 Your house is on the verge of foreclosure. Your employer told you today the company will start doing some layoffs starting next month, and unfortunately you’re one of them. Your car is still in the shop, and you have a strong feeling that the mechanic is doing more harm than good. You just now remembered you forgot to feed the dog before you left the house. And on top of all that, it’s raining outside.
Yeah.
I know we all go through times like this in life, and they can be really hard. How are you going to deal with all this stress?! What’s all out there? Who are you going to listen to? Some people might recommend eating more food – lots more. Others may suggest to try smoking. The guy down the street may tell you to throw your hands up and file bankruptcy. There are so many influences out there – who should we really be listening to?
None other than God, of course!
My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.
- Exodus 33:14
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
- Psalm 9:9-10
Trust in the Lord and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him.
- Psalm 37:3-5, 7a
It’s important to tune into God’s Word. In times of high stress and trouble, listen to Him, and only Him – be careful of negative influences out there, because there are many. Keep your eyes on God, and He won’t steer you wrong!
written by Josh
\\ tags: control, Exodus, God, Jesus, life, Psalm, stress, trust
 Back in Middle School, I had a friend that I knew pretty well. He was a great person to be around, was very smart, and had an excellent sense of humor. He was also a hardcore Atheist who scoffed at the very notion of God – much less a loving one. He knew I was a Christian, but thankfully that didn’t effect our friendship. We’d always crack jokes to each other about our beliefs, and teased and joked, but it was all in fun. He was a great friend.
I remember this so vividly; one day he came to me at lunch really down. He said he didn’t understand anything about what was going on with himself or his life, and everything was just coming down around him. As a Christian, I knew the only one who could help him was Jesus. He needed him badly, but I had tried so many times before to earnestly tell him about the love of God, and not what he had been taught. So, in this instance, I just assumed he was depressed, like we all get, and just said ‘Sorry man,’ and continued with lunch.
This was on a Friday. I found out on Monday, he had tried to kill himself over the weekend. Thank God he failed, but the very fact he tried shook me to my core. I had given up on him, too. I was maybe the last glimpse to God he had, and I gave up on him.
I haven’t talked to him much since then. Things just were never the same, but every time I think about him, I think about how I was a quitter – I gave up on him, and he gave up on God… and even tried to give up on life.
Maybe you have a friend like this, or know someone who just needs someone to talk to. It might seem like the last straw – YOU can’t take it anymore! It’s like they don’t want help, so you give up. I tell you the truth, the most selfish thing I, or anyone, ever did was give up on someone because they were too big of a challenge. I was a coward, and I was weak.
Friends, I urge you to stay strong, even when it seems like you’re fighting and loosing, uphill battle. You could be someone’s last hope. I often think ‘What if my friend had succeeded?’ I pray that none of you ever have to think of that.
“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
That’s so true. It’s not in Vain. Never think it is.
Thanks for reading,
Lots of Love,
-Matt
written by Matt
\\ tags: control, Giving Up, Help, Hope, Jesus, life, Loss, Love, Problems, Regrets, Story, Struggle, Suicide, Worry
 Maybe you’ve been driving on the highway going one way really fast. You haven’t even bothered to notice, or care about, the exit signs. You stay on the highway and your speed increases as you go. The music in your car is blasted. You’re having a good time, still speeding, still going one way and staying there, on the highway. And then you crash.
It’s a crash we all experience one time or another in life. If you’re in a midlife crisis, going through a hard time, or if you’re just not sure what’s becoming of yourself. Sometimes these crashes can be pretty severe. Who is going to help you out of your crashed car?
Only one person can – and he can heal your injuries, wipe the dirt from your eyes, and give you a fresh start. His name is Jesus.
I use a lot of metaphors when I write. But if you’re still on that highway and you haven’t crashed yet, maybe you should try getting off on one of the exits. You never know where it will take you.
written by Josh
\\ tags: control, crisis, God, Jesus, life
God, you are Crazy.
Really, Really, Really Crazy.
Your craziness borders on stupidity, God.
Look at what you’re doing.
You keep going back into an abusive relationship,
continuing to love your abuser,
asking for nothing in return,
My God, you are Crazy.
Though he slaps you in the face,
though he kicks you in the shin,
you keep reaching out for him;
God, you sure are crazy.
How many times will it take?
You’re seriously still trying?
But look at how he treats you!
Like he doesn’t even care.
So you’re still reaching out, hmm?
Going to try again?
Face it, he’s a lost cause.
My God, you’re so crazy.
Or maybe not…
Maybe he’s the crazy one,
that crazy one being me;
but you knew that, didn’t you?
You seem to know these things.
But why? Why still love me?
A horrible, awful wretch like me?
I can’t possibly make an excuse.
My God, you sure are crazy.
Or maybe it is me – the crazy one.
Maybe this insanity does not lie with you,
but with me – the one you DIED for,
that seems not to even care.
But please, Lord, please,
know I do love you,
but what can I do?
It seems like too much.
My God, I’m crazy.
After all you’ve done,
Are doing, and yet to do,
I still act like you mean nothing to me.
My God, I am crazy.
These things, they are not mere sin,
but, literally, insanity -
eating away at who I am.
Take these things, God!
You mean too much to me!
I do not want them anymore!
Pride, Anger, Lust, Lies, take it all!
My God, I am crazy.
Really, Really, Really crazy.
My craziness borders on stupidity, God
Look at what I’m doing.
But still… you’re there. And I thank you for that.
-Matt
written by Matt
\\ tags: control, Crazy, God, Help, life, Love, Poetry, Sin, Story, Struggle
First off, I want to give some major props to my Pastor, Steve Whipple, for inspiring this post. You rock, man.
So, let’s talk about ‘that guy,’ That Guy is the one who always wears the Jesus T-Shirts. That Guy is one that knows the Bible inside and out; able to quote any passage at any time, and can speak Hebrew and Greek. That Guy’s the one that points and says ‘That’s sinful’ and accuses everyone of being dirty sinners, where he sits upon his pedestal, holier then thou, thinking he’s an angel.
We all know someone like that. From work, from school, even our own families, and maybe even you might read that and say ‘That’s me!’ They have their actions down to a science, and want everyone to know it, too. Jesus had a word for these type of Religious people: Pharisees.
6 Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ -Mark 7:6-7
That’s where the analogy of ‘Under the Hood’ comes in. See, a car can be absolutely beautiful on the outside. It can be waxed, buffed, and shined twice daily, it can have the most awesome paint-job, and have spinning rims and all that, but if, under the hood, it’s a lemon, the car is worth nothing.
Same with us. Like Jesus said, if we honor God with our lips and actions, and our heart is in the wrong place, they mean nothing. If we’re broken and dirty ‘Under the Hood,’ then we’re not worth having around.
This, by no means, is saying ‘I can do whatever I want! Jesus said so!’ Like some people who believe that they’re Christians because ‘God picked them to be’ or ‘Because Grace covers me, so I can do what I want without penalty,’ they’re extremely wrong.
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Romans 6:1-2
I don’t think that needs explaining. Let’s look at the bottom line: God cares about our hearts. That’s it. We can play the Christian game all day, we can be super-religious, live a sheltered life, and say all the right things, but if your heart does not belong to God, then you are, for lack of better or less harsh words, worthless as a Christian. God desires your heart – once you’ve given it to him, your actions will follow.
Thanks for reading! Next time, I plan on extending a bit more on the whole idea of Heart over actions, and talking about the ‘Sheltered’ lifestyle. We all know of some Christians that live in a little Jesus-bubble, and never get out, and I think it’s important to know why you/they SHOULD! Anyway, until next time…
Lots of Love,
Matt
written by Matt
\\ tags: Actions, Bible, Blogs, Calvinists, Catholics, Christ, Christians, control, Fake Christians, God, Heart, Jesus, life, Lifestyles, Mark, Problems, Religion, Romans, Sheltered, Sin, World
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