Today is Global Fast 07'...another great reminder that those that have much have a responsibility to those who have few. We were not given such luxury to lavish on our selves. Jesus would not be riding in expensive cars, going on cruises, or eating $20 meals while children were starving. Check out the link below to see what you can do....

$3,135 Provides a water well and pump for a needy community.

$2,600 Provides a house for a destitute family.

$750 Provides 5,000 pounds of rice and beans.

$150 Provides 1,000 pounds of rice and beans.

$135 Provides a water pump to a thirsty village.

$75 Provides 500 pounds of rice and beans

$54 Provides food for two children for one year.

$27 Provides food for a child for one year.

$15 Provides 100 pounds of rice and beans.

$10 Fast for a day and donate what you would've spent on food.

https://www.kintera.org/site/c.dnJGKNNsFmG/b.2507311/k.3C01/Global_Fast__A_Lenten_Sacrifice/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?c=dnJGKNNsFmG&b=2507311&en=fgJFLPMyHbLELQOCKbKEKXOIKpIZJ7MAIaKMJZNILjKQL6MQE

Thanks be to the Lord that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, we are forgiven of our apathy, so let us no longer be apathetic to the needs of humanity.

bad boys.... bad boys....what ya gona do?

Call it a comeback, I have decided to again pursue the art known as writing. We had class groups tonight with the Guys. What that is for those who aren't in the loop, class groups are a chance for the different high school grades from Westgate to get together and be the Body of Christ. Tonight I started the non-Jerk-A-Thon. The guys were put into groups of two, and each paid $10 for each other to join. If one is out, they both are out. It is the best way to reflect accountability. This is how it works in the real world to. If I backslide into sexual sin, you know I am hindering my prayer life, and that in turn means less protection/intercession for those I regularly pray for. On a side note, I got another ticket tonight. That's the second one in just two weeks. I also just bought a radar detector tonight. I figure, if I had one all along than I could have saved at least the more than $600 I have paid in tickets and fines. Perhaps this is just putting a band aid on a deep wound, the healing solution prob is to pay absolute attention to my speed.

I wrote a blog but I lost it, and I don't feel like writting it again...sorry.

and then my lips parted....and I was doomed

Ok, I did it again. My lips parted and allowed speech to penetrate the air that my brain had not the opportunity to censor. A friend and I were driving back from a movie we had seen with two of her friends. The topic had shifted from a variety of subjects, and somehow drifted to a confession. She feared her dentist appointment that was a few days away, nervous that the dentist might decide that her wisdom teeth must be removed. As we were pulling up in her driveway, I affirmed her fears, and than stupidly said ?yeah, you don?t want your cheeks to swell up any more?. As she was putting the car in park, she looked at me with question marks in her eyes, ?What you mean, ?any more??, the statement was almost a challenge as much as it was a question. I looked at her and paused?.?Uh?um?.I like you as a person!? and on that note I jumped out of that car like my faded blue jeans were on fire. The goodbye was awkward to say the least. On the drive home I searched for some explanation in my brain why I would try to amend the situation with the statement, ?I like you as a person?. For the record, she is a very attractive girl, and I have a bad, mouth. Bad mouth, no food for you!

Poverty is not created by the poor. It is created by the structures of society and the policies pursued by society. Change the structure as we are doing in Bangladesh, and you will see that the poor change their own lives.
I also believe that providing unemployment benefits is not the best way to address poverty. The able-bodied poor don't want or need charity. The dole only increases their misery, robs them of incentive and, more important, of self-respect."
Muhammad Yunus from the book banker to the poor

Muhammad Yunus has quite the room too talk since he is the one who invented (or at least pushed) micro loans. Micro Loans have helped free millions from poverty. Perhaps simply giving to the poor is not always the best idea? On a similar subject, maybe we should rethink this idea of social security? I do not change soon though, for ideas like that don't get you elected.

It's all been said before, and better than I could...

?The Christian life is more than difficult; it is humanly impossible to live. Only Jesus Christ can live it through you as He dwells within you. The Christian life is not a person imitating Christ; rather, it is Christ imparting His life to and living His life through the person. The Christian life is not what you do for Him; it is what He does for and through you. He wants to think with your mind, express Himself through your emotions, and speak through your voice, through you may be unconscious of it.? ? Bill Bright

I think once we truly understand this concept that Bill presents to us, daily time with God will no longer be a struggle; for we will see that like breath is to life, prayer & scripture is to the believer. Any person saying he is saved by the blood of Christ and no longer needs to pray is like the idiot who says he is alive and therefore no longer needs to breath. We breathe so we stay alive, and the same is true of prayer and our spiritual lives. It wasn?t until I grasped this that my relationship with Christ really deepened, and I will confess that I still have to be reminded of it.

Innocence...

I watched a movie the other night called ''the end of innocence" with Michelle Pfeiffer & Daniel Day Lewis (I think he is a great actor by the way and yes, I do enjoy a good chick flick now and then). The movie was a PG romance genre, and to my delight had no sex in it whatsoever. No sexual jokes, and nothing that would prevent me from watching it w/ my parents. The movie itself did not threaten one?s innocence. On a side note, I recognize that the previous statement is a minimalist question. A better question to ask would be does this help me glorify or better my Walk with Christ. So many times I catch my self asking minimalist questions like I am trying to walk the fence or something. One?s faith is a lot stronger when they ask maximalist questions. Anyway, back to innocence. The word seems almost obsolete in Americans vocabulary today. I feel that I am so far from innocence. Is innocence important? In Matthew 10:16 Christ says to His Disciples, "I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as snakes but as innocent as doves.? Can innocence be regained? Philippians 2:13-15 " It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him. Do everything without complaining or arguing. Then you will be blameless and innocent. You will be God's children without any faults among people who are crooked and corrupt. You will shine like stars among them in the world " Isn't that Interesting? Not through our trying do we please Him, do we be innocent, do we obey him. It is God at work in us that enables such innocence, He has the power to give innocence back to us. It makes sense, for how can dead flesh (our old self) produce anything living or qualities that living beings share.? It cannot, and that is why we need the life of Christ within us to produce life. It is so simple yet I still keep trying to pray more and read more. Without his strength it just doesn?t happen. Allow me to encourage you today to ask God for Innocence. Such a quality will enable Christians to stand out amongst a world where innocence is considered a negative connotation, and then you may get more opportunities to ?give a reason for this hope that you have (in Christ)?.