Do you qualify?

If you are a pastor or thinking about becoming one, consider this checklist given to us in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

Be the husband of one wife

Rule well his own house

Not be a novice

Have a good report from those outside the church

Practice good behavior

Be given to hospitality

Be apt to teach

Not be given to wine or strong drink

Not be a brawler

Not be greedy

Be a lover of good men

Give good advice

Be holy

Be temperate

Do you qualify? What needs work?

Can I get a little help?

"If you love me, keep My commandments." - John 14:15

If you love God you should do everything that He calls you to.

It can be hard to do everything that God calls us to do because when it comes to giving God everything it scares us. We are afraid to let go of the past because we are comfortable with how things are now. We try to find common ground, just enough to please God and enough to be satisfied with life at the same time. We know we should be witnessing more to others, spending more time serving, and giving more of our finances away, but we don't because we are afraid...

Afraid to let go..

Afraid to change..

Afraid to live..

But Jesus responds in the next verse "And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever." 

Jesus knew that we couldn't do it on our own. He knew that living a life that was totally different from our norm would be scary. But he gives every believer the Holy Spirit to help us fulfill all the commands of God. Even the ones that we think are impossible. 

We don't have to be afraid.. we have a helper, we have God working in us. 

Armed and dangerous

Think about all the professions you admire. For me I respect jobs that are risky, dangerous, and important to my well being. I look at soldiers, fire fighters, police officers, people like that and am grateful for all they do. I know that I never will have the guts to do anything like that because I'm just too scared to be honest. I don't want to risk my life fighting vicious criminals, or walk through a blazing house, or go overseas and engage in combat against terrorists. No way, I'll leave that to someone else.  So i sit back and appreciate those who do risk their lives everyday and bust their tails so I don't have to. 

Tonight my wife dealt with a girl that has been dealing with spiritual oppression for several years. This stuff has been serious to this young lady not only emotionally but even physical where the walls in her room shake and she wakes up in the middle of the night scared to death. 

Tonight I was reminded that ministers of Jesus have the most dangerous job in the world. We deal with forces that are not of flesh and blood but of spiritual ones. We are at constant battle. There is a war going on between good and evil, light and darkness, God and his angels vs satan and his demons. Every day satan wants to take lives and destroy them. He steals, kills, and destroys...

Through Jesus, we have the power to reclaim the lost and give life to the hopeless. It is through Jesus Christ that all things are passed away and all things become new. It is through him that the lost are found and the dead become alive. 

As ministers of the gospel we are armed and dangerous. 

Armed and dangerous.. this is serious stuff. The battle is intense, the enemy relentless, the pressure is on.. yet we are more than conquers through Christ who gives us strength. Yes I respect those who serve our country but I'm even more thankful for my fellow Christian brothers and sisters that are fighting for souls every day. 

Thanks be to God that life change is possible through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.  

"THINK ORANGE"

I just finished reading a book called "Think Orange" by Reggie Joiner. Joiner explains in order for the church to have maximum impact on children and teenagers we must partner up with the family. Two combined influences make a greater impact than just two influences. But how do we combine the family and the church in a way that is most affective? Let me just give you a brief checklist from the book that you should consider.

1. Synchronize leaders and parents to build an authentic faith in children and teenagers.

2. Refine your message so it clearly communicates God's story of restoration.

3. Help parents be more intentional about nurturing an everyday faith in their kids lives.

4. Give every child and teenager a spiritual coach or leader who can reinforce what a Christian parent would say.

5. Fuel passion in the hearts of this next generation to be a demonstration of God's love to a broken world. 

If you don't have the book, pick it up today! 

The gift of life

The two most influential men in history are no doubt Adam, the one who brought sin into the world, and Jesus the one who took it all away. Let me explain with a little Greek exegesis the gift that Jesus offers. 

"But the free gift is not like the trespass. For it the man died through the one man's trespass. much more surely have  the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man's sin. For the judgment following on trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification." - Romans 5:15-16.

The gift is not like the trespass (parapatoma), which literally means to slip or fall sideways. It is in a sense very similar to the word sin (hamartia), which means to miss the mark. The gift (dorea) is more fully defined in verse 17 as “the gift of the rightness,”(Doreas tas dikaiosunes). The gift is the condition of righteousness into which the sinner enters. The word used here for gift (dorea) in contrast with (doma) another word for gift, is reserved for the highest and best gift. Therefore in Jesus Christ lies the greatest gift reserved for those who have slipped or fallen sideways.

Through the disobedient act of one man Adam, condemnation was passed. But the “free gift” (charisma) given after the commission of many sins, issues a reversal in judgment and a confirmation of a new and righteous status for those who accept this gift.

Thank you God for the gift of life. I do not deserve anything but because of the love you have shown through the cross I can be made righteous again. Thank you. Amen. 

Lightly salted please.

In ancient culture they relied heavily on salt for a few different reasons. Salt was a basic and important item for them. It had three main uses. First, it was used as a preservative. We have to remember that they did not have refrigerators or any systems of keeping their food fresh so often times if they wanted to store food, such as meat or fish, they would salt them to keep them fresher for a longer time. Salt was also used as protection believe it or not. Even in modern Israel certain types of salt is sometimes scattered on the soil of flat roofs to help harden the soil and prevent leaks. The third and most obvious use of salt is for taste. Salt can make food taste better and make it more enjoyable to eat. 

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus talking to his disciples says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again. It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” What is Jesus talking about here? Why does he refer to his disciples as the salt of the earth?

Here Jesus is telling his disciples that if they are true disciples they cannot lose their effectiveness. Many times the salt gathered in the Middle Eastern region was diluted with other impurities and after some time the same salt would lose its taste and effectiveness. Jesus is telling his audience not to lose what is essential to the Christian faith but to go out and permeate society and keep righteousness preserved. True disciples should also make things better by seasoning it with the truth of God and protecting those that might be influenced negatively. If the Christian cannot add truth and righteous living to society then they are not true disciples and might as well be thrown out and trampled by others. They are worthless in a sense.

It is interesting to note in the next few verses Jesus also compares his disciples to light. Salt and light were common substances that everyone would understand. Thus, it makes perfect sense why Jesus used these analogies. Jesus said in verse 14-16, “ You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Light was used as a symbol in the Old and New Testament. It most frequently symbolized purity as opposed to filth. The reference to the city on a hill was pretty obvious to Jesus’ audience. Ancient towns were often built of white limestone and gleamed in the sunlight as well as illuminated at night from all the oil lamps that were lit. These cities could not be hidden. They were there in plain sight for all to see. And because oil was costly it would be foolish to light a lamp and then cover it up. What would be the point? In the same way followers of Jesus are to be like lamps on a lamp stand, shining the truth of Christ to everyone.

The believer’s good deeds will be the light that will shine and give praise to God. When people on the outside see that Christians are living a life that is pleasing to God and one that is in love, they will also praise God. We need to shine our lights into this dark and sinful world. It starts first by living a life that is pleasing to God and then by illuminating the way so a person can also become a follower of Christ. The Christian life should not be passive but active in preserving, enhancing, and protecting like salt and shining and leading like light. Who will you be a salt and light to today?

When quality matters

Good help, especially when it comes to the ministry can be hard to find. Just today I met with some pastors and leaders about the quality of our student leaders. We came to the conclusion that just like students we can classify our leaders into different categories from fringe to committed to core. (Maybe I'll make a fancy diagram and sell it like Doug Fields did with his student one) The sad thing is we have more uncommitted, apathetic leaders, then committed ones. Don't get me wrong, we have some amazing leaders and I'm sure in your church you do too, but there are those that show up on Sunday morning, if that and do nothing else. And because of this kind of leadership it decreases the level our kids develop spiritually, emotionally, and socially. It also increases our work load. The point? Good help is hard to find. 

Consider this passage.. 

"Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints), that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men." - 1 Corinthians 16:15-18

The household of Stephanas had devoted themselves and taken upon themselves to minister to others. They took the initiative. They were committed followers and ministers. By devoting themselves in this manner "they supplied what was lacking" and thus they helped remove some of the burden Paul and the church in Corinth was facing. The word supplied in the Greek literally means to fill up or make full, like filling in a hole with dirt. So what was lacking in others, the ministry of Stephanas' household made it possible for those in the ministry to be less burdened and as a result everyones spirit was refreshed. They filled in the hole instead of making it deeper. They filled in the gaps and took charge. They were refreshing and encouraging. Paul even says that these people should be commended. Rightfully so. 

Paul basically uses the same type of Greek word in Colossians 1:24: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of his body which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions." 

I think what Paul is saying here is that he is willing to do his share of work even if it means he suffers for it. Paul was filling up what was lacking even by suffering so that there would be less suffering for his converts and fellow Christians to bear. 

Could you imagine if all of our leaders committed themselves to our ministry in such a way that our spirits would be refreshed and the burden of ministering to people lifted, if only for a moment?  Just think, if our ministries doubled their effectiveness what would be accomplished. If every leader would devote themselves to the church like the household of Stephanas I think Jesus would come down himself to see all the work that was being done! 

Is Jesus God? Pt 4

 Although much of Easter today is about candy filled baskets, egg hunts, and family gatherings, Easter for some is a time to remember and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Why is that important you ask? Well, in the words of Paul, if Jesus did not raise from the dead, we (Christians) are idiots for following him. In other words, if Jesus did not raise from the dead, He is not the Son of God. Why bother following a mere human? Instead we should be searching for something else or nothing at all. 

For a few brief moments I want to explain why I think Jesus did in fact rise from the dead proving He is the Son of God and worth following. When the resurrection is talked about among skeptics many questions arise. It is natural to question the resurrection of Jesus.. after all, dead people normally don't come out of their grave on their own do they? 

We have already seen in this series that Jesus was a historical figure and the He really died on the cross. Let me also give you some reasons why we can be confident Jesus rose from the dead.

THE EMPTY TOMB: 

There have been thousands of claims by people in Jerusalem that they know where Jesus' tomb is. Do you know why there are so many? Because no one has ever found Jesus' body! No one can prove the other one wrong. In other words if Jesus was still in his grave, we could just find the tomb he was buried in and point it out. If someone asked me to prove that my Grandmother was dead, I would say follow me to the cemetery and I will show you where she is buried. Easy enough I think.. but no one has ever been able to do that with Jesus because He isn't there.

DISCIPLES STOLE THE BODY OF JESUS:

Ok so you are convinced that Jesus has never been found, but what about the disciples stealing his body to make it seem like He raised from the dead? Valid question. Well we know from the Bible and other sources that Jesus had a pretty big following in his day. There was much talk about whether he was divine or not. Because of this there was much discussion and debate as He was crucified what would happen next. To make sure the disciples would not steal Jesus' body, after it was placed inside the tomb, there was a large rock rolled over the hole of the tomb. This was a common thing for certain tombs to be covered like this. Also, the Bible says that there were Roman soldiers guarding the tomb to make sure no one messed with Jesus. The Roman Government knew that Jesus was popular and didn't want his body disturbed, hence the extra precautions to guard it. It is hard to believe that the disciples or anyone else could have stolen Jesus' body. 

TRANSFORMATION OF JESUS' FOLLOWERS:

Say the disciples did steal Jesus' body just for kicks and giggles. Do you think they would worship a dead person and be willing to give up everything to follow him. Heck no! Would you give up everything to follow a dead person? Of course not.. where would you go? :) And why would you want to follow Jesus if he was dead when he claimed he was divine? If Jesus didn't rise from the dead He was a liar and probably crazy too for saying He would. We have to remember that after Jesus' resurrection all of his disciples were willing to die for their belief in it. They obviously all thought that Jesus was really God and believed in the resurrection themselves otherwise why would they give up their lives for a lie? I mean these guys were tortured by guys like Nero and other Caesars (read about it in your history books) and they were still willing to give their lives for Jesus. The bottom line is this: you don't give up your life, especially get tortured for something you know is not true or something you don't firmly believe in. It is pretty clear that the disciples (Jesus closest followers) gave up their lives for something they were pretty sure about. Not only did the disciples give up their lives but thousands of Christians were killed for their beliefs and today that number is in the millions. 

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS:

What is the best kind of evidence when trying to prove a case? Eyewitness evidence. The Bible states that there were over 500 eyewitnesses that saw Jesus. Just think if 500 people saw a person committing a crime, they would be pronounced guilty in a heartbeat at a court of law. The fact that 500 people saw the risen Jesus themselves is a pretty strong case that it was a true event. One or two eyewitnesses can be iffy but 500? Come on that pretty darn good! 

SUNDAY WORSHIP:

Before Jesus' time the tradition of the Jewish people for thousands of years was to meet on Saturdays to worship God. All of the sudden after thousands of years of firm traditions, now Sundays are when people meet in churches. Why? Because Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday and that is why the change happened. Listen, we all know people that have traditions. They seem impossible to change no matter how silly some can be. People live and die by traditions and the Jewish people are no different. Why would the Jewish people change their day of worship from Saturday to Sunday unless they had a valid reason to do so? Again if you want, you can check out books on ancient history that will tell you about this change. This is all historical evidence. 

JESUS, THE UNLIKELY HERO:

Here is what is all boils down to. If the writers in the Bible were making up this story why would they make Jesus out to be kind of lame? I don't mean any disrespect to Jesus nor do I think He is lame but if you were making up a story of someone you were going to follow and worship wouldn't you make him look like a stud? If I were to make up my own story I would make Jesus 6 feet four inches, 225 pounds of straight muscle, who ends up saving the day by beating up all the bad guys up with lasers bringing peace to all. Or better yet as Pastor Mark Driscol said, "if the resurrection was made up I would say the requirements for getting into heaven is to eat chicken wings and take naps instead of believing in Jesus!" But instead we have the Jesus of the Bible who was made fun of by most, rejected by his own followers, and killed by Roman soldiers in a way that is usually reserved for criminals. The writers of the Bible making this story up? I don't think so. If they did why pick such an unusual and unlikely story? Just make Jesus look cool or something.

I have given what I think are solid reasons why you should at least consider Jesus. If you really want to have purpose in life and know the truth, the least you can do is ponder the arguments for the resurrection of God. This is the single most important thing in the Christian faith. I know that because I am a Christian and I do trust in Jesus and believe about his death on the cross, burial in the grave, and his bodily resurrection. I have a relationship with God and know that when I die, I too will be raised by his power and go to heaven. If I didn't think Jesus rose from the dead, I would be a moron for following him. I rather be doing something else.  The Bible says that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one can get to heaven without going through him since He is God. I hope that you will choose to follow Jesus and trust in him with your life. "For whoever calls upon the name of Jesus, will be saved." - Romans 10:13

For more information please contact me. 

Is Jesus God? Pt 3

If you have been reading this 4 part series I hope you have seen how much evidence there is for the life of Jesus already. In this blog post I want to discuss how Jesus died. The reason this is important is to let you know that Jesus really did die on the cross and in no way shape or form did He fake his death or survive crucifixion. There have been some speculation by scholars that Jesus only seemed to rise from the dead because He never died in the first place. By explaining the method of crucifixion I want to show you that it was impossible for anyone to survive.

Crucifixion was a method of execution developed by the Romans. Thousands of people were crucified under the reign of the Roman Government until Constantine abolished it when he came into power. Therefore it was no uncommon thing for Jesus to be killed in this manner. 

Usually crucifixion had to be order by a Roman Official with high enough ranking to administer this kind of punishment. In the case of Jesus, it was a combination of the Roman Procurator Pontius Pilate and the decision of the Jewish people under the rousing of the High Priest. In ancient Roman times, the High Priest (The highest ranking religious leader) could bring up criminal charges against someone who was committing blasphemy (disrespect to God) which could be punishable by death. It sounds strange that a religious leader had that much power, but they took matters of faith and religion very serious in those days, thus they had power. Because the religious leaders of that time knew that Jesus was telling people He was  God and did not believe him, they urged Pontius Pilate that Jesus be hung on a cross to die. Much discussion went back and forth among the people whether Jesus was guilty of a crime punishable by death but rather than having a riot break out Pilate granted their request.  

They would usually strip naked the person being crucified to be publicly humiliated. Also, in Jesus' case He was spit upon, laughed at, and slapped around. Because Jesus willing let this happen to him and did not fight back, He got treated like an animal. The Roman Soldiers wanted him to slip up, just talk back for a second, or renounce his claim that He was God, but Jesus kept silent. It was as if He was supposed to die or something..

After they beat up on Jesus they would tie his hands to a post where he would be whipped into a bloody pulp. The Roman Soldiers would use something called a "cat of nine tails." Basically it was a leather whip with 9 strands that sometimes had bone and glass tied into it for more penetration. When a person would get whipped, the bone and glass would stick into your skin until they ripped it out leaving your flesh to tear off the body. They did this many many times, even so much that the Bible says Jesus was barely recognized as a man. 

After they had beat him, the Roman Soldiers  put a twisted crown of thorns on his head just to mock him and also placed a robe over his bloodied body.  After the  blood would start coagulating with the cloth robe, they ripped it off, exposing his wounds while it bled profusely. 

Now Jesus would have to carry his own cross just like everyone being crucified did. Imagine being almost beaten to death and then having to carry a 200-300 pound cross to the place where they were going to nail you to it. Jesus was so weak at this point that someone had to help him take it to the crucifixion site. The Bible says Simon of Cyrene, a bystander, was assigned to help carry the cross of Jesus. 

When Jesus finally reached the place He was told to go to, while onlookers stared and mocked him, his hands and feet were nailed to the cross with 8 inch spikes. Crucifixion victims would hang on the cross, bloodied and naked, until they bled to death or suffocated from asphyxiation. 

If that wasn't enough, just to make sure you were dead, they would sometimes thrust a spear into your heart just to make sure you did not survive. Roman Soldiers were responsible to make sure every person being crucified died or else they would be killed themselves for their failure to complete the execution. Not hard to insure though as you can tell. Most victims died within 24-48 hours. The Bible said Jesus died in about 9 hours... 

The only question remains then.. Did Jesus actually rise from the dead? Is there any evidence for it or is it just a made up story for Christians to follow? I will answer this in the last part of "Is Jesus God?"

For the Biblical account of Jesus' crucifixion you can read (Matthew 26:57- 7:61, Mark 14:43-15:47, Luke 22:47-23:56, John 18:28-19:42) 

Is Jesus God? Pt 2

This post is the second of 4 total. Here I want to show you that Jesus existed and is not a made up figure in history. The best way to show this is to take ancient accounts of people who lived around the same time as Jesus and read what they have to say about him if anything.

Tacitus

 Cornelius Tacitus (AD 55-120) was a Roman historian who lived through the reign of over a half dozen Roman emperors. He has been called the “greatest historian” of ancient Rome, acknowledged among scholars for his moral integrity and goodness. Tacitus recorded at least one reference to Christ and two to early Christianity, one in each of his major works. The following was recounted concerning the great fire in Rome during the reign of Nero.

 “Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.”

 From this paragraph alone we can learn many things.

1. Christians were named for their founder, Christus (from the Latin)
2. who was put to death by the Roman procurator Pontius Pilatus (also Latin)
3. during the reign of emperor Tiberius (AD 14-37)
4. His death ended the “superstition” for a short time (The conviction of the early church that Jesus who had been crucified had risen from the grave.)
5. but it broke out again
6. Especially in Judaea, where the teachings had its origin.
7. His followers carried his doctrine to Rome
8. When the great fire destroyed a large part of the city during the reign of Nero (AD 54-68), the emperor placed the blame on the Christians who lived in Rome

 Suetonius

 Little is known about Suetonius except that he was the chief secretary of Emperor Hadrian and that he had access to the imperial records. Writing on a section of Emperor Claudius (AD 41-54) he says:

 “Because the Jews at Rome caused continuous disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from the city….. After the great fire at Rome… Punishments were also inflicted on the Christians, a sect professing a new and mischievous religious belief.

 From these we can learn

1. There was an expulsion of the Jews from Rome (Also cited in Acts 18:2)
2. That it was Christ who caused the Jews to make the uproar in Rome, apparently by his teachings
3. The term Christians was used to identify this group as followers of the teachings of Christ.

Josephus

 Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (AD 37-97) provides interesting evidence concerning Jesus. There have been some arguments about the authenticity of this particular writing but most scholars consider it to be accurate.

 “At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus, and his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon their loyalty to him. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive. Accordingly they believed that he was the Messiah, concerning whom the Prophets have recounted wonders."

 From this one can learn

1. Jesus was known as a wise and virtuous man
2. He had many disciples, both Jews and Gentiles
3. Pilate condemned him to die
4. Crucifixion is how Jesus died
5. The disciples reported that Jesus had risen from the dead
6. Jesus appeared to his disciples after 3 days in the grave
7. Disciples continued to proclaim his teaching
8. Jesus was the brother of James and called the messiah by some

* There are about 10 more extra biblical sources that reveal the life and death of Jesus.

 I got a lot of my information from "The Historical Jesus" by Gary Habermas. You can also check out his website Garyhabermas.com or read Ravi Zacharias, Norman Geisler, or William Lane Craig for more information. 

Is Jesus God? pt1

If you are someone that is seeking for truth and purpose in life please continue to read. 

Christianity has always been known as a religion of faith. Jesus himself said blessed are those who believe without seeing. For hundreds of years many scholars have argued that there was no historical evidence for the life and death of Jesus. Rudolph Bultmann, professor of New Testament in the early 1900’s and one of the leading theologians of his day said that there was no way to know the historical Jesus and quickly dismissed it, arguing that faith alone derived from the Bible was enough. Bultmann, although heavily criticized by his peers remained persistent in his beliefs until his death in 1976. One of Bultmann’s students, Ernst Kasemann, thought a little differently. He claimed that there was historical evidence for the life of Jesus, but even Kasemann admitted there was very little.

Regardless of one’s beliefs today, it is clear that Jesus has been criticized, questioned, and debated about more than any other person in history. While there are many world religions, it is only Jesus that claimed He was God and was the only way to heaven. Other religious leaders never claimed that, think about it, why else would Jesus be so criticized? If someone is truly seeking for truth, regardless of other thoughts or beliefs they should look into the claims of Jesus and make a decision whether to follow him or not. If Jesus did in fact rise from the dead, He should be followed, and worshipped as God right? Otherwise you can toss him back into the sea of religions to sink or float with the rest of them. 

So the question remains, did Jesus actually exist and if He did, did He really die on a cross and resurrect from the dead proving He is the Son of God? The Bible would say yes to all of those questions but are there any other sources of evidence outside of the Bible crediting its claims? When one looks into the different evidences, they will be astonished to find the overwhelming amount of proof leading to the existence of Jesus and the validity of his works.

 Three questions will be answered WITHOUT using the Bible as proof but only as a reference.  

1. Did Jesus actually exist?
2. How did He die?
3. Did he really rise from the dead?

I will answer these in the next post or two. Stay tuned, especially if you are a skeptic. 

Why I blog

Over the past couple of years social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and others alike have exploded onto the scene with rapid growth. It makes sense .. People crave relationships. They want a sense of belonging and want to connect with others of the same interests and similarities. We were created by God this way so it's good that we desire a connection with other people and what better way to share those homogeneous associations then on the world wide web where you are connected to billions of people as well as many resources to express yourself? 

With all of these networking structures I am surprised more people do not blog. Maybe people really don't know that much about it or they think it's too much maintenance. Sites like Facebook and Myspace are so popular because they are easy to maintain and you can quickly browse through friends to see what they've been up to. Twitter is also getting more and more popular. Twitter is a program that is very simple, just update your status a few times a day so you and your friends can see what everyone has been up to. That's it, no pictures, no notes, no nothing.. It sounds a like a waste of time just updating your status but isn't that what you spend all day on Facebook doing and checking anyways? 

As much as people want to stay connected with others and get that sense of belonging, blogging is an even better way to build community. You can accomplish all the things of Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter, but build a deeper more meaningful community by writing out ideas, thoughts, and day to day activities. 

Let me give you several reasons why I blog and you should too. 

First of all it gets you in the habit of journaling and writing out your thoughts. This is a discipline that most people would like to do but cannot keep up with. Managing your own blog forces you to keep regular with posts. Writing out your thoughts and ideas on paper or in this case on computer will also help you develop an idea and come back to it whenever you need to.

Blogging can be like therapy. Sometimes it is just good to be able to vent or share with others what has been on your mind lately. It can be easier to share your thoughts over the internet because in a sense you are less exposed then in person but you are still getting out your thoughts. It's healthy stuff you know? 

It is like having a reality show about yourself, if you want. If you really want to share with others who you are then write about it! Updating your status once or twice a day is shallow when compared to writing a few paragraphs about your day or an idea you have come across. 

You can provide insight and encouragement to others who read your blog. Maybe you have some good information to share, (like in this blog) and you want to help others by writing it all down. Plus when you are done, people can comment, give you feedback, and help you develop your ideas even more. 

Finally, blogging puts you on the same playing field as everyone else. You don't have to be a somebody to blog, you can be anyone. The beauty of blogging is your thoughts are written down for everyone to see and you don't have to be famous to be heard. The best idea wins.

What are you waiting for? Start blogging and let the world know you a little better by doing so.

The art of brewing coffee

A good cup of coffee can be hard to find sometimes. We all have our preferences, such as flavors, brand, whole bean or grind, light or dark roast, decaf or not, etc.. There are many varieties and ways you can make the perfect cup of coffee that is to your own liking. It truly is an art. Now I am no expert but I will share with you how I brew my perfect cup. 

First, choose the right brand of coffee. I really enjoy the Starbucks breakfast blend so I usually drink that in the mornings. It's got a medium flavor, not too heavy not too light, with a good finish. 

Second, I make sure that I get whole bean. I used to get the already ground stuff but that was in the past. Taking the extra minute to grind your own coffee produces a much fresher and cleaner flavor. If you don't own a grinder you can find one just about anywhere for like 20 bucks. 

Third, after I have put my grinds into the filter, in which I have no preference, I make sure to use ice cold water. The colder the water the better for some reason. If you have bottled watered or purified water it's even better, but I don't go that far. By the way I go the standard two tablespoons for every 6 ounces of water, and yes I measure everything.. I just hate screwing it up. 

Four, after the coffee is made I always use liquid creamer (no flavor) and a spoon of sugar. I know I'm a wuss right for not drinking it black, but black is boring. Then I will take a flavored syrup and add a little of that if I want. I use the sugar free stuff to cut back  a little bit. 

Fifth, when I'm done I store my coffee in an airtight container. Don't freeze your coffee, it will not last longer or stay fresh that way. I know some people say to do it but trust me unless you want jacked up coffee. 

This is my art of brewing the perfect cup of coffee. What is yours? 

Tu Habla Espanol?

My wife and I bought the first level of the Rosetta Stone program to begin to learn Spanish. We both already know some and picked up quite a bit when we were in Peru last year but want to be proficient enough to carry conversations. Just for fun I thought I would give you 10 reasons why you too should learn Spanish. 

1. Spanish is the third most spoken language in the world and becoming more popular than English.

2. You can travel to Mexico and all of South America and communicate with just about everyone.

3. It would be cool to be able to speak another language. 

4. It's very valuable for mission trips.

5. You can impress your friends next time you go to a Mexican restaurant. 

6. You know someone that speaks it or will encounter someone that does.

7. It expands your career choices and makes you stand out above the competition. 

8. You could watch Nacho Libre without subtitles. 

9. You can also communicate to people who speak Italian because the languages are a lot alike. You'd be surprised. 

10. When you get upset you can just go off in Spanish so no one can understand what you are saying. Kinda like my mother did in Korean when she would get mad.  Lol

Clean House

There is this show that my wife and I watch sometimes called "Clean House." Basically people submit videos and pictures of their filthy house hoping that the Clean House crew will come in, clean everything and redecorate their house. Normally the house that is chosen is extremely in need of help. Clothes are thrown everywhere, junk litters the floors, and most rooms aren't even accessible due to all the crap everywhere. Then the Clean House crew gets to work. They pull everything out of the house, sell some of the junk at a yard sale, and then take that money to redecorate their house into something that is much more livable. 

What I find funny is that these people didn't need professionals to come and clean their house, they could have done it themselves.  The bottom line is they are just too lazy to do it. I admit I wouldn't mind if professional cleaning people cleaned my apartment from time to time. But what happens to most of these houses featured is they eventually go back into the same mess they were in the first place. The problem lies not in the Clean House crew but in the people living in those houses being cleaned. Although they have had their house cleaned, they fall back into the same patterns because they have not changed their lazy mindset and eventually they are stuck back in the same mess again.

Sometimes we need to examine our own lives and see what in our "house" needs to be cleaned. Maybe there is a sin that hasn't been properly dealt with or something that you know should be taken care of and you haven't gotten around to it. There could even be things that you don't even realize that might take a closer inspection. Well it' s time to clean house. Our bodies are the temple of the living God for goodness sake! 

But here is what happens when we clean house. We confess our sins to God, we commit never to go back to them again and things are great, at least for a short time. But soon after, we find ourselves committing the same sins over and over, asking God for mercy and grace once again. We've all been guilty of it and I will be the first to admit that. The reason for repeated actions of disobedience towards God comes when there has been no renewing of the mind. We fall into the same traps when we fail to take God's word and let them transform us. 

Transformation happens through meditation, prayer, and a plan of action. Andy Stanley said something profound that I keep with me all the time " Your direction not your intention determines your destination." I love it. We can have good intentions, expect God to do great things, but if we never take action and ownership of God's truths, our old habits will always creep back in, making us filthy again. 

Examine your life and remove not just the uncleanness in it but let God put something new into your heart that will transform the way you act so you don't have to repeat the process all over again. 

Made in his image

Today I awoke early to discover that the ground was covered in snow. I've lived in Lynchburg, Virginia for about two years and I know that snow is a rare sight to see. It turns out we got hit with about 9 inches of snow, the most we've had in a decade according to the weather man. Anyways, like little kids, my wife Lindsey and I went outside to go play in it. We ended up building a rather unusual snowman, or snowthing. It has hair made out of leaves, uneven stick arms, crazy eyes, and a mouth full of crazy sharp twig teeth with a few old berries in his mouth.We didn't really have any rocks so the snowman had to settle for a buttonless coat. It is definitely one of the weirdest snowmen I have ever made.. but I would not change a thing.

I enjoyed making it and even though it's not your "everyday" snowman, I am proud of it. It is my creation and to me its the way I wanted it, whether you may like it or not.

God made us in his image. We are his masterpiece creation. Every person has God's unique touch and whether you or I find flaws in ourselves or other people, He created us just the way He wanted. We can find peace knowing that our creator loves us just the way we are. He would not change a thing.

Walking with God

When I come across genealogies in the Bible, often times I will breeze right through them, thinking nothing of it. This time something caught my eye..

Check this out.

Most of Genesis 5 is a genealogy from the line of Seth, one of Adam's son. As I was reading all the begets and the deaths of these people, verse 22-24 stopped me in my tracks.

"Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God: and he was not, for God took him."

Enoch did not experience death. His rescue from death was a result of his "walking with God." In the midst of all of those genealogies the author of Genesis stops his literary pattern to expound on Enoch a little bit and tell why he was different. He walked with God and because of that God took him up to heaven. Now we can also contrast that with the next chapter that deals with Noah.

In Genesis 6:9 it says "These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.

Noah walked with God and he and his family were saved from the flood. In the story of Noah and the flood, the author of Genesis is able to repeat the lesson of Enoch. "Life comes through walking with God."

Living in a way that pleases God grants us his blessing and gives us true life. Have you been walking with God today?

The tree of life predicament

Genesis 3:21-23

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

I guess I didn't catch this before but apparently there was a "tree of life" in the garden of Eden. It seems that if Adam and Eve would have eaten it after they sinned they would have lived forever.. I guess I'm a little confused . Why would Jesus have to die if they could have just eaten the fruit of the tree of life and reverse death's grip?

Let me know what you guys think..

Random Band Game (stolen from Micah)

Random Band Game
How to get a band name and first album

1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit "random"
or go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.
BIONIC JIVE

2 - Go to "Random quotations"
or go to http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.
HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU

3 - Go to flickr and click on "explore the last seven days"
or go to http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no m
atter what it is, will be your album cover.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nachophoto/3289908816/

I'm Back!

I'm back baby! I think when I tried this whole "blogging" thing before I was skeptical.. But now I'm a believer. I getting a blogging makeover.. Check back in a few days.