Braveheart

This is a great quote from my favorite movie Braveheart.

William Wallace: And if this is your army, why does it go? Soldier: We didn't come here to fight for them. Second Soldier: Home, the English are too many! William Wallace: Sons of Scotland! I am William Wallace. Second Soldier: William Wallace is seven feet tall! William Wallace: Yes, I've heard. Kills men by the hundreds. And if HE were here, he'd consume the English with fireballs from his eyes, and bolts of lightning from his arse. [Scottish army laughs] William Wallace: I AM William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my country men, here, in defiance of tyranny. You've come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight? Soldier: Against that? No, we'll run, and we'll live. William Wallace: Aye, fight and you may die, run, and you'll live... at least for a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!

This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:14-16

How many times have you wished for second chance? How many things would you do differently if given another opportunity? God gives us so many incredible opportunities we just need to take them. I can't even begin to count the ones I've missed but when I'm dying in my bed, many years from now I want to be able to say "I fought the good fight, I've finished the race, I've kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

Prayer Request

I've been praying a lot lately about the direction to go with the new Bible study at work. I've had several ideas and talked to a few people about it. God has given me such a tremendous opportunity here and I want Him to direct this. I feel like we need to go through the Gospel of John with the underlining question of Who is Jesus? So my prayer request is that I wouldn't just try to teach what I know but that the Holy spirit would lead us into Truth. I really want to see people transformed here. Pray for softened hearts and that God would work in the short time we have together.

Be Still

Do you love life? Do you appreciate the little things? Do ever slow down and just think? We live in such a fast paced society. So often I have a hard time to just slow down enough to relax. When I do though it's great. I love to just get lost in my thoughts. To think about life. To consider the past and where I've been. To think about God. Not to just think of Him in some distant intellectual way but to really ponder who He is. It's that true intimacy I long for and am usually to busy to experience. It's those quiet times, even in a noisy world, when I am closest to my savior. It's when my heart is filled with an aching love for the one who loves me more than I can even pretend to understand. It's when my passion truly comes alive.
Life is to fast. Let's not hurry it along. Let's slow down and enjoy the important things. Let's celebrate the relationships in our lives. Let's cherish the time we have. Let's show the world what true love looks like. Let's be alive.

Truth?

This whole thing of truth today is just amazing to me. Truth is not something that can be manufactured or altered to fit any given situation. The fact that we are all born with a sense of right and wrong, this higher standard we know and assume that everyone else knows should prove in our own hearts that truth exists. Think about it there is something inside of you that says one thing is good and another is bad. That's when people will say it's true for me it doesn't have to be true to you. It doesn't work that way. If it did than when somebody wronged you, you wouldn't say that it was not fair. By who's standards was it not fair maybe according to their truth it was perfectly acceptable to cut in line or to steal your wallet. He had calculated reasons for doing so. But there is something above our own reason and justification that says certain things are wrong. They're wrong for all people all the time. I'll give you an example when is it okay or good to rape somebody? I'll tell you when never! To say rape is wrong is an absolute truth. The amazing thing about truth is that it doesn't need anyone to believe in it to exist. It existed before us, it will exist after us, it's unchanging, it's steady, it's true. Instead of trying to be our own gods of our own lives we need to embrace this truth for what it is and when we know the truth it will set us free. So what is this truth? Jesus answered "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, no one shall come to the Father but by me". John 14:6 Trust in the Truth, the author of life and he will set you free.

John 16:33

Take heart! I have overcome the world. That's Christ's command. Isn't that great. He saying "look I know the world is hard. It's a tough place I've been there. I've walked a mile in your shoes, even more. But don't lose heart, this is only the beginning. You see I have overcome this world. The ruler of this world, he knows his time is short. He's working overtime but I've defeated him as well and as my followers you also have victory over him. Be encouraged his time is fleeting but yours it's only beginning". I pray that you would be encouraged today God has got so much more for our lives. We need to take hold of His promises and start living as the followers of a living God should.

God has opened up some big doors at work for me. A couple of months ago I was thinking of starting a bible study at work. The only good spot to meet was upstairs in the conference room. I asked my manager about using the room for a weekly bible study and he said he would have to check with his boss in Omaha. Well I have to admit I pretty much thought it was a no go. Several weeks went by and my manager finally got back to me and said that it was approved. I was really surprised. So my buddy Craig and I decided to start this week. I asked eleven people if they would be interested. Today was our first meeting and we had four there. We started off just sharing about our background and how God is a part of our lives. We had great time and one of the people that showed up was a guy I didn't even know that someone else invited. He had a great testimony and sounds like a really solid believer. It sounds like we could have as many as seven people come next week. I just ask that you would pray for us that we would make an impact where we are. This is an awesome opportunity that God has given me. God once again has showed his faithfulness and reminded me why we're out here.