and sharing the Gospel is now as easy for me as 2 minutes, a napkin, and a pen. I think the best part of his classes were the homework assignments, where you had no idea what the question was, so when you came to class, you hoped you did it right. Yay fun!

Lisa, Andrew MacDonald, Jenea and Aaron White were great influences as well. Lisa managed the group and kept us focused, as well as just kept us from killing each other the whole 6 weeks. Andy was like the pal for me out of the whole 614 group there, as soon as I met him we had the weirdest relationship ever, that if you were an atheist you'd be like "Dude, your touching his butt".. on the other hand, it really doesn't matter what your stance on faith is for that.

Umm, moving along. Jenea and Aaron were awesome with us getting us hooked up with UGM and chilling with the kids at Oppenheimer. Both knew how to assign tasks, and then once all the work was assigned go and relax... I mean find something to occupy themselves. They were great to have us motivated there and were the backbone to why Oppenheimer was exciting.

Jacynta, did you think I'd forget you? Well I did, so tough love... I'll blog about you some other time. :P

Then of course there is Jonathan Evans, who influenced my Battle School experience, about as much as the Queen influences Canada's government. But really, without Jon we wouldn't even be here, so I have to give him major props for having a very successful impact on my life with the organization of this past 6 weeks. He gave out bonus blessing when we deserved them, he encouraged us during pray the bible, he took the credit for all the hard work we did with all the places we helped. You know he was just a great role model for us.

Ok now that the personal attacks are over, and I have about 20 less friends then I did two days ago..

I have to say the whole 614 community was awesome, from Steve Bell, to Becs, to Kathleen and Katie. Don't worry (Wes, Crystal, Lindsey, Sean, Matthew Champ, Dallas, Tara, Darren, Rebecca, Ashley, and anyone else I might I missed) I didn't forget you. You guys rocked!

My experience overall was tiring. I was poured out spiritually, emotionally and physically during this six weeks, and God just emptied me out. He also poured a lot into me. Ultimately, I finally understand that he has been making me into that new wine skin so that the new wine and the skin both can be preserved.

I've had to learn sacrifice, true love, what to take home with me, character, a true grasp of intimacy, a new desire for worship, I stronger passion for service and prophesy, no longer a fear of man especially when it comes to encouragement. I'll be talking specifics in other post through-out this week so stay posted.

All in all, I'm never going to forget this six weeks, and it's a start to a whole new side of Brent the world has never seen.

I don't think their ready for it, but Jesus is going full throttle anyway.. So look out.

I just want to thank you guys for all your prayer, all your support, and especially your love.

-Brent

Returned from War

2006-08-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

Long days these past six weeks. Learnt so much.

Updates Monday*

-Brent

It's good to be back.

Deployed into action

2006-07-02T22:10:00.000-07:00

As of July 4th I will be enrolled in the Battle School for six weeks.

I ask for constant intercession on my behalf for my safety as well that God works through this experience to change me in ways beyond imagination. Of course in ways that with uplift his name and bring him glory, not ways that will devestate me beyond sanity.

I'm off to Battle,

Sincerly

-Brent

Restoration

2006-06-27T23:40:00.000-07:00

The world is never changing day in, day out
It's the same old story, week after week
World is often said to be going to hell
and the critics appear to be right
Children are dying in the streets
Hungry are starving no where to keep put feet
No body seems to care for the broken anymore
Now is the time for restoration

What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?

What would Jesus say?
If he saw the world today
What would Jesus do?
If he sat beside you there?

He'd get up and move

You sit there in your comfortable pews
I stand here declaring the truth
These are the steps to changing the world
Believe that these words are prophetically true
God is a god of mercy
But he’s also a God of grace
He’s given you talents and abilities to use
So what are you waiting for?

What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?

What would Jesus say?
If he saw the church today?
What would Jesus do?
If saw your heart in full
are you doing as you should

The truth of the fact remains
That he sees it anyway
And he wants it all to change
So what are you waiting for?

Get up and move

Guess who's going to Battle School?

2006-06-24T01:12:00.000-07:00

Me,

God provided me with the $700 dollars I needed so from July 4 to August 11 continue to keep me in your prayers as I follow through with God's ministry in my life.

Man I love it when God calls you to something then builds your faith by destroying all obsticles that stand in the way.

yay,

Faith in Healing

2006-06-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

So recently a girl at my school, her name is Becky (short for Rebecca) came to gym class one afternoon with a injured ankle.

I asked God when I saw her in the morning (the first time I noticed she was using crutches) and I asked God if I was the one who could heal her. He said sure, but that he was going to use this to build my faith. Well basically because God knows my faith in healing is very doubtful. I don't even know why.

Anyway, he gave me clear prophetic instruction on how to accomplish his will.

That day I had to ask Becky if I could pray for ankle.
Then in three days if I continued to pray daily for her ankle on the third day it would be completly healed.

Well so I asked her if I could that very day in gym class, she was hesitate but said I could, anyway so I prayed over her, and she really didn't know how to react so I left it at that.

The next day, I saw her with her usual friends and I prayed silently in my head that her ankle would be healed.

I continued doing this every time I saw her..

On day two when I saw her, she wasn't using crutches anymore, I filled with Joy was really excited, she was still limping but I knew God was doing his part.

On the last day, I didn't see her in the morning, but I remember the prophecy and that day, when I saw her gym class, she was walking fine. No limp nothing.

I'm glad that God allowed my faith in his power of healing to grow through this miracle.

Don't be afraid to ask God to build your faith.

-Brent

Realize

2006-04-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

The thing about life is we get so wrapped up in it, that forget the basic truths of our beliefs, or we don't fully grasp them.

I had to realize this in the most unlikely places as God allowed me to comprehend the truth of it all.

No matter what we do in life, we still can't escape that Christ died for our sin, he suffered for our bad choice.

I think we need to realize this more, so we can begin to truely surrender everything we have for him.

Anyway I was inspired to write a song on this very subject as soon as I finished that conversation.

We wake up in the mornings, put on our pants.
We go through yet another day, indure the daily rants
But do we remember, why he died?
Do we hide our tears, or openly cry?

Everybody rushing, to and fro.
Never stoping, always stuck in go,
but do we realize all the pain,
he bore for us to hide our shame?

(Chorus)
Jesus Christ paid the price
for all our sin, for all our lives
so from sin we truely could be free
Jesus Christ bled and died
upon the cross for all the lost
join in praising him for all eternity

(Bridge)
He toiled for all our sin
Now for victory we win.

---

It's pretty straight forward, but the way I see it, is no matter how plainly it can be laid out, we tend to forget the fact that he did it for us.

That's a saviour... saving a wretch like me.

-Brent

Chord request

2006-03-30T00:32:00.000-08:00

Could anyone find me the song chords for the song that goes like;

Jesus loves me this I know,
For the bible tells me so,
Little ones to him belong,
they are weak but he is strong

Hallelujah, Hallelu, Hallelujah, Hallelu, Hallelujah.

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound...

and so forth, or at least give me the name of this song so I can limit my search.

Thanks
-Brent

RAW 2006: Day Four

2006-03-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

Pictures:

Darren

Joe and Xander

Micheal Colins

Jonathan Evans

Writing Raw Testimony

Jedi and Evans

Carla and Jedi

Cell Group Photo

Fiona's Paintings

Ezekial 37

Danielle Stricklen

Stephan Court

Worship through Dancing

Worship

Mr. Rogers

Ashley Mayer

-Brent

RAW 2006: Day 3

2006-03-16T11:32:00.000-08:00

Pics:

Tunic Tuesday

$20 Dollar Shirt

Xander and his tunic

Praying the Bible

Worship

Aaron White

Jonathan Evans + Tunic = Best picture ever

Andrew (Speaker)

Cell Group

Planning a letter

Lunch

Open Air

Thrift Store

Dinner

Worship

Darren

Amy

Task; writing qualities of God

Mission 2: Street Combat with Joe and Cory

-Brent

RAW 2006: Day Two

2006-03-13T23:28:00.000-08:00

When we arrived at †Culture I met with Mark at the youth drop, since there was a ping pong table, I decided to play him. He was pretty good, but I feel we walked away with an equal game.
Anyway afterwards we traversed upstairs for morning worship. After some more time spent in worshiping our Lord, Aaron White talked to us about opening our eyes;

Open Your Eyes- Notes taken in a discussion by: Aaron White; Side commentary by Brent White
Ezekial 37;
How freaky it would've been to be traversing along as Ezekial and then bam, God places you in a crypt full of, oh guess what? Dead, dusty bones. You can see the darkness and smell the stench of the place full of death. Ezekial is forced to face a reality in this crypt; just like how our missions forced us to look around in the darker places of Vancouver to see the hardships there. What is a reality check though? Well plainly put it is forcing you to be aware of the things around you; or forcing you to see the reality of harsh times.

When the Lord brought Ezekial to this crypt it was the reality check that the Lord wanted him to experience. God forces Ezekial to face these bones (which represented his people); to look at this depression, this death, and defeat.

Looking at loss isn't easy to look at. Take this time to find a place in your life where you were defeated. Mine wasn't long ago. We were playing soccer in gym class, and the other team just beat us, watching their victory was not fun, they were laughing, patting each other on the butt, busting out the high fives; while our team trailed off to the bench in defeat, in failure. Looking at defeat is hard.

But Aaron brought up the good point in his discussion; just like Ezekial we are going to be forced to look at, to look at these dry bones.

Then Ezekial, after being forced to look at these bones, is asked by God, the seemingly impossible: "Can these bones live?". Which Ezekial being an intellectual prophet replies the only answer that seems reasonable; "Only you know Lord."

You see God wants us to look at the unseen in our lives, like if there is hope in the dry bones around us. Still only God knows the answer whether they can live or not, and we should work towards the goal he wants.

We were brought to RAW to be able to look past our comfy couches and our warm churches. We needed to have our eyes opened so we could see the dry bones in our own world.

Aaron meations a few dry bones that can be overlooked and go unseen

World Poverty
War
Child Slavery
Parents killed in Africa
Unadoptable Foster Children
Suicide
Addicts

We see these dry bones on the television sometimes, or we hear about them, but at RAW we couldn't change the channel to some of these, and it taught us not to. It taught us to ask the question; Can these dry bones live?

It is these dry bones God will use for great things, not us, we are used to breath life into these dry bones, to bring hope to the hopeless so that they may do the great things God has in store for his army.

So take an eye test, what are the dry bones in your life, and can these dry bones live?

So after Aaron talked to us, we went to go have lunch, which was nice except for the fact that I'm allergic to mustard and can't eat it and so I couldn't eat my sandwich. Alas, our first mission for that day came next and it was the prayer room.

Mission One- Prayer Room

So everyone was getting in the mood of prayer to God, I started to pray for the other groups and their missions, I heard God ask me if I wanted to learn more about Obedience. Well God then told me to wear sock on my ears as a sign of obedience, at first I was pretty skepitcal if this was God, or more own insanity. As a sign of obedience to God, I decided to wear my socks on my ears anyway. Other than looking like an idiot I really didn't see the point, but as time went through reading God's word and talking to him, I began to forget about the socks, until I had problems with them falling off. Now God told me to keep them on, so I decided to tape the socks to my ears so they wouldnt fall off. Now this hurt alot for anyone who has hair by their ears. But the tape represented that even though the task was hard, I needed to perservere and be durable for my God. The socks actually represented my obedience, and how obedience can only be a part of you if you listen to what God says and then do it, and to be durable in completing the task, even if it becomes more difficult. I'm just glad that I didn't have to wear socks on my ears all day, nor have any pictures of me with socks on my ears. Thank you oh God of mercy.

After our first mission then we got to hear from Jonathan Evans either before or after our night worship.

He talked about the breath in dry bones, and how prophecy was that breath, b/c Ezekial had to prophecy into those bones, and tell them what they were, before the breath of God came upon them.

He brought up key points about prophesy;

We first have to receieve prophesy, then interpret, then apply it. You have to have all parts for the prophesy to really work.

Jesus was the breath of life, and he gave life to the dry bones of his disciples, although, I'm pretty sure when he did it, he didn't look like he was vomiting all over them.

Then Aaron White made us practice breathing, and then I think worship followed.

Anyway afterwards we were off to Re:Cr8 again, where I met Ricky and Alfredo, both cool and interesting guys.

By the time the night was over I was pooped b/c of the long day, and all the stuff I had learnt.

All of the day two pictures: (Click to enlarge)

Annoucements

April and Christine

Ashley and the coolest hat ever

Evans vomiting over everyone

The discipline of sleeping, err.. breathing, yes breathing.

Cell Group

CORY

Cory and a mouthfull of pie

Dinner

Evans preaching

Butt wooped Cory

Juan

Jill+ Pudding= Yum

Joel

Joel + Matrix Glasses = wootness

Lunch (told you no order)

I heard about a mansion, He has built for me in Glory..

Mark Armstrong

Me + Xander + Both Smiling = Creepy

Mike Birge the average bum

Rest of New Westminster

The newspaper disgusts me too

Parking, too bad it was the wrong place

OWN'D

Joe and Pool

War Room

Aaron White

This is why mail is always late

Song book time

STOMP

Out for a Walk

Aaron got the word... wor'd

Worship

Xander

-Brent

Ready And Willing 2006: Day One

2006-03-12T23:40:00.000-08:00

After are drive in the van, we arrived in Vancouver at the RAW meet, which was situated at †Culture (Cross Culture).

As we ventured into the Youth Drop I didn't know what to expect really. I actually expected to start serving as soon as we got, you know by setting up stuff, but realistically we got there and there a bunch of youth whom I've never met, and a few who I did know. Anyway after getting to know new people and playing a couple of name games, we went upstairs for worship.

I think the smoke machines and lights were a nice touch to worship, although making the product look good isn't the point of worship, it didn't take away from the heart of worship. Anyway, Mark Armstrong was on the electric and a crazy pianist and Fiona was painting as part of her worship. All in all God's presence was there, I think I was dancing as part of my worship to the lord.

After that Danielle Stricklen and Stephan Court talked about Ezekial 37.
The Valley of Dry Bones
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."
4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "

Ezekial was a man who had God's hand upon him. What a marvelous thing that would be. Stephan and Danielle brought up four points about how Ezekial was able to have this with God.

Ezekial had Credibility with God; Invisibility to the world; Dependability to God and others; and Humility with himself and others.

I didn't really take notes for this so, sorry, check other people blogs for more on this discussion.

After that, Darren gave us a few annoucements, we went downstairs and had some time to waste, and GUMP was the game of RAW that was played. I didn't feel like playing it at the time, and I was more interested in reading my bible and talking with new people. Anyway, Cory rounded us up for our mission for that night; Serving at Re:Cr8.

When we got there, it was not what I expected, and I didn't take any pictures b/c I felt it would take away from time of serving on my part and it might offend some people. Anyway, I met lots of new people there, and helped some guys with getting Coffee. I met a girl who helps there regularly named Jill, and met Denis, and this other guy who's name was Rob later on, who was having a good time talking with some of the girls from New Westminster. I learnt that even though I know how to jump out of my comfort zone I still need a push to do it, and this mission was definietly good at that.

Then we were dropped home, or off at the church in my case, and I went to bed like usual.

All in all a good day so far, I was waiting to see what else God had in store for me at RAW.

All the pictures: (Click to enlarge)

Worship

Getting to Know each other

Ashley and Kayla

Darren

Gump

Lead us oh, Fifield

Danielle Stricklen

Stephan Court

GORILLA, oh dang, a gun..

-Brent

The Monkey Song

2006-03-05T23:31:00.000-08:00

OMGosh MUSIC VIDEO

Sorry for the bad sound, my mic sucks.

Anyway Enjoy,

-Brent

The Chase Review: Index

2006-02-23T23:12:00.000-08:00

Here are all the links to each and every chapter;

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

-Brent

Favour

2006-02-23T23:06:00.000-08:00

Song

I need you guys to test that link above and tell me if it plays the song for you.

thx,

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Sixteen: The Joy of Holiness

2006-02-15T17:14:00.000-08:00

The last chapter hopefully all you readers enjoyed sharing my thoughts as I enjoyed expressing them;

There's a prize for our chase after holiness; I'm not just talking about the reward at the end of this world, I'm talking about what you get when you obey God.

On the day back, after listening to God, and saying, I am your servant 'Use me'. I was filled with the Holy spirit. I was filled with this overwhelming Joy.

I didn't know what to do with it, but I realized that Joy is a reward that God gives us so that obedience isn't a chore, but we en'joy' doing it.

Holiness allows you to get closer to God, the closer you are the more joyful you become, trust me, this is true. I was really close to God that I day, and man was I bursting from the seems with Joy.

Joy isn't just a result, it can also help us live a holy life this chapter states.

The joy of God gives us strength. It's true, I felt like I could move mountains, I wasn't tired I was ready and willing to do what it took to help God.

I was full of this 'RAW' joy that only comes from God.

At the end, the book asks us if we are ready to live a holy life, and my answer is heck yes, bring on the trials, I'm ready to be joyfully holy.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Fifteen: Holiness in an Unholy World

2006-02-15T16:57:00.000-08:00

This chapter is huge. No it's only like 5 pages, but I mean the points in here are big.

I use to run away from anything that might cause me to sin, but this is exactly what this chapter deals with, being able to turn to God in those situations, and stand up for your beliefs, without shoving your religion down their throats.

The world is full of sin, what do we do, when everything around us sins? Sin with it, I don't think that is very holy.

So what can we do? Well we don't run from the problem. We need to not blend in with the world, conform or be a hypocritical Christian like we all do at one point or another. We need to stand up to the pressures that the rest of the world will put on us.

The book gives us a few ideas to do this.

Make sure the people around you know your a christian. Thats doesn't mean wear as much Jesus clothing as possible. But it means let your actions and speech speak for you. Pray before tests or meals, invite friends to church. 'Whatever comes naturally to you that will let others know you're a christian- do that.'

Another way to protect ourselves from the worlds influence, is to remain in the word.
Flooding are brain with the truth will allow us to have the knowledge of how to deal with those everyday problems we face, when staring down sin in the world.

The next is love everyone, don't boast b/c your a christian and your saved and their going to hell. You were once like them, heck we still are, the only difference is that we hvae accepted Jesus, and they might not know the full truth about the matter. We can show them God's love through our own love for them.

Be the shinning light in the dark corner of the room.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Fourteen: Holiness and Faith

2006-02-15T16:41:00.000-08:00

Basically this chapter goes into obedience and what it looks like;

"Obedience is key to our chase after holiness, no matter what it may be that God is calling us to do."

I think this is neat, because it leads back into the very first day I got back from XLR:8.

I had a conversation with God, and he basically told me to start a group in the school, to encourage the Christian body there to LEAP out in faith, and to be able to not conform to the rest of the world. This meant to do things like holiness, service, love unconditionally, and right now we are about to learn about intercession and go out and pray for people in our school ( so reaching out to the lost sheep, in other ways of evanglism).

This was really tough, the enemy through alot of obsticles in my way, but perserverance, prayer, and a knowledge of the word allowed us to start this.

I had to literally learn how to take Leap's of faith in order to get Leap on it's feet. This was really going out of my comfort zone, and I was learning these things for a purpose, so I could be able to share them with the others and encourage them to LEAP out.

I never looked at my obedience as faith, I just did it because God asked, and I didn't want to be one of those people who disobeyed God. Heck I didn't even ask questions, I asked what was next, whenever I obeyed his next step, but I never questioned his responses.

But I've been drifting, I've been on a rocky road lately, discourately out of the word, and my prayer life has nearly ceased ( unless I'm crying out).

I need to follow this urging sensation the holy spirit is laying on my heart to stay in the word, and pray.

It just so happens I did alot more of that at the last XLR:8, and I'm going to the 2nd installment of it this weekend. I'm really excited to see what is going to unfold in the next few days.

Anyway, obedience is key.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Thirteen: Habits of Holiness

2006-02-15T16:10:00.000-08:00

The main point from this chapter is that, break off the bad habits, and begin new ones.

Our bad habits developed a pattern of sin, and we need to break that habit if we want to chase after holiness.

The book says the holy spirit is the one who helps us break our sinning habits and will help us begin new, good ones.

There are four things to remember as you work on your new habits;

1. Do it over and over. The more you do something the easier it is, like sinning for example, the more you sin, the more likely you'll sin again. So we need to practice saying no to sin over and over again, and we'll get better at resisting temptation
2. Don't say 'Just this once'. Hold firmly to your decisions ( I love that quote)
3. Resist all sins, the big and small ones that we classify ( even though, in God's eyes, sin is sin).
4. Perserverance. Don't quit, we will fail at times but we have to pick ourselves up and try again.

Remember the holy spirit is there to help us all, learn to use him effectively just like the bible.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Twelve: Holiness and our wills

2006-02-13T20:01:00.000-08:00

Now the book digs into to watching over your will power. It can give us the desires to chase after holiness, and the desires to sin. So we need to keep close eye on what it is telling us, and being able to control our will power for use in the chase.

Our will is different from God's will because now we are apart from God, due to something called sin. But what the Chase didn't touch upon is the fact that we as Christians are closer to God, because of Christ, so our 'will' will go after the things God wants, only if we know the things God wants.

That means constant prayer, and reading the word.

We have to keep a close eye on our will (desires) b/c Satan can use them against us, that's why it's important to watch what you let into your mind, b/c our desires can convince us to repeat those bad things we allow in our hearts, to manifest into our actions.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Eleven: Holiness in body and mind

2006-02-13T19:44:00.000-08:00

They really could've put 10 and 11 together to state two points in one chapter, but whatever.

Basically the key to this chapter is this, watch what you let your body absorb.

What I mean by that is;

When was the last time you watched TV? What show did you watch?

Was there, violence, swearing, anything that could lead you to sin or others to sin?

I'm not saying avoid TV altogether, but I am saying we have to learn to control our sinful desires, in fact for the little time me and Cory learnt about disciplines, I learnt that abstinece isn't getting rid of something altogether, it's learning to control your urges to do it or not.

Also we learnt that we have to be in the world and not of it. See I assumed the best way to live a christian life, was to remove everything that caused me to sin in my life. But I closed doors to friends, stop watching TV, stopped going on the internet, etc. What I learnt was I wasn't stopping sinning, I was just stopping all social activity in my life. We have to stay in today's culture if we want to help them see Jesus.

Anyways that is what the chapter sorta touches on, watching what you allow yourself to be influenced by;

if that means abstaing from it, then go for it.

Anyway, at the end of the chapter is the best part for me.

What should we do instead? Read the word, I love it, that is what disciplines are about, not just getting rid of an old habit, but replacing it with a new, God first one.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Ten: Training for the Marathon

2006-02-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

So I just realized with the Olympics going on, I can relate alot with this book to the athlets at the games.

For example this chapter talks about training for a run ( a chase of holiness).

The book brings out constant examples of how reading the bible is alot like drinking the water or eating the food before the race to make you strong, so you don't collaspe.

But really the book, talks about how, we are going to screw up. It's an innevitable fact, we are going to mess up in our chase after holiness. Why? Because they require practice and discipline, just like running a marathon at the olympic games. You can't just wake up and run a marathon like the book meations, but you have to train yourself for the chase.

How? By reading the word, praying and meditating upon it, and living it out. Even though I know I had to do these things about the scripture, lately I've been putting it off for other things, but if I'm going to be strong enough to continue my chase after holiness, I need to read my bible more, pray and meditate upon it more, and live it out, waaaay more.

I thought this chapter was really interesting, although it only brought up a few points, it was consise with how it developed the imagery in your mind. I can see myself racing to the finish line of holiness, even stumbling along the run, but I can see myself, stopping at a pit, taking a breather, reading the word, and getting back out there to continue the run.

Read your bible, all the cool kids are doing it... ( they probably aren't but come on, make it a cool trend)

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Nine: Putting Sin to Death

2006-02-12T22:38:00.000-08:00

After reading this chapter, I find that this part of the chase for holiness is my main hurdle.

The effort of holiness isn't the problem, its the breaking of habits that the book brings up in the latter parts of the chapter where I really struggle.

I personally deal with internal sins that trip me up to this day, that I can't share with people, because personally they ashame me. It's the kind of sin that would make your mother cry if you told her.

Like the only person who I can talk to about it is God alone, because I fear what others will think of me if I share it.

We need to make the effort to stop our habit of sin, we have a responsibility to, as the book says.

'We need to cut off any life- the very bloody supply- we give to the sins that rules our lives before Christ.'

I love the analogy they use with the video game, if only it were as easy as that, and with video games, most people decided to just input cheat codes if the game is too difficult. Just like they try to find shortcuts through life.

I watched the movie Luther not too long ago, and people tried to get out of spending time with God by buying indulgences, like doing such a thing would bring them closer to God.

The question the book brings up in this chapter is dealing with after you have put your old life to death.

"How do I cut off the of sins controlling me"

Now I thought I was ready to do such a thing, but it's hard, almost enough to make me quit. In fact for a little while I did in fact. I just let my habit sin control me.

But we can't have anything of this world get in the way of our relationship with God.

NEVER, EVER.

Now then the book tells us that we have to stay in the word for this matter, because how can we be obedient to God's laws, if we don't even know them, right?

How can we know if something is a habit sin, if we never learn it's wrong in the eyes of the Lord.

One way to keep the truth rooted in your heart, to throw at the enemy when he tries to convince you that 'it's only just this once' or that 'it's not bad enough to displease God' is to memorize scripture concerning it.

I'm going to attend RAW, it's a great program that I know God has called me into to further my development into my area of ministry, service.

What better way to learn more about serving, then to memorize scripture concerning service?

Same goes for holiness, and beating our habitual ( if it isn't a word, it is now) sins? To memorize scriptures concerning them.

The hard part about holiness, is owning up to your sin, but making the effort to own up and break down the fortress of control the enemy has built around you allows us to enter a unique and deeper fellowship with God.

We all have to make a commitment, to chase after holiness, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, as the book puts it, or we are just leading ourselves towards the fall.

I'm chasing after it, although I'm still quite not ready to make myself vulnerable enough to share the sin that has dominion in my life, hopefully I will soon.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Eight: Obedience, not victory

2006-02-11T20:30:00.000-08:00

I decided, for my one page write-up that I'm going to put the url to this blog, either that or just print out my blogs, but anyway, I changed my template ( yes I can go off topic) isn't it snazzy?

On to the book;

After I read chapter seven, well got tired, stop reading it part way through, put a TBC in my blogs, and decided to pick the book up again with only 6 days till XLR:8, that all the chapters after 7 were really, really short, I mean the longest one afterwards was what, 7 pages long (thats counting the front and back as seperate).

Chapter Eight isn't really two pages long. But it still brings up some good points.

Like I stated about Chapter 7, we are given the power to beat sin in our lives, it can't control us any longer b/c of what Christ did, and the holy spirit has been sent to help us continue to fend it from ever taken domain back in here.

But as the book says in Chapter eight in the first sentence;

'Now we get to the fun part- our responsibility'

What? You mean I have to do something? I can't be lazy for this holiness thing to work? Your kidding right?

Pfft, this book doesn't know me, I was ready to start acting upon this 7 chapters ago, where was the book telling me to get off my butt and do something then?

Anyway,

Now that I sorta mocked the book, I have to pull out some of the responsibilities we are called to do now that sin doesn't control us, and the holy spirit is on our side.

We have to "Kill off everything connected to that way of death", other words we need to get rid of those things that keep allowing us to be tripped up.

I like the part in the hebrews verse where it says 'Strip down, start running- and never quit'. I can picture that, the things in my life that our holding me back, and making me go slower in the race, I need to 'strip' so I can get to that finish line, instead of tiring out and quiting the race.

I was in the boy scouts growing up, I hated it, really, I was forced into it, and the people there were jerks, I can forgive them, but I did pick up a few lessons from them. "Do your best" was the motto, and it applies to our effort in the chase of holiness as well.

I've realized that holiness isn't just going to come after I read a passage or two, and pray for it. It takes a life time to master, and then some, and we have to put the effort in if we want to make any progress.

The book says we also have to fess up to our own actions we make, and decisions ( even the bad ones) we choose to take. We have to accept that responsibilty of admitting we are wrong, and we need to get back on the chase for holiness, and not get side tracked by all the spectators on the side watching us...

*Sees Icecream Truck during race* I'm CHASING AFTER HOLINESS NOT ICE COLD ICECREAM, with it's smooth texture, and it's delicious taste, and its flavour that mealts in your mouth, and...

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Seven: Help in the daily battle

2006-01-28T21:34:00.000-08:00

I like the little summary of what my life sorta is at the beginning of the chapter, although the story isn't my testimony the points in my life with that story still connect.

Although some of the questions they ask really don't relate to me, about how I think something about the last chapter, I do love the point they make after it.

Part of the rescue from sin is the ability to win your daily battles against it.

Then we get into being alive in God, which is something talked about, but not really discussed. The book to this point has made an emphasis behind being dead to sin.

But now that we are no longer under the influence of sin and its control and under the new influence of Christ, we can start to live a holy life.

'You can't live a holy life on your own. Christianity is not a do-it-yourself thing'.

I love that line, we really can't do it without God.

Then they talk about how we can pull of these victories in our daily battles, through the strength God gives us, and through our perserverance.

Holiness isn't just about following a list of do's- and don'ts it's about learning to listening and obeying God.

God doesn't push us around, but he works through us and gives us strength for our internal battle.

"Brent White" is alive to God and dead to sin.

We all need to put our faith in the word, and practice resisting sin's advances and temptations don't we?

The book makes a great answer on how we should do this.

'You count on the fact that every time your tempted, Christ will give you the strength you need to resist temptation and beat back sin.'

Remember God allows us to be tempted and provides a way out so we can grow to be better Christians.

God gives us the holy spirit to give us the strength to beat sin, and to convict us of it when we make mistakes (which we do, all the time).

The book makes a good point about practicing what you hear and read from the bible. It's one thing to listen to something, but another to act it out.

We need to depend on the holy spirit because we simply can't overcome our sinfulness on our own. The strength the holy spirit is their to help us.

The book gives us two ways to express our dependance on the holy spirit, both which I have been lacking to do lately;

Keep a constant intake of the scripture, and to pray for holiness.

This brightens my outlook on the chase for holiness, knowing that I have help.

-Brent

Business

2006-01-26T22:34:00.000-08:00

Not buisness, but business, is that even a word?

Whatever it is in my dictionary.

Have you ever been stressed? If you said no, stop reading.

I'm totally sick, I mean, fever, cough, chest pain, bleeding eyes, the works.

So today was total crap for me, I mean I lasted through A&B block, but after my Magic show, I was totally wiped, I mean I was having hard time breathing, but I pressed on, but at a point of physical and mental health, I was dead, when I got home, I just collaspe on the floor, and woke up to a phone call.

Nothing special, wrong phone number, but I decided to call Ashley Mayer for being a big help today, I mean I don't think I would've been able to pull off that show had it not been with her and others help.

But I'm just wiped as well in my life period. Today was awful, but my life recently has just been really, really chaotic. Karyn you think your stay in Texas was bad with all those misfortunes over and over again, well I basically have been having that happen to me all week, I don't have the strength to keep going.

I want to stay home and sleep tomorrow, but I can't, Chemistry and Socials test on stuff I haven't studied. I want to study but I tried earlier and the thinking part hurt me so much, and stressed me out that when I just wanted to weep in pain, blood came from my eyes. Luckily I have medicine for that, but its just really bad.

The only thing that has kept me going today is the fact that God is with me, he doesn't mind if I complain every step of the way, he keeps his head up looking at all the high points of the day, and someparts of the day he kept reminding me of them, but right now I just want to put my complaints out there, you know, just get them off my chest.

My schedule is chaotic, provincials are coming up, and ha, guess what, I get to be sick as soon as school becomes super difficult. I just hope God's strength really is boundless, because its going to be impossible to do this without him.

Now before you post a comment let me just tell you, this is just a rant about the bad parts of my day.

When things calm down I'll keep posting 'Chase' blogs, but for now, I need to stop, I need to focus on one thing at a time, right now its finals and provincials. I just need to contact Jon somehow and explain this to him..

*sigh* I'm going to bed,

-Brent

PS. Karyn you rock for showing up and giving me support, same goes for all you guys.

^_^ Jen Champ doesn't read my blogs!

New song

2006-01-18T17:13:00.000-08:00

I actually chorded this one out, because I wrote it whilst playing guitar.

Live for you - Brent White
Em C G
Oh, Lord I tried it my way, I tried it my way,
D
Not what I thought.
Em C G
I tried it their way, I tried it their way,
D
Not what I expected.

Em C G D
When I was lost you found me, in your open arms.
Em C G D
When I was broken and wounded, you healed me with your loving heart.
Em C G D
When I was tempted by Satan, you lead me on the righteous path.
Em C G D
When I was going to surely die, you took my place upon the cross.

(chorus)
G D Em C
Oh God, I wanna live for you, in everything I do, I'll live for you,
G D Em C
Oh God, I'll live bring you praise, all of my days, I will live for you.

If you want to see the actually chord layout you have to check out the forums.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Six: The Battle for Holiness

2006-01-16T20:44:00.000-08:00

"The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up."
-Romans 7:21

All the first verses to each chapter to "The Chase" were really good, but this one basically talks about our struggle with sin, and how it trips us up. You see I tried for awhile to live a holy life and I was on a spiritual high from it, but as soon as I fell back into my sinful life I had before I was easily trapped by the enemy. Don't worry I'm still pursuing a holy life, but for awhile, I didn't want anything to do with it, because I had tried and failed, and I kept telling myself what was the point in trying something that I'm going to end up messing up anyways?

But then I heard from God, that we don't have to be perfect for him to love us, he loves us just the way we are. I needed to hear it too.

Let's dig further into this chapter shall we.

The fact that we will face sin all of our days on earth is brought up here, and it is a tough struggle to face. A struggle that lasts a life time, not a kind of battle to fight in. But we know the outcome due to our salvation, so we should press against the enemy no matter how tough the battle may seem, we know that thanks to God and his son Christ Jesus the battle of sin controlling our lives is over, we need to now not let it tell us what to do, instead listen and obey to what God says and commands.

I like how this chapter sums up what battle they are talking about. The battle in our heart between 'the nature we have to sin' and 'the desire to live a holy life'.

Even though sin doesn't control us, it is still attacks us, and will control us if we let it.

'We've got to be on watch constantly, because sin is ready to make sure we don't come out ahead. It wants us to fail.'

I like how the book meantions a battle plan of how to win the war against sin.

It first begins with are heart. Our heart to me is basically our focus, but the book talks about your whole being and motives behind your actions as your heart. It says we can't understand our own heart, and agree to a point, but in my opinion we can put motives in our heart, for example the desire to live a holy life is a motive in my heart, even though I can't search it, I want to pursue holiness as a choice.

But anyway, the book talks about how sin can lay dormant in our hearts, and the only way we can know about it (usually it is hiding there without us knowing, b/c we don't classify it as a sin, or we don't think its a problem) is to allow the holy spirit to search our hearts and reveal our hidden sins to us. I know personally the holy spirit has revealed a bunch of sins that I really didn't classify as 'sins'. I have really hard times overcoming some of them, and others are easy to stop.

What the book meations next is allowing God to give you, your desires (his desires, your purpose, your focus.. etc.) and allow him to remove the desires that will result in you lead into sin. We still need to allow him to do so.

The book brings up the fact that we choose to sin, it's from our own desires that we are lead into sinning by our own actions. Not Gods, not Satan's. It's US who sin.

Sin is a crafty enemy and we need to be ready to take it down at any time. That's why memorizing scripture and praying continually is so important, it keeps us in constant connection to God. Like having him on the other line on the telephone whilst talking to someone, and when a desire to sin happens to come along into that conversation, we switch lines and ask God what to do.

I learnt another vital thing from this, don't get caught up into spritual highs and think you can never fall from them, what I mean is, don't think that just b/c your not doing a certain sin that you are invulnerable to sin. We can fall victim to sin anytime, and being cocky will take us off our guard to be tripped up by the enemy.

There was a man who lived in spain in the 17th century, he was the greatest fencer in the whole world, no man could beat him, but he was defeated when he let his ego get in the way of his fight.
He decided he was beating his opponet left, right, and center, but his opponet was using his right hand the whole course of the match, and stopped and said, that if he was so good he could beat him using his other hand, and he would use his other hand as well. Well the man let his ego get the best of him and agreed, not having any practice with his left hand was easily beaten by his left handed opponet.

I sometimes let my ego get in the way of a direct fellowship with God. Without that friendship we won't get some of the nessasary trade resources from our alley God and be beaten by our enemy when we are starved.

Hopefully you get that.

-Brent

Scary moment

2006-01-13T23:47:00.000-08:00

I was walking home from Friday youth at Cariboo, and almost home, just as I turn the corner in my alley way, I see this huge dog.

I mean huge, it was a rottweiler bigger than me. It looked fierce.. I was like "oh crap" in my head.

It stood still, as I saw it, it could tell I was afraid of it ( great just what I need, it to smell my fear).

I'm usually not scared of big tough dogs, but ones at night, in a dark alley off a leash with no-one around, changed my outlook of this one.

Then I heard God say to stand still, thinking it was just something I heard on a nature show about black bears, I did it what I was thinking. I stood perfectly still, it still didn't move, this wasn't looking good.

I was going to shout out "God save me" but instead in my head I pretty muttered "In the name of Christ, leave me alone".. then it started to walk toward me, but in a creepy manner, very slowly it walked passed me, never taking it's eyes from my own, like it was staring into my soul.

After it was pretty much far away from me, I started to walk to my house in a calm manner, the whole time thanking God in my head for protecting me.

I turned to look back at the dog, and it was doing the same... creepy..

Anyway I went quickly into my house and breathed a sigh of relief.

Whilst on the toliet ( yes I needed to go really bad, and I'm not ashamed to bring the story to you honestly) I asked God what was the whole point of that test.

God pretty much said that the Dog was like Satan ready to pounce on me. He said b/c I stood still and let God protect me instead of running (which is human nature) I was safe for trusting in me. I could totally picture me trying to outrun that dog and failing horribly, but instead I stood still and let God protect me, even when I was scared out of my mind.

No further comments, as I nearly had a heart attack.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter 5: Change of Kingdoms

2006-01-12T22:39:00.000-08:00

Ok seriously, had I read this part of the book before spiriling into a month of depressed defeat, I probably would've had my answers from the get go.

This is an awesome chapter so lets pull out some stuff in it that really spoke to me.

"Does it seem like the same issues and sins always come creeping back into your life?"

Yes

Seriously I love the questions this book asks b/c their realistic. Anyway the book tells us not to get comfortable with our sins, and why? B/c Christ put to death our sins so we would no longer be held back by them.

"We don't have to live like sin is controlling us... unfortunately for most of us, that freedom passes by us and we end up frustrated."

You see, choosing not to sin is exactly that, it's a choice we choose to take. It's not forced upon us, we aren't given no choice but not to (b/c, hello we've been talking about LIVING A HOLY LIFE! ding ding other choice) its a path we choose, far too often to find ourselves walking down. Why?

Why do we sin?

One answer I know, is b/c we enjoy doing it.

The book gives a bunch more, like it's what were raised into being natural. Like follow your parent's habits, we as humans follow the world into sinning, but we shouldn't be making excuses, ultimately we choose to sin, what we need to do is choose not too.

No matter how hard you try though, your old life of sin keeps creeping back though...

Exactly what got me depressed in the first place.

I love how the book describes us moving away from a country where sin is soverign, we don't have to let sin control us anymore, but we do, b/c why?

It's comfortable and what were used to. Other words, it's a habit, and like most habits other habits, its a bad one, we need to stop doing.

We need to rely on God to help us with beating our habit of sinning, and to not get beat down by it over and over, but to run into Christs open arms for help and future strength to win the battles to come.

We need to all spend more time in rehab learning to live in this new life, instead of going back to the comfortable old life. I didn't become a Christian to live an easy life, and if you did, you picked the wrong crowd to hang out with. We will be looked at differently, insulted for doing whats right, and mocked for standing up for what we believe in, by hypocritical society.

"We can wrap up all of this by remembering that God has made a way for us to be holy. Because of what Christ did on the cross, we've been freed from our sin's control and we can now resist it. The responsibility is ours- we must resist sin."

It reminds of a message I once wrote about how faith is established.

Basically I got this vision of me sitting down at the dinner table with God, and it was sorta a pot luck between the two of us. We each had to bring something, both had to bring something unique that the other couldn't bring. One was trust, and that comes from God, the fact we can trust in him, and we have to bring obeidience to go along with his trust, so that the turkey of living a faithful life tastes really good.

But ya, we have to bring our effort, God has already brought his son Jesus to die on the cross, for our freedom of sin. The buck has been passed to us, and don't worry, your going to drop it, but the best part is, God is there to help us pick it up again, just like he is always willing to pass the salt if our corn of obedience is a little dry.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Four: The holiness of Christ

2006-01-11T22:20:00.000-08:00

If I know about Christ's holiness I'll feel secure with him? When I first read this I was like, pfft, whatever, but as I come to see Christ's holiness I can truely trust him as that very best friend who will never let me down.

Why?
Because Christ was perfect, he never sinned, thank goodness too, I mean if Christ was a sinner, I doubt Christianity would have an impact as it has today, people could call us idiots for following a hypocrite. But Christ is not. He never sinned, he is perfect, and b/c of that perfectness he could do something I could never do, die in place of my sins.

I don't thank God enough for that, I think we all do, we tend to remember around easter or Christmas, but I think we need to thank God every morning for being saved.

It's rocking that Christ is perfect, b/c he is like the manual of how to be a christian. Come into a problem at school, "WWJD" and follow what he would do and it will please God.

Jesus' holiness was not just on the outside but in his heart as well, his motives were for God, everything he did was for bringing God glory. What really got me down was failing to be like Christ allowed my emotions get me into a hole of despair that helped Satan take me down. Luckly God was still rooted in me enough for me to call on him and his servants to help me get back on my feet.

God loves me the way I am, so I don't have to be wrapped up in failing God, b/c I'm going to do it alot, and it's just going to keep tripping me up. What I need to do is learn from my mistakes and look to the example of Christs holiness to guide me on what to do next time so I don't keep repeat sinning.

I need to have Christ blueprint of holiness shine in my life, and it requires me to stop being tramatized for making God upset, and to run into his open arms and allow him to guide me out of it, and to continuly show me what to do next.

I'm tired and my spelling went intot eh garbage

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Three: Holiness isn't an option

2006-01-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

Because Christ died for me, I can be holy in the presence of God, b/c Jesus took away my sins, it's my salvation that allows me to be holy, but I still need to strive for holiness in everything I do.

Having holiness is needed for fellowship with God. Our salvation is not a get out of hell free card, God freed us so we could be holy. He died for our sins so we could be free from them and be able to acheive holiness. Holiness isn't necessary for Salvation but it should be a product of it. Which is something I seriously need to start taking seriously. If I'm going to be "Christ-like" I better be striving for holiness and turning away from my sins. Even the ones I've fallen into a trap of repetition too. I need to stop being cozy with some of the sins that control my life, there holding me back from true fellowship with God, no wonder I couldn't hear God clearly, I had let these sins control what I hear, and not only that, control my urges, emotions, and thoughts.

I'm glad that I don't have to be perfect, b/c that's pretty much impossible, but I also know that I have to have my heart set on God and chasing after his holiness if I want to bring him anything, including my praise for him.

I'm glad God disciples us, I love it when he slaps me in the face, b/c then my eyes are open and now I can see what I'm doing wrong and how I have to change it. This chapter talks about that, but it states something really good as well. God is with us in are walk to change our lives from sinful baggage we bring into the relationship and to live a life of holiness for him.

And so the chase continues, this time though, I'm going to listen to God and see my temptations from God's view before I sin, that way I can avoid making God upset in the first place.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter Two: The holiness of God

2006-01-09T19:29:00.000-08:00

All Christians are called to live a holy life. Why?
Because God is holy, I'm called to live a holy life because God himself is holy and I want to have my character more like God's don't I? Don't you?

I like how this chapter refers to christian chameleons who well, blend in when the going gets tough, or they conform when around their friends, so they look cool. But we are called to stand up and stand out for God, not blend in.

I haven't had a large problem with this in my life, I'm really unique and mostly everyone knows that, but the one thing I've learned is as soon as we stand out, we have more eyes fixed on us, and that makes it far more tougher to live a holy life. Remember we are called to be holy 24/7 in everything we do.

So if God is holy then why do we bother blaming him for being unfair, I know I've done it a few times, but God can't be unfair, he is perfectly just, he's holy for goodness sake. God's clothes are always clean, never stained. Holiness is a part of God, and since we are made in the image of God we should strive to have holiness a part of our essence.

What's even cooler is God never makes mistakes, so you know when your hitting rock bottom, it's because God is allowing you to grow more like him.

:)

"Be holy, because I am holy" says God, means we have to look at sin seriously.

From God's perspective in fact, we know that God loves us, but we also need to know that he hates sin. Our sin, he hates it everytime we sin. We need to strive to do the right thing, even if it doesn't turn out the way we wanted it, it pleases God, which is a fact I tend to forget alot of the time.

We need to stop justifing our sins, even the "little" ones we do, like downloading music off the internet for free, and strive to be different from the crowd, strive to be holy.

I like how the book talks about how God will never put you in a position where the only way out is to sin. I remember a long time ago, Karyn was teaching us about how God can never tempt us of sin, but allows us to be tempted and that he provides a way out.

God calls us to be different b/c he is different.

"Sin isn't just distressing or defeating to ourselves, its displeasing to God."

The holiness of God is a high standard, but it's a perfect one, one that I'm definitly going to chase after and never quit on striving for, even if being holy doesn't turn out the way I want, it pleases God, and that is definitly worth doing.

-Brent

The Chase Chapter One: Holiness is for you.

2006-01-08T22:25:00.000-08:00

After reading this first chapter this book really felt like God was laying the words directly on my heart. This was totally my story. I went to the first XLR:8 and actually did obey to what God asked of me, but then the idea of holiness (before I even read this book) showed me how unholy I truely was, and how hypocritical my attitude towards others was. I let it trip be up.

I love the line in this first chapter
"All too often, though, sin gets the upper hand. Obedience, along with holiness, goes out the window."

Seriously, how awesome is that, thats totally for me. I started to let my sin push me away from a life striving for holiness (for my birthright) and fell into a life playing Maple Story all day and everyday.

God expects us to live a holy life, ya I know that first hand, it's something God hit me with hard when I was pursuing his goal for my life and the lives around, we had to work on my character, it had to be more Christ like, and I had and still have real problems with holiness.

But since only God can tell me how to live my life (the right way) sin no longer has command over this vessal for the lord.

I love how the book points out, that we have to make ourselves humble throughout this chase, indicated in the part about the "holier than thou" attitude.

Holiness may seem impossible, in fact it is without God, so therefore I know that I can't say that after achieving it, that I accomplished anything, it was only with God's help that one can acheive holiness, and holiness then can definitly be used as a witness to everyone. It stregthens the body as well as evanglises, it's definitly worth chasing for.

This book is awesome and I'm not even done the first chapter yet.

Then the book talks about how this seemingly impossible task can give you excuses to not even pursue it anymore, haha, I get it God, you can stop now... As you can see that talks to me as well, I let myself fall into that trap first hand.

But this first chapter answers a great question:

What exactly is holiness?
"To be holy is to be morally blamless. It's being separated from sin and set apart for God."

Then they start quoting scripture in this chapter about holiness, a few of these verses I memorized in some of my earlier blogs, neat eh? Anyway I'm going to pull one that really speaks to me;

"Don't lazily slip back into these old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing."

Oh crap... now that definitly is for me, and yes I used crap in a sentence.

Holiness requires not conforming to the world, well thats one thing I'm good at, you ask anyone if I'm normal, and they'll probably laugh in your face, but at least I have good practice of being able to stand out, and how to coupe with people persecution for it and such. Heck I've dealt with it b/c of faith before as well, but what I really need to work on is the humility factor behind that as well.

Then we go into addressing our problems with experiencing holiness.

-Sin hurts God (We don't see sin from God's view but more from our own)
-We've misunderstood living by faith( accepting personal responsibilty for our sin as well)
-Not taking all sin seriously (catagorizing sin)

The first one and third one I have problems with, but mostly the first one, for example giving into temptation feels good for the flesh ( I mean why would we do it in the first place if it didn't make our flesh feel good) but I always seem to forget at the moment of how my sin makes God feel, I always go crap, and apologize, but I take my eyes off the fact of how God took to me sining. If that last sentence made sense then the rest of my blogs will be your friends.

Anyway, this chase for holiness is something I really want to pursue, and need to be held accountable by you all, to keep it up, and please feel free to point out anything I'm doing that would be unholy, I mean I don't want to be walking around wearing a stained shirt all day without knowing it right?

-Brent

Worship the King

2006-01-01T01:57:00.000-08:00

I was walking home from walking Ashley home, and I'm glad I did, because I was all like praising God without really realizing it, and I was just singing some songs that came from my heart,

One was about taking a step out in faith, the other was about evanglism, and the one that I liked the most out of random singing, was about the true heart of worship. When I sing worship songs, I always feel oblegated to sing along, but when I truely hear the words speak to me, I try to remain silent, to show God that my worship is not in my singing but in my heart. Where is should be, we bring God pleasure through our worship, but I often think that were too focused on singing good, to really look at the words of a song and see what God's lays on our hearts.

Well anyway, I decided to write down the lyrics, and record the tune of it, but the tune I'm keeping for myself so I don't forget the tune, but anyway, you guys can read these lyrics because I they refocused my heart on true worship, and I think sharing them might help ours in general.

Is your worship from the heart?
Or do you sing these words to fit the crowd?
Where is your heart?
Does your worship bring pleasure to the king?
Let me tell you,

Worship is for the Master,
bring your praise
your honest praise to him,
Worship is for the Master,
bring your praise
your honest praise to him,
Worship the King(x4)

These words I sing are not a farce,
I sing them straight from the depths of my heart,
I live my life to bring your praiseI will honour and worship you all my days

Worship is for the Master,
bring your praiseyour honest praise to him,
Worship is for the Master,
bring your praiseyour honest praise to him,
Worship the King(x4)

Take this time, to STOP,
access your heart,
Stop your singing and start your searching,
to bring your praise,your honest praise to him,
Stop your singing and start your searching,
to bring your praise,your honest praise to him,

Is your worship true?
Is it for your God?
Do you sing from your heart?
Just cry out,
Worship is for the Master,
bring your praise
your honest praise to him,
Worship is for the Master,
bring your praise
your honest praise to him,
Worship the King.

Well anyway, I know I'm not a very good song writer, but then again, if I cared about the quality of my song, instead of the quality of my heart while singing, I would've learned nothing from my own song.

-Brent

Hedgemaze

2006-01-01T01:42:00.000-08:00

So an analogy God gave me today when talking with Ashley was pretty simple, and it summed up one of the things that was frustrating me to be tripped up by the enemy in the first place.

Picture this, your in a hedge maze and you have to find the exit, because the entrance way you came in closed up. What do you do? All you can see in front of you is hedge after hedge, and pathway that leads to pathway. But now picture this, your soaring like an eagle above the maze, and have a clear view of the whole maze, and know exactly where to go.

Well, thats the difference between our perpespective of our purpose and God's perspective. Well at least mine is. Because I'm idly lost in the hedgemaze. I caught a glismpe of the path to go, but that only got me through the first fork in the maze, and now I'm lost, walking aimlessly through the maze. I want to see things from God's perspective, but I don't, I wish God would give me more insight though, because I'm still running aimlessly through this maze, going through the right fork in the road at some points and yet also going down to dead ends as well.

One more note, that is technically off topic, the XLR:8 Book the Chase, I will be writting about each chapter here, and what I get from this book, in the coming weeks, I've read the first three already, but I want to start over, b/c the book kinda put me into a spiral of self defeat of how unholy I am.

-Brent

Trusting a stranger before trusting a king.

2006-01-01T01:29:00.000-08:00

So one of the visions I was talking about, I decided to write down, and I talked with Ashley Mayer about it, well I talked to her about alot of things, but anyway,

So I was still frustrated with God, and how I feel he has just up and abandoned me, (right at this moment, I don't know what to think) and I got this vision that didn't make alot of sense, and if I can remember what all of it meant, I'll talk about it.

So here we go,,

I was walking either to or from the skytrain station at Braid, and I saw a man who was sitting alone on the bench near the bus depot, who you could tell was upset.

I decided to go over and talk with him, find out what was wrong really. I asked if anything was wrong, he just remained silent and didn't speak, looked very gloomy and upset ( the posture of the guy is what gave it away). I asked if I could help him out. He replied "Help, why would I need it?". I started to discuss about how if he opened up and told me what was going on that I could help. "I can deal with this myself" he said. "You've tried walking that path for far too long, and look where it has got you, at a dead end." I replied. He asked why he should trust me. I replied you have to trust a stranger before you can trust a king.

The vision ended there, and I realized that I was really the person sitting on the bench, and the man who walked over to help was Jesus. You see, I have been caught up with my defeat that I just wanted to take the easy route and mope on a bench like the man in this story. It was only before I actually discussed my problems with Ashley Mayer today that I finally could understand this. I tried, fell off the horse, and went back into a routine of doing something easy, like playing Maple Story 6 days straight. But you see, I don't see things from God's perspective, I don't see God face to face, right now, as the king upon the throne, I see him as the stranger who is trying to help me get back on the horse, I tried to shoo him away, but persistance and love eventually got me to begin to open up. We have to trust Jesus as a stranger before we can trust him as a King right? He is the good samartian in this story who gains are trust through love, and as we realize who he truely is, we come to respect him as a King.

Hopefully that makes sense. I think Ashley remembers some of the insights I said when I discussed it with her, b/c I don't remember them all. I might have missed some, oh well.

-Brent

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

2005-12-31T17:35:00.000-08:00

Hypocrisy

What the? Brent how come you took so long to post? Well I'm going to give you the shortest version of what's been going on, I've been depressed, and being having a large losing conflict with my flesh, its desires, and God's plan for me, and not to meation being stuck to seeing it from a runners perspective through the hedge maze of life (Only Ashley Mayer will understand that part).

So for Christmas, I got a stocking stuffer wrist band that says Disciple on it. It's really neat, but I don't think it should say Disciple, or at least I shouldn't wear it with honesty. My wrist band lately would have the words hypocrite written all over it.

You see, I've had my angry discussions with God lately, and one I don't like having discussions with God b/c I'm super frustrated and my flesh and Satan have being kicking my butt in the struggle between God's plan, and my fleshly desires. But I have had a few interesting visions, insights from God, yes God, even though my flesh has been telling me over and over that they were just thoughts in my head, stupid flesh, I'm going to talk about them whether it likes them or not.

One was actually really had nothing to do with anything I've talked about, or does it, I don't see from the bird's eye view on this one (again Ashley knows what that truely means, and I'm going to be a jerk and not explain it to the rest of you :P).

Anyway, it had to do with Stars, you see Christians are like the stars in the sky. When we are born again, we start off like a small dwarf star, not very bright, nor very big, but when surronded by many other stars these can make the most beautiful of constilations. Anyway, as we grow, so does are light to the world, its our job to shine it, you see our faith is what makes us grow, just like how expanding gases make stars grow, the more the gas spreads, the bigger the star gets, the bigger we expand our faith, the bigger we grow as Christians. Where would I be on this star perspective, well, I've grown alot during this past year, even though my flesh doesn't want me to know that, nor is Satan very happy about it. I would be a very bright star, but the only problem, is I'm a star way to far away from the telescope for you to see. See I've fallen short of God, and it's gotten me down, so I stopped trying, I was lost in my depression and self sorrow, I'm far away from God, just like a star to far away in the night sky. I don't very bright when I'm far away, and I need to strive to be more closer to the Lord so all can see the light of God shine through me.

It's too bad that no matter how far you are from the telescope, God can see you, and see what your doing.

Stars are very different, some go dim before they burnout, some burn brightest in their entire lives before they explode, impacting all the other stars in the galaxy. I want to be the one that burns as bright as it can, it's whole life, the one that impacts the whole world before it goes out. It's not impossible to win the world for Jesus, if you believe it is, stop listening to the enemy. I like the fact that stars also get sun spots, the parts that become dark, they sorta take away the beauty of the star, just like sin stains us as Christians, unlike sun spots though, sin can and will be taken away because of what Jesus did for us. He is the brightest most flawless star of them all, and will never go out.

So I'm going to be posting a bit more about other subjects, especially one about my blogs, and how I need to stop doing them for people to read, but doing them to share the news of what God has spoken to me.

I've stopped memorizing scripture and reading daily passages for now, that doesn't mean I won't read my bible, or memorizing scripture, it just means, I don't need to be held accountable by you guys anymore, I need to not do it b/c I'm oblegated to, but to do it to bring God pleasure. Now I have a house to get back to cleaning.

-Brent

Day Twenty Eight

2005-12-12T20:46:00.000-08:00

Scripture Read:
1 John 1
1From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in--we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. 2The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us.
3We saw it, we heard it, and now we're telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. 4Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!

Walk in the Light
5This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in him.
6If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we're obviously lying through our teeth--we're not living what we claim. 7But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin.
8If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. 9On the other hand, if we admit our sins--make a clean breast of them--he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. 10If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God--make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.

What it means to me:
Where's the next installment of Isaiah? Well like I said in my last post, I'm really confused and I'd like to learn about it, instead of trying to stumble in the dark about it.

I like how John talks about the whole, "We have faith, because we have seen". To me that really just implied that he was complimenting Christians in their walk who believe though they have not seen. I have had it revealed to me though, that it means more. It implies to have seen the light of Christ, and not just saying one thing, but also sharing it because of our faith. Short, it talks about evanglising to others if we truely believe. John is sharing this for our strengthing of faith in Christ as so we should share our faith with others to strengthen others.

The next part, is really talking about God's perfectness. He is without sin. He is the sun in the night sky so to speak. Even though at night when we can't see the sun anymore, we know that it is still there, and in the morning it shines bright so we can go about our day without stumbling in the dark. John stresses the point that, just because we are covered in darkness doesn't mean that our actions go unnoticed. Like for example robbing someone's house during the night, they might sleep right through it, but in the morning everyone knows that there has been a break in. If we are going to witness to others we have got to strive to not be covered in darkness ( in otherwords, sin). If we say we are sinless we are lying, for we still sin, everyone sins, only one person in history lived without sin, and that was Jesus. John says, basically, to not be a hypocrite. Don't judge sinners, for you sin as well, also don't say one thing and do the opposite.

John then talks about walking a Christ like life, how it will be covered in the light. Just because you can see what your doing doesn't make it easy though. But at least you arn't stumbling in the dark anymore right?

Because Christ died for me, and for you, we have to oppertunity for eternal life, but we also have to admit our sins. Say your in a dark room with a light switch, and you know the only way you can see the door out of the room is to flick on the light switch that you know is there, you still have to turn it on. Just like we have to choose to except that Christ died for us.

Remember everyone is a sinner, but Christ also died for everyone so that everyone can live eternally if they put to death the sin that has held them back from a life in the light.

Memory Verse:
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9 (NIV)

Belated Day Twenty One, Twenty Two, Twenty Three, Twenty Four, Twenty Five, Twenty Six, Twenty Seven ( Although this is today)

2005-12-05T23:08:00.000-08:00

Scripture Read:
Isaiah 1
Quit Your Worship Charades
1The vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw regarding Judah and Jerusalem during the times of the kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.
2Heaven and earth, you're the jury.
Listen to GOD's case:
"I had children and raised them well,
and they turned on me.
3The ox knows who's boss,
the mule knows the hand that feeds him,
But not Israel.
My people don't know up from down.
4Shame! Misguided GOD-dropouts,
staggering under their guilt-baggage,
Gang of miscreants,
band of vandals--
My people have walked out on me, their GOD,
turned their backs on The Holy of Israel,
walked off and never looked back.
5"Why bother even trying to do anything with you
when you just keep to your bullheaded ways?
You keep beating your heads against brick walls.
Everything within you protests against you.
6From the bottom of your feet to the top of your head,
nothing's working right.
Wounds and bruises and running sores--
untended, unwashed, unbandaged.
7Your country is laid waste,
your cities burned down.
Your land is destroyed by outsiders while you watch,
reduced to rubble by barbarians.
8Daughter Zion is deserted--
like a tumbledown shack on a dead--end street,
Like a tarpaper shanty on the wrong side of the tracks,
like a sinking ship abandoned by the rats.
9If GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies hadn't left us a few survivors,
we'd be as desolate as Sodom, doomed just like Gomorrah.
10"Listen to my Message,
you Sodom-schooled leaders.
Receive God's revelation,
you Gomorrah-schooled people.
11"Why this frenzy of sacrifices?"
GOD's asking.
"Don't you think I've had my fill of burnt sacrifices,
rams and plump grain-fed calves?
Don't you think I've had my fill
of blood from bulls, lambs, and goats?
12When you come before me,
who ever gave you the idea of acting like this,
Running here and there, doing this and that--
all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship?
13"Quit your worship charades.
I can't stand your trivial religious games:
Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings--
meetings, meetings, meetings--I can't stand one more!
14Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them!
You've worn me out!
I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion,
while you go right on sinning.
15When you put on your next prayer-performance,
I'll be looking the other way.
No matter how long or loud or often you pray,
I'll not be listening.
And do you know why? Because you've been tearing
people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.
16Go home and wash up.
Clean up your act.
Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings
so I don't have to look at them any longer.
Say no to wrong.
17Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
Help the down--and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
Go to bat for the defenseless.

Let's Argue This Out
18"Come. Sit down. Let's argue this out."
This is GOD's Message:
"If your sins are blood-red,
they'll be snow-white.
If they're red like crimson,
they'll be like wool.
19If you'll willingly obey,
you'll feast like kings.
20But if you're willful and stubborn,
you'll die like dogs."
That's right. GOD says so.

Those Who Walk Out on God
21Oh! Can you believe it? The chaste city
has become a whore!
She was once all justice,
everyone living as good neighbors,
And now they're all
at one another's throats.
22Your coins are all counterfeits.
Your wine is watered down.
23Your leaders are turncoats
who keep company with crooks.
They sell themselves to the highest bidder
and grab anything not nailed down.
They never stand up for the homeless,
never stick up for the defenseless.
24This Decree, therefore, of the Master, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies,
the Strong One of Israel:
"This is it! I'll get my oppressors off my back.
I'll get back at my enemies.
25I'll give you the back of my hand,
purge the junk from your life, clean you up.
26I'll set honest judges and wise counselors among you
just like it was back in the beginning.
Then you'll be renamed
City-That-Treats-People-Right, the True-Blue City."
27GOD's right ways will put Zion right again.
GOD's right actions will restore her penitents.
28But it's curtains for rebels and GOD-traitors,
a dead end for those who walk out on GOD.
29"Your dalliances in those oak grove shrines
will leave you looking mighty foolish,
All that fooling around in god and goddess gardens
that you thought was the latest thing.
30You'll end up like an oak tree
with all its leaves falling off,
Like an unwatered garden,
withered and brown.
31"The Big Man' will turn out to be dead bark and twigs,
and his "work,' the spark that starts the fire
That exposes man and work both
as nothing but cinders and smoke."

Isaiah 2
Climb God's Mountain

1The Message Isaiah got regarding Judah and Jerusalem:
2There's a day coming
when the mountain of GOD's House
Will be The Mountain--
solid, towering over all mountains.
All nations will river toward it,
people from all over set out for it.
3They'll say, "Come,
let's climb GOD's Mountain,
go to the House of the God of Jacob.
He'll show us the way he works
so we can live the way we're made."
Zion's the source of the revelation.
GOD's Message comes from Jerusalem.
4He'll settle things fairly between nations.
He'll make things right between many peoples.
They'll turn their swords into shovels,
their spears into hoes.
No more will nation fight nation;
they won't play war anymore.
5Come, family of Jacob,
let's live in the light of GOD.
6GOD, you've walked out on your family Jacob
because their world is full of hokey religion,
Philistine witchcraft, and pagan hocus-pocus,
7a world rolling in wealth,
Stuffed with things,
no end to its machines and gadgets,
8And gods--gods of all sorts and sizes.
These people make their own gods and worship what they make.
9A degenerate race, facedown in the gutter.
Don't bother with them! They're not worth forgiving!

Pretentious Egos Brought Down to Earth

10Head for the hills,
hide in the caves
From the terror of GOD,
from his dazzling presence.
11People with a big head are headed for a fall,
pretentious egos brought down a peg.
It's GOD alone at front-and-center
on the Day we're talking about,
12The Day that GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies
is matched against all big-talking rivals,
against all swaggering big names;
13Against all giant sequoias
hugely towering,
and against the expansive chestnut;
14Against Kilimanjaro and Annapurna,
against the ranges of Alps and Andes;
15Against every soaring skyscraper,
against all proud obelisks and statues;
16Against ocean-going luxury liners,
against elegant three-masted schooners.
17The swelled big heads will be punctured bladders,
the pretentious egos brought down to earth,
Leaving GOD alone at front-and-center
on the Day we're talking about.
18And all those sticks and stones
dressed up to look like gods
will be gone for good.
19Clamber into caves in the cliffs,
duck into any hole you can find.
Hide from the terror of GOD,
from his dazzling presence,
When he assumes his full stature on earth,
towering and terrifying.
20On that Day men and women will take
the sticks and stones
They've decked out in gold and silver
to look like gods and then worshiped,
And they will dump them
in any ditch or gully,
21Then run for rock caves
and cliff hideouts
To hide from the terror of GOD,
from his dazzling presence,
When he assumes his full stature on earth,
towering and terrifying.
22Quit scraping and fawning over mere humans,
so full of themselves, so full of hot air!
Can't you see there's nothing to them?

Isaiah 3
Jerusalem on Its Last Legs

1The Master, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies,
is emptying Jerusalem and Judah
Of all the basic necessities,
plain bread and water to begin with.
2He's withdrawing police and protection,
judges and courts,
pastors and teachers,
3captains and generals,
doctors and nurses,
and, yes, even the repairmen and jacks-of-all--trades.
4He says, "I'll put little kids in charge of the city.
Schoolboys and schoolgirls will order everyone around.
5People will be at each other's throats,
stabbing one another in the back:
Neighbor against neighbor, young against old,
the no-account against the well-respected.
6One brother will grab another and say,
"You look like you've got a head on your shoulders.
Do something!
Get us out of this mess.'
7And he'll say, "Me? Not me! I don't have a clue.
Don't put me in charge of anything.'
8"Jerusalem's on its last legs.
Judah is soon down for the count.
Everything people say and do
is at cross-purposes with GOD,
a slap in my face.
9Brazen in their depravity,
they flout their sins like degenerate Sodom.
Doom to their eternal souls! They've made their bed;
now they'll sleep in it.
10"Reassure the righteous
that their good living will pay off.
11But doom to the wicked! Disaster!
Everything they did will be done to them.
12"Skinny kids terrorize my people.
Silly girls bully them around.
My dear people! Your leaders are taking you down a blind alley.
They're sending you off on a wild goose chase."

A City Brought to Her Knees by Her Sorrows

13GOD enters the courtroom.
He takes his place at the bench to judge his people.
14GOD calls for order in the court,
hauls the leaders of his people into the dock:
"You've played havoc with this country.
Your houses are stuffed with what you've stolen from the poor.
15What is this anyway? Stomping on my people,
grinding the faces of the poor into the dirt?"
That's what the Master,
GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, says.
16GOD says, "Zion women are stuck-up,
prancing around in their high heels,
Making eyes at all the men in the street,
swinging their hips,
Tossing their hair,
gaudy and garish in cheap jewelry."
17The Master will fix it so those Zion women
will all turn bald--
Scabby, bald--headed women.
The Master will do it.
18The time is coming when the Master will strip them of their fancy baubles-- 19the dangling earrings, anklets and bracelets, 20combs and mirrors and silk scarves, diamond brooches and pearl necklaces, 21the rings on their fingers and the rings on their toes, 22the latest fashions in hats, exotic perfumes and aphrodisiacs, gowns and capes, 23all the world's finest in fabrics and design.
24Instead of wearing seductive scents,
these women are going to smell like rotting cabbages;
Instead of modeling flowing gowns,
they'll be sporting rags;
Instead of their stylish hairdos,
scruffy heads;
Instead of beauty marks,
scabs and scars.
25Your finest fighting men will be killed,
your soldiers left dead on the battlefield.
26The entrance gate to Zion will be clotted
with people mourning their dead--
A city stooped under the weight of her loss,
brought to her knees by her sorrows.

Isaiah 4

1That will be the day when seven women
will gang up on one man, saying,
"We'll take care of ourselves,
get our own food and clothes.
Just give us a child. Make us pregnant
so we'll have something to live for!"

God's Branch

2And that's when GOD's Branch will sprout green and lush. The produce of the country will give Israel's survivors something to be proud of again. Oh, they'll hold their heads high! 3Everyone left behind in Zion, all the discards and rejects in Jerusalem, will be reclassified as "holy"--alive and therefore precious. 4GOD will give Zion's women a good bath. He'll scrub the bloodstained city of its violence and brutality, purge the place with a firestorm of judgment.
5Then GOD will bring back the ancient pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night and mark Mount Zion and everyone in it with his glorious presence, his immense, protective presence, 6shade from the burning sun and shelter from the driving rain.

Isaiah 5
Looking for a Crop of Justice

1I'll sing a ballad to the one I love,
a love ballad about his vineyard:
The one I love had a vineyard,
a fine, well-placed vineyard.
2He hoed the soil and pulled the weeds,
and planted the very best vines.
He built a lookout, built a winepress,
a vineyard to be proud of.
He looked for a vintage yield of grapes,
but for all his pains he got junk grapes.
3"Now listen to what I'm telling you,
you who live in Jerusalem and Judah.
What do you think is going on
between me and my vineyard?
4Can you think of anything I could have done
to my vineyard that I didn't do?
When I expected good grapes,
why did I get bitter grapes?
5"Well now, let me tell you
what I'll do to my vineyard:
I'll tear down its fence
and let it go to ruin.
I'll knock down the gate
and let it be trampled.
6I'll turn it into a patch of weeds, untended, uncared for--
thistles and thorns will take over.
I'll give orders to the clouds:
"Don't rain on that vineyard, ever!'"
7Do you get it? The vineyard of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies
is the country of Israel.
All the men and women of Judah
are the garden he was so proud of.
He looked for a crop of justice
and saw them murdering each other.
He looked for a harvest of righteousness
and heard only the moans of victims.

You Who Call Evil Good and Good Evil

8Doom to you who buy up all the houses
and grab all the land for yourselves--
Evicting the old owners,
posting NO TRESPASSING signs,
Taking over the country,
leaving everyone homeless and landless.
9I overheard GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies say:
"Those mighty houses will end up empty.
Those extravagant estates will be deserted.
10A ten-acre vineyard will produce a pint of wine,
a fifty-pound sack of seed, a quart of grain."
11Doom to those who get up early
and start drinking booze before breakfast,
Who stay up all hours of the night
drinking themselves into a stupor.
12They make sure their banquets are well-furnished
with harps and flutes and plenty of wine,
But they'll have nothing to do with the work of GOD,
pay no mind to what he is doing.
13Therefore my people will end up in exile
because they don't know the score.
Their "big men" will starve to death
and the common people die of thirst.
14Sheol developed a huge appetite,
swallowing people nonstop!
Big people and little people alike
down that gullet, to say nothing of all the drunks.
15The down--and-out on a par
with the high-and-mighty,
Windbag boasters crumpled,
flaccid as a punctured bladder.
16But by working justice,
GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies will be a mountain.
By working righteousness,
Holy God will show what "holy" is.
17And lambs will graze
as if they owned the place,
Kids and calves
right at home in the ruins.
18Doom to you who use lies to sell evil,
who haul sin to market by the truckload,
19Who say, "What's God waiting for?
Let him get a move on so we can see it.
Whatever The Holy of Israel has cooked up,
we'd like to check it out."
20Doom to you who call evil good
and good evil,
Who put darkness in place of light
and light in place of darkness,
Who substitute bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!
21Doom to you who think you're so smart,
who hold such a high opinion of yourselves!
22All you're good at is drinking--champion boozers
who collect trophies from drinking bouts
23And then line your pockets with bribes from the guilty
while you violate the rights of the innocent.
24But they won't get by with it. As fire eats stubble
and dry grass goes up in smoke,
Their souls will atrophy,
their achievements crumble into dust,
Because they said no to the revelation
of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies,
Would have nothing to do
with The Holy of Israel.
25That's why GOD flamed out in anger against his people,
reached out and knocked them down.
The mountains trembled
as their dead bodies piled up in the streets.
But even after that, he was still angry,
his fist still raised, ready to hit them again.
26He raises a flag, signaling a distant nation,
whistles for people at the ends of the earth.
And here they come--
on the run!
27None drag their feet, no one stumbles,
no one sleeps or dawdles.
Shirts are on and pants buckled,
every boot is spit--polished and tied.
28Their arrows are sharp,
bows strung,
The hooves of their horses shod,
chariot wheels greased.
29Roaring like a pride of lions,
the full-throated roars of young lions,
They growl and seize their prey,
dragging it off--no rescue for that one!
30They'll roar and roar and roar on that Day,
like the roar of ocean billows.
Look as long and hard as you like at that land,
you'll see nothing but darkness and trouble.
Every light in the sky
will be blacked out by the clouds.

Isaiah 6
Holy, Holy, Holy!

1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne--high, exalted!-and the train of his robes filled the Temple. 2Angel-seraphs hovered above him, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two their feet, and with two they flew." 3And they called back and forth one to the other,
Holy, Holy, Holy is GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies.
His bright glory fills the whole earth.
4The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole house filled with smoke. 5I said,
"Doom! It's Doomsday!
I'm as good as dead!
Every word I've ever spoken is tainted--
blasphemous even!
And the people I live with talk the same way,
using words that corrupt and desecrate.
And here I've looked God in the face!
The King! GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies!"
6Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7He touched my mouth with the coal and said,
"Look. This coal has touched your lips.
Gone your guilt,
your sins wiped out."
8And then I heard the voice of the Master:
"Whom shall I send?
Who will go for us?"
I spoke up,
"I'll go.
Send me!" 9He said, "Go and tell this people:
""Listen hard, but you aren't going to get it;
look hard, but you won't catch on.'
10Make these people blockheads,
with fingers in their ears and blindfolds on their eyes,
So they won't see a thing,
won't hear a word,
So they won't have a clue about what's going on
and, yes, so they won't turn around and be made whole."
11Astonished, I said,
"And Master, how long is this to go on?"
He said, "Until the cities are emptied out,
not a soul left in the cities--
Houses empty of people,
countryside empty of people.
12Until I, GOD, get rid of everyone, sending them off,
the land totally empty.
13And even if some should survive, say a tenth,
the devastation will start up again.
The country will look like pine and oak forest
with every tree cut down--
Every tree a stump, a huge field of stumps.
But there's a holy seed in those stumps."

Isaiah 7
A Virgin Will Bear a Son

1During the time that Ahaz son of Jothan, son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel attacked Jerusalem, but the attack sputtered out. 2When the Davidic government learned that Aram had joined forces with Ephraim (that is, Israel), Ahaz and his people were badly shaken. They shook like trees in the wind.
3Then GOD told Isaiah, "Go and meet Ahaz. Take your son Shear-jashub (A-Remnant-Will-Return) with you. Meet him south of the city at the end of the aqueduct where it empties into the upper pool on the road to the public laundry. 4Tell him, Listen, calm down. Don't be afraid. And don't panic over these two burnt-out cases, Rezin of Aram and the son of Remaliah. They talk big but there's nothing to them. 5Aram, along with Ephraim's son of Remaliah, have plotted to do you harm. They've conspired against you, saying, 6"Let's go to war against Judah, dismember it, take it for ourselves, and set the son of Tabeel up as a puppet king over it.'
7But GOD, the Master, says,
"It won't happen.
Nothing will come of it
8Because the capital of Aram is Damascus
and the king of Damascus is a mere man, Rezin.
As for Ephraim, in sixty-five years
it will be rubble, nothing left of it.
9The capital of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the king of Samaria is the mere son of Remaliah.
If you don't take your stand in faith,
you won't have a leg to stand on." 10GOD spoke again to Ahaz. This time he said, 11"Ask for a sign from your GOD. Ask anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!"
12But Ahaz said, "I'd never do that. I'd never make demands like that on GOD!"
13So Isaiah told him, "Then listen to this, government of David! It's bad enough that you make people tired with your pious, timid hypocrisies, but now you're making God tired. 14So the Master is going to give you a sign anyway. Watch for this: A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She'll bear a son and name him Immanuel (God-With-Us). 15By the time the child is twelve years old, able to make moral decisions, 16the threat of war will be over. Relax, those two kings that have you so worried will be out of the picture. 17But also be warned: GOD will bring on you and your people and your government a judgment worse than anything since the time the kingdom split, when Ephraim left Judah. The king of Assyria is coming!"
18That's when GOD will whistle for the flies at the headwaters of Egypt's Nile, and whistle for the bees in the land of Assyria. 19They'll come and infest every nook and cranny of this country. There'll be no getting away from them.
20And that's when the Master will take the razor rented from across the Euphrates--the king of Assyria no less!-and shave the hair off your heads and genitals, leaving you shamed, exposed, and denuded. He'll shave off your beards while he's at it.
21It will be a time when survivors will count themselves lucky to have a cow and a couple of sheep. 22At least they'll have plenty of milk! Whoever's left in the land will learn to make do with the simplest foods--curds, say, and honey.
23But that's not the end of it. This country that used to be covered with fine vineyards--thousands of them, worth millions!-will revert to a weed patch. 24Weeds and thorn bushes everywhere! Good for nothing except, perhaps, hunting rabbits. 25Cattle and sheep will forage as best they can in the fields of weeds--but there won't be a trace of all those fertile and well-tended gardens and fields.

What it means to me:
Ok, so I chose Isaiah really b/c God told me to read it on Sunday evening but I kinda failed the whole obedience at once thing, by procrastinating and playing video games and writing my chemistry lab instead. So I'm doing it now, sorry this is late Jesus.

Anyway, Isaiah, if you could list some of the most famous people in the old testament, I'm pretty sure Isaiah would be on that list. Anyway, I'm kinda like Isaiah, I get prophetic words from God as well, where I fail, is to share them more with the body, but then again, I don't really feel comfortable with my body of believers.

So ya, Isaiah. Basically God is angry at his chosen people, if your not into the whole Old testament, which really I haven't read all of it, I'm still trying to interpret the New testament, I think I should go over some of this with Cory, but then again, he doesn't read my blogs even though I favorited them on his computer.

So ya, Isaiah, I'm really confused by a bunch of this, I'd really like it if someone went over it with me so I have a better understanding, I'll put memory verses and such afterwards, I want to pick stuff out that speaks to me, but right now it's uber confusing. Help!

-Brent

Day Twenty

2005-12-03T20:44:00.000-08:00

Scripture Read:
Ok today is a bit different, since I spent the day reading all of 1 Thessalonians, for day 20 I wanted to just talk about a song I heard a few weeks ago on the radio that really spoke to me.

I'll host the mp3 on one of my servers, so you can look for the link below.

It's the song called "What if" writen by Nicole Nordeman who is a very talented composer.

Basically the words that spoke to me is the lyrics to this song.

"What if you're right and he was just another nice guy?
What if you're right?
What if it's true? They say the cross will only make a fool of you.
And what if it's true?
What if he takes his palace in history, with all the prophets and the kings who taught us love and came in peace, but then the story ends?
What then?

But what if you're wrong?
What if there's more?
What if there's hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He's more than enough?
What if it's love?

What if you dig, What if you dig way down deeper than your simple-minded friends?
What if you dig?
What if you find a thousand more unanswered questions inside?
That's all you find.
What if you pick apart the logic and begin to poke the holes?
What if the crown of thorns is no more then folklore that must be told and retold

But what if you're wrong?
What if there's more?
What if there's hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He's more than enough?
What if it's love?

You've been running as fast as you can, you’ve been looking for a place you can land, for so long.
But what if you're wrong?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He's more than enough?
What if it's love?

What it means to me:

In this song there are far more What if's for if God isn't real than if he is. That shows two things, the argument that if Jesus truely wasn't the son of God would be supported on a bunch of What if's, and if your going to make the argument that God isn't real by saying to "What if he isn't real?" then you also must ask yourself what if your wrong? To me it's a very powerful song, that also speaks to me.

I don't know about you at all, but if you can comprehend for a second, and take Jesus seriously about the fact that who he said he was is who he is ( not saying that I don't believe), your whole outlook for that second is going to change. Its just so hard to truely get the full grasp of it. This guy was the son of God. God in flesh. On earth, with us, knowing what its like to go through all the crap we deal with and more, and to make a huge sacrifice like he did. Can you honestly say that you can fully comprehend the agony he went through. I think as Christians we don't focus on the realness of Jesus Christ enough and this song basically challenges that. You either believe or you don't, I don't think you can be sitting on the fence about this.

Basically if you can understand what I'm saying here, then post a comment. Heck post a comment anyways. But take some time to imagine the realness of Jesus Christ before you post that comment.

Memory Verse:
"Jesus once again addressed them: 'I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.'"
John 8:12

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-Brent

Day Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, and Nineteen

2005-12-03T20:03:00.000-08:00

Scripture Read:
1 Thessalonians 1
1I, Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy, send greetings to the church at Thessalonica, Christians assembled by God the Father and by the Master, Jesus Christ. God's amazing grace be with you! God's robust peace!

Convictions of Steel
2Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you're in our prayers 3as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. 4It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. 5When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn't just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.
You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, 6and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!-taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.
7Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? 8The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master's Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don't even have to say anything anymore--you're the message! 9People come up and tell us how you received us with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the true God. 10They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.

1 Thessalonians 2
1So, friends, it's obvious that our visit to you was no waste of time. 2We had just been given rough treatment in Philippi, as you know, but that didn't slow us down. We were sure of ourselves in God, and went right ahead and said our piece, presenting God's Message to you, defiant of the opposition.

No Hidden Agendas
3God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. 4Be assured that when we speak to you we're not after crowd approval--only God approval. Since we've been put through that battery of tests, you're guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. 5We never used words to butter you up. No one knows that better than you. And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you.
6Even though we had some standing as Christ's apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. 7We weren't aloof with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children. 8We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts. And we did.
9You remember us in those days, friends, working our fingers to the bone, up half the night, moonlighting so you wouldn't have the burden of supporting us while we proclaimed God's Message to you. 10You saw with your own eyes how discreet and courteous we were among you, with keen sensitivity to you as fellow believers. And God knows we weren't freeloaders! 11You experienced it all firsthand. With each of you we were like a father with his child, 12holding your hand, whispering encouragement, showing you step-by-step how to live well before God, who called us into his own kingdom, into this delightful life.
13And now we look back on all this and thank God, an artesian well of thanks! When you got the Message of God we preached, you didn't pass it off as just one more human opinion, but you took it to heart as God's true word to you, which it is, God himself at work in you believers!
14Friends, do you realize that you followed in the exact footsteps of the churches of God in Judea, those who were the first to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ? You got the same bad treatment from your countrymen as they did from theirs, the Jews 15who killed the Master Jesus (to say nothing of the prophets) and followed it up by running us out of town. They make themselves offensive to God and everyone else 16by trying to keep us from telling people who've never heard of our God how to be saved. They've made a career of opposing God, and have gotten mighty good at it. But God is fed up, ready to put an end to it. 17Do you have any idea how very homesick we became for you, dear friends? Even though it hadn't been that long and it was only our bodies that were separated from you, not our hearts, we tried our very best to get back to see you. 18You can't imagine how much we missed you! I, Paul, tried over and over to get back, but Satan stymied us each time. 19Who do you think we're going to be proud of when our Master Jesus appears if it's not you? 20You're our pride and joy!

1 Thessalonians 3
1So when we couldn't stand being separated from you any longer and could find no way to visit you ourselves, we stayed in Athens 2and sent Timothy to get you up and about, cheering you on so you wouldn't be discouraged by these hard times. He's a brother and companion in the faith, God's man in spreading the Message, preaching Christ.
3Not that the troubles should come as any surprise to you. You've always known that we're in for this kind of thing. It's part of our calling. 4When we were with you, we made it quite clear that there was trouble ahead. And now that it's happened, you know what it's like. 5That's why I couldn't quit worrying; I had to know for myself how you were doing in the faith. I didn't want the Tempter getting to you and tearing down everything we had built up together.
6But now that Timothy is back, bringing this terrific report on your faith and love, we feel a lot better. It's especially gratifying to know that you continue to think well of us, and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you! 7In the middle of our trouble and hard times here, just knowing how you're doing keeps us going. 8Knowing that your faith is alive keeps us alive.
9What would be an adequate thanksgiving to offer God for all the joy we experience before him because of you? 10We do what we can, praying away, night and day, asking for the bonus of seeing your faces again and doing what we can to help when your faith falters.
11May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus clear the road to you! 12And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. 13May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.

1 Thessalonians 4
You're God-Taught 1One final word, friends. We ask you--urge is more like it--that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance. 2You know the guidelines we laid out for you from the Master Jesus. 3God wants you to live a pure life.
Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity.
4Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, 5not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God.
6Don't run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. Their concerns are God's concerns, and he will take care of them. We've warned you about this before. 7God hasn't invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful--as beautiful on the inside as the outside.
8If you disregard this advice, you're not offending your neighbors; you're rejecting God, who is making you a gift of his Holy Spirit.
9Regarding life together and getting along with each other, you don't need me to tell you what to do. You're God-taught in these matters. Just love one another! 10You're already good at it; your friends all over the province of Macedonia are the evidence. Keep it up; get better and better at it.
11Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job. You've heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts. 12We want you living in a way that will command the respect of outsiders, not lying around sponging off your friends.

The Master's Coming
13And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don't want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. 14Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus.
15And then this: We can tell you with complete confidence--we have the Master's word on it--that when the Master comes again to get us, those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind. In actual fact, they'll be ahead of us. 16The Master himself will give the command. Archangel thunder! God's trumpet blast! He'll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise--they'll go first. 17Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. 18Oh, we'll be walking on air! And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5
1I don't think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. 2You know as well as I that the day of the Master's coming can't be posted on our calendars. He won't call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. 3About the time everybody's walking around complacently, congratulating each other--"We've sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!"-suddenly everything will fall apart. It's going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.
4But friends, you're not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? 5You're sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. 6So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart. 7People sleep at night and get drunk at night. 8But not us! Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.
9God didn't set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. 10He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we're awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we're alive with him! 11So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it.

The Way He Wants You to Live
12And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. 13Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!
Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. 14Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. 15And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
16Be cheerful no matter what; 17pray all the time; 18thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
19Don't suppress the Spirit, 20and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. 21On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. 22Throw out anything tainted with evil.
23May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together--spirit, soul, and body--and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. 24The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it!
25Friends, keep up your prayers for us. 26Greet all the Christians there with a holy embrace. 27And make sure this letter gets read to all the brothers and sisters. Don't leave anyone out.
28The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you!

What it means to me:
See my original excuse as to why I didn't post was because I couldn't think of anything good next to read and memorize. But then God hit me in the face with the fact that everything in the bible is worth memorizing, especially the genology of Jesus Christ, so don't bother bringing that up.

So Thessalonians. If only all body of believers were like this Church. But were not, and that's why we are all unique and such. But let me point out to you some of the things Paul states that this Church has that are essential for a good church to have.

Faithful, Patient for the Return of the Lord, Loving, Living a Christ like life, perservering through trials ( in this case, having joy), turned from their wicked old lives and much more.

I know I don't have all those qualities, and I know I need to definitly work on some of them.

Paul then talks about how God tests his apostles ( which includes us today) so that we speak the word of God with the truth of God. What that means is the words they taught were didn't have a motive of teaching behind it only a motive of truth. Even if the truth offended those they taught it had to be said, for it came right from God. Makes you want to persevere more trials eh?

Then Paul, whom in the Message translation, seems to lack humility, talks about how we as Christians shouldn't act superior, but rather serve the ones we teach, not to be lazy and act like kings. Well thats what it says to me, but then again this whole section is about that right?

Then in chapter four is where it really applies to me lately. Doing stuff to please God instead of doing it because you have to. God wants us to live a pure life for him, then Paul urges us not to abuse our bodies, which for one I haven't in the mind set of deformity but there are many other ways to abuse your body, like for example letting it control you via you eat when your hungry, go to bed when your tired. ( I won't forget to fast Cory, you can be sure of that).

Also Paul talks about Judging others, and how that matter is best left for God in verse six.
God has called us to live a holy life, so obey the teachings and live them out.

Love everyone, no matter what. For we have been forgiven so we can forgive.

Then we go into a little bit of the rapture which is always good.

We don't have to worry though is the whole point at the end, for we are already in God's family, now we just need to finish the work God has given us to prepare us for eternity.

"And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. 13Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!
Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. 14Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. 15And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
16Be cheerful no matter what; 17pray all the time; 18thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
19Don't suppress the Spirit, 20and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. 21On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. 22Throw out anything tainted with evil."

Seriously such a great list there of what we need to do.
I don't know about you, but I'm sure as heck going to do what it takes to bring pleasure to my God.

Memory Verses:

"For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord."

1 Thessalonians 3:8(NIV)

"Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body,"

1 Thessalonians 4:4(Msg)

"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens."

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

"Throw out anything tainted with evil."

1 Thessalonians 4:22

Day Fourteen

2005-11-27T15:24:00.000-08:00

Scripture Read:
2 Peter 3
In the Last Days
1My dear friends, this is now the second time I've written to you, both letters reminders to hold your minds in a state of undistracted attention. 2Keep in mind what the holy prophets said, and the command of our Master and Savior that was passed on by your apostles.
3First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings, 4they'll mock, "So what's happened to the promise of his Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything's going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing's changed."
5They conveniently forget that long ago all the galaxies and this very planet were brought into existence out of watery chaos by God's word. 6Then God's word brought the chaos back in a flood that destroyed the world. 7The current galaxies and earth are fuel for the final fire. God is poised, ready to speak his word again, ready to give the signal for the judgment and destruction of the desecrating skeptics.

The Day the Sky Will Collapse
8Don't overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. 9God isn't late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn't want anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to change.
10But when the Day of God's Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment.
11Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? 12Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day-- 13but we'll hardly notice. We'll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness. 14So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. 15Interpret our Master's patient restraint for what it is: salvation. Our good brother Paul, who was given much wisdom in these matters, 16refers to this in all his letters, and has written you essentially the same thing. Some things Paul writes are difficult to understand. Irresponsible people who don't know what they are talking about twist them every which way. They do it to the rest of the Scriptures, too, destroying themselves as they do it.
17But you, friends, are well-warned. Be on guard lest you lose your footing and get swept off your feet by these lawless and loose-talking teachers. 18Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes!

What it means to me:
Darn Karyn Baker, chapter three does rock my socks off. So were've got to be ready to be mocked. woot persecution! Bring it Satan. My God word is with me and I shall not fall. The mockery will end, oh yes, it will. "God is poised, ready to speak his word again, ready to give the signal for the judgment and destruction of the desecrating skeptics." I love it, so true. But he is very merciful in giving everyone enough time to change, he wants to win back the world. He's God, he loves us so much, he bled and died for us. Now that is love. God isn't late with his promises, your just impatient, God's timing is God's timing, it's perfect, don't forget that. Your reward is coming, still, the day of judgement will come as a surprise, but to those who believe, it will be like nothing has changed, for if you've been living a Christ like life, you have a grasp of what is in store in heaven. Live for today, in the set that it will be your last, because it could be, the day of judegment could come tomorrow. If it does, this blog probably will go unread, but I'm prepared to face that fact. God is patient with his judgement, be glad and use that time to win another for Jesus.

Memory Verse:
"Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life?"
2 Peter 3:11 (Msg)

Day Twelve and Thirteen

2005-11-26T17:22:00.000-08:00

Scripture Read:
2 Peter 1
1I, Simon Peter, am a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. I write this to you whose experience with God is as life-changing as ours, all due to our God's straight dealing and the intervention of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 2Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master.

Don't Put It Off
3Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! 4We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you--your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.
5So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, 6alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, 7warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. 8With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. 9Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.
10So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing, 11the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The One Light in a Dark Time
12Because the stakes are so high, even though you're up-to-date on all this truth and practice it inside and out, I'm not going to let up for a minute in calling you to attention before it. 13This is the post to which I've been assigned--keeping you alert with frequent reminders--and I'm sticking to it as long as I live. 14I know that I'm to die soon; the Master has made that quite clear to me. 15And so I am especially eager that you have all this down in black and white so that after I die, you'll have it for ready reference.
16We weren't, you know, just wishing on a star when we laid the facts out before you regarding the powerful return of our Master, Jesus Christ. We were there for the preview! We saw it with our own eyes: 17Jesus resplendent with light from God the Father as the voice of Majestic Glory spoke: "This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of all my delight." 18We were there on the holy mountain with him. We heard the voice out of heaven with our very own ears.
19We couldn't be more sure of what we saw and heard--God's glory, God's voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You'll do well to keep focusing on it. It's the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts. 20The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion. 21And why? Because it's not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God's Word.

2 Peter 2
Lying Religious Leaders
1But there were also lying prophets among the people then, just as there will be lying religious teachers among you. They'll smuggle in destructive divisions, pitting you against each other--biting the hand of the One who gave them a chance to have their lives back! They've put themselves on a fast downhill slide to destruction, 2but not before they recruit a crowd of mixed-up followers who can't tell right from wrong.
They give the way of truth a bad name. 3They're only out for themselves. They'll say anything, anything, that sounds good to exploit you. They won't, of course, get by with it. They'll come to a bad end, for God has never just stood by and let that kind of thing go on.
4God didn't let the rebel angels off the hook, but jailed them in hell till Judgment Day. 5Neither did he let the ancient ungodly world off. He wiped it out with a flood, rescuing only eight people--Noah, the sole voice of righteousness, was one of them.
6God decreed destruction for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. A mound of ashes was all that was left--grim warning to anyone bent on an ungodly life. 7But that good man Lot, driven nearly out of his mind by the sexual filth and perversity, was rescued. 8Surrounded by moral rot day after day after day, that righteous man was in constant torment.
9So God knows how to rescue the godly from evil trials. And he knows how to hold the feet of the wicked to the fire until Judgment Day.

Predators on the Prowl
10God is especially incensed against these "teachers" who live by lust, addicted to a filthy existence. They despise interference from true authority, preferring to indulge in self-rule. Insolent egotists, they don't hesitate to speak evil against the most splendid of creatures. 11Even angels, their superiors in every way, wouldn't think of throwing their weight around like that, trying to slander others before God.
12These people are nothing but brute beasts, born in the wild, predators on the prowl. In the very act of bringing down others with their ignorant blasphemies, they themselves will be brought down, losers in the end. 13Their evil will boomerang on them. They're so despicable and addicted to pleasure that they indulge in wild parties, carousing in broad daylight. 14They're obsessed with adultery, compulsive in sin, seducing every vulnerable soul they come upon. Their specialty is greed, and they're experts at it. Dead souls!
15They've left the main road and are directionless, having taken the way of Balaam, son of Beor, the prophet who turned profiteer, a connoisseur of evil. 16But Balaam was stopped in his wayward tracks: A dumb animal spoke in a human voice and prevented the prophet's craziness.
17There's nothing to these people--they're dried-up fountains, storm-scattered clouds, headed for a black hole in hell. 18They are loudmouths, full of hot air, but still they're dangerous. Men and women who have recently escaped from a deviant life are most susceptible to their brand of seduction. 19They promise these newcomers freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, for if they're addicted to corruption--and they are--they're enslaved.
20If they've escaped from the slum of sin by experiencing our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ, and then slid back into that same old life again, they're worse than if they had never left. 21Better not to have started out on the straight road to God than to start out and then turn back, repudiating the experience and the holy command. 22They prove the point of the proverbs, "A dog goes back to its own vomit," and, "A scrubbed-up pig heads for the mud."

What it means to me:
Don't procrastinate in developing the gifts God has given you. Peter lists a bunch of other stuff we can develop to have a stronger relationship with our Master. From faith, to sharing our wisdom to others through teaching, God wants to develop the skills we have been given not just for him, but also to help the body of believers. You will reap what you sow afterall. Look to Jesus in the darkest times and you will find peace. He will help you in times of trouble. I'm not saying he's going to make all your problems disappear, no in fact most of out circumstances are needed in order to shape us more like Christ. What I'm saying is, turn to Christ and he will show you how to succeed. The prophetic words you hear, and you will hear prophetic words, trust me, there an example of the first part of this chapter. Where we should teach others the wisdom we've been given, well the prophetic words you hear, can help other believers, don't be selfish, share what God has laid on your heart with your family. I love 1st and 2nd Peter, because it assures me of what waits in heaven, what I should look out for on earth, and what I should be doing while I wait for my reward.

Memory Verses:
"So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing, "
2 Peter 1:10 (Msg)

"It would be better if they had never known the right way to live than to know it and then reject the holy commandments that were given to them."
2 Peter 2:21 (NLT)

Day Eleven

2005-11-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

Scripture Read:
1 Peter 5
He'll Promote You at the Right Time
1I have a special concern for you church leaders. I know what it's like to be a leader, in on Christ's sufferings as well as the coming glory. 2Here's my concern: that you care for God's flock with all the diligence of a shepherd. Not because you have to, but because you want to please God. Not calculating what you can get out of it, but acting spontaneously.[ 3Not bossily telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way.
4When God, who is the best shepherd of all, comes out in the open with his rule, he'll see that you've done it right and commend you lavishly. 5And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for--
God has had it with the proud,
But takes delight in just plain people.

6So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time. 7Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.

He Gets the Last Word
8Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. 9Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. 10The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ--eternal and glorious plans they are!-will have you put together and on your feet for good. 11He gets the last word; yes, he does.
12I'm sending this brief letter to you by Silas, a most dependable brother. I have the highest regard for him.
I've written as urgently and accurately as I know how. This is God's generous truth; embrace it with both arms!
13The church in exile here with me--but not for a moment forgotten by God--wants to be remembered to you. Mark, who is like a son to me, says hello. 14Give holy embraces all around! Peace to you--to all who walk in Christ's ways.

What it means to me:
To those who lead, lead not because of pride, but lead to bring God pleasure. To me leading involves not just leading others, but being able to be led by others. To be a strong leader you need both, not just one or the other. If you read the NIV translation of this passage, it talks about how the old are the leaders and the young are the followers, but I think the age is really applying to your growth in God. How wise you are. I mean some of the best leaders I know aren't even 20. Leaders don't lead because you have to ( you signed up to lead, and your just doing it every week due to routine) but do it for God. Also to those who are learning still, follow your leaders, it will prepare you for the future. Both thou, do not be proud, take delight in the ordinary people, for we are all sinners aren't we? Don't make your leaders idols, for then we are placing people above God. Nor should leaders boast in their skills, for without God, they would not have the wisdom they use in theire teaching. Be always on guard, remember to apply what your taught to your life, because the enemy attacks when we are most vulnerable. Don't be selfish when going through trials either, for you should know that your brothers and sisters are going through the same trials across the distant land.

Remember the suffering will end, so persevere through the trials and your reward in heaven will be great.

I noticed that through this book, perserverance comes up alot, b/c the trials we face shape us to become more like Christ, that is, if we perservere through them with a Christ like mind.

Memory Verse:

"Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you."
1 Peter 5:7 (Msg)

Sorry I took so long to update, I'll try to stop procrastinating these things. Also I had to seperate this from the other days, b/c it finishes off 1 Peter, and the other two go into my next scripture. I was busy on Thursday and time got away from me. I'm sorry to all those who read these, if there are any who actually do.

-Brent

Day Eight, Nine and Ten

2005-11-23T23:23:00.000-08:00

Scripture Read:

1 Peter 2

1So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. 2Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God's pure kindness. Then you'll grow up mature and whole in God.
3You've had a taste of God.
The Stone 4Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life. The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it in the place of honor. 5Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you'll serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God. 6The Scriptures provide precedent:
Look! I'm setting a stone in Zion,
a cornerstone in the place of honor.
Whoever trusts in this stone as a foundation
will never have cause to regret it.

7To you who trust him, he's a Stone to be proud of, but to those who refuse to trust him,
The stone the workmen threw out
is now the chief foundation stone.

8For the untrusting it's
. . . a stone to trip over,
a boulder blocking the way.

They trip and fall because they refuse to obey, just as predicted.
9But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you-- 10from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. 11Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. 12Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.
13Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; 14they are God's emissaries for keeping order. 15It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you're a danger to society. 16Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. 17Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.

The Kind of Life He Lived 18You who are servants, be good servants to your masters--not just to good masters, but also to bad ones. 19What counts is that you put up with it for God's sake when you're treated badly for no good reason. 20There's no particular virtue in accepting punishment that you well deserve. But if you're treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God.
21This is the kind of life you've been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.

22He never did one thing wrong,
Not once said anything amiss.

23They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. 24He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. 25You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you're named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
CULTIVATE INNER BEAUTY

1 Peter 3 1The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated 2by your life of holy beauty. 3What matters is not your outer appearance--the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes-- 4but your inner disposition.
Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. 5The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way, and were good, loyal wives to their husbands. 6Sarah, for instance, taking care of Abraham, would address him as "my dear husband." You'll be true daughters of Sarah if you do the same, unanxious and unintimidated.
7The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God's grace, you're equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don't run aground.

Suffering for Doing Good 8Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. 9That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless--that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

10Whoever wants to embrace life
and see the day fill up with good,
Here's what you do:
Say nothing evil or hurtful;
11Snub evil and cultivate good;
run after peace for all you're worth.
12God looks on all this with approval,
listening and responding well to what he's asked;
But he turns his back
on those who do evil things.

13If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? 14Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. 15Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. 16Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath. 17It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. 18That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all--was put to death and then made alive--to bring us to God.
19He went and proclaimed God's salvation to earlier generations who ended up in the prison of judgment 20because they wouldn't listen. You know, even though God waited patiently all the days that Noah built his ship, only a few were saved then, eight to be exact--saved from the water by the water. 21The waters of baptism do that for you, not by washing away dirt from your skin but by presenting you through Jesus' resurrection before God with a clear conscience. 22Jesus has the last word on everything and everyone, from angels to armies. He's standing right alongside God, and what he says goes.

1 Peter 4
Learn to Think Like Him 1Since Jesus went through everything you're going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. 2Then you'll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.
3You've already put in your time in that God-ignorant way of life, partying night after night, a drunken and profligate life. Now it's time to be done with it for good. 4Of course, your old friends don't understand why you don't join in with the old gang anymore. But you don't have to give an account to them. 5They're the ones who will be called on the carpet--and before God himself.
6Listen to the Message. It was preached to those believers who are now dead, and yet even though they died (just as all people must), they will still get in on the life that God has given in Jesus.
7Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. 8Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. 9Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless--cheerfully. 10Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: 11if words, let it be God's words; if help, let it be God's hearty help. That way, God's bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he'll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything--encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!

Glory Just Around the Corner 12Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. 13Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.
14If you're abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It's the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. 15If they're on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that's a different matter. 16But if it's because you're a Christian, don't give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!
17It's judgment time for Christians. We're first in line. If it starts with us, think what it's going to be like for those who refuse God's Message!

18If good people barely make it,
What's in store for the bad?

19So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it.

What it means to me:

Man I love these passages, its kinda good that I put off this for three days so I could get the whole picture of these three chapters.

You have God, good for you, now clean out any unholy thing in his temple ( we are temples for God), and use it to glorify God. We won't stumble if we obey God's will, and that is the whole analogy behing the stone. Were chosen to preach the word of God, I mean who else is going to do it, certainatly not the buddhists. God will use us in many ways, don't get cozy to this world and God's use for you in it. You will die, it's a scientific fact is it not? Don't give into earthy desires for they just interfere with the high goal God has for you, preparing you for his kingdom. Instead we are suppose to live along side everyone in this world. We have to get along with them, even if they don't get along with us. Our lives can evanglise to them, so it is always important we are always doing everything for God, so he shines through us. Respect not just your heavenly master, but respect earthly authorities. God has put them there to keep order for the time being, if you obey you can cure the ignorance of the world who think your a danger to society. Excersise your freedom by serving God, not breaking the rules. I love that part. Love everyone, respect the governement. Perservere with love even to those who beat you, or treat you bad for no reason. Look at Jesus, he was killed with no just caused and he never raised a hand to his enemies, he never sinned through all the pain he endured, and for what, to reconnect us with our heavenly father, I think we should be doing all we can for this guy, and acting like him is a good way to start.

Get rid of your old habits that would make you attached to this world and live for God alone.

Memory Verses:

"Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. "

1 Peter 2:11(Msg)

"It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad."

1 Peter 3:17(Msg)

"Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it:"

1 Peter 4:10(Msg)

Day Seven

2005-11-20T22:17:00.000-08:00

Passage Read:
1 Peter 1

1I, Peter, am an apostle on assignment by Jesus, the Messiah, writing to exiles scattered to the four winds. Not one is missing, not one forgotten. 2God the Father has his eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours!

A New Life 3What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, 4including a future in heaven--and the future starts now! 5God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all--life healed and whole.
6I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. 7Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.
8You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him--with laughter and singing. 9Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation.
10The prophets who told us this was coming asked a lot of questions about this gift of life God was preparing. 11The Messiah's Spirit let them in on some of it--that the Messiah would experience suffering, followed by glory. They clamored to know who and when. 12All they were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves--through the Holy Spirit--the Message of those prophecies fulfilled. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this!

A Future in God 13So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. 14Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. 15As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. 16God said, "I am holy; you be holy."
17You call out to God for help and he helps--he's a good Father that way. But don't forget, he's also a responsible Father, and won't let you get by with sloppy living.
Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. 18It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. 19He paid with Christ's sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. 20And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately--at the end of the ages--become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. 21It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.
22Now that you've cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. 23Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! 24That's why the prophet said,
The old life is a grass life,
its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers;
Grass dries up, flowers droop,
25God's Word goes on and on forever.

This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.

What this means to me:

God's always watching us, which is a good thing isn't it, it means we can call out for help when in a difficult situtation and he'll be right there for us, sorta like when your having a nightmare and you wake up screaming your parents rush into your room to see what's wrong, even though they already know that you had a nightmare. So Paul acknowledges that God is so great for giving us this new life in Christ. He's 100% right you know, God could have given up on mankind as soon as we sinned, but he found a way to bring us back into his court. Through his son Christ Jesus. I can't wait until the day when I'm taking into heaven, we always think to the future about that day don't we? Well Paul address a really interesting point, the future is now. The day when you'll have your full reward is coming, but God is watching us in the here and now, and preparing us for heaven. We need to persevere for the trials to come. Most outside the body of Christ think, we have it all, that are lives are all rosey. While it's true that Christians in the western world arn't persecuted as much as those maytr's in some of the countries in the east and the middle eastern part of the world, we still face many problems. So we are told to perservere through them right? Ok good. You are blessed for believing with your faith. Do you ever question if you truely think God is real. Well I once prayed to God to ask him if I truely believed he was real and you know what he said? "If you had doubts I wasn't real, then would you be talking to me right now?" Ya, my God has a sense of humor but I've never forgot that lesson. You have faith in God when you pray, worship, and teach about him. Heck you have to have some faith to even stand learning about him and taking it to heart right? Paul commends those who believe what they have not witnessed, he was a witness and he had a hard time believing sometimes, and look you have never seen Jesus in flesh yet, you believe. Now that's faith. Paul warns us to be ready to recieve the gifts, don't make your heart like stone to Jesus. Instead surrender your life to God every moment of the day so his plan, his purpose for your life at that very moment can be fulfilled. Don't be lazy and conform to society and pretend everything is hunky dory, thats the easy way out. Live for God instead, you'll be doing it in heaven, you might as well practice now. Obey God's plan for your life instead of living for your own desires. 1 Peter 4:2 says, "As a result he no longer lives for evil human desires but for the will of God". Don't worry I memorized it, it doesn't count as my memory verse if I've already memorized it right? If you need help ask for and God will help, but remember God won't let you get away with sloppy work, if he provides you a way out of your problem he expects you to follow it 100% of the way, not call it quits at 85%. Remember how much God sacrificed to get you out of sin, don't you think all your time and effort is small favor to do for I guy who bled and died for your pain and suffering. He died, so you could Live. He knew in advance that you would screw up, so he planned for Jesus to fix your problem. Your life is changed, you can't ever go back to being obvious anymore, if you try your just ignoring the greatest sacrifice ever made. It's like someone buying you a new car because you desperatly needed one, and you selling it. No worse you trashed it and didn't even care. You want to embrace your new life? Good start by being in the word, and I mean everyday, heck if you can pull that off for a year, try once every 12 hours, then try once every single moment you can. Every other moment you can spend with the Master talking about what you've read or how his creation is doing with a great gift you were given at birth. Life, and how your going to work towards the greater gift to come, eternal life.

So I'm going to read all of 1 Peter in the coming days, I encourage you to read along with me. 5 minutes a day is all it takes to read a chapter in this book, and its a small favor you honestly owe to God for taking away your eternal death.

Memory verse:

"Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself!"

1 Peter 1:23

This one is going to be a doozy to remember.

-Brent

Day Five and Six

2005-11-19T22:05:00.000-08:00

Passage Read:
Psalm 119
91Your Word and truth are dependable as ever;
that's what you ordered--you set the earth going.
92If your revelation hadn't delighted me so,
I would have given up when the hard times came.
93But I'll never forget the advice you gave me;
you saved my life with those wise words.
94Save me! I'm all yours.
I look high and low for your words of wisdom.
95The wicked lie in ambush to destroy me,
but I'm only concerned with your plans for me.
96I see the limits to everything human,
but the horizons can't contain your commands! 97Oh, how I love all you've revealed;
I reverently ponder it all the day long.
98Your commands give me an edge on my enemies;
they never become obsolete.
99I've even become smarter than my teachers
since I've pondered and absorbed your counsel.
100I've become wiser than the wise old sages
simply by doing what you tell me.
101I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil
so I can spend all my time keeping your Word.
102I never make detours from the route you laid out;
you gave me such good directions.
103Your words are so choice, so tasty;
I prefer them to the best home cooking.
104With your instruction, I understand life;
that's why I hate false propaganda. 105By your words I can see where I'm going;
they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
106I've committed myself and I'll never turn back
from living by your righteous order.
107Everything's falling apart on me, GOD;
put me together again with your Word.
108Festoon me with your finest sayings, GOD;
teach me your holy rules.
109My life is as close as my own hands,
but I don't forget what you have revealed.
110The wicked do their best to throw me off track,
but I don't swerve an inch from your course.
111I inherited your book on living; it's mine forever--
what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
112I concentrate on doing exactly what you say--
I always have and always will. 113I hate the two-faced,
but I love your clear-cut revelation.
114You're my place of quiet retreat;
I wait for your Word to renew me.
115Get out of my life, evildoers,
so I can keep my God's commands.
116Take my side as you promised; I'll live then for sure.
Don't disappoint all my grand hopes.
117Stick with me and I'll be all right;
I'll give total allegiance to your definitions of life.
118Expose all who drift away from your sayings;
their casual idolatry is lethal.
119You reject earth's wicked as so much rubbish;
therefore I lovingly embrace everything you say.
120I shiver in awe before you;
your decisions leave me speechless with reverence. 121I stood up for justice and the right;
don't leave me to the mercy of my oppressors.
122Take the side of your servant, good God;
don't let the godless take advantage of me.
123I can't keep my eyes open any longer, waiting for you
to keep your promise to set everything right.
124Let your love dictate how you deal with me;
teach me from your textbook on life.
125I'm your servant--help me understand what that means,
the inner meaning of your instructions.
126It's time to act, GOD;
they've made a shambles of your revelation!
127Yea-Saying God, I love what you command,
I love it better than gold and gemstones;
128Yea-Saying God, I honor everything you tell me,
I despise every deceitful detour. 129Every word you give me is a miracle word--
how could I help but obey?
130Break open your words, let the light shine out,
let ordinary people see the meaning.
131Mouth open and panting,
I wanted your commands more than anything.
132Turn my way, look kindly on me,
as you always do to those who personally love you.
133Steady my steps with your Word of promise
so nothing malign gets the better of me.
134Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women
so I can live life your way.
135Smile on me, your servant;
teach me the right way to live.
136I cry rivers of tears
because nobody's living by your book! 137You are right and you do right, GOD;
your decisions are right on target.
138You rightly instruct us in how to live
ever faithful to you.
139My rivals nearly did me in,
they persistently ignored your commandments.
140Your promise has been tested through and through,
and I, your servant, love it dearly.
141I'm too young to be important,
but I don't forget what you tell me.
142Your righteousness is eternally right,
your revelation is the only truth.
143Even though troubles came down on me hard,
your commands always gave me delight.
144The way you tell me to live is always right;
help me understand it so I can live to the fullest. 145I call out at the top of my lungs,
"GOD! Answer! I'll do whatever you say."
146I called to you, "Save me
so I can carry out all your instructions."
147I was up before sunrise,
crying for help, hoping for a word from you.
148I stayed awake all night,
prayerfully pondering your promise.
149In your love, listen to me;
in your justice, GOD, keep me alive.
150As those out to get me come closer and closer,
they go farther and farther from the truth you reveal;
151But you're the closest of all to me, GOD,
and all your judgments true.
152I've known all along from the evidence of your words
that you meant them to last forever. 153Take a good look at my trouble, and help me--
I haven't forgotten your revelation.
154Take my side and get me out of this;
give me back my life, just as you promised.
155"Salvation" is only gibberish to the wicked
because they've never looked it up in your dictionary.
156Your mercies, GOD, run into the billions;
following your guidelines, revive me.
157My antagonists are too many to count,
but I don't swerve from the directions you gave.
158I took one look at the quitters and was filled with loathing;
they walked away from your promises so casually!
159Take note of how I love what you tell me;
out of your life of love, prolong my life.
160Your words all add up to the sum total: Truth.
Your righteous decisions are eternal. 161I've been slandered unmercifully by the politicians,
but my awe at your words keeps me stable.
162I'm ecstatic over what you say,
like one who strikes it rich.
163I hate lies--can't stand them!-
but I love what you have revealed.
164Seven times each day I stop and shout praises
for the way you keep everything running right.
165For those who love what you reveal, everything fits--
no stumbling around in the dark for them.
166I wait expectantly for your salvation;
GOD, I do what you tell me.
167My soul guards and keeps all your instructions--
oh, how much I love them!
168I follow your directions, abide by your counsel;
my life's an open book before you. 169Let my cry come right into your presence, GOD;
provide me with the insight that comes only from your Word.
170Give my request your personal attention,
rescue me on the terms of your promise.
171Let praise cascade off my lips;
after all, you've taught me the truth about life!
172And let your promises ring from my tongue;
every order you've given is right.
173Put your hand out and steady me
since I've chosen to live by your counsel.
174I'm homesick, GOD, for your salvation;
I love it when you show yourself!
175Invigorate my soul so I can praise you well,
use your decrees to put iron in my soul.
176And should I wander off like a lost sheep--seek me!
I'll recognize the sound of your voice.

What it means to me:

To me, this is how my life would be if I were more into the word. It encourages me to pick up the bible and continue to read daily. The Psalmist is continually persecuted, but he turns to God instead of crumbling under pressure. I know of many situations in where I take the easy way out instead of standing firm for what I know is right. I love the line, your words add up to one thing, truth. It's so easy and basic, and yet why do we continue are day listening to lies, instead of taking the time to stop and listen, if even for a moment to hear the word of truth. Society lies, Satan will make sure to keep that up, but you can rely on the word of God to be true. Don't forget it. Ah, I encourage you all to keep reading and never crumble to the lies of society.

Memory Verse:

"Your commands give me an edge on my enemies;
they never become obsolete."

Psalm 119:98 (Msg)

"Get out of my life, evildoers,
so I can keep my God's commands."

Psalm 119:115 (Msg)

"Break open your words, let the light shine out,
let ordinary people see the meaning."

Psalm 119:130 (Msg)

I decided to memorize one extra because these three I really want to have with me, so I can meditate on them. There pretty simple but very important verses to have in my arsenal against the enemy.

-Brent

Day Three and Day Four

2005-11-17T10:35:00.000-08:00

I fell asleep when I got home yesterday...
>.>
Anyway here we go anyway.

Scripture Read:
Psalm 119
1You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by GOD.
2You're blessed when you follow his directions,
doing your best to find him.
3That's right--you don't go off on your own;
you walk straight along the road he set.
4You, GOD, prescribed the right way to live;
now you expect us to live it.
5Oh, that my steps might be steady,
keeping to the course you set;
6Then I'd never have any regrets
in comparing my life with your counsel.
7I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;
I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.
8I'm going to do what you tell me to do;
don't ever walk off and leave me. 9How can a young person live a clean life?
By carefully reading the map of your Word.
10I'm single-minded in pursuit of you;
don't let me miss the road signs you've posted.
11I've banked your promises in the vault of my heart
so I won't sin myself bankrupt.
12Be blessed, GOD;
train me in your ways of wise living.
13I'll transfer to my lips
all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
14I delight far more in what you tell me about living
than in gathering a pile of riches.
15I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
I attentively watch how you've done it.
16I relish everything you've told me of life,
I won't forget a word of it. 17Be generous with me and I'll live a full life;
not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road.
18Open my eyes so I can see
what you show me of your miracle-wonders.
19I'm a stranger in these parts;
give me clear directions.
20My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!-
insatiable for your nourishing commands.
21And those who think they know so much,
ignoring everything you tell them--let them have it!
22Don't let them mock and humiliate me;
I've been careful to do just what you said.
23While bad neighbors maliciously gossip about me,
I'm absorbed in pondering your wise counsel.
24Yes, your sayings on life are what give me delight;
I listen to them as to good neighbors! 25I'm feeling terrible--I couldn't feel worse!
Get me on my feet again. You promised, remember?
26When I told my story, you responded;
train me well in your deep wisdom.
27Help me understand these things inside and out
so I can ponder your miracle-wonders.
28My sad life's dilapidated, a falling-down barn;
build me up again by your Word.
29Barricade the road that goes Nowhere;
grace me with your clear revelation.
30I choose the true road to Somewhere,
I post your road signs at every curve and corner.
31I grasp and cling to whatever you tell me;
GOD, don't let me down!
32I'll run the course you lay out for me
if you'll just show me how. 33GOD, teach me lessons for living
so I can stay the course.
34Give me insight so I can do what you tell me--
my whole life one long, obedient response.
35Guide me down the road of your commandments;
I love traveling this freeway!
36Give me a bent for your words of wisdom,
and not for piling up loot.
37Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets,
invigorate me on the pilgrim way.
38Affirm your promises to me--
promises made to all who fear you.
39Deflect the harsh words of my critics--
but what you say is always so good.
40See how hungry I am for your counsel;
preserve my life through your righteous ways! 41Let your love, GOD, shape my life
with salvation, exactly as you promised;
42Then I'll be able to stand up to mockery
because I trusted your Word.
43Don't ever deprive me of truth, not ever--
your commandments are what I depend on.
44Oh, I'll guard with my life what you've revealed to me,
guard it now, guard it ever;
45And I'll stride freely through wide open spaces
as I look for your truth and your wisdom;
46Then I'll tell the world what I find,
speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed.
47I cherish your commandments--oh, how I love them!-
48relishing every fragment of your counsel. 49Remember what you said to me, your servant--
I hang on to these words for dear life!
50These words hold me up in bad times;
yes, your promises rejuvenate me.
51The insolent ridicule me without mercy,
but I don't budge from your revelation.
52I watch for your ancient landmark words,
and know I'm on the right track.
53But when I see the wicked ignore your directions,
I'm beside myself with anger.
54I set your instructions to music
and sing them as I walk this pilgrim way.
55I meditate on your name all night, GOD,
treasuring your revelation, O GOD.
56Still, I walk through a rain of derision
because I live by your Word and counsel. 57Because you have satisfied me, GOD, I promise
to do everything you say.
58I beg you from the bottom of my heart: smile,
be gracious to me just as you promised.
59When I took a long, careful look at your ways,
I got my feet back on the trail you blazed.
60I was up at once, didn't drag my feet,
was quick to follow your orders.
61The wicked hemmed me in--there was no way out--
but not for a minute did I forget your plan for me.
62I get up in the middle of the night to thank you;
your decisions are so right, so true--I can't wait till morning!
63I'm a friend and companion of all who fear you,
of those committed to living by your rules.
64Your love, GOD, fills the earth!
Train me to live by your counsel. 65Be good to your servant, GOD;
be as good as your Word.
66Train me in good common sense;
I'm thoroughly committed to living your way.
67Before I learned to answer you, I wandered all over the place,
but now I'm in step with your Word.
68You are good, and the source of good;
train me in your goodness.
69The godless spread lies about me,
but I focus my attention on what you are saying;
70They're bland as a bucket of lard,
while I dance to the tune of your revelation.
71My troubles turned out all for the best--
they forced me to learn from your textbook.
72Truth from your mouth means more to me
than striking it rich in a gold mine. 73With your very own hands you formed me;
now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you.
74When they see me waiting, expecting your Word,
those who fear you will take heart and be glad.
75I can see now, GOD, that your decisions are right;
your testing has taught me what's true and right.
76Oh, love me--and right now!-hold me tight!
just the way you promised.
77Now comfort me so I can live, really live;
your revelation is the tune I dance to.
78Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds;
they tried to sell me a bill of goods,
but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel.
79Let those who fear you turn to me
for evidence of your wise guidance.
80And let me live whole and holy, soul and body,
so I can always walk with my head held high. 81I'm homesick--longing for your salvation;
I'm waiting for your word of hope.
82My eyes grow heavy watching for some sign of your promise;
how long must I wait for your comfort?
83There's smoke in my eyes--they burn and water,
but I keep a steady gaze on the instructions you post.
84How long do I have to put up with all this?
How long till you haul my tormentors into court?
85The arrogant godless try to throw me off track,
ignorant as they are of God and his ways.
86Everything you command is a sure thing,
but they harass me with lies. Help!
87They've pushed and pushed--they never let up--
but I haven't relaxed my grip on your counsel.
88In your great love revive me
so I can alertly obey your every word. 89What you say goes, GOD,
and stays, as permanent as the heavens.
90Your truth never goes out of fashion;
it's as up--to-date as the earth when the sun comes up.

What it means to me:
This passage is totally my prayer today. Our walk with God is totally like a road. Enemies can jump us and pull us aside from the road, but as long as we obey God and we are rooted in his word, we will have the strength to get up and keep walking. I'm alot like this psalmist. I grow impatient all the time waiting for God to give me the next instruction. I love obeying God, but I need to be patient as well. I don't fret when I get insulted for my faith, in fact I feel the holy spirit fill me with Joy when that happens, because I stood strong for God and didn't hinder to the mockings of society. This is such an awesome psalm I decided to take two days worth of 45 verse and just let you guys read them. Obedience comes up alot, as well as patience, and being able to have a firm foundation in God.

Picking the memory verses were the hard parts. I could only choose two. But there are lots of parts I want to memorize and put up on my wall in my room before today ends.

God's truth never goes out of fashion, I love that. It's so true. The psalm brings up perserverence through trials alot as well. Ya, thats key, stick to the word and those trials will help you grow. I know some of my trials have alot of the time forced me to open the word. I find comfort by doing that alot as well.

Great psalm.

Memory Verse:
Oh, that my steps might be steady,
keeping to the course you set;

Psalm 119:5

This is my plea to God. I do pray lord that you will keep me righteous so that I may never fall from the path you have set before me. Lord I pray that everyone who reads this won't fall victim to the two biggests hinders to be obedient to you lord. I pray that we just stick to your plan, and our own desires don't get in the way, nor does the world push away your plan's splendor from our sights.

Give me insight so I can do what you tell me--
my whole life one long, obedient response.

Psalm 119:34

I also pray Lord, that Lord, that when you speak to me, I will remember to not just hear what you say, but understand what it truely means, reveal your word to me, always.

-Brent

Day Two

2005-11-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

Scripture Read:
Revelation 10

1I saw another powerful Angel coming down out of Heaven wrapped in a cloud. There was a rainbow over his head, his face was sun-radiant, his legs pillars of fire. 2He had a small book open in his hand. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on land, 3then called out thunderously, a lion roar. When he called out, the Seven Thunders called back. 4When the Seven Thunders spoke, I started to write it all down, but a voice out of Heaven stopped me, saying, "Seal with silence the Seven Thunders; don't write a word."
5Then the Angel I saw astride sea and land lifted his right hand to Heaven 6and swore by the One Living Forever and Ever, who created Heaven and everything in it, earth and everything in it, sea and everything in it, that time was up-- 7that when the seventh Angel blew his trumpet, which he was about to do, the Mystery of God, all the plans he had revealed to his servants, the prophets, would be completed.
8The voice out of Heaven spoke to me again: "Go, take the book held open in the hand of the Angel astride sea and earth." 9I went up to the Angel and said, "Give me the little book." He said, "Take it, then eat it. It will taste sweet like honey, but turn sour in your stomach." 10I took the little book from the Angel's hand and it was sweet honey in my mouth, but when I swallowed, my stomach curdled. 11Then I was told, "You must go back and prophesy again over many peoples and nations and languages and kings."

Revelation 11
The Two Witnesses 1I was given a stick for a measuring rod and told, "Get up and measure God's Temple and Altar and everyone worshiping in it. 2Exclude the outside court; don't measure it. It's been handed over to non-Jewish outsiders. They'll desecrate the Holy City for forty-two months.
3"Meanwhile, I'll provide my two Witnesses. Dressed in sackcloth, they'll prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days. 4These are the two Olive Trees, the two Lampstands, standing at attention before God on earth. 5If anyone tries to hurt them, a blast of fire from their mouths will incinerate them--burn them to a crisp just like that. 6They'll have power to seal the sky so that it doesn't rain for the time of their prophesying, power to turn rivers and springs to blood, power to hit earth with any and every disaster as often as they want.
7"When they've completed their witness, the Beast from the Abyss will emerge and fight them, conquer and kill them, 8leaving their corpses exposed on the street of the Great City spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, the same City where their Master was crucified. 9For three and a half days they'll be there--exposed, prevented from getting a decent burial, stared at by the curious from all over the world. 10Those people will cheer at the spectacle, shouting "Good riddance!' and calling for a celebration, for these two prophets pricked the conscience of all the people on earth, made it impossible for them to enjoy their sins.
11"Then, after three and a half days, the Living Spirit of God will enter them--they're on their feet!-and all those gloating spectators will be scared to death."
12I heard a strong voice out of Heaven calling, "Come up here!" and up they went to Heaven, wrapped in a cloud, their enemies watching it all. 13At that moment there was a gigantic earthquake--a tenth of the city fell to ruin, seven thousand perished in the earthquake, the rest frightened to the core of their being, frightened into giving honor to the God of Heaven.
14The second doom is past, the third doom coming right on its heels.

The Last Trumpet Sounds 15The seventh Angel trumpeted. A crescendo of voices in Heaven sang out,
The kingdom of the world is now
the Kingdom of our God and his Messiah!
He will rule forever and ever!

16The Twenty-four Elders seated before God on their thrones fell to their knees, worshiped, 17and sang,
We thank you, O God, Sovereign-Strong,
WHO IS AND WHO WAS.
You took your great power
and took over--reigned!
18The angry nations now
get a taste of your anger.
The time has come to judge the dead,
to reward your servants, all prophets and saints,
Reward small and great who fear your Name,
and destroy the destroyers of earth.

19The doors of God's Temple in Heaven flew open, and the Ark of his Covenant was clearly seen surrounded by flashes of lightning, loud shouts, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a fierce hailstorm.

Revelation 12
The Woman, Her Son, and the Dragon 1A great Sign appeared in Heaven: a Woman dressed all in sunlight, standing on the moon, and crowned with Twelve Stars. 2She was giving birth to a Child and cried out in the pain of childbirth.
3And then another Sign alongside the first: a huge and fiery Dragon! It had seven heads and ten horns, a crown on each of the seven heads. 4With one flick of its tail it knocked a third of the Stars from the sky and dumped them on earth. The Dragon crouched before the Woman in childbirth, poised to eat up the Child when it came.
5The Woman gave birth to a Son who will shepherd all nations with an iron rod. Her Son was seized and placed safely before God on his Throne. 6The Woman herself escaped to the desert to a place of safety prepared by God, all comforts provided her for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7War broke out in Heaven. Michael and his Angels fought the Dragon. The Dragon and his Angels fought back, 8but were no match for Michael. They were cleared out of Heaven, not a sign of them left. 9The great Dragon--ancient Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, the one who led the whole earth astray--thrown out, and all his Angels thrown out with him, thrown down to earth. 10Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying,
Salvation and power are established!
Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah!
The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out,
who accused them day and night before God.
11They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb
and the bold word of their witness.
They weren't in love with themselves;
they were willing to die for Christ.
12So rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live there,
but doom to earth and sea,
For the Devil's come down on you with both feet;
he's had a great fall;
He's wild and raging with anger;
he hasn't much time and he knows it.

13When the Dragon saw he'd been thrown to earth, he went after the Woman who had given birth to the Man-Child. 14The Woman was given wings of a great eagle to fly to a place in the desert to be kept in safety and comfort for a time and times and half a time, safe and sound from the Serpent. 15The Serpent vomited a river of water to swamp and drown her, 16but earth came to her help, swallowing the water the Dragon spewed from its mouth. 17Helpless with rage, the Dragon raged at the Woman, then went off to make war with the rest of her children, the children who keep God's commands and hold firm to the witness of Jesus.

What this means to me:

Well, more metaphors. Like I don't know from personal experience who the women represents, I think maybe the church, or something like that. But the son she has.. woah, I seriously could use some help from people who have dazzeled with Revelations before.. *hint to Karyn Baker, can't me more clearer than that*.

Anyway here I go. Angel, a splendorous one, having to do with maybe peace, or the calm after the storm. Right like a rainbow is after the rain falls, he wasn't chaos or anything but he did bring a warning. He reveals God's plan to the people or something, but they seem to still ignore it and stuff. I don't know what's going on, because the honey, sour feeling thing is weird. Maybe it represents the word will be taken in with joy, but the thought of it, or the after effect will leave a quizy feeling, like you know something bad is going to happen to someone else and you can't stop it, but something good is happening to you, so your happy, but in the long run your happiness is left with a sad after taste. Understand that? Me neither.

So the holy temple of God in Jerusalem ( is that right?) is being desecrated by people who arn't God's chosen people. So non-jews are basically in control of that land for now. God sends two witness' who speak prophetic words from the holy spirit for 2260 days. Which makes me believe they are a metaphoric representation as well. This is tough stuff. Carrying on, the beast ( satan or the anti-christ, I think the anti-christ) kill them, and there bodies get mocked, only for God to raise them from the dead, and quiet the sceptics, and they get to go to heaven, and then guess what? Big Earthquake= More fear of God. The last trumpet blows, heaven rejoices, more diasters and blinding lights, basically God is trying to get it to these people that he's not lying down anymore, this is it, the day of judgement is at hand, and these people still don't get it.

THEN the most confusing part, about the women, I really don't get this. Who is the child she gives birth to? Please help me with this. Thanks.

Well I got through 6-12, proud of me? No.. well I tried.

Memory Verse:

"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."

Psalm 119:18

Once again I stole it from the daily scripture. But it reminds me to look at all the good things God has planned for me and his purpose for me, that are written in his word. I shouldn't cling to the bad, but rejoice for the good, the Lord has given me the gift of eternal life and I am worried about things like death, or being ugly. Pfft, trust in the word and you shall reap the rewards of knowledge and truth is what I have to say

Brent out,

-Brent

Write a blog about Ashley Mayer week.

2005-11-14T17:11:00.000-08:00

Guess what? It is write a blog about Ashley week starting now!

Sweet, great timing that I was at my computer. Anyway Here is my blog about Ashley Mayer.

Ashley Mayer:

My my, there has been no one in my life that has impacted my life more than Ashley Mayer has in the last year. That is of course, anyone but Jesus, he's a life changer you know. I didn't know Ashley Mayer too well until about January this year, go figure. No really, I'm dead honest. I didn't have a very strong friendship with her until then, just ask her. Anyway. This girl literally changed my life around, for the better. I have seen so much growth in this girl, it inspired me to have a stronger relationship with God myself, and it still inspires me. She is so commited to Christ, everytime I see her, I see Christ through her. It's awesome. She is always been there in the last year, to listen to all the inane rantings about my day, and the complaints of life, and yet has a Christ like attitude towards me and helps me through them all. I could seriously trust Ashley Mayer with my life, I'm that safe with her. I had feelings for her, I will admit to that, God she is beautiful and her attitude, definitly the kind of person I would marry, but those feelings, well they were temporary and they kinda got in the way of our relationship. Ever since the 40 days of purpose, I've learned to listen more to what others have to say, and man am I glad, because Ashley Mayer has said some prophetic words that have really encouraged me. Man our friendship sure has grown very strong. I really feel comfortable telling her things I wouldn't even tell anyone else.

I have a closer relationship with Ashley Mayer than I do Karyn Baker. Sorry Karyn but honestly it's true. I would do anything to have Ashley Mayer smile, her hapiness always brightens up my day, no matter how crappy it is.

Honestly this girl is just so passionate about God. Her listening ability eludes me. I don't know, it has to be a gift from God, that she can just give the advice she has given me.

She is always supporting me too. I mean if I'm trying something new, I can go and talk to her, and she will give me encouragement to stay at it. For example the group at the school. Who do you think I told first about it? I told Ashley Mayer. She was really excited about it, and her excitement got me excited, and now LEAP ( Leader's Evangelising to All People) is a spark of God in our school.

Man, I thank God alot for putting Ashley Mayer in my life. I wouldn't be the same without her. This girl is just so interesting, I just love hearing her speak, like about anything. Like for example I love it when she talks about cats, I don't even love cats as much as I do sheep, and yet, I love hearing about her days spent with her kitty, or her talks with God, or the problems she is having, because I just really love this girl.

Well, I guess that is all I can say about Ashley Mayer before I go to bed. If I think of more I'll post it.

-Brent

Day One

2005-11-14T11:49:00.000-08:00

Scripture Read:

Revelation 6
Unsealing the Scroll
1I watched while the Lamb ripped off the first of the seven seals. I heard one of the Animals roar, "Come out!" 2I looked--I saw a white horse. Its rider carried a bow and was given a victory garland. He rode off victorious, conquering right and left.
3When the Lamb ripped off the second seal, I heard the second Animal cry, "Come out!" 4Another horse appeared, this one red. Its rider was off to take peace from the earth, setting people at each other's throats, killing one another. He was given a huge sword.

5When he ripped off the third seal, I heard the third Animal cry, "Come out!" I looked. A black horse this time. Its rider carried a set of scales in his hand. 6I heard a message (it seemed to issue from the Four Animals): "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, or three quarts of barley, but all the oil and wine you want."

7When he ripped off the fourth seal, I heard the fourth Animal cry, "Come out!" 8I looked. A colorless horse, sickly pale. Its rider was Death, and Hell was close on its heels. They were given power to destroy a fourth of the earth by war, famine, disease, and wild beasts.

9When he ripped off the fifth seal, I saw the souls of those killed because they had held firm in their witness to the Word of God. They were gathered under the Altar, 10and cried out in loud prayers, "How long, Strong God, Holy and True? How long before you step in and avenge our murders?" 11Then each martyr was given a white robe and told to sit back and wait until the full number of martyrs was filled from among their servant companions and friends in the faith.

12I watched while he ripped off the sixth seal: a bone-jarring earthquake, sun turned black as ink, moon all bloody, 13stars falling out of the sky like figs shaken from a tree in a high wind, 14sky snapped shut like a book, islands and mountains sliding this way and that. 15And then pandemonium, everyone and his dog running for cover--kings, princes, generals, rich and strong, along with every commoner, slave or free. They hid in mountain caves and rocky dens, 16calling out to mountains and rocks, "Refuge! Hide us from the One Seated on the Throne and the wrath of the Lamb! 17The great Day of their wrath has come--who can stand it?"

Revelation 7
The Servants of God
1Immediately I saw Four Angels standing at the four corners of earth, standing steady with a firm grip on the four winds so no wind would blow on earth or sea, not even rustle a tree.
2Then I saw another Angel rising from where the sun rose, carrying the seal of the Living God. He thundered to the Four Angels assigned the task of hurting earth and sea, 3"Don't hurt the earth! Don't hurt the sea! Don't so much as hurt a tree until I've sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads!"

4I heard the count of those who were sealed: 144,000! They were sealed out of every Tribe of Israel: 512,000 sealed from Judah, 12,000 from Reuben, 12,000 from Gad, 612,000 from Asher, 12,000 from Naphtali, 12,000 from Manasseh, 712,000 from Simeon, 12,000 from Levi, 12,000 from Issachar, 812,000 from Zebulun, 12,000 from Joseph, 12,000 sealed from Benjamin. 9I looked again. I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there--all nations and tribes, all races and languages. And they were standing, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb 10and heartily singing:

Salvation to our God on his Throne!

Salvation to the Lamb!

11All who were standing around the Throne--Angels, Elders, Animals--fell on their faces before the Throne and worshiped God, 12singing:

Oh, Yes!

The blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving,

The honor and power and strength,

To our God forever and ever and ever!

Oh, Yes!

13Just then one of the Elders addressed me: "Who are these dressed in white robes, and where did they come from?" 14Taken aback, I said, "O Sir, I have no idea--but you must know."

Then he told me, "These are those who come from the great tribulation, and they've washed their robes, scrubbed them clean in the blood of the Lamb. 15That's why they're standing before God's Throne. They serve him day and night in his Temple. The One on the Throne will pitch his tent there for them: 16no more hunger, no more thirst, no more scorching heat. 17The Lamb on the Throne will shepherd them, will lead them to spring waters of Life. And God will wipe every last tear from their eyes."

Revelation 8
1When the Lamb ripped off the seventh seal, Heaven fell quiet--complete silence for about half an hour.

Blowing the Trumpets
2I saw the Seven Angels who are always in readiness before God handed seven trumpets. 3Then another Angel, carrying a gold censer, came and stood at the Altar. He was given a great quantity of incense so that he could offer up the prayers of all the holy people of God on the Golden Altar before the Throne. 4Smoke billowed up from the incense-laced prayers of the holy ones, rose before God from the hand of the Angel.
5Then the Angel filled the censer with fire from the Altar and heaved it to earth. It set off thunders, voices, lightnings, and an earthquake.

6The Seven Angels with the trumpets got ready to blow them. 7At the first trumpet blast, hail and fire mixed with blood were dumped on earth. A third of the earth was scorched, a third of the trees, and every blade of green grass--burned to a crisp.

8The second Angel trumpeted. Something like a huge mountain blazing with fire was flung into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood, 9a third of the living sea creatures died, and a third of the ships sank.

10The third Angel trumpeted. A huge Star, blazing like a torch, fell from Heaven, wiping out a third of the rivers and a third of the springs. 11The Star's name was Wormwood. A third of the water turned bitter, and many people died from the poisoned water.

12The fourth Angel trumpeted. A third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were hit, blacked out by a third, both day and night in one-third blackout.

13I looked hard; I heard a lone eagle, flying through Middle-Heaven, crying out ominously, "Doom! Doom! Doom to everyone left on earth! There are three more Angels about to blow their trumpets. Doom is on its way!"

Revelation 9
1The fifth Angel trumpeted. I saw a Star plummet from Heaven to earth. The Star was handed a key to the Well of the Abyss. 2He unlocked the Well of the Abyss--smoke poured out of the Well, billows and billows of smoke, sun and air in blackout from smoke pouring out of the Well.
3Then out of the smoke crawled locusts with the venom of scorpions. 4They were given their orders: "Don't hurt the grass, don't hurt anything green, don't hurt a single tree--only men and women, and then only those who lack the seal of God on their foreheads." 5They were ordered to torture but not kill, torture them for five months, the pain like a scorpion sting. 6When this happens, people are going to prefer death to torture, look for ways to kill themselves. But they won't find a way--death will have gone into hiding.

7The locusts looked like horses ready for war. They had gold crowns, human faces, 8women's hair, the teeth of lions, 9and iron breastplates. The sound of their wings was the sound of horse-drawn chariots charging into battle. 10Their tails were equipped with stings, like scorpion tails. With those tails they were ordered to torture the human race for five months. 11They had a king over them, the Angel of the Abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, in Greek, Apollyon--"Destroyer."

12The first doom is past. Two dooms yet to come.

13The sixth Angel trumpeted. I heard a voice speaking to the sixth Angel from the horns of the Golden Altar before God: 14"Let the Four Angels loose, the Angels confined at the great River Euphrates."

15The Four Angels were untied and let loose, Four Angels all prepared for the exact year, month, day, and even hour when they were to kill a third of the human race. 16The number of the army of horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard the count 17and saw both horses and riders in my vision: fiery breastplates on the riders, lion heads on the horses breathing out fire and smoke and brimstone. 18With these three weapons--fire and smoke and brimstone--they killed a third of the human race. 19The horses killed with their mouths and tails; their serpentlike tails also had heads that wreaked havoc.

20The remaining men and women who weren't killed by these weapons went on their merry way--didn't change their way of life, didn't quit worshiping demons, didn't quit centering their lives around lumps of gold and silver and brass, hunks of stone and wood that couldn't see or hear or move. 21There wasn't a sign of a change of heart. They plunged right on in their murderous, occult, promiscuous, and thieving ways.

What it means to me:

Ok, now I'm regretting being a fast reader, because that is a huge chunk of scripture for me to discuss. So you won't mind if I sum it up a bit will you? Oh, and I don't have alot of philsophical background so, I don't know what all those metaphors or what nots actually mean, but I'm going to try my darndest. So here I go. Basically, the lamb of God is opening the seven seals and in the first four come out the four riders. One who conquers, one who brings chaos, I don't know what the whole whet quart thing means, so someone will have to help me with that. The fourth one commands hell's army and is death. They had the permission to destroy one fourth of the earth. So God is allowing this all to take place according to his will can be accomplished on earth. It also leads into the next part. When the 5th seal is opened we see all the martyr's who died in the name of Jesus. They are clothed and told to wait until their compainions in faith arive. I'm guessing this is the people God is bringing up to heaven from the ground and the ones in the next part. The 144,000 meantioned after the terrible diasters unleashed during the opening of the sixth seal. As I'm writing this I'm getting hungry and I'll be right back to discuss the rest. That note there is so you know if I forget what I'm talking about you'll have to fill in the blanks.

Ok I watched some House as well, and if you haven't guessed, I wasn't feeling well today and I stayed home. Anyway, so those 144,000 people from the tribes of Isreal to me represent the people who turned to God through the tribulation. If I'm wrong well, correct me and I'll get over it, I'd rather be wrong than think I'm right. Oh I got ahead of myself, that's sorta what the angel said anyway. There is alot of stuff in the trumpet part that confuses me. For example I don't know what the smoke really means, and the locust army thing also confuses me, but I think the scorpions just plain represent pain. The whole, will try to kill themselves but cannot find death is interesting. I would think that death being a horseman unleashed on the earth would mean more people dying at their own hands especially with that rider of choas, you know the one who takes away peace, but can someone clarify that for me. Alright, I think I'm done this part, the rest of 6-12 will be read tomorrow. Sorry for the long read just one more thing below and I'm done for day 1.

Memory Verse:

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, "

1 Peter 3:18

This verse is from the daily scripture on the youth website, and I thought it was neat and is a really good and neat purpose behind Christ's life. It's one of those, "Well if the bible is true than this verse is really life changing" verses.

For clarification, the bible is true, so it is a very life changing verse.

-Brent