Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Friday's 7
Ian and I did another 7 miles tonight. I think it is going to be the new standing run for Fridays. With only 2 scheduled runs each week, I guess 12 miles a week isn't so bad. Tonight was pretty uneventful, but as always it was great being with Ian. I have so enjoyed his being with me this past month. I ran the 7 miles 16 seconds faster than last Friday. The time was 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 52 seconds. Still not blazing fast but at least it wasn't slower than last week.
Sin and Chocolate Cake
Sin is a lot like chocolate cake. The similarities are staggering. As you dig into a decadent piece of chocolate cake, the immediate gratification is wonderful. The amazing taste rolls over your tongue and sends your brain waves into sheer ecstasy. With each bite, the pleasure mounts UNTIL you've had too much and then it almost seems to rot in your mouth and you push the final few bites away. Then you feel miserable and sick. And now that remorse has kicked in, you go into full regret and begin thinking about how this decision to gorge on chocolate cake will continue to affect you. You think about how the cake will have adverse health affects to your body as it weakens your immune system and packs on the pounds. Right then and there, you vow to never it chocolate cake again; well at least not that much of it!
Hmmmm, that sounds just like when we sin doesn't it? Do you see the similarities? We begin to sin and it tastes really good and brings exactly what we thought it would - gratification. We are feeling good about things until the Holy Spirit brings conviction into our hearts and the sin that we are engaged in begins to make us sick. Then we have to deal with all the adverse affects on our spiritual health that sin brings into our lives. We deal with broken relationships with God and others and other aspects of pain that sin brings into our lives.
Why do we keep returning to sin like a dog returns to his vomit? We know it is bad for us and that it leads to nowhere. We know that it breaks God's heart and leads to broken relationship with Him so why do we allow our selfishness to run rampant all over the Holy Spirit in our lives? It's so crazy!
"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:24-25
"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Philippians 2:12b-13
Hmmmm, that sounds just like when we sin doesn't it? Do you see the similarities? We begin to sin and it tastes really good and brings exactly what we thought it would - gratification. We are feeling good about things until the Holy Spirit brings conviction into our hearts and the sin that we are engaged in begins to make us sick. Then we have to deal with all the adverse affects on our spiritual health that sin brings into our lives. We deal with broken relationships with God and others and other aspects of pain that sin brings into our lives.
Why do we keep returning to sin like a dog returns to his vomit? We know it is bad for us and that it leads to nowhere. We know that it breaks God's heart and leads to broken relationship with Him so why do we allow our selfishness to run rampant all over the Holy Spirit in our lives? It's so crazy!
"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:24-25
"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Philippians 2:12b-13
Monday, September 29, 2008
Economy Headed Down the Toilet
"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living, Just because He lives!"
Pickin Up The Pace
Ian and I did 5 miles tonight but I couldn't talk to him as well as I have on all our previous runs. I decided to try to pick up the pace and go a little bit faster tonight. The result was a 5 mile time that was at least 2 minutes and 19 seconds faster than anything I have run since spring but the other result was not as good Ian and Shane conversation. I had to concentrate more on breathing than talking. Ian is great about it though. He is really wanting me to go faster so he pushes me and enjoys it too. It was a hard run tonight but a good time. I am so glad that Ian has decided to stick with me. Oh, yeah my time tonight was 41:01. Still not blazing fast but like I said it was over two minutes faster than I have been in awhile.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Presence of God at Crossroads
Let's just say that today was completely amazing at Crossroads Church in Morgantown, WV. From the first words of announcements (great job Chris P.) to the closing prayer and everything in between was totally saturated in the presence of God. It was awesome! Worship was so stinkin great and moved me so much that I had real trouble starting my sermon. I just wanted to keep telling God how great He is. It was kickin! Every Sunday at Crossroads Church is a blessing and it blows me away that God has allowed, even called me to lead this church, but today was something special. I have never experienced the presence of God at Crossroads like I did today. That needs to happen every worship gathering! If you missed church at Crossroads today, you truly missed an awesome blessing!
Oh and on a semi-related note - Ian and the worship team absolutely rocked it out today! All of you guys are awesome and a joy to work with. Thanks for your dedication and hard work and thanks for leading the people of Crossroads into the presence of God on a weekly basis.
After this morning, I am hungry for more! I can hardly wait till next Sunday. Oh and for all of you who read my blog and do not live in Morgantown and to do attend a Spirit-filled church, you need to move. God intends you to be a part of a growing, thriving, Spirit-filled, dynamic body of Christ. This is for your sake and for the sake of others that need to be reached by that body!
Sorry, I got to preaching. I am just so pumped about what God is up to in Morgatnown through Crossroads Church! It is the place to be because God is there!!!!
Oh and on a semi-related note - Ian and the worship team absolutely rocked it out today! All of you guys are awesome and a joy to work with. Thanks for your dedication and hard work and thanks for leading the people of Crossroads into the presence of God on a weekly basis.
After this morning, I am hungry for more! I can hardly wait till next Sunday. Oh and for all of you who read my blog and do not live in Morgantown and to do attend a Spirit-filled church, you need to move. God intends you to be a part of a growing, thriving, Spirit-filled, dynamic body of Christ. This is for your sake and for the sake of others that need to be reached by that body!
Sorry, I got to preaching. I am just so pumped about what God is up to in Morgatnown through Crossroads Church! It is the place to be because God is there!!!!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
7 Miles - Weak Legs
Yep, I went 7 miles tonight in 1 hour 5 minutes and 8 seconds. It was not blazing fast but I was thrilled to up my mileage. As pumped as I am about the longer distance, I have a blister on my left little toe and my legs feel like two wet noodles. It's all good though; running seven miles is a good accomplishment especially considering the fact that I have not run like I wanted to this past summer. Another big thanks goes out to Ian. He is continually with me now and I probably would never have gone 7 tonight without him there.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Response to Difficulties
How should we respond when troubles come our way? Should we moan and cry and fuss at God for letting us down? Should we just check out and say since God doesn't care then neither do we?
It is amazing to me how often we (that obviously includes me) think that God exists for our benefit instead of vice versa. When we lose focus of who is big and who is small, our whole perspective on difficulties gets really screwed up.
So what is the answer? What is the proper response when difficulties and negative circumstances come into our lives? The proper response is worship!!!! Man, how do we miss this? When I am worshiping God out of love just for who He is, then my perspective is right where it should be and my circumstances don't seem so black. Worship is the most powerful weapon we have against the devil and all his schemes. Depressed? Worship! Broke? Worship! Worried? Worship! Scared? Worship! Confused? Worship! Whatever the circumstances are, the answer is worship. Take your focus off of you and put it onto God and your heart will be in a better place. Your circumstances may change and they may not but if you worship the one true God with real sincerity, then at least your heart will be right before God and your circumstances will fade into the background of His Greatness and Love!
Don't believe me, go check out Acts 16:16-40 (It's really cool!)
It is amazing to me how often we (that obviously includes me) think that God exists for our benefit instead of vice versa. When we lose focus of who is big and who is small, our whole perspective on difficulties gets really screwed up.
So what is the answer? What is the proper response when difficulties and negative circumstances come into our lives? The proper response is worship!!!! Man, how do we miss this? When I am worshiping God out of love just for who He is, then my perspective is right where it should be and my circumstances don't seem so black. Worship is the most powerful weapon we have against the devil and all his schemes. Depressed? Worship! Broke? Worship! Worried? Worship! Scared? Worship! Confused? Worship! Whatever the circumstances are, the answer is worship. Take your focus off of you and put it onto God and your heart will be in a better place. Your circumstances may change and they may not but if you worship the one true God with real sincerity, then at least your heart will be right before God and your circumstances will fade into the background of His Greatness and Love!
Don't believe me, go check out Acts 16:16-40 (It's really cool!)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Perseverance
"So do not throw away your confidence because it has great reward. For you need endurance in order to do God's will and receive what is promised." Hebrews 10:35-36
Becky wrote this scripture out the other day on a post-it note and hung it on our computer desk so that every time I sit down at the computer, I see it. I asked her why she did it and she just said that it was because she likes it. I think she had ulterior motives. I think she was trying to tell me something. It worked. This passage of scripture is so convicting where I am in my life right now. I will go run 5 miles like it is nothing but then so easily throw years of spiritual confidence away just because things aren't going the way that I want them to or because I can't fully understand God.
I am grateful that Becky hung this scripture passage up in front of my face for whatever reason. I must have read it 20 times in the past 2 days and every time, it is both convicting and encouraging.
I am thankful to God for where He has me right now in my circumstances, my ministry and in my life. I am going to hold on to the confidence that God has been building in me for years and eagerly await the promises to be fulfilled in this life or the next. And I will continue to pray and ask Him for guidance and direction in all the dark and confusing times that are out there in my future all the while holding on tight to the confidence that I have in Jesus Christ. I think that is what He is talking about here in Hebrews. It is called perseverance!
Becky wrote this scripture out the other day on a post-it note and hung it on our computer desk so that every time I sit down at the computer, I see it. I asked her why she did it and she just said that it was because she likes it. I think she had ulterior motives. I think she was trying to tell me something. It worked. This passage of scripture is so convicting where I am in my life right now. I will go run 5 miles like it is nothing but then so easily throw years of spiritual confidence away just because things aren't going the way that I want them to or because I can't fully understand God.
I am grateful that Becky hung this scripture passage up in front of my face for whatever reason. I must have read it 20 times in the past 2 days and every time, it is both convicting and encouraging.
I am thankful to God for where He has me right now in my circumstances, my ministry and in my life. I am going to hold on to the confidence that God has been building in me for years and eagerly await the promises to be fulfilled in this life or the next. And I will continue to pray and ask Him for guidance and direction in all the dark and confusing times that are out there in my future all the while holding on tight to the confidence that I have in Jesus Christ. I think that is what He is talking about here in Hebrews. It is called perseverance!
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