Screw Stress Balls

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

God is my stress reliever.

The part of the verse that applies most to me is the transforming and renewing of the mind. I fantasize a lot. As I told Richard while we were studying at the humanities library at Purdue, I daydreamed for a good 5 minutes while I was suppose to be studying.

I find it hard to keep my mind off of somethings. Starcraft, Facebook, you name it. These distractions only hinder me from knowing and being with my God. I've realized that all I really wanted was to love these things, but never allow them to surpass God's #1 slot in my head.

Every little thing is ticking me off this week. But I don't need anger management. I need God.

"I pray for transformation and renewal of my mind. Liberate me from what is currently clouding my judgement. Would you be the light for my path again as I attempt to walk with you again? Save me from my transgressions and quell my anger. For what I am now is not pleasing to you."

God is good, all the [explict] time.

Amen.

Home is Where the Heart is

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

Ephesians 3:14-15

When I think about home, I always think about my home in Chicago. I tell people, "I will never call West Lafayette my home!" in all fun and foolishness. Purdue is where I go to school, not where I live.

My definition of home, in this case, was a point where my mother and father were, where my two sisters lived, along with all my cousins, aunts, and uncles.

I've come to learn that there can be more than one place called home. At Purdue, I've made so many friends and they've practically become family. We share stories with each other, give advice, and be there for one another when times are rough. We give each other Godly advice as well and share with each other the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

I am glad.

Because I have a family in Chicago and a family in West Lafayette. This I consider my earthly family.

Although my earthly family is not strong or stable. We fight at times and curse each other out. I am encouraged to know that my heavenly family is one with the Lord. Our heavenly family, with God taking care of us, will be so perfect that we will not realize the pain and bickering that we have caused each other here on earth, only to realize God's sovereignty and majesty.

"Home is where the heart is" My heart is with Jesus. Which means that my home is as well. I love my families everywhere and I pray that they will know Christ in any point of their lives, but I find much comfort in the greatest family of all in the body of Christ.

Amen.

What is Worship?

Music is just music, just as this song is. But if we take time to sit down and listen through all the beats and melodies of the instruments, we can hear the Holy Spirit speaking to us through these artists.

So let these lyrics pierce your heart as it did mine. As God washed away my blindness and broke through my deafness, He called to me time and time again hoping to catch me once more. Father, you've shattered my darkness.

The word "Again" in the chorus implies that there was more than one instance that we were alive. Being sinners, we have nowhere and no one to turn to except our Savior. By doing so we are saved and the gap is bridged from us to God. But because Satan is always trying to lure us back into Hell with him, we trip and we stumble.

Matt Maher's "Alive Again" helps portray the mercy that is of God. Whether we walk or fall, God is always trying to win us back. We die again and again, but because of God, we are Alive Again.

Amen!

Psalm 42:5,11

Because they're the same verse.

Here we go.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

In this Psalm, the author repeats these lines twice. A repetition that I believe that comes from deep within the soul of this man. He asks himself why. Why am I so sad when I know of God? Why am I so disturbed when I know of my Savior?

The Psalmist knows, but cannot trust in the Lord.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" - Matthew 6:25

This is me. I worry about the future and what God has in store for me. What? This is a oxymoron. I worry about what God has in store for me? This is truth; yet I cannot help it.

I will continue to pray for understanding for I know my God is a God whose hope does not disappoint.

Amen.

Faith That Waits

And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. Genesis 21:1-2

Yeah God. You allowed a 100 year old woman to have a baby.

When we take a look at Abraham and Sarah and their son Issac, we can take into account of God's faithfulness. It was all going to happen, we just have no clue when.

I can't say that I am not anxious when I am waiting on the Lord's promises in my life. As a matter of fact, I cannot wait until I see what the Lord has in store for me!

"What will I do after college?" "Who will I fall in love with and marry?" "Kids?" "Church?" "Ministry?" "FUTURE????"

I really want to know now and thats that. But what about God's timing in my life? Since my timing itself is terrible (absolutely terrible), I need God to continuously work in me. With that, I need to learn to become patient and accept God's way of doing things. For it is written, Romans 5:5 . . .

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

I don't know what will happen next, but let your will be done in everything that I am!

Amen!

Small Groups Formed

What can I say, but to continually to encourage and cheer my fellow Cornerstone stewardship team on for the hard work thus far.

Joseph, Rachel, Dave, Chris, Alice, Chris, Gloria, Bryan, Sharon, and Esther.

Let's keep each other in prayer!

Every time we talk about small groups, I get pissed off. There is always an objectification of the members. "Love your small group!" and "Lets love these people!". There is a definite implication that we as leaders are to love these members just because they are a part of our small group.

Relationships go deeper than that. Especially since we are trying to model after the relationship that we have with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are to love them because they are our fellow brothers and sisters and they understand the meaning of True Love, not because it is an obligation.

Although it may seem easy to say now, relationships are hard to maintain especially if you fear the incompatibility between two persons. Just maintain a Christ like mindset no matter what. God sent Christ down knowing that the earth was full of weirdos (aka sinners eh eh). With that said, anything is possible with the Holy Spirit as our guide. Pray for your brothers and sisters who will have the pleasure of sharing their experiences/life/goals/walk with you in a small group environment!

Amen!

In Athens

Acts 17:16-23

I missed basically the entire sermon this Sunday due to some bad Chapaghetti I had Saturday night. I ended up taking my bible and reading this passage in the stall. This just means the Word can be read anywhere.

This passage depicts the mission of Paul in Athens. As he roams throughout the streets, he faces many faces of worship. The Athenians do not settle for just one idol, but many. As Paul preaches the good news and Jesus of the resurrection, all found him odd and confusing.

What? So we love Jesus. Looking at us from hindsight, you would have to agree: Christians are weird. Why do they act this way? It would be weird, if other people didn't think that we were weird!

Do not be ashamed. Speak and act the truth that is of verses Acts 17:24-31 and proclaim the Word of God as our life.

How refreshing to know You don't need us.

How amazing to find that You want us.

Amen!

I Finally Found the Reason for Living...

Its been a while since I've written here. The time between might not be written down, but it has definitely been memorable. The summer offered a countless number of blessings where God revealed Himself through the work of others. I was so humbled to the point where I threw myself at the mercy of the Lord. The love that pours out from the Cross and anoints my empty cup with overflowing love. What more can I say? I've never been so content!

During the summer, I did not get the job nor any other selfish things that I so longed for , but God provided me with so much more.

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:5