I've entered the @WeddingLovely #nssgiveaway! $200 of paper goods up for grabs:  My wife loves them.  

changed blogs

go here : http://jdeezy54.wordpress.com/ it just looks better

Making our God small

I've been reading Spectacular Sins by John Piper. It's a very good book, and I highly recommend it. (Unlike most Piper books, it's short and to the point!) It's not just informative but it's given me a greater understanding and appreciation of God's sovereignty, especially in the area of sin and God's sovereignty over it. One statement that struck me was: "Wimpy worldviews make wimpy Christians". How often we talk, sing, read about the greatness of God, and I have no doubt that if I was to ask a Christian, or specifically someone from GOC what he/she thought about God, I'd probably get some responses ranging from "holy, awesome, powerful, omniscient, omnipresent, all-knowing, wise, faithful, etc" but how do those beliefs manifest themselves in our daily lives? I for one often lack faith when I choose to rely on myself on how I am going to get this or that done, deciding my future, or even making everyday decisions. Where is God in that picture? I am doing the exact opposite of what it says in Proverbs 3:5-7:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil."

We are supposed to build our faith on the solid rock of God, not the sinking sands that are ourselves. Christianity is more than facts but not less. We as Christians often say we read the Bible to "know more about God". That statement might be inadequate depending on your definition of "knowing". "Knowing" more about God does not do the Bible, or our Lord justice. After all I could pick up a book on USC sports history and know more about it, but I could care less about it. Plainly reading or hearing the Bible does not make us more like Christ, the Pharisees knew the Word of God inside and out but all that knowledge meant nothing for their perishing souls in the end. They were exactly the kind of people James warns us not to become when he says, "Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves." The greater our understanding of God through the application of His word, the more faithful our worldviews will be. Let's not be wimpy Christians, I don't want to be one.

Last enrollment EVER

Just enrolled for the last classes of my college career. Yikes senior year is ending quickly. Senior year has been busy and seems to only get busier as time goes on, but all to the glory of God...well hopefully I've been able to be faithful in that. Tack on work starting on Tuesday and that equals some busy times ahead. Busyness tends to bring out the worst in me sometimes. The danger of focusing too much on the busyness and not on God, forgetting to care enough about others, thinking about what I need to do next, being impatient, being terse with people, among probably other things. These all boil down to selfishness. Selfishness being an exalting of oneself, therefore a lack of humility. Well this is what Peter has to say about it:

"You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the pround, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." -1Peter 5:5-7

What a comforting promise that is, that we ought to humble ourselves before Him and cast our anxieties on Him BECAUSE HE CARES FOR US. What a boundless love it is.

after this midterm, I'm playing BASKETBALL

I've been sitting at this desk too much these past couple days, my legs feel decrepit... like that feeling you get in your legs/feet when you've just woken up from sleeping in your seat during a long flight.

Another Year of Life, Another Year Older,

Another year wiser? I can only hope to strive to learn and understand more of what Solomon writes in Provers 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." Wow I'm 22 now. 21 is supposed to be a landmark year and in many ways it was. What a crazy year, lots of challenges, , lots of sin, lots of growth, a lot learned, and grace that abounded it all. Too much for this one page. Here's to another year of blessed life. Thank you Lord, and thank You for family and friends.

A Prayer for Patience

"The presence of impatience reveals the absence of humility, reveals the presence of self-righteousness in our lives. When we are impatient, we have forgotten God's patience with us."

-C.J. Mahaney

"Appreciate the patience of God, think how He has borne with you and still bears with you when so much of your life is unworthy of Him and you have so richly deserved His rejection. Learn to marvel at His patience and seek grace to imitate it in your dealings with others and try not to try His patience anymore."

-J.I. Packer

God, please grant me patience in dealing with every trial, every worry, every doubt. I cast these thoughts unto the only God of this universe who promises to give me rest. Amen