I've wanted to post so many things to my blog, but I don't ever have time anymore. And, because I make absolutely no money sitting at a computer writing my opinion, the blogging takes a backseat to the rest of my life. But, in the interest of sharing some finds with my few followers, here are some videos from my YouTube History.
Depeche Mode has a new album coming the end of March. Here is their first released video.
Here is Joe Getty from the "Armstrong and Getty Show" (on AM Talk 650) confirming that he can easily make a 37 yard field goal, unlike David Akers of the 49ers, who missed one in the NFC championship game. Sure, Akers kicked a 63-yarder and tied the NFL record or something, but he missed the easy one.
Don't run from the police in Slavic countries.
The Trombone was never cooler, except when Commander Riker played his on Star Trek.
My next Ford? I would love to drive an F150 again, and this concept is sweet.
What cold is in Los Angeles looks silly to the rest of the USA.
Now this is a video. It's Fresh from Bel-Air.
Do not try this. Double BMW Donuts.
Cool, crazy things people do.
Audi is about to make Google Maps, Earth, and Search part of its cars. This video was made by my favorite car company using Google Maps/Street View.
The science of Guiness beer can really be hyped, to the point of making it seem like it's one of the wonders of the world. Of course, it makes it look like it tastes amazing.
Science is fun. Should you run or walk in the rain?
February 2, 2013
December 26, 2012
More Than Amazing, More Than Words, A Joy Of This Man's Desiring
If you haven't seen videos from or heard of The Piano Guys, you may not be a true "lover of music". These guys are super talented. I first discovered them from their cheesy and hilarious master piece of Star Wars music mashed into one amazing piece of music (see here).
Today I discovered this Mash-up of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", by Bach and "More Than Words" by Extreme. Seems like an odd paring, but this is really good. And the guy they have singing it has an amazing voice.
The cool thing about "More Than Words" is remembering the first time I heard this song and how much I liked it. I was in high school, and I can remember being in a photography class that I never actually had to attend because we were all out "taking pictures". The teacher's name was "Kim" so you know she was cool, you know, because you didn't have to call her by her title and last name (which I can't even remember anyway).
Today I discovered this Mash-up of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", by Bach and "More Than Words" by Extreme. Seems like an odd paring, but this is really good. And the guy they have singing it has an amazing voice.
December 10, 2012
We Have Only One Reason To Exist (Updated)
Every now and again, I come across old posts and feel like re-sharing them. This one seemed appropriate to recent thoughts of mine. I've updated it and added a few things, including a link to a very uplifting and encouraging message from 1 Corinthians 15. Here's a link to today's sermon.
UPDATED...again 12/11/12. Here's the video:
March 27, 2011 (updates in italics)
I don't really know how to sound intelligent or deep. I'm a super opinionated person, with nothing really to say. I read all sorts of blogs and Internet sites (Twitter mostly these days) trying to gain knowledge on things that will make me sound like I know what I'm talking about, but I don't really know anything about the important things of life. Well, there is one exception to that. I actually know the most important thing (to a great eternal) life. But I don't live like I do, or share that knowledge. In fact, most of the time I live and act and speak like I don't know this crucial truth to our existence. I know there is a deep and critical purpose for our lives. I know this purpose brings hope and joy. I know that without understanding this purpose, besides the eternal damnation we face apart from this truth, our lives will be lived hopeless and frustrated, filled with hated, anger, and emptiness. The crazy thing is, even with this knowledge in my own head, I live in a negative place right now. And this is because we are not called to merely understand this purpose, but we are told to live it.
I turned 35 last week (36 now) and I've started to take a look at my life, maybe for the first time. I've been looking at where I came from, where I am, what I've accomplished, and what I've set as goals. I started my life in a loving family, where I was raised, protected, and guided in the knowledge of God. I grew into an involved member of the Church, playing music in worship services, leading small group discussions, working on my own relationship with God, studying the Bible, and trying to live my life to please God. Currently, my life is a joke (still true). There is nothing in it that resembles a life lived in faith. Sure, I go to church on Sundays, where one of the most dynamic preacher I've ever heard teaches; I teach my kids about God, I pray with them, I even pray (mostly plead) on my own, but I don't live daily by faith. My wife and I have had our share of tragic happenings, from medical things and deaths in the family to financial and job related trials, but our prayers and requests for God's help and guidance are far and few between. We don't live in faith. We don't live as though we understand our purpose for existence.
I am a huge failure. I don't take responsibility for my wife's spiritual maturity as I should. I should be leading this family into meaningful, deep, real, solid relationships with God. Instead, I'm the one that is too angry and frustrated at the outcome of my life this far to be a positive force in this family. As someone who was raised in the church, with lots of access to the Bible and teachers and examples of God-pleasing people, I should lovingly lead my wife and kids into God's light and grace. I have the chance to show them God's grace and love, and that our purpose is to enjoy glorifying Him. But I'm selfish, frustrated, sinful, and horrible. I don't bring God glory with my own life, so how can I teach my family to do the same? After8+ 9+ years together, how is it my wife is still a baby Christian and I've now become someone who doesn't even resemble one at all?
Knowledge is nothing without actions. Just like James 2:19 says "even the demons believe - and shudder". It's not knowledge of God that saves. It takes faith in our need for Jesus. We must give up self control. We MUST realize we can never be good enough on our own. Apart from God, we are nothing. Our purpose is to glorify God, who is the Creator of all things. He gave us free will, and then a Savior to save us from ourselves. Think of it like this: we are called to go out into the world and reveal God to those we meet. But if we don't know God ourselves, how can we share Him with others? I need to wake up and live this knowledge. I am nothing apart from God. I deserve eternal damnation because of my sins. And without God's Son, Jesus, that's where I'd be headed (HELL). But by the grace of God, I am saved from these sins by the perfect lamb, sacrificed for me. Now I have only one reason to exist: I MUST GLORIFY GOD!
UPDATED...again 12/11/12. Here's the video:
March 27, 2011 (updates in italics)
I don't really know how to sound intelligent or deep. I'm a super opinionated person, with nothing really to say. I read all sorts of blogs and Internet sites (Twitter mostly these days) trying to gain knowledge on things that will make me sound like I know what I'm talking about, but I don't really know anything about the important things of life. Well, there is one exception to that. I actually know the most important thing (to a great eternal) life. But I don't live like I do, or share that knowledge. In fact, most of the time I live and act and speak like I don't know this crucial truth to our existence. I know there is a deep and critical purpose for our lives. I know this purpose brings hope and joy. I know that without understanding this purpose, besides the eternal damnation we face apart from this truth, our lives will be lived hopeless and frustrated, filled with hated, anger, and emptiness. The crazy thing is, even with this knowledge in my own head, I live in a negative place right now. And this is because we are not called to merely understand this purpose, but we are told to live it.
I turned 35 last week (36 now) and I've started to take a look at my life, maybe for the first time. I've been looking at where I came from, where I am, what I've accomplished, and what I've set as goals. I started my life in a loving family, where I was raised, protected, and guided in the knowledge of God. I grew into an involved member of the Church, playing music in worship services, leading small group discussions, working on my own relationship with God, studying the Bible, and trying to live my life to please God. Currently, my life is a joke (still true). There is nothing in it that resembles a life lived in faith. Sure, I go to church on Sundays, where one of the most dynamic preacher I've ever heard teaches; I teach my kids about God, I pray with them, I even pray (mostly plead) on my own, but I don't live daily by faith. My wife and I have had our share of tragic happenings, from medical things and deaths in the family to financial and job related trials, but our prayers and requests for God's help and guidance are far and few between. We don't live in faith. We don't live as though we understand our purpose for existence.
I am a huge failure. I don't take responsibility for my wife's spiritual maturity as I should. I should be leading this family into meaningful, deep, real, solid relationships with God. Instead, I'm the one that is too angry and frustrated at the outcome of my life this far to be a positive force in this family. As someone who was raised in the church, with lots of access to the Bible and teachers and examples of God-pleasing people, I should lovingly lead my wife and kids into God's light and grace. I have the chance to show them God's grace and love, and that our purpose is to enjoy glorifying Him. But I'm selfish, frustrated, sinful, and horrible. I don't bring God glory with my own life, so how can I teach my family to do the same? After
Knowledge is nothing without actions. Just like James 2:19 says "even the demons believe - and shudder". It's not knowledge of God that saves. It takes faith in our need for Jesus. We must give up self control. We MUST realize we can never be good enough on our own. Apart from God, we are nothing. Our purpose is to glorify God, who is the Creator of all things. He gave us free will, and then a Savior to save us from ourselves. Think of it like this: we are called to go out into the world and reveal God to those we meet. But if we don't know God ourselves, how can we share Him with others? I need to wake up and live this knowledge. I am nothing apart from God. I deserve eternal damnation because of my sins. And without God's Son, Jesus, that's where I'd be headed (HELL). But by the grace of God, I am saved from these sins by the perfect lamb, sacrificed for me. Now I have only one reason to exist: I MUST GLORIFY GOD!
November 27, 2012
Paul Gives Up His Rights...Disciplines His Body (Updated)
I came across this post from 2011 and it felt relevant to my recent tweets at @jeremydburch. I hope this encourages you.
First read 1 Corinthians 9
February 21, 2011
There are so many rhetorical questions in chapter 9 of 1 Corinthians. It's almost like Paul wants to say, "Duh" to the church at Corith. What he is doing is pointing out the things he is giving up in his life or disciplining himself from so that he is a better witness for the gospel. He is making it clear that, although some of the things he gives up are not sinful to partake in, he abstains from such things to be set apart and free from guilt. Just like in chapter 8, where he explains he is free to eat or drink whatever he desires, he does not eat or drink certain things in certain situations so he does not cause someone else to stumble or judge him wrongly. Now in chapter 9 is goes further to explain the freedoms he gives up to better serve God.
Really, this is too short an explanation to do this passage justice, but to break down each statement would take me too long with my limited time to write. Basically, we need to look at the things in our lives that are not necessarily wrong to be involved in but that might cause others to stumble or question our faith. We need to be able to use our freedoms to further the kingdom of God and allow us to more easily share the gospel. Just as Paul says in 9:22 "...I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some," our freedoms allow us to present the gospel to all types of people. But we must, "discipline (our) body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others (we) should be disqualified."
First read 1 Corinthians 9
February 21, 2011
There are so many rhetorical questions in chapter 9 of 1 Corinthians. It's almost like Paul wants to say, "Duh" to the church at Corith. What he is doing is pointing out the things he is giving up in his life or disciplining himself from so that he is a better witness for the gospel. He is making it clear that, although some of the things he gives up are not sinful to partake in, he abstains from such things to be set apart and free from guilt. Just like in chapter 8, where he explains he is free to eat or drink whatever he desires, he does not eat or drink certain things in certain situations so he does not cause someone else to stumble or judge him wrongly. Now in chapter 9 is goes further to explain the freedoms he gives up to better serve God.
Really, this is too short an explanation to do this passage justice, but to break down each statement would take me too long with my limited time to write. Basically, we need to look at the things in our lives that are not necessarily wrong to be involved in but that might cause others to stumble or question our faith. We need to be able to use our freedoms to further the kingdom of God and allow us to more easily share the gospel. Just as Paul says in 9:22 "...I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some," our freedoms allow us to present the gospel to all types of people. But we must, "discipline (our) body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others (we) should be disqualified."
November 15, 2012
November 11, 2012
October 19, 2012
Romney Steals The Show...Comedy Gold
This is MY blog and therefore leans towards one of the candidates over the other, but if you don't find Romney's speech an example of great comedic timing and joke content, you are clueless. For the sake of some fairness and comparison, I've also included Obama's speech, which is also entertaining.
Romney's first.
Here's Obama's. I really like the shot he takes at Mayor Bloomberg.
Romney's first.
Here's Obama's. I really like the shot he takes at Mayor Bloomberg.
September 16, 2012
Why "iPhone 5" Is The Wrong Choice
On March 3, 2012 I predicted, based on a very reasonable explanation made by my friend Jason, that the sixth generation iPhone would be called "iPhone LTE" or "iPhone 6". I took that prediction one step further and bet another friend, techyted, a Starbucks coffee it would be so; he bet it would be called "iPhone 5". I lost that bet when Apple named its sixth generation incorrectly (based on my logic) as "iPhone 5". Really the bet was that it would be called "iPhone LTE", based on the fact that Apple had to include the LTE antenna technology to stay competitive, and would name it such to highlight this much needed speed boost in antenna speed. With the second generation iPhone taking the name "iPhone 3G" to highlight the inclusion of the 3G antenna, which was really the only complaint first generation iPhone users had, "iPhone LTE" seemed a smart name for this sixth generation iPhone. It would also allow Apple to skip 5, since the "iPhone 4S" was the name of the fifth generation iPhone. Let me break down the naming vs generations from the beginning.
The first iPhone was called "iPhone", which made perfect sense since it was the first phone to be called that (well technically that's not true either, but that's a whole other story). The second iPhone was not called "iPhone 2" however, because Apple wanted to clarify it had added a faster cellular antenna system; they called it "iPhone 3G", helping market the fix of the first generation's biggest flaw. When the third generation iPhone arrived, Apple simply added an "s" to the second generation's name to exclaim its speedier innards. This also allowed for the number 3 to be in the third generation's name of "iPhone 3Gs".
Then came the fourth generation of the popular phone and it was simply called "iPhone 4". That seemed to make perfect sense because by that point we all got the point. It was the next iPhone, and this was the fourth one. But, when Apple introduced the fifth iPhone, they went back to adding an "s" because it was a faster 4. Although this followed some of the previous naming processes Apple had used, it wasn't where I would have gone because now it's like saying, "Hey everybody, you are all right in thinking Apple doesn't do everything it can to advance to the next level with each release of its products. We slow play our ideas so we can extend just enough each year to make you think about upgrading. We don't do everything our billions of dollars in reserves could to bring you exciting and new ideas. We go just far enough to make you think it's better. The 's' stands for 'slightly' better."
That brings us to the announcement of the sixth iPhone generation. This phone was predicted to have LTE cellular antenna technology; and it does. To market that addition, it seemed logical to me to continue naming the generations with the latest and greatest improvements to the device. The speed increase is one we've been waiting for. "iPhone LTE" made the most sense to me, in sticking with the Apple naming method which touts the phone's most recent improvements. Apple could call it the "iPhone 4 inch" to tout the screen size, but it might be confusing with previous name choices. If not "LTE" then a return to the simple generational name "6" seemed to make some sense because this wasn't the fifth generation. "5" didn't seem to make any common sense, with this being the sixth generation. Really, I can see how "6" would have be confusing, since the number 4 is in the fifth generation's name already. Im sure people would ask, "Where did 5 go?" But to clarify two more things to avoid the pending arguments I'm sure to create: If the first iPhone was a "beta" phone, making the 3G "1", iPhone 4 would have been "iPhone 3". And, if the pattern is to add an "s" to every other year, as the body doesn't change, 5 still doesn't make since because there have only been four body styles (or three if you consider the first iPhone just a beta phone).
So, why not call it 6? Besides the obvious confusion that would be caused by skipping the number 5, this IS the sixth generation of the phone. It would also be simple to match it up with sixth major update to the OS, which Apple announcement will ship with iPhone 5. And while they were at it, Apple announced their newest processor too. The "A6" chip was announced, which brings faster processing and graphics to this sixth generation iPhone. It almost seems too perfect. Oh, but there it is. iPhone 6 running iOS 6 on an A6 chip. Too many 6's in a row for big, evil Apple to reveal its true self. You win fanboys. You win.
One more thing: if they continue to increase by one number every two year, adding an 's' to every other, the iPhone 10 pictured above will be the sixteenth generation. 10 is 16. 10-16. That's the radio code for "pick up prisoner". Do you see what that means people? Do you?
September 15, 2012
September 5, 2012
Audi is "Beauty Made Powerful"
I posted a picture of an Audi R8 today; I saw it on my way to work. It is a thing of beauty. Tonight I came across this commercial for the S8, the race inspired sedan by Audi. Again , the first thing that came to my mind was beauty , followed by powerful.
August 29, 2012
2011 Kia Sorento...Might Be Time To Return Ours
Besides this video, which is enough to make me want to return my 2011 Kia Sorento, mine is currently going on the third day at the dealership for some issue with the transmission that we've taken it in on 2 times previous.
What should I do? Lemon Law? Also, there isn't a lower level of professionalism than that of the employees at the Kia dealer here. I can't believe the poor attitude and total disregard for customers. I'm really considering moving Kia back to the NEVER BUY list they were on before my 2011 purchase. This is what $10,000 cheaper than Honda's Pilot will get you.
What should I do? Lemon Law? Also, there isn't a lower level of professionalism than that of the employees at the Kia dealer here. I can't believe the poor attitude and total disregard for customers. I'm really considering moving Kia back to the NEVER BUY list they were on before my 2011 purchase. This is what $10,000 cheaper than Honda's Pilot will get you.
Next VW Golf Coming Soon
I want to go back to driving a Volkswagen Golf. I loved mine so much. Now this video has leaked showing September 4th could be the reveal of the next generation Golf. I can't wait.
August 18, 2012
Gotye Created A Mash-up of Parodies of His Song
Goyte took a bunch of YouTube videos of people recreating his song "Somebody I Used to Know" and mashed them together in this great video.
August 12, 2012
July 28, 2012
Christian Thoughts Rather Than My Own
It's interesting what goes through my head on a daily basis. Work, home, God, people, friends, frustrations, family, all these things have meanings that really affect how I act, think, talk, react, and live. Recently my pastor tweeted:
This led me to this post, which I hope will again renew my Bible reading and Christian living. I thank God I'm saved by grace, because I'm not cutting it in the "religious works" column. I mean, let's look at the list I created above of things that have meaning in my life, and notice the order in which I typed them:
1. Work
2. Home (which could be family)
3. God
4. People
5. Friends
6. Frustrations (which could be foes)
7. Family (again because "home" didn't really feel as connected as "family" should be)
Are you kidding me that I put "work" first? I mean, my employer would probably like that I'm consistently thinking about my duties and working hard, but even they would say that it's not very good "work/life balance", which is a term we use to say, "we make sure to balance life and work evenly." But more importantly, I thought of that over God and family? What in the world is wrong with me? If I was going to list this on some "spiritual scale" I'd have to list God, Home, People, then maybe work. I'm not even really concerned that it's work first, more that it's NOT God, or at least Home. I mean, even non-Christian people would say home or family is more important than work.
Last year in July I was renewed to be a better spiritual leader in my family's (specifically kids') lives because of my uncle's encouragement to have a family devotional time. And, while that lasted a little while, it didn't last even a year and we completely neglected the Bible for the most part after that. I'm raising two boys in a desperate time, and I'm not even leading them in the truth of scripture? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I continue to battle my anger over losing my job with the county, and yet that's the plan God had for me at that time. And I don't turn that anger over to Him until I get so angry I literally scream with frustration because of my complete failure in that pursuit. My point is, there are so many issues to address in my life and I turn none of them over to God. WHY NOT?!?!?
Well, the answer is because of what Lance said. I'm not listening to Christian thoughts. Specifically, I'm not listening to the Words of God. I'm not in the Bible studying. I'm not praying, at least not more than a simple prayer with my kids at night. I'm not involved in church. I don't surround myself with Christian friends. I'm a mess. I claim Christ, and yet no one would believe that I'm His child. My anger rules me. My frustrations control my every thought. I focus on what I can not control because I think I would do things better than most. I'm driven by what's not fair or right or correct because I demand it be that way and hate that I can't make it so. WELL, LIFE ISN'T FAIR BURCH. And frankly, neither is God. I mean, if God was fair he'd kill me and send me to hell for eternity because I sin against Him daily. If I have someone do something against me only a few times a year, I am disgusted with them. BUT, ALL of us fall short of the glory of God. I learned this confusing phrase as a kid but I still remember it today as the definition of sin. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. This is a truth which damns us all to hell, apart from Christ. We can not achieve Heaven on our own because one failure eliminates the required perfection. Once we've sinned just one time all hope in ourselves should be lost, at least in gaining Heaven apart from Christ. It's only thanks to Jesus' death, which paid the price of all our sin, a price tag of death and separation from God, that we have salvation if we believe. But, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW GOD AGREED IT WOULD WORK, He sent His perfect Son, Jesus, to be that payment, because perfection could not be held in the grave and Hell could not keep the Son of God contained.
Now, if you've read this blog over the years, you may recognize the pattern of frustration I have with myself, and the fact that I go back and forth, up and down, in my apparent spiritual life. But really I want to assure you, there is no pattern of success; there is only a pattern of failures and recognition of those failures, which could be argued as a success based on our hopelessness to achieve success over sin while separated from God. Possibly, the recognition of our need is the only true success we can have here. I'll say it again, I am thankful that it's grace that saves, not works, because I'm an awful Christian. I have no religion; I care for no one. I claim Christ and God yet do not live to prove Him. In fact, really the only evidence of transformation I have is a peace that comes from the knowledge of grace, and the hope I have in a God who is Holy and Unchanging, who promises to save all who believe in Him. I wish so badly that I was the guy who lived how a Christian should live, transformed by the Spirit, renewed by the gift of Jesus. But I struggle more than I can bare to live out my faith. I conform to my surroundings and blend into the ways of those I work with, play with, live with, interact with, and the things I read, watch, hear, and all the things I immerse myself in. If these things were Christian Thoughts, I'd be more successful as a child of God, but they are the things of the world: people, places, things that are not how God designed them, but of man.
Okay, but how do I change? How do I rid myself of the anger and frustrations that lead me to not live a life that is pleasing to God? How do I discipline myself to think on Christian things, rather than earthly things? How do I listen to the voice of God and the Holy Spirit and read the Bible, rather than being tempted by the damning voice of Satan and his demons, calling me to sin in anger, frustration, and hate? Honestly, I have answers to these questions but don't do the things I know I need to do. Instead, I surround myself with fools and sinners and temptations and anger, rather than fellow believers who can build me up and who can be built up by me. I need to worry less about my place in the world and more about my place in Heaven. This leads to the Bible and studying the things of God, Christian things. This leads away from the things of earth, the things that people tell me will make me happy, successful, satisfied. I must press on toward the upward call of Christ and hope in Him and listen to the Holy Spirit's prompting. I must commit to reading and studying the Word of God, to surrounding myself with the things of God, and to have Christian thoughts envelop my life. I must find Christian friends to be closer to, to encourage and be encourage by. I really need to work on my devotion through the Word of God, and know what God wants me to know from His own inspired words.
via jeremydburch.blogspot.com
This led me to this post, which I hope will again renew my Bible reading and Christian living. I thank God I'm saved by grace, because I'm not cutting it in the "religious works" column. I mean, let's look at the list I created above of things that have meaning in my life, and notice the order in which I typed them:
1. Work
2. Home (which could be family)
3. God
4. People
5. Friends
6. Frustrations (which could be foes)
7. Family (again because "home" didn't really feel as connected as "family" should be)
Are you kidding me that I put "work" first? I mean, my employer would probably like that I'm consistently thinking about my duties and working hard, but even they would say that it's not very good "work/life balance", which is a term we use to say, "we make sure to balance life and work evenly." But more importantly, I thought of that over God and family? What in the world is wrong with me? If I was going to list this on some "spiritual scale" I'd have to list God, Home, People, then maybe work. I'm not even really concerned that it's work first, more that it's NOT God, or at least Home. I mean, even non-Christian people would say home or family is more important than work.
Last year in July I was renewed to be a better spiritual leader in my family's (specifically kids') lives because of my uncle's encouragement to have a family devotional time. And, while that lasted a little while, it didn't last even a year and we completely neglected the Bible for the most part after that. I'm raising two boys in a desperate time, and I'm not even leading them in the truth of scripture? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I continue to battle my anger over losing my job with the county, and yet that's the plan God had for me at that time. And I don't turn that anger over to Him until I get so angry I literally scream with frustration because of my complete failure in that pursuit. My point is, there are so many issues to address in my life and I turn none of them over to God. WHY NOT?!?!?
Well, the answer is because of what Lance said. I'm not listening to Christian thoughts. Specifically, I'm not listening to the Words of God. I'm not in the Bible studying. I'm not praying, at least not more than a simple prayer with my kids at night. I'm not involved in church. I don't surround myself with Christian friends. I'm a mess. I claim Christ, and yet no one would believe that I'm His child. My anger rules me. My frustrations control my every thought. I focus on what I can not control because I think I would do things better than most. I'm driven by what's not fair or right or correct because I demand it be that way and hate that I can't make it so. WELL, LIFE ISN'T FAIR BURCH. And frankly, neither is God. I mean, if God was fair he'd kill me and send me to hell for eternity because I sin against Him daily. If I have someone do something against me only a few times a year, I am disgusted with them. BUT, ALL of us fall short of the glory of God. I learned this confusing phrase as a kid but I still remember it today as the definition of sin. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. This is a truth which damns us all to hell, apart from Christ. We can not achieve Heaven on our own because one failure eliminates the required perfection. Once we've sinned just one time all hope in ourselves should be lost, at least in gaining Heaven apart from Christ. It's only thanks to Jesus' death, which paid the price of all our sin, a price tag of death and separation from God, that we have salvation if we believe. But, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW GOD AGREED IT WOULD WORK, He sent His perfect Son, Jesus, to be that payment, because perfection could not be held in the grave and Hell could not keep the Son of God contained.
Now, if you've read this blog over the years, you may recognize the pattern of frustration I have with myself, and the fact that I go back and forth, up and down, in my apparent spiritual life. But really I want to assure you, there is no pattern of success; there is only a pattern of failures and recognition of those failures, which could be argued as a success based on our hopelessness to achieve success over sin while separated from God. Possibly, the recognition of our need is the only true success we can have here. I'll say it again, I am thankful that it's grace that saves, not works, because I'm an awful Christian. I have no religion; I care for no one. I claim Christ and God yet do not live to prove Him. In fact, really the only evidence of transformation I have is a peace that comes from the knowledge of grace, and the hope I have in a God who is Holy and Unchanging, who promises to save all who believe in Him. I wish so badly that I was the guy who lived how a Christian should live, transformed by the Spirit, renewed by the gift of Jesus. But I struggle more than I can bare to live out my faith. I conform to my surroundings and blend into the ways of those I work with, play with, live with, interact with, and the things I read, watch, hear, and all the things I immerse myself in. If these things were Christian Thoughts, I'd be more successful as a child of God, but they are the things of the world: people, places, things that are not how God designed them, but of man.
Okay, but how do I change? How do I rid myself of the anger and frustrations that lead me to not live a life that is pleasing to God? How do I discipline myself to think on Christian things, rather than earthly things? How do I listen to the voice of God and the Holy Spirit and read the Bible, rather than being tempted by the damning voice of Satan and his demons, calling me to sin in anger, frustration, and hate? Honestly, I have answers to these questions but don't do the things I know I need to do. Instead, I surround myself with fools and sinners and temptations and anger, rather than fellow believers who can build me up and who can be built up by me. I need to worry less about my place in the world and more about my place in Heaven. This leads to the Bible and studying the things of God, Christian things. This leads away from the things of earth, the things that people tell me will make me happy, successful, satisfied. I must press on toward the upward call of Christ and hope in Him and listen to the Holy Spirit's prompting. I must commit to reading and studying the Word of God, to surrounding myself with the things of God, and to have Christian thoughts envelop my life. I must find Christian friends to be closer to, to encourage and be encourage by. I really need to work on my devotion through the Word of God, and know what God wants me to know from His own inspired words.
via jeremydburch.blogspot.com
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