Monday, January 9, 2012

Temptation & Sin

Temptation & Sin

This is Jesus being tempted when he fasting for 40 days. Here is the story if you are not familiar.

Luke 4
Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.”5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Satan will tempt you at three different times:
Hunger
Lonely
Tired
Or weak moments in life. Jesus was all three. I would be too if I was in the desert for 40 days.

How do we say no to temptation like Jesus?

Jesus in verse 1, saids, "Jesus, was full of the Holy Spirit." Yes, the Holy Spirit. This is key if you like me are trying to get rid of sin. Because we fall into it, through temptation. God is the only one who defeated all sin so called upon his name to get you from falling into that sin once again.

A quote from a pastor in Seattle, Washington; said it best about temptation, Mark Driscoll, "Temptation is not a sin; temptation is an opportunity to sin or to worship God. Jesus was tempted. You will be tempted. Jesus said no to temptation and yes to God. And you can do that by the power of the Holy Spirit."

It is a spiritual act of worship to say no to temptation and yes to God.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Little Life Lessons

Little Life Lessons

So in third grade I had a teacher named, "Dr. Giotis." Hope they didn't spell his name wrong as they did my last name in the third grade. This man is my all time favorite teacher. He taught me little, life, lessons, or the LLL for short. As you see he is a Dr., he is a doctor in the bible. Pretty sweet, who do you know that had a Dr. in bible as their third grade teacher?
Dr. Giotis would have us always have our bible of the top of everything. On top of the desk, on top of all our books. As a third grader I didn't
understand why. I just thought that he wanted to teach us about how nothing can be on the top on the bible. Over the years I always remember this LLL. Not only to keep the bible on the top of everything, but on the top on my life, the start of my day, the first thing you go to for help, and the most valuable physical thing that you have.
He always called us by our last name. Like "Mr. Adams" for me. When I was in third grade I just thought this was a cool thing that my teacher did that, but it taught me, that my words have a shaping impact on peoples life's. To always what our words. He did not only called us by our last name, he had a real respect for each one of us.
He taught me how to pray. He would always pray the Lord's prayer. Not only Jesus's words to his students about how to pray but also it was Dr. Giotis teaching me through Jesus. I learned that prayers do not have to be long and sound like a pagan said it. But short and sounds like a child would say it. This teacher like Jesus, taught me little, life, lessons.
I wish I can get into contact with Dr. Giotis and tell him how thankful I am for his teachings. And tell him that I love him and how much he taught me how to live life.

Amen Brother

Amen Brother

By the name of the blog you probably have no idea what this blog is going to be about. We use the word, "Amen." I wanted to show how important this word really is to Christianity. The word amen appears in the bible 54 times. It first appears in Numbers.

Numbers 5:22
22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.”
“‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.”

Now this is the first time we see the word Amen. Now I have no idea what this verse is trying to say. If you have an idea please shoot me an email jman1424@gmail.com.


Revelation 22:21
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

The word is Amen is in the last book of the bible, in the last chapter, in the last verse, and Amen is the last word.

We use this word as the end of every prayer, and when the preacher saids something awesome!! What does it mean?

Amen - expression of agreement

We use this word when we agree with something that someone saids. When you say amen at the end of the prayer you are agreeing with the prayer. If you don't agree with what they said I wouldn't say amen because, you wouldn't agree with it. I don't say amen to prayers I don't agree with, this rarely happens though. So next time your around me, you pray, and I don't say amen, don't think I didn't agree with your prayer. Haha.

What do you agree with?







Christ As Center

Christ As Center

The reason for the season, Jesus. Every year at Christmas we hear from Christians, "Keep Christ in Christmas." No one has never really answered this question. So as a person that wants to keep Christ in Christmas, I am going to show you how I think we can tackle this task that we run into every year.

Starts With Us

Colossians 3:2

2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

During the Christmas season we are focused on shopping. Gifts are things that are earthly. Instead of focusing on gifts, we should focus on heavenly things like in verse 14, Love. We just need to love one another, and enjoy one another. I think we can all agree that it is more about the time we spend with our family and friends.

2. The Christmas Story

Read the Christmas story. If you have kids take the time and sit down as a family and read the story. You will always be reminded of the incarnation of Jesus. The incarnation of Jesus is God becoming man. Jesus was a real physical human being, he had to learn how to speak and how to walk. One more reason to thank Jesus for everything he has done for us.

3. What Changes?

If we keep Christ in the center of our lives. Why do we have a problem with keep him at the center of Christmas? Well it seems like Christians do not have a problem keeping Christ in Christmas. Why we Christians see it as a problem is because there is so many non-Christians that are taking the true meaning out of Christmas. It is our responsibility to show non-Christians the true meaning of Christmas.

4. JESUS

Thank Jesus. He has done more for us then we could ever ask or think of. He gives the true gifts. He gives us our spiritual gifts, gifts of hope, gifts of faith, and the best gift of all his GRACE.



It starts with you. You can change this pattern.