I naturally have come from an interesting family. Our family has a lot of things that need to change in order for it to be a "real" family as God had intended them to be. God did not create a family to fight over, to be jealous of one enough, to be divided. He designed them because its not good for us to be alone. When push comes to shove a family should be united under a single front.
There SHOULD NOT be a war with a family. Constant bickering only makes things worse. It seems that the only time my family can put aside some of this stuff is during the holidays. It's just not right. That's not family. Most of the family lives relatively close to one another. My dads family is in the lower part of Lower Michigan, while a lot of my moms lives in the central part of the LP. They generally live only a few miles apart and yet they don't really visit each other. I try to visit everyone that I can when I go around the locations. Its really the least I can do, I mean hey they are family and I can't nor will not live without them. Don't get me wrong, my family is great but its definitely flawed as many others out there are when the focus is not on Jesus or even some that do.
Christians are called to be a family because we are adopted into God's own family by the blood of Jesus Christ. When push comes to shove family is supposed to stick together. That doesn't always happen of course because we still have sin to deal with, namely pride. We believe our point is valid and others aren't. We refuse to see things from other peoples point of view. Take a step back, let the egos go away and just love everyone as you should. People have issues, try to help them out, but don't get defensive nor attack those trying to help. Doing drastic things is never healthy and it rarely ends well.
Take some time, mull it over, and apologize to your family. Mend those wounds before they get infected with even more things that don't really matter.
God Bless
Ricky
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
-1 Cor 13: 4-8
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Sharing the Gospel
I have a lot of respect for people that go out and do ministry on a daily/semi-daily basis. They have a strength of faith that I can only dream of having sometimes. But this sort of ministry can be ineffective on some people like myself. I may have heard snippets about God and what He has done for the world, but pride gets in the way thinking we know better than God.
What finally put me over the edge was not people saying outright "You're a sinner, you're going to Hell if you don't accept Jesus as God and savior." It was much simpler than that. I was hanging around people, good hearted ones that truly enjoyed being around others. They had a knack at making people feel at home. I saw something inside them that seemed to make them radiate.
I pondered over and over what made that happen. It wasn't a deep hidden thing that they tried to keep away from others. It was put out there in a small book. One Book that made their lives different from the rest. I was bound and determined to find out what made the book so special.
I began reading my brother's, Matt, Bible. I started off in John, and it got me really thinking. It answered many questions that I was struggling with as well as a way to find inner peace. I started to see things in there and found out that it was EXACTLY what I needed and my life would have to change to fit the book, and not the book changing to fit myself.
I can't say that my growth has been easy, but it will be on-going forever. I have an eternity to work on it. But remember this, people are always watching you. If you don't know how or the best way to share the Gospel, just be a friend to others. It can have monumental impact on a single persons life. I know I wouldn't have come to the truth any other way.
God Bless
Ricky
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ -Matthew 22:37-28
What finally put me over the edge was not people saying outright "You're a sinner, you're going to Hell if you don't accept Jesus as God and savior." It was much simpler than that. I was hanging around people, good hearted ones that truly enjoyed being around others. They had a knack at making people feel at home. I saw something inside them that seemed to make them radiate.
I pondered over and over what made that happen. It wasn't a deep hidden thing that they tried to keep away from others. It was put out there in a small book. One Book that made their lives different from the rest. I was bound and determined to find out what made the book so special.
I began reading my brother's, Matt, Bible. I started off in John, and it got me really thinking. It answered many questions that I was struggling with as well as a way to find inner peace. I started to see things in there and found out that it was EXACTLY what I needed and my life would have to change to fit the book, and not the book changing to fit myself.
I can't say that my growth has been easy, but it will be on-going forever. I have an eternity to work on it. But remember this, people are always watching you. If you don't know how or the best way to share the Gospel, just be a friend to others. It can have monumental impact on a single persons life. I know I wouldn't have come to the truth any other way.
God Bless
Ricky
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ -Matthew 22:37-28
Monday, October 25, 2010
Self Righteousness
Hmm this is a lesson that has been on-going with me lately and I am not quite sure why it is even needed. I mean I know why, but I don't know how it got in there to begin with.
While I am not totally saying I always think that I am in fact self righteous, I am however saying that something inside me is prohibiting me. I have a strange outlook on life lately. It shouldn't be there at all. This issue is about me spreading the Gospel message to others. Lately I have taken the objective that since I know Jesus its all I care about.
I haven't been looking at the people around me and saying to myself "hey, they need Jesus in their lives." I go about my day and some really terrible thoughts go through my mind. Ones that mostly make me look upon myself like I am in fact greater than others. This mindset has come to light recently and is being hammered out by God himself.
In light of this, I am going to try and pick up my blog again and hopefully some things I am wrestling out will be thrown away like chaff in the wind.
so God bless.... *get some Jesus in your life*
Ricky
While I am not totally saying I always think that I am in fact self righteous, I am however saying that something inside me is prohibiting me. I have a strange outlook on life lately. It shouldn't be there at all. This issue is about me spreading the Gospel message to others. Lately I have taken the objective that since I know Jesus its all I care about.
I haven't been looking at the people around me and saying to myself "hey, they need Jesus in their lives." I go about my day and some really terrible thoughts go through my mind. Ones that mostly make me look upon myself like I am in fact greater than others. This mindset has come to light recently and is being hammered out by God himself.
In light of this, I am going to try and pick up my blog again and hopefully some things I am wrestling out will be thrown away like chaff in the wind.
so God bless.... *get some Jesus in your life*
Ricky
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The blending in effect
I have this necklace that I wear all the time, rarely taking it off. It's an awesome necklace that signifies a lot to me. It signifies the greatness Yahweh has done for us all.... It is of course a cross...
What is even more crazy is the way I wear it. I tend to put it under my shirt. I try and tell myself that this is because its for my own comfort that I want his sacrifice closer to my heart. Well in reality it is my way of trying to blend in. I don't want to stand out in the crowd most of the times and that includes staying away from those crazed glances by passerbys.
Well guess what.... it doesn't work. For some reason, it always comes to the surface. I don't knowingly place it on the outside. But I always find it there after some time. It's a strange way of thinking, but perhaps the Spirit of God wants to let everyone know: "This guy right here, you can't have him! He's my child and you can do no evil while I am here". Sure it's a crazy thought, but hey I can dig it.
That's all for today, God bless
Ricky
What is even more crazy is the way I wear it. I tend to put it under my shirt. I try and tell myself that this is because its for my own comfort that I want his sacrifice closer to my heart. Well in reality it is my way of trying to blend in. I don't want to stand out in the crowd most of the times and that includes staying away from those crazed glances by passerbys.
Well guess what.... it doesn't work. For some reason, it always comes to the surface. I don't knowingly place it on the outside. But I always find it there after some time. It's a strange way of thinking, but perhaps the Spirit of God wants to let everyone know: "This guy right here, you can't have him! He's my child and you can do no evil while I am here". Sure it's a crazy thought, but hey I can dig it.
That's all for today, God bless
Ricky
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
a little light read of Psalm 146
Trusting in men never get anywhere. Those in power will always cease to end,instead we must put our trust in a being that is always unchanging. That being is the Lord of Heaven. Only he can actually change our situation if we learn to trust and listen to Him. He gives us food, shelter, hope, relief, breath and life. When we are overloaded it needs to be off-loaded and given to the One that is capable of that burden and soooo much more. Nothing that we care about goes unnoticed. Any that are righteous and humble themselves before God will live a full life, those who don't will have issues at every stage of life. Remember God is to be praised for all the good and mercy he has shown us
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Err who am I again?
Let's take a look back at what I have done this past year. In the beginning, I was living up life the secular way... you know the kind that involves a lot of alcohol consumption and things of that nature. Then, it broke down into a completely different summer.... one that many never experience. My passion from the summer seeped into my college fall life for quite some time. Now, my life is almost back to where it was a year ago. What happened?
You see, I lost that passion. Sure I go through the motions of being a "good" Christian, but honestly what am I doing that's real? Well for one example, my excuse making definitely is real. I choose to make excuses for things all the time. I tend to stay awake really late on a Monday night so that by the time small group comes along on Tuesday I am so tired that I fall asleep. What about Thursdays? There's plenty going on around here. I can go eat dinner with my small group up at Tech, I can watch a live feed of TheWell, I can do my homework so I can actually hang out with fellow Christians on Sundays...
But am I doing any of these? Nope, not even remotely close. I spend the day inside playing video games, and not doing anything Christian. It's even gotten to the point where my 3-4 online sermons I watched on a Sunday don't factor into a list of activities.
I used to tell everyone I knew about my love for Jesus and God. Time and time again it got bashed down to the point where I don't even really mention it in a conversation. Now that's passion right?!? Nope, not even remotely close. I can tell there is still a small smoldering ember in my soul, but like the R.E.M song I am losing my religion....
My life needs a revitalization... it needs a renewed bonfire of awesome God inspired passion? But where do I and others like me start. Well it starts at home; stop making excuses, they are just a ploy used to peel you away from God by the Evil One. I don't care what you used to do before we started slipping, but whatever is causing you to slip needs to be taken out of our lives. Go back to the pureness of becoming a believer. Remember what it used to feel like, the excitement and chills that went through your body. The ones you got when you prayed, or the ones you got when you shared the Gospel. By doing these little sincere things, your fire will once again become a bonfire!
Just some food for thoughts
Ricky
You see, I lost that passion. Sure I go through the motions of being a "good" Christian, but honestly what am I doing that's real? Well for one example, my excuse making definitely is real. I choose to make excuses for things all the time. I tend to stay awake really late on a Monday night so that by the time small group comes along on Tuesday I am so tired that I fall asleep. What about Thursdays? There's plenty going on around here. I can go eat dinner with my small group up at Tech, I can watch a live feed of TheWell, I can do my homework so I can actually hang out with fellow Christians on Sundays...
But am I doing any of these? Nope, not even remotely close. I spend the day inside playing video games, and not doing anything Christian. It's even gotten to the point where my 3-4 online sermons I watched on a Sunday don't factor into a list of activities.
I used to tell everyone I knew about my love for Jesus and God. Time and time again it got bashed down to the point where I don't even really mention it in a conversation. Now that's passion right?!? Nope, not even remotely close. I can tell there is still a small smoldering ember in my soul, but like the R.E.M song I am losing my religion....
My life needs a revitalization... it needs a renewed bonfire of awesome God inspired passion? But where do I and others like me start. Well it starts at home; stop making excuses, they are just a ploy used to peel you away from God by the Evil One. I don't care what you used to do before we started slipping, but whatever is causing you to slip needs to be taken out of our lives. Go back to the pureness of becoming a believer. Remember what it used to feel like, the excitement and chills that went through your body. The ones you got when you prayed, or the ones you got when you shared the Gospel. By doing these little sincere things, your fire will once again become a bonfire!
Just some food for thoughts
Ricky
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Our 'tudes
I was reading through Jonah today. Most of us know the story. God talks to him and tells him to preach at Nineveh, but instead runs away and gets ate by a giant fish. After being saved through prayer, of which he didn't really deserve, he went and preached. The entire town repented and Jonah was angered because God didn't continue and punish the people.
This goes to show a little bit about His character. People are judgemental and easily want to see someone get punished while we ourselves have done the same thing. It was because God is good that Jonah was able to survive being eaten by a giant fish. He didn't complain about that fact at all, and yet when God does the same for another group of people... he has different feelings.
Our attitudes get into the mix all the time. Many of us have these preconceived ideologies that once we are reborn again that we are better than others. Which in fact is the wrong way to go about it. We are all STILL in need of His forgiveness and should come to him daily. Being a Follower of Christ is more than just a get out of Hell free card, it is in all its meaning a relationship. If we truly believe He will do something when we ask... that's all we need. He provides in ways that people can't begin to imagine.
Honestly how are we going to be judgemental and spread the Gospel at the same time. That is the complete opposite of what Christ taught. We are to be servants to others so that they may come to know him and also experience these same blessings and fulfillment in their lives. What better gift can you give to someone than a life that last eternally and is for the most part perfect.
Just some food for thought tonight.
God bless
Ricky
This goes to show a little bit about His character. People are judgemental and easily want to see someone get punished while we ourselves have done the same thing. It was because God is good that Jonah was able to survive being eaten by a giant fish. He didn't complain about that fact at all, and yet when God does the same for another group of people... he has different feelings.
Our attitudes get into the mix all the time. Many of us have these preconceived ideologies that once we are reborn again that we are better than others. Which in fact is the wrong way to go about it. We are all STILL in need of His forgiveness and should come to him daily. Being a Follower of Christ is more than just a get out of Hell free card, it is in all its meaning a relationship. If we truly believe He will do something when we ask... that's all we need. He provides in ways that people can't begin to imagine.
Honestly how are we going to be judgemental and spread the Gospel at the same time. That is the complete opposite of what Christ taught. We are to be servants to others so that they may come to know him and also experience these same blessings and fulfillment in their lives. What better gift can you give to someone than a life that last eternally and is for the most part perfect.
Just some food for thought tonight.
God bless
Ricky
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