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Luke 22:36 “ Then said He unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.”

So when I read this verse two meanings popped out almost right away. The first is this...that for us Christians today the sword would be the Bible, and we have to be willing to give up somethings that are sometimes really important to us so that we can learn the Sword/Bible and KNOW more about it so that in turn we can use it better. This doesn't have anything to do with the verse, but it's just a quick thought. If you're given and totally awesome sword that is absolutely beautiful and SUPER sharp...what good is it going to do you if you don't know how to properly use it. I mean sure you know how to swing and stab, but you don't know how to use every part of it effectively (weight, balance, hilt, etc.) so that you can dominate with it. The same thing applies to the Bible. We have to incesintely train with it so that we become experts with it and can do some serious damage to Satan's kingdom with it! Okay now the second thing that I got our of this is that Christ wants us to fight for what's right. He told the brothers to go get them some swords!! What happens most of the time is something happens in society that is biblically wrong, and all that Christians and Pastors do is rant and rave about how wrong it is. That's a good thing. What's not good is that they only do it in Church around other Christians who most likely aren't part of the problem or will ever be. It does no good to rant about it to people who don't have a problem with it. What needs to happen is, all that 'anger' needs to be channeled into actions that we use to fight the problem. If the only action we take is to talk and 'yell' about it at church, you can't complain when things go south.

-Levi

Perfect Problems

So I was reading in Luke about the woman with an issue of blood as well as the feeding of the five thousand and I came across verse one in chapter nine that says “Then He called His twelve disciples together…” and I had a thought so I went to Chapter Twenty-Two where Christ was betrayed, and I found the verse that I was looking for “…and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve…”  Now Jesus handpicked his twelve dudes, so that means He picked Judas purposely, and He also knows the future right?  Right.  So Jesus KNEW that Judas would end up betraying him!  My point is that Jesus PURPOSELY picked Judas – a problem – to put in His life even though it/he was a problem.  Now the immediate thing that probably comes to your mind is “well Jesus NEEDED Judas so that He could fulfill His mission that God sent Him on”…EXACTLY my point!!  Jesus picked someone really bad to be in his life - someone He knew would ultimately hurt him – for the greater good, and for HIS purpose.  What struck me is how that applies to us, and how Jesus kinda ‘led by example’ so to speak.  So for us God might ‘pick’ a really bad problem for our lives – something that might hurt us or cause some major problems – so that He can use it for HIS purpose for our lives or (like in Jesus’ case) someone else’s life, for something really good.  So next time something bad happens remember that Jesus PURPOSELY had problem in his life that ultimately worked out for something REALLY good.  The reason you might have ‘that problem’ or ‘this problem’ in your life, is because God needs it there so that a certain part of His plan works.

Levi 

Small. Tiny. Itsy-Bitsy. Little.

Song of Solomon 2:15 “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes”

The book of Song of Solomon is really like a love book the Solomon wrote, and to be perfectly honest, the only part of it that I’ve ever read is the second chapter.  Anyways, I read it today and the fifteenth verse popped out at me (obviously).  To be honest I’m not sure what the original context is, but I read it as the verse saying that the little things in life make a big difference.  In my life time management is a big deal.  Thos of you who know me and our family know that.  On thing that is constantly stressed is that one minute here, or three minutes there, can REALLY cur your day up and at the end you’ve wasted two or three hours!!:/  Individually each of the wasted minutes is SMALL, but combined they really really add up.  The same thing applies to our spiritual lives as Christians.  The little sins or wrong-doings individually don’t dramatically affect us, but over a period of time the build up into something big and make a big difference for the worse.  And the problem with it being one small thing at a time is that it’s hard to catch because each thing is so small, we dismiss it as ‘being small.’  I’ve heard it said that if you consistently do something for twenty-one days it becomes a habit.  So if we’re doing something small consistently, forgetting to pray, adding some worldy slang, dress un-modestly, etc, after awhile it will majorly affect us without us hardly noticing it until it’s gotten to be a decently big problem.  So think of something small that either you’re doing that you know you shouldn’t do, or something that you know you should do but you’re not doing, and start doing it if you know you should, or stop if you know you SHOULDN’T be doing it.  Start small with one thing and work on the one thing until it’s conquered, then move onto something else that’s either the same ‘small size’ or a little bit bigger.  After all it’s the small things that make the big difference.

-Levi

Let Your Acts Be Your Tracts

­­Okay so this is a little bit different from what I normally do.  I was having a conversations with someone, and the subject of soul winning came up, ad how we go crazy on passing out tracts and blitzing areas.  I thought to myself, hey, what’s the good in a tract?  I mean yes it does tell people where your church is and how to get saved, but that’s it.  Now that’s better than nothing, but that is the extent of it’s use.  That’s when I thought hey, you know, letting your acts (lifestyle, dress, talk, etc.) be your tracts would be much more powerful than a tract.  I don’t think that passing out tracts is a bad thing AT ALL, but if that’s the extent or the MAJOR part of your soul winning and outreach where you are directly trying to get people saved (not just get them to your church) then…well….sorry if this hurts your feelings…but it’s pretty lame in my point of view.  Let me put it this way.  You can be totally un-saved and still go out and pass out tracts and look the look, but your ‘acts’ show that ‘your just a show’, whereas you can be an amazing Christian but passing out tracts and door knocking doesn’t prove or show anyone that you’re a Christian and different from them in a good way.  Your lifestyle and ‘acts’ are WAY more powerful than ANY tract.  Like, okay…you can pass out a tract to someone, then later that someone sees you doing something wrong and you totally ruin the chance of them ever being a Christian because you were a nice looking person who told him or her about something that could make their life better and then they see you living just like them…it’s blows your reputation as well as the reputation of other Christians.  Now if you never pass out a tract but people see the way you live is different and the right way to live and get saved as a result, then that’s how we should roll! People will be more appt to become a Christian if they SEE through you’re a Christian than if you go up to their door and nervously ask them a few questions, leave them and tract, and leave.  Let your acts be your tracts.  If I need to clarify something (which I’m sure I probably will have to) just ask in the comments!:)

-Levi

There WILL Be Consequences For THAT!!

Proverbs 6:28 "Can one go upon coals, and his feet not be burned?"

So basically what I saw in this verse, is the lesson of consequences.  What I saw it translated as, was that you can't 'push the red button and not expect and explosion.'  So I know that we normally think that consequences always have to do with bad things, because all the sermons (and lessons) that we've heard have always been 'THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUR SIN.'  Now that IS true…I'm not disputing that AT ALL!  But also I don't think that most people of it in the opposite sense.  If you do a good thing, there will be a consequence for that!  I think that we've been 'trained' to think that consequences is only a word the gets used when we do something bad, or screw up something in our lives.  Like okay, you always hear "I know that you stole that and there WILL be consequences for your sin"…I've NEVER heard anyone say "there will be consequences for you giving that missionary $100"  Know what I mean?  I goes what I'm saying is that it'd be cool if we could change the way we've been programed to think about consequences.  Start thinking "HEY…If I do this or that, what are the awesome consequences going to be"…I'll bet when you read that it sounded weird…it's the way we've been 'programmed…consequences have ALWAYS carried a bad connotation.  You know, as long as you're aren't JUST trying to further your own gain, there is NOTHING wrong with wanting to get rewarded by God for doing good things!  It's not a sin to expect God to reward you for doing something good…shoot…we EXPECT God to do something bad to us when we do something bad, so why not switch it up.  Do good and EXPECT something good to 'happen back.'  Maybe you don't always get physical and material things…maybe God rewards you with a AWESOME grade on a test, or keeps you from being in a car crash, or even makes the policeman not pay attention so that he doesn't see you going 80 in a 60!;)  Anyways…look to do good things and see what happens.  Don't make consequences a word that only gets used when something bad or wrong happens. 

P.S:  I don't think I'd be to far off if I guessed that when you read the title you thought this would be about 'sin finding you out'?

-Levi-

SATAN Shout Out

Get Some Experience!

Proverbs 19:2 “Also, that the should be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth”

So when I read this I saw two things – two meanings in the verse.  The first part of the verse I took to be talking about education AND experience.  Solomon tells us that we need to have knowledge about things, and since he didn’t specify I think that he means we have to have knowledge in EVERYTHING…yes…even the dreaded ‘English.’  Also I think that he also means that we need to have experience because after all experience IS knowledge!  Example.  If I wanted to be a Marine, I could read al the books about Marines that were ever written, I could go and talk to former Marines, I could even go at watch videos on how to train to be a Marine, but if I never go to B.U.D.S then I can’t be a Marine, because I may have ALL the book knowledge possible, but I don’t know HOW to use my knowledge because I don’t have experience.  A really REALLY smart guy once told me that if he were to start a college, the first two years would be getting the students out and giving them LOTS of experience in LOTS of different things, THEN the last two years would be academics, because now a days some kids when they go to college have NO-CLUE what they want to do because they’ve never had any experiences!  So staying cooped up as good little holier than thou Christians, and gathering TONS of book knowledge, but no experience knowledge is not a good thing!  We AREN’T going to win the war against Satan, if we stay in out headquarters and read books about strategy, we have to go out and fight.  Anyways, moving on.  The second part of the verse I took to be talking about the way that we work.  To me it says that we need to a job properly and don’t just skippy-do right on through it!  As Christians we always want to be the fastest and hardest working people, but we HAVE to make sure that we balance speed, and quality.  We don’t want to sacrifice the job because ‘we did it in record time’…NO!!!  Don’t be TO hurried in what you do.  This just came to me but that could also apply to being rash in our decisions.  Take a second and think things through!:D

It's Your Rep People!

So I had a devotional ready, but I just felt like posting this thought instead. It's something I've been thinking about, and something that I think is really important. Do the people who know you - talking about un-saved people - and the people who don't know you, know that you are a Christian. Can they look at you, your lifestyle, your dress and talk, and your behaviors, and tell that you are a Christ follower? Or are you a person who just looks nice, does the right things and goes to church? It's something I've been thinking about and thought I'd share with y'all!:)

Kiss Anger Bye-Bye

Proverbs 19:11 "The discretion of a man deffereth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression"

Okay, so this is kinda an anger management verse, but kinda not.  Loosely translated in the ALAV, Solomon is saying, Hey dude, a little tip...when you get angry or somthin' and you have a chance to give 'pay back', run it through your brain first to reason out all the consequences of your actions.  So we've all see it happen with other people, and if we're honest with ourselves we're also guilty of this, but something will happen that really ticks us off...sometimes rightfully so, sometimes not...and we just totally blow up about it and go all Kung-Fu Panda on the person!  Now what good does that do, besides showing off your awesome anger skills?  None.  It simply makes us look immature and partially ruins our relationship with that person.  So taking from what Solomon said, we need to think over the consequences of our actions to see if it really is going to be worth it.  Most times it's not.  To be HONEST, this is something that I still work on:/  But I've found that if, when something ticks you off, you take a BIG deep breath and yell at the person mentally without looking at them, then look back at them it's surprising how most of the anger dissipates!!:D  Is it worth ranting and raving at someone for ripping a nice big hole in a pair of your nicest jeans?  Probably not!  Also if the issue/problem isn't a big deal, it is GLORY to just let it go.  If you do that then it makes you look like the bigger person.  I'm not saying that you WANT to try to make the other person feel guilty, but if you do something to someone else on purpose or accidentally that could make them angry, how does it feel when that person doesn't give a reaction, and they simply calmly tell you "it's okay."  You feel MUCh worse that if they had totally blown up at you.  I'm not saying we WANT to make others feel bad, but I AM saying that sometimes/most of the time it's A LOT better just to 'Let it Go'

Biblical Leadership

Luke 11:46 “And He said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! For ye lade men down with burden grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers”

This verse is ALL about leadership…to me at least.  When I read it, it immediately reminded me of some things at a leadership camp last year.  Being the right kind of leader.  I categorize leaders into two groups.  The first group I call ‘Title Leaders.’  This group of people are the people who lead people simply because they have the leadership title.  There is nothing in their actions to show that they are the leader.  All they do is tell others what to do, well not doing anything themselves to help!  The biggest reason why I think title leaders are bad is because they drive a wedge between them and their people, because the people see the ‘leader’ as a mini dictator who orders others around while never doing ANYTHING!!!  Now the other kind of leader that Christ was implying we should be is what I call a ‘True Leader.’  These true leaders are the people that either do, or don’t, have a title that makes them a leader.  What makes this group of people TRUE leaders, is the fact that they lead by example and not by command.  They show others what to do, or how to do what they are being asked to do.  An example is Napoleon Bonaparte.   He was an AMAZING leader because when he went to war with a country he fought in the midst of his soldiers.  He of course had times when he simply commanded, but the reason he was SO successful is because HIS troops loved him because they knew that he was right there with them fighting next to them and enduring the same things that they were enduring!  Awesome!  People will love you more and respect you more and being A LOT more willing to follow you if they see that you are out there with them ‘getting dirty’ with them, not just standing off to the side in the shade giving orders.  Bottom line is that to be a GOOD and EFFECTIVE leader you need to get out ‘in the field’ with the people you are leading, and do the tasks with them and show them that you understand ‘what they are going through’ and your proud to be able to lead them and have them work for you.  I know the last part was confusing, but I hope you understand what I’m saying!

DUMP Starbucks...NOW!

On January 24th, 2012, Starbucks issued a memorandum declaring that same-sex marriage 'is core to who we are and what we value as a company.'  A portion of every cup of coffee purchased at a Starbucks anywhere in the world goes to fund this corporate assault on marriage.  Please sign the petition to register your protest.  Is that cup of whatever it is you get worth it, if you're supporting GAY MARRIAGE!!!!:0

http://www.dumpstarbucks.com/

Levi

IAC Shirts

Just wanted to post the link for all of the IAC designs I've done so far.  The prices that are set for them, are the lowest that RedBubble allows me to go, and even then I only make eight cents off each shirt.  Let me know what you think, and if you have any ideas for more shirts!

http://www.redbubble.com/people/pixlz/collections/135829-iac-tees

  

Are YOUR Ways HIS Ways?

Proverbs 16:7  “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him”

This is a pretty amazing verse if you think about it, and it’s one of those verses that is simple and powerful.  Ok…so…everybody is a creation from God.  Duh.  Some of His creation has chosen to be rebellious, and some of his creation has chosen to submit to him…that would be us Christians.  Now God has EVERYBODY'S hearts in his hand so He can control and change people and their lives and feelings if He needs to, or wants to.  Right here Solomon is saying that if we are doing the things that please God, and we have a lifestyle like that, then God will reward us by turning the people who dis-like us and don’t get along with us, into people who maybe still don’t like us, but they get along with us and they aren’t out to get us anymore. I know that God can do that when He wants to, but it’s also human nature.  If somebody is always being nice to you, and doing the right thing in their lives, and is just a pleasant, happy, Godly person to everybody…it’s REALLY HARD to hate them.  This verse showed me two things. First off that if we obey God He will make more people be at peace with us…like us.  Secondly, I took it also to say that if we have a good attitude toward others and are kind to others (those are ‘ways’ that please the Lord) God will make people who don’t get along with us, get along with us.   Sorry if that was confusing!:/  So my question to everybody reading this is, are you pleasing God in all areas of your life?  Are you spending your money wisely?  How about your time?  Are your friends, people God would approve of?  What about the way you dress, talk, act…your outwardly appearance?  Your education?  Are you pleasing God in ALL your ways, so that He can make the tough people in  your life be at peace with you.  I’m sorry if this didn’t really flow, but I really stood out when I was reading.

IAC Loyalty Poster

HE Made ALL Things.

Proverbs 16:4  “The LORD hath made all things: yea even the wicked for the day of evil”

I don’t need to repeat the first part of the verse but hey, I’m going to because I’m just that awesome!  So obviously God made everything the we can see as well as the things that we can’t see, such as emotions, character traits, and ‘physical’ things like air, and the elements.  At the beginning of time God intended for all the things that he created to be good and stay good.  However in Genesis 3:17 God created or allowed thorns and thistles, which are considered bad things.   It wasn’t his intent to have to use them, but man made a horrible choice and so all the bad things that God created – but didn’t want to use – were released because of OUR choice…remember that it’s NOT God’s fault that there are bad things, it’s OUR fault because of the decision that Adam and Eve made in the garden.  It’s all a choice.  So back to the verse…God created man and even the wicked are his creatures although they are rebels to him and against him.  We/they all have a good nature and a bad nature, but they (the wicked) have chosen their bad nature instead.  Also we have to understand (and I don’t know why He did this) but God gave those wicked people the power and intelligence that they use to fight Him, and us Christians.  However since God created the He is above them, everything is from Him and is of Him, therefore everything is to Him and for Him.  So even though there are LOTS of bad things happening to others and to us, God is in some way using them for His purposes.  We may not see it now, or in the future, but He may be letting the bad things happen to you and others so that 100-200 years from now He can use it for His purpose.  Also most likely he is letting the bad things happen so that He can teach you something that will make you a better person, and later in your life be able to relate with others who are going through the same thing you went through, and be able to help them.  Know what I mean??  Just because God allows the bad and wicked doesn’t mean that he condones it.  Keep this in mind…the wicked people came from who? God.  So God is higher and mightier then they are, so we know that we can rely on Him when things get hard because He is above all of them.  Here’s a thought I had…maybe He let’s the wicked people/things prosper and grow until they are really big and mighty, then He topples them so that people will see that even though ‘the wicked may reign supreme for the month, He controls the year’   Instead of moaning and griping when hard things happen to you or wicked people come into your life, pray for wisdom and try and learn something from what’s happening.  Maybe your refusing to learn from the bad things that are happening, which is why God keeps sending them.  He may just be waiting for you to learn something.  I hope you understand what I’m saying here! 

I HATE Christians!

It's GOD'S Time. Not YOUR Time!

Ephesians 5:16 “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil”

This is a super powerful verse that we need to keep in the back of our minds…actually this is a verse that  have memorized because I think that it is so important to us.  Paul is giving the church at Ephesis a pretty simple and concise thought here.  Loosely translated in the Levi Arnold Revised Edition, he is saying, Is what you are doing with your time going to benefit you, God, or others in a way that is productive?  Now a days it seems that everyone’s favorite word is….*drum roll*…”I’m busy.”  Okay…many times that is very very true…people ARE busy.  Now, here’s my question to those people…is your busyness hampering your effectiveness.  Is “I’m busy” and excuse for the fact that you are un-organized or un-concerned about how you spend your time…and if you’re a Christian…God’s time??  Are you busy or are you effective?  What I’m trying to get across is that in the increasingly busy world, we need to examine our lives and schedules and see what we have in them that we could really do without, or that really isn’t benefiting us, God, or others in a productive or helpful way.  Think about this…If Solomon AND God were to sit down with you and go through your entire last week, what would they find?  Would they find that you are very careful and productive with all of your time, or would they find that you’re ‘friterous’ with your time and really kinda let other people ‘control’ your time.  What I encourage everybody to do is to go through their life and find most/all of the non-productive/wasteful things that take up their time, and replace them with things that are productive.  Now I’m NOT saying that occasional fun things that really don’t benefit you are bad, but a lifestyle of those things IS bad.  I don’t think that I have to list ALL the things that are exempt from what I’m saying, but I REALLY REALLY hope you’re getting what I’m trying to say.  Just pick things that are going to make you a better or more productive person, as much as you can!!! J  I really hope you get what I’m trying to say!!  Don’t not have fun, but DO use you’re time in a way that you think God would be pleased with!! :D

The Maze

Proverbs 16:2 “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits”

Solomon is telling us that we see things that we do differently that God may see them.  We may be making a decision or something like that, and to us it may seem perfectly fine but God is going “uhhh….dude….you might wana re-think that”  Think about it like this…you are in a big maze…trying to get to the end, and there is someone above the maze who can see the right way to go out.  Obviously you are going to listen to that person when they tell you to ‘go right instead of left’, even though in your mind the ‘left choice’ is perfectly good.  Now do this…replace that person with God...He can see all of our decisions will lead to, and as Christians He wants the best for us, and for us to always succeed, so He is going to do all He can to make sure that we take the ‘left choice’ instead of the ‘right choice.’  Now God mainly uses our conscious to talk to us and tell us what we SHOULD do, as talking to us through the Bible.  But he also uses the Godly people in our life, young and old, to help is make the best decision for us.  We need to listen to those people when they say something.  Like I said the other day we need to consider the source, but if a person you know to be a good Godly person gives you advice about a choice that you are about to make, the it is probably God saying “hey there, I want you to take the left and not the right.”  Also here is something else to think about…you are in your life…other people like I just mentioned are not, so they aren’t going to be necessarily biased to what YOU want to do, because if they are good Godly people then they are going to want for you, what God wants for you.  Now I’m sure we all want what God wants for us (I certainly do) but we are all human, so unfortunately we sometimes we let OUR desire over-ride God’s desires, and that’s when God normally sends those people to tell us to do what we want to do and know is right to do but don’t necessarily have the courage/will power on our own to do.  We are all human…God knows that and he always wants to help.  So listen to God, as well as the people that he sends.

Be Honest Drawing

Here's a hand-drawn poster I did for my 'IAC' series.  Tomorrow I will post a devotional...I just wanted to do two days of posting for 'IAC'  Hope you like the poster for today!

(If the quality isn't that great, it's because this is a picture of the poster and not a scan)

Have Faith

I'm going to start doing a series of posters/shirts called 'IAC' or 'I'm A Christian'  The 'Trust' poster is the first, and this will be the second.

Constructive Criticism

Proverbs 15:5 “A fool despiseth his fathers instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent”

So this verse is pretty simple but…REALLY powerful as well!  We all know people who have problems, but some people when you try and help them fix those problems or tell them they have those problems and you’re willing to help them, simply blow you off.  Sometimes because it would require a drastic change in their life, other times it may be because it would require them to humble, and that is something that for most people (including me at times) is hard to do.  Now I want to be like the guy in the second part of the verse, who, when somebody confronts him about what he’s doing wrong or something that they see in his life that should be changed, listens and applies what he hears.  The bottom lines is that, if you want to be successful at anything, then you’re going to have to take criticism, however hard it is, and use and follow it.  Now let me point out, that WHERE the criticism comes from is important as well.  For example…let’s say that you’re a photographer and you and a friend started doing photography at the same time.  If that friend start criticizing your photos and critiquing them, some of the advice is going to be good, but most you probably don’t need to worry about because you both started at the same time, and you both have the same experience in it.  But if someone who works for National Geographic comes and starts critiquing your photos, then you’re probably going to want ot listen because they have been in photography longer than you, and have EXPERINCE in it, so there criticism and critiques are going to be ones that you’re going to want to follow.  The same thing applies to your life.  If your struggling with something in your life, then you’re not going to want to go to someone who is at the same stage in life and ask for advice, and you’re not going to want to take advice from a person like that either.  So when taking or getting advice/criticism, it’s important to consider the source.  Lastly, when you do get advice/criticism form someone who is qualified to give it, apply it and use it.  Don’t just take it, and then throw it down because it’s to hard, or to humbling.  You won’t get anywhere in life if you do that.  So basically, consider the source and use and apply the constructive criticism that you receive from those who are qualified to give it.

Be. Wise.

Proverbs 13:20 “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed”

This verse is a good verse for us a Christians, as well as just plain good advice.  Actually in many success type books today, this verse is the underlying theme.  What Solomon is saying here is that you want to surround yourself with people who are smarter, more mature, and more capable than you are.  This doesn’t mean that you should shun others, but that the people who you let impact you the MOST should be people like I just described.  If you’re are a normal and regular person (I do have my doubts about some of you:P) you WANT to learn more and be becoming a better person, because guess what…the more you learn and the better you become, the more influence you will have!  For us Christians that is a good thing because obviously we want to have more people that we can influence for Christ.  The last part of the verse is just as important to me as the first part is.  In case you didn’t get what Solomon was saying, let me make it clear for you…DON’T BE AROUND STUPID PEOPLE!!!  I think that we’ve all seen people who this has happened to.  They start out great and really awesome…then…they hang out and become friends with that one person that really isn’t all the great in all areas of life.  Then they become friends with his friends, and start spending more time hanging out with that crowd and letting those people influence them and ‘direct’ their lives, and as a result they just get on a downhill slope in life.  If you think about it, it actually makes plenty of sense.  A ‘fool’ doesn’t WANT to become better.  They are content with where they are in life, because they don’t want to work to become better.  Then someone comes along to the ‘fool’ and ‘lowers the bar’ and they go along with it…after a period of time those people who were a type ‘5’ person at were content with being there, are now down at a ‘1’ or ‘2’ type person.  Also a type ‘10’ person who gets around ‘fools’ can become a ‘5’ or ‘4’ type person because they have let those stupid people influence them and drag them down.  Becoming friends or hanging around foolish and stupid people is just a downhill path…sometimes morally and in intelligence/wisdom…sometimes spiritually…and sometimes BOTH!  Make sure that your friends who you’re close with are pushing/pulling you to a higher standard in all areas of your life.  Please…don’t be friends with people who are going to drag you down to their level in life.

A Quick Poster Idea

This is a poster idea I had.  Let me know what you think.

Light It UP People!

Matthew 5:14-15 “Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candle stick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”

This verse is EXTREMELY powerful, and in my mind one of the most important for us Christians.  Jesus Christ himself says here in the verse that we are to show others that we are Christians, and that the way we live is the right way to live.  SO many Christians today muffle themselves up in privacy, under the pretence of contemplation, humbleness, self-preservation from the ‘vices of the world’……NO YOU DINGLEBERRIES!  Jesus said right here to GO…GET OUT OF YOUR SAFETY SHELTER and SHOW the world that you are Christ followers!  Don’t coup yourselves up in your churches and houses, only coming out when you HAVE to.  Now this doesn’t mean that you have to stand on a street corner telling people that they are wicked sinners going to hell to burn up in brimstone…you’ll probably get a broken nose if you do that…but it does mean that we need to show “the world” through our lifestyle, the way we talk and dress, our conduct and music, etc, that we ARE Christ followers, and influence then for Christ.  If people see that we are happier and more productive because of being a Christian, then they are going to want Christ in their life as well.  What I’m going to say next may offend some people…but…it’s the unfortunate truth.  To many Christians are just plain weird and un-social, which is why Christians have gotten the label of weird.  For some reason A LOT of ‘Christians’ are the people with the dumpy clothes, trashy cars and houses, bad manners and bad grammer.  That’s wrong and a border line sin and it’s no wonder that people really don’t like Christians.  We’ve gotten the label...and it’s our fault…of being the people at the ‘bottom of the barrel’  That’s really a shame:(  As a Christian you want to make sure that you are one of the people at the ‘top of the barrel’.  Why don’t you do your part in showing others that Christians are really cool people, who are intelligent, productive, well rounded, normal, and just really awesome and friendly people who are a joy to be around.  Make a difference for Christ, and don’t stay all couped up anymore.  Get out in the world…aspire to a higher standard…influence the world for Christ.

The Infamous Four Letter Word

Proverbs 10:4 “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich”

I think that it’s kind of crazy how some people can be all gun-ho about certain verses in the Bible, and then totally and completely skip of others like they aren’t even there.  This is one of those verses.  I’m only 17, but I’ve seen this verse made true over and over again in peoples lives.  Some of the Christian people now a day, complain about how all these un-saved and ‘wicked’ people have all the money and nice material things, and us Christians are left with the junk.  Well right here in this verse Solomon tells us why exactly that is.  Leme lay it out.  All these ‘wicked’ people who have all this money, worked there tail off to get to where they are today.  For example…Warren Buffet.  He is one of the richest men in the world today.  When he was growing up he worked ALL day SEVEN days a week…when he wasn’t working he was reading and learning more about stocks, options, money, economy, etc.  The guy was CONSTANTLY learning and working.  When he went to college he had read SO much that he hardly ever studied, but when he did, he studied so thoroughly that when the teachers would read from the book he would sometimes tell them that they had forgotten to pause at the comma!  He was and is constantly working and becoming smarter, which is why today he is a Multi-Billionaire.  So sitting at home on FB collecting un-employment and asking God to ‘open a door for you’ is really pretty dumb.  God tells you right here – through Solomon – that to get anywhere and become prosperous you have to…here it comes…W-O-R-K!  It’s the four letter word that so many people shy away from.  The same thing ALSO applies to us spiritually.  If you don’t read and STUDY the Bible, really listen to the sermons and apply them to your life, and truly build you OWN relationship with God, then you cannot expect to grow in Christ, anymore than a guy standing infront of an on-coming train can expect to live.  So to become prosperous either with material things or in spiritual matters, then you have to WORK.  Once you do that THEN God will bless you and open doors for you.  Do YOUR part to show the world that Christians can be some of the hardest working and most prosperous people around…not the people who frequent the buffet and food isle the most;)

Do God a favor and be a hard worker in all that you do.

Make the Choice. Be a Happy Person.

Proverbs 15:13 “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart, the spirit is broken.”

Okay so this verse rocks!  What the fisrt part is telling us is that it is GOOD to laugh and joke around, and all around be a pleasant and happy person.  If you know me, you know that I do quite a bit of it, so this is kind of my ‘backup’ verse!  Laughing and being joyful actually helps your body and helps you stay energized and  healthy.  So not only does Solomon (the wisest guy EVER next to God) say it’s good, but it’s been proven to help you.  Also it makes you an easier and ‘more fun’ person to be around…BINGO…as Christians we want more people to be around us so that we can then influence them for Christ, so being a happy person DEFINITELY helps. 

Who is more fun to be around…someone who is always serious and takes everything WAY to seriously, or someone who is serious when it is appropriate but is also really funny and knows how to joke around and be funny?  For me it’s definitely the latter.

However Solomon does gives us one caution…not to let being funny or joking around go so far that it’s hurts someone or hurts you and your reputation with others, either by not being serious and focused when you should be, or letting your joking and kidding around go so far that you literally (most of the time without meaning to) start making fun of people in a way that you shouldn’t.  Let me give you an example.  If you go to a friends funeral and the whole time you are there, you are cutting up and laughing with people…how does that make you look?  Also more than likely the family is going to be hurt by that because they will think – and rightfully so – that you really don’t care…so your happiness and joy may actually hurt others and your reputation at times if you are not careful to keep in check. 

So make the choice to be a happy and pleasant person, but keep it in check and don’t let it get to far.  Also we need to be serious when the time calls for it.

There's Always a Beginning for Everything

Okay, so I had an idea a while back but I never did anything about it.  That's about to change.  On this blog I will be posting short devotionals every so often, on verses that pop out at me as I'm reading the Bible.  I won't be posting every day, but hopefully at least twice a week.  Hope you enjoy reading my take on the Bible!