tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6423117306573847592024-03-13T14:28:48.270-06:00The Story of Ariel.This blog is about the story of my life - my thoughts, my feelings, what's going on around me and in me. This is my personal blog and does not represent the views of any organization with which I'm affiliated, or the opinion of any groups I might mention in it. This is the story of me.
I hope you enjoy your time here.Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.comBlogger328125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-28800126847927158832014-01-06T10:24:00.001-07:002014-01-06T10:24:33.335-07:00Another way.<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
Today is the 12th day of Christmas, also called <em>Epiphany</em>. Tradition holds it to be the day on which the Magi (aka<em>Wise Men</em>) visited Jesus to worship Him. Afterward, they were supposed to report back to king Herod and tell him where Jesus could be found. Herod pretended to want to go worship Jesus but really just wanted to eliminate Jesus, who he heard was called a newborn king. But thankfully, the Wise Men didn't follow Herod's orders. Instead, Matthew 2:12 (NKJV) tells us:</div>
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<em>"Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country <strong>another way</strong>."</em></div>
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Another way.</div>
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When you meet Jesus, the direction of your life changes. When you meet Jesus, your priorities change. When you meet Jesus, you don't stay the same. You can't help but go <em>another way</em> in life. </div>
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And it's really not about being religious. It's not about being self-righteous and being a good person. It's not even about having the right beliefs. At its essence, Christianity is about a <em>relationship</em> with Christ which leaves you changed, better, and different. Any any beliefs you hold, rituals you practice, or traditions you keep stem out of your love for Him and His love for you. </div>
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That doesn't mean you'll never sin or mess up again. It doesn't mean you won't hurt others and be hurt by others. </div>
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You won't be perfect, you won't always get things right, but you will be going a new way in life simply because you met Jesus.</div>
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So as you go about your life as a follower of Christ, remember you are following Him <em>another</em> way. A <em>new</em> way. And it's the <em>only</em> way which leads to the good life on earth and eternal life in Heaven.</div>
Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-51814111803412046342014-01-02T23:21:00.002-07:002014-01-02T23:21:54.509-07:00Blessed.<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">I am VERY glad that 2013 is over,
more so than any other year in recent memory. This year was undoubtedly the
most traumatic year of my life so far, at least on par with 2001 when my
grandpa died after a long bout with cancer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The year started off well, just like
any other year. Actually I started it off thinking <i>"maybe this will be my
year!"</i> because my birthday is 2/13 and the year was 2013. Silly, I know.
But that's what I kind of thought. By February things had been starting to turn
strange but by summer, I was done with it. June 2 was the longest day of my life
and that began the longest week, which is still just a blur. It culminated on
June 8 with the most indescribably painful, agonizing day of my life when my
dear friend left us for her Home in Heaven. I can't even begin to put into
words how intense the grief held in that day for me and for so many others I
care about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The rest of the year held so many
difficult days - not only from grief, additional responsibilities at work, the
pressure of making sure I led well during a crisis in our church family, the
concern I held for Pastor Walter and his kids - but also from excessive car
trouble, a few more migraines that I'd like, and the seemingly intensified
circumstances of life. To top it off, I thought the year was finally over but
on New Year's Eve I threw out my back at the gym and spent the day in agony,
missing a friend's party I really wanted to attend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">But as I think back on everything
that 2013 held, I realize it wasn't all bad. I also see glimmers of hope and
points of light. Scripture says every day is a day the Lord has made, including
the painful and confusing ones, so I chose to take joy even in the hardest
ones. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">See, one thing I learned in a Bible
study last year was the definition of "blessed." The word blessed
means "more than happy". GREATER than happy. It means the ability to
have joy and peace as a child of God whether times are good or bad, happy or
sad. Life is not always happy. 2013 was rarely happy. But through it all, I was
blessed, more than I can explain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">I gained a deeper understanding of
the sustaining grace of God than I had ever experienced. I more fully appreciated
the compassion of and for others. My sense of tactfulness & carefulness
with others was sharpened. And the GOODNESS of God - I could talk to you about
that for countless hours until my throat was raw, and then I would grab a pen
and paper to write until my hands cramped up because my Lord has been
indescribably good to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Greater than the grief, greater than
the struggle, greater than the pain, greater than the sorrow, greater than the
sadness, greater than the confusion, greater than the questions - greater than
the worst days and greater than the best days has been the goodness of my Lord.
I can confidently look back and say that 2013 was BLESSED.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">I'm not thankful for the bad things that
happened and my heart still hurts in many ways, but I am thankful for the good
things that God brought out of it. Truly, He is a God who restores what the enemy
has stolen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Yesterday I was still feeling pretty
lousy when a pastor named Jud Wilhite from Central Christian Church posted a
Scripture which encouraged me in a profound way. Here's the verse:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">"For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do
you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create
rivers in the dry wasteland." </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"> (<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Isaiah 43:19 NLT</span>) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">A pathway in the
wilderness. Rivers in the wasteland. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Last year was
wilderness. It was wasteland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">And now, it's time
for something new. I'm ready, I'm optimistic, and I'm confident in my hope
because God is the God of new things. With Him, the best is ALWAYS yet to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So 2014, I welcome
you. I welcome the good, I welcome the bad - because I know whatever happens it
will also be blessed. And I know God is good.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-57526728245869893312013-08-26T19:16:00.002-06:002013-08-26T19:23:53.533-06:00The Gift of Attraction<span style="font-family: inherit;">Years ago I heard a message by the great Dawson Trotman, founder of "The Navigators", about a concept called "the gift of attraction" and it has always stuck with me. The basic premise of the gift of attraction is this: God created us with the ability to appreciate the beauty of people of both sexes, without having to be sexually attracted to them. This attraction is a gift from God in which we admire the beauty of God's creation, in the same way we admire a magnificent stallion, a beautiful flower, a majestic mountain range, or an adorable puppy. Or why we describe a little girl in a a dress with bows in her hair or a little boy in a suit and tie as "cute", "adorable", or "handsome".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Bible teaches in Genesis 2:7 that humans are the pinnacle of God's creation, so to admire them as God's creation could actually be a form of worship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In simple terms, <i>you can find someone attractive without being attracted to them</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now I don't remember the Scriptures that Mr. Trotman used in his message, and please understand that I am not a professional psychologist nor have I done a thorough Biblical study on this subject. In other words, take this with a grain of salt understanding that though I am not an expert on this matter, my motives are pure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That having been said, I can tell you from experience that the gift of attraction is a real thing. I have good friends of both sexes who I find attractive but I am not attracted to them. Among celebrities I can admire the magnificent beauty of Emma Stone or the striking handsomeness of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the graceful elegance of Laura Bush, and the timeless elegance of Denzel Washington. I don't need to desire them sexually in order to find them attractive. They're simply good-looking people! And on a level beyond just physical attraction, we can also be attracted to men and women we esteem, with something in their character we find admirable. A person of either sex may be a talented singer, artist, musician, athlete, community organizer, CEO, barista, hairstylist, or whatever - and we find them attractive because of those characteristics. That's also part of the gift of attraction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In my opinion, the misunderstanding of the gift of attraction is one of the reasons some people start living a homosexual lifestyle. A man finds himself seeing other men as handsome, perhaps even noticing their physique, and they think "<i>Maybe I'm gay</i>". Or a woman sees another woman with an admirable body, and wonders if she is a lesbian. Perhaps they feel guilty about that, but then they are flooded by the message of wor</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ldly culture which tells them "</span><i style="font-family: inherit;">That means you're a homosexual. Embrace it and be proud of it</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">." Meanwhile the truth about the gift of attraction - that a man can find another man attractive and a woman can find another woman attractive without being homosexual - is ignored.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's also the reason heterosexual people stray from their marriages and commit adultery. A man works daily with a well dressed, good smelling, attractive woman and begins to allow himself to view her in a sensual way that he should only view his wife. Or a woman befriends a handsome, well-built man and in time begins to confuse finding him <i>attractive</i> with being <i>attracted</i> to him in a lustful way. The difference is a subtle but important aspect of maintaining a righteous, God-honoring, and self-beneficial sexuality. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Interestingly enough, a couple of days ago I read of Huffington Post an article in which a relationship therapist said <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">"<i>Attractive and attraction is different. Find other people attractive, but stop short of allowing yourself to be attracted to them</i>." (</span></span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/galtime/10-relationship-behaviors-you-think-are-odd-that-are-totally-normal_b_3792781.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/galtime/10-relationship-behaviors-you-think-are-odd-that-are-totally-normal_b_3792781.html</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">) That's exactly what the gift of attraction is talking about! You can find a person attractive without allowing yourself to be attracted to them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Understanding this gift will help us make major strides in controlling our feelings and desires to live in a way that honors God, benefits ourselves, and a respects the dignity of others. We would also do well to follow the </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">wisdom of Scripture in Proverbs 4:23 which tell you and me "</span><i><span style="background-color: white;">Above all else, guard</span><span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-16514A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">your heart, </span></i><span class="text Prov-4-23" style="position: relative;"><i>for everything you do flows from it</i>." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's not wrong to find someone of the same sex or opposite sex attractive - it becomes wrong when you allow that innocent, God-given attraction to be twisted into sensual, lustful attraction. Whether it's same-sex lust or opposite-sex lust, is it sinful because it is not God's best for us. Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came to give us abundant life and when we abuse the gift of attraction and allow ourselves to be sexually attracted to someone we are not married to, that is settling for something second-rate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And settling for anything less than God's best for us is sinful because it cheapens His glory and providence in our lives. Let's not do that; let's be disciplined, focused, and careful when it comes to the gift of attraction so that we can enjoy the "<i>life that is truly life</i>" (1 Timothy 6:19) instead of settling for a cheap </span>imitation<span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div>
Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-87203372882455340472013-08-06T19:28:00.001-06:002013-08-06T20:40:26.136-06:00Notes from "The Last Lecture"Early this year at a yard sale I bought a book for $2 titled "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. It's a small but fascinating book that Mr. Pausch authored after being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. He lived almost another year after writing the book before dying from the cancer. I figured a book on living written by a man who knew he was dying would be full of wisdom.<br />
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It was.<br />
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It was also the best $2 I've ever spent.<br />
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So during a short vacation in April I read the book and underlined the things he wrote that stood out to me. I encourage you to read the book but if you don't, you can still learn from the wisdom of the quotes below. The emphases in bold face are mine. I hope you find this helpful and encouraging.<br />
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"Just because you're in the driver's seat doesn't mean you have to run people over." His father's advice about playing fair even when you are in a position of strength in a relationship. (pg. 23)<br />
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"When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody's bothering to tell you anymore, that's a bad place to be." (pg. 37)<br />
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On not coddling children: "Self-esteem is not something you can give; it's something they have to build." (pg. 37)<br />
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"You give them something they can't do, they work hard until they find they can do it." (pg. 37)<br />
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"A feedback loop for life" - being forced to work harder by someone else when you feel like quitting, forcing you to get better. (pg. 38)<br />
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"I don't believe in the no-win scenario." (pg. 46) The signature that William Shatner wrote on a photograph he sent to Mr. Pausch. There's a lot of wisdom in that saying.<br />
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"Tenacity is a virtue, but <b>it's not always crucial for everyone to observe how hard you work at something.</b>" (pg. 48) That is GOOD!<br />
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After being told by his doctor that he had three to six months of good health left, he realized how semantics can be used to frame things in a positive light. That's why employees at Disney are supposed to say "The park is OPEN until 8 pm" when asked what time the park closes. (pg. 62) That reminded me of a lesson I learned from my boss, Walter, on how negative things can usually be framed in a positive way.<br />
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On obstacles in life: "Brick walls are there for a reason. <b>They give us a chance to show how badly we want something.</b>" (pg. 79)<br />
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"You don't repair things if they still do what they're supposed to do. Not everything needs to be fixed." (pg. 87)<br />
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When his wife's placenta ruptured while pregnant and she began going into shock from blood loss while having a C-section: "I don't think we ever said to each other: 'This isn't fair.' We just kept going. We recognized that there <i>were</i> things we could do that might help the outcome in positive ways ...and we did them." (pg. 93)<br />
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"It's not helpful if we spend every day dreading tomorrow." (pg. 99) His wife's focus as the clock ticked down on his days left on earth.<br />
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<b>"Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think."</b> (pg. 111)<br />
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"The only way any of us can improve ...is if we develop a real ability to assess ourselves." (pg. 112)<br />
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"Luck is indeed where preparation meets opportunity." (pg. 119)<br />
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"Enabling the dreams of others can be done on several different scales." (pg. 126) Just because you can't do it for everyone doesn't mean you can't do it for someone.<br />
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"Everybody loves telling stories. It's one of the truly universal things about our species." (pg. 128)<br />
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"Hip is short-term. Earnestness is long-term. <b>Earnestness is highly underestimated.</b> It comes from the core, while hip is trying to impress you with the surface." (pg. 133)<br />
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"Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. <b>Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier.</b>" (pg. 139)<br />
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"Talking louder or faster doesn't make your idea any better." (pg. 143)<br />
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"When you're frustrated with people, when they've made you angry, it just may be because you haven't given them enough time." "Almost everyone has a good side. Just keep waiting. It will come out." (pg. 145)<br />
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During the most painful times of his treatment he thought back to the movie <i>Rocky</i> and remembered: "It's not how hard you hit. It's how hard you get hit ...and keep moving forward." (pg. 147)<br />
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<b>"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted."</b> (pg. 148)<br />
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<b>"Failure is not just acceptable, it's often essential."</b> (pg. 148)<br />
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"The person who failed often knows how to avoid future failures." (pg. 149)<br />
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"Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other." (pg. 151)<br />
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<b>"Thank-you notes are best done the old-fashioned way, with pen and paper." </b>(pg. 151) YES! Don't be lame and send a text or email - hand write and address it.<br />
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"A lot of people want a shortcut. I find the best shortcut is the long way, which is basically two words: <b>work hard</b>." (pg. 156)<br />
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"Hard work is like compounded interest in the bank. The rewards build faster." (pg. 156)<br />
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When someone does a favor for him: "I've found Thin Mints are a great communication tool. They're also a sweet reward for a job well done." (pg. 158)<br />
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"<b>One thing that makes it possible to be an optimist is if you have a contingency plan for when all hell breaks loose.</b> There are a lot of things I don't worry about because I have a plan in place if they do." (pg. 160)<br />
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"If you've done something wrong in your dealings with another person, it's as if there's an infection in your relationship. A good apology is like an antibiotic; a bad apology is like rubbing salt in the wound." (pg. 161)<br />
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<b>"Honesty is not only morally right, it's also efficient."</b> (pg. 163)<br />
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"There is more than one way to measure profits and losses. On every level, institutions can and should have a heart." (pg. 168)<br />
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<b>"No job should be beneath us." </b>(pg. 169) My grandpa always said "all work is honorable". If you ever thing you're too good to do something, you're literally delusional.<br />
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"If you can find your footing between two cultures, sometimes you can have the best of both worlds." (pg. 171)<br />
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"Brick walls are there for a reason. <b>And once you get over them</b> - even if someone has practically had to throw you over - <b>it can be helpful to others to tell them how you did it.</b>" (pg. 174)<br />
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"It makes no sense to talk about rights without also talking about responsibilities." "Rights come with responsibilities." (pg. 175)<br />
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"Sometimes, all you have to do is ask, and it can lead to all your dreams coming true." (pg. 179)<br />
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"I'm living like I'm dying. But at the same time, I'm very much living like I'm still living." (pg. 182) Wow!<br />
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"Having seen so many students go through my classrooms, I've come to know that a lot of parents don't realize the power of their words. Depending on a child's age and sense of self, an offhand comment from Mom or Dad can feel like a shove from a bulldozer." (pg. 198)<br />
<br />
"There's nothing weak or selfish about taking some fraction of your day to be alone, recharging your batteries." (pg. 201)<br />
<br />
"If you lead your life the right way ...the dreams will come to you." (pg. 206) That's Ephesians 3:20 and Galatians 6:9 right there.Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-40042537760104935572013-07-08T18:27:00.002-06:002013-07-08T18:29:33.824-06:00Death Has No Sting<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">“</span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Where,
O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="text1cor-15-55"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">- The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:55</span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">I need to be honest - until recently I have had a very hard time
understanding this Scripture. And while I'm being honest I must confess - it
didn't make sense to me. Yes, death DOES hurt. Why does the Bible imply that it
doesn't?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Does it mean nothing to leave those you love? Is there no pain when a
wife, mother, aunt, and friend dies? Is there no pain when death comes suddenly
and leaves a family in shock? Should we not weep or mourn or question what God
has allowed to take place when we prayed and believed, yet there was no healing
the way we asked for? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Of course death hurts! Don't tell the family and friends of someone who
has died that death isn't painful. Death is painful, always.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">So does that mean that Scripture is misleading us? Is God oblivious at
best or deceitful at worst when it comes to the feelings that surface when a
loved one dies?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Honestly, for awhile I wondered about that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Until I thought about this verse in light of the whole message of the
Bible. I considered how Jesus wept when His friend Lazarus died. I thought
about many other instances in the Bible where death brought about feelings of
fear and anxiety for those who walked through the valley of the shadow of
death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">And I studied 1 Thessalonians 4, where we learn about Jesus-followers
who have died. In verse 13-14 we read this instruction: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="text1thess-4-13"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Brothers
and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-4-13"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">about those who
sleep in death,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-4-13"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who
have no hope.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-4-14"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-4-14"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">and so we believe
that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.</span></i></span><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Ah, there it is. Two words that help us understand why death cannot
sting us: HOPE and SLEEP.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">For those who trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life, our hope is not
wishful thinking. It is a confident assurance that we will, without a doubt nor
any hesitation, be in the presence of Jesus Christ the very moment life on
earth ends for us. For those we love who also believe in Jesus, we know we will
be with them again - this time for eternity - in Heaven. Not only will we be
reunited with our loved ones who trusted Christ and have gone before, but we will
be with God Himself for endless ages. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Talk about a great and true hope! And once you have that hope it cannot
be taken from you. Not pain, heartache, or even death can steal that hope from
you if you trust in Jesus. He will keep your hope secure until the day you
"<i>fall asleep in Him</i>" -
until you die. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br />
<br />
Jesus conquered death on that first Easter morning, and by doing so He changed
death for those who trust in Him: <span style="background: white;">He made death
a transition into something better. He removed fear by dying and rising again,
making death a doorway to Himself. He removed regret by giving us a reason to
live. He removed the sting by dying for our sins and by doing so, ensured a
forever home in Heaven. Jesus changed death from being a final assault to
simply falling asleep. In sleep there is no pain, no suffering, no fear, no
worry, and no shame. Sleep is not permanent but it is essential to enjoy a new
day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">So for a Christian, death should not be seen as an unwanted enemy but as
a necessary friend who lets us sleep in Christ and wake up in our Home in
Heaven. For those who are left behind when a Christian dies, death hurts - but
it doesn't sting. The sting has been removed by Jesus, and in place He has
provided a peace that surpasses all understanding as we embrace an eternal truth
beyond ourselves.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we have the hope of heaven and of
being with Christ. And we know that one day we will sleep in Him, then we will
wake to join our loved ones in a place where Jesus will "<i>wipe every tear from their eyes, and there
will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone
forever</i>” (Revelation 21:4 NLT)<span class="apple-converted-space">. That
promise is why death hurts, but has no lasting sting for those who trust in Christ.</span><span class="text1cor-15-55"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-82342986344699052282013-05-08T22:34:00.000-06:002013-05-08T22:41:12.384-06:00I support Robert Cormell for Mayor and you should too!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's been a long time since I have felt like I could fully
& enthusiastically support a candidate for any elected office, but I'm glad
to stand with Robert Cormell in his campaign to become the next mayor of this
great city of <st1:city w:st="on">El Paso</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Texas</st1:state>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have known Robert for most of my life, having met him when
I was about 10 years old. I was an employee of his for about 5 years as a
teenager and for a short time after high school. I have seen first-hand how
Robert runs organizations and manages financials, what his values are, how
upright his character is, how he handles high stress situations, and how well he
treats people even when they cannot do anything for him. In all of those things
Robert excels with great integrity and unchanging conviction. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Robert is a compassionate man who cares very much about the
people of this city. Long before he even thought about running for office he
has been working hard to improve our city and influence for the better the
future of its citizens. He has been a job creator for close to 20 years, often
being the one to take a risk and give a teenager his or her first job. He and
his wife started a teen center to reach out to teenagers nobody else seemed to
care about, and several years ago he recruited influential men and women of the
community to mentor at-risk youth in our city. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The quality of his character is of utmost importance since
our local government has developed a notorious reputation in recent years for
corruption. We need honest men and women of the highest caliber integrity -
honest people who will not deceive the public, are not driven by favors owed to
donors, and don't thirst for power at any cost. Robert is not "owned"
by anyone and his conviction is to represent ALL El Pasoans, not just those of
a certain political party or economic rank. He sees his role as mayor to truly represent
the citizenry. Additionally, Robert is the only candidate I am aware of who has
openly asked to be held accountable by the public for his performance as mayor.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of the candidates for mayor have their good qualities
and there are some excellent men who would make good mayors. Each of them
undoubtedly loves this city and has a vision for progress. Out of all the
candidates running for mayor, Robert is the BEST choice to lead our city
forward in a way that creates jobs, restores trust in public officials, and
unifies our city. He will bring progress not just for a select few but for the
city as a whole. He will a mayor for every El Pasoan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So if you believe in <st1:city w:st="on">El
Paso</st1:city> and want our great city to progress in a financially
healthy and sustainable way, if you want our city to be in better condition for
the next generation - then the best man for the job is Robert Cormell. I hope
you will trust him with your vote for Mayor of El Paso.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">To learn more about Robert Cormell, visit RobertCormellforMayor.com or like him on Facebook.</i></div>
Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-15113359794663868412013-03-25T20:20:00.000-06:002013-03-25T20:23:57.614-06:00Passover has begun.<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7901669587008655" style="font-weight: normal;"></b>Right now it's what we </span><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7901669587008655" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7901669587008655" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in Christianity call "Holy Week". It started yesterday with a celebration of the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, later this week we will remember the Last Supper on Thursday, then commemorate the crucifixion on Good Friday, and finally we will celebrate again on Easter as we remember the resurrection of Jesus our Savior and Lord. It is the most holy time of the year for believers.</span></b></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And now that sundown has occurred today, it is also Passover - </span></b></b><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7901669587008655" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7901669587008655" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he religious festival where our Jewish brothers and sisters celebrate the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egyptian slavery. A</span></b></b><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7901669587008655" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fter the Jews were in slavery under the harsh Egyptians for 400 years, God raised up Moses to be their deliverer. Moses told the Egyptian Pharaoh about a series of plagues that would descend upon the Egyptian people if he would not let God's people go. But Pharaoh stubbornly refused and the plagues hit Egypt with a fury. The last plague would be the death of the first born of each family who lived in Egypt, <i>including</i> the Jews since they also lived in Egypt. But God who is rich in mercy provided a means of deliverance for the Jews. In Exodus 12:13 we read that if the Jews would trust God, spread the blood of a sacrificed lamb over the doorframe of their homes, then God's angel of death would "pass over" their homes and their firstborns would be spared. It's a majestic picture of God's grace in the Old Testament portion of the Bible.</span></b></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For us who trust in Jesus as Messiah, we see how Passover is a foreshadow or preview of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, which we celebrate during Holy Week. You see, as the Jews spread the lamb's blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the motion formed the shape of a cross. That reminds us of the deliverance and protection we enjoy because of the blood of Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world once and for all on the cross. You can read how Christ is like Passover to believers <a href="http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/christ-our-passover/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></b></div>
</div>
<br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So the Jewish celebration of Passover and the Christian commemoration of Holy Week are beautifully connected to each other. And as Christians our faith will be enriched if we celebrate Passo</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ver alongside our Jewish brothers and sisters, while anticipating the wonder of Easter.</span></b></b></b></div>
</div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;">
</b></div>
Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-12726272068894937532013-02-06T21:38:00.000-07:002013-02-06T21:39:08.155-07:00Always.<span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.328125px;"><i>Oh my God, He will not delay</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.328125px;">My refuge and strength always.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.328125px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.328125px;">I will not fear, His promise is true</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.328125px;"><i>My God will come through always, always!</i>"</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That's the chorus of the song "Always" by Kristian Stanfill. We sang that song tonight to close out our communion service at Del Sol Church East. It was a significant moment for me because of the day and who I was standing next to as I sang.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You see, I was standing next to my dad on the day of his last cancer treatment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When my dad was first diagnosed with cancer last fall, I was in shock and disbelief for days. Cancer was what I had feared for years and now it has become a reality. It seemed so unreal, so big, so scary, and everything seemed so unsure. There were lots of tests and lots of waiting. And after one test, everything came tumbling down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At first one of the tests seemed to indicate that the cancer had spread to my dad's bone, which would have made for a terrible prognosis. They had to verify and we had to wait. That was probably the worst two weeks of my life up to this point. Thankfully it ended up being that the cancer had not spread, and though it was serious it was also curable. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In those two weeks I learned what it really means to trust God. I learned about how to claim God's peace that passes all understanding. And through this whole process I learned more about faith.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now today, with my dad having finished his treatment, we wait again. We wait to see if it took. We wait to see if the cancer has been eradicated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We wait in faith, knowing "<i style="line-height: 21.328125px;">my God will come through always.</i>"</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<i style="line-height: 21.328125px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Always.</span></i></div>
Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-10833321132078063322013-02-04T11:53:00.001-07:002013-02-04T11:55:53.785-07:00Got a case of the Mondays?<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mondays get a lot of hate. I don't know anybody who says "Monday is my favorite day of the week". Maybe there are people out there who like Mondays, but I've yet to meet any of them. No, most people I know detest Mondays and make sure everyone knows about it by moping around or whining about it on Facebook. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
But why? Why do we treat Mondays as if they are a hassle and a bother? They're not really the end of the weekend - Sundays are. Mondays are actually the BEGINNING of a new week! Mondays are a great day to start fresh, to change, to do something new.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="line-height: 16px;">Now before you go thinking "Ariel, that's easy for you to say", understand that </span>Mondays are always really difficult days for me, especially since weekends are a time of intense work for me, not a time to kick back and relax like most other people. For me, Mondays are the day when I am most physically, spiritually, and emotionally drained. I should hate Mondays in a special way - but I don't. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
Instead, I embrace Mondays. I celebrate Mondays. Why? Because of one reminder from Scripture:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span class="text Ps-118-24" id="en-NCV-15792" style="background-color: white; position: relative;"><i>This is the day that the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> has made. </i></span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="text Ps-118-24" style="position: relative;"><i>Let us rejoice and be glad today!</i></span></span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="text Ps-118-24" style="font-family: inherit; position: relative;">- Psalm 118:24 CEV</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="text Ps-118-24" style="font-family: inherit; position: relative;">Mondays are a day to celebrate and be glad! Mondays are a day to thank God for bringing you through the previous week and giving you a new week to laugh, to love, to enjoy music, to take in our beautiful Southwest sunsets, to eat meat, to sing along to your favorite songs, to watch your favorite TV shows, to connect with friends online and in person. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="text Ps-118-24" style="position: relative;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="text Ps-118-24" style="position: relative;">Mondays are a day to remember that God didn't have to give you and I another day to live, but He did. We should thank our gracious God for Mondays and glorify Him by making the most out of the wonderful gift of Monday.</span></span></span>Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-16569391089715162362013-01-28T20:58:00.000-07:002013-01-28T20:58:00.034-07:00I'm feel tired of it.<span style="font-family: inherit;">You know all the scandals and controversies in life days? Seems like everyday there's something Congress can't come to a resolution on and it'll be the end of the world if they don't: Fiscal Cliff, Taxmageddon, Debt Ceiling, and so on. Among celebrities, who's dating who, who broke up with who, and who cheated on who. In sports, there are illegal bounties and fake girlfriends. Recently the news was going crazy about Beyonce lip-syncing the national anthem at the President's inauguration. And seems like half my twitter and Facebook feeds are filled each day with enough drama to last a lifetime.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes I feel tired of it all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But if there's one thing I've learned it's never to live by feelings because feeling often life. So I don't have to just feel tired of it all. I don't have to just suck it up and live with it. Actually, I can <i>do something</i> about it. I can be a reconciler. I may not be able to bring reconciliation to Congress or Hollywood, but I can do my best to bring reconciliation in <i>my</i> circle of influence. Matter of fact, God tells me to do so in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 NLT:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;"><i>God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. </i></span><span style="background-color: white;"><i>For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation</i>."</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to Scripture, my number one, primary, most important job in life is to be a bridge builder - first between God and people, but a just as important second is to build a bridge between people. To step in division and bring <i>reunion</i>. To go where there is hostility and bring <i>harmony</i>. To get in the middle of fights and work to bring <i>unity</i>. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To look at scandals and instead of getting tired, get energized and see scandals as opportunities to be the presence and the power of God in the middle of it. When someone is being picked on, criticized, or condemned, to bring grace and love and forgiveness. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Showing dignity, value, and love to people while speaking truth to them, no matter what? That's something I don't think I'll get tired of. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Be a reconciler. Be a peacemaker. Be a bridge builder. Yeah, I can do that.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Will you join me?</span>Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-79151476754057606352013-01-22T22:03:00.000-07:002013-01-22T22:03:09.362-07:00The right to life.<span style="font-family: inherit;">Twenty-two days ago, on December 14th, 2012, a horrible event took place. Twenty-six people were slaughtered in an elementary school in Connecticut - twenty of those people were children. This tragedy was covered seemingly non-stop by the media for days, benefit concerts were put on, and many people have donated money, toys, and other things to help the victims of those senseless killings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On the same day that 20 children were murdered in an elementary school, another slaughter took place and nobody said a word. Over 2,000 children were murdered in America, and most Americans didn't know and didn't care because it wasn't called murder; it was called "abortion". And that number is a conservative estimate from the CDC. The research arm of Planned Parenthood, the Guttmacher Institute, puts that number at over 3,000 per day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Get that - 3,000 innocent American children are aborted every day. Since abortion was legalized forty years ago today, over 55 million Americans have been murdered in the womb. Americans who would have surely grown up to discover amazing medical breakthroughs, become government leaders who would have given wise leadership to our nation, and contributes billions of dollars in taxes to the economy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I can only imagine how different, and better, this great nation would be if those children were alive today. How much stronger the economy would be. How many diseases would have been cured. And what a more noble people we would be for not allowing thousands of our own citizens to be killed every single day, out of sight and out of mind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Whatever your viewpoint on abortion, whether you consider it a fetus or a baby in the womb, an undeniable fact is that abortion stops a beating heart. And a heart cannot beat without life in it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our nation was founded on the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Let's pray that our nation will turn from this great injustice; that we will respect the rights of unborn children instead of being intolerant of their right to life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"<i><span style="background-color: white;">You are the one who created my innermost parts; </span><span class="text Ps-139-13" style="position: relative;">You knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb. </span><span style="background-color: white;">I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. </span></i><span class="text Ps-139-14" style="position: relative;"><i>Your works are wonderful—I know that very well</i>.</span>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Psalm 139:13-14 CEB</span>Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-37243247483895995562012-12-28T22:16:00.002-07:002012-12-28T22:19:42.301-07:00Four words.<span style="font-family: inherit;">Several months ago I read through the book of Hebrews in the Bible and four words stuck out to me, as if they were jumbo sized and flashing in bright lights against the page. Here are those words.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>But we see Jesus ...</b></i>"</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- Hebrews 2:9 NIV</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since it's the end of the year I've been reflecting on these last 12 months and while there have been high points, honestly it seems that this year has been filled with mostly low points. Mostly discouragement. Mostly physical pain. Mostly loneliness. Mostly stress. Mostly disappointment in life. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sure, I could blame it on lots of things, like my parents' major health struggles, but nothing would really be a legitimate excuse. I was just </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">beginning to get discouraged. Depressed, actually. My sleep cycle got messed up, I began eating a lot less than normal, I was withdrawing from people, and I've been sad a lot. I was beginning to be glad - but glad that this year would soon be over. It was a self-centered, woe-is-me, pity party kind of glad.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But then I remembered how on Christmas Eve I preached a message about Jesus lighting up our lives, and I started seeing Jesus lighting up different times of this year in my life. I thought about my brother and sister-in-law's wedding in June, how it was the first time in over a year that my whole family had been together, how much fun I had with my brothers, how happy my parents were, and how much I love my new sister and her family. I saw Jesus in all of that. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought about how my parents celebrated their 40th anniversary just two days after the wedding. And how rare that is in a time when many marriages, even among Christ-followers, don't last beyond 10 years. I saw Jesus in that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I remembered how the Lord has grown Del Sol Church, Northeast and East, and how so many people's lives have been changed. I thought about the couples who had been living together outside of marriage for years, and how they decided to start living a God-honoring life and put themselves in a place where God could bless them - by finally getting married. I thought about the people I've had the privilege of baptizing, and the light bulb moments people in my GrowGroup had experienced, and how people began to see that church can be exciting and fun. And I saw Jesus in all that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought about the good times with friends: zombie parties, movie nights, Walking Dead viewing parties, eating together, laughing together, praying together - and I saw Jesus in those times. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In many ways, as I look back on this year filled with so much heartache, loneliness, pain, stress, confusion, and difficulty, I see Jesus in all of it. And I've realized the old cliche "<i>I'm too blessed to be depressed</i>" is actually true.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So as you think back on your life this year: where do YOU see Jesus? You don't have to look hard - He's been there all along, in good times and bad. I would encourage you to invest some time before the new year and think back where Jesus has shown Himself to you this year. I guarantee it'll encourage you.</span></span></div>
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"<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>But we see Jesus ...</b></i>"</span></div>
Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-82577964189467024122012-12-10T22:02:00.003-07:002012-12-10T22:02:53.953-07:00Christmas Light.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's two weeks until Christmas Day. Christmas is more than just a day about family, love, giving, and kindness. Christmas is first and foremost about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior and King of the world. We don't have to fight a war over Christmas or try to "keep Christ in Christmas", because He never left.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Honestly, you can't even say Christmas without Christ. You can be intellectually inconsistent and call it a "holiday tree" and "holiday lights" instead of a Christmas tree, but that makes no sense because the only holiday which we decorate a tree for is Christmas - not Arbor Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, or Hanukkah. Those are great holidays, but Christmas trees are only for Christmas. As I said, Christmas will always be about Christ. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How can I say that with such confidence? Why do I not need to fight a war over Christmas and boycott stores who don't use the word "Christmas" in their ads? Because of what God says about Christmas in the Bible. John 1:5 NLT says this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="text John-1-5" id="en-NLT-26016" style="background-color: white; position: relative;">"The light shines in the darkness, </span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="text John-1-5" style="position: relative;">and the darkness can never extinguish it."</span></span></i></span><br />
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No matter how commercialized or secularized Christmas becomes, it can<i> never </i>be denied that Christmas is about Christ. Christmas will always have Christ in it because He is the Light of the World.<br />
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Now since Christmas is just a couple of weeks away and since Jesus Christ came as out Light, I want to encourage you to do something as a way to worship and honor Christ during this time. Here's what you can do: over the next two weeks, keep your eyes open for Christmas light.<br />
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When you're looking for it, you'll be surprised where you find it. Sure you'll see Christmas lights on trees and homes, but if you keep your eyes open you'll also find Christmas light all around you. For example, I was at St. Clement's Church in Downtown El Paso recently and I saw some Christmas light in an unexpected place - shining across the pews in this photo I took:<br />
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<a href="http://smg.beta.photobucket.com/user/arielmz/media/photo1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Christmas Light at St. Clement's Church" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/arielmz/photo1.jpg" /></a><br />
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Look for the light this Christmas, let it remind you of Christ our Light, and worship Him in your heart.<br />
Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-84564427745636608752012-09-05T22:32:00.001-06:002012-09-05T22:40:55.586-06:00The last time we talked.<span style="font-family: inherit;">I remember the last time Mr. Paul Fleshman and I really had a conversation. It was brief, but I'll always remember it. It was the first Wednesday of June, right after our First Wednesday communion service at Del Sol. We sat in the cafe and I told him how the next day I was leaving for my brother's wedding in Scottsdale, Arizona, and he, ever the joker, told me not to stay there. "We have a Scotsdale here, you know" he said, referring to Scotsdale Baptist Church. I assured him I would be back. He told me about the time he was driving through Scottsdale, AZ and his Volkswagen broke down. We laughed together about his story, made some small talk, then I shook his hand and said goodbye.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That was the last time we had a conversation. I'll always be thankful for that. Such a simple conversation, but in it I could tell he loved me. And I loved him. And I enjoyed a silly conversation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mr. Paul loved people. He really, really did. He took many young leaders under his wing to encourage them and remind them to stay on track with the Lord. He did that with Pastor Walter and he did it with me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I remember him visiting my dad in 2004 when he was in the hospital after his heart surgery. I think Mr. Paul visited more people as our hospital minister than anyone else in our church did. So many people met him while they were lying in a hospital bed. He really cared about people who were sick and hurting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I remember several times when Mr. Paul and his wife Chung Hi had me over for a meal - just to love on me. I remember them insisting I take some of their home grown vegetable and fruit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I remember him telling me to come over anytime if I needed to use any study books from his library when preparing a sermon. I never did, but I was always grateful for the offer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I remember going with our youth to re-roof their home, and taking a break, sitting in the garage, eating fresh made chocolate chip cookies and drinking ice cold Coca Cola. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I remember when I was examined - "grilled", I call it - to be ordained as a minister, and Mr. Paul asked some tough questions. Why? Because he loved the Lord and loved Christ's Church, so he wanted to make sure I knew my Bible and my Theology. He didn't want some young punk running around teaching who-knows-what in our church. He was like a bulldog about our church - because he loved our church family. I'm thankful for his tough questions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And I remember when my mom was first diagnosed with kidney disease last summer. Mr. Paul and Chung Hi gave me a bunch of homegrown grapes to give to my mom. That was such a confusing, scary time - and that simple act of love in fruit form ministered to my heart in a way I can't even describe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My eyes are welling with tears as I write this. Tears of selfish sadness because I'll never again feel the strong grip of Mr. Paul's hand or hear him pray those strong, confident prayers he always prayed. But also tears of joy - because he is no longer in pain. He worked hard all his life, laboring for the Lord and laboring for his family that he loved so much - and now he is resting, enjoying forever the rewards of his labor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I remember the last time we talked here on earth, Mr. Paul. I can't wait to talk with you when I go Home and tell you about all the neat things that happened in our church and in my life. And I owe much of who I am to you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And since you're up there - say hello to God, Mr. John, Oscar, and Bruce for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"<i><span style="background-color: white;">Precious in the sight</span><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-15864A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">of the</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord </span></i><span class="text Ps-116-15" style="position: relative;"><i>is the death of His faithful servants</i>.</span>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Psalm 116:15 NIV</span>Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-20676337546555782882012-08-06T20:39:00.001-06:002012-08-06T20:43:00.168-06:00My views on homosexuality.<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">This morning someone I recently met asked me the question "what are your views on homosexuality?" We had a good conversation about that, and here's the gist of what I said.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The starting point of any conversation about homosexuals is to know and believe that God LOVES homosexuals. Just like He loves everyone else. That's very important to understand. John 3:16 says that God loved the whole world - no exceptions. Us Christians, as God's children, MUST accept people as they are(Romans 15:7).
It's equally important to understand that love & acceptance do NOT mean approval.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />A good parent loves their child, but that doesn't mean everything the child does is acceptable. It would be very unloving for a parent to let their children do anything they want and live any way they want, without correcting them. Because they love their child, a good parent wouldn't let their child play in traffic, play with a hot stove, eat whatever they want, stay up all night, etc. So - God, our Heavenly Father, would NOT really be loving if He approved of everything we do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
The things we do that go against God's principles & rules (which He gave for our own good) are called sin. Things like lying, cheating, cussing, hating, murder, over-eating, and yes, living a homosexual lifestyle. Those things, even though they may seem right to us and they feel good, will ultimately hurt us in the end (Romans 6:23).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The problem with sin is that it distorts and deceived every person (Romans 7:11) - especially our sexuality. When we are tempted to lust after someone - whether a person of the same sex or a person of the different sex, that's a distortion of how God intended us to use our sexuality. Both of those attractions just works themselves out a bit differently. Both homosexuals and heterosexuals desperately need Jesus. We both need a Savior - and His name is Jesus Christ.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Through Him, we can be freed from the power of sin and we can overcome temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). He is our only hope for life. Through Him, we don't have to follow our sinful urges. It will be hard, it will be lonely, but it will be worth it to obey Jesus. People won't always understand it, but it will be worth it all when we go Home to Heaven and Jesus locks eyes with us as He says "<i>Well done, good and faithful servant</i>."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I love homosexuals - AND everyone else - because my Father God does. Homosexuality does not define a person. God does, and for all of us who have been adopted as His children by putting our faith in Jesus, He calls us all His favorites. That means that we are not liars, cheaters, and homosexuals. We are dearly loved, handmade creations of God Himself - who struggle with the sin of lying, cheating, and homosexuality. But our sin does not define us. Our relationship with Jesus does. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />At Del Sol Church, we love homosexuals. And liars. And cheaters. And prostitutes. And drug addicts. And the prideful. And over-eaters. And everybody else, regardless of their sin struggles, because God does. We are not here to judge or point fingers. And we WILL speak God's truth from the Bible to those sin issues - doing so with as much love as we can.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I want my church to be a place of grace & second chances - for homosexuals, and for all other people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><i>What do you think of my response?</i></span><br />
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</span></pre>Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-31182099065656200862012-08-01T21:19:00.000-06:002012-08-01T21:21:47.715-06:00My beef with boycotts.So as pretty much everyone in America knows, Chick-fil-A supports Biblical values and traditional marriage. Which is about as shocking as McDonald's supporting Big Macs or Coca Cola supporting Cokes or the Michelin man supporting Michelin tires. But, I digress.<br />
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So in response to that "surprising" news, I've seen two responses. One is to boycott Chick-fil-A, calling it an intolerant and hateful company. The other is to endorse CFA and encourage thousands of people to go eat there today as a way to show their appreciation for the values they hold.<br />
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Earlier this summer, JC Penney put out a print ad featuring two men portrayed as homosexual dads playing with their son. Again, there were two responses - one group of people called for a boycott, another group praised JCP as being progressive and tolerant.<br />
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Name a company and it's likely they support gay marriage - Starbucks, Home Depot, Ben & Jerry's, Google, Boeing, Disney, and a plethora of other companies do. And while they are hard to find, some companies like CFA, Cinemark, ExxonMobil, and Walmart. So Christians (usually) call for boycotts of companies that support gay marriage, and most other people call for boycotts of supposed intolerant, hate-filled companies that oppose gay marriage.<br />
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So can I just call a time-out and ask why we're boycotting? I mean, does that really work? Has it ever? Take Chick-fil-A. While the gay-rights community have called for protests and celebrities have vowed to never eat there again, Christians have rallied and CFA had a record breaking day of sales today. And while Christians called for a boycott of Home Depot and Starbucks, they're doing quite well. Are you gonna stop using Google and not fly in a Boeing airplane anymore? Or not shop at Walmart anymore? Lotta good that'll do.<br />
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It's pretty clear that boycotting doesn't work. So why is that our first reaction?<br />
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Condemnation is easier than conversation, that's why. (Thank you to Perry Noble for that insight. And for making it rhyme.) It's easier to say "Forget you" to someone who believes different than us instead of taking the high road. If the homosexual community is really tolerant, why don't they fill up Chick-fil-A restaurants and tell them they tolerate the different opinion of the company. And why don't Christians shop at JCP, get coffee at Starbucks, and eat Ben & Jerry's ice cream?<br />
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My biggest beef with boycotting is who it hurts. It doesn't hurt the company; it hurts the employee. If you go into a Chick-fil-A, JC Penney, Starbucks, Home Depot, or Walmart - do you really think those employees work there because they're so proud of their company's values? Or because the company is so tolerant or intolerant (depending on how you see it)? I would highly doubt it. I know someone who works at Chick-fil-A and I know several people who work at Walmart. I've known people who work at Home Depot and I know a guy who works at Starbucks. All of them were not working at their places of work because of the company's ideals; they were working there to provide for themselves and their families.<br />
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When we boycott, remember who it hurts - the company, not the employee. And let's be honest - boycotting doesn't work. It's a lousy way to do things because its fighting "hate" with hate. No way around it.<br />
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If we boycott anything, let's boycott boycotting.Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-58017478484738248152012-07-02T21:34:00.001-06:002012-07-02T21:34:24.867-06:00A pleasantly interesting weekend of ministry.This weekend was interesting, in a pleasant way. I preached at Saturday Night Church and the spirit there was just wonderful. Every weekend at both locations of Del Sol is great, but there was just something about this weekend that was extra cool. Maybe it was all the allergy meds I was hopped up on!<div>
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When the service ended, a guy walked right up to me and gave me a hug. I didn't even recognize him at first, but it turned out to be a guy I had prayed for the previous Saturday. He was so excited because God had answered my prayers for him exactly as I had prayed them. That was really cool.</div>
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Then on Sunday at Del Sol Church Northeast, people in the first service really connected with the message and I prayed with several people. Then in the second service, a young couple walked in. I didn't see their faces at first because of the angle at which I was standing, but when I got up to preach I was taken aback for a moment. </div>
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The young man with his wife was a guy I had worked with years ago - almost 10 years ago - when I was working at a teen center. He was a very troubled teenager who had some issues with illegal substances, and we often butted heads because we were both pretty prideful. There were many times when I had to call the police to have him removed and a few times he threatened to physically hurt me. I went years before I saw him again, probably in 2008 or 2009. By that time he had a steady job and seemed to be making something of himself. <span style="background-color: white;">I was glad to see that, especially considering our past.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">So I was surprised to see him and his beautiful young family walk into the church on Sunday morning. Turns out he lives right down the street and decided on Saturday they should get back into church and find a support system. They left before I had a chance to talk with them, but I had his number so I called him today and had a good conversation with him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">The thing about this guy is that he has SO much potential for greatness in him. Even as much as we fought, I could always tell that he was overflowing with potential. I really believe that God has great things in store for him, and I'm excited to see how our church family can help his family. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Doing ministry is a difficult job because you deal with such personal aspects of people's lives that they don't tell anyone else. But it's also the most rewarding thing ever to see people's lives change as God works in their lives. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Needless to </span><span style="background-color: white;">say, it's been a great weekend. </span></div>Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-52272455857106404282012-05-21T21:47:00.002-06:002012-05-21T21:47:40.296-06:00The Anti-God.<span style="font-family: inherit;">As Christians, we worship the God Who created humanity and who loves all of us. We believe that He has a good plan for every person, and a great plan for the ultimate redemption of all creation. Things in life can get pretty messed up at times because we live in a sinful, imperfect world and we know that not everything that happens is God's will.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And so God gave us the Bible as our guide for life. The Bible, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is how we navigate this life and prepare for eternity. The Bible is filled with life principles, but also has some rules. There are some things that are flat our right and wrong. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because of those rules (and usually because of how Christians mis-represent them), society often thinks God is the "anti-God". God is against everything. People think He is anti-alcohol, anti-women, anti-sex, anti-birth control, anti-science, anti-homosexual, and anti-fun. In other words, God is anti-everything good and fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The reasoning goes that if God were good, He wouldn't be against everything. He would let people do whatever makes them happy, as long as nobody gets hurt. Live and let live is God's motto because He loves everyone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But the truth is this: God is not the anti-God. At the same time, BECAUSE He loves everyone He cannot let us do whatever we want. Jesus made it clear that there are some things He is against. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He is anti-oppression. Anti-greed. Anti-empty religion. Anti-casual sex. Anti-hate. Anti-favoritism. Anti-wickedness. He is against those things because it's not loving to say "live and let live, as long as you don't hurt anyone". He has standards that He has put in place BECAUSE He loves us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus is against those things because He is pro-you. And pro-me. And pro-everyone on earth. He is pro-humanity! He even said in John 10:10 that He came to give us abundant, meaningful, fulfilling life. God is for us and wants what's best for us. Like any good, kind, and loving father, our Heavenly Father gives us rules for our good so that we know how we should live. Sin always has a "gotcha". Nobody can disobey God and get off scot-free.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So yes, God has rules. But not because He is the anti-God. He has rules because He is pro-YOU. And when you live life the way God says in the Bible you should, <i>then</i> you'll experience the life that is truly life.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">What do you think about the idea that God gives rules BECAUSE He loves you and wants you to live a good life?</span></i></div>Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-39738442070144730192012-05-13T22:04:00.001-06:002012-05-14T20:46:34.697-06:00My County Commissioner endorsement<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">* Disclaimer: this post is my <em>personal</em> opinion and does <em>not</em> represent the views of any organization with which I am affiliated or am known to have a connection with. Also, this was totally unsolicited by the candidate whom I endorse. Thanks for understanding that. * </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Politics is such a polarizing thing, but it's also <em>such</em> an important thing. Our great nation was founded on among other things, the right to have your voice be heard through fair elections.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's no secret that I'm very passionate about politics, yet I try to stay away from voicing my political opinions online because it can be so divisive. Usually to support one candidate is to make a bunch of people mad at you because they support the opponent. And the higher up the political office, the worse it gets. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet in this post, I want to publicly endorse a local candidate for County Commissioner Precinct 1 here in El Paso, Texas. The reason I want to do that is because this is someone I truly believe in. This person deeply cares about our community and has a track record to prove it. This person has previous political experience but is not a crony of the political establishment here. I do not believe this person has been corrupted like many other politicians here in town. I honestly believe this person has no ulterior motives except to do what's best for El Paso.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I first saw this person in action when I was in college and had been given an assignment for one of my classes to write a paper on local politics. I went to a board meeting for my school board and I paid special attention to how this person governed because this person was my district representative. I was pleasantly amazed and grateful that this person didn't just go with the flow, but raised some good questions and started some good discussion, all of which centered around doing what was best for their constituents. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Years later, after this person was no longer on the school board, I was thankful again when as a part of the local public corruption scandal it was discovered that several other board members at that time had been bribed and were part of the corruption scandal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The candidate for County Commissioner Precinct 1 whom I publicly endorse is Liza Montelongo. The El Paso Times recently endorsed her candidacy by writing "<em>During her tenure on the Ysleta school board, she showed a propensity for asking difficult questions. She stood her ground, even in the face of withering criticism of fellow board members. Montelongo summarizes her pledge to voters simply: 'that the county's job is to deliver cost-effective, efficient and friendly services to all of El Paso.' </em><em>We believe Montelongo can deliver on that promise</em>."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Liza's challengers are a Mr. Romo and former El Paso Police Chief Carlos Leon. I don't know anything about Mr. Romo and I do know that Chief Leon is an honorable man and would be a good Commissioner - yet I still believe that Liza Montelongo is the <em>best</em> choice for County Commissioner Precinct 1. I made a donation to her campaign early on and I wish I could have been more actively involved in her campaign, but unfortunately my schedule has prevented me from doing that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet I hope you will learn more about her at at www.LizaMontelongo.com, I hope you will consider making a donation to her candidacy, and most of all, I hope you will trust her with you vote. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Early voting in El Paso begins tomorrow, and election day is May 29. Find more information here: http://www.epcounty.com/elections/.</span></div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-23307712816734413962012-04-13T20:21:00.003-06:002012-04-14T19:48:22.303-06:00Why I'm glad to be a Southern Baptist.For several years recently, I've seen people wonder whether or not Christian denominations (like Lutherans, Presbyterians, Southern Baptists, etc.) are relevant anymore. With the rise of so many great churches that are really focused on what matters most as Christians - churches like Willow Creek, New Spring, Cross Point in Tennessee, Church of the Highlands, and so on - people wonder if denominations are important anymore.<br />
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I would argue that yes, denominations are still very important today. I think it's great what the United Methodist denomination is doing, especially here in El Paso with their "Celebrate Segundo Barrio" program among other things. And of course, I'm very proud of what we Southern Baptists are doing around the world, and in my El Paso. Here are some reasons why I'm proud to be a Southern Baptist:<br />
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<b>1. Our beliefs.</b> Without a doubt, our beliefs are the main reason I'm proud to be Southern Baptist. The Bible, and nothing else, is our guide. We believe in soul competency, which means each person can directly relate to and is accountable to God on their own. We practice baptism by immersion (dunking) because that's the way Jesus did it, and that's the only it was done in the Bible. Those are just some of our distinctive beliefs, which I am glad we hold so firmly.<br />
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<b>2. Our size.</b> You may not know that we Southern Baptists are the largest Baptist denomination in the world, and the largest Christian denomination in the United States. Even locally, there are about 80 great Baptist churches here in El Paso - English speaking, Spanish speaking, and even Chinese speaking. I'm not glad to be a Southern Baptist just because we're big, but because there is great power in numbers. We are able to make a big difference for the Kingdom of God in many ways because of our size. We are blessed so we can be a blessing.<br />
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<b>3. Our cooperation.</b> One of the reasons we make such an impact is not just because of our size, but because of our cooperation. It would be useless for us to be over 16 million strong in this great nation of ours if we didn't work together. But we do work together! Through our Cooperative Program we work together to collect and distribute millions of dollars a year to fund outreach, missions, disaster relief, our six amazing Baptist seminaries, and much more. We also have local associations where local, independent Baptist churches partner together in cities and regions to make a difference.<br />
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<b>4. Our outreach.</b> When it comes to putting our faith into action ...wow, we're pretty good at that! There's the International Missions Board, the North American Missions Board, and Go Now Missions, which is the great missions organization of Texas Baptists. Of course our Disaster Relief program is one of the things we're most known for because many times our Disaster Relief teams start working in places of disaster long before the government arrives at a disaster site and sometimes even before the Red Cross or Salvation Army arrives. When a disaster strikes, look for the people with yellow hats because those are our Disaster Relief volunteers showing God's love in practical ways.<br />
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<b>5. Our independence.</b> One of the things that really makes me proud to be a Southern Baptist is our sense of freedom and independence. There is a Catholic Church, an Episcopalian Church, and a Methodist Church - meaning they are authoritarian organizations with a headquarters that passes down decrees and regulations which must be followed by its local churches. But there is no "Baptist Church", meaning there is no top down structure where someone else tells us what we must do at our local church. Instead, there are Baptist churches - all of which are free, independent, and autonomous. We are free to do as we see fit, having sought God and heard from Him the direction in which we should move. We cooperate with others, yes, but we are led by no pope, bishop, or any other person except Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 16:18 that He would build His Church. What's more, Ephesians 5:23 says that Jesus is the Head of His Church - and so we take orders only from Him. That's how it should be in the Church.<br />
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For these reasons and many others, I am proud and honored to be a Southern Baptist. And for those of you who are also part of a local Southern Baptist church, I hope you too are proud to be a Southern Baptist. Not in an arrogant pride that boasts, but in a grateful pride that strives to be more worthy of our great and still important calling to be Southern Baptists.Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-15036909731750606312012-04-07T15:18:00.000-06:002012-04-07T15:18:49.120-06:00The meaning of the wounds of Jesus Christ.<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's Saturday, and I've always wondered how Jesus Christ's followers must have felt on Saturday. Their hope had died with Jesus. It was now buried and decaying with Jesus. Their minds must have been filled with indescribable fear, anger, worry, frustration, and confusion. Even though Jesus had told them He would rise up from the grave, they couldn't see it and they didn't believe it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">How terrible it must have been for them on Saturday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And yet on this Easter Saturday, nearly 2000 years later, we cannot sympathize with them. And thank God for that, because we know Easter <i>Sunday</i> happened. Knowing about Sunday, it's hard to be sad about Friday. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Good Friday", it's called. The day Jesus was violently murdered. Why do we call it "good"? 1 John 2:2 (NCV) says: "<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><i>He died in our place to take away our sins, and not only our sins but the sins of all people</i>.</span>" Good Friday is truly good because the blood of Jesus from His seven wounds washes away our sin. It is the payment for the sin of all humanity, even you and me. A few years ago I heard a message from <a href="http://www.joncourson.com/" target="_blank">a pastor named Jon Courson</a>, who talked about the five places from which Jesus' blood flowed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">First, blood flowed from His head. The blood from the thorns driven into His skull cleanse us from thoughts we wish we had never thought. The blood that poured down His face tell us He has covered the things in life we don't want to face up to. It washes our eyes from the sinful things we've seen, our ears from the sinful things we've heard, and our mouths from the sinful things we've said and done with our mouths.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Second, blood that flowed from His back. We've all turned our backs on Jesus at some point, and the blood that covered His back on that Good Friday covers our backs when we turn them on Him. When we've fallen flat on our backs, whether out of sin or fatigue, our backs are covered and cleansed by the blood of Jesus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Third, blood flowed from His hands which were pierced with spikes, pinned to the wood of the cross. That blood cleanses us from the things we've used our hands for which we should not have done. The things we've touched, felt, grasped, held in our hands that were sinful - the blood flowed from His nail-pierced hands in order to cleanse our hands from sin and guilt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fourth, blood flowed from inside of Him when the Romans thrust a spear into His side, piercing Jesus' heart, sending a mixture of blood and water out of His side. So the things you feel inside of you - those gut feelings of hatred and bitterness and anger, that unforgiveness you hold in your heart - that sin inside of you and me is washed clean by the blood that flowed from inside of our crucified Lord.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fifth, blood flowed from the precious feet of Jesus. We've all walked where we shouldn't have walked, physically and spiritually speaking. We've secretly gone places in the darkness of night that we hope no one ever finds out about. We've tried to cover our tracks from those sinful wanderings, yet the blood of Christ that flowed from His feet doesn't just cover over but washes away those tracks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As we think about where blood flowed from Jesus' body on that cross, we see that the placement of His wounds was not accidental or haphazard, but strategic and intentional. We see there is deep meaning in His wounds, and the Scripture of Isaiah 53:5 (NCV) comes alive to us when it says: </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">"He was hated and rejected by people. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">He had much pain and suffering. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">People would not even look at Him. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">He was hated, and we didn't even notice Him.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">But <b>He took our suffering on Him</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b> </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>and felt our pain for us</b>. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">We saw His suffering </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">and thought God was punishing Him. B</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">ut <b>He</b> was wounded for the wrong <b>we</b> did; <b>H</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>e</b> was crushed for the evil <b>we</b> did. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">The punishment, which made us well, was given to Him, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">and <b>we are healed because of His wounds</b>."</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">The wounds of Jesus Christ cover over us, head to toe, front to back, inside and out. We are cleansed from our sin, guilt, and shame every which way because of the precious blood of Jesus Christ.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">As the old hymn goes: "<i>What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!</i>"</span></span>Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-14718725238966097432012-03-25T22:40:00.001-06:002012-03-25T22:40:34.486-06:00These things happen.<span style="font-family: inherit;">Recently I read the transcript of an interview with Brennan Manning, an author, priest, speaker, and modern day monk. Through his books he has encouraged Christians to be more contemplative about their faith, and I think he's got some really good things for us to consider in Christianity. You can find out more about him <a href="http://brennanmanning.com/">here</a> at his website.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">According to his website biography, Mr. Manning is a recovering alcoholic. What I find really interesting is that his alcoholism began AFTER he became a Christian and AFTER he began a successful college ministry in Florida.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">His explanation in the interview I read was that, simply put: "these things happen".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've really had to wrestle with that explanation for awhile. A man becoming an alcoholic ...AFTER becoming a follower of Christ? Isn't Jesus supposed to give us new life? Doesn't the Bible say we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus who loves us? And doesn't the Bible say that sin shall not be your master because of God's grace? Isn't Christianity about leaving your old life of sin and following God in a new way?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes ...but.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Being a Christian doesn't mean life will be perfect. Following Christ is not an automatic cure for all that ails you. Sin is still present, addiction is still addicting, and we still have the freedom to resist God's transforming work in our lives. We must have the freedom to choose, so that we can choose to love Him - but unfortunately, that also gives us the freedom to resist and reject living the way He wants us to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And so in the last year, I have seen some of the darkest, ugliest, most wicked sides of humanity. As a pastor I've been called to bring God's hope and truth and love into situations of indescribable depravity and sinfulness - but as a human, I wish I could forget those things. I've seen Christians confess their sin and humbly submit to God's discipline and experience His sanctifying grace, and I've seen Christians pridefully rebel against God's truth and resist His discipline - which of course always makes things much worse than they should have been.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of those situations took place in the lives of Christians - people who love Jesus, have asked Him to be the Lord of their lives, and are influential in the local Christian community here in El Paso.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">How does that happen? And more personally, why do I struggle with sins that I've been resisting for years? Why was it that I began a battle with depression AFTER I became a Christian?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As Mr. Manning put it ..."these things happen".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let me be clear: that's </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">not</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> an excuse. That's </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">not</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> a cop-out. You can't just do whatever you want, ignore God's truth, and disobey Him by saying "these things happen". But ...I think it's an important aspect of God's grace that we need to understand when dealing with our own sin or the sin of others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">These things happen. </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Anyone</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> who does not stay close to Christ can commit the most wicked of sins, while still being a Christian. Anyone who doesn't constantly choose to submit to Jesus can become an alcoholic, drug addict, pornographer, adulterer, cheater, liar, thief, idolater, arrogant jerk, or domestic violence offender - and yet still be a Christian.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So when we fall into those and other kinds of sins, and when we encounter the sins of others, we must live out two words in perfect harmony: grace and truth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Grace is unearned, undeserved, unmerited kindness and favor. It's remembering the truth of Romans 8:1, that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Truth is calling sin what it is, without sugar-coating or excuses. It's remembering the truth of Romans 6:23, that sin is a very personal offense against God which always produces death.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Grace says "These things happen." Truth says "It better not happen again!" But grace and truth combined say "These things happen. I know you're better than that. Let me help you so it doesn't happen again."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So are you struggling with a sin that keeps snaring you? Do you feel stuck in your sin, like you'll never be able to escape, wondering if you'll ever experience the freedom the Bible talks about? Do you think it would be easier to just give into sin because you're just tired of fighting it? Do you feel like scum because of what you've done? Do you think that if anyone found out what you've done, they would judge you? Do you wonder if you're really a Christian because of how you sin?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Be encouraged. Have hope in God. "These things happen". And be courageous enough to confess you sin to someone Godly, mature, loving, and trustworthy so that they can say "These things happen. I know you're better than that. Let me help you so it doesn't happen again."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i>No condemnation now hangs over the head of those who are in Jesus Christ. For the new spiritual principle of life in Christ lifts me out of the old vicious circle of sin and death</i>." - Romans 8:1-2 (Phillips)</span>Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-57806912683717239762012-02-14T11:21:00.000-07:002012-02-14T11:21:43.816-07:00How to be single and thrive on Valentine's Day.Today is Valentine's Day. For many, today is the day of love, chocolate, flowers, kisses, hugs, romance, and all things red & pink. For many others, today isn't Valentine's Day; it's Singles Awareness Day. As a single person you have a choice today: you can <i>survive</i> today, or you can <i>thrive</i> today.<br />
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The truth is, God doesn't want you to just survive this day - He wants you to thrive! Here are some ideas I have on how to be single and thrive on Valentine's Day:<br />
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<b>1. Don't buy the lie.</b> Lots of single people think that nobody will ever love them and that they will be alone the rest of their lives. As a single person, I understand why sometimes it could seem like that's true, but it's not. It's a lie. You will not always be alone. Someday, when God in His goodness knows the time is right, you will have that unexpected and beautiful collision of your heart with someone else's. So don't buy the lire that you will be single all your life.<br />
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<b>2. Celebrate the love that others have.</b> Don't be jealous and angry that someone else has a love to celebrate today and you don't. Don't be upset at your friends for having someone special in their life. You're better than that. Maturity is when you can truly celebrate that someone else already has what you've been wanting. Immaturity is when you're so selfish that you think "if I can't have it, nobody can" and you can't celebrate that someone else is happy. Celebrate that people around you are happy. Don't be bitter; be better.<br />
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<b>3. Count your blessings.</b> And by "blessings" I mean all the money you're saving today! You don't have to buy anyone overpriced flowers, chocolates, or cards. You don't have to get all dressed up after a long day at work and go to dinner a busy restaurant, or do the work to cook a fancy dinner for two. As wonderful as all that is, you don't have to mess with that right now. You can just order pizza or get a burger and lounge around at home. Until the day comes when you're with someone, enjoy the single life. And really enjoy all the money and hassle you're saving today.<br />
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<b>4. Treat yourself special.</b> Today is a day of love. God loves you. He delights in you. So do something special today to enjoy all His goodness.Maybe that means buying yourself some chocolate, or a flower to brighten up your coffee table, or a bacon double cheeseburger with onion rings and a large Dr. Pepper. Who said you can't spoil yourself a little today?<br />
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<b>5. Collect date ideas.</b> Someday you won't be single. And today lots of your friends are doing some very sweet, thoughtful, and romantic things for their main squeezes. Take notes of what works and what doesn't. File away ideas to use for when you have a main squeeze of your own.<br />
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<b>6. Dream a little.</b> Think about your ideal guy or girl. Ladies, look up wedding stuff online. Guys, work on your cheezy pick-up lines. Imagine what your life will be like when you are in love. Go ahead - get your hopes up.<br />
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<b>7. Do some self-evaluation. </b>Do NOT bash yourself. Do NOT put yourself down. Do NOT get depressed. But DO honestly evaluate yourself. Think about this question: "Am I the kind of person the person I'm looking for is looking for?" You might need to read that a few times to let it sink in, but that's a REALLY good question to ask yourself. It's something I've been asking myself a lot lately. Look at the love chapter in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, and wherever it says "Love is ___", replace the word "love" with your name. Then ask if you are the things that God says love is. Figure out where you have some room to grow, then do work. <i>Become</i> the person that the person you're looking for is looking for.<br />
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<b>8. Serve someone else.</b> John 3:16 says that God so loved the world that He gave. Love is a verb, not a noun. It's an action, not a feeling. To love is to serve. So do something to serve someone else today. Speak words of affirmation to someone today. Give someone a genuine compliment. Pay for the order of the person behind you in the drive-thru line when you go get your bacon double cheeseburger for dinner. Give someone a hug. Remember, to love is to serve. What better way to celebrate the day of love than to serve someone else?<br />
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So there you go - those are my thoughts on how to thrive as a single person this Valentine's Day. I bet if you do even just a few of these 8 things I've listed, you will have a really great day today.<br />
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And hey ...I want you to know ...I love you.Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-12255955797333460512012-02-06T19:43:00.001-07:002012-02-06T19:45:11.442-07:00The choice is yours.<span style="font-family: inherit;">Nearly every Monday I see a plethora of Facebook status updates about how people hate Monday. And nearly every day I see people posting how their day started off bad or how bad the day is going. There are even some who seem to always be sad or upset, who seem to not be having a bad day but a bad life. I also know many people who struggle with worry, stress, feelings of inadequacy, and many other emotional issues.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As one who has fought depression for awhile and as one who has had far more than his fair share of bad days, I would say this: "the choice is yours".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the Bible, Joshua 24:15 says: "<span style="background-color: white;"><i>If serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD</i>.</span>"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've seen this verse many times, usually used in the context of choosing to lead your family to serve God. But today it hit me - that's not the only thing we can learn from this verse. Something we see here is that you have a choice. You can God, or you can choose something else. You can choose to believe God and what He says in the Bible, or you can choose something else like stress, worry, or to have a bad day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Either way, the choice is yours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Monday can be a good day or it can be a bad day. You can choose to believe that every day is a day made by God and you can choose to be joyful (as Psalm 118:24 says) - or you can choose to have a lousy day. The choice is yours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You get dumped. Or worse, your significant other cheats on you. You can be angry and bitter and put yourself in the torture chamber of un-forgiveness, or you can choose to release them and move on, believing the Bible when it says in Romans 8:28 that God works EVERYTHING out for good for those who love Him. You can believe that God has someone much better for you, which means you live free, or you can choose to be that weirdo who Facebook stalks their ex and ruins new relationships because they never move on. The choice is yours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can choose to spend money you don't have by charging clothes, electronics, and other stuff you want on your credit card. And you can take out a loan to buy a new car when nothing is wrong with your current car. And by doing those things you can rack up all sorts of debt and bring the pressure that comes with it on yourself. Or, you can spend responsibly, save up and pay cash, and live in financial peace and financial freedom. The choice is yours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can choose to live a miserable life, thinking it sucks, thinking everyone's out to "screw me over", thinking that you need to have lots of sex, go drinking, or do drugs just to feel good for awhile. With that decision can come disease, unexpected pregnancy, a DWI, alcoholism, pictures on Facebook that can ruin future job opportunities, and a pretty pointless life. Or, you can choose to enjoy life and be happy to be alive, knowing that the Bible says God loves you and has good plans for your life. You can do life His way, knowing that He wants you to not just survive but <i>thrive</i> in life. The choice is yours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">So how will life turn out for you?</span> The choice is yours.</span>Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642311730657384759.post-61389825412129941322012-01-23T18:06:00.002-07:002012-01-23T18:09:07.094-07:00Looks like we have things backwards.Yesterday was the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision which legalized abortion. In 1973, the Supreme Court legalized murder under the premise of it being a woman's "choice". Since then over 50 million Americans have been violently robbed of their right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, as the Declaration of Independence says.<br />
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Yesterday was also the day that Joe Paterno died. He was the most winningest college football coach ever, and he was the long-time coach at Penn State University. I read an article by Bill Reiter on the Fox Sports website that said "Joe Paterno was a sick man. And Joe Paterno failed at the most important thing ever entrusted to him - the knowledge that should have made it possible to stop Sandusky before someone else finally did." That reference is to the child abuse scandal that cause Mr. Paterno to lose his job.<br />
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Considering that, I can't help but wonder if we have things backwards in our great nation. We celebrate the legalized murder of defenseless children, but we mourn the death of a man who didn't do anything to stop the horrible abuse of innocent children when it was in his power to do so.<br />
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Something's not right with that.Arielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454879362383111887noreply@blogger.com0