I had been wrestling with the idea of blogging some of my life experiences with the intent of encouraging others who may be going through similar situations. Although the main audience being those who have been attending church for a long time and are caught in the cycle of just "doing church", I believe these stories will reach all audiences with God's help.

I'd rather fail miserably at something I feel God asked me to do than just sit back and wonder what could've, would've or should've happened.


Thursday, November 15, 2012

It's All About A Relationship

They say that kids tend to be rowdy in Jr. High School and based on my personal experience, I would agree! Not that I was bad because I’ve always been such a good kid (insert heavenly music here). But I did hang out with some “friends” who acted up in class just so that I could be part of the “cool kids”.

Now the things we did in Jr. High compared to the things kids in Jr. High do nowadays is completely different. We would do what eventually was known as “payasearías” (clowning around – doesn’t have the same affect in English) titled by one of our teachers. The idea was to make fun of the teacher using mumbled words and repeating what he/she was saying while their backs were turned to the class. This would cause an outburst of laughter and the teacher would stay wondering what happened. Funny until you get caught.

One day while one of the guys was doing this “payasearías”, the teacher turned around and caught him doing this. Now he was in trouble frequently and I was kinda the teacher’s favorite due to my A average and how well I behaved in class. So I took one for the team. I told the teacher I was the one doing the “payasearías” and my friend was simply laughing at my jokes.

I took his place for his actions trying to establish a relationship with him.

This story reminds me of someone who did the same thing for YOU and ME to restore a relationship. I'm not talking about simply taking our punishment for making fun of a teacher but actually taking our punishment for our sins - DEATH (Romans 6:23)!! Yes Jesus Christ did just that for us!

Let me explain:

God’s intension in making us humans was always to have relationship with a creation that would have their own free will and decide on their own to worship God! It was nice for about 2 chapters in the bible before man messed that relationship up. You know the story – Adam, Eve, the Snake and the apple…. In entered the sinful man (that’s all of us). But don't hate on Adam and Eve because Romans 3:23 says we all sin and fall short.

Long story short…God is a Holy God and cannot be around sin but He loved and cared about having relationship with His creation (that's you and me) so much that He gave up His very best for us – In entered Jesus Christ the sinless sacrifice. Jesus died to do away with all of our sins and restore this relationship between our Heavenly Father and His creation - us.

Getting back to my story… for this first-time offense, I barely got in trouble. My teacher gave me the old “I’m very disappointed in you” speech and did not discipline me at all. When I saw my friend after class, I was sure we would be “best friend” after what I did for him. Unfortunately, this was not the case. (insert sad face here… AWWWWW)

That hurt! To think that I took his punishment and he didn’t even care. As a matter of fact, he may be reading this blog and not even know it’s about him.

Hmmmm.....Sometimes I wonder how Jesus must feel when we ignore his sacrifice and don’t acknowledge His offer to have relationship with us.

I think sometimes we focus so much on religion and church that we miss what it's all about! 

IT'S ALL ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP!

Will you react to His relationship offer today?
Will you allow Him to restore the relationship with our Heavenly Father and you?
Have you spent time today strengthening that relationship by talking with our Heavenly Father?


 “For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].” 2 Corinthians 5:21
 

Friday, November 9, 2012

We'll Wait Again!


I graduated from Edison Tech High School (S/O to all the Edisonians reading this blog!!) and as part of the Vocational Training Program, we had to explore the different departments available before we decided our "career path" or shop class (as most of us called it). The scope of program went from cosmetology to auto mechanics and everything in-between.

I will never forget one shop teacher (except for his name) who seemed to have the calmest character ever. Whenever the class would get rowdy and loud (which was quite frequent for high school freshmen), he would speak the following words calmly and softly, "we'll wait again..." ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!?? Class is out of control and he is almost whispering??? I would have kicked everyone out of the class until only the good kids were left! And who is the "we" he is talking about??? This became a joke for us freshmen and we would laugh and get louder. His response, "we'll wait again..."


Eventually, the class did quiet down and he proceeded with his lesson. Was he on to something? Did he discover a new way to quiet freshmen students? Was he really that cool, calm and collect??

Thinking back about this shop teacher reminds me how God waits for us. He is ever so patient as He waits for us to do what He has asked us to do. For some of you reading this blog, it may be just surrendering to God and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Some may be in the middle of some trouble and He waits for you to turn to Him for help instead of trying to do it on your own. Others may be wrestling a calling God has placed in your heart and He waits for you to trust Him completely. Whatever the situation may be, God always seems to be waiting for us. 

Why does He wait?
He loves us that much! So much so that He gave His son, Jesus, to die for us and now waits for us to respond (John 3:16). Talk about being patient!! He gave up His very best for us and waits. It's all about a relationship (we'll talk about that in next week's blog).

Revelation 3:20 says He knocks on our doors (hearts) and waits for us to open the door... then He enters in. God is a gentleman and a well-mannered God. He won't barge in even though He can! As a matter of fact, He is the reason we are breathing today! He has the power to speak the world into existence and created mankind, yet He waits for us to respond to His knock.

Will you respond today?
Will you answer the door?
How long will you ignore that knock on your heart?

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me. (Revelation 3:20 AMP)


God is saying to us today, "We'll wait again..."