Have you Died Yet?

   You know how hard it is to follow the saying “treat others as you want to be treated?” I know I do; and I know that, even though it is hard to follow, I still say it to my students every week. It is hard to treat others the way you want to be treated because sometimes people don’t treat you the way you want to be treated. You could do the nicest things for someone and he still may not treat you the right way. But, we are still called to be kind to others.

   At this point you are probably wondering what exactly this post has to do with Easter. Well, I hear my students say things like: “that’s not fair” or, “why should I be nice to her if she is mean to me?” Since I am in a public school I cannot say this answer: "because Jesus was still kind and loving to others."

   Jesus is our ultimate role model. He did something that no one else could do. He made it possible to be with God. He loved us enough to die for our sins. He was whipped, beaten, mocked, had thorns put on his head, and nails put through his hands and feet. And you know who did that to him? We did. You may be saying “I wasn’t there so how could I do that to him?” Well, you did do it to him. Because of your sinful nature you are dead. You belong to the Devil and deserve everything you get in Hell. But, because Jesus died we have life. We become dead to our sins when we accept Christ into our hearts; and he washes us clean as snow. We become born-again.

   That is exactly what I was getting at when I said we don’t treat others the way we want to be treated. I mean, would you want to be sacrificed on the cross for nothing you did wrong? I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t; and yet, because of your sin Jesus allowed himself to be sacrificed for your sins. He didn’t have to do it. But, he did because that’s how much he loves us. Sometimes I feel as if we don’t grasp the torture that Jesus put himself through on our account. We just think as the events in the Bible as quaint little stories that we tell to children and hear about a few times every year. But, they are so much more.

   So, on this Easter I encourage you to think about the gravity of what Jesus went through for you. Are you thankful that he went through that for you? Are you following his example and treating others the way you want to be treated?

   1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 3:16, Isaiah 1:18

Following the Crowd

   If you ask most people what they could not live without, what do you think they would say? I’m betting at least 50% would say they could not live without some sort of technology. And, for some people that technology may be related to social media. What is it with social media? I mean, it’s been around for how long? At first, it was great for people to see what is going on in other people’s lives; but now it has been taken to the extreme. Kids are being cyberbullied for crying out loud! Then there are other people who are just worried about how many followers they have. So is social media really that great of a thing?
   I believe that social media can be a good thing, if used properly. It can be used to help witness to others and people can use social media to catch up with people they normally do not see or talk to. But, according to The Telegraph which is an online magazine, the average person spends about 1 hour and 40 minutes on social media sites per day. And we talk about not having time to do things, ha! Then we have people who complain about how much time is spent on social media; and how kids should be doing something more active. I’m not saying I disagree with those people but I do have something to say to them.
   If you want children to stop spending so much time on social media, you need to give them something else to do. You cannot say to a child “get off Facebook” and expect them to do something else. Like I said before, social media has become our lives. Children are worried about how many followers and likes they have. It is where they find their identity; and that can be a very scary thing. We have become so disconnected that it takes a screen for us to get connected. Children need to have social interactions with other people, face to face in order to understand the world around them. We wonder why children are not developing properly; well it’s because we are not doing our job! We are called to mentor the young. We need to develop every child socially, emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. If we continue to follow this path, we are in for some rough time my friends.

   So what can we do to combat social media? Well, first off we can be disciplined; and we can discipline our children. We need to limit our time on social media; because, not only is it taking away from our jobs and relationships, it is also taking away from our time with God.
   When most people are asked "do you spend time with God every day?" I bet they say they just don't have time. Is that really true? Maybe instead of spending ten minutes on social media we should spend that time with God. After all, he created us so maybe it's time we give him a little bit of our time.
   Also, we wonder why our country is going downhill. It is because people find their identity in things other than God. Many times I hear children bragging about how many likes their post or picture got. But, when someone doesn't have many followers they are picked on and bullied. It doesn't matter how many followers they we have! What matters is that we are children of God. He loves us and cares for us; and that is what should matter to us.
   So, rather than spending time on social media are you going to spend time with God? Where do you find your identity? Is it in the things of this world, or in God?
Genesis 1:27, 1 Corinthians 12:27, 1 John 3:1-3

My Crazy Dream About a Wedding

   Have you ever had a strange dream? That dream you just cannot understand what went on, or why certain things happened. Yeah, I’ve had those. In fact I had one the a while ago.

In the dream I was at my grandma’s house getting ready for an event. I didn’t know what the event was at first until I came into the main room. The room was decorated and there were snacks out. There were a lot of people from my past there like friends who I have not talked to in a while, deceased relatives, current friends, and family members. Finally, someone congratulated me on my impending marriage. I have no idea who I was getting married to; but I could tell that there was some uneasiness in the room.

   But, you know how sometimes things happen in dreams that you cannot explain? Yeah, that happened next. Suddenly, I had a revelation that many of the people in the room did not like who I was getting married to. And, I also found out there was another suitor who was interested in me. Now, if you know me, I am very loyal. So I have no idea why there would be two guys interested in me; but I have to remember that this is a dream. Anyhow, the people who did not like the guy I was getting married to liked this other guy better. And, like most of my crazy dreams, I woke up before the dream ended so I have no idea what happened after that.

   So, why am I telling you about this dream? I tend to think about my dreams after I have them because typically I find hidden messages behind them. And, as I’ve stated before, I believe everything happens for a reason, even dreams.

   This is my interpretation of the dream: there are two suitors in the dream. The one who I am getting married to is the one who represents all the distractions and idols in life. The second suitor represents God. We all have something we tend to love more than God. It could be material possessions, money, or something else. But, in loving that thing more than God we bind ourselves to it. In essence, we are worshiping something other than God.

   What I found interesting in the dream is that everyone knew about both suitors, including the suitors. The idol comes from sin. And, we all know sin is something the Devil loves. So, the Devil loves when we love things other than God; and the Devil knows that we try to love God, but we typically fall short. God knows that we love things other than him; and he is a jealous God. He loves us no matter what; but he wants us to love him. And, we should love him above everything else because he created us.

   Also, as I said before, everyone at the party knows about both suitors. It is just like in life. If we are Christian, people are going to look at us and watch what we do. If we say we love God; but people see that we love something else too much that isn’t helping to spread the gospel. Whether we like it or not people see our actions and hold us to a certain standard. We may not live up to that standard; but that is why we need to emphasize that we are sinners and we will fail. But, God will forgive us.

   So, do you love something else more than you love God? Has something become an idol in your life? What can you do to get yourself back in a good relationship with God?

   Exodus 20:3-6, Colossians 3:5, 2 Corinthians 11:2

Fixing My Eyes

   At Lancaster Bible College we are encouraged to keep improving ourselves; and grow in God. One way that is done is through character contracts. Basically, what happens is we pick a specific character trait that we feel we need to work on. Then we come up with a few assignments in order for us to grow in that character trait. We have until the end of the semester to complete this assignment.

   When I did my assignment I chose the character trait optimism. It is not easy to be positive in a negative world. Nevertheless I knew I needed to work on being more positive. So, I did different activities through the semester. One activity we had to do is pick a song that made an impact on us. For a while my “happy” song was Good Morning by Mandisa. Every time I listened to it in my car it reminded me that each day is a new day. I woke up that morning for a reason; and I was blessed with another day so I should be happy. It is a great song; but then I began to realize that I was typically only happy in the morning. So I needed to find a way to be happy throughout the day.

   That is right about the time when the song Happy by Pharrell Williams came out. I know what some of you are thinking: “that song is so annoying,” or “that is a secular song.” Well I used to be annoyed by it too. But, then I listened to the lyrics one day. And, they actually made sense. We are to be happy through the good and bad times. So that song became my new “happy” song. But, one day I realized happiness wasn’t enough.

   Some of you may be familiar with a movie that is still popular today: Frozen. I did not used to like a certain song from that movie because it was on the radio all the time. Say it with me now: “Let it go, let it go…” But, about a year after the movie came out I started listening to the song again; because, at that point, the hype had died down a little. That’s when I realized the problem with my “happy” song being Good Morning or Happy. Those songs made me put a mask up; and I did not even realize it. I don’t like masks. But, in pretending to be happy and positive through all things I was putting a mask up. The song Let It Go made me realize that I cannot just pretend to have no problems. I need to give my problems to God, because he has a plan for my life. I just need to trust him. That song got me through a lot; but then I went through something else that made my “happy” song change again.

   One day I had a problem and I kept telling myself to let it go to God. It was not working. That’s when I realized that I was focusing too much on my problems and not enough on God. I had recently started making mix cd’s for my car; and one song I came across was Fix My Eyes by for King and Country. It was through that song that I realized that I need to fix my eyes on God, not on my problems. Because, no matter how big my problems seem, I can always count on him. I mean, I should have realized this a long time ago when I watched Veggie Tales and heard the song “God is Bigger than the Boogie Man.”

   Anyhow, that was a journey of about 4 years of my life. And, I’m telling all of you this so that you don’t run into the problems of putting a mask up or focusing on the problem and not God. In the end I realized another important lesson from my character contract; but that is a blog for another time.

   So, are you putting a mask up so that others do not see what you are going through? Are you focused too much on your problems and not on God? 
Matthew 6:34, Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 14:22-33

It's a Roller Coaster Ride

   When you live near Hershey Pennsylvania it means two things. One: that you usually smell chocolate in the air. And, two: that you visit Hershey Park. I have been to Hershey Park a few times; and each time I go with my family my dad tries to get me to do something. He tries to get me to ride a roller coaster.

   I do not like roller coasters for a few reasons. First of all I’m not a big fan of heights. Next I do not like feeling like I am going to fall out. And finally, probably the biggest reason, I do not like the highs and lows of being on a roller coaster. I mean, I don’t know about you, but I feel like my stomach should stay in my body; and it should not feel like it is leaving my body.

   There is one more reason I do not like roller coasters. I do not like them in life. I have found that life is like riding a roller coaster in more ways than one.

   We can have emotional roller coasters in life. One day we may feel like we are at the top of the world; and then the next we feel like we are at the bottom. I do not like this because as Christians we need to be thankful for what we have and optimistic. I know there have been times where I have been in a low part of the roller coaster where I do not feel thankful or optimistic. It isn’t easy to be thankful all the time; but it is what we are called to do. And, I want to point out that being optimistic doesn’t mean you look happy all the time. It means that you are joyful in everything that happens. You don’t have to be happy to be optimistic. It just means you are positive in everything that happens.

   The other type of roller coaster is faith roller coasters. We have times when we are on fire for God; and other times when our relationship with God isn’t that great. I love it when I am on a high for God; and I don’t like it when I am on a low. So how can we stop the roller coaster pattern?

   We need to remember who we are. We are children of God. We are called to witness to the other children of God; and, if we are not on fire for God, that is difficult to do. We need to have a relationship with God and rely on him; because, he is all we need.

   So, are you on any roller coasters in your life? Do you need to remember who you are in God?

   1 Peter 2:9, Proverbs 3:5, Matthew 6:25

Getting Used to the Stink

   There are a few Febreze commercials going around that go something like: “you get used to the odors in your car. You think it smells fine, but your passengers smell this (it shows a dog, or something that stinks). You have gone nose blind. Use Febreze to take care of the odors you’ve gone nose blind to.” Of course, I am paraphrasing.

   Well, now there is a new item out called Scriptureze. It gets rid of the stink of sin. All you need to do is put a Bible on your shelf; and that will get rid of sin stink. A novel idea right?

   It doesn’t quite work that way. But, the sad fact is most people in America have gotten used to the stink of sin. It may not be a sin that the world says is really bad. It could be gossiping about a co-worker, lying to a friend, or cheating at a game. All of these are sins; and all of them are equal in God’s eyes. A murderer is no better than a gossiper. But, it seems like America has come up with these “respectable sins.” The sins that are okay because they are not as bad as this. And, that is not okay.

   Another aspect of this is that many people consider themselves Christians in America. According to ABC News, as of July 18, 83% of Americans identify themselves as Christians. But, a few of my questions for them would be: “do you go to church?” “Do you read the Bible?” “Do you let what you read change you?” “Do you apply the Bible to your life?” Are you growing in your relationship with God?” See, saying you are a Christian is easy. Most people coast through life saying “I am a Christian” because they go to church every week. But, there is a difference between religion and relationship.

   The religion part of this is having a Bible in your house, going to church, maybe helping people at church every once in a while, being a “good person,” and tithing. Doing all of this is good; but if this is all “Christians” are doing then they are missing the point. Christianity is all about the relationship with God. If there is no relationship then we are dead because of our sin.

   See that is the actual way to get rid of the stink of sin; and it is the only way. One must have a relationship with God; and believe that Jesus died on the cross for his sins. It is a sad truth that many people miss this point. They believe that being Christian is basically a country club type thing. You go to church, meet people who can help you out, and maybe you help them out once in a while. This is totally untrue; and it is our job as followers of Christ to help other Christians realize they need a relationship with God. It is more than just doing the legalistic things in order to get your ticket to heaven. It is all about the relationship.

   So are you going blind to the stink of sin in your life? Are you just doing the legalistic things you believe you are required to do? Do you have an actual relationship with Christ?

   Romans 3:23, Matthew 5:27-28, Romans 8:31-32

   (Febreze commercial example link) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU3AXM1Q8m4

   (ABC News poll link) http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90356&page=1

A Story about Stones, Walls, and Bridges 4

   Continued from "A Story about Stones, Walls, and Bridges 3” (link here).

   You sit down after your hard work disassembling your last bridge. You are exhausted from trying to reach others; and building and breaking bridges. In the beginning of your mission you may not have let anything dissuade you; because you had such success reaching others. But, after your last two failures you are wondering if it is all worth it. Why should you get hurt for no reason?

You are feeling so defeated. Then you remember you haven’t prayed for a while. So you pray that God would help you through this difficult time.

   Suddenly you look up and see a man in white. He walks over to you. Out of habit you grab a stone because you don’t want to get hurt again. The man sits down. He is silent for a little and you wonder why he is here, and why he isn’t saying anything. He looks at your head and you remember it is still bleeding from getting hit by a stone. He brings out a bowl of water and a cloth. He dips the cloth in water and begins cleaning your wound. The water drips down your face; it feels cool and clean. You reach up to your head and realize your wound is healed.

   The man finishes cleaning your wounds. Then he asks you how your week has gone. Normally you would just say fine, since this man is a total stranger, but for some reason you feel like you know this man. So you tell him about the girl and the man. Then you tell him why you were trying to help them.

   He is quiet for a moment then says that it is good you are trying to minister to others; but it is not your job to fix all the problems in the world. The only one who can fix things that seem like problems is God. And that not everyone will be reached at the same time, in the same way, or by the same person. He says you won’t be able to reach everyone you talk to because they may not be ready or the Holy Spirit has yet to call them.

   You understand what he is saying but you ask him what you should do if someone does not want your help. Should you still minister to them? The man says that ministry can be done in many different ways. In fact, many times people just need a friend or someone to care for them. So, one of the best ways to minister to someone is to be there for them; and pray for them continually that she will come to Christ. And, maybe someday that person may come to Christ because of your prayers, friendship, or example.

   What the man says makes sense. But there’s one thing that you still have a question about. You ask him why your shield failed to protect you at one point. The man says it is because you took your eyes off him. Suddenly you realize this man is Jesus. You fall on your face knowing you are not worthy. He lifts you up and says your sins are forgiven. He then says that when you started out your relationship with him you had a lot of faith. But, when trials came you forgot to have faith. You focused too much on the rocks or problems of life rather than trusting that he had a plan for you.

   You feel so ashamed but you still have one burning question. You ask him why he never came to you before. He said he is always with you even if you don’t see him. He was with you when people threw rocks at you, when you built your wall, and when you began to build bridges to others. You may not see him physically but sometimes you may see him in small miracles, in people, or events. He is always with you.

   So, that concludes my “A Story about Stones, Walls, and Bridges” saga. I purposefully did not tell you some answers or interpretations till now because sometimes life does feel hopeless.  I’m pretty sure you felt sorry or hopeless when you were reading about the girl who cuts herself. But, the good news is that no matter how hopeless life may seem we have a friend who is with us always: Jesus.

   So are you feeling defeated at all? What can you do to regain hope and faith? If you were the main character in this story what would you do after your meeting with Christ? Would you continue to minister to others or give up because it is too hard?

   Matthew 5:16, John 14:16-17, Ephesians 6:10