hello :] i just wanted to start this semester off right by saying God is good all the time! well, the past semester was my first here at temple and i didn't take it seriously at all and so i did really bad... when i had time to study or do my homework i would just neglect it and play with my friends even though in the back of my head i knew that i should and that my family was struggling as a result of me. so over break and as the result of the one in love retreat that i went to over break, i was asking myself the questions of why am i even in college and why do the things i do. there was a heart motives sermon at the retreat so it got me thinking about myself and (even though i've known for a while) it just showed my utter helplessness, my empty life, and the fact that i have no motivation to go further in my life other than to get a job. it was really hard to grasp the fact that this is my life and i wasn't living it the way that i know i shouldn't and the way i know that God wants me to live. although it has been corrupted since the fall of mankind, work is something that was created for us and is something that is a gift for us. i know that in my heart and my mindset was that i did not want to work, study, or anything, but i never did anything to disprove to myself that this was not the way. just thinking about the things that i was doing and the motivation behind it was a real wake-up from my daily life. we may not feel like doing the things that we should be doing, but ultimately it's something that we have to do. before thinking about this, i was just on a spiritual roller coaster and just acting accordingly to how i felt that day and what was happening to me when this shouldn't be. when i was on a spiritual low, i wouldn't want to praise God or practically do anything that day. i would seclude myself in my heart even though it would seem as if i was okay, but in reality i was just blocking off the emptiness that i know was controlling my life.
but when i really think about myself in relation to this community that i have been set in, the friendships that i have, the family that i have been given, the God who is so righteous and just that i cannot even fathom how sinful i am in relation to his perfection and also Jesus Christ who in love came down to save me from the sins of this world, the temptations of my heart, the oppression of my doubts, the idols of my soul, and the sadness, loneliness, regret, jealousy, and especially the indifference that was reigning over my life. i just thank God that i have people who i can trust and be encouraged by and i hope that i can be an encouragement and light that shines on other people's lives. and i thank Jesus Christ my savior and everlasting pardon for my sins for pleading on my behalf. i don't know what God has in store for me, but i know that it is good!
Romans 7:21-25
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
He fulfills my life through knowledge of my failure and in the knowledge that God's love will NEVER fail.
This is Richard O, and Jesus Fulfills My Life
God is good all the time :]
EDIT :::
prayer requests - vision to see God's will, wisdom to understand God's will, courage and strength to carry it out, humbleness so that i will remember that all that i do should ultimately be for God's glory and endurance for the times to come. also, please pray for my family because they have not yet seen God's love or sacrifice as real and fail to understand why i follow Christ. one more prayer request is because i'm considering serving and joining Renewal's praise team in the near future, please pray that God will discern what God wants me to do within the church even though i have an inclination towards the praise ministry whether as potential drummer or praise leader.
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4 comments:
Richard :)
this was such a great reminder about how much of a mess I am. & we all are. But it's these times when it's really THE BEST. The world may tell us we're foolish but in these times we are able to look up and know everything is perfect the way it is because God has created it that way.
Gosh, seriously tho, what would we do without God?!?!?! He is so awesome.
I shall DEF be praying for you & i'm excited to see how God will use you through music :)
- Sharon
Hey SS! <3
haha. but yeah im really glad to hear how much your growing n really becoming independent but also dependent on God. there are many paths, many different crosswords in life n many times we dont know which way to go or whether what we r doing is the right one. as i almost sure i know what i want to do i still do get lost at times. so i cant n no one can tell u how to live ur life or what u should do. God knows where u will truly know where u will end up n he is always with u n guiding u. continue to pray n trust in Him. do what u feel is rite how u can make a difference. i love u son n i know that even tho last semester was a setback for u that u are learning from ur mistakes n that u will overcome. bc u have God n you have this great family here with u and supporting u. ur cg, temple n renwal. your family will come around. i, personally knowing some of them especially christie ill help u. =) ive been talkin with her n i will continue to talk with her. stay strong. may u give ur best in ur studies this semester n that you will be able to hear where God is leading u. i will continue to pray for u. ;)
your sf & brother in Christ,
Henry S.
amen man. God has many good things planned for you dude. it's a new semester and a new opportunity to delight in the Lord by doing our best in the places He's placed us. in our situation, i guess one of those places is school. glorify God by working hard bro. i'll be prayin for ya too. very nice verse selection btw. praise team? AHAHAH. maybe another place for us in the future.
exactly what Justin said :)
I just wanted to add a quote I love!
"Work is a blessing. God has so arranged the world that work is necessary, and He gives us hands and strength to do it. The enjoyment of leisure would be nothing if we had only leisure. It is the joy of work well done that enables us to enjoy rest, just as it is the experiences of hunger and thirst that make food and drink such pleasures." -Elisabeth Elliot
There is nothing wrong with spending time with friends, brothers & sisters, family, ect. IN fact, God gave us that community for a specific reason. But just remembering that your most important job right now is to glorify God through your work, and having the wisdom to make time for both. and to be joyful in both :)
I'm glad you went to OiL and learned a lot :) praise God for that.
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