Good Friday

Like Rebecca Black would say, or would have said it yesterday "It's Friday, Friday gonna get down on Friday" and why not, yesterday was Friday and it was an amazing day! Why is it good though Lord when you were hung on the cross. You were beaten, spit on, mocked, had your beard pulled out, nails in your hands and feet and yet we say it is a Good Day?? Doesn't that make us sound like we hate you? I guess when we sin, it does...but it is a Good Day because you on the cross, Your last words were "It is finished."
Your life was finished, You died. Your death and even Your resurrection are the cornerstones to our faith. Without them, we would have no hope! Your death was for us, a ransom for our sins. Your death meant that I could live. Your death was the atoning sacrifice for me. I don't have to go to a temple and sacrifice any animal or grain to make amends for my sins. There is no more yearly daily atonement and a worry that the priest might offend You or mess up and die while in the Holy of Holies. In fact, when it was finished and He died, You tore that curtain in half so we could freely come before You.
The old days of the temple are finished, sacrifices are finished, being separated from You is finished. I can freely run to Your throne now. I can freely come before You without the worry that I will die!

I do deserve to die though. I am a sinner. I get consumed with thoughts that are unholy. I lie, I hate, I have pride outside of You, I boast on my own strength, I cheat, I am lazy, I do what I want...I am far from holy. I am broken. I am dirty. Watch the news, it talks about rape, murder, adultery, stealing, robbing, torture, and even people lacking responsibilities and common sense that lead to horrible things. I am just like that, and I know it.
This is why it is a Good Day because You knew how horrible I am and how dirty our world is. Yet You loved us enough to still to die, to still let it be finished and not call down 12 legions of angels to save You. You died for me. So when the Father sees me, He sees You, He sees Your blood that washed away my dirty sins.

My prayer now is that Father, make me hate my sins. Make me find my choices to give into sin disgusting. Make me see how horrible they are and make me realize that they are the reasons Your Son had to die. I want to leave those sins behind and be so close to Your Son, to look just like Him. Thank You for Your grace and mercy though, for Your love and kindness. I would be nowhere without them. Thanks to Your I am somewhere, somewhere great and growing though undeserving. Please continue to help me invest and to pour into this relationship with You. I don't want it to seem like some same old routine and forget about what a true relationship sounds and looks like!
I love You and I am forever grateful You love me, the proof is in Good Friday!
AMEN

Thanksgiving

Lord I thank You for:

Life
Breath
A house
2 cars
my wife
my dogs
I can see, smell, taste, feel, hear
I have a job teaching
I have a job as a youth pastor
I am from Michigan ;)
I have you as my Lord and Savoir
You died on the cross for me
I am an America (meaning I have so many blessings and opportunities)
I am safe
I have clothes
I am not homeless
I do not have any major diseases.
I have a computer
I have a PS3
I have good friends
Anthony is my best friend
I will be in Jay's wedding this year
I will perform Erica's and Coles wedding
that I have a family that loves me
Your constant provision
that You lead my life
that You chose to save me, to rescue me, to give me a purpose
You provide my emotional and mental needs
that You got me through college
that You got me through bad relationships
that You forgive my sin,
that You restore me unto salvation
keeping Your promises
for Your Son Jesus
for interns
for interning at Hope
for Chris Hankins
for helping me grow in my marriage
for a loving wife
for an amazing mom
for rescuing my dad!!!!
for everything I can't think of
the fact that I can walk
I can speak
I can move
I can drive
I can eat
that I am not allergic to shellfish or wool
that I am not a diabetic
that I have a membership at Planet Fitness
for movies and games
for places to go
for Raleigh

I thank You for being You!
AMEN

Salvation is a Good Friend

I can't sleep tonight! Too much on my mind perhaps, or I am just used to being tracked out and able to stay up so late! Either way, here I am Lord. Listening to bluegrass music, wanting to blog, to pray and grateful for you. Who am I to argue with You? Life is great and worth living because of You. I would rather be here, now, up, then in bed, letting my mind wander to sinful things. I have salvation through Your Son and I am an heir! How amazing is that?

I thank You for my friends, for my church, for my youth, for Facebook, for this house, these dogs, freedom, Your mercy and grace. I thank You for hot showers and clean water. I thank You for my car, for my clothes, for the food you provide, for my family, for everything. EVERYTHING. Regardless of my situation, through peaceful times and the rough, through the rain and storms or sunny weather You are my God and I am forever grateful! Thank You Lord.

AMEN

Here is Our King

Today Lord, I thank You for being my God. I thank you for a great night out with my wife last night! I thank you for the two interns I have working with our youth! I thank You for the opportunity to teach a 3-week class on prayer and I thank you for Your love and grace. I thank You for our house, for our dogs and for our family. I thank You for being our KING! I thank you for a good breakfast and a chance to serve You by doing demolition work today!

I ask that You watch over me, speak to me, give me wisdom in how to handle the various situations I will see come about in the lives of my youth. I ask that you strengthen me when I need to be tough and to discipline and help me be gentle and loving when compassion, mercy and grace are in order. Help me be a loving and faithful husband. Lord, I do not want to incur Your wrath, not be rebuked, though if I step out of line, as my loving Father, I ask that you do rebuke and discipline me.

I pray that Jay and Eva's wedding will be amazing this summer and that You will bring Anthony to a full relationship with Your Son. I pray that His relationship with Cindy will help lead to that but that also it will be good for his heart too. I ask that You watch over my wife and be there to guide her growth and her walk in You.

Finally, I beseech You Lord, please give us a child. We love You and we want to share our love with our own child.

Thank You Lord,
AMEN