12/16 - 1 Timothy 2

"¹ Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ² for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. ³ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

The promise involved with this passage is pretty amazing. These verses provide hope in that it reveals a connectedness between prayer and life's circumstances. It reveals that our prayers are more than just lip service to God but have the power to actually change things. In this example it shows that if we'll dedicate ourselves to prayer and intercession for men, particularly those in leadership, that things can go well for us and that we can live peacefully. For those of us who pray, this isn't anything new but a biblical reassurance of what we've always hoped to be true - that our prayers matter. It is one of many biblical examples that prayer changes things.

Verse 4 can be a little tough to deal with. God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. The one problem with that verse is that we know that this just won't happen. In fact, most men likely won't be saved (Matthew 7:13-14). So if God is in control of everything (1 Chronicles 29:11) and everyone won't be saved, despite His desires, doesn't that present a problem? Well, not necessarily. That which God wants from us He won't force out of us. If He did, we might as well be robots. The good news is that He at least wants us to abide in Him in spite of our sin. The difficulty is that it requires a decision on our part. This decision God may influence but the final call is up to us.

12/14 - We Play To Win The Game

Sometimes its the most simple statements that can have a profound impact. Herm Edwards, former NFL head coach, understands this. As NFL experts opine on the philosophical aspects of the game and make complex theories on what teams need to do to become successful, Herm's philosophy has really been quite simple - "we play to win the game." Right now there's discussion among NFL analysts about whether the Saints and Colts, two undefeated teams, should rest their starters and prevent them from getting injured for the playoffs. In another example, there has historically been a philosophy that when you're ahead on a team during a game that you never ease up but instead keep trying to score to ensure your victory. As a Bengals fan, I've seen it countless times. We'll have a lead and instead of trying to put our opponent away, we play conservative and scared and the outcome is very predictable - we lose. In both of these examples the risk taken is that instead of playing to win, you start playing not to lose. Instead of fixing your eyes on the goal, your focus becomes the very thing opposite of your goal - failure.

I think the apostle Paul & Coach Edwards had similar philosophies. In 1 Corinthians 9: 24 Paul says,

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."

Or quite simply - run to win the race. Everything about the word of God doesn't have to be deep. Some things right on the surface can be life changing. We would all be well served to heed this advice and run this race, our Christian race, with the goal of winning. It sounds simple, but the truth is most of us don't run this way. Many of us are playing not to lose.

We don't strive for heaven, we try to avoid hell. We don't seek God desperately, we try to get just enough of Him. We don't engage ourselves in worship at church service, we just show up. We don't crucify our flesh daily, we hope we don't get caught in tempting situations. We don't speak words of encouragement, we try not to curse. This is what I mean by "playing not to lose." It almost sounds like "playing to win" but in light of these examples, it's clear they are diametrically different. Very recently I've been guilty of doing this very thing. Instead of trying to do what's right I tried with all my might not to do what's wrong and believe me it's a vicious cycle.

In the 1 Cor 9:24 verse, Paul described this phenomenon so well. All the runners run. We're all running, all trying to win the race. But not everyone has the right mindset. "Run in such a way as to get the prize" instead of running so you don't lose it. We should be living our lives focused on what God wants us to do rather than what we shouldn't do. The simple truth found in that would be a relief to you as well as the NFL teams I mentioned before - by playing to win, you need not fear losing.

11/22 - Where Are You Going?

I saw a wreck on I-75 the other day and this one was was really bad. The scene didn't leave one with much hope for a favorable outcome for those involved. The odd thing was that there was just one car involved and it lay on its side with smoke pouring out of the car as if it would just blow up at any moment. Now I was able to observe this because, like everyone else, I slowed down to see what was happening. Normally, I try to continue at my normal speed and shoot up a quick prayer for the accident victims because I don't want to be that guy I always talk about who slows down traffic for something they can't do anything about. But this accident was a little different.

I began to think about why people slow down to watch accidents. Is it because we're nosy? Is it our undying concern for our fellow man? Or is it because some part of us that knows that accident could have easily been us? The most likely answer is because the car in front of us slowed down too, but I think there is something to that third reason - we know it could have been us. We're all so distracted when we drive - text messages, phone calls, meals, make-up, music, etc - we're really just seconds away from being on the side of the road with everyone slowing down to look at us. Now we don't intend to get into an accident and most certainly don't intend to harm anyone else but our good intentions aren't good enough are they?

In a book I'm reading (The Principle of the Path - Andy Stanley) the author points out that our intentions are not necessarily (and in most cases if we're honest) connected to our actual direction. We intend to be faithful believers, good parents, conscientious drivers, good cooks, etc. but if our lives have no evidence that we're on a path to becoming these things the outcome is quite predictable - we won't become them. I have dreams of one day being a decent cook. That one day I'll be able to throw something on the grill that will change the way people feel about food. However, one look at the path I'm on would clue you in to the inevitable truth that I'll never get there. My once-a-year attempt at grilling out might not get me there (until I'm 90 yrs old).

Thinking back to the accident analogy, we've all looked across at other distracted drivers and thought "You're going to get someone in an accident!" or "Let me get away from this person before they cause me to wreck." For many of us (me) this is very hypocritical but it points out something very critical about this principle. we often know where a particular path might lead...when viewing someone else's life. It's when we apply it to our own life that we can experience change and begin to ask God to help us align our intentions with our actions. The author would say that we ought to align our actions with our path (which consists of our actions).

Thought for the day: what are the discrepancies in my life between what I desire and what I'm actually doing?

11/6 - New Life

It's been a while since I've posted but be patient with me. I'm trying to get back into some sort of routine but 3-4 hours of sleep doesn't allow one to be in his best state of mind.

Wow. What an amazing couple of weeks it has been. That's probably an understatement but I'm not sure how else to describe it. Having a child has been yet another opportunity for me to experience God. The changes a woman's body goes through leading up to delivery - how the baby knows how to position himself, the body's impulse to push, the umbilical cord (which is pretty amazing when you think about it), the healing process afterward - who could think of this stuff but God? In everything that's happening it's tough not to see the hand of God in it. I thank God for that. I thank Him for opening my eyes because thousands of babies are born each day an still people aren't convinced of Him. He didn't have to reveal Himself to me but He did. Incredible.

So I have this new life now that my wife and I have been entrusted to and as expected a heightened sense of responsibility. However, it's a tough thing for me to get my head around now. I don't know, maybe because it's so early in Joshua's life. I know it's not possible but feel the burden to do everything right now. I don't use that term burden in a negative sense but in the sense that the call to righteousness now seems higher. Maybe it's unrealistic but still a noble concept I suppose. God did say Be holy because I am holy (1 Peter 1:16). I guess it takes something like this before I take that seriously.

I feel the call to be a godly example for him. One of my prayers has been that Joshua can get a glimpse, or even a quick peek, of God the Father through me, his earthly father.

I'm excited about Joshua's life. All the mystery behind what sort of man he'll be, what hobbies he'll have, what gifts he'll have. Many of you who know me also know that some things have already been established - he will be a Bengals/Reds fan, he will play infield and be a switch hitter and he won't endorse the activities of PETA. I'm kidding (but again, those of you who know me also know that I'm not kidding at all). But beyond that, it's all a mystery and that's pretty exciting.

The less exciting but equally true mystery of Joshua's life is his salvation. I don't think it's ever too early to start thinking about this even though he's only 12 days old now. He's new, innocent and in my eyes can do no wrong but he still was born in depravity. The other of my prayers these first days of his life have been for that one soul - whether it be me, Kendra or whoever - who will share the gospel with Joshua and he will come to accept it and live his life for Jesus. Pray that with me if you don't mind. I'm also excited about Joshua's ministry- but this must happen first.

http://joshuachristopherscott.shutterfly.com

Joshua Christopher Scott

Haven't posted for a while but I have an excuse this time....my son was born yesterday October 25. Check here for info & pictures

http://joshuachristopherscott.shutterfly.com

Will post more on this soon Lord willing. Gotta feed the baby now

10/22 - Tough Promises

Read John 14-16.

It's two chapters full of some amazing promises for our lives that we may not always take advantage of. There's a lot in this passage so for all of you who read it, you'll get something different out of it (don't worry, thats the Holy Spirit working). The thing that stood out to me is that about 4 times in Jesus' monologue he offers this promise, "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it." (John 14:14, 15:7, 15:16, 16:24).

In the study that led me to this passage, I was challenged to take these promises literally. However, I think we all know this isn't an open ATM. We can't just ask for and get whatever we want right? Isn't that the literal translation? The reason we know this isn't true is the same reason we have difficulty in putting our confidence in these promises - we've tried them and they don't work. Well, at least they don't work how we think they should work. We've asked God for things that are noble & spiritual things yet we haven't seen the results we desired. We've asked God to heal loved ones, deliver us from financial problems, mend relationships but sometimes these things don't happen. How does that line up with "You may ask anything in my name and I will give it to you"?

Well, let me confess - I'm not here to answer that question. I'm not qualified. This is one of those tough passages that quite honestly is hard to deal with. God is mysterious and doesn't necessarily require that we figure Him out. We can, however, begin to deal with this issue by understanding some very fundamental truths.

God's will is perfect. It's perfect because it's His. We cannot receive anything from Him that is also not subject to His will. (1 John 2:17)

God is good and worthy of our trust. No matter the circumstance, He has our best interest at heart. (John 14:1)

If we don't get what we want, it's probably for our good. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Today, let's be encouraged by what God has promised. Although it may be difficult to understand His reasoning, let's worship Him for that instead of causing it to draw us away from Him. Let the fact that He's mysterious, that His ways aren't our ways, that He's unsearchable, His way unfathomable....let these facts cause us to worship Him and seek to learn more about Him. It's issues like these that ought to drive us further into study and learning about this wonderful God.

10/20 - Rejoice!

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). Today is an encouragement for us to do just that. I know we can get bogged down with the pressures of life but this verse doesn't seem to offer us any exemption in these times. It says to rejoice always. The ability to rejoice requires a little faith & a little trust in God.

There are certain people who, if I loan something of value to, I can be confident that I'll receive my stuff back. Then there are those other ones. Though they say things like "I'll get it to you next week," I have little confidence in it actually happening. I may even have to check up on them every once in a while just to make sure they don't forget because I'm concerned that they won't keep their word. When we worry about all the stuff in our life, aren't we treating God like I treat these people? We're worried He won't keep His word so we stress out trying to do it on our own.

God has made promises like Philippians 4:4 and here in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." So what does it say about us when we worry? Francis Chan described worry and stress this way:

Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of whats happening in our lives.

Stress says the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control.

One of the things that Christians ought to be wary of is justifying our stress. We can fool ourselves into thinking that our anxieties are OK because they're ministry related. Again, God's promises make no provision for "how important" the issue we stress about are. If we believe 1 Corinthians 10:13, "...God is faithful; he will not tempt you beyond what you can bear" - then our only adequate response is to trust Him and carry on with life, rejoicing.

10/18 - How Good is Good Enough?

Bear with me today, this may get lengthy. At the same time I don't think I can do this subject justice in one blog post.

What does it take to get in to heaven? I asked a few people this question this weekend and the answers varied greatly. Some of the answers I got were: "Well, I pray everyday, " "If you live a good life," "I go to church sometimes," "My parents used to take us to church," and "I'm not sure." Besides the last answer, the majority of responses hinged on the popular belief that good people go to heaven. It's a theory many subscribe to regardless of religion. If this is what you believe, I'd ask you to consider a few points today. Not asking you to agree but if your eternity hinges on this belief, it's at least worth a second look to be sure.

I just read a book called "How Good is Good Enough" by Andy Stanley and he outlines a few problems with the "good people go to heaven" theory. Consider:

1. We don't know exactly what good is. Most religious leaders can't agree on this and they're supposed to be leading us to this truth. Ask several people as I tried and you'll get as many answers.

2. Our internal "goodness" gauges aren't good enough. White Americans in times past primarily believed that whites & blacks weren't on equal footing. Nazi Germany thought similarly about the Jews. I believe they were sincere in their convictions but it's generally believed now that they were sincerely wrong. As time passes, our definition of right and wrong tends to change.

3. We have no clear scoring system from God for good deeds. If the "good people go" theory is true, how much good will get you in? If 90% of your deeds are good? How about 51% just so the good outweighs the bad? Could you really end up one good deed shy of heaven?

4. This theory isn't as fair as we make it to be. Under this theory, you could simply run out of time. What if you plan on doing a ton of good deeds but die very young? What is the standard for good? What if Mother Theresa bumped the curve up so high that now it takes 60% good deed to get in?

Some of these questions may seem silly but when you go by this theory, they are some things that seriously should be considered. The Bible is one religious book that doesn't support this theory:

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" - Romans 3:23

"There is no one righteous, not even one." - Romans 6:23

"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in [God's] sight by observing the law; rather through the law we become conscious of sin" - Romans 3:20

Basically the Bible isn't giving much credibility to people's goodness. It does speak to a theory in direct opposition to today's subject: bad people go to heaven. The above verses indicate that no one is good, but somebody has to go to heaven right? The key is that the Bible doesn't use goodness as a measure, but forgiveness.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life" - John 3:16

"For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man" - Romans 8:3

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

Say what you will about God's fairness (topic for another blog perhaps) but the layout is plain: there's one method into heaven - forgiveness; one who can give it - God; one way it's received - Jesus Christ. No back doors, no VIP passes.

10/15 - Will You Go?

While reading Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 this morning this song that's been in my head (and is now in my itunes playlist) came to mind. Take a moment and listen.

If you were able to listen, it's hard not to be moved to worship. In these chapters we read about the four creatures who surround the throne of God crying these same lyrics, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" It's their only adequate response to such a marvelous God.

Let's look at Isaiah's response. He became immediately aware of how unholy he was (verse 6). Then one of the four seraphim flew to him, touched his lips with a burning coal and declared his sins forgiven. Then the Lord asks the question, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" As you could imagine, Isaiah, being surrounded by God's glory and in awe-struck wonder, boldly says, "Here I am. Send me." Isn't the same question before us today? Whom shall He send? What is your response?

The very easy and obvious answer to the question is "yes" but before we dive head first into this call, it's important that we consider the cost. I may have mentioned this in a previous post but many believers jump into ministry very enthusiastically (and rightfully so) but haven't considered the cost. So when the storms come they are unprepared, the delusions of "everything being easier with God" fade away and they experience disappointment. After Isaiah volunteers, God responds with what will be a very uncomfortable task - Go tell your people, the Israelites who have always been God's people, that they'll never understand the truth. Their hearts, already turned from Me, will remain that way.

So who shall God send? Who of us will go for Him? Will we accept the call even if it's uncomfortable? Considering yesterday's question, will you "go" for a God who isn't required to explain His reasoning to us?

10/14 - Because He's God

The curse of man has put us in a very peculiar position. Since the Fall, our natural inclination is not toward God but away from Him. So it makes sense, then, that we often find ourselves at odds with His will. We question whether or not He's good, why our financial situations are so bleak, why we have to suffer, why we don't have what others have why so many people are starving and so much more. So here we stand, with some level of our thoughts and deeds in opposition to the very God who created us and can help us.

I do believe it's natural for us to ask these sort of questions. However, contrary to what we've been led to believe, what's natural isn't always right. We sometimes let ourselves off the hook when we say things like "Nobody's perfect" or "everybody struggles with [fill in the sin here]". When we say these things, we shift our focus off a holy God, who is the only true standard, to ourselves, by whom we probably stack up very well against. This isn't a call to perfection, but a call to proper perspective. We can't achieve perfection but we are definitely called to strive toward it. In Leviticus God commands us multiple times, "Be holy because I am holy" (Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2, 19:24, 20:7, 20:26, etc)

Colossians 1:16 says, "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him."

Yet we live as though He was created for us. "God give me this," "God let my plans work out," "God if you'll do this just once..." There's nothing wrong with laying our request before God but we should never lose sight of the prayer that keeps everything in perspective - "God let your will be done." So many of our prayers are about our will. The verse says that all things were created by Him and for Him so it then becomes our responsibility to learn to trust in Him. Trust in His justice, trust in His decisions, trust Him in your circumstances.

When we find ourselves at odds with God and question His reasoning, it's our trust in Him that will allow us to come to grips with the fact that the answer is simply: because He is God. It's our faith that will allow this answer be more than just a euphemism and something we use to cope with our disappointment with God. By faith we can embrace this truth and know that God always has our best interests at heart, even when we don't know any better.

Question for the day: Can you worship a God who isn't obligated to explain his actions to you?

God, we know you are all-knowing & all-powerful. Teach us to trust in You for these truths in our actions. Teach us to understand that even in our worst circumstances, even in our worst sin, You still know what's best for us.

*Credit to the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan for the topic and some of the subject matter of this post.

10/13 - Spiritual Amnesia

Please take a moment and read Psalm 19:1-4.

God is eternal. He is Holy. There is none and will never be one like Him. He is the Great I Am, the One who was and is and is to come. The angels & elders in heaven bow before Him so overwhelmed by His presence the only words they can utter are "Holy, Holy, Holy!" He reigns victorious over the earth and anything that attempts to exalt itself above Him.

I haven't said anything you haven't heard before. These are simply facts about God. Facts that ought to cause us to worship but if we were being honest, they don't always have that effect on us do they? As believers, we have what may be considered spiritual amnesia. No matter what God does for us, how many situations He brings us through, how many times He has undeniably shown Himself to us, we still forget. A. W. Tozer writes,

"What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us...Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God. For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like?"

If we weren't prone to forget, why would the Bible warn us so many times to do the things that remind of Him: daily study of the Word (Psalm 1:1-2), fellowship with other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25), tell others about Him (Ezekiel 33:8-10), adore His creation (Romans 1:20), etc. When we do these things, we keep in perspective why and Who we are serving. I believe what Tozer was getting at in that quote was that even more than our actions, the important thing is the motive behind them - our appreciation and adoration of a Holy God.

So as we strive to become more disciplined and more serious about living for God, we can guard ourselves from becoming "religious" by intentionally reminding ourselves of the holy & eternal Savior we serve. So instead of just doing through our day "doing stuff," we can take pause for a moment and reflect on Who we are "doing stuff" for and be guided by the Holy Spirit to accomplish it. I completely believe that if we'll do this, we'll find much more peace and confidence in our activities and vocation (John 14:25-27).

10/12 - Just My Daily Bread

Think about this scripture (Proverbs 30:7-9) & Francis Chan's comments. I'd really like to hear your comments.

10/11 - Just Stop and Think

Recently our Bible study went through a series called Crazy Love and it featured a video entitled Just Stop and Think. I revisited this video this morning because sometimes it's easy to lose perspective on just how awesome God is. When we lose sight of how big and how holy our Creator is, our acts of service for Him can become religion instead of acts of appreciation for who He is.

Take 15 minutes and watch this video. I know 15 minutes is a long time these days, but what you hear could have tremendous impact on your life.

10/7 - The Little Things

"His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant!
You have been faithful in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your master's happiness" (Matthew 25:23)

A little double feature today I suppose. I was reminded of this scripture this morning while comtemplating cheating a little on my fast. There are certain foods I said I wouldn't eat for a certain period of time and one of those items made itself readily available. And free at that! I rationalized that just a little bite wouldn't be a big deal, especially considering how far I had come. And maybe it wasn't a big deal. Then it hit me, if I can't be faithful in this small thing, how can I be trusted with the great work God has purposed me for? Needless to say, I didn't eat. Thank God for His word & the Holy Spirit for the remembrance of it. What little things can we be faithful in today?

10/7 - A. W. Tozer

We may as well face it: the whole level of spirituality among us is low. We have measured ourselves by ourselves until the incentive to seek higher plateaus in the things of the Spirit is all but gone....[We] have imitated the world, sought popular favor, manufactured delights to substitute for the joy of the Lord and produced a cheap and synthetic power to substitute for the power of the Holy Ghost.

- A. W. Tozer

God is our only adquate measuring rod. We tend to compare ourselves to others and conclude that either "I need to do what they're doing" or, more likely, "At least I'm not doing what they're doing." With this moral standard not only do we rob ourselves of joy but we miss the mark for our purpose in life, which is totally unique from everyone else's purpose. We forfeit the pleasure of God for the pleasure of men. And in the end, despite our best efforts, we still fall short of the true mark, Jesus Christ.

My goal for today, and each day forward, is to live for and by the Holy Spirit, letting Him be my guide, Christ my model & God my judge. No longer worrying about the "foolishness" of the gospel and how many won't understand it, but pressing on for the One I aim to please.

10/5 - 2 Thessalonians 3

This chapter includes a familiar verse:

"But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good" (v. 13).

I thought this morning about how why I am so prone to doing this very thing - growing weary in good works. In my experience, its almost as if I get satisfied. I'll be pleased with the work I've done and maybe even convinced that God is just as pleased. Now I don't deny that God is pleased when we do what He asks us to, but this sort of thinking tends to lead me toward stagnation rather than growth. It leads me toward thinking that God wants more of the same (even if it's good) instead of a higher place in Him. And even when I do fall away, this sort of attempt at pleasing God can cause me to desire "the relationship I used to have with God" instead of "a much closer relationship I've never had with God before."

I think the bottom line is a attaining the right perspective of God, who He is and what He really wants. He doesn't want us setting our own standard (reflecting on when we thought we were "more spiritual") and then trying to live up to it. The danger there is that we can easily meet our own standard and in doing so no longer be required to grow. God wants our hearts, not our works. When we confuse this, it can become easy to grow weary in our good works because we've lost the purpose behind them. David confesses to God in Psalm 51: 16-17:

"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure
in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and
contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

10/3 - Lay Aside The Weight

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every
weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and
let us run with endurance the race that is set before
us." (Hebrews 12:1)

Ill be brief on this post this morning. All of us are carrying the weight of something with us, whether its our past, addictions, unforgiveness, sorrow or all of the above. The message today is to, with all diligence, lay the weight aside. Im not offering the simple advice of "just stop what youre doing." If it were that easy we would all do it. Laying aside the weight isnt even necessarily forgetting about the weight. It is a conscious decision not to allow the weight to hinder you. How can one run a race well when he carries extra weight? The process, as indicated by the scripture, is one of patience ("let us run with endurance"). One day may not provide true deliverance from the weight and the sin that ensnares us, but each day we can make the conscious decision not to let it inhibit us in our journey closer to God. And each day we grow stronger and the weight gets lighter.

10/1 - Cherish Each Moment

The Holy Spirit spoke these words to me this morning: Cherish each moment. There are some very good applications of this in my life now - our pregnancy, designing the nursery, dramatic changes in our family, employment, etc. I need to pause sometimes and just cherish the blessings I have because these moments don't last forever. With less than 2 months to go before Joshua comes, I'll cherish what I have because soon, there will be a whole new set of moments to cherish. In the case of employment, clearly there's no guarantees. It's easy to get caught up with my fellow employees in complaining about how our health care costs are increasing and job stability isn't what it used to be, but if we miss the fact that we're yet having these conversations at work, we miss the blessing God has for us.

When these words were given to me, it actually had nothing to do with any of that stuff. They came as I prayed for the lost souls in my circle of family & friends. I pray often that God would use me to present the gospel to them in a relevant manner that they may be moved toward a decision for Christ & no longer persist on their present path. However, when I'm with them, I can so easy become susceptible to that deceitful voice that says, "Now isn't a good time," "Everybodys happy now, just wait until later," or "It'd be awkward to bring that up now." So as I prayed the question became, when is the right time? The right time has to be anytime before that person leaves this earth. And since we can't guarantee that we or anyone else will live beyond any given moment, the obvious answer became that the time is now. Cherish each moment because there may not be a next.

Now I'm not saying that every moment of everyday is to be spent evangelizing. That would be ridiculous. The way this applies to me (and this maybe different for you) is that I no longer need to delay having conversations with people about Christ whom I know God has led me to talk to. Once the conversation has been had, maybe a decision is made, maybe it's not. Maybe I'll talk to that person about God again, maybe I wont. The key is that I become obedient to the Spirit of God and no longer sin in my procrastination.

Read Matthew 24:36-51, or even the whole chapter. It could really bless you today.

9/30 - Memory Verse

While visiting Four Corners Church, I took them up on a challenge to memorize this verse:

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11, NIV)

I think this is a great memory verse, especially considering the things we often sacrifice as believers. The times when we think it's too hard or not worth it it's important to remember that it wasn't promised that it would be easy and that the reward for our obedience does have a payoff in the end (John 16:33). I encourage you all to consider this verse today and how it applies to you. I'll definitely be doing the same. God bless

9/28 - The Cost

Good morning. Shout out to Pastor Ben & Four Corners Church. I finally visited after planning to for over a year and it turns out I waited far too long. I really enjoyed the service & especially the message. It was a refreshing dose of truth I needed to hear. Couple that with my own pastor's sermon later that day (which fell right in line with what Ben talked about) and I'm feeling especially challenged today.

Ben's main point was that salvation is free and costs us nothing. But following Jesus will cost us something. This is a very important truth, a foundational one in fact, that believers should hold on to. Oftentimes the gospel is presented in a way that might lead one to believe that salvation and everything after it is free. When we don't reveal the cost, we set people up for failure when they realize that following Jesus isn't the cakewalk it was presented to be. Ben gave the analogy of "sticker shock" and I've seen it happen, particularly to someone very close to me. My friend came to our church, joined and wanted to live for Jesus. It wasn't until afterwards he realized the cost - losing friends, a complete change in lifestyle, trading the world's pleasures for God's pleasure. I'm sad to say he's not been back for a while. Please lift up a prayer for my friend & I'll continue to do so. I'm confident in what God is able to do.

One thing that stuck out to me from the sermon was the Ben described following Jesus as beginning a process of cooperation with God. The invitation was free. Now begins this process which for us feels like pulling teeth sometimes because its so contrary to what our flesh desires --> the cost. I'd rather tell this person off for how they treated me but I'll forgive them & hold my tongue instead. The cost. I'd rather use my money toward some things I really want or even bills and savings, but God requires a tenth. The cost. I really want to physically express my love with that special person but I'm not sure I'm ready for marriage. We all know the cost there. What it comes down to is a key word Ben pointed out - obedience. Simply put, following Jesus means doing what He tells us to do. Not agreeing with it or even understanding it. It's in the doing that God is pleased. We must determine, then, is it really worth it? (Matt 25:23, 2 Tim 2:12, 4:8, James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:4)

We understand that there's a great cost to following Jesus but the beauty of it is the underlying principle that we're all aware of as consumers - you get what you pay for. The verses I just listed are some good examples of that. Even more are the practical benefits of doing what Jesus says. We must trust that He knows whats best for us. Ben walked through the parable of the wise and foolish builders (read here - Matt 7:24-29). Building the house on the rock was much harder than building it on the sand, but the practical benefits were tremendous and became evident when the storms came.

Jesus compared two types of people in this story and there were a lot of similarities. Both heard the words of Jesus. Both built houses. In both situations, the storms came. The key difference to remember is that one put Jesus' words into practice and we see the benefit he received. The key similarity to remember is that the storms came for both. Following Jesus doesn't protect us from the storms, it sustains us during them.

Thanks Ben for teaching this & if you're reading this, thanks for the blog material today!

9/25 - New Experience

Ok, so I got a little glimpse into this whole having kids thing last night. We're babysitting for some friends and I see a lot is going to change when little Joshua gets here. By the way, the boy's name will be Joshua Christopher - just decided on that like 3 days ago. As I try to sneak in this blog post between feeding the baby and feeding myself, I'm sensing that my morning routine will be a bit different. As will bedtime, and after work with daycare, and going to any events with the intent to show up on time. Oh boy. The great part about all this was that these kids are very cute & very well-behaved. I hope little Joshua was taking notes.

Amazingly, we were able to get a little study time in and still are plugging away on the the second coming & rapture. I thank God for what He's revealed thus far and pray for even more wisdom as we continue. Wanted to say more today but cereal & Blue's Clues are calling.

9/24 - Prayer & Scripture for Today

Well, I'm still plugging away on this subject of the rapture and second coming. It's a really deep topic once you get into Revelation and the descriptions of the "beasts" and trying to understand how things will take place. Please shoot up a quick prayer for me for understanding & wisdom. I'll need it!

In the meantime, here's a scripture we've looked at in Bible study:

⁴ Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

A few things are apparent from this passage. First, I'm so not worthy of a holy God subjecting Himself to this just for me. I'm so glad that He did though because without His sacrifice I'd be on my way to hell. Without the provision He made for us, namely us Gentiles, I'd be without hope. Praise God for first loving us so much!

The specific characteristic of Christ we studied as it relates to this passage is His compassion. His compassion was unconditional. At the time of His death many considered Him stricken by God and afflicted, yet He took up our sins upon Himself. Even today, as we turn away from Him and dedicate ourselves to the distractions in this world more than Him, as we fall asleep during study, as we hurry out of church on Sundays, the fact remains that He still died for us knowing full well how we'd show our appreciation.

His compassion also led to action. Oftentimes we can feel a deep compassion for someone or some circumstance and feel justified in the fact that we at least feel bad for the person. But how often do we act on that compassion? How often do we stop & pray with the homeless person we avoid eye contact with? How often do we reach in our pockets and offer some very practical help for them? Christ's demonstration of compassion shows that there's some action to be done. Matthew 9:36 gives an example of how Christ felt about us -

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

Other examples can be found in Matt 14:14, 15:32, 20:34. These examples show Christ feeling compassion and then doing something about it. Verse 5 from the Isaiah passage show the ultimate action He took to show how He loved us. Let's put some action behind our professed love for others today (and everyday).

9/21 - Prayer & Scripture Reference

Good morning. I've been in 2 Thessalonians 2 for a couple days and want to spend a little more time in study before I share. The chapter goes into great detail about the rapture and the second coming of Christ, an issue I'm realizing I know far too little about. I should definitely look a little deeper considering how important these events are and how they could happen like now.....or now.....or maybe not until I'm long gone from this earth. The point is, we don't know the day nor the hour but it would behoove us to know what's coming, especially since he's made it known in His word. Here's a few scriptures outside this chapter I plan to look into concerning the last days if you'd like to follow along: Daniel 9:26-27, Matt 24:15, John 14:1-3, 1 Thess 4:13-18, 5:2-5, Hebrews 10:25, Rev 3:10, 13:2-10,18. I'm actually really excited about where this study will take me & what God has for us to learn.

I'd like to add our country to the prayer list. Keep praying for the U.S. because the division here seems to be getting worse. Keep our president & elected officials lifted up because whether we like them or not, God has appointed them (Colossians 3:22-25). Pray for Issue 3 in Ohio, the latest attempt to bring casinos to Ohio. This time it's being packaged as a way to create thousands of jobs but the cost, as always, is the moral decline that follows casinos where ever they go. And that's not a price I think we ought to pay, no matter what our economic situation may be.

9/19 - 2 Thessalonians 1

First off, thanks to all who prayed for me last week. I can remember distinctly on Thursday morning around 10:25am feeling the Spirit of God minister to me, calming my anxieties and encouraging me to press on. That day was a testament of what can happen when you allow the enemy into your life. By not remembering that each day is a battle, I gave him place to inject confusion & deception in me which lead to a defeated pattern of thinking, a remembrance of all my failures and excuses about why I was unable to do what God has called me to do. Yea, it was bad. But thanks be to God for His Spirit & for your prayers. God even sent someone to speak some words of encouragement to me. Words I didn't want to hear at the time, but words I needed.

Paul's message to the Thessalonians is also a good one for me and any Christians going through something.

"Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering" (v. 4-5)

It is in the enduring of trials that we are found worthy of the kingdom of God. We've already been promised that we would suffer (John 15:20-21) but it is not in the suffering alone that we are honored, but how we endure. The purpose behind suffering is the process of purging, purifying and perfecting us thereby making us worthy for the kingdom. It is in our positive response that this process manifests.

9/17 - Don't Give Up

The words of Isaiah,

"He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law" (Isaiah 42:4)

In this chapter, Isaiah speaks about the characteristics of Christ and gives a prophetic outlook into some of the things He will accomplish. Christ would come to offer a new covenant and to be a light to the Gentiles, who at this point had little hope for salvation. This was His purpose. Verse 4 says that He would not fail nor be discouraged until the time His task is completed. What does it take to have this sort of confidence?

I believe that Jesus first knew what His purpose was. He knew who sent Him for that purpose. The One who had sent Him couldn't fail and He, having the same Spirit of the God who sent Him, also could not fail. As imitators of Christ, I think this is the same attitude we ought to have. We ought to be confident that whatever God has sent us to do, it will not fail in its purpose and we ought not be discouraged. For me, it happens too often. People don't show up to events or I get little support for something I'm trying to start and I get discouraged. If we can attain this sort of confidence, that whatever God has called us to do it will succeed, I think that would even drive our actions a little differently. Instead of moving cautiously, we'd move boldly. Instead of defining success by numbers or whatever other measures we use, we find a new & more accurate measure. I'm not saying we lower our expectations to build our confidence. I'm saying that we define success by our obedience. Were we obedient to what God called us to do and did we do it to the best of our ability? Did we water the field? Because only He can provide the increase anyway.

Please keep me in prayer b/c honestly a lot of this was for me. Going through some things that have had me discouraged & unfocused. I'll keep praying for you guys too.

A Brief Aside

This is a little different than my usual posts but just on my heart. Not trying to start a debate here just getting this off my chest.

I, like much of our country, have become disgusted with our political system. I don't for one second judge the men & women that serve as representatives and congressmen but rather hold them in high esteem. Their job is not an easy one. Try balancing pleasing your constituents & those who voted you in, passing legislation to make our country better, negotiating with partisan counterparts, all while trying to get re-elected and within a period of 2/6 years. Anyway I imaging balancing these things, I could easily see someone classifying my actions as playing politics. The point is, I get how hard it is.

My frustration peaked last week when Senator Joe Wilson yelled out "You lie" during President Obama's speech on healthcare. I don't fault his stance on the issue at all and will concede that there probably are provisions or loopholes in the presidents plan that will allow illegal immigrants access to healthcare. So the significance of his outburst, for me, was how Obama's election has divided the country more than it has united it, much to my surprise and disappointment.

In the black community, by and large, our president is revered and given an automatic pass on any and every issue, just about opposite to how we treated President Bush, who could do no right. Then there's this other community who I suppose has always been there but, of late, have arisen with a new zeal and incredible boldness. We've seen it in the townhall meetings, the McCain/ Palin rallies, Fox news, generally anywhere staunch conservatives hangout. We've heard charged phrases such as "I want my America back" and "what happened to my country" and we're left only to wonder about the implications of such rhetoric. I wanted to believe that it was a minority of close-minded Hannity/Limbaugh disciples, that it was just a few people who would never let go of the fact that Obama is in office.

So when I heard Senator Wilson yell out, it was like one of those townhall meetings all over again. This culture, which I had attributed to only an under-infomed portion of our society was now present among our leadership. What other president would our leaders be so cavalier about disrespecting? Then the liberal response was to exploit this guys mistake and only further widen the schism in our country that our president has tried to bridge. Liberal vs. Conservative. Republican vs. Democrat. Will we ever get past it?

It'll take some courageous people in Washington who won't revert to the same old politics. We have to allow those courageous people to rise up by demanding a higher level of accountability, with opinions formulated by truth, not mass mobs. Let's turn off Hannity & Olbermann, Maddow & Limbaugh and base our opinion on facts and with a Godly worldview.

9/12 - 1 Thessalonians 5, Part 2

Short post today. Just wanted to admonish you as Paul did the Thessalonians in this chapter,

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

There's a reason we need to be told these seemingly obvious things - they're not easy. Many mornings (this morning) I struggle to rejoice in spite of what I go through and offer a meaningful prayer. Sometimes I allow my mind to wander and lose focus.

I won't be discouraged & will continue to pray even though its hard to do at times. When I say hard to do, I suppose I should say its hard to want to pray. My flesh desires so many of life's other distractions over quiet time with the Lord. Man, that was even tough to admit just now...

Anyway, if anyone else feels this way let's pray for each other. If i'm alone, then just pray for me! I don't believe it will always be like this because I'm confident in the word of God to change me, that a greater desire for Him will develop in me and that this growth process will draw me nearer to Him. Verse 18 even says its the will of God for us to do these things.

Let's stay in prayer for each other. God bless u all

9/11 - 1 Thessalonians 5

Paul explained to the Thessalonians at the end of chapter 4 that those who had already died would be with Christ when He returned. Apparently there had been some confusion about this and having such a brand new religion, such theological clarification was vital. One thing Paul knew they did understand about the second coming was how unexpected it will be. Verses 1-3:

"Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

Considering Paul's previous exhortation I believe that not only did this church know this fact, they internalized it. Its one thing to know information, but wisdom is properly responding to the information.

In elementary school, whenever our teachers would have to leave the class for any amount of time, it was like it was an automatic reaction to act a fool. Throwing paper balls, blurting out obscenities, drawing on the chalkboard, spitballs - it was a free for all. It was pretty much "how much can I get away with b4 teacher comes back" and thinking back, that was pretty fun. All the while, we knew the teacher would return. So once the lookout (yes we had a lookout) said the teacher was coming back, seats were straightened, paper thrown away and our best innocent faces were put on. We straightened ourselves up when the teacher returned so at the end of the day we'd have a good report.

How much more should we now "straighten ourselves up" knowing the Master is returning. Especially since we don't know when He's coming. We don't have a lookout this time. Most of us know He's coming back and doing so unexpectedly. But if we truly internalized it, we wouldn't do (or not do) the things we do. This truth is supposed to drive action, not just be a piece of useful Christian knowledge. If you knew Christ was coming back in 2 hours, how would you act? Think about that for a moment. It'd be a little different than the 2 hours you had planned wouldn't it? If you truly believed He was coming back like a thief in the night, should it be different?

9/6 - 1 Thessalonians 4, Part 3

2 verses this morning :

v4 - "that everyone of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor"

v7 - "for God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."

The battle for purity rages in all of us. For some the battle is light, for others it is consuming. God has placed within us a strong sexual drive but like all of what God has created, it has become distorted as that message is now delivered to us through the world. The information we receive, and most of it is by choice, comes through media, our thoughts and through what we see. This information is largely contrary to Gods views but is pushed so frequently we hardly have time to even process it all. To get Gods perspective on this issue takes an intentional and consistent look into Gods word. If we don't counter all the misinformation with truth, what views will e form & what habits will we develop?

These verses stuck out to me this morning because I often use society's incessant promotion of sex as an excuse for why its so hard to remain pure. These verses forces us to look at it a different way. Verse 4 says that we should know how to possess our bodies in sanctification. There were no stipulations on that statement. It didn't talk much about what others were doing, just about what we ought to be doing. Same as verse 7, God has called us to holiness. That call isn't hinged on anyone elses actions, the commercials they show or the clothes they wear. It comes down to us. No excuses, live holy.

9/5 - A Different Spirit

Hey every1. I'm on vacation this week! No vacation from the Word tho. I'll try to keep logging thru next week but yall might have to bear with me. Only internet access is on my phone so blogs will likely be shorter and the focus on grammar will be much less valued. Me & Kendra are in Baltimore for the baby shower then taking a little trip on the east coast. Be in prayer that our travels are safe & that we get A LOT of gifts. Jk, ... But seriously tho baby stuff is stupid expensive.

Been meditating on scripture my boy Jarvis sent - Numbers 14:24, "But my servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it." Meditate on this today and determine how different your spirit really is from the world. What evidence marks your distinction?

Also read Joshua 14. Good day folks.

9/2 - 1 Thessalonians 4, Part 2

Paul exhorts the Thessalonians early in the chapter for their faithfulness but here in chapter 4 addresses them on a matter where they needed more guidance. The Thessalonian culture, much like ours, had a perspective of sex that left God out. What made it worse for them was there was no Christian influence that had even suggested sexual purity. As new believers, they were expected to go from doing whatever they were doing to being sexual pure, cold turkey.

"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit" (v. 4-8)

The opening to this passage, I believe, would be better understood as "for this is a will of God," meaning I don't think Paul is explaining the exhaustive will of God but just a portion, particularly, our sexual purity. As believers, our goal is to please God and the only way we can accomplish this is first understand what it is that pleases Him or, in other words, His will. The specific part of His will we must understand here is that we be sanctified.

The verse makes it clear that one's sexuality can't be separated from one's sanctification. If you are failing in this area, you consequently fail to be sanctified in God's sight. That word sanctification, in this instance, means to make holy, to separate or to devote or consecrate. The implication is separation from the world and devotion to God. In verse 4, we see the significance of that separation - that we possess our bodies with honor, not "like the Gentiles who do not now God." There's a clear distinction made here. Therefore if you have resolved to live a life that includes sex outside of marriage, then your sanctification - the process of being made holy & fit for the kingdom of God - is incomplete. I'm not ranking sins here. The same could be said for a variety of other sins, but we're on 1 Thessalonians 4 and this is the topic at hand. This is also an area God has devoted a lot of attention to in His word so it would behoove us to pay special attention to it.

Imagine a lower standard for holiness. I suppose we don't have to imagine, we can just look around at the world's guidelines for sexual morality, but imagine if that standard was actually truth. Imagine if some of the things we convince ourselves of - "God understands," "A little of this won't hurt," "It's not like I'm hurting anybody," etc - imagine if that standard was actually true, if God was actually cool with it like we convince ourselves He is. That would also mean that God is also cool with the consequences - the heartache, unwanted pregnancies, disease, sexual addiction, perversion - all the things He actually guards us from when a proper perspective of marriage is attained and a correct attempt at it is made.

9/1 - 1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians 4

This morning brings me to a very familiar passage of scripture & one I think deserves a lot of attention and even more meditation. The passage is so familiar, in fact, I think I ought to spend even more time on it and avoid the urge to pass through it as if I fully understand. One author I've read warned that one of the dangers we face as believers who are dedicated to God's word is treating the word with familiarity. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that "the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." So I think I'll spend a little time here.

This issue of sexual immorality is one of the biggest issues facing the church. It's a fiery beast and has devoured so many in it's path. It's relentless and as our age becomes more "progressive" and our standards become even looser, the beast just grows that much more powerful. As it is such a powerful topic, you'll have to pardon me if I don't mince words on this one. We've become so deceived in this area that we deny how powerful it is and think we can play around with it and not fall. We live with our girlfriends/ boyfriends, think we can stop at just a look or just a kiss, watch any movie we want, listen to whatever music we want and put ourselves in compromising situations thinking its all good and we're strong enough to overcome it. A hint this morning, and this is from the Lord Himself: you are not. The Bible advises us to "flee sexual immorality" (1 Corinthians 6:18). If we were strong enough it might have told us to stand & be steadfast, but the clear advice here is to run.

I think the battle of sexual immorality rages in all of us but is particularly more intense among the brothers. As we are more susceptible to visual imagery, this temptation becomes that much more strong for us. And look at what we're exposed to everyday - billboards, commercials, prime time television, radio ads, pop-ups, not to mention the women we actually see in real life! Pornography and masturbation are more common among men for these reasons, and are an epidemic in the church. In 2006, revenue for the porn industry was $13.3 billion in the U.S. with over 70% of men ages 18 to 34 visiting a pornographic site per month. Considering about 75% of Americans call themselves Christians, how much of that $13 billion came from the church? Also consider that with this high of revenue, as an industry, pornography would crack the Fortune Top 200.

Besides viewing sexual immorality, many of us are engaging in it. The culture has been resolute in reminding us about what we deserve sexually and if we don't get it what options we have, primarily having it outside of the context of marriage. Marital, or even relational, unfaithfulness is now more the rule rather than the exception. We now have this high standard around "love", "the right time" or "the right person" and have so skewed the proper intentions for sex that God's view has become a laughing stock. When G.W. Bush pushed abstinence in schools, the backlash wasn't even anger, it was ridicule and mockery at the very idea that we humans should attempt something as futile as abstinence.

I'll have to write more on this later, but I don't want to lose you just yet. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 - "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality." God is not in any way ignorant of the facts I've laid before you. He's not unmindful of the struggle we face in a sexually charged society. He's also not a God who changes or would lower His standard of holiness. The thing I hope we come to realize, and I'd like to study more on, is that the reason His standard is so high and why He wills that we live holy, is for our own good. It is the will of God - so not only must it be possible for us, He expects it of us. Yes it's difficult, but consider this today: is He worth it?

More tomorrow.

Good morning everyone. I noticed that yesterday's post didn't go out in an email for some reason, well it's here if you'd like to read it. Also I don't always put a link to the chapter I read so I'll start doing this today.

1 Thessalonians 3

As believers in Christ, as his children, as members of God's family, we ought to love one another. That's my prevailing thought after reading this chapter. Paul talks about his desire to be reunited with the church in Thessalonica to encourage them and also to "know their faith." His eagerness to see them was also driven by the fact that he knew how difficult this Christian walk would be. One lesson we should take from Paul is what he says here in verse 4, "for, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation..." When we share to gospel with people, we ought to let them in on this although it's not appealing. If we don't, and we only paint the rosy picture of you and Christ skipping and picking lilies for the rest of your life, we don't give the whole truth and we set people up for disappointment. The Thessalonians faith endured in spite of affliction because, as verse 3 states, they knew they were appointed for this.

Another lesson we can take is that we ought to check in on each other every once in a while, as it concerns our faith. In our conversations with other believers, we ought to sometimes let our conversations go beyond the surface level stuff and find out how our brothers & sisters walk is going. It can be, as it was for Paul, an encouragement to know that other believers are enduring and remaining faithful. But it also might be an occasion for you to encourage someone to do better, be more faithful. On the flip side, it could also be a time for you to reflect on how faithful your own walk is. When we don't discuss these things and assume everything is alright, we cheat ourselves of an opportunity to grow. So today, that' my goal - to get all up in somebody's business and see how their spiritual walk is going. Maybe I'll encourage them, maybe they'll point me in the right direction. Either way, the body will be edified and Satan won't be happy.