A recent discussion with a friend has sparked these thoughts and is truly the inspiration for this post!!!
We as guys hold onto a deep responsibility that is very hard given our sin nature but also given the way God created us. By nature we are sexual beings, God made us this way... however given the Fall of Man we have warped our nature into something immoral. I don't believe things have changed over the centuries... if you read God's Word we see that the pagan nations as well as the Israelites warped God's command of a one-man and one-woman relationship of marriage. Sexual Immorality raced throughout the world and overwhelmed the marital relations. People choose desires and pleasure over commitment.
Summarizing my discussion, she is dating a young man (based off the discussion I observe he is NOT a believer in Christ though I am NOT judging for God is the only One to Judge the truth of a man's heart... I observe his actions). She tells me that he wants to "test" their love for each other by "experimenting" with other young women! I told her "Honey break up right now!!!"
""Experiment" with other woman"... those were her exact words! What a sick world we live in. Us men are on a mission... it is not to test the love of woman for we already know the woman will love us... that is clearly obvious (in my opinion and based off what I read in the Bible and other books). This young man has his mind warped.
Quite frankly I am ticked (... I want to use the other word cause I am extremely mad)!!!!!!! As someone who wants to protect women and their purity, as well as my own for I have taken abstinence commitments, this enrages me. "Experiment with women"!?!? NO!!! We don't do that... yet Satan has done such a great job at warping our minds using many things in this world that we don't monitor... the media being one of them and probably the easiest to manipulate and then use to manipulate others in mass.
As Christian men we are to protect the woman and her purity... yet I rarely see that among us. We talk about them as "experiments" utterly breaking their hearts.It is truly a horrible thing what we do and I am ashamed to be apart of a gender that does that... yet I set my standards much higher so that shame is wiped away because the truth is out there and has set me free. Yes the truth is in Christ Jesus for salvation but there is another truth that I am talking about!
That truth is treating a woman the way God would treat her. Respect for who she is and ultimately respecting, loving, cherishing, and honoring her regardless your relationship to her. I am convinced spreading this message through word and actions women's self-esteem will rise through the roofs and men will start seeing that they are not "experiments"!
It pains me to hear this about "experimenting" with woman and then some of her responses to my urgency for her to break up with him which currently she won't... It just breaks my heart... Keep praying!!!
About Me
- Jakob
- A young man seeking after the Lord's will for my life. I am a believer in the One True God (John 14:6). A current student in college excited to be transferred to a Christian school to major in Youth Ministries!!! Yeah I believe the Lord is leading me to His ministry!!!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Desiring God
I've just begun to read "Desiring God" by John Piper and few things caught my attention.
One such thing is the downplay we have on our sin nature! We tell ourselves that our sin wasn't so bad and we'll go before God and confess our "little" sin and then move on. We fail to realize how horrible our "little" sin is in front of a perfect, holy, and all mighty God who absolutely despises sin!
In our world today we have people telling us that hell isn't real or everyone except Satan and his demons are going to Heaven. Our concept of heaven and hell as to very real places is very messed up. We fail to see that our sin is such an abomination to God that He can't even be in our presence it is so bad.
I think that the "believers" these days who think that everyone is going to heaven or that hell isn't real have a very relaxing opinion about sin and how the Lord views it! Our Bible's make it very clear that Heaven and Hell are very real places. It also makes it very clear that the only way to Heaven is by "believing in the Lord Jesus Christ"! So why the confusion?
Obviously we are all human beings and a wonderful aspect of being human is differing opinions. We all think differently and have different mindsets. However absolute truths have all but vanished in our society today. Heaven and Hell is one such absolute truth that people are now trying to take away.
The problem begins when we think that our sin was little before God's eyes. If our sin was so little than why is the price for the payment of our "little" sins so big?!?! Death is a very big price to pay, I hope you would all agree with me on that!
Stop toning down your sin. Everything you do that is sin is horrible in the sight of our Almighty God. Don't go before Him and confess your "little" sin. Act in outright repentance and confession as you know that you have committed a horrible act before a righteous God who knows everything you do, right or wrong! Once people actually realize the horror of their sin before God's eyes the actualization of what Christ did on the cross for them will become a reality, as will the realization of Heaven and Hell!!!
One such thing is the downplay we have on our sin nature! We tell ourselves that our sin wasn't so bad and we'll go before God and confess our "little" sin and then move on. We fail to realize how horrible our "little" sin is in front of a perfect, holy, and all mighty God who absolutely despises sin!
In our world today we have people telling us that hell isn't real or everyone except Satan and his demons are going to Heaven. Our concept of heaven and hell as to very real places is very messed up. We fail to see that our sin is such an abomination to God that He can't even be in our presence it is so bad.
I think that the "believers" these days who think that everyone is going to heaven or that hell isn't real have a very relaxing opinion about sin and how the Lord views it! Our Bible's make it very clear that Heaven and Hell are very real places. It also makes it very clear that the only way to Heaven is by "believing in the Lord Jesus Christ"! So why the confusion?
Obviously we are all human beings and a wonderful aspect of being human is differing opinions. We all think differently and have different mindsets. However absolute truths have all but vanished in our society today. Heaven and Hell is one such absolute truth that people are now trying to take away.
The problem begins when we think that our sin was little before God's eyes. If our sin was so little than why is the price for the payment of our "little" sins so big?!?! Death is a very big price to pay, I hope you would all agree with me on that!
Stop toning down your sin. Everything you do that is sin is horrible in the sight of our Almighty God. Don't go before Him and confess your "little" sin. Act in outright repentance and confession as you know that you have committed a horrible act before a righteous God who knows everything you do, right or wrong! Once people actually realize the horror of their sin before God's eyes the actualization of what Christ did on the cross for them will become a reality, as will the realization of Heaven and Hell!!!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
A LIving Sacrifice
I little while ago I was asked "what does "living sacrifice" mean?" I thought it out a little and gave a quick response that was very... immature. To be quite honest with you, I never really thought about it to much. So now I want to share my thoughts.
So I think about "sacrifice" and its context within the Old Testament. It was used in terms of sacrificing animals to God. It was used for pagan worship as well. In the New Testament it is used in terms of Christ coming and being the sacrifice for our sins. Putting Himself in our place for our sake. In our world today we don't see much of sacrificing ourselves for other people. Our world is all about the "me" mentality, the ME MONSTER!!! We live in a very selfish world.
"Living" is self explanatory. We are alive.
I am a living sacrifice. My life is God's cause He gave it to me and He can take it. I am sacrificing my will for my life to do the will of my Lords. Allowing God to take COMPLETE and ABSOLUTE control. This goes right along with the second verse of not conforming to this world because we have given ourselves to God!!!
So I think about "sacrifice" and its context within the Old Testament. It was used in terms of sacrificing animals to God. It was used for pagan worship as well. In the New Testament it is used in terms of Christ coming and being the sacrifice for our sins. Putting Himself in our place for our sake. In our world today we don't see much of sacrificing ourselves for other people. Our world is all about the "me" mentality, the ME MONSTER!!! We live in a very selfish world.
"Living" is self explanatory. We are alive.
I am a living sacrifice. My life is God's cause He gave it to me and He can take it. I am sacrificing my will for my life to do the will of my Lords. Allowing God to take COMPLETE and ABSOLUTE control. This goes right along with the second verse of not conforming to this world because we have given ourselves to God!!!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Spiritual Warfare... Yeah It's Real!!!
Sunday evenings at CBC we are going through a video series on Spiritual Warfare by Chip Ingram a well-known speaker and pastor. July 10, 2011 was a Sunday and the video discussed two tactics that Satan uses against believers: 1) Guilt and 2) Condemnation of the believer. But what gave me the most thought was that "believers fight FROM victory NOT FOR victory."
Take a moment to think about that!
The Bible tells us that this is true. I Cor. 15:57. Yet this is something that we fail to realize... at least I failed to realize it. Maybe I read over the passage without evening thinking about it at all. It's simply something that hasn't clicked inside my head! My question is this: If the battle is already won, why do we fight like it isn't? In fact I believe that we fight like the battle is lost sometimes. We cower inside our comfort zones and watch as our enemy, the Devil, does whatever he wants. We keep the Great News of Christ to ourselves so as to avoid "persecution". But if the battle is already won, than why do we worry about that? What is the worst people can do to us? Kill us? Most certainly not because than we obtain our ultimate desire, to be in Heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!!
Okay so in my mind than the worst thing is pain... I don't like it though I am told I can handle it rather well (ask my mom on this one)! My mind moves immediately to pain and suffering as the worst that can happen to me personally. So I think about Christ. His pain, His suffering all for a single purpose! The salvation of my soul. Then I think of the early apostles... Most of them suffered painful deaths and most certainly believers around the world and even in the United States suffer persecution.
I write this with the knowledge that I am as guilty as you. I get scared at the thought of death, pain and suffering. I am a young man, nearly 20, with a life to live ahead of him, but whose life is it? Mine or the Lord's? The world says it's mine, but the Lord says it's His!!! I know it's the Lord's because He gave it to me and He can most certainly take it from me in an instant. I'll close in the words of well-known Christian artist tobyMac, "I'm Yours, take me as I am!"
Take a moment to think about that!
The Bible tells us that this is true. I Cor. 15:57. Yet this is something that we fail to realize... at least I failed to realize it. Maybe I read over the passage without evening thinking about it at all. It's simply something that hasn't clicked inside my head! My question is this: If the battle is already won, why do we fight like it isn't? In fact I believe that we fight like the battle is lost sometimes. We cower inside our comfort zones and watch as our enemy, the Devil, does whatever he wants. We keep the Great News of Christ to ourselves so as to avoid "persecution". But if the battle is already won, than why do we worry about that? What is the worst people can do to us? Kill us? Most certainly not because than we obtain our ultimate desire, to be in Heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!!
Okay so in my mind than the worst thing is pain... I don't like it though I am told I can handle it rather well (ask my mom on this one)! My mind moves immediately to pain and suffering as the worst that can happen to me personally. So I think about Christ. His pain, His suffering all for a single purpose! The salvation of my soul. Then I think of the early apostles... Most of them suffered painful deaths and most certainly believers around the world and even in the United States suffer persecution.
I write this with the knowledge that I am as guilty as you. I get scared at the thought of death, pain and suffering. I am a young man, nearly 20, with a life to live ahead of him, but whose life is it? Mine or the Lord's? The world says it's mine, but the Lord says it's His!!! I know it's the Lord's because He gave it to me and He can most certainly take it from me in an instant. I'll close in the words of well-known Christian artist tobyMac, "I'm Yours, take me as I am!"
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Hope When There is No Hope!!!
Have you ever been in trouble?... No I am not talking about "stealing a cookie out of the cookie jar when Mom ain't looking" trouble. I'm talking "I don't even know if there is a God anymore because of the things going on in my life" kind of trouble.
For us believers the majority of the time we get in this kind of trouble is when disaster strikes close to the heart. It could be anything... death, divorce, accidents... etc the list can go on to whatever you think of.
Have you ever been in that kind of trouble... if not maybe you know someone. I do!!! About a year or so ago I had a friend who tried suicide. The question is this... Where is hope when there seems to be none?
The answer of this question is so simple we either overlook it of use it to much to see the sincerity in it and truth. We'll shrug it off because things just can't be that simple or think "we've heard this so many times before..." Our answer is the essence of our Christian walk and faith... THE CROSS!!!
Now you are thinking... "okay what happened there?... Jesus died there okay... um.. Jakob how does this make any sense if we are trying to help someone NOT kill themselves cause disaster and death is not the answer. Plus they don't really go together."
Alright yes I am talking about disaster and death that happened a long time ago yet holds so much relevance today that believing in it is the most important decision you will ever make. The cross is where our hope lies. Our God and King, Jesus Christ showed the hope, love and forgiveness that He has for us by taking the most painful death (see previous blog post for a brief description of Crucifixion) and then transforming that into life three days later by rising from the dead.
Jesus Christ was taken into the hands of his own people, the same people that once shouted "HOSANNA HOSANNA!!! Blessed is HE who comes in the name of the Lord!" to shouting less than a week later "CRUCIFY HIM CRUCIFY HIM!!!!" The cross is where the Son of Man gave His life to show us unconditional love for us to have a relationship with Him and the Father. The cross, where you and I can find the hope that we need.
When we think there is no hope, think again. When we think that God can't possibly know what we are going through... think again because He went through it and knew He was going to have to go through it. He suffered a more painful death that any of us will have to suffer. We have so much evidence that what Christ did on the Cross and rising from the dead is true, what He did was real and we know it though people still refuse to see it. What he went through is a whole lot worse that whatever you may be going though now.
"Why does He let me go through the pain and suffering then?" Deuteronomy 29:29... "the secrets belong to the Lord" and He has a purpose for everything. I know that you will receive rewards in Heaven for persevering. Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I AM GOD!!!" In our world today we are very much a here and now generation... we don't look to the future and think of the benefits then if we wait now. We "need" everything now or we won't be happy. But the Bible says plainly... "BE STILL" It's hard and I know it cause I struggle too but the Bible also promises that everything works out in the end. The Lord is the Author if your life and if He is writing it than you KNOW that everything will work out.
I have been through pain and suffering as well and I have made it out... mine may be worse or not as worse than what you are going through, I suffered the loss of my grandmother, being the godliest woman I ever knew, 4 years ago on June 3rd. I've lost friends and I've had troubled times... but I am one of the happiest people you will ever meet. Why??? My hope is found in the Lord Jesus Christ and His mercy and grace He gave me at the Cross. He gave me the greatest Hope ever in the Cross!!! My hope is found in Christ Alone and I dare not trust in nothing less!!!
For us believers the majority of the time we get in this kind of trouble is when disaster strikes close to the heart. It could be anything... death, divorce, accidents... etc the list can go on to whatever you think of.
Have you ever been in that kind of trouble... if not maybe you know someone. I do!!! About a year or so ago I had a friend who tried suicide. The question is this... Where is hope when there seems to be none?
The answer of this question is so simple we either overlook it of use it to much to see the sincerity in it and truth. We'll shrug it off because things just can't be that simple or think "we've heard this so many times before..." Our answer is the essence of our Christian walk and faith... THE CROSS!!!
Now you are thinking... "okay what happened there?... Jesus died there okay... um.. Jakob how does this make any sense if we are trying to help someone NOT kill themselves cause disaster and death is not the answer. Plus they don't really go together."
Alright yes I am talking about disaster and death that happened a long time ago yet holds so much relevance today that believing in it is the most important decision you will ever make. The cross is where our hope lies. Our God and King, Jesus Christ showed the hope, love and forgiveness that He has for us by taking the most painful death (see previous blog post for a brief description of Crucifixion) and then transforming that into life three days later by rising from the dead.
Jesus Christ was taken into the hands of his own people, the same people that once shouted "HOSANNA HOSANNA!!! Blessed is HE who comes in the name of the Lord!" to shouting less than a week later "CRUCIFY HIM CRUCIFY HIM!!!!" The cross is where the Son of Man gave His life to show us unconditional love for us to have a relationship with Him and the Father. The cross, where you and I can find the hope that we need.
When we think there is no hope, think again. When we think that God can't possibly know what we are going through... think again because He went through it and knew He was going to have to go through it. He suffered a more painful death that any of us will have to suffer. We have so much evidence that what Christ did on the Cross and rising from the dead is true, what He did was real and we know it though people still refuse to see it. What he went through is a whole lot worse that whatever you may be going though now.
"Why does He let me go through the pain and suffering then?" Deuteronomy 29:29... "the secrets belong to the Lord" and He has a purpose for everything. I know that you will receive rewards in Heaven for persevering. Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I AM GOD!!!" In our world today we are very much a here and now generation... we don't look to the future and think of the benefits then if we wait now. We "need" everything now or we won't be happy. But the Bible says plainly... "BE STILL" It's hard and I know it cause I struggle too but the Bible also promises that everything works out in the end. The Lord is the Author if your life and if He is writing it than you KNOW that everything will work out.
I have been through pain and suffering as well and I have made it out... mine may be worse or not as worse than what you are going through, I suffered the loss of my grandmother, being the godliest woman I ever knew, 4 years ago on June 3rd. I've lost friends and I've had troubled times... but I am one of the happiest people you will ever meet. Why??? My hope is found in the Lord Jesus Christ and His mercy and grace He gave me at the Cross. He gave me the greatest Hope ever in the Cross!!! My hope is found in Christ Alone and I dare not trust in nothing less!!!
Whose Cross Is It?!?!
Sorry it has been so long since I have last posted... Things have been busy which is a good thing. Softball, work, church, missions trip... so this post may be rather long so find yourself a comfy chair, popcorn and a drink.
The missions trip went great. It was June 10th - 18th. We went to Wyoming to Frontier School of Bible and to Tentmakers Bible Mission to help with some labor. Also we went to a town called Chugwater to help with a VBS. We at CBC support two missionaries working at Tentmakers and we were able to see them and help them out while at Frontier, since one of Tentmakers HQ's is located near the school. The school is in LaGrange, a small town of 300+ people, Chugwater is smaller with 244 people.
Anyways the drive was 16 hours, so 32 total there and back... my legs were pretty cramped. The total number of people going from CBC was about 27 ish, 17 or 18 youth, the most ever for a missions trip. We did a lot of painting, picking up tree branches, mulching, throughout the week. A group of 7 of us went to Chugwater each day for the VBS in the morning and came back for work in the afternoon.
Everything went very well. 4 kids in VBS trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and I had the privilege of leading 2 young boys on the very last day of the VBS. It was so cool to see our witnessing effecting then and there immediately. It really is something to lead a child to Christ, there is not a feeling like it and to see the Lord working through you!!!
It was great to see the young men of the group being chivalrous, and to see everyone get along, the beautiful scenery, an awesome storm, friendships, new friendships and the Lord ultimately getting all the glory.
Now for something else I wanna talk about and that is the title of the post... Whose Cross is it? When we believers evangelize and preach we often tell people that Christ died on THE cross for YOUR sins. By all means this is absolutely true and correct. Jesus DID die on the cross for our sins. We can easily personalize the sin aspect of it... but what about the punishment for OUR sin. Romans 6:23 says that "the wages (punishment) for sin is death. That punishment that is rightfully ours is the cross...
So whose cross is it? It is OURS!!! Jesus died on OUR cross to pay the penalty for OUR sins!!!
You know the Romans perfected crucifixion as the most painful way to die, quite possibly ever. Jesus took that away from us... the spitting, the mocking, the beating, the whipping, the nails driving through his wrists and his feet, the piercing of the spear in His side... He did all this for the whole world if they so choose to believe that He did.
This is His perfect example of love and forgiveness, taking away our cross and sins and placing the penalty on Himself. Maybe another way to evangelize is to personalize the cross as well. SO ask yourself... Whose cross is it? Because that cross... to steal a quote from Darth Vader... was our destiny!!!
The missions trip went great. It was June 10th - 18th. We went to Wyoming to Frontier School of Bible and to Tentmakers Bible Mission to help with some labor. Also we went to a town called Chugwater to help with a VBS. We at CBC support two missionaries working at Tentmakers and we were able to see them and help them out while at Frontier, since one of Tentmakers HQ's is located near the school. The school is in LaGrange, a small town of 300+ people, Chugwater is smaller with 244 people.
Anyways the drive was 16 hours, so 32 total there and back... my legs were pretty cramped. The total number of people going from CBC was about 27 ish, 17 or 18 youth, the most ever for a missions trip. We did a lot of painting, picking up tree branches, mulching, throughout the week. A group of 7 of us went to Chugwater each day for the VBS in the morning and came back for work in the afternoon.
Everything went very well. 4 kids in VBS trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and I had the privilege of leading 2 young boys on the very last day of the VBS. It was so cool to see our witnessing effecting then and there immediately. It really is something to lead a child to Christ, there is not a feeling like it and to see the Lord working through you!!!
It was great to see the young men of the group being chivalrous, and to see everyone get along, the beautiful scenery, an awesome storm, friendships, new friendships and the Lord ultimately getting all the glory.
Now for something else I wanna talk about and that is the title of the post... Whose Cross is it? When we believers evangelize and preach we often tell people that Christ died on THE cross for YOUR sins. By all means this is absolutely true and correct. Jesus DID die on the cross for our sins. We can easily personalize the sin aspect of it... but what about the punishment for OUR sin. Romans 6:23 says that "the wages (punishment) for sin is death. That punishment that is rightfully ours is the cross...
So whose cross is it? It is OURS!!! Jesus died on OUR cross to pay the penalty for OUR sins!!!
You know the Romans perfected crucifixion as the most painful way to die, quite possibly ever. Jesus took that away from us... the spitting, the mocking, the beating, the whipping, the nails driving through his wrists and his feet, the piercing of the spear in His side... He did all this for the whole world if they so choose to believe that He did.
This is His perfect example of love and forgiveness, taking away our cross and sins and placing the penalty on Himself. Maybe another way to evangelize is to personalize the cross as well. SO ask yourself... Whose cross is it? Because that cross... to steal a quote from Darth Vader... was our destiny!!!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Tomorrow's Not Promised!!!
School's out for summer!!! and I passed all my classes!!! So thanks goes out to all who prayed for me!!! Now I'll be off to Calvary in the fall studying in Advanced Biblical Studies wanting to become a youth pastor. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday I was pulling into Waubonsee's parking lot to begin college for my first day!!! Life is too short to be lived in vain.
Looking at my life, some of that vanity is thinking about the future when Matthew 6:33-34 where it says that tomorrow is not promised to us.
I gotta say I am probably the most guilty of thinking about the future and the past. I'm constantly thinking about the future with college, my future wife/marriage, career, etc etc. I'm not gonna lie I am really excited about beginning at Calvary and looking forward to a career and marriage!!! I am really blessed cause I know God is preparing me for both very well!!! And there is nothing wrong with thinking about the future but I am left wondering what would it be like to simply always think about the present merely because tomorrow is not promised to us!!!
I've been thinking about Matthew 6:33-34 and about all the time I spent and do spend thinking about the future. If tomorrow is not promised than why do I spend so much time thinking about it!!! I am trying to put my attention to the here and now which is rather hard cause my mind is always racing.
There are many things that I've prospered from by thinking about the future and the past. Looking back at my life I have changed drastically over the past 6 years. I give all the praise and glory to God but all this stuff I am writing is to give you a bunch of stuff to think about!!!
Looking at my life, some of that vanity is thinking about the future when Matthew 6:33-34 where it says that tomorrow is not promised to us.
I gotta say I am probably the most guilty of thinking about the future and the past. I'm constantly thinking about the future with college, my future wife/marriage, career, etc etc. I'm not gonna lie I am really excited about beginning at Calvary and looking forward to a career and marriage!!! I am really blessed cause I know God is preparing me for both very well!!! And there is nothing wrong with thinking about the future but I am left wondering what would it be like to simply always think about the present merely because tomorrow is not promised to us!!!
I've been thinking about Matthew 6:33-34 and about all the time I spent and do spend thinking about the future. If tomorrow is not promised than why do I spend so much time thinking about it!!! I am trying to put my attention to the here and now which is rather hard cause my mind is always racing.
There are many things that I've prospered from by thinking about the future and the past. Looking back at my life I have changed drastically over the past 6 years. I give all the praise and glory to God but all this stuff I am writing is to give you a bunch of stuff to think about!!!
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