/// Resolutely

As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. Luke 9:51 NIV

Knowing the time was getting closer, Jesus, "firm in purpose or belief"/ in "firmness and determination" (definitions of 'resolutely') set out for Jerusalem. He firmly pushed forward to the place where He knew He was going to die. He knew His mission. He didn't hesitate. He didn't take a step back. He didn't wait for God to speak -> because He already had.

He pushed forward.

What are you hesitating to do? What has God called you to do? Do it.

Apple in your hand

I was in this hotel we were staying at in Rome, walking around while eating an apple that was in my hand. I asked God to speak to me.

All of a sudden this thought popped in my head, "What if this apple you are holding in your hand is forbidden?" "What if God said 'Don't eat it!'" What would my response be?

I've said before what I'm sure a lot of people have said before - "If I were Adam, I would not have eaten that apple!" But what if the apple you are holding in your hand is forbidden?

God says not to lust, yet so many of us "hold in our hands" (and by this I mean we hold these things in our minds/within us) pornography.
God says not to put any other god (ruling force over us) before Him, yet I find myself constantly putting my wants and schedules ahead of Him. I put my friends, desires, and sins before God, in front of Him.

What apples have you been holding in your hands, knowing that they are forbidden by God, yet still willing to eat that "forbidden fruit"? How are you going to throw those apples away? Start with one apple...write it down...and then next to it write how you will throw that apple away. (i.e.: If one of your apples is pornography, write down "pornography" and then next to it write something along the lines of "solution: don't get on internet for the rest of the day.") Make sure the goals are small, because to win any war you must start by winning the smaller battles.

Guard Your Way

"…he who guards his way guards his life." Proverbs 16:17

Never let your morals/path/way change…for anything, anyone or anybody.

Christ said "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

He is the way. Guard your walk with Christ and do not allow things to move you another way.

"…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the raced marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." – Hebrews 12:1-3

What are you, today, going to throw off that has hindered you and entangled you?

30 Days to Live

30 Days to Live

My church recently did a series entitled “30 Days to Live” where the pastor interviewed people who once had normal lives, but then in the blink of an eye they were told they didn’t have long to live. One of those people being interviewed was Larry Damerval.

Larry had been working at an energy company as an accountant. Everything in his life was normal...it was great…until one day when everything changed: He got diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease at the age of 39.

Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a fatal disease, is a disease where eventually all voluntary muscle movement stops (so essentially the victim is paralyzed, except for the eyes). The person affected with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) has all the senses, but can’t move and eventually dies.

You see, Larry knew he had this disease and he knew what the doctor’s had told him: that he could die at any time.

Larry completely turned his life around when he got this disease. The disease opened his eyes to how he truly needed to live.

Please watch Larry’s 4 minute video and then answer the question.

CLICK HERE - Larry Damerval's last video

- Please watch Larry's video before reading below -

Sadly, Larry died one month after this video was shot. Larry truly had "30 Days to Live"...

Guys, what do you need to change? Honestly…I feel so many of us are just playing a game. What do you need to change???

I need to start responding to His voice every time...I need to feed the homeless...care for my widowed grandmother...spread His word...serve you guys...Make time for what I value, not for useless things like tv, videogames, and etc....

But I'm going to change the I need to, to I'm going to...

If the end comes early, will it have ended the way you want it to?

So now I ask you guys: What are you going to do now? Now that you’ve watched this…now that you've read this...what are the actions you are going to take? Type them out... What would you do if you only had thirty days to live? Who knows…you just might.

[[For some of you it will help if you think this way: You HAVE thirty days to live, what ARE you going to do?]]

I would love not just thoughts, but planned (and within one month executed) actions.

Believe

In Numbers 29 we see that the People continue to prove their belief and devotion to God – by doing what He asked of them…even if it didn’t make sense or wasn’t logical…

Why do we always have to find a reason to do something for God, when we’ll immediately do other things without a need for reason?

Why do we believe the environmental science book and the issues it teaches on the water cycle, but not believe the bible and the issues it talks of about the life cycle?

Why do we believe the history books and the stories of the Black Death, Napoleon (not Dynamite, Bonaparte), George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln...but not believe the bible and the stories of Noah, the Great Flood, Moses, and Christ?

Why do we find it easier to not believe than to believe?

- Why? Because Satan makes it seem so RIDICULOUS to believe only one thing we don't physically see…God... we don’t see evaporation, percolation, osmosis or underground water, yet we still believe they exist….his deception of God and of who he is turns us away…

Remember: we don’t see wind, but we see its effects and feel it…we don’t see hot and cold temperatures, but we feel them - > Scripture says, “Blessed are those who have not seen, but yet believe.”

Do you believe?

What are some past events, or things that made you realize that God is real?

Prove you believe Him

Information from Numbers 28

Throughout the Old Testament we see that the people of God constantly proved their belief in Him by their actions. Every day they would present a morning and evening sacrifice (vs1-8). At the beginning of every month they would sacrifice even more(v11). On the third week of every new year the people would sacrifice even more (v16)!

(v31)They only presented/sacrificed animals without defect…isn’t it sad that nowadays we usually give God our leftovers?

“If I have time…I’ll read my bible. If I get put in a comfortable position…I’ll say ‘Jesus’…if I can wake up early enough…I’ll go to church…”  If I have time, I’ll show God I partially love Him.

My pastor once said: “We make time for what we value.”

What do you value? And what do you put first? Because that shows what is truly in your heart.

What are some things that you are going to have to change in your life? What are you going to have to re-prioritize?

      Hey Hey Hey! Everyone! I will now be weekly posting spiritual lessons. Join with me - start a conversation by posting a response. Talk! Ask me questions. Please just atleast take the 5 minutes a week to read what I type! I will be joining "the ministry" when I get out of college; I am going to become a pastor - (and I know a lot of you guys are like "WTFreak? Jared's becoming a pastor?" And my response is yes, I am. So it would be very helpful if you would respond and give honest opinions to everything I say. Tell me if it was uninteresting, or if it kept your attention;etc. Hopefully everyone'll get to know me better before the end of the year!

             Jared Bowie

Add the facebook app - "FeedFriend" and then subscribe to my blog - using it! Or just read it every week. You're decision. I would love comments though.

Now let's quit wasting our time and get to the nub:

___

Jesus walks on the water - More than One Miracle

" When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, 'It is I; don't be afraid.' Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading."

When looking at this you are amazed at Jesus walking on the water! IT IS AMAZING!!!! But there is more to the story than what first appears -

The disciples were in a very scary situation - the waters were rough. They didn't know what to do. They tried to go on by themselves. Then Jesus comes up to them and says "Guys, I'm walking on the same water that you are walking on." They are terrified. THEN they are willing to let Jesus in the boat - THEN they are willing to give him control of the scary situation - THEN and ONLY THEN do they reach shore - safety - protection - the calm.

It's not a story of literallity - yes the event did happen, but the point of the story is not for us to think "Sweet! He walked on water!". The event's purpose is to teach us to to go to Christ in the scary situations. To accept him and his control; to trust him. He is saying to you "Hey, I'm going through _______ with you. Let me take the lead". You HAVE TO invite him in to take control - Only when you say that you can't control the situation and that you want him to have control and give it to him - ONLY THEN do you reach shore - ONLY THEN do you land and reach stability. ONLY THEN do you reach Stability through Christ.

To succeed we must secede from command and proceed by giving Christ the lead role. We must become smaller and he must become greater. If we give him control - literally tell him - "you have control of my life - please help me in this situation - I can't do it - you can - please..." and live it out - we will reach shore - we will gain direction and not feel lost. We will have stability.

STABILITY THROUGH CHRIST