Focusing on God in the Ups and Downs of Life

The sermon I heard last Sunday was on James 5:13-20, but focused especially on James 5:13, which says:

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

Basically, when we have downs in life, instead of falling into self-pity, we need to pray.  When we have ups in life, instead of becoming self-absorbed or possessed by possessions, we need to praise God and give Him the glory.

This is very simple, yet so comprehensive. I knew about this verse earlier, but was greatly impacted by it this week. God's word really is powerful!

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  (Hebrews 4:12)

Keep a Christ-centered life and you'll keep the right perspective!

Back to Blogger!

Hi, after leaving Blogger for Word Press I've come back.

I switched back because Word Press allows more flexibility in design, but I don't use it.  Blogger is free and it is much easier to keep track of other people's blogs with it.

In the future I hope to keep active in the blogging world.

God bless,
Stephen

Edit: Despite setting the publishing dates in the past, all the posts I just moved here are showing up in my reading list.  Sorry about this.

Halftime! (Almost)

---First published on stephen-blog.com when I used that site---

Yesterday and today I was thinking about this blog post.  I planned to review my goals from the beginning of 2014 and plan for the remainder of it. And then it hit me!  5 minutes before writing this the realization came that 2014 is not halfway done.  So it looks as if I just gained a whole month! :D To see what I published a little after the start of this year, click here, or simply scroll down two posts. The last few days have been the most painful of my life, but I've also experienced some of the greatest blessings and fastest growth I have ever had.  It's a good time to reflect on life, priorities, and plans.  Thanks God! To anyone going through hard times I recommend 3 things:

1. Use the pressure to propel yourself closer to God.  Obey, praise, and trust Him no matter how hard.  This is not easy to do, but I'm 100% confident that God will reward you if you do.
2. Talk to other believers.  The other day I was really struggling.  It felt like the world was some type of sick matrix experiment seeing how much I could take.  However, after talking to a pastor I was resolved to do my duty and trust God.  The body of Christ is very important and lately my appreciation for it has grown hugely (a blessing from hard times)
3. Don't brace.  Relax in God.  He is sovereign (this has been brought out numerous times recently).  Bracing is a natural reaction to bad situations, but it doesn't help.  Last week (after some peer pressure ;-) ) I went on my first upside down roller coaster.  Later I rode on a wooden coaster that was quite bumpy.  I discovered that when relaxed it was much more enjoyable for me than when I was tense.  The same is true in life.  Worrying about the future wont help anything.  In fact, it's commanded against in scripture (Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 6:25-34).  Trust God!

That's a somewhat long introduction, but it gives the context for this post.   My goals reviewed:

• Grow closer to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He has drawn me much closer to Him.  May He give me grace to always respond when He calls out to me.

• Quickly bounce back from any and all setbacks.  Pride is something I have to watch out for when saying this, but I honestly think this is an area I've shown strength in.  All glory to God! :)

• Be more self-controlled, especially in following schedules and resolutions of mine.  I've grown a ton in this area, but still have a lot of room to grow.

• Do very well in the last few months of high school.  I'm very thankful that this year of school has been my favorite.  Last week I thought I had 3 more weeks before finishing, and I still think this, but we'll see how it goes.  Man makes plans.  God controls.

• Seek God’s direction for my life after high school.  For sure I need to continue to do this.  He's blessed me, but I think I need to devote more time to this.

• Have more faith and trust in God.  Right now my faith is at a high.  It's critical to make sure it stays that way.

• Take action on things I believe.  When I copied this I first thought along the lines of 'I've been quite busy with school, so you know, yeah...' but that would kind of be a lame excuse.  Another area to keep working on!

• Give more of my time, energy, and money to God’s kingdom.  I have given more than before, but I can improve.  My default for when I have free time has often been to go towards chess or computer games, but my priorities were wrong.  There is nothing wrong with those things, but the Christian's focus must be God's kingdom.  I especially feel compassion for those who cannot help themselves, so that is probably where I'll try to give my time/money.

• Be financially well off by the end of the year.  Hehe.. :P  Not quite.  I do think it's a legitimate excuse that most of my time has been occupied by school.  Finances are something I've studied, and I'm quite confident that I can do well, but the main thing is I must take action!

So I evaluate myself as doing well overall, but I must not let that make me passive.   Here are some new things I plan on doing:

• Grow more mature.  I want to progress in life.  The thing important to realize is that it's today where you grow, not tomorrow or next year.  I'm 18 and I need to be ready for the rest of my life.  Though all of life is learning, the primary training grounds are almost up.  Thankfully I've been blessed with spectacular parents, so I have something of a head start.

• Be more joyful. :D Right now is the perfect opportunity to practice.

• Be more patient.  Waiting for big things is sometimes hard for me, sometimes not, but it often gets to me to have to wait for small things if I don't see why there is the need to wait.  Kind of silly :P

• Stay active; not get passive.  Especially when life is easy and God's blessings are the only thing coming my way.  Do I want to have it that the only way for God to make me move is bring troubles my way?  No!  I'd much rather force myself to get out of and expand my comfort zone even when life seems easy.

• Keep and grow vibrant relationships with friends and family.  Material things and fun are gifts of God, but you cannot take your stuff to with you through death (though you can store up treasures in Heaven).  You can, however, build relationships with God and people that will last forever.  I need to make sure I am consistent in taking time to read God's word and pray.  People are also important, much more important than any thing.  I need to make sure I show this in my relationships with people.

  Life is an adventure.  Keep smiling :D  

Habit

---First published on stephen-blog.com when I used that site--- I came across this a few days ago while reading Financial peace.  

I am your constant companion,

I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.

I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.

I am at your command.

Half of the tasks that you do you might just as well turn over to me and I will to them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed,

you must merely be firm with me.

Show me exactly what you want done; after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great people and alas of all failures as well.

Those who are great I have made great,

those who are failures I have made failures.

I am not a machine, but I work with all the precision of a machine, plus the intelligence of a person.

Now you may run me for profit or

you may run me for ruin.

It makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me,

and I will lay the world at your feet.

Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I? I am called habit.

Fun fact:

Assuming it takes 3 seconds to pick up a penny (and you don't suffer physically from doing so), you would make $12.00 in an hour by picking up pennies.  Picking up nickels gives you $60/hour! Time to start a new habit?  ;-)

Things to do in 2014

---First published on stephen-blog.com when I used that site--- 2013 is gone and 2014 has started!  Here are a few things I'll do or at least try to do this year:

• Grow closer to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
• Quickly bounce back from any and all setbacks
• Be more self-controlled, especially in following schedules and resolutions of mine
• Do very well in the last few months of high school
• Seek God's direction for my life after high school
• Have more faith and trust in God
• Take action on things I believe
• Give more of my time, energy, and money to God's kingdom
• Be financially well off by the end of the year

I hope you all have a very blessed year!

The World is Watching

---First published on stephen-blog.com when I used that site--- As most of you who know me well are probably aware of, I like chess a lot.  On chess.com people can create groups for players to join.  Some groups are focused simply on having teams of good players, others are created where chess players who have other things in common can meet. I and another player were both in a group that was specifically for Christian players and another group that was simply trying to play well as a team.  He was respected as a polite (and very good) player. Recently he was banned for cheating. (Using a computer to find his moves) I wonder what the non-Christian players in the team (the one trying to play well) thought.  It's likely at least a few had seen he was in a Christian group and then saw that he was later banned for cheating.  I cannot help but wonder if they thought something along the lines of Christians being hypocrites.  It's possible anyway. While the world's watching of us should certainly not be our primary reason for obedience to Christ, it should spur us on in the right direction. The story above, to the chess fanatic, will be quite serious, but probably not sound like too big of a deal to the average person.  But that's why I used it.  There are lots of examples of famous Christians falling into sin, but I didn't use one since it might then not seem applicable to us normal people.  Yet we must must be sure we are letting our light shine! Our actions, whether big or small, might be watched by others in the world.  Are we pointing to or away from God by those actions?  What/Whom do we reflect?

Money, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy Alcorn

---First published on stephen-blog.com when I used that site--- I recently read Money, Possessions, and Eternity.  This excellent book has changed much of the way I think about money. In America it seems almost everyone is a materialist, and almost all materials about money always say how to get more and more money so that in the next few years you can live a life of ease.  Reading this book was a very refreshing change. Giving, saving, spending, investing, tithing, and fundraisers are a few of the many topics which Randy Alcorn covers in this book. Money, Possessions, and Eternity gives a very scriptural view to some very important issues that are not often viewed in light of the Bible or eternity. I have to admit that while reading this book I was challenged.  Sometimes while reading I would think, "Oh no, I don't want to believe that," but after reading the book I'm glad I believe "that."  I still don't agree with 100% of what he wrote, but I only disagree on a few of the minor points. Reading Money, Possessions, and Eternity was well worth the effort.  As a result of reading it, I think that I'm now more generous, better understand money, better understand God's view of money, and trust God more. Money was probably of too much importance in me and I think that even some of my trust was in it, making it an idol.  It feels very good to be free of this. If you are like most Americans, I believeMoney, Possessions, and Eternity is a book you should read.  Hopefully it will change you in the positive ways it changed me! God bless!

You Don't Need to be Worried

---First published on stephen-blog.com when I used that site--- It seems that many Christians worry a lot.  We can worry about politics, work, school, our family, money, health, tomorrow, and the list goes on and on. But what does worrying accomplish?   Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.   (Proverbs 12:25)   We should not fear.  God has everything in His control.  He is wise, gracious, loving, and He knows what's best.   Matthew 6:25-34: 25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."   And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  (Romans 8:28)   God has everything in control.  He made the universe and He knows how to control it.  The world may at times seem overwhelming, but God knows what's going on.  We can (and should) rely on God.  We need to stop trusting in good circumstances; we need to trust God. So, does this mean we can sit back, relax, do nothing, and hope for our problems to go away?  No!  This would be be laziness.  God has given us commands and we need to obey Him.  Realizing God is in control should inspire us to more action, not less!  We are going to have a wonderful eternity.  Do we act like it?   "Duty is ours; consequences are God's."  Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, 1863   We need to live life remembering that God is good and always in total control of the world, and we need to go forward confidently.

Evolution Vs. God Trailer

---First published on stephen-blog.com when I used that site--- At 12:01 AM EST on August 7, 2013, a movie that looks awesome is coming! Here's the trailer: For more information on Evolution Vs. God visit http://EvolutionVsGod.com

Time

---First published on stephen-blog.com when I used that site--- Time is one of the easiest things to waste.  It is also one of the worst things to waste. Its so easy to hop on the computer for a minute (which usually turns into much more than a minute), to be lazy and put off things that need to be done, and waste time in so many areas.  The list of things where time is wasted could go on for a long time. If you had a whole week where the world stopped for ten hours each day, what do you think you could accomplish?  Could you write a book?  Could you get ahead in school?  Could you make a dent in that huge to-do list? If you find only 15 minutes per day (excluding Sunday) that you are wasting and put them to good use, you have saved yourself 78.25 hours at the end of the year! That was figured out by taking 365 days minus 52 days times 15 (which gets us to 4695 minutes) divided by 60 equals 78.25 hours. If you get on your email three times per day for five minutes when you really don't need to, you are wasting a whole week per year! How much time do you think you could use better?  I think most of us waste much more time than we think we do. Start being honest with yourself!  One way to do this is to keep a record of your time.  Every time you do something, whether it be a 4 hour job or a 3 minute break, write it down.  At the end of the day review how you used your time. One day mom told us to get a sheet of paper.  Every half hour we were to write what we had done.  Doing this helped me use my time better.  When I felt like wasting time, I couldn't because I knew I did not want to have to write that I had wasted that much time. If you have something to do, do it!  Don't waste your time.  You can make other people (and even yourself) think you are much busier than you really are.  You can rattle off your to do list and all the other things you need to do and why you cannot give more time to other things.  But is the way you spend your time showing you to be busy? If you think you may be wasting your time, change some of your language.  Instead of saying you're not going to do something because you are busy, say you aren't going to do something because you are being lazy (if that is actually the case - in other words, don't make excuses). If you put off doing something today, you will have to do it and probably something else tomorrow. One way to save time is to write a list of things you need to do at the start of each day.  Also pray and ask God for wisdom. Another way to used your time the right way is to get your priorities right.  Is it more important that you are a great facebooker or that you have a good relationship with your family? A way to get your priorities right is to ask yourself if what you are doing will matter tomorrow, in a week, in a month, in a year, in ten years, or for eternity.  Later will you look at what you've done and be happy you did it? Use your time wisely. The rest of your life begins now - Use it!