Why are we like that?

        Lately I have had the pleasure of going to many churches talking about the awesome youth night coming up.  Along the way you hear all kinds of stories, about pastors, leaders and just normal people.  At this point it is about a 50/50 good to bad ration which I found is normal at this point.  What kill me is that yes leaders and pastors should be held at a higher standard but they do not deserve any less forgiveness than anyone else?  When they fail it is out there for everyone to see but we don't treat them the same even though we make the same mistakes.  Are we so naive in our walk with God that they are not worthy of forgiveness? Worthy of a helping hand? Every one will make mistakes so next time a leader does how about we all pray and try to help instead of talking about it and nothing changing.

Conviction

      Such a simple word but in a Christians life it has so much meaning. You could have a conviction of something as small as what you do on a certain day to a conviction on what you are going to be doing the rest of your life. To most practicing Christians that is what you are always striving for. To find what  you are convicted about and what God is calling you to do. If you are feeling convicted about something  you need to get in your prayer closet and start praying and fasting.
      Conviction is a challenging thing in general. It will take you in places that you have never been or thought you would go.  All too often we brush off convictions because it doesn't fit into our lives, schedules or our job.  There is a definite reason for the conviction that you are feeling and if you don't follow it then it will rock you to your core. God has a plan for all of us and the conviction that you are feeling is in that process. Yes it will be different and yes it will challenge you in way that you never could imagine. I challenge you next time you get that feeling deep down in your heart that you are suppose to be doing something, speak to someone or stop doing something that you are doing that you just don't brush it off.

Not always how we like it

You know going through the book of Isaiah in chapter 30 it it makes a huge point that is very relevant in so many lives. 
Isaiah 30:10
  They tell the seers,
“Stop seeing visions!”
They tell the prophets,
“Don’t tell us what is right.
Tell us nice things.
Tell us lies.
In this passage he is warning a rebelious Judah.  What kills me is we want to look at only the good and not the bad. We are fine with doing something even though something is telling us not to. We want to look for more in church but when it isn't good we ignore it. There are lots of people that only want the good stuff preached. this miricle happend, this great thing was brought up or did you see what happened there. But with all the good things come the bad things. Especially with being a Christian you have to look at this point. The day you get saved the devil is going to try and make you fail but how better is it when the mountain is so high and you reach the top. The road will not be how we want it and it will not be good all the way by any strech of the imagination. But i will tell you, if you follow his word, through the good times and bad the reward will be yours.
   

Will you do it?

Looking from the outside in, everyone is always wanting more. More from this, more from that. But are you really, and I mean really going to take the time to help it go further? Are you willing to go the extra mile when it will be hard because of the learning curve? This is what we need to accomplish in church.  We need to take the people that are just getting started helping and help mold them into a leader in every aspect. It is hard enough for some people to even get up to help and more times that none the new ones are very timid either because one they are just so new to the process, or two they are timid because they dont want anyone mad at them. So are you willing to go the extra mile? Are you really willing to help through the growing pains to help make a leader? If you are I challenge you to start now. There are people that need help and we need to help them become the leaders that God is wanting them to be.

Why

Why do we always ask why do you forsake me oh Lord? Why does your hand come down so hard on me and not the people that do me wrong? There are so many wrong doers in this world why do you persecute me?  Why I ask are we asking the Lord this? Is it not us from our own iniquities, has brought this upon ourselves? Has the Lord not shown you favor for you to only turn your face away from him. Why do we always try and blame the Lord when we are the ones to blame for the wrong doings that we have done in our lives. Do you only cry out when something goes wrong in your life and not when something went right?  Yes we need to cry out to the Lord when we are going through trials and tribulations in our lives but we also need to cry out in thanks for everything the Lord has given us. Did he not say...

"Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil."

So we are to pray thanks to you oh Lord even when our lives are in disarray that no matter what we have done to bring this upon us and what plan you have for our lives that you always love us and will guide us in the right direction.  That you give us the strength to look past what is going on in our lives at this moment and lift our hands and put our lives fully into yours no matter what.