Seeing what is Next.

This is one of my favorite passages:

 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/30/2005 12:31:00 AM 0 comments

Watch "What Old People Do For Fun..." on Google Video

Your friend, sharkmaul@gmail.com, has sent you the following video from Google Video and included this message:

Click to watch: What Old People Do For Fun...

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posted by shark_maul @ 11/29/2005 11:47:00 PM 0 comments

Seeking the Seeker.

I'm a firm believer in the seeker sensitive church. I think it is by far the best type of church there is.  If we give the world a situation where they are invited to come in and feel welcome then we have accomplished the first step on helping them to see Christ.

Sunday my pastor in Cheraw made a comment that was something to the effect of, "You Sorry Sinner!!" There were some other things after that but I missed them because I was totally stunned at what he'd just said.  In his defense that was unusual for him to do but nonetheless he did it.  I thought I'm glad I didn't bring anyone today because I want them to feel welcomed not hated on.  I want to know for sure that what is said in Sunday morning praise services is something I can bring anyone to.  It needs to be seeker sensitive.

Our lives need to be seeker sensitive and we need to live forgiving.  Something I feel strongly about is obedience and people get the misconceptioin that we are about the "Don'ts" but in fact we are about the "Do's"  see the don't come out of God's love not his wrath.  He is protecting us.  He loves us and wants us to not be hurt.  Obedience is not about rules but about a desire to follow God's best plan for your life.  So live obediently and seeking the seekers.  Those are like the 2 big things in life.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/28/2005 11:07:00 PM 0 comments

Grow up.

Recently infighting in my house has started.  All year a group has been growing tighter as they form sort of an anti-ryan's roommate group.  Tonight I came home and all the doors were locked in the house and they wanted a password.  Childish yes but still fun. But when I found out they had started a group on facebook that was "lock boo-boo (my roommate) out" I walked out of the room in frustration.

Earlier in the week Thomas had $90 stolen from him and most of the house blamed boo-boo.  Now there's a big difference between blaming a missing candy bar on someone and blaming $90.  I told them to shutup about it.

What's happening is this group is working hard to undo the work I'm trying to do. God is laying heavily on my heart that I'm to pray for him, minister to him, love him, and do whatever to show him the love of God.  As I do this and worry about it day by day I come home to see those who claim to be Christians driving him away because of some missing forks or drinks or things like that. Now, I'm not saying he's harmless and has never done anything, there have been days where he gets on my nerves but I'm sorry this is getting out of hand.

We have got to look at the situation through the eyes of unbelievers and think about effectiveness.  To be effective we must love our people with an attitude that goes beyond petty stolen candy.

Grow up.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/21/2005 07:46:00 AM 2 comments

Unnacceptable.

This is unnacceptable.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/17/BUGB3FPGT01.DTL&type=tech

posted by shark_maul @ 11/17/2005 11:22:00 PM 0 comments

Obedience.

Why do we have the "law?" What is the purpose of a law that God gives.  During my quiet time....I think back in Romans Paul talks about how the law exist to show us just how screwed up we are.  The original intention of the law was to give us just a glimpse at how flawed we really are.

I think there is that and it's true but it's also protection.  God has given us the law to help us not fall into traps.  See God's not a kill joy, he's just watching after us.  He's saying don't stick your hand in a light socket.  We wouldn't do that and we think he's being a kill joy when we can't do those things.

Those two things said, look at your life.  Your obedience is wanted because God wants you to understand just how fallen you are and how much you need him. You need him daily. Your and my obedience is necessary because we then stay out of harm and can follow him daily and not have long over arching effects of sin.

Be obedient in everything you do.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/16/2005 11:47:00 AM 1 comments

Holes.

A man walks down the street and falls in a hole and gets out.
The man walks down the street and sees the hole but, falls in the hole again.
The third time he walks down the street sees the hole and falls in the hole again but remembers where the hole is.
The fourth time he walks around the hole.
The fifth time, he picks another street.

How many times have you fallen in the hole? Where are you?

posted by shark_maul @ 11/15/2005 12:09:00 AM 0 comments

Public Relations Director for Christianity.

Christianity needs a public relations director.  We need someone to accurately represent our beliefs so that the world can see the real ones from the fakes.  I hate that Christianity is defined by the actions of Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell.  When they open their mouth it seems Christianity is represented by every word.  I don't want them to represent me.  I want a new PR director who knows what he is doing and can represent us in a fashion that is true to what we really believe.

Public relations is something we need to work on daily.  If you get a chance pay attention to how you represent God and his people tomorrow, does your speech and attitude reflect Christ's love?

posted by shark_maul @ 11/14/2005 11:22:00 PM 0 comments

Butchering of our Image.

I'm a very picky photographer, I'm so picky recently I almost sent a cease and desist disorder to a website. My high school used my photos without my permission and honestly they butchered them.  They took photos that I enjoyed and was respected for and slaughtered every bit of decent photography.  The entire website wreaked of the stench of bad design and my photographs butchered to pieces.

How many times does God look at us and say the same thing?  We are created in his image and he sees us his own creation walking around killing ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  We are butchering the perfect image God created by letting the sin he so deeply despises creep into our lives.  One way that most notably stands out to me is people and the way they dress and present their bodies.  I think that that is a prime example of us destroying God's plan for the most surface of things, our physical image.

Also, I gotta link for ya. Take that you evil people...pssh. Man I hate stupid Christians.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/11/2005 11:16:00 PM 2 comments

Living like a Servant.

I still remember the deep red clay and tiny rocks digging into my knees.  People stood on my back as my hands and knees were driven into the deep Texas dirt.  Pain coursed through my body as I let people stand atop my back during training for Romania.

I had to write a paper for class and as I recounted the experience I realized that we learn through servanthood.  See I was so lonely when I landed in Texas, I knew no one and they all seemed to know each other.  The entire first day I was like, "what in the world did I get myself into." All that time and I'd screwed up.  I woke up the next morning and had to get ready for training and what you read was what happened. I went from being lonely to having a family that would last a month and live in my heart for a lifetime.

Through being a servant God will look and say, "he is mine and I love him." It took me 6 months to realize how God had worked in that day but he did and that is what mattered.  No matter what you do, by being a servant God is going to look at you and know that you are there serving and giving up yourself for him and there will be rewards for that.  But, like I say a lot, his rewards will not be the kind you are looking for...they are the kind you need.  He probably won't give you money, he'll give you love, he won't give you a 1000 friends, he'll give you one to witness to.  God's rewards are not our rewards because he will reward you in a way that will glorify him, because that is your purpose, our purpose.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/10/2005 08:22:00 PM 2 comments

Clean Hands.

Today we  had to run the mile and a half again because someone cheated and the teacher had no way of telling who did it. As I ran I though why does God want us to have clean hands? Why is there a relationship between hands and ascending the hill of the Lord? 

I think that we should examine Psalm 24 and also Pilate's reaction to the want to crucify Christ in Matthew 27.  Why would God say you must have clean hands to come to him and why would Pilate say he was washing his hands of the death of our God? I think it's God's way of saying that sin is kept like blood on our hands.  If we touch someone it spreads to them and then someone else and mixes with the blood on their hands and God's saying you can't come with blood on your hands because you can't touch me but also because I don't want you to spread your sin to other people.

Well I'll catch ya'll later.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/10/2005 11:53:00 AM 1 comments

Interruptions.

Living life means having disruptions.  There are times where no matter the situation interruptions will happen.  Tonight my car battery died and I have to buy a new one, but it doesn't matter.  It's kind of discouraging because I can't send my deposit for India until next week when I get paid but that's the way it goes.

What happens when we plan interruptions into our lives?  What happens when we live expecting God to interrupt our lives and have his plan intersect and take over our lives.  I would ask that you pray for 3 of my friends in my house.  God has just put these guys in front of me and the past couple of nights I've just spent time praying for them and God is saying, "I will move, I hear your cry, I will move, Be ready to be interrupted with my call." Last night, I prayed over my roommate and just asked that God do his God thing and not help me out by making him go away or get less annoying but to help him see God.  Later that night I woke in the middle of the night and God said, "Today I'm going to do something big."  I went the whole day waiting for something big but it didn't seem to happen, then when I came in from work in the quiet still moment of me relaxing with my Xbox he was listening to worship music. WORSHIP MUSIC!!  He hasn't listened to that in a long time.  In that moment I saw God had moved, he had moved and my roommate had followed.  Now later he was listening to other music but it stands, God moved in a mighty and powerful way.

Monday I was feeling rather dry in my quiet time and I just longed for renewal and provision and God rewarded my desire.  I had the best quiet time I've had since I was at Brandon's house a couple of weeks ago. But not to disappoint he moved in a mighty way again last night.  God is moving swiftly through the people of his world in ways that go beyond a simple push and pull here. Listen and yearn for his word and he will speak.

Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
       Who may stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
       who does not lift up his soul to an idol
       or swear by what is false.

clean hands. pure heart. clean hands. pure heart. clean hands. pure heart.
His Holy Place.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/09/2005 10:48:00 PM 0 comments

Freedom.

Last night at Engage they talked about water.  A large amount of time was  spent talking about how you thirst for water.  But the real question is when was the last time you thirsted for God?  Has God become the dirty commode water of you life where you've become so used to substandard quality that you settle for less than the best.  Have you become so desensitized that you miss the true redemptive grace of Christ? 

See for me I experienced God in a real way in Romania. Now I know ya'll hear about this a lot but I did.  It was the turning point for my life and will continue to be the moment where I changed.  See I went from drinking the toilet water and thinking that's what God had to offer to drinking purified water and the change wa all I needed. Do not settle for less than the full potential of Christ.  He is daily trying to give you the clean water and you need to take it.

If you live in a life of sin (all of us) pinpoint the one you want to destroy first and begin. Do not sit there moping to yourself and complaining that God has cursed you. Get up, dust off, and push forward even though it hurts.  That's hard for me to say because there was a time when I didn't stand up and brush off I stayed drinking the poor water and thinking it was Christ. Now I know the truth and the truth is so much better than the lie.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/09/2005 07:45:00 AM 1 comments

Today.

Today was a stressful day. I received an email from Kailee from Romania and she's at Honor Academy right now.  She had a picture of her at a party they'd had and it captured a spirit that I haven't experienced in quite a while.  I longed to be there participating in the quiet times and growing she was experiencing.  I think, I was going to be there.  It's hard to get past the fact that I wanted to go and felt like I should.  Now God has great plans for me that are only grand in the fact that they are found in Christ.

As the evening went things got better but it's still hard. I want to escape to a place where I can find the type of renewal Romania gave me.  It won't ever happen because Romania was a turn in life not a renewal but still I long for the power I experienced.  It's hard to find that in the everyday but it will happen.

I'm getting tired of my blog design so it's going to get a makeover in a couple of days hopefully.  I found a sweet design I like a lot and I'm going to sort of imitate it so...ya.

Alright, g'nite ya'll.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/07/2005 11:18:00 PM 0 comments

Tests!

Focusing on God is hard; no matter the topic whether prayer, the preacher, or on God himself. As humans we have trouble taking the time and focusing on God's wants for us and our lives. See we need to focus on God like studying for a test. For tests blocking out distractions is the best thing that can be done. Until we have discerned his will I'd say leave distractions, so if you don't know God's will for your life then how would you know if he wanted you to date someone? When the will of God is discerned then move forward and be willing to do things that could distract you like dating. Don't let it distract you but you can do it now. Now don't go and live in a hole and never come out until you've found God but do search after him no matter what. Discern his will by asking people what they think, looking at your interests, and just searching for God's voice. Search for God like you would search for the answers to a test.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/06/2005 01:54:00 PM 1 comments

God the Ultimate Pool Hustler.

God is the ultimate pool hustler. He sets up games daily and he wins...every time. Our lives depend on his winning pool games. See we are the balls and he runs the table everytime. Occasionally he'll let Satan have a turn to help put things into place for him but he runs the table. See we often think about the here and now and don't see how he is working through the grand scheme. For example, after I became single my senior year I didn't really see how it would be a good thing. As time went I realized that I was placed where I was to accomplish God's purpose. See without being single I wouldn't have gone to Romania, I wouldn't be at NGU, and I wouldn't be planning on doing full time missions. It took one event to ripple effects through the rest of my life. But it goes beyond that. See one day I'll tell a young African or Indian or Thai kid about Jesus and it will change him. Once he's changed his parents will change. Then the village. And the village will have a new generation and it will grow and spread. All because someone broke up with me my senior year in high school. I'm not saying that I'm gonna revolutionize the world with the gospel, God will do that but I'm saying your life events will ripple into the lives of every person and God is orchestrating the events daily looking out for you.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/03/2005 08:37:00 PM 1 comments

I blogged twice today neither time it posted, then when I did a test post it did so whatever. Reaching people is hard. Especially when they are rude, non-enjoyable, and generally unpleasant. I look at them and try with my deepest emotions to love them in some form but it's hard. Then I just give up in some form. God has been telling me for the past couple of days that I must obey in a way that makes me uncomfortable. Why? Because I could rid myself of two problems but God is saying "look I put them there to minister to not to hate." The hard part is it is easier to dislike and talk trash about them and sit and not do anything. How do you minister to someone in a way that is unconventional or even effective? So tomorrow here is your challenge...find the socially unaccepted person and minister to them like no other. If you can't figure out how then pray, then minister, how about let them talk and you just listen? I don't know. Just do what God has in store for you.

posted by shark_maul @ 11/01/2005 10:46:00 PM 1 comments