Smiling with God...

“As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.” Proverbs 27:19 Though this verse is simple it reveals a wonderful truth about all men. Our hearts are very much reflective of who we are. Here Solomon wisely says that if you examine the heart of a man you will see what he is really like. Here he is describing the inner soul, the inner sanctuary, the inner most part of him. That is where the real person is. Past the disguises that each person puts up, you dig deeper you will find what really makes this person. My nieces are back in town, so you know what that means, I am watching more and more Disney movies. But a couple of nights ago I was forced to watch a movie Mulan again, and again. About the 3rd time I was watching it, something caught my attention. The song that Mulan sings, “When will my reflection show who I am inside.” What caught me was that what she was seeing was not what she wanted to be. So when I read this verse here what I see sometimes the refle...

"Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for nobel purposes and some for common use?" Romans 9:21 God's sovereign choice to do what He desires for His creation. Though this is a tough concept to really think about because basically what Paul is saying here is that you could be a common folk. Not exactly what you want to hear. A common use?! Who wants to be that?! Here in America, you are constantly fed the idea that you could be SOMEBODY. But what Paul explains here is that well, you could be somebody in man's terms but you could be common use kind of person, and God chooses who is who. Not exactly the most soothing message to hear. You are a common person. That's great. But it really is great. If you think about Paul teaches in another book that we are part of a body of Christ a body has zillion of parts, some are visual and big and well known, others are small and in the background. But you need all of it ...

“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations just as it had been said to him, ‘so shall your offspring be’” Romans 4:18 Wow, what faith.This is what it means to live by faith. To firmly believe in the promises of God and know that it will come to pass. I can now say that God’s promises will be fulfilled. I can now embrace that God’s work shall be completed in me. I trust that God will finish what He started. If He says it, it will be. Against all hope God is working. But there is a part two, Abraham in hope believed. We must have faith in God. Be confident in God through the thick and thin. There are many things in my life where I fail to realize that God’s will come through. There are promises that are yet unfulfilled that I now know that I can trust in now. I am now confident that God can and will bring me out of the this season better and stronger. God is orchestrating, God is putting the pieces together, God is bring the plan for ...

"But your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time." 1 Kings 8:61 After a dedication to the temple Solomon here sees the importance of a committed heart to the Lord. But there is something about commitment. When the heart goes then then everything else follows. When your heart turns then your life will turn along with it. I guess what is important here to see is that once you move in one direction and your heart commits to it, then your emotion, intellect, and energy follows. I see why here Solomon ask that if God is to give us His 100% then we have to follow suit. The heart committed can see through tough times and focus on what is important. I liked this girl a lot I thought, but after constant rejection I gave up. My heart became uncommitted. I liked this other girl, and we dated for a month, but was rejected again and my heart towards her has changed. I see how why a committed heart is nece...

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it s possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will but, as you will." Matthew 26:36 He had to ask. I mean why not? He knows the impending doom that has to be done, but instead of taking it, Jesus, like David prayed hard to change the mind of God. Why? It's not like we didn't know what was going to happen. We all know that when David heard that his son was going to die, he prayed and lamented, and did his son live? No. Here Jesus knows that he God assigned him to walk this very path, but here he pleads and to no avail. He has to walk the path. What sacrifice. Doing things even though you don't want to, that is awesome. Walking in the will of the Father is not easy. There will be times that walking with God will be like the best. But there will be times where we have to walk through the fire. We have to walk through the hard times. But at least I know t...

Wow, okay well here we go my first blog entry.... Scripture: During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afriad and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matt 14:25-31 Observation: I like this story, a story of risk, of faith and of walking out when you know the odds are against you. Not that this applies to my life now or anything. It is a time where Jesus is walking out on the water. Can you imagine what that looks like. ...