How often do we do the same thing?

I was reading the final chapter of Nehemiah the other day and God revealed something to me.

"1 On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) 3 When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent. " (Nehemiah 13:1-3)

On the surface, this does not seem to be anything that out of the usual. It seems that yet again Isreal is trying to return to God; but it's not that simple. God only told them to not allow these two groups of people into the assembly. But what did Isreal do? They threw ALL foreign people out, not just the ones God told them to. So they added to what God said, and made it more severe. So my question is to us. How often do we do the very same thing? Admittedly, our problems are usually with not following God's word at all, and not taking what he says to extreams. So what I am saying is take what God's word says and do it, and not over do it.

Random Thought of the Day:
"Repentance is a change in thinking that results in a change in behavior" ~Perry Noble

He is... simply amazing

I had an great experience tonight that I wanted to share with you all. I woke up this morning running a bit of a fever and with a VERY sore throat. I knew that I was supposed to teach tonight at my campus team for the first time. I seriously considered trying to get someoen to replace me, but I also knew that wouldbe nearlyimpossible. I also knew that if I did not go, my fellow leaders would understand and make due; but it would not be for the best.
So I decided to step out in faith that God would not ask me to teach without giving me the capability to do so. I ran the fever all day and felt generally crumby. I went to campus teams anyway, still running the fever and throat hurting. We came inside and got ready to to begin... and you know where this one is going. I stood up... felt fine... with a clear voice and strengthened resolve. I went all the way through the lesson without a single problem. IT ROCKED! But here's the kicker... no sooner had I finished the lesson, but my symptoms, all of them, returned. God is so much bigger then I can ever truely understand.

John Maxwell

John Maxwell is almost as quoteable as Perry. So here we go:

"God's answer to every problem is a person". Heck yeah it is! When God wanted Ninevah to turn from it's wicked ways, He used Jonah. When He wanted the 5 thousand fed, He used a boy and his lunch, when He wanted to redeem the world He used His Son.

"The only people that really have a problem are people that don't have a problem. You see, when you have a problem, you are a candidate for a miracle." Neat perspective, huh? We are to be thankful in all circumstances; but that is often very difficult. When we get God's perspective, even our problems don't really seem troublesome anymore.

"Most Christians don't want miracles, they want magic." We often don't want God to work out our problems, we want them magfically fixed. Most miracles don't come as a burning bush or a flaming chariot, they often come as the realization of the most improbable.

Tennessee

Lord I've really been real stressed
Down and out, losin ground
Although I am black and proud
Problems got me pessimistic
Brothers and sisters keep messin up
Why does it have to be so ____ tuff?
I don't know where I can go
To let these ghosts out of my skull
My grandmas past, my brothers gone
I never at once felt so alone
I know you're supposed to be my steering wheel
Not just my spare tire (home)
But lord I ask you (home)
To be my guiding force and truth (home)
For some strange reason it had to be (home)
He guided me to Tennessee (home)

(Chorus) Take me to another place
Take me to another land
Make me forget all that hurts me
Let me understand your plan

Lord it's obvious we got a relationship
Talkin to each other every night and day
Although you're superior over me
We talk to each other in a friendship way
Then outta nowhere you tell me to break
Outta the country and into more country
Past Dyesburg into Ripley
Where the ghost of childhood haunts me
Walk the roads my forefathers walked
Climbed the trees my forefathers hung from
Ask those trees for all their wisdom
They tell me my ears are so young (home)
Go back to from whence you came (home)
My family tree my family name (home)
For some strange reason it had to be (home)
He guided me to Tennessee (home)

Chorus

Now I see the importance of history
Why people be in the mess that they be
Many journeys to freedom made in vain
By brothers on the corner playin ghetto games
I ask you lord why you enlightened me
Without the enlightment of all my folks
He said cuz I set myself on a quest for truth
And he was there to quench my thirst
But I am still thirsty...
The lord allowed me to drink some more
He said what I am searchin for are
The answers to all which are in front of me
The ultimate truth started to get blurry
For some strange reason it had to be
It was all a dream about Tennessee
Chorus

This straight out of the old school. I have pointed out my favorite lyrics from the song.
http://artists.letssingit.com/arrested-development-mz82h/overview. Arrested Development is the name of the band. Give it a listen

My Responce

If you have known me for any amount of time, you know that I love quotes. I collect them, see my other posts. Well today at church was a VERY fertile for quotes. So I thought I might list some of my favorites from today and respond to them.

"Just like when we get out from under our parents' authroity, we are out from under their protection. Such is the nature of God" ~Me When a child moves out of their parents house, that parent stops caring for all the needs of that child. That child is then free to make bad choices and screw up. When we leave God authority (house in this metaphor), we are no longer under His protection. As Perry says all the time, "We don't screw up when we are doing things God's way".

"God says 'bring' the whole tithe, not give; cause it ain't your anyway" ~ Perry Noble This quote points out that to "give" something away, that implies that you own it, and have rights to it; when in fact all the wealth we have is not our at all, but God's. This is why God tells us to "bring" the tithe and not give it.

"The Kingdom of Darkness is not holding the Church back, greedy Christians are" ~Perry Noble If every Christian brought the whole tithe, there would more money to go around then anyone would know what to properly do with.

Jesus doesn't want your money, He wants your worship." ~Perry Noble Perry has said this each of the last two weeks and I love it. This flies in the face of what so many people wrongly feel that the church is about.

Like I said, fertile ground.


Random Thought of the Day:
Why is it that you can be so tired, but as soon as you get into bed, sleep won't come?

Readership now doubled!

Thanks to Alden my readership has now doubled! OK, OK; but seriously... my birthday was great.
Got to totally relax for 2 days and do nothing but have fun. Don't even remember thinking about work more then once the entire time (which is quite a feat for a near workaholic like myself).
Brittney broke my 25 years into 5 parts and we made 5 stops over the 2 days. So at my "5 year old stop" we went to the park. We just strolled around and had a good time. Next, for 10 years old we went to the zoo. Which I had never told her was one of my favorite places to go in my hometown when I was about that age. (I am such a lucky man). Anyway, moving onward! At 15 she forced me to parallel park at the DMV, while she videoed it I should add. Why is it everything is harder when you are on camera? (I mean seriously! Smiles come easy except when you are looking into the lens of a camera. Right?). That was day 1.
Day 2 started at 20 years old, and a trip to AC (I don't care if they changed the name, it's still AC). Can I get an AMEN? Sorry... We walk around campus, took a few pictures, talked with a few of my old profs, and bought a new fangled AU shirt. (No AC shirts, so I guess I'll just have to deal). For 25 we had a romantic picnic at the botanical gardens; which was interrupted by the biggest Japanese Carp I have ever seen. I swear the thing's second cousin must have been Jaws. (It even kept popping its dorsal fin up through the water like Jaws). Then we walked around for a while till we got too hot, and decided to go get some ice cream.

OK, I know what you are saying to yourself right now. Thats was all nice and everything, but it was plane, right? WRONG! It is exactly what I asked Britt for and she did a most amazing job. I am not going to forget this birthday, and I actually felt like my birthday was not just another day; but it wasinfact special. It has honestly been about 10 years since I last felt like that. Thank you Brittney.

Random Thought of the Day:
Tivo is the greatest invention know to mankind! Just ask me about it, and I'll gladly share with you all the glorious life-changing capabilities it has.

Twenty Five

So yeah... Today I turn 25. I have been on this Earth for a quarter of a century; and am now officially a twenty-something. It doesn't feel any different.
But better car insurence rates, HERE I COME!