Current thoughts, fears, observations.

This week in my "Great books" class in school we started reading a book titled "On the origins of species" (the book that revolutionized Evolution). Which was written by, none other than Charles Darwin, himself.

Every time I start diving into the book's content, I can't help but to be overwhelmed by the fact that a mere mortal can be so incredibly influential on the rest of society.

I can't help but realize how one man has skewed the truth for so many people.

I can't help but realize how the writings of ONE man so easily caused MILLIONS of people to come to the wrong conclusion of God, and how easy it was for him to drag others down the path of death and destruction.

And I can't help but wonder... am I doing the same thing?

Now, obviously I'm not a published author. And I'll probably never write anything that will influence millions of people's lives... (be it in a positive or negative way), but that's not the point.

The point is, am I living my life in such a way that is causing others to come to the wrong conclusions of God, or more specifically, Christianity in general?

If I profess to be a Christian, but I act in such a way that causes other's view of Christianity to become skewed, how does that make me any different than Mr. Darwin?

Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surroumded with such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everytging that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverence the race marked out for us."

Conclusion: I want to live my life in such a way that others will look at me and my life and see Jesus in the flesh; not just a typical "T-shirt Christian," whose religion only goes as far as chanting some heartless "sinners prayer."

That is all.

Have you ever stopped to think...? (8/31/08)

Have you ever stopped to think that you might be someone's role model without knowing it?

Have you ever stopped to think that maybe someone models their life after yours?

Have you ever stopped to think that the choices you make not only affect you and your spiritual walk, but someone else's as well?

Have you ever stopped and thought, "Maybe I shouldn't do this... or maybe I shouldn't say that... or maybe I shouldn't encourage this kind of behavior, because someone else might be watching, and their chance at salvation or their chance at getting closer to Jesus might be negatively affected because of something you are about to do, say, or encourage"?

This is something God kind of "laid on my heart" this morning -- something I felt like God was pressing me not only to hear but to ADHERE.

Next time you are about to do something you know is wrong, ask yourself this question, "Do the pleasures of this sin outweigh the cost of causing someone else to fall?"

Think about it...

A new awakening (9/11/08)

Earlier today in my study of the Bible, I was reading from a book that was written by quite possibly the best author to ever walk the earth, and my second favorite Bible character (after Jesus): Paul.

The book I was reading from was none other than 1st Corinthians - or Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth. And the exact location of my reading was chapter 2, starting in verse 1.

(1 Corinthians 2:1-5).
It says, "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling, My message and my preaching were with not wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."
- WOW!

Paul, over here - a feared man who once persecuted christians - is stating that HE, of all people, was TREMBLING WITH FEAR as he was speaking the word of God to the people of Corinth.

Paul - the same guy who penned most of the New Testament - was admitting that he he "did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom" (he may have even had a stuttering problem).

Paul - one of the most powerful writers of all time - stating that he was coming to them "in weakness".

AND YET HE STILL PREACHED THE GOSPEL!

Reading this I can't help but think these were LEGITIMATE excuses for Paul to sit at home and be lazy like everyone else! I mean, c'mon. The guy is weak. The guy is scared. The guy is even a poor speaker, for goodness sakes!! Why was God asking such an under qualified man to spread the gospel to thousands, if not literally millions of people? Or perhaps this raises an even better question:

Why is God asking ME to do the same thing?

Paul never denied the fact that he was scared, but he wasn't letting that fear stop him from advancing the gospel.

I can't help but ask myself how much longer I can sit back and watch the world go to hell because I have a few "legitimate excuses" that are keeping me from advancing the gospel.

I believe the reason God asked Paul is because not only was he willing to go, but I believe Paul had a COMPLETE grasp on what the gospel was really about: he "resolved to know nothing ... except Jesus Christ and him crucified", and in knowing this, he couldn't keep it to himself.

In conclusion, I have to ask myself, "Do I know Christ?" "Do I know him crucified?" And if so, why am I letting my weaknesses get in the way of God doing a work in me?