After prayerful consideration, I will be taking a 2-week break from the blog :) June 7th will be the restart date!

After prayerful consideration, what is something from which you need to take a break?

Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.   Jesus, Acts 10:15

I often call myself impure. I sin - I mess up - and I look at myself as if I'm filthy. Dirty. Unclean.

BUT NO. In Jesus Christ I am clean.

As a believer in Christ, although I may do something impure or unclean, I am not impure or unclean.

I am forever clean because I believe in the love of Jesus Christ and make Him Lord!

"Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

Has anybody else been in this same boat with me? What are your thoughts? There is complete freedom in Jesus Christ! So much love :)

If you are more interested in how to be clean, I encourage you to read Matthew 8:2, John 3:16 & Romans 10:9-10 (make sure to read each of them :)!

After God healed a crippled, 40 year-old man through His Son’s Name spoken through Peter & John…

What are we going to do with these men…everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.                      Acts 4:16-17

The Pharisees and Sadducees thought that they were right. They truly thought that they were following God’s way and that everything else was wrong.

What they didn’t see was that maybe God was going to work in a new way. A different way. Maybe God could work in more than one way. The Pharisees believed that anything different from what they did was not God.

And that’s what many churches believe.

Look at them. They have lights on stage…electric guitars – they’re so wrong – WE’RE for GOD!
Look at them. They don’t have lights on stage…electric guitars – they’re wrong – WE’RE for GOD!

Do you know what’s interesting? Since the Pharisees didn’t believe God could work in a new, or different, way than what they had been doing, they tried to stop the new movement of God.

…we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people… Acts 4:17

See this is the thing: We find it hard to believe God can work in a different way that what we are doing. But that’s where we are all wrong – that’s where we can often be full of pride and self-righteousness.

Did you ever think that maybe your church’s traditions are your idol?

Because if we praise what we do and condemn what others do, although God may be working through both, then we are not worshiping God, but tradition.

This is where the Holy Spirit comes in.

Are you allowing yourself to perceive life, to live life, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction?

We must recognize that if we deny something that could possibly be God, we are possibly denying God. That’s not being led by the Spirit. The Spirit recognizes where the Spirit moves, because it is the Spirit.

Is the Spirit in you?

If deep down you can’t deny that God is working somewhere, yet keep finding yourself talking badly about that church or that person…then it’s time to get closer to God.

Because if the grass looks greener on the other side then it is time to water your own lawn. Come near to God and he will come near to you.   James 4:8

Let us not hold unswervingly to our traditions, but “…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.        Hebrews 10:22-25

Break the habit.

Meet together. And hold unswervingly to what? THE HOPE. Not our traditions. But meet together and hold unswervingly to the Hope.

Unready for change? Well maybe God is ready – and that’s all that matters.

Opa!

This week I have finals so I’m going to keep the post short today by asking a simple question.

What process / way / mind-set do you find helps you best manage your time?

I think this can be helpful for all of us to exchange this info!

I’m looking forward to posting my response this Thursday and look forward to reading over yours! (I'm excited - even if yours sounds simple - these are going to be very fruitful for us all to add to our lives~!)

What do you find helps you manage your time the best?

And we urge you, brothers, … be patient with everyone. - 1 Timothy 5:14

It is so easy for us to freak out on other people. ESPECIALLY when WE are stressed out.

Like finals week. Like when we are in the middle of something that isn’t even that important, but that requires our full attention.

Yet the Bible says to be patient with who? Everyone but your sister? Everyone but your mom and dad? Everyone but the people you hate?

No…the Bible, GOD, says to be patient with everyone.

And remember - GOD is somebody too.

  Sorry I’m posting this late. I got really excited that I had my last classes today…and forgot to post :)

And we urge you, brothers…help the weak...  1 Thessalonians 5:14

Part II

Are you feeling weak? Tired? Stressed? Overwhelmed? Burdened? I think it would be an injustice to not help you in the best way possible.

And that is to lead you to the Helper.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

Now notice what Jesus says – he doesn’t say that first he’s going to give us his yoke…but first tells us to come to Him and then take it. He tells us to take his yoke.

If you’re feeling weak – I encourage you to take His yoke.

What is a yoke? It’s the wooden plank that runs across the shoulders of animals as they farm the land. It helps keep them align. If one cow turns, they both do. Jesus is tell you to take His yoke. Take up Jesus’ way of life. Waking up early in the morning – before everyone else and all the distractions come – and praying, talking with GOD (Mark 1:35). Sacrificing of your time, energy and resources for others.

Read the Bible and discover Jesus’ way of life – go to Him – and take His yoke. Stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Him as he leads you, lightly, through life.

I encourage you to do this – to approach the Helper – if you are feeling weak.

And most of all – to give your life to Him. Make Him King. It’s the weak He died for – us - so that we could have life. Believe it and make Him the King of your life.

I did :)

SO MUCH FREEDOM! He loves you :) Take his yoke because His burden is light.

What ways of Jesus’ life do you need to take up? In all honesty, we should take up all of them – but which one are you going to focus on this week?

“And we urge you, brothers,…help the weak...” 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Are you feeling extra weak right now?

Maybe your school finals are weighing on you? Or some bad choices you recently made? Maybe you’ve got some tough decisions to make that feel like they are tearing you apart?

Maybe you’ve been “spiritually weak” lately…kind of drifting away from GOD.

Either way, I’d love to pray for you and talk to you.

If you are feeling extra weak, burnt out, or drained then please leave a quick comment below on how I can pray for you. If you’d like to, stay anonymous: Make your name “Anonymous” and your email “[email protected]”. However, if you’d like for me to be able to talk back and forth with you then please do put in your real email address.

I would love to pray with you! So please don’t be afraid & leave a comment below – even if it’s “the simplest thing”!

In Christ!

Jared

Tomorrow's blog post continues with part II of "help the weak"!
Yesterday's blog post - "Encouragement"

“And we urge you, brothers…encourage the timid…” 1 Thessalonians 5:14

People have told me that I’m not worthy of leading a lifegroup or a spiritual blog. I’ve been told my efforts will fail and amount to nothing…die off.

I’ve told myself again and again how I’m going to fail at so many things in life.

Maybe you’re in the same boat I was in. If you are, I encourage you: STAND UP.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.          1 Timothy 4:12

Don’t listen to people, listen to GOD.

We have been called not to live hesitant lives full of fear…holding back from doing what we’ve been called to do, but we have received a different calling.

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.    2 Timothy 1:7

We won’t know everything…but that’s okay – we’ve got Him to trust. And He can take care of everything :)

So, approach your calling and vision of life that has been given to you by GOD – approach it with INWARD FIRE and PASSION!

So, I encourage you – if you’ve been fearful or confidence-less…look up to GOD. Look up to Him who created you for a purpose, ask Him what it is and run!

Don’t let fear entangle you from the beautiful calling God has given you. Step up, and run. We aren’t perfect – only in Christ are we perfect – so don’t try to fix everything before you run.

“I’m not ready….I’ve got too much stuff to fix first…” No, He will take care of that in the process. Focus on Him – look into His eyes – and RUN!


In addition, many people – like me – tend to fear talking to GOD sometimes for how we’ve messed up. Look at Him and His Love – yes, be in awe of Him and do have a reverent fear of Him, but at the same time, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16

Approach the throne of grace – shown through the giving of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for the payment of our sin and freedom of our souls – approach the throne with confidence; Believing that in Jesus Christ – you are saved. Stand up in this confidence, and do life in worship!

Love. Belief. Passion. Confidence.  All for HIS Glory :)

I encourage you
If you need someone to talk to personally about something you are going through, please don't be afraid to connect with me through the "contact us" link above. I would love to personally talk with you!

Idle Part II
Note: I don't mean to come off in this post as hostile or offensive...I'm a victim of this as well. So, if my passion seems extreme then please don't take offense from me because remember - I have this challenge in life as well!

Our lives are short.

In Psalm 39:4-5 King David felt this urgency too as he wrote,

"LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
  Remind me that my days are numbered--
  how fleeting my life is.
 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
  My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
  at best, each of us is but a breath." 

And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle…  1 Thessalonians 5:14

What we need to realize is the amazing reality that each second we live is another second off of our lives. Its statistics – the longer you live, the less time you have left.

Who knows? You may die this year, this month, today. That’s the honest truth…we need to stop living as if we won’t. Because it would be a sad day to wake up and see that we’ve lived a life just playing video games and watching TV. I used to spend so much time doing these things....then I realized just how much I was wasting away the time I have on this earth...

We don’t know when we are going to die. That’s why it is SO IMPORTANT to live each day in a way that matters – and by that I mean honoring GOD. It’s so easy for us to fall into lives of worshiping ourselves…

But with me, step up – stop being idle and apathetic which is often a result of a life being lived for us – and start living your life for the King who sent His Son to die for you – who took the nails in his hands and feet and a spear in his side as the punishment for your sins – in order to give you life. Why? Because He loves you.

We are all going to die some day. It’s inevitable. There are two things to think about in regards to death:  1) Who do I know and 2) What have I done.

1) Do I know Jesus Christ? - your salvation
2)      Have I made a difference in this world? - your legacy    

If we are going to be dying soon, we sure as heck need to know what we are coming to after death. I encourage you to step into GOD’s GRACE today. See your life – your sins – and believe that Jesus Christ died to set us free from those. And confess Him as LORD (from Greek: Kyrios: Owner, Master, Lord) of your life. God’s grace is too beautiful to not surrender. Admit your sins. Believe what He did. Confess HIM as LORD.

Not us as Lord..

And live lives that actually make a difference – in His Name! And…

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.” – James Dean

What step are you going to take today to step outside of being idle?
How are you going to be active In your faith...in your life?