Hanging By A Moment

Hanging by a Moment

Lately I’ve got to admit that I have been side tracking, distracted, lazy and unmotivated. Could the hype of SOS be fading away? Was I living simply on the hype?

Wake up to yourself! And CHOOSE LIFE! I love the verse Shelah and Caterine Fuertes talked about last Generation Fresh Night:

Deuteronomy 30:19

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessing and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make.

I was thinking to myself this week, “should I go back to who I was?” That was probably the stupidest thought I’ve ever had! The further you FALL, the more distance you have to regain back; towards God and living a Holy life.

Well I choose to not live on hype, a temporary satisfaction, I want God who is eternal. The world and the enemy can be ruthless and cruel, to tempt and destroy you in any way possible. You may not even know it, but the littlest things can influence your actions in life. Reacting to an influence is caused only by being exposed to a one. Have you ever realised that companies all around the world are spending millions of dollars for a few seconds of your time? To glance at a billboard takes at least two seconds or 30 seconds listen to a radio advertisement and thousands of dollars were used to create them. Coke measured an advertising expenditure of US$2.6 Billion in 2006, spent on print, radio, internet, and television advertising. T.V commercials only last for a few seconds, and they are played to try and influence you into purchasing their product. From this we can see that the human brain can be easily influenced through the littlest thing. So for guys, if a girl is jogging down the road to exercise and you’re driving by, don’t have a look or whistle. Or for girls, if a guy has a shirt off, don’t gaze. The smallest influence can trigger a downslide in your life. I know this through experience, that when you’re exposed to certain situations, it causes you to want to follow. Clubbing has that influence of dressing to impress the other sex and consuming large amount of alcohol and since you’re exposed to it you would want to follow.

Don’t get me wrong you can have a great time socialising with your friends at a club, but if you really want to live a holy life with God why would you want to get expose and possibly influenced by the worldly down falls in life? Be exposed to holy people and you will be influenced to be holy; in return expose your Holiness to the world. A holy person has holy standards.

Ate flor preached last Friday at Raise, and she said “know your standards before you can maintain it”, also to know Gods standards. How do you know what God’s standards are you ask? Well she told us, and its really simple, to read the word. To have Godly standards you must know your standards first. Once you know your personal standards maintain them, stay strong and overcome negative influences and temptations.

-Mac

Meant To Live

Meant to live

‘We were meant to live for so much more’ how simple and straightforward is this lyric in the song Switchfoot – Meant to live. I asked myself, am I living this life for my self? Or am I living this life for his kingdom? I want to give him back what he gives me, and multiply it by 10! As he continues to offer me more, I’m simply going to give it back with a harvest. He gave me life and I will give it back to him with all my MIND, HEART, SOUL and STRENGTH. 

I’ve learnt to change my way of thinking, I’m not going to live a life utterly focused on striving to acquire a house, a job, a car and a wife. That person, those possessions, properties and employment will emerge effortlessly through a wholeheartedly trust in God. I know that by putting him first in my life, everything else will follow. I don’t know the exact plans he has for me, but I know he has one laid out ready; I just need to follow the right directions on the road. You may not noticed but the enemy has also laid a path for you, his placing wrong directional signs alongside the plans Gods has for you, so that you can go off track, fall and collapse. Stay alert and focus in his Word, don’t pick the wrong route. 

Have you ever driven in an unfamiliar territory? It’s scary and the environment is so unknown and all you desire is just to get back onto the right path. Before, I was really lost and living in a strange place. After finding God I asked myself, what were the choices and decisions I made that led me to those dark certain situations? It wasn’t Gods fault, and I think out of anger people blame God for their misfortunes. But God is a consistent God, he never changes and is always the same powerful God he was yesterday. I read from someone’s Blog that its US who needs to change not him. He is there waiting for you, we need to run after him, grab hold of him and don’t let go. It’s YOUR decision if your fingers start to slip, it’s YOUR decision if you let go and fall away. I know I’ve made that decision and it is probably the worst decision you could ever make. Never let go of God!

This blog isn’t long nor is it outstandingly great in grammar. But when you have to share what God has given you, say it. No matter how short or long, because it’s not about the length, size or the immense words you use, it’s about the message. I was talking to someone in the car, and he said communication isn’t about how well you speak; it’s all about telling your message and getting through successfully. If someone has found a stepping stone in their life through your experiences and your testimony because you shared it, then you’ve successfully showed what you intended to portray and that is How great is our LORD GOD! Run after him cause I know I am.

-Mac

Shine For You

Shine for you

It rained today, and I was in the rain under an umbrella. All of a sudden, I had the urge to take down the umbrella and just be consumed by the falling rain. As I was standing there, I opened up my arms and I let Gods wonders fall upon me. Some people shelter from the rain, and yes we are taught that we will get sick if we play in the rain, but I knew that God wouldn’t let that happen to me. Some one told me to TRUST in God, and yes I do have my wondering thoughts and forget that I should trust in him. But I will and I am! As water brings life to plants, it felt like he was giving me life again, trying to wash away the sins that I have done or heal me. I know it was crazy, seeing a guy on the streets with his arms opened in the rain, but it was different and if you would have seen me do it you would have thought I was out of my mind. But when you need to do it and you believe it’s necessary to do then achieve and accomplish it! If you need to be at the front of the church so you can be away from the distraction of the world for 45mins then do it. The smallest things make a difference to your life.

One of the differences in my life that I’m trying to change is my views on girls. At my last connect, someone described me as a ‘Ladies man’, and it hit me that, that is what I portrayed from my actions. But I’m not going to let that image stick. 

Colossians 3:10 “you have put on the new man, who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him…”

On Sunday, Ate babes showed me a quote in a book, but I forgot the exact quote, and if you know it please tell me, but it went along the lines of how a man’s strength is powered by understanding real woman? Sorry if the quote is completely different. But in order for a man to be seen as ‘strong’ I guess we as men need to appreciate, recognise, value and understand real women. Let us not only be constricted to just being men but to strive to be men of God, set our standards right and holy, so that it will reflect and affect the standards of women as well. Men do not promote and encourage the worldly view of a woman but help advance and uphold how our Lord sees a woman of God as: Beautiful, sacred, intellectual, inspiring, encouraging, precious, loving, affectionate, respected, and selfless.

I go to the gym and I lift weights to build up the muscles. The first time I did it, I got to be honest and say it hurt, I was sore the whole week. It was hard and painful, but it was the cost that had to be paid in order to keep going. Some people may have stopped the first time because they saw how hard it was and gave up. I guess this can compare to your first walk with God. Well for me it was hard, and it still is and some see themselves unworthy, but you aren’t! God created you and loved you FIRST, so love him back first!

 

-Mac

 

Heres the quote: 

“A Strong man know how to carry the weight of a real woman”

thanks julee.

Flying High

Flying high

I had coffee this week with my twin named Don, we aren’t really twins nor are we even related; but we did used to look alike before and I guess that’s where the title of us being twins emerged. We learnt a lot from each other, but overall I figured out something; that everyone in the world has their own battles and situations to face, but it’s your decision in that  certain situation that will ultimately shape your life. So make the right choice and if you’re unsure which is the right choice to make then simply ask God. I’m 110% sure he will give you the answer your looking for and it’ll always be the correct one!

 

JEREMIAH 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

 

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, there are 6,792,112,816 (12:53 GMT (EST+5) Oct 22, 2009) people on earth and your obviously part of that 10 digits long numeral. Are you simply living your life following that crowd or are you making a difference in this Generation? To glorify God and his magnificence!

There’s one thing about me and it’s that I’m a pusher; I like to push people beyond their limits. This is both a good thing and a bad, before I would push certain people in telling me the truth about themselves but I’m slowly realising that I shouldn’t seek for true facts from people, but seek truth in Gods’ word and I do. What he does is amazing and I was just so blind to see it before.

 

Let me tell you a story of how Gods power and glory can be seen and reflected through a lady.

 

     A father of a daughter is desperate for some cash to support his family. His broke due to the global financial crisis. He doesn’t know how he can find way get money, and desperate times call for desperate measures. So one day he decides to obtain a gun so that he could rob a helpless lady at work whom he sees working by herself. He puts his hood over his head, walks in with the gun raised high, points and makes threats. The lady immediately steps backs and later on starts to cry due to the situation taking place. But instead of praying silently to herself for God to protect her, she prayed for the robber! The robber comforts her and hugs her to calm her nerves; she then talks to him about God and as he falls to his knees to ask God to help him over come his hardships, she prays for him. He slowly takes the only bullet in his gun and gives it to the lady. After realising he has to get out before the police arrive, he takes only what he needs to survive for the day and leaves with a change in his life. The next day he gave himself in.

 

This is God’s glory and power in action! He can be in the most random location where you never thought he’d show up but he always will without fail.

 

This is also a true story and here is the link to watch how amazing God is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJCq90OwprA&feature=related

 

                                                                            

How incredible, if you where in that situation would you just think for your self and ask God for protection? Or would you make a difference in another person’s life? Which he obviously needed a change of direction and purpose. Will you be the reason that someone changes their perspective of the worldly life and seeks a life of serving God with joy?

 

Someone pointed out to me that I had hit rock bottom and when I did they only thing left to do was to look up and elevate; now I’m flying high. I came to realise that I actually did hit rock bottom prior to SOS, I did not have God in my life and there was a point where I pushed him so far that I didn’t even know. But now that someone gave me the opportunity to receive Jesus Christ in my life, I can say that I love him and the affects he has upon my life. It’s both GREAT and hard to be a Christian, so if you say you are one, mean it. After wasting 6 years not knowing what it takes to be a Christian who loves God I’m slowly learning and trying to change. Don’t expect people who say they’ve change to be perfect because no one is expect Jesus. We ALL fall short of God but by picking ourselves up after the fall and not making the same mistakes again, that difference between the old you and the better you. 

– Mac

Man In The Mirror

Man In The Mirror

Tonight at prayer meeting I caught something about ‘Reflecting’ who you are. As I was praying with Kniles and cat something brought to my mind about being a Mirror of God, that when people look at you, do they see a reflection of Gods’ holiness and your purpose in life? Placing God first and being humble, not reflecting who you made yourself to be, but to reflect who God has made you to become!

Probably everyone who is reading this has looked in the mirror more than once today, and maybe more for others. But have you actually stop and really looked into the mirror? Is the person looking back the same person you thought you were? I’ve got to admit probably the first part of this year I was a very different person to whom I’m struggling to be now. If you’re close to me you would know where I came from, even recently in July I was going through a really bad depression stage. But for me, attending our Church’s youth camp: SOS in September saved my life. Now I can stand here before you and share how God has impacted me.

I would hardy read my bible before, and when I did I only did because I had to, but now I know I need to. So I asked myself, where should I start? Where else should you start to read a book, go on a journey or run a race, you certainly wouldn’t start in the middle, because how would you know which way to go? So Genesis it was! For me to understand God, I’d first need to find who he is and Genesis 1: 1- 31 best describes who he was FIRST and who he is now and who he will be forever. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So if you read through this verse you’ll see how he created everything. I won’t get into depth about that, but what really caught my mind was:

Genesis 1: 11 – 12

“These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came from.”

 

How awesome is that! You are who God has made you to be, you can not be someone else, you can try to pretend to be someone that your not, but not for long and your only tricking yourself. An apple tree can’t produce oranges and an orange tree can’t produce apples. It’s that simple! If your name is James Brian, you can only produce what James Brian can produce. I’ve heard and learnt that the only limitations you have is yourself. You put out what you put in and if you put God in your life, you portray God out to others.

Since SOS, I’ve been talking to some people lately and they’ve all told me that they have been suffering from struggles that the world can bring. SOS was a confined and contained place where you could find God and be free from the worldly distractions. But now were back in reality and its not easy, for some they may have already fallen and some are battling to become better people.

It’s hard to change, you’re exposed to new things and you’re out of your comfort zone. But if it’s a change for a better life, for a better calling, I say go for it! You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. Just a warning it’s hard! For me it is. But I’m glad it’s Hard, because if it wasn’t then it’s not worth fighting for!

-Mac