This is a very hard blog for me to write and to be honest the only reason I am is because I have faith in the power of prayer and in you my friends. What I am about to ask is really important to me, so please, I ask humbly for you to help me with one thing. I am not even sure how appropriate it is to use this form of communication to help me, but if you know me it is obvious to you that I am not good at asking for things in person. So this is the easiest way for a person like me, the guy who is very independent and the guy who wants to do everything himself to ask this request.
So finally to the request, I would like to ask you to pray for the salvation of my oldest brother. If you know my testimony than you know that my family did not start going back to church till when I was in middle school. My brother is 5 years older than me and had already graduated high school by the time this had happened. This being true he was never really in church.
I believe strongly in the power of prayer and I believe strongly in the power of God so I ask this one request. Just pray God to soften his heart to those who speak to him about Christ and that God grant the opportunity to share with him. Only God can save and I have faith that he will. This truly has been burdening my heart for some time especially since in 3 months I move to texas.
I believe many of us have similar prayer request, so if you do please post them on the comments below. If I ask you to help me in prayer then I should do the same for you. I believe prayer is powerful, so let us work together. I truly love you all.
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Second Chances.......
This is going to be one of my most passionate blogs in a long time. Not sure why but for some reason tonight I became very passionate about this subject with some friends of mine. It showed me that I needed to write about it and maybe others can hopefully be able to relate and maybe be able to fix the problem. So what is this problem I write about? The problem is about second chances. We would all agree that Christ is the best about giving second and third and fourth chances for people but for some reason we as people do not do the same. We clearly see that the bible in Matthew 18:21-22 says to forgive people 70 times 7, which if you want to do math equals 490 times. But for some reason we cannot even do it once. This is very disheartening to me.
I was sitting with some friends and talking about how I would never truly be taken serious by some people where I am because of bits and pieces of my past. As much as I would try to show that Christ has changed me and that I have come a long way from the arrogant, self centered person I use to be, people would never accept it. This is a HUGE problem and we all deal with this in our lives. God begins to change our hearts and change some of our sinful nature but when he does a wonderful thing in us people do not believe it to be true. This can be because we have wronged them in the past or something and have even asked forgiveness but people are not willing to give second chances. The sad thing is everyone probably feels this in one way or another with people.
So often in life people refuse to take people seriously even if they have changed drastically. They still figure that they will fall and be the same old person that they were before. This is such a bad attitude and wrong biblically. I mean I can understand that if someone murdered a loved one or something like that it would be hard to give them a second chance but I am not talking about that. I am talking about the minor things that to be truthful are meaningless. And to be honest I believe these things hold us back from doing amazing things for God.
I feel like most of us feel this same way about things. We have at one time screwed up badly with some friends or something and because of this we are not able to really even be friends with these people any more. Even if we have apologized it stills feel like it did not work. We feel as though the only way for things to change is to just get away and start over with new people. I have to admit that in the midst of the fear of moving to Texas this is one thing I am excited about. I am glad to be able to start new and not feel like things I screwed up in 3 years ago or more are still hung over my head.
Maybe because I consider myself a pretty forgiving person, maybe because I have always had to be forgiven, this is why this subject has become passionate to me. I am not sure but I can guarantee one thing most of the people feel the same way. So often we have people leave churches or ministries because they have screwed up and people do not offer a second chance. I mean I can understand after a screw up you have to prove your self again but how long does it take for people to truly see the change. I mean look at Peter in the New Testament, he denied Christ 3 times and his friends knew about it but they forgave him and Christ said that the church would be built on him.
I admit that this blog may be very scrambled but I am very passionate about this right now. We need to stop being these people that do not follow what Christ says. We need to own up to our mistakes and first accept the fact that we are not better than others. We are sinful wretched people who are in need of just as many second chances as anyone else. Also we need to remember that the church will not be able to rise if we keep pushing people away even after they seek forgiveness. Christ wants to do a work with this generation and we need to do it together and accept the people that have screwed up, which is of course you and me. There will probably be another blog about this tomorrow so stay tuned.
Much Love,
Brent
1 Corinthians 9:19
I was sitting with some friends and talking about how I would never truly be taken serious by some people where I am because of bits and pieces of my past. As much as I would try to show that Christ has changed me and that I have come a long way from the arrogant, self centered person I use to be, people would never accept it. This is a HUGE problem and we all deal with this in our lives. God begins to change our hearts and change some of our sinful nature but when he does a wonderful thing in us people do not believe it to be true. This can be because we have wronged them in the past or something and have even asked forgiveness but people are not willing to give second chances. The sad thing is everyone probably feels this in one way or another with people.
So often in life people refuse to take people seriously even if they have changed drastically. They still figure that they will fall and be the same old person that they were before. This is such a bad attitude and wrong biblically. I mean I can understand that if someone murdered a loved one or something like that it would be hard to give them a second chance but I am not talking about that. I am talking about the minor things that to be truthful are meaningless. And to be honest I believe these things hold us back from doing amazing things for God.
I feel like most of us feel this same way about things. We have at one time screwed up badly with some friends or something and because of this we are not able to really even be friends with these people any more. Even if we have apologized it stills feel like it did not work. We feel as though the only way for things to change is to just get away and start over with new people. I have to admit that in the midst of the fear of moving to Texas this is one thing I am excited about. I am glad to be able to start new and not feel like things I screwed up in 3 years ago or more are still hung over my head.
Maybe because I consider myself a pretty forgiving person, maybe because I have always had to be forgiven, this is why this subject has become passionate to me. I am not sure but I can guarantee one thing most of the people feel the same way. So often we have people leave churches or ministries because they have screwed up and people do not offer a second chance. I mean I can understand after a screw up you have to prove your self again but how long does it take for people to truly see the change. I mean look at Peter in the New Testament, he denied Christ 3 times and his friends knew about it but they forgave him and Christ said that the church would be built on him.
I admit that this blog may be very scrambled but I am very passionate about this right now. We need to stop being these people that do not follow what Christ says. We need to own up to our mistakes and first accept the fact that we are not better than others. We are sinful wretched people who are in need of just as many second chances as anyone else. Also we need to remember that the church will not be able to rise if we keep pushing people away even after they seek forgiveness. Christ wants to do a work with this generation and we need to do it together and accept the people that have screwed up, which is of course you and me. There will probably be another blog about this tomorrow so stay tuned.
Much Love,
Brent
1 Corinthians 9:19
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Will we rise?
We have all heard the cliché about life being a rollercoaster, it has its ups and its downs and its twists and even loops at times. I have to admit that I was never the biggest fan of this cliché because a lot of times life is not as simple as that illustration. Plus who likes the idea that every time you reach the top you fall down farther than you did before? This thought has me thinking tonight about the people in my life, all of the people that I see and talk to on a regular basis. Then I began to wonder where they currently are mentally and spiritually on this short ride we call life. I would say that everyone can admit that at one time or another they have been struggling or hurting but have tried to act as though nothing is wrong. I am not sure why but I feel like this is happening more than ever right now. Life continues to throw us curve balls and so often we swing and miss horribly when it is thrown and just like most people we lower our head and walk away trying to hide the embarrassment.
More than ever I feel that we have to stop walking away and begin to stand in the midst of struggle and trust God. I am not sure what exactly it is that is going on in your life and will never say I can understand half the things you probably go through but I know someone who can understand. So often when struggles come we like to look at ourselves for answers and begin to think that the only way to get out of something is if I do something. To often we try to turn ourselves into God instead of trusting the one who has called out to us and has offered redemption to us. If there is one thing I can promise it is that things never get easier away from God and some of us have been running from God for so long that we do not even know what it would be like to be comforted by His grace.
Recently my heart has really been seeking revival. Of course starting in my own life and then moving to the community around me. I know God is seeking revival in your heart also and for us to all to begin to rise with one voice speaking out for the name of Christ. No one wants to run this race alone and no one wants to wonder where everyone has gone. Let us as people of God begin to stop being selfish and start becoming selfless. Stop being takers and become givers and to rid ourselves of hate and begin to Love the way that Christ did when he did on a cross. I know at times the pit we find ourselves in is hard to climb out of but maybe it is time to drop everything we hold on to and reach up to the arms of Christ that are reaching to grab us out of the pit.
I will close with 2 verses that I pray you think about. Let us rise together and reach this world, our time is short let us live for the only one who is worth living for. Love you all.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” -Matthew 11:28
“For out of the overflow of your heart the mouth speaks” - Luke 6:45
More than ever I feel that we have to stop walking away and begin to stand in the midst of struggle and trust God. I am not sure what exactly it is that is going on in your life and will never say I can understand half the things you probably go through but I know someone who can understand. So often when struggles come we like to look at ourselves for answers and begin to think that the only way to get out of something is if I do something. To often we try to turn ourselves into God instead of trusting the one who has called out to us and has offered redemption to us. If there is one thing I can promise it is that things never get easier away from God and some of us have been running from God for so long that we do not even know what it would be like to be comforted by His grace.
Recently my heart has really been seeking revival. Of course starting in my own life and then moving to the community around me. I know God is seeking revival in your heart also and for us to all to begin to rise with one voice speaking out for the name of Christ. No one wants to run this race alone and no one wants to wonder where everyone has gone. Let us as people of God begin to stop being selfish and start becoming selfless. Stop being takers and become givers and to rid ourselves of hate and begin to Love the way that Christ did when he did on a cross. I know at times the pit we find ourselves in is hard to climb out of but maybe it is time to drop everything we hold on to and reach up to the arms of Christ that are reaching to grab us out of the pit.
I will close with 2 verses that I pray you think about. Let us rise together and reach this world, our time is short let us live for the only one who is worth living for. Love you all.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” -Matthew 11:28
“For out of the overflow of your heart the mouth speaks” - Luke 6:45
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Mark 1
Recently I have felt that God has been calling me to fall back in love with His word. So I have decided to use my blog as an outlet for my adventure with Gods word. I am over the next 16 days going to write daily on each chapter of Mark. I pray through this that God renews a passion in you for his word in the same way he is doing for me.
A little back story on the book of mark before I start this adventure with you. John Mark who is believed to be the author of this book was a relative of Barnabas and he is said to have written down what Peter had told him about the stories of Jesus. This book is considered to be the earliest written of the four gospels, and estimated to have been written around 70 ad. This book is the shortest of the Gospels and does not have the birth of Christ and any teachings of Christ after his resurrection. Now of course there is Mark 16:9-20 which most scholars believe was added later and early manuscripts do not have and every bible that is not KJV has a little note that says the same. This section does have a possible teaching of Jesus after his resurrection but it is disputed more than it is called reliable. But I will talk more about that section in 16 days so stick with me and you will be able to read more about that.
Mark 1 starts out with a verse from Isaiah about John the Baptist who came before Jesus to prepare the way. John the Baptist was preaching and teaching repentance because he knew that Jesus would soon be coming to redeem the world. A verse that made a big impact on me from this section comes in verse 7. It is John talking about Jesus and he says that he is not even worthy to bend down and untie his sandals. It is easy to forget how holy Christ is and how honestly we are not worthy to even speak to him but he makes us worthy by his death on his cross. Even though John the Baptist said these things it was him that God used to baptize his son Jesus.
The first chapter also shows a very brief moment where Jesus calls out to Simon, Andrew, James and John and calls them to come and follow Him and he will make them fishers of men. Now this is always interesting to look at and many people always asks the questions would you drop everything immediately for Jesus. Now many people believe that these disciples had already heard of Jesus and some may have even been followers of John the Baptist. That is not an obvious from this scripture but ether way it is amazing how quickly they would leave their jobs behind to follow Him.
The next part of this chapter was also very meaningful to me in the fact that it is where you begin to see Jesus compassion for people. He goes to the synagogue and heals a man who has an evil spirit in him and after that goes to the house of Simon and Andrew and heals their mother along with lots of people who came to the door that night. This is such an amazing thought because it shows that if people come to Christ he truly does care and wants to help them. How often to do we come to him with the faith these people have that they will be healed? It is an interesting thought because I do not believe we do it enough.
In verse 35 Jesus wakes up in the morning to go to a place alone to pray. He did not even let his followers know where he was going. It is always interesting because in scripture jesus always goes alone to pray. How often do we truly get away to pray? Jesus even did it a lot. The chapter ends with Jesus healing a man with leprosy and Jesus tells him to not go and tell anyone of this but the man does not listen and tells everyone. Because of this Jesus stayed outside of cities instead of them because of the crowds.
So closing this first chapter a couple questions come to my mind for myself and you to think about. First is when is the last time we truly thought how Holy Christ is? He is so Holy that John the Baptist says he is not worthy to untie his sandals. The second question is how often to do we have faith that when we come to Christ he can help us like he did the people with illness? Thirdly is when is the last time you got alone and prayed and looked into Gods word? Even Jesus went to a quiet place to pray. So if you made it this far I hope god has renewed your passion for his word and that you will look back tomorrow for Mark Chapter 2.
Much love
Brent
A little back story on the book of mark before I start this adventure with you. John Mark who is believed to be the author of this book was a relative of Barnabas and he is said to have written down what Peter had told him about the stories of Jesus. This book is considered to be the earliest written of the four gospels, and estimated to have been written around 70 ad. This book is the shortest of the Gospels and does not have the birth of Christ and any teachings of Christ after his resurrection. Now of course there is Mark 16:9-20 which most scholars believe was added later and early manuscripts do not have and every bible that is not KJV has a little note that says the same. This section does have a possible teaching of Jesus after his resurrection but it is disputed more than it is called reliable. But I will talk more about that section in 16 days so stick with me and you will be able to read more about that.
Mark 1 starts out with a verse from Isaiah about John the Baptist who came before Jesus to prepare the way. John the Baptist was preaching and teaching repentance because he knew that Jesus would soon be coming to redeem the world. A verse that made a big impact on me from this section comes in verse 7. It is John talking about Jesus and he says that he is not even worthy to bend down and untie his sandals. It is easy to forget how holy Christ is and how honestly we are not worthy to even speak to him but he makes us worthy by his death on his cross. Even though John the Baptist said these things it was him that God used to baptize his son Jesus.
The first chapter also shows a very brief moment where Jesus calls out to Simon, Andrew, James and John and calls them to come and follow Him and he will make them fishers of men. Now this is always interesting to look at and many people always asks the questions would you drop everything immediately for Jesus. Now many people believe that these disciples had already heard of Jesus and some may have even been followers of John the Baptist. That is not an obvious from this scripture but ether way it is amazing how quickly they would leave their jobs behind to follow Him.
The next part of this chapter was also very meaningful to me in the fact that it is where you begin to see Jesus compassion for people. He goes to the synagogue and heals a man who has an evil spirit in him and after that goes to the house of Simon and Andrew and heals their mother along with lots of people who came to the door that night. This is such an amazing thought because it shows that if people come to Christ he truly does care and wants to help them. How often to do we come to him with the faith these people have that they will be healed? It is an interesting thought because I do not believe we do it enough.
In verse 35 Jesus wakes up in the morning to go to a place alone to pray. He did not even let his followers know where he was going. It is always interesting because in scripture jesus always goes alone to pray. How often do we truly get away to pray? Jesus even did it a lot. The chapter ends with Jesus healing a man with leprosy and Jesus tells him to not go and tell anyone of this but the man does not listen and tells everyone. Because of this Jesus stayed outside of cities instead of them because of the crowds.
So closing this first chapter a couple questions come to my mind for myself and you to think about. First is when is the last time we truly thought how Holy Christ is? He is so Holy that John the Baptist says he is not worthy to untie his sandals. The second question is how often to do we have faith that when we come to Christ he can help us like he did the people with illness? Thirdly is when is the last time you got alone and prayed and looked into Gods word? Even Jesus went to a quiet place to pray. So if you made it this far I hope god has renewed your passion for his word and that you will look back tomorrow for Mark Chapter 2.
Much love
Brent
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Listen or Ignore?
I have recently began to realize that we all have one choice in life and this choice is one that is essential to everything we do and everything we may become. That choice is whether to listen up or ignore everything. Think about that, this choice can be used in every situation that we encounter in life. It could be as simple as a friend trying to talk to us about anything from a serious situation to rebuking us. It could involve classes and whether we should listen up or just play on our laptops and ignore the professors. And of course it comes into the most essential relationship that we can encounter in this life and that is with Jesus Christ. I will even say that this is the easiest relationship to flip flop both sides of this choice in life on. This is a very sad reality but I pray the words on this page God uses to not just impact myself but also you the reader. So here is your first use of this choice in life since I pointed it out. Will you keep on reading or will you ignore the rest of my words?
The word “Listen” is used in the bible over 400 times. It is something that if you were to sit down and read all the verses that have the word listen in them you will see many things. You could start in the garden when Adam listened to Eve and ate the fruit, or you could go to Matthew and see that Jesus is telling the crowds to listen and understand. In almost every instance the reason the word is used and comes about from ether God talking or a command that God said that was disobeyed. Like the case with Adam and Eve God told them to not eat of the tree of truth and knowledge but yet Adam listened to Eve instead of God. It is also used in Mark 9 with the transfiguration up on a high mountain and a voice came from the clouds and told Peter, John and James to listen to Jesus the son of God. The scriptures show a God who wants us to listen to him because he does truly know what is best for us.
The second option which is ignoring everything is the situation that we fall into the most amount of time. Let me just point out some prime examples of scripture that at times I ignore more then I actually do what it says. First is the great commission in Matthew 28:19. How often do I truly go reach the lost or step out of my comfort zone to do what God has called? Honestly not much, this is one example of myself ignoring God. Another great one comes from James 1:19 where it says be quick to listen and slow to speak. If anyone knows me at times I am opposite of that and though God has brought me a long way in this area I still have long ways to go. These are just 2 small examples in my life of how I ignore God at times. How many other things in scriptures would I be able to find that I do not follow if I tried? Probably a lot but I would rather not bore you with those.
The whole point of this blog is about the choice we have. Will we listen up and do what God is calling us to do or will we just simply ignore it. I honestly am not sure what we as people will do. I am curious to see what would happen if we would listen up. I know one thing and that is that emptiness that never seems to go away would truly cease. God promises fruits of the spirit if we seek him and one of those is joy.
So as I close this out I guess the question comes down to will you listen or will just ignore God?
The word “Listen” is used in the bible over 400 times. It is something that if you were to sit down and read all the verses that have the word listen in them you will see many things. You could start in the garden when Adam listened to Eve and ate the fruit, or you could go to Matthew and see that Jesus is telling the crowds to listen and understand. In almost every instance the reason the word is used and comes about from ether God talking or a command that God said that was disobeyed. Like the case with Adam and Eve God told them to not eat of the tree of truth and knowledge but yet Adam listened to Eve instead of God. It is also used in Mark 9 with the transfiguration up on a high mountain and a voice came from the clouds and told Peter, John and James to listen to Jesus the son of God. The scriptures show a God who wants us to listen to him because he does truly know what is best for us.
The second option which is ignoring everything is the situation that we fall into the most amount of time. Let me just point out some prime examples of scripture that at times I ignore more then I actually do what it says. First is the great commission in Matthew 28:19. How often do I truly go reach the lost or step out of my comfort zone to do what God has called? Honestly not much, this is one example of myself ignoring God. Another great one comes from James 1:19 where it says be quick to listen and slow to speak. If anyone knows me at times I am opposite of that and though God has brought me a long way in this area I still have long ways to go. These are just 2 small examples in my life of how I ignore God at times. How many other things in scriptures would I be able to find that I do not follow if I tried? Probably a lot but I would rather not bore you with those.
The whole point of this blog is about the choice we have. Will we listen up and do what God is calling us to do or will we just simply ignore it. I honestly am not sure what we as people will do. I am curious to see what would happen if we would listen up. I know one thing and that is that emptiness that never seems to go away would truly cease. God promises fruits of the spirit if we seek him and one of those is joy.
So as I close this out I guess the question comes down to will you listen or will just ignore God?
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