It’s been a while

So, its been forever since I’ve written anything on here.  And I’m close to certain that no one has checked it in  a while becuase of this.  Anyway, here is something thats been on my mind for a while.  From time to time I hear pastors/preachers/teachers etc. preach on Matthew 28:19; the great commission.  Which is one of my favorite passages of scripture, the implications from it are huge!  But, heres my beef.  I have heard it taught that when this passage says, “Go, therefore and make disciples. . .,” they will follow that up with something like,”this passage means litterally, “as you go.”  Implying that you should share the gospel as you live your life(nothing wrong with this initially), kind of casually, as you go.  I was reminded today, that the first time I ever heard it put like that, it was like a burden was lifted off of my shoulders.  “pshew, glad I don’t have to share the gospel unless someone else brings it up, or unless the right situation arises.”  I don’t believe that stating the passage that way is helpful.  All it did for me was alleviate responsibility.    “I’ll leave the gospel sharing to evagelist, and preachers and those guys, I’m just a Christian.  My point is, that we should share the gospel as we go, but thats not it.  We have to be  intentional.  Jesus was intentional.  He didn’t just happen to come to earth and happen to die to for the erradication of sin.  He had a purpose and a plan and he carried it out intentionally.  Not casually.  As believers in Christ, we have a responsibility to share the gospel where ever we go.

Dictionary.com defines commission as such. (9 is my favorite)

2.	an authoritative order, charge, or direction.

3.	authority granted for a particular action or function.

4.

a document granting such authority. 6. the power thus granted. 9. the condition of being placed under special authoritative responsibility or charge. The Great commission is not simply a commission, but a command, a responsibility, a charge, a task to accomplish, a goal, a holy and glorious burden, and a calling.  We Must!  Brothers and sisters, be encouraged and share Christ in his power. -Michael

Til Death Do Us Part??

So, I’ve been seeing and hearing a lot of bad stuff about marriage lately. I happened to unintentionally keep watching “Cheaters” On G4. If you’ve never watched the show, its about this guy and his investigation crew who are hired by normal people to follow around their significant other to see if they are cheating on them. The more that I watch shows like this, the more I frustrated about getting married. I hope to be married myself in the near future, but when you see stuff like this happen as often as it does, it tends to make me a little nervous about putting my love and trust on the line.

I think I can get by the actual cheating part (for right now at least), but the thing that really bothers me is the fact that the person who is cheating just will not confess! For instance, I have a friend who works with a girl who told her that she cheated on her husband. She did admit that she feels bad about it, but would never tell him. That bugs the crizz-ap out of me! Her husband deserves to know that she has been with another man! If her marriage ends in divorce, then I’m sorry but thats just the consequence that she must accept for her actions. I personally do not believe that divorce is an option in marriage. I think that they should do everything they can to work out the problem. However, if she never confesses to her husband that there is a problem, then her marriage is a sham. She has abused her husband’s trust, love, and life. I pray that she is miserable until she confesses.

When people cheat on their spouses, it taints marriage for the rest of us. It scares me to death. To think that some guy might see my wife, wearing a wedding ring, and still try to hit on her! Or to think that my wife might actually not honor our life commitment, and think that she needs someone else for anything that I cannot provide. What really bugs me about the girl I mentioned earlier is that she didn’t even talk to her husband about it. Not even a “hey, sweety, we need to talk about something . . . . . . . . . .” Its that simple. You should be able to trust your spouse 100% of the time, no questions asked.

I guess I can’t expect too much. I mean we are a fallen and sinful people. However, there is hope. If we are living our lives for Christ, always striving and doing everything for his glory then a stable marriage should not be a problem. In the context of Christ, marriage takes on a new and holy meaning. It’s permanent. Marriage is supposed to represent the relationship between Christ and the Church. Christ is always faithful to his bride, the church. And we as the church should strive to be faithful to Him. May husbands love their wives and give up their lives for them if need be. And may wives love their husbands and be faithful, and strive to live with peace and honesty in their marriages! To God be the glory, Amen.

Just an Update

I just realized (as I sit here, bored at work) that I haven’t written anything on here in awhile.  So, here is an update, and a partial excuse why.  As usual I’ve been super busy with school and church, and for the first time in awhile, work.  School is still killing me.  Though, I feel God calling me back into Youth Ministry.  I am now the interum (?) Youth Pastor of my church. I will most likely switch my major when I return to school in the fall.  I haven’t decided what yet.  It will probably be counseling or apologetics.  I am NOT going to change it to Youh, due to that blessed approved site program.  Potentially if it is God’s will I would like to take a full time position at church as the youth minister soon.  Possibly when summer gets here.  I am completly excited about it too.

Other than that, I’m hoping to start teaching guitar lessons, somewhere, sometime.

Hopefully, once school is out, and I am finacially able, I would like to get an apartment and move out.  Switch my phone service, and start laboring for the Lord.  I would ask all of you to pray for me, through all of this, as God is still leading me and working out the details.  As I am sure that He who began a good work in me, will bring it to completion.

later.

Be Thou My Vision . . . Again

Tonight, during dorm meeting, God brought something to my attention that shook me, and it shook me hard. First of all, praise be to God that he has humbled me yet once again, and I pray that He would do it continually. For the past year, 2 years who knows; ever since I’ve been at Boyce at least. During freshman orientation Jimmy gives this awesome speech about being at this school and doing great things for God, and somewhere in the midst of this great speech he uses this phrase; “We’re gonna train you to do intellectual battle with the world.” And I have to confess that, that excites me to no end. To think that there is an answer to everything, and that I could be able to rationalize anything about God, and Christianity to the non-believer. To hold an intelligent conversation with someone who knew their stuff and be able to show them that Christians can converse with the best of them. I was pumped!

Recently I got a job at the music store. Everyone there is the prime example of the people that I had desired to “do intellectual battle,” with. These guys are cultured, smart, and some of the most intelligent people that I have ever met. And I thought that I was getting my chance. However, God, tonight has showed me, His purpose in this, and it is the exact opposite of what I thought, and what I wanted. “what does it prophet a man to gain the whole world and to loose his soul?” I was trying to gain the world, and wisdom, worldly wisdom, just to be able to talk to these people. And not really even to share the gospel with them, just to prove to someone that I was a Christian and that I was someone to be respected because I was just as smart as they are. How wrong was I? God has humbled me because of this.
My vision, God’s vision, caring for the lost, having a heart to win the world for Christ, to share the gospel, in love and faith. I was blessed with this job, and interaction with these people to learn that I’m never gonna be super smart, or gain worldly wisdom. All that I should be immediately concerned with is sharing the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the rest up To Christ. I have not done that. I’ve been trying to make these people think that I’m smart, and not some simpleton. How conceited! “friendship with the world is enmity with God, who ever is a friend of the world is and enemy of God.”

I hope that makes sense. In short, I’m gonna get back to my first calling, the only calling. Love the Lord God with all your Soul, mind and heart. To go forth and share the gospel. Thats what its all about. Who cares if I can spit out a bunch of big words. Even Paul says that, I did not come to you with words of flattery. I guess my point is that I’ve been concerned with being concerned about the wrong things, I’ve lost my vision. However, God has opened my eyes tonight. To Him be all praise and Glory forever and ever, amen!

A Harsh Reality of Sin

Today at work, I was talking with a man who gives guitar lessons. I’ll not reveal his name so we’ll just call him “dude”. Dude had previously told me that he had toured with a well known christian band for a few months. I was like, “WOW! Thats awesome!” After conversing for several minutes on the subject i asked him what the band members were like. He told me, “I really only hung out with the pianist but everyone else was cool I guess.” Then dude let me in on a little not so well known secret. He said, “you’d be suprized what the christian music industry is like.” He then went on to tell me about his experiences inside some recording studio in nashville. I was appaled at the things he told me. . .drug addictions, sexual imorality. . .”It’s a buisness,” he told me. Then he said those three little magical words that take all the blame away. . . “They’re only human.”

In my head I thought,” yeah he’s right.” But on the other hand I thought, “wait, they’re not just human, they are men and women chosen by God to create music to point others to Him.” After accepting Christ, and being baptized, there is no “only human”. . .there is “only God” Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. . .” And James 3:1 “Not many of you should presume to be teachers , my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strickly”

I understand that people sin, no one is perfect, and that eventaully we’re all gonna screw up. But the things he described really got to me. Things that made me loose a lot of respect for certain bands and people. I don’t know these things to be true myself but I am taking dude’s word for it. There are certain things that I should hope that mature Christians would not have to struggle with. I hope and I pray that I would never have to struggle with such things.

Everyday I hear people say things, and I hear people do things, that makes me cringe on the inside. I know that God is working on my heart and He had been for a while now. I’m not sure how I’ll be when He’s finished but I can assure you that I grow tired of the unrighteousness in my life and seek to put an end to it. It makes me wonder if people really believe in the stuff that the pastor says. Cause sometimes I’d rather sleep in on sunday mornings than go to book club too. I am constantly examining my life, and again I seek to do away with all unrighteousness in it. . . .i lost my thought, and i bet the whole blog probably sounds a little conceited and I am sorry for that. I just feel as though God has set a high standard and people think that just because they are christians they have the right to lower that standard, just because they pray everyday. .. .

laterrrrrrrr

The Holiday

Tonight I saw the movie The Holiday.  I dont have much to say about it.  It is your typical chick flick, only with Jack Black, which makes its awesome ahah.  Anyway, I laughed, I cried, and had my heart stopped at one point in the movie.  If any of you are hopeless romantics like myself this is the one reason you should go see it.  there is a scene where Jack Black, and Kate Winslet are sitting on a white sofa.  In the course of about 2 sentences she perfectly puts into words what a hopeless romantic is, and I cried.  I look all over trying to find the script to the movie so I could quote it but I couldnt find it, so you should just go see it.  thats all.

later….

Forgiveness, Your’s, Mine and Ours

I was listening to a radio program earlier, that came on after the Albert Mohler program, but I cannot recall the name.  Anyway the subject of the show was forgiveness.  Something that they were discussing really stuck out in my mind, and worried me a little.  The thought was something like this. . .

“We are supposed to forgive others endlessly.  However just because we forgive someone, it does not exclude them from the consequences of the sin.  If someone murders one of your family members, you can forgive, them and they can be sorry, but they are still going to jail as a result of their action.”

This got me thinking about how much I take for granted God’s forgiveness, constantly.  I continually sin on a daily basis, and the only penalty for sin ISdeath, separation from God and hell.  And man, do I deserve it.  But the marvelous difference between our earthly forgiveness and God’s heavenly forgiveness is that we escape the consequences.  If we truly seek forgiveness for our sins through Christ not only are we gladly forgiven but we are truly free!  Free from hell, free from death, and we get an awesome gift in return; to enjoy God and be in his presence for all eternity!  Who else has this power?  Who else can genuinley forgive and remember sins no more?  Who can love like this?  

to quote of my proffessors. . .”God desires to love us, more than we desire to sin”  That is hardcore Godly love.

-Cpt Kamberoo 

30 Days

Tonight I watched a show on FX, called 30 days.  The exact descritption of the show was this, “Straight/Gay. . . A conservative straight man from Oxford Mich, who has anti-homosexual prejudices, lives with a gay roommate in San Fransisco for a month, while there, he joins a gay sports team, attends a . . .”  I dont know what the rest of it was but, the show was ridiculous!  The show displayed post-modernism at its best.  By the end of the show the woman pastor of a gay church had him thinking, that it was his own opinion, and interpretation of the scripture that made him think homosexuality was a sin.  No offense to they guy but I think he was one of those people who grew up going to church, and just show up on Sunday just because they feel like they have to.  The role of Christianity played a huge part in the show, because thats were he was basing his OPINION.  He did an OK job of defending himself, but left the truth of scripture for the wolves.  I’m going to pray for this guy, because he went home “changed” completely and thoroughly confused about his “beliefs”  I would assume that the people who make these shows pick the people on them, carefully.  I’d love to see them put a Billy Grahm, or even a bible college student on a show just like that, someone who is firm in their faith in God and who can rightly handle the authority of scripture! 

There was no dispute about the scriptures that talked about homosexuality.  However, the interpretation was up the individual.  Even from the parents of homosexuals, came things like, “my truth. . . and there is nothing different about my daughter, she knows who she is, and I know who I am” 

I’ve noticed that people only want to do what they feel like doing.  It doesn’t matter what they know is right, or if it will affect other people.  The way my parents raised me, this type of action or non-action rather, was referred to as lazy, irresponsible and immature.  It’s not that people in ‘ age are angrily rejecting the bible, or salvation. . . they just don’t care.  I think they’re afraid of change, afraid that something could change what they know as their life.  They know that what they feel is right and thats all that matters. . .aka Post-modernism.  Even the thought of one person buying into this saddens my heart. 

I can say that God revealed somthing to me tonight.  The fact that the world IS watching us.  We need to be careful how we live, not just for the world, not just for our friends and our families, and not just for us, but most importantly to God, who has said, “you are to be holy because I am holy”. 

I just want to say, I DO NOT HATE GAY PEOPLE.   I love them like my brothers, cause thats what they are.  However, homosexuality IS sin.  The bible is very clear on that.  It doesn’t matter what you think, it doesn’t matter what I think, Scripture is the inspired, authoritative word of God, and as such, is the final word on the matter.  I do not think that anyone is born gay.  God created one man , and one woman in the beginning.  And since homosexuals cannot reproduce, coincidentally, I am quite curious where the homosexual gene came from.  I see homosexuality as a sin, just as i see lying, murder, and stealing.  Homosexuality is a lifestyle?  So, is sin, but thanks to Christ we are able to free ourselves from that.  It is hard for one to deny their own feelings and simply believe what someone tells them.  But that is exactly what Christ has told us to do. . . “And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him DENY HIMSELF and take up his cross and follow me.”  Being a Christian is seeking to do the will of God above all else.  especially if it is counting yourself wrong, and saying i need help. 

-anyway that went from story to rant, really fast haha, have a good night

-cpt kamberoo

Ramble follow up

Im glad that my rambles have such a profound impact on you all. heheh.  But the actaul point that I had abandoned was this.  Poverty.  To leave all behind, and seek God in EVERYTHING you do.  Doesnt that sound completly rediculous?  Especially in the society that we live in, where poor people are looked down on.  We should be so blessed.  To not have all the distractions of living in a capitalistic society.  No TV, no music (that would suck), you would have nothing but God.  Check out Matt. 6:25-33

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  And why do you worry about clothes?  See how the lilies of the field grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry saying, ‘what shall we eat? or ‘what shall we drink? or what shall we wear’?  For the pagans fun after all these things, and your heavenly father knows that you need them.  But seek first the Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  

As bible believing Christians should we take this passage seriously?  Are we supposed to?  Who does?  This is my conviction.

 have a nice day!  : )

Love is Patient?

I really think that God has been trying to teach me patience.  And I only hope that he can be patient to me as I learn.  I’ve never really seen myself as stubborn but, I suppose in the proper context (sin), clearly I am.  I think I am the most impatient person that I know.  It’s important to wait on God.  To acknowledge that He is in control, and that His time will most likely not match up with want I want.  Simply because He is God and I am not.  And I need to accept that with excitement and humility. 

If I stand back and look at my day as a whole, it truly blows my mind to think, wow! I did all that?  Its ridiculous.  I try to do as much as I can everyday only to satisfy my “don’t waste time” urge.  And sometimes, more recently, I’ve not been going to sleep.  As of right now I’ve been up since Sunday morning, when I got up for church.  I guess what I’m trying to get at is, by trying not to waste time, I end up wasting more time.  Just before Christ ascended into heaven what did he tell his deciples? . . . it was somthing like “therefore, go and make  disciples of all nations” . . . you know the rest.  I dont think i heard him mutter anything about a job, or a car, or money.  Where do our priorities ly?  whats important in our lives?  Is it doing the will of the King, or our we toooo far involved in the world.  Are we trying to get through life the way that the world does?  Arent we to be set apart?  What is a visable difference in me and a non-christian?  I get early on sundays and go to church.  Last I checked there were even plenty of un-saved people doing that? 

   In the course of a typical day how much do I share the gospel, how much do I talk to people and pray for them?  How much time could I not be wasting?  I’m not married, so I certainly don’t have a family to tend to.  School is pretty much out.  I don’t have a job.  The only commitment that I have right now is laziness.  And that sucks!  

Aside from that, I know that christians have jobs, I know that they have families, and I know that they have other responsabilities.  But, for people our age who have a good amount of freedom, what are we doing?  (not trying to offend anyone here)  Just out of curiousity what would happen if we step out on faith and depend soley on him for cash, for food, for every necessity?  Hasn’t he promised to take care of us?  Not worry about where we’re gonna sleep tonight, not worry about where our next meal will come from.  Let God take care of us, like he has promised?

sorry, sometimes I feel like i just ramble incoherently.  I start the blog out with a point but then I get off track.  So, im not gonna finish my point, im just going to abandon this alltogether, enjoy!