Today, was all about privelage....

When the worship team was playing, we were reminded in a song of how the veil was torn once Jesus died on that cross. We are now able to enter into the Holy of Holies - the place only the most sacred priests could enter.

This is our privelage.

We have no need to be jealous of Elijah, who made the followers of Baal look stupid by them not being able to light their fire when his ignated after gallons upon gallons of water being poured on it.

We have no need to be jealous of David who wrestled and won against a lion and bear, and who was able to kill a giant with a slingshot and 1 stone.

We have no need to be jealous of Moses who parted the red sea with just a stick that could turn into a serpant in a second.

We have no need to be jealous of Mephishobeth who got to eat at the kings table every day, even though he was handicapped.

We are more privelaged than all of them. They just might be jealous of us.

Why?

We are privelaged. We can enter into the Holy of Holies. Finally, God's presence isn't restrained or constricted. We are able to always be in His presence. We don't have to wait for special holy days or go through different requirements and sanctification processes. We can pray, worship, and simply just be with God - anytime and anywhere we want.

Shelly also made good points about us being privelaged.

It might sound silly to say that we are privelaged to serve, but we are. For people that have never served, they won't get it. For those of you that have, you know there's no higher high than knowing that YOU were used by the Almighty God. He could use anyone to reach that person or to do that task, but He chose YOU. What a rush that brings when we are obedient to those things that usually make us nervous.

Act like you're privelaged. I need to walk in my privelage. It's not something we have to flaunt, it flaunts within us, it permeates from our deepest parts, and it should be obvious to everyone that we see.

So, I don't know how many of you like or know about Family Life Radio (90.3), but I have to say, I absolutely love it. I always listened to Air1 in the past, but now, I barely ever go that way. Not to make it seem like I am a sponsor or an employee, but I like the morning show, the 1:00 and 9:00 talks with Dr. Randy Carlson, and even the Adventures in Odyssey sections at 8:00 pm on weeknights and 8:00 am on Saturday mornings. Let's admit it, there are always lessons that we need to re-learn, no matter how old we are. Oh, and on Sunday mornings, there's a great pastor that I get a good chunk in on during my drive to church. It's really random how his messages will go in-sync with Ben's as well. It's super awesome.

I say all of that for this.... because today was another one of those days. See, I was simply driving from Target to Michaels (maybe a 30 second drive), and that's when I heard a pastor say this...

"People's testimony isn't who they are on a Sunday morning during church - it's
who they are at work. I want to see people how they are at work, in their
workplace, around their fellow employees. I want to see how they act, and
how they treat people."

That little chunk was so great. It made me think... How do I treat people? I'm sure the people from Insight know quite a side of me. I had my ups and downs... from times where they saw me as the Mexico missions minded person that also taught the Prims on Wednesdays to being a drunken fool that got escorted out of the Insight Bowl because I was complete drunken idiot. They saw me at the 2 extremes that I have lived my life. Which, honestly, is kind of the reason why I never wanted to go back there. Plus, there are some people that still work there, that are definite reminders of the worst and stupidest mistakes that I have ever made.

Now, here, at my new job, I have a new start. People know that I am a church-goer, that I used to live in Mexico and work at orphanages - and that I can't go back to them. Yet, they also know that I go to bars a few times a year, and that I have impeccable taste in beer (if I do say so myself). It's after having conversations with people about stuff like that that I wonder, uh oh, did that ruin my witness... Then, I reflect and realize that I added the important details... you know, the ones that say, I don't drink to excess or very much, and that I drink soberly...

So, I definitely still have more to ponder on, and I can try to live my testimony of my life to a better accord. I need to process what is acceptable and beneficial, and also what isn't... Hopefully, this will be encouraging to some so that you may be able to do the same.

Please pray for:

Trish - finds out in the next few days what type of cancer she has & what stage she's in. She's not a Christian.

Brook's mom - part of her colon was taken out today & it wasn't cancerous yet, but it had potential of becoming cancerous.

Dorothy - I can't remember, but she's been sick for a few months.

Lois - has a pool of blood in her lower abdomen, is recovering from nmeuonia, & is going home from the hospital tomorrow.

Yesterday totally caught me off guard for some reason.

At church, I got a couple of random comments. One was from someone thanking me for talking to her because she was having a bad day. I also had 3 new people in my group. This is more odd to me because I am not usually a person that welcomes or gets to know the newbies. I'd rather wait to get to know them later.

Then, last night I was told that worship comes easy to me. Now, I have to say that I've never thought of that before. I've only thought of how I can't carry a tune and how I have never been gifted musically. Yet, when I think about it as entering in, then I do agree that it comes naturally for me. For that, I am thankful.

It's so weird to find out the little ways God uses us and things that other people see in us. My encouragement to you is to try to remember to tell people those things every once in a while.

Why is it that, generally speaking, it's easier to do things when they are "for God" instead of "for ourselves".

See, I've always mocked people who give up stupid things for lint - until this year. I remember a girl in college who gave up painting her toe nails. To her - it was an unbearably huge sacrifice. Well, this year, I decided to give up sweets - the unnecessary and unhealthy kind. So - no candy, cookies, cakes, etc. For me, it's hard because I used to eat them daily. I couldn't give them up as part of my hope to have a healthier diet. So, I do it for God so there's not an option.

So, I encourage you to change your attitude about something you are failing at - and do it for God - dedicate it to him.

A few random things....

It's great when God explains to us what is going on inside. I have been struggling with what my heart and mind have been doing to me since I've been told that I have been freed from singleness. Then, today... He simply said, "Before, you mourned for your heart's dreams. Now, you're mourning for your singleness."

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On the radio today, they were reading a psalm of Asepth (I can't remember his name). In it, it explains why the wicked seem to have life so easy. Then it kind of points out the amazing truth: This life here on earth is as close to heaven as the wicked will ever see. And, this life here on earth is as close to hell as the forgiven will ever see. There's so much truth in simplicity.

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I was reading the commentary in my bible today, and with the story of the Samaritan woman by the well, it told another story. It was a story of a teenage girl that had an abortion without anyone knowing about it except the taxi driver that took her home. Then, one day, she sat in her bathroom and cried out unknowingly to God in her loneliness, and He simply told her, "I know." Just like in the story in the Bible, God loves us despite everything He knows about us. It's a truly beautiful thing.

"I look at life in a whole new way now." - Seth B. after his baptism today.

"I found it!" (complete with a hug) - Savanna H. after she found her bible a few weeks ago.

"Nope, that's As Good As It Gets." - a Jack Nicholson voiced member after I helped him.

"I will say a long prayer for you my child." - an eldery Catholic woman.