My Online Faith Journal

 I know that at different times in my life, I have found myself at a crossroads.  Whether it is to take one job or another or to go to one school or another.  During times like that, I have tried to determine what God's will is.  Or if God had a will between the individual choices I needed to make.  During those times, I have sought through Bible study and prayer to understand God's voice amidst many other voices.  I've come to the point where I am honestly not sure anymore if God has specific choice for each decision that we make.  But, I do know that it seems clear that when God's people are walking closely to the Lord that God is more than able to let his voice be known.  It seems to me that the job of the believer is not so much to discern God's voice from someone else's, for God may use someone else to convey His will. But, rather it is to draw closely to the Lord and to make sure our hearts are right with Him.  One of my good friends in college and now

  If you listen to most modern day preachers, the only reason possible that God isn't answering your prayers is sin.  Or it could possibly be a lack of faith on your part.  Or maybe your just not close enough to God.  But, a careful look at scripture and early church father and preachers would tell a different story.  The truth is, that God sometimes seem to hide himself just at those moment where we may feel like we need Him the most.  One example I was thinking of is Abraham.   You remember the story of Abraham.  He was promised a child when he was in his 70's.  His wife was a card carrying member of the senior citizen group and pregnant.  Abraham was well into his senior years himself and still no kid.  After God first promises Abraham a son, 25 years go by without an answer.  You might not notice if you read fast, but Abraham is near 100 years old before the promise is fulfilled.  When God does finally show up and say something he doesn't explain the wait either.  He

I've been sharing my blog address a lot lately after not doing much with this blog for almost a year.  So, if your new here I would like to take a minute to share my story with you.  This winter has been a tough one for me.  I have been depressed and not sure why.  I know Dr.Stanley has a book out titled "The Source of My Strength".  Well, I would like to tell you about the source of my strength also.  When I was about 14 or so I had a major problems with my self-esteem and depression.  I simply didn't like myself. I wanted to be invisible.  I tried very hard not to stand out.  I spent a lot of my time alone.  I didn't make friends easy.  Around the time of my 16th birthday, I decided to go to a mystery retreat that my youth group at the church we attended was doing.  At first, I thought it was a huge mistake.  But, I felt accepted there and a part.  It may have been one of the first times in my life I felt accepted by a group outside of my family.  I will add t

Recently, I started this book that my wife gave me called "What am I supposed to do with my life?" by Douglas J. Brouwer.  It is more like a Bible study than a novel.  It has questions at the end of each chapter.  This has been a big question for me throughout my life as I have struggled at times to find my place.  The big question seems to be "What does God want me to do?"  I will add that at the present time I am content to serve God outside the church as a mental health case manager.  It is a challenging job, but also at times rewarding. I don't have all the answers, but I think a turning point for me came when I went to a camp called "UM ARMY".  Particularly in 1984 when we went to college station.  I remember the mayor coming and proclaming it UMARMY day and giving up a key to the city for the day.  UMARMY is a Methodist camp that emphasizes helping those who are needy and handicap.  We would go out each summer for a week and paint, cut grass, c

In James 1:2 it says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything."  The next few verses talk about wisdom after that.  James tells us if you feel you lack wisdom you should ask God to give you more. The ability to have joy in trials is not one that I see very often from myself or anyone else for that matter.  As I was pondering this section of scripture, I thought to myself that it is because of our perspective on the trial that we experience.  James is saying that there is a purpose behind the trial.  That if we could look at the big picture, we would realize that God is up to something in the middle of the trial.  Not that God causes the trial, but that he brings something good out of it.  It is not just time wasted.  Just as Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all thin

Jesus has several statements in the gospel of John that are called the "I am" statements of Jesus.  Jesus made some incredible claims about himself.  He claimed to be sent by the Father.  He claimed that Abraham, who lived hundreds of years before Jesus, saw his day and was glad.  Jesus claimed to be the bread of heaven and the light of the world.  He made this claim in John 15 to be the true vine. Sometimes Israel was referred to as a vine.  In Isaiah 5:1-2 "I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard; My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.  He dug it up and clearned it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines.  He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well.  Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit."  Then, in verse 7 Isaiah clearly defines that the vineyard is the house of Israel and the men of Judah.  God says that he looked there for justice, but found bloodshed.  He looked for righ

In John 11 starting in verse 17, Jesus comes to the tomb of Lazarus. Martha heard that Jesus was on the way and goes out to meet him. Keep in mind that at this point her brother had been dead for four days. She had sent word to Jesus to come because he was sick. Most likely, by the time the message was received by Jesus, Lazarus had already died. Martha gives us one of the most powerful confessions in the gospels at one of the hardest times in her life. Jesus by all appearances has failed. At the same time, her brother is dead. Anyone that has lost someone close to them can tell you how painful this is. So maybe we can't fault her for her first words, which are in verse 21 "Lord", Martha said to Jesus, "If you had been here, my brother, would not have died." Sounds in some ways like a criticism, but you don't see Jesus ridicule her for this. In fact, even in the middle of her complaint is a statement of faith. "But I know that even now God will give yo

I have read quite a few commentaries about different books of the Bible in recent years, particularly Warren Wiersbe, Wycliffe Bible commentary and others. Most describe the area around Corinth as brutal in its idolatry and immorality. Particularly, in regards to sexual immorality, the pagan temples had a large amount of temple prostitutes available. It was in this setting of immorality that the Corinth church grew. Not only was it a setting where there was a lot of immorality, but also a culture where many different people groups collided. Corinth was a city of port. A city of trade and influence and it would not have been uncommon to hear different languages spoken in the city. So, maybe it isn't surprising that this diverse and immoral area would find us looking at a church similiar in many respects to the churches today. Paul, among all of the problems he could mention first to them though, mentions the divisions among them Cor 1:10-12. Of all of the problems he want

I came upon this verse in Galatians today. "Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God." I started to think about what it means to be an heir. Paul was saying that the law is our tutor to guide us to Christ. We are God's children, heirs with rights and privileges as family members. Sometimes we may chose not to use those rights or in our ignorance we may ignore the rights that we have, but nonetheless they are there. Paul says I have the right to call out to God "Abba! Father!" Galatians 4:6 I may chose, as the prodigal son did to stray away from my Father, but that doesn't change the relationship, but only the fellowship. It changes my ability to hear him when I walk away from Him. It displeases him when we do things that He has told us not to do. I can't see God with a smile on his face when I knowingly walk away from Him anymore that I can image smiling up at watching a children play in highway tra