Sunday, September 14, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Flying To Africa
Saturday, June 21, I left Las Vegas and flew to Dallas. I ate a red chile tortilla burrito while watching Euro 2008: Netherlands vs. Russia. Russia won.
Then I flew from Dallas to London Heathrow. I sat by an Indian mother and 4 year old daughter who was going to India. While the daughter was sleeping, she put her feet on my lap and shoulder and every other body part that was on my left side.
On that plane, I watched Reservation Road with Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo. It is the story about a man (Phoenix) who tries to remember who killed his son. The film starts by telling what happens when Ruffalo's character is with his son and they drive home from a Boston Red Sox game. Ruffalo accidentally hits Phoenix's son. The twist in the film is the attorney that helps Phoenix is Ruffalo. So, the film is whether Ruffalo should turn himself in before allowing Phoenix to know and do something in anger.
It was a great film because it talks about the justice in precious life. I so recommend watching it.
This is Day One.
Then I flew from Dallas to London Heathrow. I sat by an Indian mother and 4 year old daughter who was going to India. While the daughter was sleeping, she put her feet on my lap and shoulder and every other body part that was on my left side.
On that plane, I watched Reservation Road with Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo. It is the story about a man (Phoenix) who tries to remember who killed his son. The film starts by telling what happens when Ruffalo's character is with his son and they drive home from a Boston Red Sox game. Ruffalo accidentally hits Phoenix's son. The twist in the film is the attorney that helps Phoenix is Ruffalo. So, the film is whether Ruffalo should turn himself in before allowing Phoenix to know and do something in anger.
It was a great film because it talks about the justice in precious life. I so recommend watching it.
This is Day One.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
The Price For Having A Perfect Life
Let me ask you a question: "Would you want to not suffer anymore?"
As young as birth and as old as the second before death, we are all suffering.
I had to be operated the day I was born for I had Hirschsprung's Disease, a disease that affects your large intestines. Two inches of my large intestines was dead, so there was no way for my intestines to function properly. Three surgeries later, I am healthy and have a huge scar to prove it.
Paul, a former persecutor of Christians who was there in 1 Corinthians 7 where Stephen was stoned to death, has been persecuted himself for being Christian. He writes,
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:1-7 NASB).
Basically Paul says that when we suffer, other have suffered too and we can share our testimony and say, "I know how it feels to... and I have been comforted by God and He too understands because it says in Hebrews 4:15 that Jesus can sympathize with us because He has been tempted in all things, yet without sin."
I too wish we didn't have to suffer, but let's consider it all worthless compared to knowledge that we have Christ.
I shared this with my youth group last week.
"What if you could not suffer anymore, but everyone around you was hurting, how would you feel?"
One responded with "whoa!" And that is what my heart and soul said as well.
It's weird because if we could not suffer, we wouldn't be able to sympathize with others.
So for me, I'll suffer day and night in order that you would know that Christ exists.
I have been struggling with this battle inside me that is between my flesh that wants to feed my sinful nature and my soul that longs for God.
So I tell you to do whatever it takes to strive for God. Give away your earthly worth every time you lose your battle. Be left with only God because God is our only worth.
God bless. And I love you all.
As young as birth and as old as the second before death, we are all suffering.
I had to be operated the day I was born for I had Hirschsprung's Disease, a disease that affects your large intestines. Two inches of my large intestines was dead, so there was no way for my intestines to function properly. Three surgeries later, I am healthy and have a huge scar to prove it.
Paul, a former persecutor of Christians who was there in 1 Corinthians 7 where Stephen was stoned to death, has been persecuted himself for being Christian. He writes,
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:1-7 NASB).
Basically Paul says that when we suffer, other have suffered too and we can share our testimony and say, "I know how it feels to... and I have been comforted by God and He too understands because it says in Hebrews 4:15 that Jesus can sympathize with us because He has been tempted in all things, yet without sin."
I too wish we didn't have to suffer, but let's consider it all worthless compared to knowledge that we have Christ.
I shared this with my youth group last week.
"What if you could not suffer anymore, but everyone around you was hurting, how would you feel?"
One responded with "whoa!" And that is what my heart and soul said as well.
It's weird because if we could not suffer, we wouldn't be able to sympathize with others.
So for me, I'll suffer day and night in order that you would know that Christ exists.
I have been struggling with this battle inside me that is between my flesh that wants to feed my sinful nature and my soul that longs for God.
So I tell you to do whatever it takes to strive for God. Give away your earthly worth every time you lose your battle. Be left with only God because God is our only worth.
God bless. And I love you all.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Update
In June, I will be living in Africa for two months. I don't have any expectations there, but I do hope to be hands and feet for God.
It's an honor to take on the name of Jesus Christ and call myself a Christian.
Also, I will soon be pursuing my life as a worship leader. I will be moving from Las Vegas, NV to Colorado Springs, CO. The CS is the total opposite of LV. It will be interesting to say the least.
It's an honor to take on the name of Jesus Christ and call myself a Christian.
Also, I will soon be pursuing my life as a worship leader. I will be moving from Las Vegas, NV to Colorado Springs, CO. The CS is the total opposite of LV. It will be interesting to say the least.
"I Kissed Dating Goodbye" Book Summary
I know I went from Chapter 2 to the end, but it is better this way.
If you have read my blogs about "Master, Mission, Mate," you would find similarities in the stuff I would share. But I do want to share my experience with the book.
As I started reading the book, I found myself in a bit of a test. I found my eyes interested in a friend. As weeks went by, I found myself paying more attention to her than Jesus. She never died for my sins, but I found her more interesting nonetheless.
It seems like everyday we have to make sure our friendship is not going somewhere towards intimacy because both of us are not ready to be committed. Not because we are flirts or anything, but God has plans for us right now and a committed relationship is not one of them.
We tend to fantasize about our future. And we need more self-control. See, what is more important is our personal growths with Jesus Christ. God calls our single years of dedication as a gift. But we like skipping that God step and think of ourselves.
I was telling her how I am horrible at making pancakes. I want to eat them when I think they are ready when it is not cooked inside yet. But because I am so focused on feeding my hunger, I ignore the cooking process.
In the same way, God is telling me to wait; it needs more flipping and more time in the hot pan.
I will close with a three point summary of the book.
1) Place God first.
He has to be Ruler and King of our lives and our hearts. And if that means you have to put your interests in someone on the back burner, you do it.
2) Trust God.
This involves faith. It's easy to say we trust God, but fully putting dependence in Him and Him alone is what I am talking about. If I did not trust God, I would not wait to pursue a relationship with my friend. But I trust in my Savior and King.
3) Watch your mouth and actions.
Do not say or do anything that you do not want God to talk to you about correcting.
I hope this helps! I love you all.
God bless,
Anton
If you have read my blogs about "Master, Mission, Mate," you would find similarities in the stuff I would share. But I do want to share my experience with the book.
As I started reading the book, I found myself in a bit of a test. I found my eyes interested in a friend. As weeks went by, I found myself paying more attention to her than Jesus. She never died for my sins, but I found her more interesting nonetheless.
It seems like everyday we have to make sure our friendship is not going somewhere towards intimacy because both of us are not ready to be committed. Not because we are flirts or anything, but God has plans for us right now and a committed relationship is not one of them.
We tend to fantasize about our future. And we need more self-control. See, what is more important is our personal growths with Jesus Christ. God calls our single years of dedication as a gift. But we like skipping that God step and think of ourselves.
I was telling her how I am horrible at making pancakes. I want to eat them when I think they are ready when it is not cooked inside yet. But because I am so focused on feeding my hunger, I ignore the cooking process.
In the same way, God is telling me to wait; it needs more flipping and more time in the hot pan.
I will close with a three point summary of the book.
1) Place God first.
He has to be Ruler and King of our lives and our hearts. And if that means you have to put your interests in someone on the back burner, you do it.
2) Trust God.
This involves faith. It's easy to say we trust God, but fully putting dependence in Him and Him alone is what I am talking about. If I did not trust God, I would not wait to pursue a relationship with my friend. But I trust in my Savior and King.
3) Watch your mouth and actions.
Do not say or do anything that you do not want God to talk to you about correcting.
I hope this helps! I love you all.
God bless,
Anton
"I Kissed Dating Goodbye" Chapter 2 Thought
What if we still had pre-arranged marriages? I know this is the case for some cultures still, but this is not the norm in American culture. Would you be happy if you were in a pre-arranged marriages?
For me, I cannot imagine being with someone if I did not get my parents approval. Furthermore, I could not be with anyone if my Father in Heaven did not approve.
It makes me think about relationships where the families know nothing of the relationship. I would never want that.
For me, I cannot imagine being with someone if I did not get my parents approval. Furthermore, I could not be with anyone if my Father in Heaven did not approve.
It makes me think about relationships where the families know nothing of the relationship. I would never want that.
"I Kissed Dating Goodbye" Chapter 1 Thought
In this chapter, it calls us to love like Jesus. A part of that love like Jesus is that we ought to forgive those who have done wrong. If *my girlfriend had sex in the past (or anything that she regrets doing), that should only make me love her more, not less. Jesus would have and does. I would want her to forgive me of the things I have done in the past that I regret.
I would be proud of her for confessing these things to me. But what is important is not that she finds favor from me, but that she has already found favor from God
footnote:
*I am single. Mentioning a girlfriend is a hypothetical one.
I would be proud of her for confessing these things to me. But what is important is not that she finds favor from me, but that she has already found favor from God
footnote:
*I am single. Mentioning a girlfriend is a hypothetical one.
Friday, January 11, 2008
"Master, Mission, Mate" Summary of Book
Ch. 1: It's Not Your Idea
Ch. 2: The Wrong Way
Ch. 3: The Right Way
Ch. 4: Master
Ch. 5: Mission
Ch. 6: Mate
Ch. 7: Take A Nap
Ch. 8: Get A Leash
Ch. 9: Hold On
Ch. 10: Go
Summary: Know that your way is a mistake. It's all wrong. Graves says, "Do yourself a favor, establish yourself with Christ before you try to establish yourself with someone else." He continues, "If you need a mate, God will bring you a mate." Remember those times when you are most anxious or excited.
I think about Christmas presents. Well, I still get excited when I see my name on a box. And I do keep looking at it wondering what is in it. I have all these fantasies of what it is. I ask to open them before Christmas, but to no avail. And when it's time to actually open the presents, whether the present is awesome, or not so awesome, you lose interest after awhile.
Why? Because that was not a present used to glorify God. You get those presents you love. And you use that to glorify God. Last year, my sister bought me a shirt that I wore on my album cover. It's an attractive shirt to the eye, so I used it's visual appeal to welcome you to hold the CD.
(Next thought)
It hit me what it meant when David was a man after God's own heart. Jeremiah 17:9 explains that our heart is wicked above all things. That is scary to know that the most wicked thing in us keeps us alive. But being after God's heart certainly will keep us alive, and His heart is pure. Knowing this, don't search for a mate, rather be busy doing God's will. If you don't know what God's will is, ask.
God will give the green light who your mate is. And when you see the green light, DON'T GO JUST YET! Be cautious. Draw some lines. Determine how far you're going to go in showing affection to that brother or sister. Remember that you don't want to cause anyone to stumble. Paul talks about that in 1 Corinthians. He wouldn't even eat meat if it would cause his brother or sister to fall. So, we must love everyone as family, and treat our mate as family until marriage.
Graves gives a great analogy using poison ivy. "It's like you've contracted poison ivy and you know it's completely irrational and illogical to keep scratching-because scratching won't make it go away-but you can't seem to stop. You give in to the urge and scratch that itch, get a brief-BRIEF-bit of gratification, and then the itch spreads and the urge to scratch increases. Horrible isn't it? It's just like sin. I think that may be why poison ivy exists, so that we could get a good picture of the nature of sin."
So don't allow your family to fall. Graves says, "I maintain a strong conviction that every single person ought to live their life as though they were already committed to a life partner-because you are. If your Father has called you to marriage, then you already belong to someone. Even if you don't know who you're being unfaithful to, you're still being unfaithful."
I'll wrap this book in three steps:
1) Know first your Master, and begin to understand how great and wide and deep is His love for you.
2) Realize your purpose and mission, and gain an understanding of how a life partner fits into that purpose and mission.
3) Then and only then will you meet the one the Lord Jesus has intended for you since before you first drew breath.
To close, abide in this truth Pastor Ken Graves said in the last page of this book, "When you love someone, you look out for them."
To everyone, God bless you and understand that I love you all. Muah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ch. 2: The Wrong Way
Ch. 3: The Right Way
Ch. 4: Master
Ch. 5: Mission
Ch. 6: Mate
Ch. 7: Take A Nap
Ch. 8: Get A Leash
Ch. 9: Hold On
Ch. 10: Go
Summary: Know that your way is a mistake. It's all wrong. Graves says, "Do yourself a favor, establish yourself with Christ before you try to establish yourself with someone else." He continues, "If you need a mate, God will bring you a mate." Remember those times when you are most anxious or excited.
I think about Christmas presents. Well, I still get excited when I see my name on a box. And I do keep looking at it wondering what is in it. I have all these fantasies of what it is. I ask to open them before Christmas, but to no avail. And when it's time to actually open the presents, whether the present is awesome, or not so awesome, you lose interest after awhile.
Why? Because that was not a present used to glorify God. You get those presents you love. And you use that to glorify God. Last year, my sister bought me a shirt that I wore on my album cover. It's an attractive shirt to the eye, so I used it's visual appeal to welcome you to hold the CD.
(Next thought)
It hit me what it meant when David was a man after God's own heart. Jeremiah 17:9 explains that our heart is wicked above all things. That is scary to know that the most wicked thing in us keeps us alive. But being after God's heart certainly will keep us alive, and His heart is pure. Knowing this, don't search for a mate, rather be busy doing God's will. If you don't know what God's will is, ask.
God will give the green light who your mate is. And when you see the green light, DON'T GO JUST YET! Be cautious. Draw some lines. Determine how far you're going to go in showing affection to that brother or sister. Remember that you don't want to cause anyone to stumble. Paul talks about that in 1 Corinthians. He wouldn't even eat meat if it would cause his brother or sister to fall. So, we must love everyone as family, and treat our mate as family until marriage.
Graves gives a great analogy using poison ivy. "It's like you've contracted poison ivy and you know it's completely irrational and illogical to keep scratching-because scratching won't make it go away-but you can't seem to stop. You give in to the urge and scratch that itch, get a brief-BRIEF-bit of gratification, and then the itch spreads and the urge to scratch increases. Horrible isn't it? It's just like sin. I think that may be why poison ivy exists, so that we could get a good picture of the nature of sin."
So don't allow your family to fall. Graves says, "I maintain a strong conviction that every single person ought to live their life as though they were already committed to a life partner-because you are. If your Father has called you to marriage, then you already belong to someone. Even if you don't know who you're being unfaithful to, you're still being unfaithful."
I'll wrap this book in three steps:
1) Know first your Master, and begin to understand how great and wide and deep is His love for you.
2) Realize your purpose and mission, and gain an understanding of how a life partner fits into that purpose and mission.
3) Then and only then will you meet the one the Lord Jesus has intended for you since before you first drew breath.
To close, abide in this truth Pastor Ken Graves said in the last page of this book, "When you love someone, you look out for them."
To everyone, God bless you and understand that I love you all. Muah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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