6 & 7: what i need to talk to God about.

asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. -Col 1:9

1. ask God to fill me with the knowledge of His will

pray this in order than you may live a life worth of the Lord and may please Him in every way- 1:10

2. ask God to help me please Him in EVERY way.

bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 1:11-12

3. I want to bear good fruit.
4. I want to grow in knowledge of God
5. I want to be strengthened
6. I want endurance
7. I want patience
8. I want to joyfully give to the Father.

I get to talk to God. I get to spend time with Him. If amazing things aren't happening in my life, whats the point of talking to Him? I'm pretty lonely without Him.... I'm pretty lonely right now. Time to spend some time on my knees.

What good is reading the Bible if it doesn't have the Spirit. It is like reading a text book.

5: ehhhhhhhh

there is a time for everything.
there is nothing new under the sun.

i feel tired and weak.
people are having a party outside my window.

i had a dream about hobos.
i am too tired to think.

goodnight.

4: Sin, Faith, Duty

Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. -Luke 17:1

If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. -Luke 17:3

Would he say to the servant when he comes from the field, "come along now and sit down to eat"? Would he not rather say, "prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and rink"? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? -Luke 17:7-9 

 

I need to check that I am not a stumbling block to other people.

I need to start rebuking my brothers who are sinning in love.

When God asks me to do something, I need to have the attitude that I am His servant. It is of higher priority that God is glorified, and after He is glorified, that is when I am filled. God isn't just going to call me down to sit and eat. I'm His servant. I am supposed to serve before I eat.

Sin is at my doorstep.
God will give me faith to move mountains.
It is my duty to do what He tells me.

I am an unworthy servant.

3: Bill Gates

I remember when I was a kid (I'm still a kid) I always attributed great wealth with Bill Gates. Heck, I still do that now. He's one rich dude. I remember even as a kid I wondered what it would have been like to be Bill Gates' son. Do you remember the movie "Richie Rich"? I do, and it really made me wonder what it would be like to have everything I could ever want.

Bill Gates has a lot of money. That's it. He can't protect me from death and he can't do anything about the misfortunes in my life except to throw some money at it. There is only so much power in a crap load of money.

When I read what Jesus says, I am constantly reminded that Jesus said crazy things like "Give to everyone who asks you" and "if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back" (Luke 6:30).

I understood this passage today, as if Jesus was telling me

Jeremy. We have a Father who can do the impossible. Not only can He do the impossible but He can do the possible. You just have to let Him. Don't worry if the people around you are trying to take advantage of you. In fact! Let them take advantage of you. Let them hate you. Just remember that God is rich, that God is power, that God will save you. Even the most powerful, even the most rich, and even the most influential people in the world are no match for the power of God. Pray for your enemies. Let them curse you. I got your back. God's got your back. We love you, so don't let the things of this world tear you down.

I surrender all. All to Jesus. My loving Savior. All to Him I freely give.

woot woot!

2: Starting Fresh

The smell must have been unbearable. 

The rotten gruel on his coat would never come out. 

The walk back home must have been embarrassing and demoralizing. 

He must have thought to himself, "Dad's going to be so angry when he sees me. What am I going to do?"

I wonder if he even still had shoes to walk the dirt path home.

God, he was a mess. 

He wasted his life doing the things that he wanted to do.

I wouldn't want to be around someone of such low character,

let alone someone who smelled like that.

The disgusting image of this son is highly contrasted to the love of his father, who at the first sight of his son, ran to him.

"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son."

"QUICK! Bring the best robe and put it on him."

Is this for real? Why did Jesus choose to tell this story of this son who chose to take his inheritance and leave the family?

I relate to this guy though... sometimes I just feel so discouraged with things with the family of Christ, that I just want to cut my losses and leave. Sometimes I wish that I didn't have to be under the "house rules" and I could just live the way that I want. The thought, "it would be nice to be free" comes to mind.

I am reminded that the world produces the fruit similar to what this son had to go through: the bottom of a pigs feeding trough. 

So God. I'm here. Dirty, smelly, and just completely unacceptable to be in your house. I'll walk to your house, ready to tell you that I have sinned against you. I'm ready to tell you that I am not worthy to be called your son. Just take me in, as a slave or a servant.

Are you going to run to me?

Are you going to wrap your arms around me?

Are you going to clothe me in new robes?

Even if you don't. I'm sorry for leaving in the first place.

1: Slave to Pleasure

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  -Matthew 6:19-21

I had a dream last night, a dream that I just vaguely remember even though I woke up only minutes ago, that had one person talk to me. It was a heated discussion, possibly a fight, but I knew that the other person did not care about me at all. This person was explaining to me why they hated me.
I've been having similar dreams for the past few days, with various people, including various pastors, tell me how they outright hate me. Their words pierced my heart, and although it was a dream, I could feel the weight of their words.

I am a slave to pleasure. I store up for myself treasures on earth, in the form of human relationships and physical enjoyment. My mind is more focused on "fellowship" with people, hoping that the relationship formed would provide me with some lasting purpose. I am a slave to relationships. I want to feel good also. I want to eat the best kind of food, go to the most amazing places, have the most fun. What an exhilaration thing it is to do all the things you want to do, buy all the things that you want to buy, and just be who you want to be. I want to look good for me. I want to look good for you. I want you to want me. I am a slave to physical pleasure.

I have not been a slave for Christ. Simply stated, the fruit of my life show no chains attached to Him. Although I do believe that those chains still exist, I have been attaching myself to the things of this word. It is as if my chains to Christ have been pulling me closer to him, but I have decidedly attached myself to the chains of this world. My body is about to rip into two. Christ is pulling at me too hard. I am coming to a point, where I have to decide, if I am going to loosen the chains of Christ, or loosen my grip on this world.

I choose Christ.

The most exciting thing about following Christ, which I am wholeheartedly anticipating, is that He does all the work. This will be the most daunting task in fact, because I have been conditioned by the world that things are in my control, so when the time arises when Christ tells me to "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" I interpret it as; I can not be righteous. I don't know how to "seek first the kingdom." But Christ can make me righteous. Christ will bring down the Kingdom. Then I will experience all the amazing things that God has created.

My grip is too tight on this world. I pray today, that Christ comes down and loosens these chains.