Devotion and Reflections for Sunday from a Geek

I learn so much from the devotions from rbc ministries. What jump out at me with this devotion was the very last line...

"The law of sowing and reaping has never been repealed"

We seem to forget that at times when we make choice against God's will. Yes, God is a very forgiven God and yes if we are very sincere and humble God will forgive you and I. But many people think that we are not forgiven because we still have to deal with the aftermath of that decision, that act that we committed. Many of us (including myself because I have said this myself when I was younger), "I thought you forgave me Lord? Why I'm I still going through this matter?"

God can and sometimes will not let us suffer the consequences for our actions but that is very rare and it has taken me to now to realize why we still suffer from some choices we make. Even with non-Christians our Lord has given you and I a conscience to know right from wrong and I have mention this before; God gave you and I domain over this earth in the very beginning of time but when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit they turned it over to Satan. Now one thing I have learned from the Bible is this: God cannot violate his Word, His principles. God never wanted sin in the world but when he created man and woman He also gave them free will. But what I love about God is that He told man (Adam, He did not tell Adam and Eve as many believe. {Genesis 2:4-17 }So it was man's job for Eve not to eat the fruit. And let's not forget Adam was at Eve's side so He had every opportunity to stop Eve; {Genesis 3:1-19})

We sometimes want yell out and cry to God, "How can He be so cruel?" and many times we have really sit back and do some self reflections of our lives and take responsibilities for our actions. Since the fall of man and woman in the Garden we have grown more and more a society that wants to blame others for our choices and this is why many times their is hardship in our lives. True, they are circumstances that are out of our control but if we are really honest with ourselves it's the choices we have made most times that has brought us to some of the conditions we are in right now.

But here is the wonderful thing about being under God's protection when being a believer, even though we may have to suffer from decisions we have made in our lives most times it is only a season instead of a lifetime. It's also good to know is that when you are really sincere about your action God we forgive you and He will not hold this over your head forever. But then someone will, "but you just said that God let's you and I suffer for our actions, You're talking out of both sides of you neck, man?"{in my surfer dude's voice}). We tend to mix up "forgiveness" with "accountability". From Adam and Eve to Moses to King David to Jonah and many other true men and women of God, He always forgave but they still had to pay a price for disobeying God. If he did not do this, how would learn our lesson in life? It's like if I smoked for twenty years and the doctor has told me, "DarrenKeith here are your choices...stop smoking today and you live...continue to smoke and you die in the next 3 months". I stop smoking, start eating right, exercising, the whole "healthy thang (I know it's pronounced "thing" but just bare with me). Now even though I have begin to do what my physician has told me to do they damage is still done to my lungs. Now it will take me some years to get back to the way I once was but I will not be at a 100% because of the years I have robbed myself of this habit (smoking) but I have slowed down the process of dying in 3 months.

What I love about God is He is a God of "second" chances...and third...and forth...and so on. He loves you and so much that He wants you and I to enjoy our life here on this planet. But like any good parent there are "do's and do not's". We can choose to defy Him and again what we reap we will so. And think about this, you may not suffer the consequences but sometimes our children will. I have seen this happen too many times and it is a very sad thing to see. I love God because I have come to know that being a child of God He "disciplines" me for some of my choices and not pour our His "wrath" on me and that my friends is a very big difference. We will make mistakes and God's knows this because we are not perfect but to know that we are forgiven when we truly and sincerely repent is an awesome thing to know about our Heavenly Father. But again remember this...

"The law of sowing and reaping has never been repealed"

Be Blessed, Be Safe
& Have a Wonderful Sunday. ^_^

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Devotion and Reflection for Friday

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
~Plutarch



I have to remind myself of this sometimes. Sometimes I get caught up in finding information that it becomes mechanical, even with God's word. Sometimes I have step back and remind myself how good He has been to me, how good he is to me now and how He is with me in the future. It's wonderful to know His love for me, to know that with Christ Jesus giving up His life for me that how I can not only have happiness here on earth but will be with God in Heaven and go to the new earth when that time comes.

Yesterday I was reminded that no matter how busy I become, I must put my Heavenly Father before anything and anyone. God knows I need him each and every day and when I realize how much he has in store for me it really puts me at ease. He reminds me that situation will arise, people will try and make you angry just because or they themselves are having a bad day and you are just on "lashing out" end of it and it may not be directed toward you personally. Sometimes by the way you carry yourself may uplift that angry person and you never realize how you have made that person's day.

The devotion from this morning makes me realize how not only reading God's word is a guide to life but I healer to my spirit. Knowing that when I am at my highest God knows I need him ever more and when I am at my lowest God's arms are there to comfort me. His word is not my own, His word is for me to share with the world how much He loves you and I. To follower of Christ Jesus...He is with you when you feel like you are in the battle alone and to the non-believer He wants you to know that if you just turn you life over to him it's so much He has in store for you and so much He wants to share with you.

Be Blessed, Be Safe
& have a Wonderful Friday. ^_^
~DarrenKeith

This Is Why I Love Public Radio

A great podcast from "Speaking Of Faith" 4/12/2007

This is a wonderful podcast. Why do we as Christians allow others in our camp to paint us in a corner. Richard Cizik (of the National Association of Evangelicals.) asked this question in regards to his belief that God has given us domain over the earth and how it is being destroyed. I know God created this earth but I really enjoy science, love nature. Richard is interviewed by Krista Tippett. Mr. Cizik asked the question, "Why can't I be a Christian and care about the environment?" Being a Christian is wonderful but it is a hard road to walk today and it not pressure from the outside world but from within our own camp. It's amazing how well known men like James Dobson (Focus on the Family) can cry out about abortion, gay marriage but keep silent on racism, sex outside of marriage, people living together outside of marriage and from what I learned from this interview oppose Mr. Cizik of caring for the environment? I love Mr. Dobson as a brother in Christ Jesus but sometimes I really think with him and many in his camp they fail to realize that all of these issues places a part in our world. This is my first time hearing of this gentlemen and what he believes in makes clear sense to me. I hope you get a chance to listen to this podcast or download it and give it some thought. To me I do not call Mr. Cizik a Christian...I call him a "Follower of Jesus Christ", which is a very good thing.

Enjoy.

(To listen to the interview now...go here or here)

Thank you letter to Jesus

The Fellowship Of The Cross
click here for devotion reading from rbc ministries

It's really amazing on how so many things comes back to relying on God. It's a comfort to know that Jesus Christ, who really knew from the beginning of time that he was have to become the sacrifice for humanity so we can have a oneness with the Father was again. At times when I write my reflection on walking with the Lord it feels as if I am repeating myself but the words just keep coming because having that peace within me, the peace in our home, the peace that knowing that He is in a covenant with me I really have nothing to fear.

Situation will arise, detours in my life will occur...some because of the choices I make for my life, some because my faith with be strengthen because of trials in my life. People will come and go into my life...some will be here a lifetime and some only a season but to know that Christ Jesus is there with me no matter how my life is going is a wonderful feeling.

I choose Christ Jesus because knowing His love for me will never die, he is not some fair-weather friend. His wisdom is beyond any that I can compare. I can honestly say that when I have put Him first and trusted in Him no matter what, my life has been so peaceful. I did not and will not ever say "easy" because Christ has told us that when choosing His way of living you will lose friends, family members because "His ways or not our ways", but that's okay. If I am a outcast...I'm glad I am in His camp than the world's camp.

Thank you for all your love, what you gave up for my Christ, thank you for being with me because I say with my mouth and in my heart that you are the chosen one and that you died for me because of love and not because you had to...you owed me nothing...I owe you everything.

Thank You.

Wisdom For Your Soul:
Reality Check about Discipleship ( Part 1 )

Geek Wisdom for Ya Noggin':
Windows Weekly 22: Silverlight

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Weekend Wisdom & Reflections

Love Life or Live for the Past?

It's okay to be cautious in life but sometimes dwelling on the past is harmful as well as always worrying about the future. I was a "average" athlete...actually, the only reason why I played sports was I thought that would girls would be swooning all over me (that never happened). One thing I am really thankful for now is that I wasn't an "all out" jockey. This I mean I'm glad I do not dwell on, "when I made this shot" or "I remember when we were down by this many points and I brought us back from behind." Playing football and basketball was cool but it is not who I was then and it is not who I am now.

I say this because when I used to go back to the old neighborhood that is all what some of my classmates used to harp on day in and day out. It's okay about an hour or so then it becomes "boring" to me. It's not that it brings bad memories for me but at times I think to myself, "but it's so much more to see in this world." I have been really blessed. I never was a drinker, the drug scene never appealed to me, don't smoke and I do not have small children so I still have the freedom to move about freely. I am married so somethings I used to do I can not but over all, life is good. I am not working where I want to work at the moment but I am working toward what God has put in my heart to pursue. Sometimes I may think about "what if?" but it never last long because I'm loving life at this very moment.

This devotion from Our Daily Bread shows how Moses did not dwell on the fact that he did not make it into the promise land. Was he disappointed? Maybe so, but to have an intimate relationship with God and to be able to pass his wisdom on to Joshua was his main focus.

Too many times I have worked with older people and they are so angry with the world, the youth, they feel that the "world" has let them down or the government or they company and really they are angry with themselves. This is why I am trying to live each day to the fullest. Mind you, I am paying attention to my future but I am keeping my eyes on the Lord. Staying in His word because if anyone knows my future and what is best for me is Jesus Christ. I hope I can always have the mind set to never stop learning and to never stop sharing because as an older gentleman talk me years back, "When you stop learning that is when you become old.

One thing I have realized being a follower of Christ Jesus is that I do not really have to worry about my future because I know where I'm going when I die, he has let me know life is not fair, people will not like you sometimes"just because" but as long as I have your back you will be just fine. That's pretty cool to know. So really it's up to me when it comes to the comfort of my life here on earth: do as Christ says and keep receiving wisdom through the Holy spirit, wonderful people he places in my path of life or try and think I can do it all of myself, look down upon people and stop learning?

I choose the latter.

Be Blessed, Be Safe and have a Wonderful weekend.

Praying For Our Children
from Christian Embassy Church

Responsibility

"Lord grant that my children would learn to be responsible, for each one should carry his own load."

Galatians 6:5

Wisdom for soul:
What's Your Story?

Geek wisdom for your noggin':
MacBreak Weekly 37: Kung Fu Grippe

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A Simple Life but Not An Easy Road...But It's Worth the Drive

I just finished reading the devotion from Our Daily Bread (actually I thought I was reading today's reading but then I realized it was from yesterday) how Christ Jesus and the two thieves hung on the cross and one thief is now in Hades and the other is in Paradise. Isn't it amazing how in the time on the cross after living a certain way how our Lord and Savior can still forgive us? Now I am not say we can live our lives any kind of way then at the last moment just cry out, "LORD...I BELIEVE IN YOU!!" and that's it.

Many times people who leave that way heart grows so cold toward the word of our Lord and we have pushed our conscience so far back where we do not hear the warnings because the God who created you and I knows our heart and He knows if we are sincere are not. Last Sunday our pastor was saying how some Christians make the this life so hard to live and he was saying that following Jesus Christ is really simple...I tend to agree. It's not an easy road I grant your but it is a simple life.

I love living a life with no non-scenes problems. I call it that because we, Followers of Christ Jesus and non Christians alike are going to encounter problems throughout our lives: certain bills that pop up out of the blue, people that dislike you "just because, decisions we will have to make throughout life...it's going to happen. What I have learned that whenever I have put my trust in God's word and I mean not only reading His word but meditating and DOING it how simple my life has become.

I remember years back years back when my wife and I were visiting her relatives in Racine, Wisconsin we got into a discussion on how some churches were allowing gay pastors head their congregation and the role of women in marriage. My wife's cousin felt that people were throwing in "their own opinion" when it comes to that decision and people have a right to believe what they want to believe. I just sat their listening, not saying a word. When he came to me to speak I just said, "I'm not going to debate with anyone, if it doesn't line up with the word of God, there is know reason for me say anything."

He is not an believer but He had to agree with me on that point. I was not taking the easy way out, I'm just telling the truth. When we give our lives over to Christ, our lives are not our own any more and to be honest it makes life so much "simpler" and again, I am not saying that it makes life easier. It's hard to disagree with some beliefs in this day and age, so many things has become so homogenized and what once was considered wrong is now right.

I have said this time and time again, yes God gave us a free will because He did not want robots be He has made His feeling very clear on what we should and should not do, not to keep you and from living but to keep you and I from unnecessary pain down the road of our lives. Man have I made some choices in my life that I wish I "reformat" my brain and time do over again (as my geek brother Luis have said from time to time) but the truth is, we all have. But now knowing that by me truly giving my life over to the Lord that I have another chance not only on this earth but to have enternal life is so wonderful. I don't worry about, "where I'm going when I die?" and "what meaning is my life?" because I know where I am going and believe me, many people may not say it out loud but they think about it from time to time.

To have that ease of mind is half the battle won to me. ^_^ The other have knowing that as long as I continue to read God's word, study and meditate on His obey His word my road on thing called, "Life" is so much simpler as well. I have come to many detours in my life, some of my own choosing, some not in my control but knowing that even when I stumble, He is there to pick me up and I am not down too long because in the end, I come out a winner no matter what is the best feeling in the world for me.

Be Blessed, Be Safe, & have a Wonderful Weekend.