Devo #12 - Witnessing to a drunk stranger

so Danimal and I were just talking about CCF stuff in front of my Hamilton house, when this guy just comes up to us, barefoot, and asks how we were doing. I don't know about Dan, but I stayed and made conversation not cuz I wanted to (i had really wanted to go inside and play some computer games before i slept), but cuz i felt it would be rude not to. I almost did go in when the guy (we'll call him Jim) told us that he just left a keg party.

We first talked about...how school sucks (hahahaha i find that most of my conversations always have this component), how work sucks, and how school and work sucks most when you have both. The conversation got a bit deeper as we started on world issues. Here's where my memory gets a little hazy, so if you want a more accurate sequence of events, you should ask Danimal.

In summary, we started with world conflicts, then went on to world religions. Then we asked him about his personal beliefs. He told us, and proceded to proved to us, that he's pretty well educated in the field of world religions (he told us he took one religion course at Mac, and that his father is a Jew converted from the Catholic church). His knowledge of faith is very broad, but general and non-specific. Nonetheless, he knew enough to put up a debate on religion.

He told us that he hates organised religion, that Christianity (when we mentioned it, and that we were Christians) brings good values, but since he already lives by most of what is taught in our faith, he doesn't think he NEEDS Jesus. He also mentioned that he hates organised religion because he doesn't want someone else to dictate his faith in the whatever god, THAT HE WANTS IT TO BE PERSONAL, WITHOUT A MIDDLEMAN. He then told us that he atheist, but believes in a higher power that he would like to get a hold of.

Danimal and I got excited over this...OF COURSE WE TOLD HIM ABOUT CHRIST. Instead of being excited to have heard of such good news, however, Jim kept replying to all our comments of Christ with............something non-sensical and responses that don't flow with the dialogue. He knows of the significance of Christ to Christians, but when we asked him about his interests, if anything, he replied with, "I just don't feel likeI need Him."

This made me realise how true it is that Christ is not received through knowledge alone. Just KNOWING Christ does not mean He'll acknowledge knowing YOU. He will say, "I tell you the truth, I don't know you." (Matt 25:12)

"21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."
1 Corinthians 1: 21-25

It's crazy how Paul's letter to the Corinthians is still reality in this time and age. The Jews STILL have a hard time accepting Christ, while everyone else still thinks it's foolishness to follow someone they don't care about.

How do we witness to a culture which emphasizes exclusive intelligence?

Can we convert the matter of the Love of God into an intelligent argument?

Should we?

Devo #11 - psalm (or just me trying to be poetic)

Better today than yesterday.
Better tomorrow than today.
There is always HOPE when you align yourself under the shadow of the Cross.


God, how I long for your shades! You shelter me from evil, yet,
like sheep, I keep wandering from your presence.
Is there no other way to keep me by your side?
Bind me, Lord, tie me up if you have to!
My heart seems stronger than my mind;
My infatuation of the world
seems stronger than my love for You!

Do I not love You, Oh GOD of GODS?
In times of darkness, why do I run towards the even darker?
You are the satisfaction of my sane mind. Then allow me to be sane!
LET me be SATISFIED!
Or grant me sweet mindlessness,
so that I may not dwell in self-pity and guilt.

Your Light is bright, Dear King, brighter than any sun or star.
But I have created the ultimate sunblock,
and I regret it.
Wash me clean of that artificial FILTH! Let me see and absorb Your goodness!
Let me be warmed in Your presence, and guiltless before Your eyes.

The brightest place to be is in the shadow of the Cross.

Devo? - lament/whining

First it was a rain-while-on-bike problem
then it was a self-control problem
then it was a fly infestation problem
then it was a glass problem
then it was a glass-in-my-hand problem
then it was a someone-buying-a-better-fly-killer-thing-than-mine-
thus-rendering-mine-useless-and-A-waste-of-money-and-also-
meaning-my-hands-got-bloody-for-nothing problem

After typing all that out...i don't think i should complain about those things. But now i'm kinda pissed at myself cuz i just realised that all the typing and the dashes was a vain attempt to seek pity, which i DON'T want.

I KNOW you've all had that kinda day....every little thing has just gone WRONG. HAYWIRE. AGAINST YOU. These little things....they keep you from being focused on the BIG things. It's so HARD to remember how good God is today. A part of me is still thinking that i should be studying and writing my term paper which is due next wednesday that i haven't started. (that's another problem). Funny how i'm now spending time with Him.

Sometimes you feel that the Psalms that lament to God, that begs for comfort from Him, does not even apply to you, because you know how much the psalmists suffered, and you know your pains do not deserve attention. You think that you yourself should work out these little things (glass in hand should be nothing compared to having a king after your ass). I know this is the general problem in guys, specifically.

I typed in the word "comfort" in the search block of biblegateway.com, hoping that a verse will comfort me. None of them seem to be relevant. THAT'S THE WORST!! when it seems the BIBLE isn't speaking what i want to hear.
How foolish I am. I haven't been focusing on the bigger picture. God is still there and still GOOD!



When darkness seems to hide his face, I rest on His unchanging Grace;
in ev'ry high and stormy gale My anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ, the solid rock I stand; All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

-ON SOLID GROUND, Charlie Hall, original words by Edward Mote


I'm really starting to understand this whole "unchanging" concept. Despite our PERCEPTION of Christ, depending on moods and circumstances, His LOVE and GRACE is still loving and graceful.

It's always about the big picture.

And the big picture sure looks good.