Things not said by Jesus
Jul 8, 2008 Found Online, Humor
Here’s a funny set of pictures on Flickr that depict some things that Jesus never said. They are funny and very true. Enjoy!
Focus
Jun 16, 2008 Music, Spirituality, me
Have you ever been in a situation where you lost your focus? I don’t mean on a superficial level, but on a spiritual level. Maybe you found yourself in a situation that you knew was not right, but it still sort of seemed right because you were blinded by it. You had lost your focus on what is true, and all of a sudden you see yourself in a dark place and can’t seem to find a way out.
I’ve been there before, and there is a song that comforted me and helped me come out of that. I was in a pretty rough place, and it was getting harder and harder to see and hear God. I was reminded of this cool analogy about the moon.
You see, sometimes at night, the sky can get cloudy to the point where the clouds cover the moon. We know that the moon is there, we just can’t see it at the time.
God is a lot like that. When we mke the wrong decisions that send us down the wrong path, it can be a little hard to see God at times. The thing to remember is that he is still there, and in fact never moved.
But back to the song I mentioned. This song was written from the perspective of a broken person who is at the end of his rope and desperately needs to feel God. I hope if you listen to it, it can comfort you and remind you that sometimes in life, all we need is for God to come into focus and fill our empty hearts again.
(press the little “play” button next to the title)
How suddenly we move from life to death
In a moment move from full to nothing left
Unshakeable faith how quickly turns to fear
Went from holding you close to wishing You were here
What I cannot do is give it all to You
It’s taking over me
Will this sorrow ever leave?
No one but You can understand what I’m feeling inside
Right now I can barely breathe let me know You’re here tonight
Lately I’ve been letting go of hope
Caught between life and love what I want and what I know
Give this broken heart a reason why
and fill it with the strength to say goodbye
Cause it’s so hard to do to give this all to You
Pour down on me like rain and fill this hollow heart again
No one but You can understand what I’m feeling tonight
Lord right now I can barely see through the tears that fall from my eyes
It’s so hard to see You please come into focus
I don’t even know if I can find the strength to make it one more day
So pour down on me like rain and fill this hollow heart again
No one but You can understand what I’m feeling tonight
Here I come running back to the arms You’ve left open wide
Just when I need You
You come into focus
You let me see Your face
Know You’re here in this place and kiss these tears away
Focus (by Casting Pearls) - Amazon mp3 link
Tags: casting pearls, focus, God, hope, religion, sin, strength
My Grandma
Apr 6, 2008 me
Sometime early Thursday morning, April 3, my grandmother, Elaine Boyes Read, passed away. She had been battling COPD, a disease that affects the respiratory system, for quite some time. She was 75 years young, and she will be missed.
Next to my parents, my grandma was the closest relative that I had. From childhood until the present, I maintained a very close relationship with her. I would go to her house often growing up. She lived nearby, so it allowed me to spend a lot of time over at her house.
Over the last few years, her breathing became increasingly difficult due to the COPD, and Thursday of last week it finally became too much. She passed away peacefully in her sleep.
But now, I know she is breathing, and breathing deep at that. She is home now, and the suffering is over. I miss my grandma more than I could ever explain here, but I am happy that she is at peace now. I bet right now she is dancing, breathing in deep the beauty of Heaven.
Welcome home, Grandma.
Tags: copd, elaine read, God, grandma, heaven
Church Pastor says “We’re Sorry”
Apr 2, 2008 Current Events, Spirituality
This past Sunday, a pastor of a local church here in Atlanta preached a sermon entitled “We’re Sorry” that was all about apologizing to various people groups, including homosexuals and abortion patients. The reasoning is that a lot of times, Christians tend to be a bit judgmental of other folks, despite the fact that none of us are perfect. This pastor understands that he is just as imperfect as the next person, therefore having no right to judge anyone. This quote jumps out most at me:
“For a long time, we’ve been known for the social issues we’re against, instead of the God that we’re for,”
This is so true, and it needs to be a wake-up call to those of us who claim to follow Jesus. It is a lot easier to let everyone know what we are against, but what we need to be doing is letting people know about the God that we are for. A God who can change lives! Sure, it’s harder, but if we would do that, people would want to listen.
I hope other churches follow this guy’s lead. People deserve that apology.
Are Most Wars the Result of Religious Belief?
Mar 30, 2008 Current Events, Spirituality
People can be pretty passionate about their religious beliefs. So, it is not surprising that at least a few famous wars have resulted from disagreements about religion. However, is it true what Sam Harris says that our tendency to slaughter each other “generally have their roots in religion?”
Can You Love Your Enemies?
Feb 14, 2008 Found Online, Spirituality, Thoughts
I just saw these over at The Plow.
My first reaction was “Wow, that is pretty extreme”. But then I thought about it. Jesus, who knew he was about to be crucified for his revolutionary beliefs, was telling this to a group of people who had lived under a great deal of persecution. What a revolutionary message back then, but perhaps even more so now. This means that we are to love Hitler, Osama, and everyone else who thrives on hatred. That is a tough pill to swallow, but if you are a Christian, it is something you are called to do.
Just imagine for a second if everyone actually did this. The world would be changed forever in an amazing way!
What are your thoughts?
Mysterious Galaxy
Feb 7, 2008 Just Plain Awesomeness
From NASA:
This image of the elliptical galaxy NGC 1132 and its surrounding region combines data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope. The blue/purple in the image is the x-ray glow from hot, diffuse gas detected by Chandra. Hubble’s data reveal a giant foreground elliptical galaxy, plus numerous dwarf galaxies in its neighborhood, and many much more distant galaxies in the background.
From God:
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. (Psalm 19:1)
How awesome is that picture!
