I wrote this a year or two back, I’m not sure what was going through my head at the time but I wanted to eventually make it a song. Well here it is:

I want to talk to you

I want to get to know you

You aren’t there when I call

My hope slowly fades but wont fail

I know you are just busy

I wont let this interfere with me

I will keep focused on my goal

To keep focused on you, oh God

You are my source of strength

You are there when I need you

Oh Lord oh God, if these thoughts are from you please give me a sign

Lord I set out my path

but you guide my steps

Let this be my prayer

Nehemiah was a Man Of Prayer. He knew the only way he could accomplish what seemed like an impossible task was through the power of God Almighty. So he spent time plugged into the Power Source himself through the avenue of prayer.

Nehemiah was an incredible organizer and motivator. He was able to presuade men to volunteer their time and energy to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall. They wouldn’t receive any honor, pay, or awards for their work. Yet they were willing to spend time away from friends and family because Nehemiah had motivated them to become involved in something bigger than themselves.

Nehemiah was able to keep calm under pressure. Nehemiah was tormented by neighboring governors Sanballat and Tobiah, yet he didn’t become flustered or discouraged or threaten to quit. He continued even when the going got extremely tough.

Nehemiah told it like it was. When followers of God around him were sinning, he called them on it without worrying about what they’d think of him.

Some scripture to fill your cup.

Psalm 9:10 

¹⁰ Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Matthew 17:20 

²⁰He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

James 1:2-3 

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

*Source of text from “The Year One Devos” by Susie Shellenberger*

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid3737074001?bctid=26749119001

“Repent or Perish. “

This is a hard teaching of Christ.  It is unrelenting and direct in it’s objective; but—as are all things with Christ—it is rooted in unconditional love.  The word that Christ would have used to say “repent” is the word “METANOIA”.  While the concept of repentance has been distorted and perverted into meaning to simply stop sinning, the word that Christ used is a word that means “to think differently”.  God’s heart is not focused solely on our actions, but rather, on our motivations.  Therefore, His charge to those that follow Him is not to resist the urge to act negatively.  It is to seize the opportunity to act positively.

—Taken from For Today’s new CD titled “Portraits”. The first part in quotations are they lyrics to the song and the following is a description of what it means in Mattie’s words.

So after my last post I had some very good interesting conversations with my parents, brother, and friends. God showed me through all these conversations a new way to look at life. Why do we so heavily concentrate on the question, “Would Jesus drink?” Why not, “Would Jesus play Halo?”, “Would Jesus drive a car?”, “Would Jesus drink coffee?” Why is all of our questions centered around one issue?

A very wise man once said, “For instance why would Jesus choose to turn water into wine (really good wine) for a wedding when he could have left it as it was, or turned it into a really weak wine (because people by this time in the wedding didn’t really care - John 2:1-12).”

“I think the truth is that Jesus lived his life listening and following the will of His Father… sometimes that meant breaking the social norms, sometimes it meant keeping in step with them, but whatever He did, He was never out of step with the Father.  I think discussing and asking the questions of how we can be in step with God and know we are in step with God is a better question to ask, and a better way to live.”

Tonight I was thinking to myself:

Would Jesus drink alcohol like he did back 2000 years ago?

I would have answered yes to that question before today, but God showed me and convicted me with something today. I don’t think Jesus would drink any type of alcohol if he walked the earth today. The reason they all drank wine back 2000 years ago is because they didn’t have anything better to drink. They only had water and some type of fermented beverage. That’s all they had, and that happened to be the most popular drink of the time. The first reason it is different for us now then it was back 2000 years ago is because of the choices in beverages we have today. The second reason is that I think it’s fair to say Jesus would think to himself, “How will this benefit me? How will this benefit others around me and encourage them?”

1 Corinthians 10:32 (New International Version)

³²Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—

Today alcohol might not be a stumbling a block to some but to others it would be. Jesus had so much respect for the whole human race, I sincerely believe he wouldn’t drink any type of alcohol because of that very reason.

So then I asked myself that exact question today. “How does alcohol benefit me? How does alcohol benefit others around me?” I have no good reasons for why it would benefit me or others around me. We have to be constantly thinking of others around us, being aware of what might be a stumbling block to our brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that each one of us would remember that important truth

Romans 14:13 (New International Version)

¹³Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.

What would Jesus do? That is a common question we ask ourselves as we go on our everyday lives. What would Jesus do with this co-worker that is aggrovating me? What would Jesus do with this customer who doesn’t have any patience and is yelling and insulting me?

One question I have thought to myself is:

“Would Jesus have a routine like every single one of us?”

I think if Jesus walked the earth today, he would. I think he probably even had a routine back 2000 years ago, it might have just looked a little different than ours. Jesus would have a routine he would just prioritize things better then we attempt to at times. Jesus would set certain times of the day aside to pray and talk to God. To study and learn about the theology of the current time. He would keep in constant communication with his Father, praying not my will but yours be done. He was so concentrated on what the Father had set out before him that he would do everything and anything willingly. He took blame, persecution, abuse, neglect, temptation - Our blame, our persecution which resulted in His death. What a perfect, selfless, living sacrifice we have in Christ Jesus to model our lives after.

Another question I have thought to myself is:

“How would Jesus deal with those aggrovating and irratating people we run into everyday? How we he be able to keep his patience?”

It’s not as much about how we act, but how we react which tells someone about our character. When we hear something we don’t instantly click with and are uncomfortable with, we will react in negative ways most of the time. I know I do. If Jesus were in that exact situation I think he would have been a lot more patient and would actually think through his head what to say before he said it. Jesus had so much respect for people and their free will and choices they made, he would never say anything to them that he did not believe would serve and bring glory to His Father.

Revelation 3:20 (New International Version)

²⁰Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

The last question I have for the moment is:

“If Jesus walked the earth today like he did 2000 years ago. Would  you be one of his followers?”

I think this question can be answered with the following scriptures.

John 8:31-32 (New International Version)

³¹To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

It would ultimately come down to the most important decesion we can make in our lives. We will make a choice to believe the words of Jesus, or we will make a choice not to believe His words. Our choice will determine our eternal destiny.

John 6:68 (New International Version)

⁶⁸Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Acts 28:24 (New International Version)

²⁴Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.

I was just thinking how today we do absolutley everything ourselves, and that’s the way everyone wants it! I was in Wal-mart today and realized how we all just don’t even think of it but we just go through our self checkout tills and we don’t interact with anyone, at all. We want to do everything as quick as we can and not sincerely engage in conversation with anyone because we don’t have time, right? Or so we say.

James 5:16 (New International Version)

¹⁶Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

God Has made us dependable creatures. God wants us to build on one another. That is why we all have different skills so when we come together we can build one another up and spur one another onto bringing Glory to God. That is why fellowship is so important and as we become more of an individualistic society we have to remember that God has made us to be dependable.

Matthew 18:20 (New International Version)

²⁰For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Psalm 27: 13&14)

This passage has been the story of my last month or so. Being not sure of where God wants me and where he wanted me to continue his ministry he has set before me. I have been praying and asking what I should do. He said “Wait on Me”. Sometimes this is the hardest thing to do, wait. No one likes waiting. In a world full of as much technology as we have and how we can have everything now - why wait? We are taught to be time efficient with everything we do, work, school, even church.

We need to create a time for God. Where we have a set time in our schedule every day atleast once a day where we can sit and wait. Wait for him to speak to us, strengthen us, encourage us, challenge us, convict us, show us what His will is for us.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1: 2-4)

God is with you, even today. Even when it feels like he has ended all communication with you. It is not for any other reason then the spiritual transformation in helping you to grow into the Man or Woman God wants you to be.

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.” (James 5:7)

” God’s Spirit continually reveals to His children what human nature is like apart from His grace.”

“The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him.”

“If we are obssesed by God, nothing else can get into our lives - not concerns, nor tribulations, nor worries.”