Epic Sermon Notes: April 27, 2011-Loving & Caring

In life we care and have our priorities laid out before us in a fashion that's typical for us teenagers. There are things that, believe it or not, we really do believe we could care less about.

• Chores
• School
• Work
• "Nagging" parents
• And even God

The thing is, some of the most important things we don't care much are things we should in fact take into higher consideration. You say you could care less about school; whenever an education is required for practically most of every college and some kind of degree is required to obtain a standard job. You say you could do without your parents "nagging" you all the time; whenever they've lived longer and experienced more in twice the amount of time we have and they just wish to keep you safe and prevent you from going down a dark road with many consequences. You say you could care less about chores; whenever it gives you something productive to do and your benfiting the household's tidyness and your losing some of you laziness. You say you could care less about God; well I can't help you there. That's your decision, but if you're truly wanting to know what He can do for your life and you're willing; that I can lead you to find help with.

Sometimes we make big deals over the darndest things. Often what's important in our lives, most people don't care to even lend a helping hand or an ear to listen. You suffer and you feel alone and isolated and what do you do? Nothing, right? You probably do something, but you always have that bitterness, that scorn, that hatred, that sadness and depressed feeling that continues to haunt you no matter what you do. Can I just admit to you right now, you're not the only one. None of us are perfect, and we never will be. That's the beauty of being a human, but you don't have to do it alone.

It all starts with this: You wonder why you find it so hard to let go of all the sadness, the anger, the grudges, the betrayals. Think about it this way, we all know a person in our lives or around us who is rejected, exiled, bullied, or whatever term you wish to use to describe it.  We humans are sometimes really sick and twisted people. It's hard to accept, but it's the truth. The one that everyone gossips about, the one that does drugs or smokes and everyone knows, the one who was just created uniquely and is often rejected for somethign they can't control. That one person who stabbed you in the back, or the guy/girl who dumped you and left your heart in pieces that no one could pick up. What do you do?  

Luke 10:25-27- " On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26-"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" 27-"He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"  (NIV)

One of the most greatest points made, and yet one of the hardest ones to keep alive and omnipresent. I always struggle with this, no matter how much I desperately wish to talk to that rejected kid or give someone I don't know a friendly greeting. My fear of awkwardness steers me in the other direction. It needs to stop. No matter if we accept it or not; we all have at one point in our lives talked bad about someone behind their back, hurt someone either purposely or unintentionally, given someone a compliment, and loved someone. We all have our quirks and knacks and histories. But we are all one through Christ and surely God does not show favor upon situations in which his children are always at each others' throats! Greet that rejected person, go out of your way to help stand up for someone you witness is being messed up and no one else is doing anything. Be an example to others by putting yourself and your schedule behind you and helping others in front or ahead of you. You have time, you honestly do, to help someone and possibly change their life. But ultimately, God changes the lives and mindsets of those we love and care about the most and the ones around us.

Bring your worry, your hate, your sadness to God. Restating, not at Him, but to Him. God really can change your life for the better if you just trust in and love Him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. The Lord of our lives and the One who reigns above all else in the world. The God who loves us unconditionally no matter what we have done in the past or what we believe in. Love that is everlasting and never goes away, a God that never betrays or leaves us alone in the dust like "friends" can. It all starts with believing and trusting in Him, and putting other before yourself, and most of all,loving them. Please I encourage you to have a heart, and give a care. Lend an invitation to those who suffer every day of their lives and wonder if God really wants this for their lives when He truly doesn't wish it upon them. Lead people in the right direction, and be an example to those around by showing them how to lead others in the right direction.

Love them, don't convert them. Love them, and don't reject them. Love them, and don't spit back in anger. Love them, no matter what.

Thus concludes my notes from last night's sermon. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed sharing it. 

This is for you my blessed friends, and for the ones who we need to care about more often.

Easter and The Power of Miracles

Forgive my delaying of writing blogs for however long it has been since my last one. I've been very caught up in all this band business, but thankfully there's a short break now, and hopefully I can get back to blogging regularly again when inspiration strikes me. Let's start this thing off as so:

This past week and today have probably been part of one of the most life changing events in my life! So many positive things and so much happiness that has appeared as if out of nowhere and unexpectedly at the right time for my life. I had been praying to God over the Spring Trip in Missouri every single day for God to help me make my life a more exciting and better life to keep living, and when we came back, my prayers were answered.

The first thing that occurred was when I went to band rehearsal during my first half of the day at school, and my band director had decided to play us a new piece that she had in mind for the famous spring concert. The name of the piece, The Hounds of Spring by Alfred Reed, and no doubt the first time I heard it, I felt this immense feeling of happiness well up inside me. This sort of warm, cozy feeling that gave you the feeling of the weather on a perfect spring day, and I knew then this would be my new favorite piece. A week later and here I am, technique and playing down and ready to move on to something better, but still a huge fan of the piece. God definitely was sending me a message that day to be more positive, and possibly more "springy" in my life without any need for awkward feelings or suspicions or even worry. Little did I know about this message until later in the week.

Then came Wednesday. I wasn't expecting anything momentous to happen or take place that day really; I recall being bored and wanting some kind of energized boost and a desperate want for God that kept persisting in my thoughts the entire day until school was done. Once school got out and I went to my best bud's house like the usual Wednesday, something changed about me that I'll never forget. I felt this heaviness drop itself on me, I felt loneliness settle in my heart and start ripping it apart, and soon dark thoughts started to prevail in my mind. It wasn't long before my best bud's mom started taking notice and tried to help, and soon enough my best bud realized it too at the dinner table when I didn't say a word. "Despondent" he called it. And it was true, I felt so heavy and depressed and it was because of some dumb reason I only half remember now. I walked to church earlier than usual because for one, it was part of my duties as part of the leadership team, and second, I felt I needed to get out before I really did something I would regret (not that I had any intentions to act on these thoughts).

I went on with my day and craved for something good to happen, I begged God to take the darkness away from my heart and to help me make amends with my friend. I went inside the church, almost dropping everything at the entrance and putting on a fake smile in the lighter environment that slowly started seeping its way into my heart. I kept not responding to my best bud at the beginning of service; not because I was mad at him, but that I was afraid of saying something to only make matters worse. I sat down in a different row as there was no room for me to sit on his. Then came the unexpected event that changed my night.

An old friend of mine whom I had never really spoken to very often sat down next to me, and I almost jumped in my seat. I was told he missed that day of school because his great grandparents passed away and he was at the funeral. Somehow, my heart lifted and the first thought that came to my mind was, drop everything that happened earlier today and be there for this friend. My mind was set on changing my thoughts toward a more positive outlook in order to help the grieving process of my friend. When the time for worship came, I felt little affect me, but I did feel God's presence around me as if He were waiting for me to take notice and do something different than the usual. We sat back down, and my friend started talking to me while the sermon was going on. He started talking about his great grandparents and their deaths, and even showed me a picture of them. I wanted to cry and give him a comforting hug that would be fully intended to help him because I saw the hurt in his face and I knew the reason he came to church, to ease the pain.

The sermon gripped my attention that night. If there was one thing in my life that I needed to let go of the most, it was my thoughts about my friendships and all the worries in my life associated with them, and how I depend on my friends so much. The sermon was about putting God first in our lives, and although I had heard the sermon preached many times with different words and scriptures, this one had the greatest impact on me. It was because that night my mind had been so preoccupied with my bond I had with my best friend, and it was something I had always worried about ever since we became best buds. But I felt God put His hand on my shoulder and saying, "let go of Him. Do not worry any longer; I will keep your friendship alive". At that moment, I opened my closed hand in the air and I felt the heaviness disappear instantly and all the worries associated with it. I tried to think of one negative thought about my best friend and I, and my mind wouldn't allow it, only the good prevailed! That was when I felt the presence of God once again comforting me and my sudden realization that God really can perform miracles for anybody.

I later talked to my best bud that night with the biggest smile on my face I hadn't had since we were first friends. I could tell he realized it as well because soon it became contagious and he too began smiling like a total goofball. I said nothing that night that had any bad meaning or ill intentions. Just these words, "You're still my best friend, and I love you." And with that he seemed to beam with happiness and we did our handshake and said our goodnight farewells. I walked to the door with a kick in my step and a light in my heart, convinced that this night would mark one of the most pivotal changing points in my life.

The day after, my old friend I sat beside at church the day before messaged me on Facebook. It was totally unexpected, but I knew the reason behind him contacting me. Why me, I had no idea. He started pouring out his heart and thoughts to me, risking all he had left to lose. I took it upon myself to start talking to him about how much God loves Him and his great grandparents that passed away and that they will be happier living with God. My friend started opening up a little more, and I felt more words coming from my mouth that I didn't even realize I was speaking, but he soon told me it was as if he was hearing the words from God himself. Soon enough after a long encouraging discussion, my friend's attitude on faith and our friendship had drastically changed for the better. He soon realized how awesome God really is and how thankful he was to have friends that could support him. I felt so much joy out of helping him that night, and it gave me newfound confidence in my abilities to help people through God and also more assurance for God's calling in my life. I also gained a new friend somewhat, and I'm glad God continues to help me and my friends find new opportunities.

The week passed by quickly afterwards and nothing exciting really seemed to occur other than that my happiness was still beaming. Then after school on Friday, my distant friend in Arkansas had told me about his miracle that he had experienced. Apparently, he couldn't go on his band's trip to Florida because unfortunately he couldn't pay for it. I knew he had really wanted to go, and I felt that he should, so I had been praying for something to happen for quite a while. He told me that his band directors had told him that they wanted him to go on the trip, so he gets to go for free. Imagine! How often does this occur for high school band students? Extremely rare, as far as I know! I could feel the joyous presence of his voice emanating from the texts he kept sending in his ecstatic state. I felt like jumping for joy as well because it seemed as if miracle after miracle kept coming along and God was having a field day in not just my life, but my friends as well!

Easter Sunday. My life felt great and I immediately felt something I hadn't experienced in the Easters of the past 16 years of my life. God was there every step I took, and I knew today would be a great one. Now one comment before I go on, my dad's church is not exactly my idea of a great place to have church service but honestly you can't blame them for the surrounding ambiance of crappy high school auditorium. I didn't feel very moved when singing, but the sermon did open my eyes for me. John 19-20. Both chapters needing the other to provide us with the story behind Easter and the two chapters that really flipped my day upside down, in a good way. I was reminded of the suffering Jesus endured and my heart kept getting pulled and pinched by the compassion I felt for my Lord. Yet at the mention of His resurrection, I felt like jumping out of my seat and rejoicing the good name of the Lord for all to hear. Amen, and glory and thanks be to God and the king of all kings! For my week had been a miracle stacked upon each other every day and I knew that if it weren't for Christ I wouldn't be living such a wonderful life. I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of my today with one ending thought: Thank You God, and Thank You Jesus for dying for me and taking away my sin and now I will continue to love and worship you just as you love me.

And what do I do next now that my life has gotten so much better? I have given it much thought during the week, and I came upon this decision when reflecting back on the situations that used to be problems but were now resolved thanks to God. Now that my life has become better and I'm happier than I've been in a while, it's now someone else's turn. It's never about me, and it never was. It's about God and doing His work by sharing His love and compassion for those who are suffering that are closest to my life so that they too may experience God like I do now. God, the one who can change the lives of millions and millions on top of a million times a million people at the instant they start truly believing and trusting Him with their lives. Christ has risen indeed and He is proof of God's amazing miracles and God's awesome. For no one is greater than He. Praise be to You, God!

Thank you for reading this. God bless all of you.

Marching, Worship, and Friends

I woke up this morning and the first thought that came to my mind was, I need to find some way to be connected with God today before I do anything else. I said my morning prayers and I decided to spend most of my morning listen to worship music and I even started singing without even considering how much my throat was hurting. I didn't care, I felt so down, I needed God, and I just kept singing. Next thing you know, I'm near tears because of how much of God's love I felt right there sitting on my bed.

I'll be honest, today wasn't really my best day, but I did love it in more ways than one. Every day, I still carry the heavy burden of my friends and the situations in their lives. I love them so much, and I don't wish anything bad upon them. I really do miss talking to them like we used to, especially my best bud. But there's nothing I can do, I just have to be patient and trust in God to help them. But I'm continually grateful for all the friends who have been there to listen and help me while the rest have been busy with other things. I can't explain this overwhelming desire I have, begging God to help them, and I wish to help as well. As selflessness being a core value of my life, I try to make the most of it.

We marched at band orientation today, and I felt so great getting back to marching. I missed the feeling, and I surely will when I march the new show for the last time. When we were listening to the new show, the ballad tipped me off. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but something was definitely tugging at my heart and I almost started crying. The images of the past seniors who had already graduated spanning back from my freshman year, it all came flooding back and rushing through my mind. The music kept playing and I started feeling extremely uncomfortable, as if I was being faced with an old fear and new realization which had been haunting me for years. It's our turn now, and I'm going to be a senior. I said to myself in my head, I have to give it my all this next year; I'm going to leave my mark on this marching band's history. Next thing you know, we're playing the music and of course being the lacking sightreader I am, I fumbled through sometimes, but eventually got it around the third time through.

Yet when I looked over at one of my close senior friends, who is graduating this year, I felt this wave of sadness rush over me when she asked if I was okay. The depressing truth suddenly gripped me and shook me by the shoulders. She's leaving...And soon I'll almost have no friends to talk to and have interesting conversations with about our lives and how we are. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and ask her to not leave me. But that wouldn't have fixed anything; only make the situation worse. She is one of the few people who made an effort to always brighten my day, and I love her for that. One of my greatest friends in my life by far, and I am truly grateful to be blessed with such a friend. Thank you, if you're reading this, you know who you are.

I realized after today's orientation. I'm going to be a senior next year, and now I'm starting to feel the melancholy feelings that all seniors seem to describe. I didn't want to be around anyone that made me feel worse, but it seemed every time I pushed away, God kept putting key acquaintances and friends in my way to keep me facing my fear. Then I realize, with each passing day, I get closer to leaving my hometown and beginning to accomplish my calling for my life by helping others with God's word. I may not be ready yet, but I have a whole year to prepare myself for what I'm to experience all throughout next year.

God, I'm so tired of giving into this depression but often going back to You and loving You for Your amazing love. I don't want this hurt and worry that I'm soon to deal with. But I don't want to give up on Your plan for my life. Please, help me achieve a more optimistic and selfless mindset so that I may help others before helping myself. It's never about me, God, and you know the strong passion I have to help those in need of Your love. I hope to one day accomplish my goal of finally being able to worship you fully and trust in you completely, starting now. Change me God, and change the dark feelings of my heart. Break me and make me new. I need You, and my friends need You.

Thank you for reading this. "Above all, love each other deeply, for love covers a multitude of sins."-1 Peter 4:8. Love you guys.

New Tasks and Trials

Oh my goodness, has this been an eye opening week for me! Of course, counting Sunday as part of the past week, it has indeed been a constant push and pull on my faith and life's greatest joys. To my understanding there are some new things in my life that I'm being called to act upon and I hope I can get through this slump with God's awesome blessings. However, how do you know when you're being called to do something new and different? Perhaps I can help you out with that, or maybe I can't. It all depends on what you think, so read on if you like.

First off, I had been thinking deeply ever since last Wednesday. The worship night that quite literally ended with a bang, in a cymbal crash sense. But also a figurative sense, my heart's desires and my life's principles had been tested that night and I could feel my heart being crushed in evil's grip. Dramatic? Probably. But just to express the darkness of the situation. There are still some images of that night that continue to burn through my mind, and I'm tempted to become depressed every time they flash through my thoughts. I lost so much of my life's joy that night, as well as gaining some great qualities needed for my life. I do know this however: God answered a prayer of mine that I desperately asked for and it is usually one of the hardest things to accomplish on one's own. I almost made a rash decision that night. Just like the night so long ago, when my best bud was the only one who told me to stop because God had better plans for my life. I bawled out in front of my house, sitting on the grass with the burning desire to run away because I had been hurt so badly. God stopped me, I rediscussed things with my best bud, and all seemed fine. I still felt empty, but at least my life was saved again.

What does this have to do with the title, you ask? "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance."-James 1:2-3. I encountered one of the toughest tests of my life that night, and now I am learning how to deal with life's problems without having to depend on my friends all the time. Perhaps you've been stuck on something that happened so long ago and it hurt and burdened you so much throughout your life even if all is forgiven. You're scarred by the horrible event and your depression is an effect of that cause. God can show you what you're meant for as long as you're willing to trust in Him to show you what the first step is to take. Let's continue on the progress of the situation.

For the first time in my life, I felt like not speaking with my best bud for a while. I had the idea to purposely avoid the guy for the next two weeks, but something stopped me. The guy was hurting, and I still had to be there for him, even if he didn't want my help. I wished him a nice farewell for the weekend, and for a while, my mind had been blank. The worries of my life had disappeared as well as the joys of my life. It was like a new slate had been created in my mind; and the first thought that came to my mind when I left for Dallas during that Friday, "I wonder what God has planned for me next." I sat in the car and read my new book I had been recommended, and I enjoyed the time I spent in Dallas for the weekend as well as leaving the weight of Frisco behind.

I came back earlier today and I went to church with a hopeful and excited mindset. The message was basically saying how Jesus healed anyone and everyone no matter what their past was, what they've accomplished, and those with enough faith to believe in Jesus' miracles. It was about how every child has learned that if we don't win, we're not entitled to anything that the "winners" at life obtain. I was strongly impacted and inspired by this message today, and suddenly I felt the desire to help others who needed healing. This desire faded with time throughout the day as that wednesday night came across my mind again. I was shocked about it coming back! But then a new thought came to my mind saying, "Don't be afraid of it. Embrace it and learn from it." I went back in my mind and studied the differences of today compared to every Sunday. My best bud hadn't spoken a word to me at all this weekend. I sat behind him in church and he didn't even speak a greeting. I didn't go to his house and have lunch like I normally did, and my former girlfriend gave me a ride home. What did I interpret from all of this? A new task given to me by God's way of speaking to me. But that's for another time.

Right now, God may be calling you to do something you're not normally accustomed to, and even the oddest thoughts that flash through your mind may be a way of Him telling you what he wishes you to do. Perhaps you're doing something you're not normally used to doing. Your schedule suddenly becomes less of a routine and you take time to realize the real purpose behind the day. I found my new task just because God gave me the time to separate from all the things that burdened me. I realized it today, and now I know what my next step is. Sorry for being vague, but once again the story's for another time.

Take time to trace your unusual steps and you'll probably come to a conclusion about your next step in your life. Hopefully, you find the next step forward in God's path for your life to greatness and blessing.

Thank you.

Helping Others and Being Judgmental

Hey everyone, it's been a huge span of time between the last blog post I've made and the one I'm currently writing right now. Sorry about that, I've been real distracted lately and I've had other problems to deal with, but they should hopefully soon resolve back to normal. Either way, I'm going to try and enjoy my life with God, one step at a time.

It's real tough carrying the burden of your closest friends as well as keeping the weight of dark secrets they entrust you not to tell anyone. Under no circumstances have I honestly told anyone things I wasn't allowed to tell. But I find myself listening to the problems of my closest friends and other aquaintances and I enjoy helping them get stuff off their chest. Given I might have to deal with all the sadness and depression afterwards, it gives me great joy to be the great listener I am and carry that sadness and hurt and pain away from those who tell me their situation. In return, I don't tell a living soul about what I've been told, and I often pray for those who need it, or believe they don't. I always worry for people I know in my life that haven't accepted Christ as their Savior. I know God will show them the way one day, and that gives me hope to look forward to a better future. I always try to be as selfless as I can with my friends. If they don't wish to tell me what's wrong and I feel so desperate to help them, I have to respect their wishes and just have faith in God. All of this and carrying the burden of all the pain and sorrow; it can get to be a real tough damper on my life. I'd be lying if I said I've never let the sadness win at times, but I'd also be lying if I said it controlled my entire life.

It seems like the beginning of last month these two verses have been something to reflect on when in doubt of anything. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and He will make your paths straight."-Proverbs 3:5-6 Basically, this is saying that no matter the circumstance or the depression or hurt your going through in your life, trust in God and He will surely take care of whatever is bothering you. Quickly? Not necessarily, and not always, but given enough time, things will change for the better. These past two weeks I've been begging God to help so many people and myself as well. He's improved some situations dramatically and in other situations, I must continue to be patient for my other friends must also resort to God for their problems. This is all I can do unfortunately, and even if I don't like it, it's the honest truth. This is for you, my depressed and exasperated friends. I will keep praying for you no matter what happens.

There have been times where I have not helped others out because I have either had something against them, I strongly disliked them, or I just wasn't willing to help those who had been strongly rejected by society. How rude and incosiderate I have been! I promote the idea of loving and giving compassion to everyone whom I meet and I go and be a hypocrite behind other's backs. How can I expect to be helpful to everyone who needs God in their lives when I wasn't willing to give everybody a fair chance at leading them on the right path? There's no excuse for my rude behavior in the past and there's no excuse for anything that I hold against people. The point in case is to not be judgmental about people even through their usual mannerisms and behaviors. "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."-Matthew 7:2

If in fact we deny people the right to become right with God or deny people the right to be on good terms with one another based on our first impressions or ridiculous rumours that aren't true, we ourselves are not acting like Jesus did. Jesus would not have cast off one of his friends for lying to him about one thing sparked by a simple misunderstanding. Jesus would not shun the people who are rejects of society or not forgive those who have committed sins beyond our comprehension. Jesus would not have spread rumours about somebody behind their back just to act cool and make a false name for Himself. No, Jesus cared for everyone. Whether it was his closest friends or even the lowliest people regarded as "trash of soceity", he didn't mind and he treated them all with compassion and forgivness. And because of our human qualities, it's understandable that this is one of the most difficult things to achieve in one's lifetime. I do strive to be less judgmental even though it's been ingrained into my brain for years of my childhood. The past and what we have learned that makes up our personalities and identities during the years of our maturation can have the deepest impact of our entire lives. Please don't push someone to do something rash and unnecessary as you'll learn to regret it. Nobody wins in that type of situation. For all those who just need someone to talk to or an ear to have for somebody to listen, I'll be here. Whether you like me or not, the offer's always here, and if I shrug you off unintentionally, remind me of what I said today. 

Strive to be more like Jesus. Make yourself selfless and help others before helping yourself. Trust in God to take care of your life and he will provide for you. I'm just the messenger, and God's the one to take all the credit. I encourage everyone to pray and thank God for all the wonderful blessings He's put in our lives to make them more convienient. Without all the wonderful blessings we have, who knows where we would be right now. There is always someone doing worse than you out there, so pray for them. God will help you if you just have faith!

Thank you for reading this, and good night!