prayer posts...

PARADOX
0 Comments »

Discipline - to train oneself to do something in  controlled and habitual way.


Reflecting upon last weeks message, I realized that there was one critical part of growing in your relationship with Christ.  And that element is DISCIPLINE.  To many this word can cause anxiety because of the negative connotation that it can imply.  You can relate it to punishment, to the military, to a number of other things that are not encouraging.  But the truth is that being disciplined in your Christianity is one of the most positive and encouraging things you could do.

Think of it this way.  If you play any sport there will be a desire to excel and to win games. However, the only way to do that is to practice.  If you want to win, there must be disciplined practice where you build your skills and your fundamentals. In your Christian walk, there should be a desire to be holy, for He is holy, therefore, there needs to be discipline in your walk.  That means be disciplined in (to name a few) reading the Word, fasting, meditation, and prayer.  When you practice these you will be equipped and prepared for when your faith gets tested, when the rubber meets the road.  And you know that there are many times that happens in your life.  When that happens you will be able to have victory and walk in a manner worthy of Him.

With that said, I am encouraging you to establish a DISCIPLINED PRAYER LIFE. Start with 5 minutes a day.  Wake up 5 minutes earlier, go to sleep 5 minutes later, take 5 minutes off of the television or Facebook, and give that time to the Lord.  When you do that you will experience and change and see God bless in unimaginable ways.

On top of that I want every one of you to use this blog to POST PRAYER requests, POST PRAISES of how God is moving.  As a body, we need to know how to pray for each other and to hear the blessings that the Lord bestows. It brings encouragement and support.  So, establish the discipline of prayer in your life and be ready to grow in your faith!  God Bless!

,

...thru the bible

PARADOX
0 Comments »

Hey all!  Just a reminder about the THRU THE BIBLE IN '08 reading.  I want to encourage you guys to take part in this. If you are like me, more times than not, when you open your Bible you have no idea what to read or where to start.  So what will happen is you play the game, "Wherever you turn to first, that is what you are going to read".  And that never works out.  Because you end up turning to some random minor prophet book that you have no idea how to pronounce or what the meaning of the scripture is. It isn't pretty. 


If this might be you, then go THRU THE BIBLE. It is an awesome way to stay on top of your reading, give direction to your devotional time, and make sense of the Bible.  When you read through the bible, you put context to your readings and it is structured so that you know what you are to read next.

This week we are starting with GENESIS!  It is the book of beginnings.  And the readings consist of Chapters 1-17. ALSO, use this blog as a discussion board for what the Lord is teaching you through His Word!  God Bless, and good reading!

faith and forgiveness...

PARADOX
0 Comments »

Mark 2:1-12     The Story of the Paralytic


This event that happens in the town of Capernaum is one, in my opinion, is a story that applies to all people, no matter whether or not you are a Christian. It is one of faith and it is one of forgiveness.  Two of the most important and unique aspects of the Christianity.  Faith, being the foundation of our acceptance of Jesus Christ into our hearts, and forgiveness, which is what Jesus gives to us for that faith that we have in Him.  Isaiah 43:25 "I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins."

Now when Jesus comes back to Capernaum a crowd gathers in the house to see Him.  They come to see Him, to listen to His message, to see His miracles.  And you could imagine the uproar that took place in the city.  However, there was no trace of REPENTANCE in the crowd.  Never once in all the gospels was there a mention of a revival of souls like in the 60s and 70s with the Jesus Movement.  Not once there was an overwhelming move of repentance like in Acts.  There was no growth in their lives. As Christians, this is not something that we should desire.  WE NEED TO DESIRE TO GROW.  Hebrews 6:1 "Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity." You, personally, need to have that desire to pursue the Lord with everything that you have and to grow in your faith. To do that there needs to be action involved with that.  And there are four ways that we discussed to help you grow:
1. Read the Word
2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God breathed."
2. Prayer
Jeremiah 29:12-13 "Then you will call to Me, and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart."
3. Godly Examples
Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
Hebrews 10:24 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works."
4. Active Faith
James 2:14-26
Faith is the force behind the deed, and the deed is the finality of the faith.

And that is the type of faith that the friends of the paralytic had.  Their faith was not the type to just sit around, they had the faith to get out there and go!  They had faith that Jesus could and would heal their friend.  And since they had faith like that their faith was: PERSISTENT, CREATIVE, and SACRIFICIAL.  When those three elements came together, there was nothing to stop them from getting their friend to meet with Jesus.  Therefore, I pose the question, IS YOUR FAITH PERSISTENT, CREATIVE, AND SACRIFICIAL, when it comes to either living up to what the Lord has called you to do or bringing people to meet with Jesus?  Are there paralytics in your life who need Jesus? Are you that paralytic?

When his friends got the man to see Jesus, Jesus responded in an odd sort of way.  Instead of healing, He FORGAVE. Why?  It implies two things, this man's paralysis is a result of sin in his life, and that Jesus went to the heart of the issue. Now let me pause for a second, many would question, does this mean that sickness is a result of sin? Let me say, no, it doesn't mean that.  There are many different examples in the Bible that contradict that claim (see John 9:1-3) that sickness stems from sin.  However, the accomplishments are the same.  They both accomplish glorification for our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through it all, Jesus is glorified. And forgiveness is the greatest thing that anyone could ever receive.  Warren Wiersbe says this, "It meets the greatest need; it costs the greatest price; and it brings the greatest blessing and the most lasting results." But Jesus pronouncement was met with outrage.
The scribes claimed "blaspheme".  Thus Jesus proves Himself God by healing the paralytic.  An amazing event that has two applications:

1. Put action to your faith.  It is not enough to come to Paradox and listen to the sermon, worship, and fellowship with others.  You must desire to have a faith that is PERSISTENT, CREATIVE, AND SACRIFICIAL.
2. Do you know any paralytics in your life who need Jesus?  Do you know of anyone who is in need of healing?  Are you that paralytic?

Let us not be people who just sit back and be comfortable in our faith.  Let us be people who are uncomfortable and "going for it".  Get deeper in your faith!  God Bless!

,

thru the bible...

PARADOX
0 Comments »



This year, there is something new. (Actually, everything is new, because we are so new)  Anyway, we are going to be going through the Bible in one year. You can get the reading guide by clicking the picture and printing it out, or pick one up at Paradox on Sunday night. I encourage everyone to do this.  It is an awesome way to spend your devotional time in the Word.  It also gives you guidance on what to read, which is nice sometimes. 

Enjoy and good reading!

weekly word...

PARADOX
0 Comments »

Psalm 40:9-10 "I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord.  I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation."


What a magnificent and bold statement that King David is making here.  He is coming before the Lord Almighty and telling Him, boldly, that he has publicly proclaimed who God is.  He proclaimed His love, His deliverance (and you know King David needed deliverance during his lifetime), His salvation, and His glad news to all in the congregation of Israel.  And what is even more amazing was that nothing was hidden from the people of Israel.  Nothing was concealed from their eyes or their ears.  King David did all that was within his ability through authority, position, and passion to get the word out regarding the Lord.

My question is: DO YOU DO THE SAME?  Do you proclaim His love, His deliverance, His salvation, and His glad news to all the people around you?  But more importantly, do you conceal anything from them?  The truth of it all is that each and everyone of you has, in some way, experienced God's love in the form of blessings, answered prayer, peace amidst trials.  His deliverance in the form of providing a way of escape in times of temptation, in the form of bringing you out of confusion or persecution.  His salvation through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection on the cross. Each and every one of you have experienced these miraculous and wonderful things.  But, how much of these things DO YOU CONCEAL?  How much of these do you proclaim to others?

My challenge to you is to express what the Lord has been doing in your life lately to one or more of your friends this week. It will be an awesome time of encouragement and expression of your joy and gratitude for what the Lord has done in your life.  And you will find that it will encourage others to do the same. When that gets easy to do, express it to people you don't know, and eventually to every person you come in contact with in your life. Do as King David has done, proclaim His glory to all and see the Lord glorified!  God Bless!

,

...resolutions

PARADOX
0 Comments »

Well, the new year is now upon us and like all the other years I will attempt a feat that none has ever accomplished before.  A feat where men only dare to tread, yet fall short due to their lack of endurance.  A feat that leaves even Chuck Norris shaking in his boots (and that is hard to do, considering that he is the definition of all that is man). That feat is ... KEEPING MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS.


I know what you are all thinking, but it can be done.  And I will prove it to you.  As a matter of fact, I CHALLENGE YOU to keep your New Year's Resolutions with me. I have compiled a list of some of my personal resolutions that I encourage you to keep as well.  So, with out further adieu, MY TOP FIVE:

1. BE STILL
As Christians you can not believe how amazing this is.  In an increasingly busy culture where we are constantly surrounded by noise and media, taking time out to pray, read and focus on stillness can be a refreshing departure from the day to day grind.  Not only is the Bible clear about resting on the Sabbath, but turning off the TV, logging off the Internet and focusing on God can give you a chance to reflect on things that really matter and further develop your spiritual walk with God.

2. READ MORE BOOKS
This can go along with the previous resolution.  Today we loose our sense of appreciation for the great writers of yesterday. Writers that plumb the depths of the human soul and put to words, emotions, thoughts, and feelings that we can't even describe. However, due to the rise of everything technology, books have been kept on the shelf. I challenge you to expand your mind by reading not only the Bible (which is the most important, and all sufficient) but other great books to grow in your Christianity.  Here are a few to get you started:
Orthodoxy   - G.K. Chesterton
Imitation of Christ   - Thomas a Kempis
Mere Christianity   - C.S. Lewis
No Man is an Island   - Thomas Merton
Don't Waste Your Life   - John Piper

3. EXPERIENCE GOD'S CREATION
Get outside. That's it, that is all I have to say on that issue. What amazing things are we missing when we stay indoors.  Experience the beauty of God.  Experience the glory of God.  Experience the love of God.  There is a fantastic world for you to explore.

4. LEARN TO SERVE...BETTER
For me, I know that serving is awesome and it is something that Jesus calls us to do. And I believe that it is something that I am good at and I love to do.  YET, I can ALWAYS get better.  Even though I do serve already, I can always get better.  In today's society, not just in the world around us, but right here in Santa Barbara, there are people that are hurting and are in need of some love.  And what better thing can we do than to serve them?  Nothing.  I believe that it will be this generation who will need to step up if there ever is going to be a change in the world.  You can bring the faith, hope, and love to people who have never experienced it.  If you have a question about where to start; the answer is: START WITH YOUR FRIENDS. They need to be served just as much as those in Africa.  Love them and bring them Jesus Christ.

5. EVANGELIZE
This piggy-backs the previous post.  But this is something that I want to do better in 2008.  We are called to go unto all nations and preach the Word of God. And it doesn't mean that we are to go to another far off country to do that (unless you are called there by God), it means that you can be a missionary right where you stand.  God has put people in your life who need and want hope and peace. And, as Christians, we have hope and peace.  True hope and peace comes from Jesus Christ, and we need to share with them the Gospel.  TAKE JESUS OUT OF THE CHURCH AND INTO THEIR LIVES.

So these are only a few.  DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS OF YOUR OWN? I would love to hear about them and I would love to pray for you to accomplish what the Lord is calling you to do this year.  And if you don't FEEL FREE to adopt mine.  These are a great place to start, God Bless!

,

...prophecy conference

PARADOX
0 Comments »

What does the future hold? When is Jesus coming back? What is the deal with Islam in the world today? What part do the current events in the Middle East play in the end times?  These are questions that Christians are asking in the world today. And as a Christian, you should be asking these questions as well. There is no doubt we are in the last days.  We will be the generation to see Jesus coming through the clouds, descending through the air for all to see.  Therefore we need to know what is happening and what will happen to bring Jesus back.

Studying prophecy is a way to understand and put into context what is happening in the world today. 

But if you are like me, you don't know where to start and it hurts your head to think about all the studying that will go into all of this.  That is why the PROPHECY CONFERENCE at CCSB is such an awesome thing to attend.  It is happening Saturday, FEBRUARY 9, 2008 and I encourage you all to go to it.  So mark your calendars and bring your Bibles.

(If you want to listen to LAST YEAR'S Prophecy Conference online, click here.)

,

devotional musings...

PARADOX
0 Comments »

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 "And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel."

I have currently been going through the Bible chronologically and this was part of my daily devotion today. And in reading this there was a couple of things that struck me to be very applicable to my life.

To provide a little context to this passage I will say this, not to leave y'all up the creek without a paddle. This passage is linked to the command given to Moses by God to permit the appointing of kings in the Promised Land. Currently the children of Israel are in the wilderness because of their lack of faith in the Lord and obedience to His commands. And the Lord is setting them up for the acquisition of the Promised Land, Canaan. But first, there is to be instruction as to how the land is to operate and how the people are to behave once they are in the land, my thoughts on that are for another posting though. Anyway, one of those instructions is that they are allowed to appoint for themselves kings over the people in each region, and that is where we pick up.

Now the interesting part about this is the instruction to the kings. The Lord commanded them to copy the Law and read the Law all the days of his life. With the purpose of "learning to fear the Lord his God". The thing that struck me was that this is what we are to learn as well. In Mark 12:29-30 Jesus explains to the scribes that the greatest commandment of all is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" and part of that loving Him is fearing Him. Not in the sense that you are scared of Him, but in the sense that you respect Him, honor Him, and obey Him. And those things are something that we all need to learn. The best way to learn them is through READING YOUR BIBLE.

This is one of the biggest blessings of "being in the Word". It teaches us to fear Him. The best way to grow in your respect and honor is to read Scripture. This is a huge thing because society today preaches something contradictory to this. Society has no fear, the media has no fear, universities have no fear. You will never learn to fear the Lord through these sources. Thus there is a need to be reading and breathing Scripture everyday. And when you learn how to fear the Lord, you will ultimately fall more in love with Him, and that is our goal.

So I encourage you all, may everyday be filled with Him. May you constantly be desiring a deeper relationship with Him. And do that by being in the Word. This generation has the opportunity to do more than any other generation in the past. Stay focused on Him and experience Him blow your mind. God Bless!

,

winter break fun...Bruce Lee style

PARADOX
0 Comments »


Here is a video that caught me totally off guard. This guy is absolutely amazing.  If I had only just a smidgen of his artistic ability I would be in the United Kingdom painting for the Queen.  But as you all know, I do not, so I will resort to dreaming and watching, enjoy!


P.S. This discovery was inspired by Katy Henry who "Influenced" me to check out this guy.