I should really stop posting these so late because I do stupid things like forget titles and post to different blogs...

Anywho it's 2 am so I don't know how long this will be...but anyways....

I used to be afraid of doing too much in the praise and worship team of my youth group. I was afraid that it would be too much like a concert and not enough like praise and worship. But the thing I've learned is this:

If your intentions are pure, and if what you're doing is getting people to come to church, then you're doing something right.

God has given us talents and it only makes sense to use 100% for His glory.

However there is a disclaimer to this. All these outward things mean absolutly nothing if God is not being glorified. If I choose to do all that I can in the praise and worship team to show everyone how good I am at singing and playing guitar, I am completely outside of the will of God. This principle really applies to a lot of things.

The coffee shops, the theatre seats, the crazy lights, the stage props, the rock-and-roll style worship are great for getting people in the door, but it's the love of God that will keep them there.

The church I go to doesn't have a coffee shop, theatre seats, or stage props. But that doesn't bother me because the messages are real and God has an obvious presence there.

So is going to a church that has a coffee shop, theatre seats, etc. a bad thing? No they're not, but the lack of those things shouldn't keep anyone away from a church as well.

I guess my point is this...

Whatever you do, keep focused on expanding the kingdom of God.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Isaiah 6

Isaiah 6:1-8 NIV

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"


I love Isaiah 6 but the biggest thing that sticks out to me is Isaiah's responses.

1. Isaiah's response to seeing the glory of God and hearing God's name being praised.

Isaiah wasn't cocky, he didn't repond with "God must love mme a lot to show me this." He didn't even say "God you are worthy of my praise!" His response was "Woe to me! I am ruined!"

That shows a lot of humility on Isaiah's part. He didn't think of himself as something special. Infact, Isaiah felt unworthy. He imediatly admits his faults before God and His angels.

2. Isaiah's reponse to God's calling.

When the angel came and touched the coal to Isaiah's lips and told him that his sins were atoned for, the Lord spoke and said "who will I send?" Isaiah was quick to say "Here am I. Send me!"

Again Isaiah didn't say "Pick me because I'm good at this." He said "Here am I". Isaiah was showing God his willingness to be obedient.

It's hard to be humble when God does great things through us but it is important because pride can absolutly destroy God's plan for our lives.

That's it...thanks for reading...g'night

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Isaiah 4

Isaiah 4:2-3 NIV

"In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem."

This chapter is short so my blog will be pretty short.

but the thing that stuck put to me here is this: even though the nation wass being punished...the faithful were blessed...

God always remembers His remnant...kind of basic but it's nice to remember the basics every nopw and then

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Isaiah 3

If you're reading this on FB i think you can click on a link to read the whole thing.
If not, jdtwopointtwo.tumblr.com works just fine ;p


Isaiah 3:6-7 NIV

A man will seize one of his brothers
in his father's house, and say,
"You have a cloak, you be our leader;
take charge of this heap of ruins!" But in that day he will cry out,
"I have no remedy.
I have no food or clothing in my house;
do not make me the leader of the people."


Isaiah was prophesying that it would get so bad that when people chose a leader, he didnt want to lead.


I guess the thing I got out of this chapter was that as long as there is not anarchy there is hope. We shoukd be praying for our leaders (our country's leaders especially), even if we don't always agree with wht they say.


Be thankful for our leaders, our teachers, our pastors, our bosses, our parents, our nation's leaders, anyone who takes up the responsibility to lead a group of people. Be thankful that we still live in a time where people are willing to lead so we can pray they do the right thing.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

The truth is...

I hate my youth group. I hate pretty much everything about it.

But it wasn't always that way. There was a time when I looked forward to Sunday nights.

The truth is, I've changed my perspective.
I've made up three lame excuses to explain my change of attitude.
1. I'm too old for the group
2. the leadership
3. the group itself doesn't get involved.

Notice that I never blamed myself for anything...

...and that's where the problem starts.

MY attitude changed so it probably has to do with me.
If I'm unhappy with the way things are then I should change them.

Mahatma Ghandi has that famous quote "Be the change you want to see in the world."

I guess that's true for any situation. Be that change.

But what if I fail? Well I have a quote for that too.

"If you're going to risk and maybe fail, fail at something that matters. Fail gloriously, so that even in failure, lives change." -Jon Acuff (he is an awesome Christian author/blogger, you really should check him out.)

and that' really how i should take this...so many times when I want to make something happen I don't because I'm afraid of failure.

So with this being said, does that mean I'm going to overthrow my youth leader and get things done my way? Of course not!

This just means that I am going to do all that I can to be the change I want to see.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

The truth is...

I hate my youth group. I hate pretty much everything about it.

But it wasn't always that way. There was a time when I looked forward to Sunday nights.

The truth is, I've changed my perspective.
I've made up 3 lame excuses.
1. I'm too old for the group
2. the leadership
3. the group itself doesn't get involved.

Notice that I never blamed myself for anything...

...and that's where the problem starts.

MY attitude changed so it probably has to do with me.
If I'm unhappy with the way things are then I should change them.

Mahatma Ghandi has that famous quote "Be the change you want to see in the world."

I guess that's true for any situation. Be that change.

But what if I fail? Well I have a quote for that too.

"If you're going to risk and maybe fail, fail at something that matters. Fail gloriously, so that even in failure, lives change." -Jon Acuff (he is an awesome Christian author/blogger, you really should check him out.)

and that' really how i should take this...so many times when I want to make something happen I don't because I'm afraid of failure.

So with this being said, does that mean I'm going to overthrow my youth leader and get things done my way? Of course not!

This just means that I am going to do all that I can to be the change I want to see.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Isaiah 2

Isaiah 2:20-22 NIV

"In that day people will throw away
to the moles and bats
their idols of silver and idols of gold,
which they made to worship. They will flee to caverns in the rocks
and to the overhanging crags
from the fearful presence of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth. Stop trusting in mere humans,
who have but a breath in their nostrils.
Why hold them in esteem?"

these verses talk about how the people of Israel and Juda would view their idols when the day of judgement came. Here it says that they will throw them away and hide from God's presence.

When I read this I began to think about what I put before God as an Idol. I would have to say that the thing I idolize most is music. I'm very proud of my musical abilities and i love listening to different types of music (I'm currently listening to Choir pieces lol). but the thing to remember is that one day my musical abilities wonnt matter. all that will matter is my relationship with God.

I dont want to toss my talents aside to hide from the presence of God. I want to toss my talents at His feet to honor Him instead.

g'night...

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6