There's this church i went to recently for a mission trip and it was in a bad neighborhood and it was a little poor.The first thing i noticed when i got there is that the pastor James greeted us with open arms,like we've been best friends for years even though we just met him.But the thing is he treated everyone he met that way.Even though at his church he had everything from prostitutes,drug addicts,and thief's.
At school there was this kid that wasn't like the rest,he was not "normal".No one wanted to talk to him and well they made fun of him in front of his face and behind his back.Now i have a question why can't we be like pastor James?
Were suppose to treat others the way we want to be treated doing what the people in my second story did is not that way. God loves us all the same and since we want to be like God shouldn't we love everyone as well.So,though this was quite short, may you my friends love everyone around you cause the more they see you trying to be more like Jesus the closer they'll be to knowing him.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Atheists
Hey, it's Josh again. Today I'm going to talk to you about something that irritates me. First, let me paint you a picture. There's an atheist at a school (let's call him George) and he's the only one in the whole school. One day, George is walking in the hall, minding his own business when someone (a "Christian") shoves him.
The so-called "Christian" says, "Watch where you're going, dweeb!"
I saw this happen everyday before school let out, and I'm afraid that I might see it happen some more before high school's over with. The people doing this claim to be Christian, but you can't tell it by their actions. I mean, didn't Jesus say in John 14:15, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."? Well earlier in the book of John, it says "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
In the story above, imagine what George might have been thinking. He was probably thinking that since none of the "Christians" in the school are nice to him, there's not a God working in their hearts like they say there is. In other words, he has no reason to believe in God if he thinks he's going to be heartless, and that's the opposite effect we want on an atheist, right?
God bless you,
Josh
The so-called "Christian" says, "Watch where you're going, dweeb!"
I saw this happen everyday before school let out, and I'm afraid that I might see it happen some more before high school's over with. The people doing this claim to be Christian, but you can't tell it by their actions. I mean, didn't Jesus say in John 14:15, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."? Well earlier in the book of John, it says "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
In the story above, imagine what George might have been thinking. He was probably thinking that since none of the "Christians" in the school are nice to him, there's not a God working in their hearts like they say there is. In other words, he has no reason to believe in God if he thinks he's going to be heartless, and that's the opposite effect we want on an atheist, right?
God bless you,
Josh
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Smoking or Non Smoking
While going out with my family one night we were asked this question,"Would you like the smoking or non smoking section." Now even though my family has a smoker we chose the non smoking.(Now if you've ever been in both sections which I haven't you'll probably disagree with me on this and correct me and I'd love for you'd to do so cause this is just a thought) Okay even though I've never been in the smoking section i have a good thought about what it looks like.I have imagined cracked wallpaper and paint.Smoke actually chocking me at first step cause of all the smoke,and there being regular looking people who don't really look like smokers.The non smoking section(usually)has fresh clean air,usually to mean pretty happy people,and still nice wall paper and paint.So basically the non smoking section is pretty much a better place.
So here's a question I need to ask you...during eternity were will you be the smoking or non smoking section?
Jesus often used parables to describe the Kingdom of Heaven such as Matthew 15:1-12 1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' 7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' 9" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' 10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' 12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
And Hell in Luke 16:22-26 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell,[a] where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' You read that there is no in between when it comes to eternity there's no gateway from Heaven to Hell.
Jesus's desire is for us to choose Life..not death.Heaven not Hell.But he gives us the freedom to choose how we live our lives*.But all in all after death or the rapture our Sins will be judged by the one who came,died,and rose again for us.Jesus Christ the son of God.
So now i ask you again Smoking or Non smoking section?
David Thompson
*To learn more about the freedom God gives us look at my buddy and partner's post titled Free Will.
So here's a question I need to ask you...during eternity were will you be the smoking or non smoking section?
Jesus often used parables to describe the Kingdom of Heaven such as Matthew 15:1-12 1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' 7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' 9" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' 10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' 12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
And Hell in Luke 16:22-26 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell,[a] where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' You read that there is no in between when it comes to eternity there's no gateway from Heaven to Hell.
Jesus's desire is for us to choose Life..not death.Heaven not Hell.But he gives us the freedom to choose how we live our lives*.But all in all after death or the rapture our Sins will be judged by the one who came,died,and rose again for us.Jesus Christ the son of God.
So now i ask you again Smoking or Non smoking section?
David Thompson
*To learn more about the freedom God gives us look at my buddy and partner's post titled Free Will.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
"Will you come to church with me?"
Hey, it's Josh and I've noticed a very common problem. If you ask a person to come to your church, you can almost expect the person to say, "No." But do you know why many people choose not to go to church? They think they will be judged, which is a problem I can't understand. I started going to church on Wednesdays not long ago and the minute I walked through the doors I felt welcome. But for some reason people feel judged, making them not want to go to church. Matthew 7:1 says:
"Judge not, that ye be not judged."
Another reason people don't go to church, which is mainly directed at teenagers, is because their parents won't let them. This is usually because their parent don't trust them to go to church with other teenagers. They're afraid that their children will "hook up" with a boyfriend or girlfriend. This disturbs me on two levels.
1. The kids must have done something to make their parents distrust them.
2. The parents obviously think they can't trust the adults at the church to make sure the youth behave.
So what do we do? We remember not to judge people and make them feel welcome at church. We show concerned parents that the teenagers can be trusted as well as the adults that watch over them while they're at church. Keep this in mind next time you invite someone to your church.
God bless you,
Josh
"Judge not, that ye be not judged."
Another reason people don't go to church, which is mainly directed at teenagers, is because their parents won't let them. This is usually because their parent don't trust them to go to church with other teenagers. They're afraid that their children will "hook up" with a boyfriend or girlfriend. This disturbs me on two levels.
1. The kids must have done something to make their parents distrust them.
2. The parents obviously think they can't trust the adults at the church to make sure the youth behave.
So what do we do? We remember not to judge people and make them feel welcome at church. We show concerned parents that the teenagers can be trusted as well as the adults that watch over them while they're at church. Keep this in mind next time you invite someone to your church.
God bless you,
Josh
Monday, July 5, 2010
It all comes back
If you go to most churches today you'll find a recording theme:"Jesus died for you,Jesus died for you,and more Jesus died for you." But be honest how many of us kind of trail off when we come to this subject.We think,''oh here we go again with the Jesus died for us stuff i only wish we'd learn something new." I know we think this sometimes. That we just want to learn something new. But here's what Paul says about this:
1 Corinthians 9:16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
So Paul the major writer of the new testament states pretty much that everything comes back to the Gospel.Everything preached must come back to Jesus or there isn't any importance in it.When we say we want to know more we don't stop to think that without Jesus there wouldn't be these other things. That without Jesus the bible is just another book.
So may you keep pursuing Jesus in all you do(sorry for the short blog and the long time it took to make).
1 Corinthians 9:16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
So Paul the major writer of the new testament states pretty much that everything comes back to the Gospel.Everything preached must come back to Jesus or there isn't any importance in it.When we say we want to know more we don't stop to think that without Jesus there wouldn't be these other things. That without Jesus the bible is just another book.
So may you keep pursuing Jesus in all you do(sorry for the short blog and the long time it took to make).
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